bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MINOR CRIME IN A QUAINT SETTING: PRACTICES, OUTCOMES, AND LIMITS OF VERMONT REPARATIVE PROBATION BOARDS
Authors: KARP DAVID R. , DRAKULICH KEVIN M.
Published: March 2006

Research Summary:

We performed the first outcome evaluation of Vermont's Reparative Probation Program by studying a sample of reparative cases terminated in the 2000 calendar year through a content analysis of case files and surveys of victims and community service sites. The evaluation was performed along four goals of the program: that communities are involved, victims’ needs are addressed, communities are restored, and offenders behave responsibly.

Policy Implications:

The program has been largely successful in meeting its program goals. Community involvement in probation programs with a focus on repairing harm and offender reintegration is growing. The evaluation shows that Vermont Reparative Probation was able to recruit and maintain a large volunteer pool, and involve these volunteers in sanctioning decisions. Whether this can be achieved in other settings, and whether volunteers can effectively work with more serious offenders are important questions for policy. While most cases processed in this program dealt with victimless crimes (such as drunk driving and underage drinking), victims did not participate as much as predicted, replicating results from other board evaluations. Because victim involvement is low, this practice may be less “restorative” for victims than other restorative justice models. Community service was a common sanction, offenders tended to comply with service obligations, and service sites were satisfied by their work. Despite a focus on offender reintegration, regular inclusion of reintegrative tasks, and reasonably high completion rates, this program made little use of effective correctional treatments or tasks that would develop strong attachments to the community.
Monitoring pollutants in highway runoff
Authors: Crabtree B. , Moy F. , Whitehead M. , Roe A.
Published: March 2006

Highway surface runoff discharges may contain pollutants that have accumulated on the carriageway, particularly following periods of dry weather. The Highways Agency, in association with the Environment Agency, commissioned a 5‐year study in 1997 to collect data to improve the understanding of pollutants in highway runoff and the treatment efficiency of drainage systems. The study involved the monitoring of nonurban highway drainage at six sites, each for a minimum of 1 year. The results have been used to identify ranges of pollutant concentrations in highway runoff, relationships between runoff concentrations/loads and both highway and environmental factors, drainage system treatment efficiencies, and impacts on receiving waters. This paper describes the methods used for runoff monitoring, the results obtained to characterise pollutants in highway runoff, and the measured pollutant removal efficiency of a number of drainage system types.
A synopsis of membrane technologies in UK municipal potable water treatment: history, status and prospects
Authors: Rachwal Tony , Judd Simon
Published: March 2006

The current status of membrane filtration for potable water and wastewater applications is assessed with reference to recent history and key legislative drivers. The current installed capacity for potable water membrane treatment is around 1100 ML/day provided by over 100 plants, with the majority being conventional pumped systems using hollow fibre ultrafiltration (UF) or microfiltration (MF) membranes. An examination of the distribution of membrane plants reveals that capacity is provided predominantly by two commercial UF/MF membrane suppliers, but that a large number of smaller nanofiltration plants have been installed in one UK region. Future prospects for desalination are considered.
Design of a Side-View Particle Imaging Velocimetry Flow System for Cell-Substrate Adhesion Studies
Authors: Leyton-Mange Jordan , Yang Sung , Hoskins Meghan H. , Kunz Robert F. , Zahn Jeffrey D. , Dong Cheng
Published: March 2006

Experimental models that mimic the flow conditions in microcapillaries have suggested that the local shear stresses and shear rates can mediate tumor cell and leukocyte arrest on the endothelium and subsequent sustained adhesion. However, further investigation has been limited by the lack of experimental models that allow quantitative measurement of the hydrodynamic environment over adherent cells. The purpose of this study was to develop a system capable of acquiring quantitative flow profiles over adherent cells. By combining the techniques of side-view imaging and particle image velocimetry (PIV), an in vitro model was constructed that is capable of obtaining quantitative flow data over cells adhering to the endothelium. The velocity over an adherent leukocyte was measured and the shear rate was calculated under low and high upstream wall shear. The microcapillary channel was modeled using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the calculated velocity profiles over cells under the low and high shear rates were compared to experimental results. The drag force applied to each cell by the fluid was then computed. This system provides a means for future study of the forces underlying adhesion by permitting characterization of the local hydrodynamic conditions over adherent cells.
Feasibility of Extracting Velocity Distribution in Choriocapillaris in Human Eyes from ICG Dye Angiograms
Authors: Zhu L. , Zheng Y. , von Kerczek C. H. , Topoleski L. D. T. , Flower R. W.
Published: March 2006

Indocyanine green (ICG) dye angiography has been used by ophthalmologists for routine examination of the choroidal vasculature in human eyes for more than 20years. In this study, a new approach is developed to extract information from ICG dye angiograms about blood velocity distribution in the choriocapillaris and its feeding blood vessels. ICG dye fluorescence intensity rise and decay curves are constructed for each pixel location in each image of the choriocapillaris in an ICG angiogram. It is shown that at each instant of time the magnitude of the local instantaneous dye velocity in the choriocapillaris is proportional to both the slope of the ICG dye fluorescence intensity curve and the dye concentration. This approach leads to determination of the absolute value of blood velocity in the choriocapillaris, assuming an appropriate scaling, or conversion factor can be determined. It also enables comparison of velocities in different regions of the choriocapillaris, since the conversion factor is independent of the vessel location. The computer algorithm developed in this study can be used in clinical applications for diagnostic purposes and for assessment of the efficacy of laser therapy in human eyes.
An Adaptive System Identification Model of the Biomechanical Response of the Human Trunk During Sudden Loading
Authors: Lawrence Brad M. , Buckner Gregory D. , Mirka Gary A.
Published: March 2006

