bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Storm prediction over Europe using the ECMWF Ensemble Prediction System
Authors: Buizza Roberto , Hollingsworth Anthony
Published: September 2002

Three severe storms caused great damage in Europe in December 1999. The first storm hit Denmark and Germany on 3 and 4 December, and the other two storms crossed France and Germany on 26 and 28 December. In this study, the performance of the Ensemble Prediction System (EPS) at the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) in predicting these intense storms is investigated. Results indicate that the EPS gave early indications of possible severe storm occurrence, and was especially useful when the deterministic TL319L60 forecasts issued on successive days were highly inconsistent. These results indicate that the EPS is a valuable tool for assessing quantitatively the risk of severe weather and issuing early warnings of possible disruptions.

The impact of an increase of the ensemble system horizontal resolution (TL255 integration from a TL511 analysis instead of the operational TL159 integration from a TL319 analysis) on the system performance is also investigated. Results show that the resolution increase enhances the ensemble performance in predicting the position and the intensity of intense storms. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
Decision‐making from probability forecasts based on forecast value
Authors: Mylne Kenneth R.
Published: September 2002

A method of estimating the economic value of weather forecasts for decision‐making is described. This method has recently been used for user‐oriented verification of probability forecasts, but is here applied to aid forecast users in optimising their decision‐making from probability forecasts. Value may be calculated in the same way for either probability forecasts or deterministic forecasts, and thus provides the user with a direct comparison of the value of each in terms of money saved, which is more relevant than most standard verification scores. The method is illustrated using site‐specific probability forecasts generated from the ECMWF ensemble prediction system and deterministic forecasts from the ECMWF high‐resolution global model. It is found that for most forecast events and for most users the probability forecasts have greater value than the deterministic forecasts from a higher resolution model. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
Use of a simple pattern recognition approach for the detection of ridge lines and stripes
Authors: Jann A
Published: September 2002

Patterns often sought in meteorological fields are ridge lines or narrow zones of relatively high or low values (e.g. stripes or bands in satellite imagery). A method for the automatic detection of such features is presented, using input fields given on regular grids. The fundamental idea is that a grid point is a plausible position for a significant line where not more than two (out of eight) neighbours exhibit better suitability to lie on that very line. Locations with three or more superior neighbours are considered unsuitable, or at least less qualified, for representing positions of the line. This criterion derives from the concept that a significant line passing through a point normally enters the latter from one of the adjacent points and leaves through another neighbour, with these two special neighbours permissibly having superior values of the appropriate test variable. It is empirically demonstrated for selected applications within the field of air mass analysis (including objective front positioning on the basis of numerical model output) that the identification of points satisfying the formulated ‘2‐out‐of‐8’ criterion is, when linked with simple post‐processing steps, sufficient to accomplish a good recognition of the sought patterns. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
Perceptions of severe weather warnings in Hong Kong
Authors: Wong T F , Yan Y Y
Published: September 2002

In this study 320 people in Hong Kong were interviewed to assess their understanding and perception of severe weather warnings. The majority of the respondents (72%) received warnings from mass media. Although 99.4% of the interviewees claimed they knew all the warning signals, results indicate that most of them have only a basic understanding of what they mean. The study revealed that the warnings often lack other important information, such as the time of issue, validity period and precautions to be taken. Only 31% of the respondents stated they would take precautions at the issue of warnings, although people aged over 60 tended to be well prepared for the onset of severe weather. Public education is necessary to promote people's understanding of the warnings and awareness of the risks of severe weather. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
A refinement calculus for logic programs
Authors: HAYES IAN , COLVIN ROBERT , HEMER DAVID , STROOPER PAUL , NICKSON RAY
Published: September 2002

Existing refinement calculi provide frameworks for the stepwise development of imperative
programs from specifications. This paper presents a refinement calculus for deriving logic
programs. The calculus contains a wide-spectrum logic programming language, including
executable constructs such as sequential conjunction, disjunction, and existential quantification,
as well as specification constructs such as general predicates, assumptions and universal
quantification. A declarative semantics is defined for this wide-spectrum language based on
executions. Executions are partial functions from states to states, where a state is represented
as a set of bindings. The semantics is used to define the meaning of programs and
specifications, including parameters and recursion. To complete the calculus, a notion of
correctness-preserving refinement over programs in the wide-spectrum language is defined
and refinement laws for developing programs are introduced. The refinement calculus is
illustrated using example derivations and prototype tool support is discussed.
Using parametric set constraints for locating
errors in CLP programs
Authors: DRABENT WŁODZIMIERZ , MAŁUSZYŃSKI JAN , PIETRZAK PAWEŁ
Published: September 2002

This paper introduces a framework of parametric descriptive directional types for Constraint
Logic Programming (CLP). It proposes a method for locating type errors in CLP programs,
and presents a prototype debugging tool. The main technique used is checking correctness
of programs w.r.t. type specifications. The approach is based on a generalization of known
methods for proving the correctness of logic programs to the case of parametric specifications.
Set constraint techniques are used for formulating and checking verification conditions for
(parametric) polymorphic type specifications. The specifications are expressed in a parametric
extension of the formalism of term grammars. The soundness of the method is proved, and
the prototype debugging tool supporting the proposed approach is illustrated on examples.
The paper is a substantial extension of the previous work by the same authors concerning
monomorphic directional types.
Country of origin in the global economy
Authors: LLOYD P. J.
Published: September 2002

