bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Front Cover: Plasma Process. Polym. 4‐5/2006
Authors: Granier Agnès , Borvon Gael , Bousquet Angélique , Goullet Antoine , Leteinturier Christiane , van der Lee Arie
Published: July 2006

Front Cover: Organosilicon plasma polymer thin films undergo modifications as they are exposed to an oxygen plasma. Under well chosen oxygen plasma conditions, they can even be converted into SiO2‐like films as shown by FTIR transmission spectra and X‐ray reflectometry measurements. Further details can be found in the Full Paper by A. Granier*, G. Borvon, A. Bousquet, A. Goullet, C. Leteinturier, and A. van der Lee on page 365.
Back Cover: Plasma Process. Polym. 4‐5/2006
Authors: Sahni Mayank , Locke Bruce R.
Published: July 2006

Back Cover: A single pulsed electrical discharge applied to liquid water under ambient conditions using point to plane electrode geometry. Photograph taken in collaboration with Professor Eddie van Veldhuizen, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Further details can be found in the Full Paper by M. Sahni and B. R. Locke*, on page 342.
Exploring the environmental preference of weak interactions in (α/β)8 barrel proteins
Authors: Chakkaravarthi S. , Babu M. Madan , Gromiha M. Michael , Jayaraman G. , Sethumadhavan R.
Published: July 2006

The environmental preference for the occurrence of noncanonical hydrogen bonding and cation–π interactions, in a data set containing 71 nonredundant (α/β)8 barrel proteins, with respect to amino acid type, secondary structure, solvent accessibility, and stabilizing residues has been performed. Our analysis reveals some important findings, which include (a) higher contribution of weak interactions mediated by main‐chain atoms irrespective of the amino acids involved; (b) domination of the aromatic amino acids among interactions involving side‐chain atoms; (c) involvement of strands as the principal secondary structural unit, accommodating cross strand ion pair interaction and clustering of aromatic amino acid residues; (d) significant contribution to weak interactions occur in the solvent exposed areas of the protein; (e) majority of the interactions involve long‐range contacts; (f) the preference of Arg is higher than Lys to form cation–π interaction; and (g) probability of theoretically predicted stabilizing amino acid residues involved in weak interaction is higher for polar amino acids such as Trp, Glu, and Gln. On the whole, the present study reveals that the weak interactions contribute to the global stability of (α/β)8 TIM‐barrel proteins in an environment‐specific manner, which can possibly be exploited for protein engineering applications. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The DC‐module of doublecortin: Dynamics, domain boundaries, and functional implications
Authors: Cierpicki Tomasz , Kim Myung Hee , Cooper David R. , Derewenda Urszula , Bushweller John H. , Derewenda Zygmunt S.
Published: July 2006

The doublecortin‐like (DC) domains, which usually occur in tandem, constitute novel microtubule‐binding modules. They were first identified in doublecortin (DCX), a protein expressed in migrating neurons, and in the doublecortin‐like kinase (DCLK). They are also found in other proteins, including the RP1 gene product which—when mutated—causes a form of inherited blindness. We previously reported an X‐ray structure of the N‐terminal DC domain of DCLK (N‐DCLK), and a solution structure of an analogous module of human doublecortin (N‐DCX). These studies showed that the DC domain has a tertiary fold closely reminiscent of ubiquitin and similar to several GTPase‐binding domains. We now report an X‐ray structure of a mutant of N‐DCX, in which the C‐terminal fragment (residues 139–147) unexpectedly shows an altered, “open” conformation. However, heteronuclear NMR data show that this C‐terminal fragment is only transiently open in solution, and assumes a predominantly “closed” conformation. While the “open” conformation may be artificially stabilized by crystal packing interactions, the observed switching between the “open” and “closed” conformations, which shortens the linker between the two DC‐domains by ∼20 Å, is likely to be of functional importance in the control of tubulin polymerization and microtubule bundling by doublecortin. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Induction of wheat and maize glutathione S‐transferase by some herbicide safeners and their effect on enzyme activity against butachlor and terbuthylazine
Authors: Scarponi Luciano , Quagliarini Elisa , Del Buono Daniele
Published: July 2006