Sudden loading injuries to the low back are a concern. Current models are limited in their ability to quantify the time-varying nature of the sudden loading event. The method of approach used six males who were subjected to sudden loads. Response data (EMG and kinematics) were input into a system identification model to yield time-varying torso stiffness estimates. The results show estimates of system stiffness in good agreement with values in the literature. The average root mean square error of the model’s predictions of sagittal motion was equal to 0.1deg. In conclusion, system identification can be implemented with minimal error and used to gain more insight into the time-dependent trunk response to sudden loads.
The Effect of the Loading Condition Corresponding to Functional Shoulder Activities on Trabecular Architecture of Glenoid
Authors: Lim Dohyung , Seliktar Rami , Wee Jin-Yong , Tom James , Nunes Linda
Published: March 2006

There is little information on bone morphology as it relates to shoulder activities. This study investigated how loads corresponding to functional shoulder activities affect the trabecular architecture of the glenoid. Two different protocols were used. Protocol 1 investigated the material and morphological characteristics of the glenoid by analyzing digitized trabecular bone images obtained from 12 cadaver scapula specimens. Protocol 2 used a finite element analysis (FEA) to compute the principal stress trajectories acting within the glenoid. The principal stresses were derived for five loading conditions, which represent typical functional shoulder activities. The study showed that shoulder activity involved in carrying a light load makes the greatest contribution to the trabecular architecture compared with other shoulder activities considered in this study (p<0.05). With all of the activities considered in this study, the lateral region, particularly in the anterior and posterior portions, showed greater deviation and greater sensitivity to variation under loading conditions than did the other regions (p<0.05). These results suggest that owing to the extra sensitivity of the anterior and posterior parts of the lateral region, these regions may be more informative in the analysis of the trabecular architecture following shoulder musculoskeletal injuries. These results may provide essential design information for shoulder prostheses and contribute to an understanding of morphological changes resulting from injury.
Acetabular Cup Geometry and Bone-Implant Interference have More Influence on Initial Periprosthetic Joint Space than Joint Loading and Surgical Cup Insertion
Authors: Ong Kevin L. , Lehman Jeffrey , Notz William I. , Santner Thomas J. , Bartel Donald L.
Published: March 2006

Environmental variations in patient-dependent and surgical factors were modeled using robust optimization with a finite element acetabular cup-pelvis model. A previously developed statistical optimization scheme was used to: (1) determine the cup geometry and the optimal cup-bone interference that maximized bone-implant contact areas and minimized changes in the gap volume between the implant and bone surface during gait loading and unloading; and (2) determine the relative contributions of design, patient-dependent, and surgical factors to variations in bone-implant contact areas and a change in gap volume. The statistical analyses indicated that the design variables, namely the equatorial diameter and eccentricity, explained most of the variations in the performance measures. Further, the hemispherical designs performed better than the nonhemispherical designs. The 58mm hemispherical cup, with 2mm diametral interferences, minimized the change in gap volume and attained 82% and 81% of the maximum predicted total and rim contact areas, respectively. The equatorial diameter and eccentricity, not the patient-dependent and surgical factors, explained most of the variations in the performance measures. Perfect surface apposition was not attained with any of the cup designs.
Geographic Factors Contributing to a High Seroprevalence of West Nile Virus-Specific Antibodies in Humans following an Epidemic
Authors: Schweitzer Beth K. , Kramer Wayne L. , Sambol Anthony R. , Meza Jane L. , Hinrichs Steven H. , Iwen Peter C.
Published: March 2006

Sera of 624 blood donors were evaluated to determine seroprevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) antibodies following the 2003 WNV epidemic in Nebraska. Geographic factors contributing to differences in WNV seropositivity were evaluated. The overall prevalence of WNV in Nebraska was higher than reported previously in other U.S. locations (9.5% WNV immunoglobulin G seroprevalence rate), with the highest prevalence identified in the western part of the state (19.7%), followed by the central (13.8%) and the eastern (4.2%) parts. Regions of the state with the highest WNV-positive mosquito rates correlated with the highest human WNV seroprevalence rates. The results showed that both the western and central parts of the state, where mosquito positivity rates were highest, had significantly higher seroprevalence rates than the eastern region. Additional studies are needed to determine whether the high prevalence rates in Nebraska will be reflected in other states and what impact environmental and geographical factors may have on future outbreaks of WNV infection.
The Flavonoid Quercetin Inhibits Proinflammatory Cytokine (Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha) Gene Expression in Normal Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells via Modulation of the NF-κβ System
Authors: Nair Madhavan P. , Mahajan Supriya , Reynolds Jessica L. , Aalinkeel Ravikumar , Nair Harikrishnan , Schwartz Stanley A. , Kandaswami Chithan
Published: March 2006