This paper reviews the increase in problems associated with the origin of goods that is due to increasing fragmentation of international trade. In particular, it examines three applications of rules of origin: rules of origin in free trade areas, preferences to developing countries, and the treatment of imports that have some domestic factor content. Traditionally each of these has used all-or-nothing rules of origin. The paper proposes a new method of dealing with all three problems. This method substitutes a valuation based on the value added in different origins for the present methods of valuing goods at the gross price and attributing origin to only one country. The value added method would improve the efficiency of world production and consumption in a number of ways.
The Major Sites of Cellular Phospholipid Synthesis and Molecular Determinants of Fatty Acid and Lipid Head Group Specificity
Authors: Henneberry Annette L. , Wright Marcia M. , McMaster Christopher R.
Published: September 2002

Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are the two main phospholipids in eukaryotic cells comprising ∼50 and 25% of phospholipid mass, respectively. Phosphatidylcholine is synthesized almost exclusively through the CDP-choline pathway in essentially all mammalian cells. Phosphatidylethanolamine is synthesized through either the CDP-ethanolamine pathway or by the decarboxylation of phosphatidylserine, with the contribution of each pathway being cell type dependent. Two human genes, CEPT1 and CPT1, code for the total compliment of activities that directly synthesize phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine through the CDP-alcohol pathways. CEPT1 transfers a phosphobase from either CDP-choline or CDP-ethanolamine to diacylglycerol to synthesize both phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, whereas CPT1 synthesizes phosphatidylcholine exclusively. We show through immunofluorescence that brefeldin A treatment relocalizes CPT1, but not CEPT1, implying CPT1 is found in the Golgi. A combination of coimmunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation experiments with various endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, and nuclear markers confirmed that CPT1 was found in the Golgi and CEPT1 was found in both the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear membranes. The rate-limiting step for phosphatidylcholine synthesis is catalyzed by the amphitropic CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase α, which is found in the nucleus in most cell types. CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase α is found immediately upstream cholinephosphotransferase, and it translocates from a soluble nuclear location to the nuclear membrane in response to activators of the CDP-choline pathway. Thus, substrate channeling of the CDP-choline produced by CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase α to nuclear located CEPT1 is the mechanism by which upregulation of the CDP-choline pathway increases de novo phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. In addition, a series of CEPT1 site-directed mutants was generated that allowed for the assignment of specific amino acid residues as structural requirements that directly alter either phospholipid head group or fatty acyl composition. This pinpointed glycine 156 within the catalytic motif as being responsible for the dual CDP-alcohol specificity of CEPT1, whereas mutations within helix 214–228 allowed for the orientation of transmembrane helices surrounding the catalytic site to be definitively positioned.
Role of Fission Yeast Tup1-like Repressors and Prr1 Transcription Factor in Response to Salt Stress
Authors: Greenall Amanda , Hadcroft Andrew P. , Malakasi Panagiota , Jones Nic , Morgan Brian A. , Hoffman Charles S. , Whitehall Simon K.
Published: September 2002

In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the Sty1 mitogen-activated protein kinase and the Atf1 transcription factor control transcriptional induction in response to elevated salt concentrations. Herein, we demonstrate that two repressors, Tup11 and Tup12, and the Prr1 transcription factor also function in the response to salt shock. We find that deletion of both tup genes together results in hypersensitivity to elevated cation concentrations (K+and Ca2+) and we identifycta3+, which encodes an intracellular cation transporter, as a novel stress gene whose expression is positively controlled by the Sty1 pathway and negatively regulated by Tup repressors. The expression ofcta3+is maintained at low levels by the Tup repressors, and relief from repression requires the Sty1, Atf1, and Prr1. Prr1 is also required for KCl-mediated induction of several other Sty1-dependent genes such asgpx1+andctt1+. Surprisingly, the KCl-mediated induction of cta3+expression occurs independently of Sty1 in a tup11Δ tup12Δ mutant and so the Tup repressors link induction to the Sty1 pathway. We also report that in contrast to a number of other Sty1- and Atf1-dependent genes, the expression of cta3+is induced only by high salt concentrations. However, in the absence of the Tup repressors this specificity is lost and a range of stresses induces cta3+expression.
Purification and Identification of Secernin, a Novel Cytosolic Protein that Regulates Exocytosis in Mast Cells
Authors: Way Gemma , Morrice Nicholas , Smythe Carl , O'Sullivan Antony J.
Published: September 2002

After permeabilization with the pore-forming toxin streptolysin-O mast cells can be triggered to secrete by addition of both calcium and a GTP analogue. If stimulation is delayed after permeabilization, there is a progressive decrease in the extent of secretion upon stimulation, eventually leading to a complete loss of the secretory response. This loss of secretory response can be retarded by the addition of cytosol from other secretory tissues, demonstrating that the response is dependent on a number of cytosolic proteins. We have used this as the basis of a bioassay to purify Secernin 1, a novel 50-kDa cytosolic protein that appears to be involved in the regulation of exocytosis from peritoneal mast cells. Secernin 1 increases both the extent of secretion and increases the sensitivity of mast cells to stimulation with calcium.
Role of LAMP-2 in Lysosome Biogenesis and Autophagy
Authors: Eskelinen Eeva-Liisa , Illert Anna Lena , Tanaka Yoshitaka , Schwarzmann Günter , Blanz Judith , von Figura Kurt , Saftig Paul
Published: September 2002