The expression of glutathione S‐transferase (GST) activity in wheat and maize shoots was investigated in response to treatments with the herbicide safeners benoxacor, cloquintocet‐mexyl, fenchlorazole‐ethyl, fenclorim, fluxofenim and oxabetrinil. These safeners significantly enhanced the GST activity towards 1‐chloro‐2,4‐dinitrobenzene (CDNB) as a ‘standard’ substrate, with the exception of oxabetrinil in maize. The enhancements of GST (CDNB) activity were found to be concomitant with increases in Vmax (the reaction rate when the enzyme is fully saturated by the substrate) in wheat following cloquintocet‐mexyl and fenchlorazole‐ethyl treatments, and in maize following fenchlorazole‐ethyl treatment. Otherwise, decreases in Vmax were observed in wheat and maize following fenclorim and fluxofenim treatments. With the exception of oxabetrinil, all the safeners significantly reduced the apparent KM (the substrate concentration required for 50% of maximum GST activity) of both wheat and maize GST. The Vmax and KM variations following safener treatments are discussed in terms of an increased expression of GST enzymes and an increased affinity for the CDNB substrate. The activity of wheat and maize GST was also assayed towards butachlor and terbuthylazine respectively; the results indicate the ability of cloquintocet‐mexyl, fenchlorazole‐ethyl and fluxofenim to enhance the enzyme activity in wheat and of benoxacor and fenchlorazole‐ethyl to do so in maize. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Modelling the leaching of imazapyr in a railway embankment
Authors: Jarvis Nicholas J , Almqvist Sara , Stenström John , Börjesson Elisabet , Jonsson Erik , Torstensson Lennart
Published: July 2006

The use of herbicides on railway tracks is known to present a risk to groundwater, but little is known of the mechanisms influencing leaching through the coarse material used to construct railway embankments. Therefore, in the present study, four different models based on the convection–dispersion equation (CDE) were compared with previously reported field data on the leaching of imazapyr. In particular, the significance of non‐equilibrium processes was investigated by comparing different CDE formulations accounting for preferential finger flow, particle‐facilitated transport and kinetic sorption. The traditional CDE assuming ‘local equilibrium’ based on 24 h batch sorption data gave poor results (model efficiency − 1.1). It strongly underestimated leaching of imazapyr in the first 4 months following application, thus confirming the importance of non‐equilibrium transport processes. Accounting for short‐term sorption kinetics made little difference, giving similar results to the ‘local equilibrium’ CDE simulation. A simulation accounting for particle‐facilitated transport could accurately match this accelerated transport, and also gave the best overall fit to the data (model efficiency 0.76). However, not even this model could match the long‐term retention of imazapyr residues observed close to the soil surface more than 1 year after application, and it also underestimated the time of breakthrough to groundwater. This strongly suggests that a long‐term retention/sorption process not included in any of the models tested (i.e. sorption hysteresis or bound residues) acted to retard leaching. The formation of ‘protected’ residues was also indicated by a much slower degradation of imazapyr more than 1 year after application. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Common traditional Chinese medicinal herbs for dysmenorrhea
Authors: Jia Wei , Wang Xiaorong , Xu Desheng , Zhao Aihua , Zhang Yongyu
Published: July 2006

Dysmenorrhea is painful menstrual cramps, which negatively impacts the quality of life of those diagnosed. The paper reviews traditional Chinese medicine's treatment of dysmenorrhea through the use of combination‐herbal‐formula therapeutics. These herbal treatments are effective for dysmenorrhea with minimal side effects. Pharmacological studies suggest Chinese herbal dysmenorrhea therapies likely decrease prostaglandin levels, modulate nitric oxide, increase plasma β‐endorphin (β‐EP) levels, block calcium‐channels and improve microcirculation. Conventional therapy for dysmenorrhea, which usually includes non‐steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), provides symptomatic relief but has increasing adverse effects with long‐term use. Therefore, Chinese herbal medicines, including simple herbal and combination formulas, are perhaps the ideal therapeutics of choice. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of modified citrus pectin on urinary excretion of toxic elements
Authors: Eliaz Isaac , Hotchkiss Arland T. , Fishman Marshall L. , Rode Dorena
Published: July 2006