The flavonoids comprise a large class of low-molecular-weight plant metabolites ubiquitously distributed in food plants. These dietary antioxidants exert significant antitumor, antiallergic, and anti-inflammatory effects. The molecular mechanisms of their biological effects remain to be clearly understood. We investigated the anti-inflammatory potentials of a safe, common dietary flavonoid component, quercetin, for its ability to modulate the production and gene expression of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Our results showed that quercetin significantly inhibited TNF-α production and gene expression in a dose-dependent manner. Our results provide direct evidence of the anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin by PBMC, which are mediated by the inhibition of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α via modulation of NF-κβ1 and Iκβ.
Recognizing Primary Immune Deficiency in Clinical Practice
Authors: Yarmohammadi Hale , Estrella Lissette , Doucette John , Cunningham-Rundles Charlotte
Published: March 2006

Primary immunodeficiency results in recurrent infections, organ dysfunction, and autoimmunity. We studied 237 patients referred for suspicion of immunodeficiency, using a scoring system based on clinical information. The 113 patients with immunodeficiency had higher scores and more episodes of chronic illnesses and were more likely to have neutropenia, lymphopenia, or splenomegaly.
Evaluation of Vircell Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay and Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay for Detection of Antibodies against
Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Diederen Bram M. W. , Kluytmans Jan A. J. W. , Peeters Marcel F.
Published: March 2006

We evaluated the abilities of the Vircell immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for
Legionella pneumophila
serogroup 1, the IgM and IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for
Legionella pneumophila
serogroup 1, and the IgM-plus-IgG ELISA for
Legionella pneumophila
serogroups 1 to 6 to diagnose Legionnaires' disease (LD) in a well-described sample of patients with and without LD. Also, we determined the agreements, sensitivities, and specificities of the different Vircell assays in comparison to a validated ELISA (Serion classic ELISA). Clinical sensitivity and specificity were 74.6% and 96.6%, respectively, for the IgM IFA, 65.1% and 88.0% for the IgG IFA, 92.3% and 100% for the IgM ELISA, 43.3% and 96.6% for the IgG ELISA, and 90.8% and 100% for the IgM-plus-IgG ELISA. Compared to Serion classic ELISA, agreement, sensitivity, and specificity were 80.0%, 83.1%, and 78.4%, respectively, for the IgM IFA, 75.2%, 66.0%, and 79.5% for the IgG IFA, 89.5%, 82.0%, and 97.6% for the IgM ELISA, 81.9%, 88.9%, and 78.0% for the IgG ELISA, and 93.5%, 90.0%, and 96.6% for the IgM-plus-IgG ELISA. The value of a positive diagnostic result obtained by the Vircell IgM IFA, the Vircell IgG IFA, and the Vircell IgG ELISA might not be acceptable for a diagnostic assay. Both the high specificities and sensitivities of the Vircell IgM ELISA and the IgM-plus-IgG ELISA and the high correlation with the Serion classic ELISA indicate that they are useful in the diagnosis of LD.
Rapid Flow Cytometry Method for Quantitation of LFA-1-Adhesive T Cells
Authors: Crucian Brian , Nelman-Gonzalez Mayra , Sams Clarence
Published: March 2006

Adhesion molecules are important for leukocyte endothelial attachment and migration to sites of inflammation. The LFA-1 (CD11a and CD18) integrin molecule is constitutively expressed on the T-cell surface. Following T-cell activation, a rapid conformational change of LFA-1 to an “adhesive” state occurs, allowing LFA-1 binding to intracellular cell adhesion molecule type 1 (ICAM-1)-expressing targets, such as antigen-presenting cells. For this study, a rapid flow cytometry method for the quantitation of LFA-1-adhesive T cells following activation was developed. Purified ICAM-1 was bound to 4.5-μm-diameter beads. Following peripheral blood mononuclear cell activation culture (phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin), the cells were incubated with the ICAM-1 beads, which allowed attachment to occur. The T cell-bead complexes were then resolved from unbound T cells by flow cytometry. Multicolor analysis allowed a complete phenotypic analysis of the adhesive T-cell subsets. Experimental controls indicated that the T cell-bead attachment was LFA-1 and ICAM-1 specific. Very little binding between unactivated T cells and ICAM beads or between activated T cells and plain beads was observed. The kinetics of the response was extremely rapid, with nearly maximal numbers of adhesive T cells observed following 5 min of activation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis was used to characterize legitimate bead-cell binding. By using multicolor cytometry, the responding adhesive T-cell population was usually identified as a distinct subset of T cells with the following phenotype: CD3
+
CD4
+
or CD8
+
CD19
−
CD16
−
CD45RO
+
CD62L
+
CD27
+
CD57
−
. A rapid and simple method for the scoring of LFA-1-adhesive T cells was developed and may have significant utility for immune function studies.
False-Positive Results in a Recombinant Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Associated Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) Nucleocapsid-Based Western Blot Assay Were Rectified by the Use of Two Subunits (S1 and S2) of Spike for Detection of Antibody to SARS-CoV
Authors: Maache Mimoun , Komurian-Pradel Florence , Rajoharison Alain , Perret Magali , Berland Jean-Luc , Pouzol Stéphane , Bagnaud Audrey , Duverger Blandine , Xu Jianguo , Osuna Antonio , Paranhos-Baccalà Glaucia
Published: March 2006