In LAMP-2–deficient mice autophagic vacuoles accumulate in many tissues, including liver, pancreas, muscle, and heart. Here we extend the phenotype analysis using cultured hepatocytes. In LAMP-2–deficient hepatocytes the half-life of both early and late autophagic vacuoles was prolonged as evaluated by quantitative electron microscopy. However, an endocytic tracer reached the autophagic vacuoles, indicating delivery of endo/lysosomal constituents to autophagic vacuoles. Enzyme activity measurements showed that the trafficking of some lysosomal enzymes to lysosomes was impaired. Immunoprecipitation of metabolically labeled cathepsin D indicated reduced intracellular retention and processing in the knockout cells. The steady-state level of 300-kDa mannose 6-phosphate receptor was slightly lower in LAMP-2–deficient hepatocytes, whereas that of 46-kDa mannose 6-phosphate receptor was decreased to 30% of controls due to a shorter half-life. Less receptor was found in the Golgi region and in vesicles and tubules surrounding multivesicular endosomes, suggesting impaired recycling from endosomes to the Golgi. More receptor was found in autophagic vacuoles, which may explain its shorter half-life. Our data indicate that in hepatocytes LAMP-2 deficiency either directly or indirectly leads to impaired recycling of 46-kDa mannose 6-phosphate receptors and partial mistargeting of a subset of lysosomal enzymes. Autophagic vacuoles may accumulate due to impaired capacity for lysosomal degradation.
Regulation of Flagellar Dynein by Calcium and a Role for an Axonemal Calmodulin and Calmodulin-dependent Kinase
Authors: Smith Elizabeth F.
Published: September 2002

Ciliary and flagellar motility is regulated by changes in intraflagellar calcium. However, the molecular mechanism by which calcium controls motility is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that calcium regulates motility by controlling dynein-driven microtubule sliding and that the central pair and radial spokes are involved in this regulation. We isolated axonemes from Chlamydomonasmutants and measured microtubule sliding velocity in buffers containing 1 mM ATP and various concentrations of calcium. In buffers with pCa > 8, microtubule sliding velocity in axonemes lacking the central apparatus (pf18 and pf15) was reduced compared with that of wild-type axonemes. In contrast, at pCa4, dynein activity in pf18 and pf15axonemes was restored to wild-type level. The calcium-induced increase in dynein activity in pf18 axonemes was inhibited by antagonists of calmodulin and calmodulin-dependent kinase II. Axonemes lacking the C1 central tubule (pf16) or lacking radial spoke components (pf14 and pf17) do not exhibit calcium-induced increase in dynein activity in pCa4 buffer. We conclude that calcium regulation of flagellar motility involves regulation of dynein-driven microtubule sliding, that calmodulin and calmodulin-dependent kinase II may mediate the calcium signal, and that the central apparatus and radial spokes are key components of the calcium signaling pathway.
Regulation of Focal Adhesion Kinase by a Novel Protein Inhibitor FIP200
Authors: Abbi Smita , Ueda Hiroki , Zheng Chuanhai , Cooper Lee Ann , Zhao Jihe , Christopher Renee , Guan Jun-Lin
Published: September 2002

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a major mediator of integrin signaling pathways. The mechanisms of regulation of FAK activity and its associated cellular functions are not very well understood. Here, we present data suggesting that a novel protein FIP200 functions as an inhibitor for FAK. We show the association of endogenous FIP200 with FAK, which is decreased upon integrin-mediated cell adhesion concomitant with FAK activation. In vitro- and in vivo-binding studies indicate that FIP200 interacts with FAK through multiple domains directly. FIP200 bound to the kinase domain of FAK inhibited its kinase activity in vitro and its autophosphorylation in vivo. Overexpression of FIP200 or its segments inhibited cell spreading, cell migration, and cell cycle progression, which correlated with their inhibition of FAK activity in vivo. The inhibition of these cellular functions by FIP200 could be rescued by coexpression of FAK. Last, we show that disruption of the functional interaction between endogenous FIP200 with FAK leads to increased FAK phosphorylation and partial restoration of cell cycle progression in cells plated on poly-l-lysine, providing further support for FIP200 as a negative regulator of FAK. Together, these results identify FIP200 as a novel protein inhibitor for FAK.
Indole Acetic Acid Distribution Coincides with Vascular Differentiation Pattern during Arabidopsis Leaf Ontogeny
Authors: Avsian-Kretchmer Orna , Cheng Jin-Chen , Chen Lingjing , Moctezuma Edgar , Sung Z. Renee
Published: September 2002