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of modified citrus pectin (MCP) on the urinary excretion of toxic elements in healthy individuals. MCP is a reduced molecular weight pectin (weight‐average molar mass = 15400) that is mostly linear homogalacturonan with a 3.8% degree of esterification and approximately 10% rhamnogalacturonan II based on the presence of 2‐keto‐3‐deoxy‐octonic acid. Subjects ingested 15 g of MCP (PectaSol®, EcoNugenics® Inc., Santa Rosa, California 95407) each day for 5 days and 20 g on day 6. Twenty‐four hour urine samples were collected on day 1 and day 6 for comparison with baseline. The urine samples were analysed for toxic and essential elements. In the first 24 h of MCP administration the urinary excretion of arsenic increased significantly (130%, p < 0.05). On day 6, urinary excretion was increased significantly for cadmium (150%, p < 0.05). In addition, lead showed a dramatic increase in excretion (560%, p < 0.08). This pilot trial provides the first evidence that oral administration of MCP increases significantly the urinary excretion of toxic metals in subjects with a ‘normal’ body load of metals. It is suggested that systemic chelation of toxic metals by MCP may in part be attributable to the presence of rhamnogalacturonan II, which has been shown previously to chelate metals. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Novel Fluorous Glycol Derivatives for the Immobilization of Boronic Acids
Authors: Huang Yangen , Qing Feng‐Ling
Published: July 2006

A new class of fluorous 1,2‐diols has been synthesized and the applications of these diols have been were demonstrated on the immobilization of boronic acids. The separation of the fluorous boronates can be achieved by a simple fluorous liquid–liquid extraction. Partition coefficient KD of four fluorous boronates has been determined.
Mixture Synthesis of Fluorous Ketals: Mitsunobu Reaction of Homologous 3‐Perfluoroalkyl‐propanols with Hexafluoroacetone Sesquihydrate and Collective Determination of Fluorophilicity Values
Authors: Rábai József , Bálint Ana‐Maria , Szíjjártó Csongor , Szabó Dénes
Published: July 2006

The reaction of hexafluoroacetone sesquihydrate (1, 2 mmol) with a mixture of 3‐perfluoroalkyl‐propanols (CnF2n+1 (CH2)3OH; 2a–d: n=4, 6, 8, 10; 1 mmol each) in an ether solution using the classical Ph3P/diisopropyl azodicarboxylate reagent pair afforded a mixture of ten ketals [(CF3)2C(O(CH2)3CnF2n+1)2, 3{a–d}×{a–d}]. The mixture of the ten fluorophilic ketals was easily separated from side products using fluorous extraction (FC‐72/CH3OH). The composition of this fluorous ketal mixture was quantitatively analyzed by GC, and the results obtained were in agreement with predictable trends based on a statistical model. A method for collective fluorophilicity determination of the individual fluorous ketals was supplemented with the calculation of fluorous isotherms and the analysis of gas chromatographic elution orders.
A New Fluorous Methoxymethyl (FMOM) Protecting Group for Alcohols
Authors: Curran Dennis P. , Ogoe Claude
Published: July 2006

A new fluorous analogue of the popular MOM (methoxymethyl) protecting group can be introduced by reactions of alcohols with 1H,1H,2H,2H,3H,3H‐perfluoroundecyloxymethyl chloride (C8F17(CH2)3OCH2Cl) and the resulting fluorous methoxymethyl (FMOM) adducts can be deprotected under Brønsted or Lewis acidic conditions. The results suggest that the FMOM protecting group will find use in a number of fluorous synthesis settings.
A Useful Guideline for Rapid Separation and Identification of Fluorous Compounds by β‐Cyclodextrin Columns
Authors: Mikami Koichi , Tonoi Takayuki , Matsuzawa Hiroshi
Published: July 2006

The ratio of retention time and fluorine content of fluorous compounds is found to be linearly correlated on β‐cyclodextrin columns. This finding can be used as a guideline for rapid separation and identification of fluorous compounds.
Simultaneous determination of seventeen glucocorticoids residues in milk and eggs by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Cui Xiaoliang , Shao Bing , Zhao Rong , Yang Yi , Hu Jianying , Tu Xiaoming
Published: July 2006

A comprehensive analytical method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of seventeen glucocorticoid residues in eggs and milk. The mass spectrometer parameters, the composition of the mobile phase and the sample preparation method were firstly optimized to obtain maximum sensitivity. The samples were deconjugated with β‐glucuronidase/arylsulfatase enzyme and concentrated using an Oasis HLB solid‐phase extraction cartridge, followed by cleanup with a dual Sep‐pak silica and aminopropyl cartridge. The analytes were quantified by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (using a C18 column)/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI‐MS/MS) operating in the negative ion mode. The assay for the 17 glucocorticoids was linear over the range of 1–200 µg/L for milk and egg samples with a high correlation coefficient (>0.99). The limits of quantification (LOQs) for the target analytes were 0.04–1.27 µg/kg for the egg samples and 0.03–0.73 µg/kg for the milk samples. The average extraction recoveries of the glucocorticoids from eggs and milk at two concentration levels (spiked at 0.40 and 2.00 µg/kg) were 65.6–118.7% and 61.5–119.6%, respectively, with relative standard deviations between 1.8–17.0% and 2.4–18.4%, respectively. Because of its high sensitivity, good precision and specificity, the method was found to be suitable for trace analysis of synthetic and natural glucocorticoids in complex biosamples such as eggs and milk. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Top‐down analysis of basic proteins by microchip capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry
Authors: Akashi Satoko , Suzuki Koichi , Arai Akihiro , Yamada Naoyuki , Suzuki Ei‐Ichiro , Hirayama Kazuo , Nakamura Shin , Nishimura Yoshifumi
Published: July 2006