To evaluate the reactivity of the recombinant proteins expressed in
Escherichia coli
strain BL21(DE3), a Western blot assay was performed by using a panel of 78 serum samples obtained, respectively, from convalescent-phase patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) (30 samples) and from healthy donors (48 samples). As antigen for detection of SARS-CoV, the nucleocapsid protein (N) showed high sensitivity and strong reactivity with all samples from SARS-CoV patients and cross-reacted with all serum samples from healthy subjects, with either those obtained from China (10 samples) or those obtained from France (38 serum samples), giving then a significant rate of false positives. Specifically, our data indicated that the two subunits, S1 (residues 14 to 760) and S2 (residues 761 to 1190), resulted from the divided spike reacted with all samples from SARS-CoV patients and without any cross-reactivity with any of the healthy serum samples. Consequently, these data revealed the nonspecific nature of N protein in serodiagnosis of SARS-CoV compared with the S1 and S2, where the specificity is of 100%. Moreover, the reported results indicated that the use of one single protein as a detection antigen of SARS-CoV infection may lead to false-positive diagnosis. These may be rectified by using more than one protein for the serodiagnosis of SARS-CoV.
The bioethics of enhancing human performance for spaceflight
Authors: Gibson T M
Published: February 2006

There are many ways of enhancing human performance. For military aviation in general, and for spaceflight in particular, the most important tools are selection, training, equipment, pharmacology, and surgery. In the future, genetic manipulation may be feasible. For each of these tools, the specific modalities available range from the ethically acceptable to the ethically unacceptable. Even when someone consents to a particular procedure to enhance performance, the action may be ethically unacceptable to society as a whole and the burden of risk for the individual may be too great. In addition, there are several characteristics that define the quality and the acceptability of the consent. Each method of enhancing performance will be examined in the context of the principles of medical ethics in a western society: autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence, and justice. The aim is to draw the attention of aeromedical practitioners to the complexities of ethical dilemmas such as this particular one in order to help them to develop a morally justifiable code of practice that balances society’s needs against individual ambitions and corporate goals.
Use of physical restraint in nursing homes: clinical-ethical considerations
Authors: Gastmans C , Milisen K
Published: February 2006

This article gives a brief overview of the state of the art concerning physical restraint use among older persons in nursing homes. Within this context we identify some essential values and norms that must be observed in an ethical evaluation of physical restraint. These values and norms provide the ethical foundation for a number of concrete recommendations that could give clinical and ethical support to caregivers when they make decisions about physical restraint. Respect for the autonomy and overall wellbeing of older persons, a proportional assessment of the advantages and disadvantages, a priority focus on the alternatives to physical restraint, individualised care, interdisciplinary decision making, and an institutional policy are the central points that make it possible to deal responsibly with the use of physical restraint for older persons in nursing homes.
The Gibbs and splitmerge sampler for population mixture analysis from genetic data with incomplete baselines
Authors: Pella Jerome , Masuda Michele
Published: February 2006

Although population mixtures often include contributions from novel populations as well as from baseline populations previously sampled, unlabeled mixture individuals can be separated to their sources from genetic data. A Gibbs and splitmerge Markov chain Monte Carlo sampler is described for successively partitioning a genetic mixture sample into plausible subsets of individuals from each of the baseline and extra-baseline populations present. The subsets are selected to satisfy the HardyWeinberg and linkage equilibrium conditions expected for large, panmictic populations. The number of populations present can be inferred from the distribution for counts of subsets per partition drawn by the sampler. To further summarize the sampler's output, co-assignment probabilities of mixture individuals to the same subsets are computed from the partitions and are used to construct a binary tree of their relatedness. The tree graphically displays the clusters of mixture individuals together with a quantitative measure of the evidence supporting their various separate and common sources. The methodology is applied to several simulated and real data sets to illustrate its use and demonstrate the sampler's superior performance.
A field study examining the relative importance of food and water as sources of cadmium for juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens)
Authors: Kraemer Lisa D , Campbell Peter GC , Hare Landis , Auclair Jean-Christian
Published: February 2006

To determine the relative importance of water and food as cadmium (Cd) sources for juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens, age 1+), fish were caged for up to 30 days in either a reference (Opasatica) or a Cd-contaminated (Dufault) lake and offered prey (zooplankton) from one of these lakes. We established four Cd-exposure regimes: a control, Cd-contaminated water only, Cd-contaminated food only, Cd-contaminated food and water. The 64 µm mesh cages used allowed the free exchange of water with the surrounding lake while retaining the added zooplankton prey for the perch. Cd in the gills and kidney of caged perch was taken up largely from lake water, whereas liver and gut Cd appeared to come from both dietary and aqueous sources. At the subcellular level (liver), the majority of the background Cd in control perch was associated with metal-sensitive fractions (organelles and heat-denatured proteins), whereas in perch exposed to waterborne or diet-borne Cd, the majority of the Cd was found in a metal-detoxified fraction (heat-stable proteins, metallothionein). For perch from all treatment levels, the higher the concentration of hepatic Cd, the greater the proportion of the Cd burden in this organ that was associated with the fraction containing metallothionein-like proteins.
Characterizing north temperate lake littoral fish assemblages: a comparison between distance sampling and minnow traps
Authors: MacRae Pamela SD , Jackson Donald A
Published: February 2006