We used an anti-indole acetic acid (IAA or auxin) monoclonal antibody-based immunocytochemical procedure to monitor IAA level in Arabidopsis tissues. Using immunocytochemistry and the IAA-driven β-glucuronidase (GUS) activity of Aux/IAA promoter::GUS constructs to detect IAA distribution, we investigated the role of polar auxin transport in vascular differentiation during leaf development in Arabidopsis. We found that shoot apical cells contain high levels of IAA and that IAA decreases as leaf primordia expand. However, seedlings grown in the presence of IAA transport inhibitors showed very low IAA signal in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) and the youngest pair of leaf primordia. Older leaf primordia accumulate IAA in the leaf tip in the presence or absence of IAA transport inhibition. We propose that the IAA in the SAM and the youngest pair of leaf primordia is transported from outside sources, perhaps the cotyledons, which accumulate more IAA in the presence than in the absence of transport inhibition. The temporal and spatial pattern of IAA localization in the shoot apex indicates a change in IAA source during leaf ontogeny that would influence flow direction and, consequently, the direction of vascular differentiation. The IAA production and transport pattern suggested by our results could explain the venation pattern, and the vascular hypertrophy caused by IAA transport inhibition. An outside IAA source for the SAM supports the notion that IAA transport and procambium differentiation dictate phyllotaxy and organogenesis.
Glycerophosphocholine Metabolism in Higher Plant Cells. Evidence of a New Glyceryl-Phosphodiester Phosphodiesterase
Authors: van der Rest Benoı̂t , Boisson Anne-Marie , Gout Elisabeth , Bligny Richard , Douce Roland
Published: September 2002

Glycerophosphocholine (GroPCho) is a diester that accumulates in different physiological processes leading to phospholipid remodeling. However, very little is known about its metabolism in higher plant cells. 31P-Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and biochemical analyses performed on carrot (Daucus carota) cells fed with GroPCho revealed the existence of an extracellular GroPCho phosphodiesterase. This enzymatic activity splits GroPCho into sn-glycerol-3-phosphate and free choline. In vivo, sn-glycerol-3-phosphate is further hydrolyzed into glycerol and inorganic phosphate by acid phosphatase. We visualized the incorporation and the compartmentation of choline and observed that the major choline pool was phosphorylated and accumulated in the cytosol, whereas a minor fraction was incorporated in the vacuole as free choline. Isolation of plasma membranes, culture medium, and cell wall proteins enabled us to localize this phosphodiesterase activity on the cell wall. We also report the existence of an intracellular glycerophosphodiesterase. This second activity is localized in the vacuole and hydrolyzes GroPCho in a similar fashion to the cell wall phosphodiesterase. Both extra- and intracellular phosphodiesterases are widespread among different plant species and are often enhanced during phosphate deprivation. Finally, competition experiments on the extracellular phosphodiesterase suggested a specificity for glycerophosphodiesters (apparentK  m of 50 μm), which distinguishes it from other phosphodiesterases previously described in the literature.
Inhibition of Squalene Synthase and Squalene Epoxidase in Tobacco Cells Triggers an Up-Regulation of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase
Authors: Wentzinger Laurent F. , Bach Thomas J. , Hartmann Marie-Andrée
Published: September 2002

To get some insight into the regulatory mechanisms controlling the sterol branch of the mevalonate pathway, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Bright Yellow-2) cell suspensions were treated with squalestatin-1 and terbinafine, two specific inhibitors of squalene synthase (SQS) and squalene epoxidase, respectively. These two enzymes catalyze the first two steps involved in sterol biosynthesis. In highly dividing cells, SQS was actively expressed concomitantly with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and both sterol methyltransferases. At nanomolar concentrations, squalestatin was found to inhibit efficiently sterol biosynthesis as attested by the rapid decrease in SQS activity and [14C]radioactivity from acetate incorporated into sterols. A parallel dose-dependent accumulation of farnesol, the dephosphorylated form of the SQS substrate, was observed without affecting farnesyl diphosphate synthase steady-state mRNA levels. Treatment of tobacco cells with terbinafine is also shown to inhibit sterol synthesis. In addition, this inhibitor induced an impressive accumulation of squalene and a dose-dependent stimulation of the triacylglycerol content and synthesis, suggesting the occurrence of regulatory relationships between sterol and triacylglycerol biosynthetic pathways. We demonstrate that squalene was stored in cytosolic lipid particles, but could be redirected toward sterol synthesis if required. Inhibition of either SQS or squalene epoxidase was found to trigger a severalfold increase in enzyme activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, giving first evidence for a positive feedback regulation of this key enzyme in response to a selective depletion of endogenous sterols. At the same time, no compensatory responses mediated by SQS were observed, in sharp contrast to the situation in mammalian cells.
N-Acylethanolamines Are Metabolized by Lipoxygenase and Amidohydrolase in Competing Pathways during Cottonseed Imbibition
Authors: Shrestha Rhidaya , Noordermeer Minke A. , Van der Stelt Marcelis , Veldink Gerrit A. , Chapman Kent D.
Published: September 2002