The original article to which this Erratum refers was published in Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. 2006; 20: 1932–1938.
A comparative analysis of sustainable fishery development indicator systems in Australia and Canada
Authors: Liu Wen Hong , Ou Ching Hsiewn
Published: July 2006

This paper comparatively analyzes the systems in Australia and Canada from the perspective of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries No. 8. The results show that the key factors in the success of the Australian system are public participation, selecting an indicator with its objectives and improving management performance by the evaluation of the system. Further, the boundaries of the SFDIS should be the same as the boundaries of the management units and fisheries should be examined independently. The framework chosen by the Canadian system is more all‐round, and can be combined with the PSR framework to maximize the management effects. Finally, techniques and specialist software such as fuzzy AHP etc. are ‘well‐suited to measuring weights and have the potential to be applied elsewhere’. Visual presentation is the best way to promote communication with the public. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's kite diagram and the Sustainable Development Committee's dashboard of sustainability are two excellent visualizations. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Management of water bird shooting by voluntary agreements in Denmark
Authors: Schou Jesper S. , Bregnballe Thomas
Published: July 2006

Game shooting is free in national territorial waters to any Danish citizen with a valid hunting license. In areas of importance for migrating water birds this has led to a high level of disturbance. Therefore, a number of locations free of shooting and other activities disturbing the water birds were implemented in Denmark in the period 1993–2001. The problem of water bird disturbances has a number of similarities with the ‘tragedy of the commons’, which is well known from resource economics, particularly the open access to use the resource. In this paper we apply the ‘tragedy of the commons’ framework to describe the management aspects of water bird shooting and we report from an empirical survey on the use of voluntary agreements among hunters for co‐ordinating the shooting in local areas. Based on a questionnaire survey, we show that voluntary agreement among hunters has improved the local shooting in a number of cases. In combination with results from controlled experiments of the interaction between shooting frequency and disturbance of water birds, this indicates that preservation of water birds can be compatible with self‐regulated shooting where disturbance is kept at a low intensity. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
A semi‐parametric Bayesian approach to average bioequivalence
Authors: Ghosh Pulak , Rosner Gary L.
Published: July 2006

Bioequivalence assessment is an issue of great interest. Development of statistical methods for assessing bioequivalence is an important area of research for statisticians. Bioequivalence is usually determined based on the normal distribution. We relax this assumption and develop a semi‐parametric mixed model for bioequivalence data. The proposed method is quite flexible and practically meaningful. Our proposed method is based on a mixture normal distribution and a non‐parametric Bayesian approach using a Dirichlet process mixture prior. A numerical example illustrates the use of our procedure. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Calcium release‐activated calcium channels as signal transducers in T‐cells
Authors: Griesemer Désirée , Löffler Birgit , Kummerow Carsten , Quintana Ariel , Schwarz Eva C. , Hoth Markus
Published: July 2006

Stimulation of T‐cell receptors by professional antigen presenting cells initiates several signaling cascades which finally lead to T‐cell activation and proliferation. One of the cascades induces a rise of the cytoplasmic IP3 concentration, which releases Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum. This Ca2+ release alone, however, is not sufficient to activate Ca2+ dependent signal transduction and gene transcription in T‐cells. For T‐cell activation and proliferation, a sustained Ca2+ entry over the plasma membrane is needed. This Ca2+ entry is called storeoperated Ca2+ (SOC) entry, because it is activated by depletion of the Ca2+ stores. The first and best‐characterized member of the SOC channels is the Ca2+ release‐activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel which is the predominant Ca2+ influx pathway in T‐cells. CRAC channels are highly selective for Ca2+ over all other cations and are responsible for the Ca2+ entry and subsequent sustained elevation of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration which is required for T‐cell activation. We discuss the role of CRAC channels for T‐cell activation and their potential to determine the quality and quantity of the T‐cell response.
An algebraic approach to generate super‐set of perfect complementary codes for interference‐free CDMA
Authors: Chen Hsiao‐Hwa , Chu Shin‐Wei , Kuroyanagi N. , Vinck A. J. Han
Published: July 2006