To determine which sampling method may be best employed to monitor changes in fish species composition in littoral areas of small north temperate lakes (≤50 ha), data were collected using distance sampling, based on the line transect method, and a traditional fish sampling method of baited minnow traps. These methods were independently biased in terms of their estimates of species presence and abundance. However, analyses of fish community structure indicated that minnow trap data alone provided a better measure of community structure than did distance sampling data alone. Distance sampling, although a powerful tool in estimating population density, is hindered by a multitude of environmental variables that do not preclude the use of minnow traps. Lakes with clear water containing few species with abundant individuals are best suited for distance sampling. Minnow traps proved to be a fast, efficacious sampling method capable of fairly accurately defining the littoral small-fish community structure in most lakes sampled. These traps are a reliable method for monitoring presence or absence and relative abundance of small-bodied fish species in north temperate lakes. However, the combination of minnow traps and some form of visual sampling will help to ensure that all species are detected in small north temperate lakes.
An evaluation of stable nitrogen isotopes and polychlorinated biphenyls as bioenergetic tracers in aquatic systems
Authors: Paterson Gordon , Drouillard Kenneth G , Haffner G Douglas
Published: February 2006

This study investigated the relationship between stable nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris) and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) with respect to age, size, and diet. δ15N signatures in both species exhibited enrichment with increasing size and approached steady state with respect to dietary δ15N values by the second year of growth. Young-of-the-year fish, however, exhibited lower nitrogen isotope enrichment over the diet, indicating that the commonly held trophic enrichment factor of 3.4 is more suitable for older, slow-growing individuals. PCB accumulation in both species progressed from being dominated by uptake from water in small (<100 g) fish to dietary uptake in larger individuals as a function of bioenergetic constraints such as food energy conversion and contaminant assimilation efficiencies. Significant increases in PCB accumulation were attributed to decreased specific growth rates such that ≤60% of body mass was gained on an annual basis. This effect was most noted in bluegills where higher PCB biomagnification factors were a consequence of increased foraging costs associated with an invertebrate diet. It is concluded that growth-related changes in species bioenergetics regulate both contaminant accumulation and δ15N dynamics.
Information needs for assessing critical habitat of freshwater fish
Authors: Rosenfeld Jordan S , Hatfield Todd
Published: February 2006

The core assumptions of critical habitat designation are a positive relationship between habitat and population size and that a minimum habitat area is required to meet a recovery target. Effects of habitat on population limitation scale from (i) effects on performance of individuals (growth, survival, fecundity) within a life history stage, to (ii) limitation of populations by habitats associated with specific life history stages, and (iii) larger-scale habitat structure required for metapopulation persistence. The minimum subset of habitats required to achieve a recovery target will depend on the extent, quality, and spatial configuration of habitats available to sequential life history stages. Although populations may be limited by available habitat for a single life history stage, altering habitat quality for subsequent stages will also affect individual survival and population size, providing multiple leverage points within a life history for habitat management to achieve recovery targets. When habitat-explicit demographic data are lacking, consequences of uncertainty in critical habitat assessment need to be explicit, and research should focus on identifying habitats most likely to be limiting based on species biology.
Incentive-based approaches to sustainable fisheries
Authors: Grafton R Quentin , Arnason Ragnar , Bjørndal Trond , Campbell David , Campbell Harry F , Clark Colin W , Connor Robin , Dupont Diane P , Hannesson Rögnvaldur , Hilborn Ray , Kirkley James E , Kompas Tom , Lane Daniel E , Munro Gordon R , Pascoe Sean , Squires Dale , Steinshamn Stein Ivar , Turris Bruce R , Weninger Quinn
Published: February 2006

The failures of traditional target-species management have led many to propose an ecosystem approach to fisheries to promote sustainability. The ecosystem approach is necessary, especially to account for fisheryecosystem interactions, but by itself is not sufficient to address two important factors contributing to unsustainable fisheries: inappropriate incentives bearing on fishers and the ineffective governance that frequently exists in commercial, developed fisheries managed primarily by total-harvest limits and input controls. We contend that much greater emphasis must be placed on fisher motivation when managing fisheries. Using evidence from more than a dozen natural experiments in commercial fisheries, we argue that incentive-based approaches that better specify community and individual harvest or territorial rights and price ecosystem services and that are coupled with public research, monitoring, and effective oversight promote sustainable fisheries.
Rapid food web recovery in response to removal of an introduced apex predator
Authors: Lepak Jesse M , Kraft Clifford E , Weidel Brian C
Published: February 2006