Saturated and unsaturated N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) occur in desiccated seeds primarily as 16C and 18C species withN-palmitoylethanolamine andN-linoleoylethanolamine (NAE 18:2) being most abundant. Here, we examined the metabolic fate of NAEs in vitro and in vivo in imbibed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) seeds. When synthetic [1-14C]N-palmitoylethanolamine was used as a substrate, free fatty acids (FFA) were produced by extracts of imbibed cottonseeds. When synthetic [1-14C]NAE 18:2 was used as a substrate, FFA and an additional lipid product(s) were formed. On the basis of polarity, we presumed that the unidentified lipid was a product of the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway and that inclusion of the characteristic LOX inhibitors nordihydroguaiaretic acid and eicosatetraynoic acid reduced its formation in vitro and in vivo. The conversion of NAE 18:2 in imbibed cottonseed extracts to 12-oxo-13-hydroxy-N-(9Z)-octadecanoylethanolamine was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, indicating the presence of 13-LOX and 13-allene oxide synthase, which metabolized NAE 18:2. Cell fractionation studies showed that the NAE amidohydrolase, responsible for FFA production, was associated mostly with microsomes, whereas LOX, responsible for NAE 18:2-oxylipin production, was distributed in cytosol-enriched fractions and microsomes. The highest activity toward NAE by amidohydrolase was observed 4 to 8 h after imbibition and by LOX 8 h after imbibition. Our results collectively indicate that two pathways exist for NAE metabolism during seed imbibition: one to hydrolyze NAEs in a manner similar to the inactivation of endocannabinoid mediators in animal systems and the other to form novel NAE-derived oxylipins. The rapid depletion of NAEs by these pathways continues to point to a role for NAE metabolites in seed germination.
Successive Glycosyltransfer Activity and Enzymatic Characterization of Pectic Polygalacturonate 4-α-Galacturonosyltransferase Solubilized from Pollen Tubes ofPetunia axillaris Using Pyridylaminated Oligogalacturonates as Substrates
Authors: Akita Kazumasa , Ishimizu Takeshi , Tsukamoto Tatsuya , Ando Toshio , Hase Sumihiro
Published: September 2002

Polygalacturonate 4-α-galacturonosyltransferase (pectin synthase) was solubilized from pollen tubes of Petunia axillaris and characterized. To accomplish this, an assay method using fluorogenic pyridylaminated-oligogalacturonic acids (PA-OGAs) as acceptor substrates was developed. When the pollen tube enzyme was solubilized with 0.5% (v/v) Triton X-100 and was incubated with PA-OGA and UDP-galacturonic acid (UDP-GalUA), successive transfer activity of more than 10 GalUAs from UDP-GalUA to the nonreducing end of PA-OGA was observed by diethylaminoethyl high-performance liquid chromatography. This activity was time- and enzyme concentration-dependent. The optimum enzyme activity was observed at pH 7.0 and 30°C. Among the PA-OGAs investigated, those with a degree of polymerization of more than 10 were preferred as substrates. The crude pollen tube enzyme had an apparentK  m value of 13 μm for the PA-OGA with a degree of polymerization 11 and 170 μm for UDP-GalUA. The characteristics of the P. axillarispollen tube enzyme and the usefulness of fluorogenic PA-OGAs for the assay of this enzyme are discussed.
Characterization of an Acyltransferase Capable of Synthesizing Benzylbenzoate and Other Volatile Esters in Flowers and Damaged Leaves of Clarkia breweri
Authors: D'Auria John C. , Chen Feng , Pichersky Eran
Published: September 2002

A cDNA encoding a protein with 456 amino acids whose sequence shows considerable similarity to plant acyltransferases was identified among 750 Clarkia breweri flower expressed sequence tags. The cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the protein produced was shown to encode the enzyme benzoyl-coenzyme A (CoA):benzyl alcohol benzoyl transferase (BEBT). BEBT catalyzes the formation of benzylbenzoate, a minor constituent of the C. breweri floral aroma, but it also has activity with a number of other alcohols and acyl CoAs. The BEBTgene is expressed in different parts of the flowers with maximal RNA transcript levels in the stigma, and no expression was observed in the leaves under normal conditions. However, BEBT expression was induced in damaged leaves, reaching a maximum 6 h after damage occurred. We also show here that a closely related tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) gene previously shown to be induced in leaves after being challenged by phytopathogenic bacteria also has BEBT activity, whereas the most similar protein to BEBT in the Arabidopsis proteome does not use benzoyl CoA as a substrate and instead can use acetyl CoA to catalyze the formation of cis-3-hexen-1-yl acetate, a green-leaf volatile.
Nitric Oxide Negatively Modulates Wound Signaling in Tomato Plants
Authors: Orozco-Cárdenas Martha L. , Ryan Clarence A.
Published: September 2002

Synthesis of proteinase inhibitor I protein in response to wounding in leaves of excised tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants was inhibited by NO donors sodium nitroprusside andS-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine. The inhibition was reversed by supplying the plants with the NO scavenger 2-(4-carboxiphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide. NO also blocked the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production and proteinase inhibitor synthesis that was induced by systemin, oligouronides, and jasmonic acid (JA). However, H2O2 generated by glucose oxidase and glucose was not blocked by NO, nor was H2O2-induced proteinase inhibitor synthesis. Although the expression of proteinase inhibitor genes in response to JA was inhibited by NO, the expression of wound signaling-associated genes was not. The inhibition of wound-inducible H2O2 generation and proteinase inhibitor gene expression by NO was not due to an increase in salicylic acid, which is known to inhibit the octadecanoid pathway. Instead, NO appears to be interacting directly with the signaling pathway downstream from JA synthesis, upstream of H2O2synthesis. The results suggest that NO may have a role in down-regulating the expression of wound-inducible defense genes during pathogenesis.
The development and evolution of a university‐based online library instruction course
Authors: Hoffman Paul S.
Published: September 2002