This paper introduces an algebraic approach to generate the super‐set of perfect complementary (PC) codes suitable for new generation CDMA applications, characterized by isotropic multiple access interference (MAI) free and multipath interference (MI) free properties. The code design methodology proposed in this paper takes into account major impairing factors existing in real applications, such as MAI, MI, asynchronous transmissions, and random signs in consecutive symbols, such that a CDMA system using the generated codes can insure a truly interference‐free operation. Two important facts will be revealed by the analysis given in this paper. First, implementation of an interference‐free CDMA will never be possible unless using complementary code sets, such as the PC code sets generated in this paper. In other words, all traditional spreading codes working on an one‐code‐per‐user basis are not useful for implementation of an MAI‐free and MI‐free CDMA system. Second, to enable the interference‐free CDMA operation, the flock size of the PC codes should be made equal to the set size of the codes, implying that a PC code set can support as many users as the flock size of the code set. A systematic search has been carried out to generate the super‐set of various PC codes with the help of carefully selected seed codes belonging to distinct sub‐sets. This paper will also propose an implementation scheme based on multi‐carrier CDMA architecture and its performance is compared by simulations with the ones using traditional spreading codes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Activities in the IAEA X‐ray fluorescence laboratory at Seibersdorf
Authors: Markowicz A. , Wegrzynek D. , Bamford S. , Chinea‐Cano E.
Published: July 2006

This paper describes the specific philosophy behind the functioning of the IAEA XRF Laboratory at Seibersdorf and its role in the XRF community. Some examples of the research and development activities and the results obtained are given. They include methodological development and construction of XRF instruments in order to extend the applicability range of the XRF technique, particularly in support of applications of the analytical technique in developing IAEA member states. The contribution of the laboratory to the training in methodology and applications of XRF techniques and to development of QA/QC procedures is also emphasised. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The FK506‐binding protein, Fpr4, is an acidic histone chaperone
Authors: Xiao Haijie , Jackson Vaughn , Lei Ming
Published: July 2006

Fpr4, a FK506‐binding protein (FKBP), is a recently identified novel histone chaperone. How it interacts with histones and facilitates their deposition onto DNA, however, are not understood. Here, we report a functional analysis that shows Fpr4 forms complexes with histones and facilitates nucleosome assembly like previously characterized acidic histone chaperones. We also show that the chaperone activity of Fpr4 resides solely in an acidic domain, while the peptidylprolyl isomerase domain conserved among all FKBPs inhibits the chaperone activity. These observations argue that Fpr4, while unique structurally, deposits histones onto DNA for nucleosome assembly through the well‐established mechanism shared by other chaperones.
Conditional gene modification in mouse liver using hydrodynamic delivery of plasmid DNA encoding Cre recombinase
Authors: Zhu Huan Zhang , Wang Wei , Feng Deng Min , Sai Yin , Xue Jing Lun
Published: July 2006

The success of Cre‐mediated conditional gene targeting in liver of mice has until now depended on the generation of Cre recombinase transgenic mice or on viral‐mediated transduction. Here, we sought to establish the feasibility of using hydrodynamic gene delivery of Cre recombinase into liver, using a ROSA26 EGFP mouse. The expression of EGFP and β‐galactosidase was exclusively detected in the liver of mice treated with hydrodynamic gene delivery of Cre recombinase, as assessed with fluorescence microscopy and X‐Gal staining, respectively; Southern blotting also showed that Cre mediated recombination occurred specifically in the liver and not in other organs. The Cre mediated recombination reached about 61% of hepatocytes of mouse after repeated injection, as analyzed by flow cytometry. These results demonstrate that Cre recombinase can be transferred to the liver of mice through a simple hydrodynamic gene‐delivery approach and can mediate efficient recombination in hepatocytes. Thus, hydrodynamic gene delivery of the Cre recombinase provides a valuable approach for Cre‐loxP‐mediated conditional gene modification in the liver of mice.
Pyroglutamate stimulates Na+‐dependent glutamate transport across the blood–brain barrier
Authors: Hawkins Richard A. , Simpson Ian A. , Mokashi Ashwini , Viña Juan R.
Published: July 2006