Non-native species have increased extinction rates, decreased diversity, altered organism distributions, and constrained ecosystem functioning in native aquatic and terrestrial communities. Although widespread fish introductions have dramatically altered fish communities in north temperate lakes, restoration of native fish communities has been rarely accomplished. This study evaluated a native fish community restoration using a stable isotope based metric. Stable isotopes from a native apex predator (lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)) were used to measure food web changes following removal of a dominant non-native apex predator (smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)). Prior to bass removal, lake trout consumed primarily invertebrates. Within 2 years of the initiation of an experimental removal effort, lake trout δ13C values

(25.9 to 24.9) and trophic position (3.53.9) increased, reflecting a switch to prey fish consumption that was supported by stomach contents analyses. Here, we show the rapid reestablishment of food web linkages within a native fish community in response to changes in principal energy sources and trophic position of a native apex predator along with the ability to quantify the extent of these changes.
Base cation reservoirs in soil control the buffering capacity of lakes in forested catchments
Authors: Houle Daniel , Ouimet Rock , Couture Suzanne , Gagnon Christian
Published: February 2006

The acidification of forest soils and surface waters and their relatively poor recovery record following reductions in atmospheric sulphur emissions is a major ongoing environmental problem, particularly in northeastern North America. The slow recovery of surface water is widely hypothesized to result from depletion of reservoirs of base cations in soil. This is concordant with the theory that the acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) of lakes is likely proportional to the size of the exchangeable base cation reservoirs present in surrounding watershed soils. However, data describing these linkages are still nonexistent in the literature. Here we show that lake ANC is highly predictable (r2 = 0.75) based on the size of the exchangeable Ca2+ reservoir in soil in 21 catchments representative of soil and lake conditions encountered in northeastern North America. This finding indirectly supports the hypothesis that the poor recovery of surface water from acidification is governed by the size of base cation reservoirs present in catchment soils. The size of the base cation reservoir in soil is thus a strong indicator of the acidbase status of both soils and surface waters.
COMBINATIONAL APPROACH, Au+Au COLLISIONS AT $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200~{\rm GeV}$ AND AT TWO RAPIDITIES, AND THE NATURE OF CENTRALITY-DEPENDENCE OF SOME SECONDARIES
Authors: DE BHASKAR , BISWAS S. K. , BHATTACHARYYA S.
Published: March 2006

BRAHMS collaboration1 had studied in the recent past some properties of the detected identified charged hadrons in gold–gold collisions at [Formula: see text] as a function of pT and collision-centrality at two rapidity values. The reported characteristics, which are not offshoots of any specific model whatsoever, and are measured in a model-independent manner, would be dealt with in the light of a phenomenological framework named combinational approach.
SOLUTION OF THE DIRAC EQUATION WITH NONCENTRAL THREE-VECTOR POTENTIAL
Authors: ALHAIDARI A. D.
Published: March 2006

We introduce coupling to three-vector potential in the (3+1)-dimensional Dirac equation. The potential is noncentral (angular-dependent) such that the Dirac equation separates completely in spherical coordinates. The relativistic energy spectrum and spinor wave functions are obtained for the case where the radial component of the vector potential is proportional to 1/r. The coupling presented in this work is a generalization of the one which was introduced by Moshinsky and Szczepaniak for the Dirac-oscillator problem.
$D_{sJ}^{*}(2317)$ AND $D_{J}^{*}(2308)$ AS CANDIDATES FOR OPEN-CHARM TETRAQUARKS
Authors: DMITRAŠINOVIĆ V.
Published: March 2006

We review the theoretical and experimental evidence for the candidacy of the [Formula: see text] and the [Formula: see text] for charmed tetraquarks. We briefly review the 't Hooft interaction's influence on the single-charm (C = 1)[Formula: see text] tetraquark mass spectrum: its consequences for other observed mesons such as the [Formula: see text], as well as its predictions of the (thus far) unobserved exotic tetraquark states. In particular we show that the small [Formula: see text] mass difference is naturally predicted by the tetraquark model, within the present experimental error bars, and thus may constitute the first "smoking gun" evidence for tetraquark existence. A short outlook of the possible future research directions is given.
BEHAVIOR OF COULOMB-HYDRODYNAMIC EXPLOSION OF DEUTERIUM CLUSTERS
Authors: AN WEI-KE , QIU XI-JUN , JIANG YI , ZHU ZHI-YUAN
Published: March 2006

Considering the Coulomb-hydrodynamic explosion induced by the interaction of a deuterium cluster target with ultra-intensity femtosecond laser, the mechanism which generates energetic deuterium nuclei for the fusion has been analyzed. The formulas for expansions of the deuterium ion cluster, which are driven by the Coulomb-hydrodynamic explosion, are proposed. Hence the kinetic energies of deuterium nuclei and the expansion time of deuterium ion cluster have been estimated.
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE AND MAGNETISM OF Mn1-xPdx ALLOYS
Authors: JING C. , YANG Y. , CAO S. X. , ZHANG J. C.
Published: March 2006