This article describes the development and evolution of Library 110: Introduction to Library Research, which integrated information literacy into the curriculum through the general education program at the Univesity of Nebraska, Lincoln. By redesigning and migrating the course to an electronic environment, several benefits resulted.
Delving deeper into evaluation: exploring cognitive authority on the Internet
Authors: Fritch John W. , Cromwell Robert L.
Published: September 2002

This paper discusses the importance of ascribing cognitive authority to Internet information, provides basic evaluative criteria for ascribing authority, and describes technical tools for investigating authorship and conducting more advanced research. The proffered tools offer ways to investigate authorship and identity and can significantly contribute to the confidence with which a researcher can ascribe authority. Analyses of the output from technical tools directly reveal how these tools may be used to draw conclusions regarding authorship and identity. An overview of public‐key infrastructure (PKI) is provided as a possible solution to the problem of determining identity in a networked environment.
Weird ideas that work: an interview with Robert Sutton
Authors: Davidson Alistair
Published: September 2002

In this interview Robert Sutton talks about some of the counterintuitive practices he believes spur innovation. He proposes that companies should adopt eleven practices. Hire slow learners (of the organizational code). Hire people who make you uncomfortable, even those you dislike. Hire people you probably do not need. Use job interviews to get ideas not just to screen candidates. Encourage people to ignore and defy superiors and peers. Find some happy people and get them to fight. Reward success and failure and punish inaction. Decide to do something that will probably fail, and then convince yourself and everyone else that success is certain. Think of some ridiculous or impractical things to do, and then plan to do them. Avoid, distract, and bore customers, critics and anyone else who just wants to talk about money. Do not try to learn anything from people who say they have solved the problems you face. Forget the past, especially your company’s successes. In sum, he believes that creative companies and teams are inefficient and annoying places to work.
Thick film symmetrical EMI LC cells
Authors: Aleksić O. , Desnica V. , Luković M. , Živanov Lj.D.
Published: September 2002

Thick film symmetrical LC cells with two pairs of terminations were printed on alumina using PdAg paste and crossover dielectric. Planar inductors such as meander, spiral, bispiral, and solenoid in plane were distributed over planar capacitors such as sandwich, interdigitated and segmented. Attenu‐ation and Smith charts of symmetrical EMI LC cells were measured on network analyzer in the range of 1 MHz to 3 GHz. Two or three main LC cells were joined in series to sum attenuation. The obtained results were compared mutually, at first, and than with the cubic (chip) EMI LC filters. The obtained EMI noise suppression was similar, but the filter band of thick film LC cells was much wider.
Effects of material parameters and processing conditions on high voltage sensitivity of polymer thick film resistors
Authors: Srinivasa Rao Y. , Satyam M.
Published: September 2002

The effects of material parameters and processing conditions on the resistance drop by high voltage discharge in PVC – graphite thick film resistors are studied in this paper. The resistance drop increased upon an increase in graphite aggregate size, which is a function of material parameters and processing conditions. The resistance drop has been attributed to the dielectrophoretic motion of graphite particles in PVC by the application of high voltages to polymer thick film resistors.
No flow underfill: additional reliability and failure mode analysis
Authors: Previti Michael A. , Ongley Peter
Published: September 2002

No‐Flow or fluxing underfills will play a key role in the future of flip chip processing. Properly formulated No‐Flow Underfills decrease manufacturing time and cost of producing flip chip packages. The reliability and processing ability allows these underfills to be incorporated into many unique applications. Processing yields and reliability on ceramic, flex and organic substrates will allow No‐Flow Underfills to be used successfully in future Bluetooth and wireless telecommunication products. This work gives the reliability of a commercially available No‐Flow Underfill on three flip chip and two BGA/CSP test vehicles. A detailed failure mode analysis of the underfill was also performed.
The effects of aged Cu‐Al intermetallics to electrical resistance in microelectronics packaging
Authors: Chee Wei Tan , Razak Daud Abdul
Published: September 2002

A Cu‐Al bonding system exists when copper wire is bonded onto an aluminum bond pad using thermosonic wire bonding technology. Aged Cu‐Al bonding system was analyzed by measuring the intermetallics layer thickness and its correlation to electrical contact resistance. Result shows that the thickness of Cu‐Al intermetallics layer grows almost linearly to aging time. The activation energy needed for Cu atoms to diffuse into Al was calculated using Fick's law; Q=129.66 kJ/mole and D0=1.628×10−4 m2/s. The calculation of activation energy and impurity diffusity using Model Kidson also shows linear relationship. Electrical resistance of Cu‐Al intermetallics layer was calculated from contact resistance of Cu‐Al bonding system. The result shows that the electrical resistance of Cu‐Al intermetallics layer increases linearly with intermetallics thickness. Its growth rate that was calculated using Model of Braunovic and Alexandrov is double of Model of Murcko.
Influence of DNA on the Reaction Rate of an Electron Transfer Process: A Kinetic Study of the Reaction Between [Co(Pyrazinecarboxylate)(NH3)4]2+ and [Fe(CN)6]4- in Aqueous Solutions in the Presence of DNA
Authors: López-López Manuel , Cárdeno Plácido , Castillo Francisco J. del , González Luis , Méndez Ana R. , Platero Ana I.
Published: September 2002