An ab initio linearized augmented plane-wave method has been employed to calculate the electronic and magnetic structures of both face-centered-cubic and body-centered-cubic Mn 1-x Pd x alloys with x=0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1, respectively. The calculated result for fcc Mn 1-x Pd x alloys at different concentrations shows that fcc Mn 1-x Pd x alloys with x=0.5, 0.75 is ferromagnetic ordering. With low Pd concentration and pure Mn , it presents ferrimagnetic and antiferromagnetic ordering, respectively. As expected, pure Pd is paramagnetic ordering. For bcc Mn 1-x Pd x alloys with x=0, 0.5 and 0.75, the calculated result indicates that these alloys are ferromagnetic. For the Mn -rich alloy and pure Pd , however, it presents ferrimagnetic and paramagnetic ordering, respectively.
TIME EVOLUTION OF A CENTRAL OSCILLATOR IN HEAT BATH DERIVED BY VIRTUE OF THE IWOP TECHNIQUE
Authors: FAN HONG-YI , XU XUE-FEN
Published: March 2006

By virtue of the technique of integration within an ordered product of operators we derive the normally ordered expansion of time evolution operator for the case of a central oscillator immersed in a heat bath composed of a large number of oscillators. The time evolution of the system and heat bath into coherent states is discussed based on energy conservation. As a by-product, the partition function of two coupled oscillators is also calculated in this way.
LEAKAGE CURRENT CONDUCTION BEHAVIOR OF FLUORINATED POLYIMIDE FILM
Authors: LEE YONG K.
Published: March 2006

Leakage current of fluorinated polyimide film was measured as function of time, electric field and sample temperature. Several existing conduction and charge transport mechanism was fit to the experimental results. It was concluded that the bulk limited Pool–Frenkel conduction mechanism was likely to dominate for the leakage current at high electric field (higher than 1 MV/cm) and Ohmic conduction was main conduction mechanism at low electric field (lower than 1 MV/cm).
EXISTENCE OF GLOBAL MARTINGALE SOLUTIONS TO STOCHASTIC HYPERBOLIC EQUATIONS DRIVEN BY A SPATIALLY HOMOGENEOUS WIENER PROCESS
Authors: ONDREJÁT MARTIN
Published: March 2006

Semilinear second-order stochastic hyperbolic equations driven by a spatially homogeneous Wiener process are studied. Sufficient conditions on the coefficients of the equation to have global martingale solutions are found. In particular, the results apply to equations with continuous drift and continuous diffusion.
INFINITE SYSTEM OF BROWNIAN BALLS: EQUILIBRIUM MEASURES ARE CANONICAL GIBBS
Authors: FRADON MYRIAM , ROELLY SYLVIE
Published: March 2006

We consider a system of infinitely many hard balls in ℝd undergoing Brownian motions and submitted to a smooth pair potential. It is modelized by an infinite-dimensional stochastic differential equation with a local time term. We prove that the set of all equilibrium measures, solution of a detailed balance equation, coincides with the set of canonical Gibbs measures associated to the hard core potential added to the smooth interaction potential.
GEOMETRIC ERGODICITY FOR DISSIPATIVE PARTICLE DYNAMICS
Authors: SHARDLOW TONY , YAN YUBIN
Published: March 2006

Dissipative particle dynamics is a model of multi-phase fluid flows described by a system of stochastic differential equations. We consider the problem of N particles evolving on the one-dimensional periodic domain of length L and, if the density of particles is large, prove geometric convergence to a unique invariant measure. The proof uses minorization and drift arguments, but allows elements of the drift and diffusion matrix to have compact support, in which case hypoellipticity arguments are not directly available.
AN ENHANCEMENT OF FINITE ELEMENT METHOD WITH MOVING KRIGING SHAPE FUNCTIONS
Authors: PLENGKHOM K. , KANOK-NUKULCHAI W.
Published: March 2006

This paper presents an enhancement of the finite element method (FEM) by adopting the moving Kriging (MK) interpolation as a substitute for the traditional hat functions. The MK shape functions can be referred as element-free because their construction is not tied to the element geometry. Kriging interpolation is a geostatistical technique for spatial interpolation. The basic idea of Kriging is that any unknown point can be interpolated from known scatter points in a specific domain. Using the moving Kriging interpolation, shape functions can be generated over any finite set of nodes. This leads to an idea to extend the influence of a node beyond the layer of surrounding elements to enhance the global smoothness of the field variable and its derivatives. The present paper thus proposes a concept of layered domain of influence. Hence, characteristic arrays of an element, such as the element stiffness, have contributions from all visible nodes that include a set of satellite nodes unattached to the element. The validation of the method was confirmed through numerical tests of one and two-dimensional problems. The results show remarkable accuracy and global smoothness. Existing general-purposed FE programs can be easily modified to accommodate this new element concept; thus, the method has a higher chance to be accepted in practice.
DIRECT COUPLING OF EFGM-FEM AND EFGM-BEM FOR DYNAMIC SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTIONS
Authors: ESTORFF OTTO VON , QUAN JUN
Published: March 2006

A direct approach of coupling the element-free Galerkin method (EFGM) to both the finite element method (FEM) and the boundary element method (BEM) is applied to study dynamic soil-structure interactions. The structure and the soil body are assumed to be two-dimensional systems and discretized by EFG nodes, while the boundary of the soil region is modeled either by FEM or BEM to impose the boundary conditions in an easy way. Essential parameters in the EFG domain are chosen in a way where stable and reliable results at a relatively low cost are obtained. The accuracy and efficiency of the two new methodologies are compared to those of the conventional mesh-based approaches.
MICROSCOPIC-SCALE SIMULATION OF BLOOD FLOW USING SPH METHOD
Authors: TANAKA NOBUATSU , TAKANO TATSUO
Published: March 2006