The kinetics of the electron transfer reaction between tetraammine(pyrazinecarboxylate)cobalt(III), [Co(pyrazinecarboxylate)(NH3)4]2+, and hexacyanoferrate(II), [Fe(CN)6]4- was studied in aqueous solutions in the presence of DNA at concentrations 0-2.28 · 10-3 mol dm-3. A decrease in the rate constant with increasing DNA concentration was observed. The results are interpreted on the basis of the pseudophase model. The meaning of its parameters for the second-order reaction is discussed.
Study of the effectiveness of the US safety standard for child resistant cigarette lighters
Authors: Smith L E , Greene M A , Singh H A
Published: September 2002

Objective:The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) Safety Standard for Cigarette Lighters, which requires that disposable cigarette lighters be resistant to operation by children younger than age 5.

Methods:Fire data on children playing with lighters were solicited from selected US fire departments for incidents occurring from 1997–99, to identify the proportion of such fires caused by children younger than age 5 playing with cigarette lighters. These data were compared with similar data from 1985–87. An odds ratio was used to determine if there was a significant decrease in cigarette lighter fires caused by children younger than age 5 compared to children ages 5 and older. To estimate fires that would have occurred without the standard, the odds ratio, adjusted for population, was applied to 1998 national estimates of fires occurring. National estimates of 1998 fire losses were based on data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System and the National Fire Protection Association to which the 1997–99 age and lighter type distributions were applied. The difference between the fire losses that would have occurred and those that did occur represented fire losses prevented.

Results:In the post-standard study, 48% of the cigarette lighter fires were started by children younger than age 5, compared with 71% in the pre-standard study. The odds ratio of 0.42 was statistically significant (p<0.01). This represented a 58% reduction in fires caused by the younger age group compared to the older age group. When applied to national fire loss data, an estimated 3300 fires, 100 deaths, 660 injuries, and $52.5 million in property loss were prevented by the standard in 1998, totaling $566.8 million in 1998 societal savings.

Conclusions:The CPSC standard requiring child resistant cigarette lighters has reduced fire deaths, injuries, and property loss caused by children playing with cigarette lighters and can be expected to prevent additional fire losses in subsequent years.
Characteristics of pregnant women in motor vehicle crashes
Authors: Weiss H B , Strotmeyer S
Published: September 2002

Objectives:Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of hospitalized trauma during pregnancy. Maternal injury puts the fetus at great risk, yet little is known about the incidence, risks, and characteristics of pregnant women in crashes.

Setting and methods:Police reported crashes were analyzed from the National Automotive Sampling System Crashworthiness Data System. Since 1995, this system recorded pregnancy/trimester status. Pregnant and non-pregnant women 15–39 years of age were compared by age, driver status, seat belt use, and treatment. Belt use and seating position were examined by trimester.

Results:There were 427 pregnant occupants identified (weighted n=32 810, 2.6%, SE 12 585, rate 13/1000 person years). The mean age was 24.9 compared with 24.8 years (pregnantvnon-pregnant). Cases were distributed by trimester as follows: first 29.8%, second 36.4%, and third 33.8%. Pregnant women were drivers 70% of the time compared with 71% for non-pregnant women. No belt use was 14% compared with 13% (pregnantvnon-pregnant). Mean injury severity was lower for pregnant women but they were more likely to transported or hospitalized. Improper belt use decreased after the first trimester and there was little change in driver proportion by trimester. Third trimester hospitalization rates increased.

Conclusions:Pregnant occupants in crashes have similar profiles of restraint use, driver status, and seat position but different treatment indicators compared to non-pregnant occupants. Trimester status has relatively little impact on crash risk, seating position or restraint use. Undercounting of pregnant cases was possible, even so, 1% of all births were reported to be involved in utero in crashes. Little research has focused on developmental outcomes to infants and children previously involved in exposure to these crashes.
Prevalence of youth access to alcohol or a gun in the home
Authors: Swahn M H , Hammig B J , Ikeda R M
Published: September 2002

Objectives:To estimate the national prevalence of youth access to alcohol, a gun, or both alcohol and a gun, in their home and to describe the demographic characteristics associated with access to either alcohol or a gun.

Methods:Cross sectional data from the 1995 in-home survey of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which used a nationally representative randomly selected school based sample (n=18 924) of adolescents in grades 7–12, were analyzed. The current analyses were restricted to those adolescents 12–18 years of age (n=18 454). Crude logistic regression analyses was used to determine the demographic characteristics associated with access to alcohol or a gun in the home.

Results:Overall, 28.7% of US adolescents reported having easy access to alcohol in the home. Availability of alcohol was associated with race/ethnicity, mother’s education, family structure, and welfare status. Similarly, 24.3% of US adolescents reported easy access to a gun in the home. Availability of a gun in the home was associated with gender, race/ethnicity, mother’s education, family structure, and welfare status. Among those that reported that a gun was available in their home, most reported availability of a shotgun (63.0%) followed by a rifle (61.3%), handgun (57.3%), and other gun (16.4%). Ten per cent of adolescents reported availability of both alcohol and a gun in their home.

Conclusions:One quarter of US adolescents reported easy access to either alcohol or a gun in their home. Given the risks associated with the misuse of alcohol and guns among adolescents, efforts to increase public awareness of the availability of alcohol and guns in the home are needed.
Do criminals go to the hospital when they are shot?
Authors: May J P , Hemenway D , Hall A
Published: September 2002

Objectives:To determine whether criminals go to the hospital when they are shot. Such information is needed to check on the accuracy of using hospital emergency room data to estimate non-fatal gunshot wounds.

Setting:Five jails across the US.

Methods:A survey of inmates being booked into jail, administered by in-house health care staff.

Results:Over 90% of over 300 criminals who had been wounded sometime before their incarceration reported going to a hospital for treatment after being shot. These results are consistent with previous findings from one jail.

Conclusions:Jail inmates who had previously been shot were likely to have been treated in a hospital. This limited finding is consistent with the proposition that hospital/emergency department data may miss only a small percentage of gunshot wounds to criminals.
EXTRACTION OF INDEPENDENT CAUSES USING LATERAL CONNECTIONS
Authors: CORCHADO EMILIO , FYFE COLIN
Published: September 2002

This paper is an exploration of a straightforward but powerful unsupervised artificial neural network technique for the efficient coding of artificial and real data. Using an energy function based on the Rectified Gaussian distribution, we derive a neural architecture based on an unsupervised negative feedback network with fixed lateral connections. We show that, not only can this network identify local correlated structure in visual data but through the use of appropriate lateral connections, we can obtain a grouping of similar causes on the output response of the network. We show that the network may be used to form local spatiotemporal filters in response to real images contained in video. The shape of these filters reflects the nature of the video sequences.
STABILITY OF INFORMATION GRANULATION AND INFORMATION GRANULES
Authors: PEDRYCZ WITOLD , VUKOVICH GEORGE
Published: September 2002

In this study, we introduce a notion of stability of information granules. Granulation of information results in a series of chunks of information usually referred to as information granules. Information granules are basic building entities involved in the formation of a broad class of systems.

Information granules are percepts — entities being perceived by humans as being essential when working with some real-world phenomena, especially describing and interacting with them. The percepts need to be comprehensible. They should also reflect the experimental evidence. All in all, they should be stable meaning that they are conceptual entities that reconcile experimental reality with the subjective and ultimately observer-based judgment about the environment. Once being stable, information granules could be viewed as architecture-independent. The proposed algorithmic environment supporting this concept dwells on the ideas of statistical inference that helps quantify stability through a nonparametric testing. The χ2 goodness-of-fit test is used here as a validation mechanism. First, the study elaborates on the formation of information granules and concentrates on the descriptive and prescriptive ways of their design. In the sequel, it is revealed how these two ways interact with the construction of stable information granules. A number of experimental studies are also included.
PASSPHRASE AUTHENTICATION BASED ON TYPING STYLE THROUGH AN ART 2 NEURAL NETWORK
Authors: BECHTEL JASON , SERPEN GURSEL , BROWN MARCUS
Published: September 2002

This study proposes the use of an artificial neural network algorithm to perform passphrase authentication based on the typing style of a user. The only hardware required is a keyboard. Prior studies have demonstrated the feasibility of this approach and its limitations, one of which was the need for collection of impostor samples for training the artificial neural network based classifier algorithm. This requirement is rather impractical for most application domains. The proposed study eliminates the need to collect impostor samples by employing an unsupervised and self-organizing artificial neural network algorithm, the Adaptive Resonance Theory 2 neural network, and therefore pushes the passphrase authentication technology one step closer to the realm of practical implementation. The preliminary study performed demonstrates that it is possible to train an Adaptive Resonance Theory 2 neural network using only authentic sample data and still provide a relatively low impostor pass rate. Given the minimal cost and easy in-field trainability of the proposed passphrase authentication system, the developed system can greatly enhance the security of computing environments with wide acceptance.
SIMPLIFICATION, MERGING AND DIVISION OF FUZZY COGNITIVE MAPS
Authors: MIAO YUAN , LIU ZHI-QIANG , TAO XUE HON , SHEN ZHI QI , LI CHUN WEN
Published: September 2002

Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) is a powerful and flexible framework for knowledge representation and causal inference. However, in most real applications, it is difficult to design and analyze FCMs due to their structural complexity. Simplification, merging, and division are the important operations on the structure of FCMs. In this paper we present approaches to simplifying FCMs. These approaches show how to clean up a FCM, how to divide a complex FCM into basic FCMs, and how to extract the eigen structure of these basic FCMs. Two improved methods for merging FCMs from different human experts are also proposed in this paper. We discuss difficulties in merging FCMs and present possible solutions.