We have developed a microscopic blood model based on the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. In the model, plasma fluid is discretized by SPH particles, and a red blood cell (RBC) is expressed by internal SPH particles surrounded by elastic membrane particles. For verifying the model, we numerically analyzed two popular phenomena of blood flow. One is the tank-tread motion of an RBC under a constant shear field. The numerical results are agreed well with the experimental data and the tank-tread motion of RBC is well reproduced. The other is the axial migration or pinch effect of RBCs in Poiseuille flow. From the numerical results, we find that the axial migration effect becomes weaker as the viscosity of cell internal fluid becomes higher. The reason is because the RBC motion changes from tank-tread motion to rigid body rotation (from axial migration effect to pinch effect) as the cell contents become thick. From these results, it is confirmed that our blood model based on the SPH method can well express microscopic and rheological properties of RBCs.
Effect of pulsatile growth hormone administration to the growth-restricted fetal sheep on somatotrophic axis gene expression in fetal and placental tissues
Authors: Bloomfield F. H. , van Zijl P. L. , Bauer M. K. , Phua H. H. , Harding J. E.
Published: February 2006

We have previously reported (Bauer MK, Breier BH, Bloomfield FH, Jensen EC, Gluckman PD, and Harding JE. J Endocrinol 177: 83–92, 2003) that a chronic pulsatile infusion of growth hormone (GH) to intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) ovine fetuses increased fetal circulating IGF-I levels without increasing fetal growth. We hypothesized a cortisol-induced upregulation of fetal hepatic GH receptor (GH-R) mRNA levels, secondary increases in IGF-I mRNA levels, and circulating IGF-I levels, but a downregulation of the type I IGF receptor (IGF-IR) as an explanation. We, therefore, measured mRNA levels of genes of the somatotrophic axis by real-time RT-PCR in fetal and placental tissues of fetuses with IUGR (induced by uteroplacental embolization from 110- to 116-days gestation) that received either a pulsatile infusion of GH (total dose 3.5 mg/day) or vehicle from 117–126 days and in control fetuses ( n = 5 per group). Tissues were collected at 127 days (term, 145 days). Fetal cortisol concentrations were significantly increased in IUGR fetuses. However, in liver, GH-R, but not IGF-I or IGF-IR, mRNA levels were decreased in both IUGR groups. In contrast, in placenta, GH-R, IGF-I, and IGF-IR expression were increased in IUGR vehicle-infused fetuses. GH infusion further increased placental GH-R and IGF-IR, but abolished the increase in IGF-I mRNA levels. GH infusion reduced IGF-I expression in muscle and increased GH-R but decreased IGF-IR expression in kidney. IUGR increased hepatic IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-1 and placental IGFBP-2 and -3 mRNA levels with no further effect of GH infusion. In conclusion, the modest increases in circulating cortisol concentrations in IUGR fetuses did not increase hepatic GH-R mRNA expression and, therefore, do not explain the increased circulating IGF-I levels that we found with GH infusion, which are likely due to reduced clearance rather than increased production. We demonstrate tissue-specific regulation of the somatotrophic axis in IUGR fetuses and a discontinuity between GH-R and IGF-I gene expression in GH-infused fetuses that is not explained by alterations in phosphorylated STAT5b.
MKR mice are resistant to the metabolic actions of both insulin and adiponectin: discordance between insulin resistance and adiponectin responsiveness
Authors: Kim Chul-Hee , Pennisi Patricia , Zhao Hong , Yakar Shoshana , Kaufman Jeanne B. , Iganaki Kenjiro , Shiloach Joseph , Scherer Philipp E. , Quon Michael J. , LeRoith Derek
Published: February 2006

Most rodent models of insulin resistance are accompanied by decreased circulating adiponectin levels. Adiponectin treatment improves the metabolic phenotype by increasing fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle and suppressing hepatic glucose production. Muscle IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR)-lysine-arginine (MKR) mice expressing dominant-negative mutant IGF-IRs in skeletal muscle are diabetic with insulin resistance in muscle, liver, and adipose tissue. Adiponectin levels are elevated in MKR mice, suggesting an unusual discordance between insulin resistance and adiponectin responsiveness. Therefore, we investigated the metabolic actions of adiponectin in MKR mice. MKR and ob/ob mice were treated both acutely (28 μg/g) and chronically (for 2 wk) with full-length adiponectin. Acute hypoglycemic effects of adiponectin were evident only in ob/ob mice but not in MKR mice. Chronic adiponectin treatment significantly improved both insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in ob/ob but not in MKR mice. Adiponectin receptor mRNA levels and adiponectin-stimulated phosphorylation of AMPK in skeletal muscle and liver were similar among MKR, wild-type, and ob/ob mice. Thus MKR mice are adiponectin resistant despite normal expression of adiponectin receptors and normal AMPK phosphorylation in muscle and liver. MKR mice may be a useful model for dissecting relationships between insulin resistance and adiponectin action in regulation of glucose homeostasis.