Regulation of Na+‐dependent glutamate transport was studied in isolated luminal and abluminal plasma membranes derived from the bovine blood–brain barrier. Abluminal membranes have Na+‐dependent glutamate transporters while luminal membranes have facilitative transporters. This organization allows glutamate to be actively removed from brain. γ‐Glutamyl transpeptidase, the first enzyme of the γ‐glutamyl cycle (GGC), is on the luminal membrane. Pyroglutamate (oxoproline), an intracellular product of GGC, stimulated Na+‐dependent transport of glutamate by 46%, whereas facilitative glutamate uptake in luminal membranes was inhibited. This relationship between GGC and glutamate transporters may be part of a regulatory mechanism that accelerates glutamate removal from brain.
Platelet derived growth factor regulates ABCA1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells
Authors: Nagao Sachi , Murao Koji , Imachi Hitomi , Cao Wen-Ming , Yu Xiao , Li Junhua , Matsumoto Kensuke , Nishiuchi Takamasa , Ahmed Rania A.M. , Wong Norman C.W. , Ueda Kazumitsu , Ishida Toshihiko
Published: July 2006

The ATP‐binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) regulates lipid efflux from peripheral cells to High‐density lipoprotein. The platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogen that enables vascular smooth muscle cells to participate in atherosclerosis. In this report, we showed that PDGF suppressed endogenous expression of ABCA1 in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. Exposure of CRL‐208 cells to PDGF elicited a rapid phosphorylation of a kinase downstream from PI3‐K, Akt. The constitutively active form of both p110, a subunit of PI3‐K, and Akt inhibited activity of the ABCA1 promoter. In conclusion, PI3‐K‐Akt pathways participate in PDGF‐suppression of ABCA1 expression.
Monitoring the incidence of escaped farmed Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., in rivers and fisheries of the United Kingdom and Ireland: current progress and recommendations for future programmes
Authors: Walker Alan M. , Beveridge Malcolm C.M. , Crozier Walter , Ó Maoiléidigh Niall , Milner Nigel
Published: July 2006

An inevitable consequence of the development of the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., farming industry in coastal waters of the British Isles has been the loss of farmed salmon to the wild, their occurrence in inshore waters and rivers, and their appearance in coastal and freshwater fisheries. Monitoring programmes have been developed throughout the British Isles, variously using scientific sampling, catch records from coastal or freshwater fisheries or both, and scientific sampling of catches from in-river traps. We compare the results of these monitoring programmes with regional production and the numbers of escapees reported from marine fish farms. We also consider the effectiveness of the programmes for assessing the prevalence of farmed salmon that escape from marine cages. Finally, we make recommendations for improvements to these programmes and for the development of best practice, including the scientific sampling of in-river spawning stocks through fishery-independent sources, identification of fish origin based on at least two methods, assessment of the degree of incorrect classification, and the timely and accurate reporting of all escapes.
A Pronounced Dry Event Recorded Around 4.2 ka in Brine Sediments from the Northern Red Sea
Authors: Arz Helge W. , Lamy Frank , Pätzold Jürgen
Published: July 2006

Partly laminated sediments were sampled from the brine-filled, anoxic Shaban Deep basin in the northern Red Sea. At about 4200 cal yr BP more than two millennia of anoxic sedimentation is replaced by a sub-oxic facies strongly suggesting the episodic absence of the brine. At the same time stable oxygen isotopes from surface dwelling foraminifera show a sharp increase (within less than 100 yr) pointing to a strong positive salinity anomaly at the sea surface. This major evaporation event significantly enhanced the renewal of deep water and the subsequent ventilation of the small Shaban Deep basin. The timing and strength of the reconstructed environmental changes around 4200 cal yr BP suggest that this event is the regional expression of a major drought event, which is widely observed in the neighboring regions, and which strongly affected Middle East agricultural civilizations.
Theoretical analysis of ozone generation by pulsed dielectric barrier discharge in oxygen
Authors: WEI L. S. , ZHOU J. H. , WANG Z. H. , CEN K. F.
Published: July 2006

The use of very short high-voltage pulses combined with a dielectric layer results in high-energy electrons that dissociate oxygen molecules into atoms, which are a prerequisite for the subsequent production of ozone by collisions with oxygen molecules and third particles. The production of ozone depends on both the electrical and the physical parameters. For ozone generation by pulsed dielectric barrier discharge in oxygen, a mathematical model, which describes the relation between ozone concentration and these parameters that are of importance in its design, is developed according to dimensional analysis theory. A formula considering the ozone destruction factor is derived for predicting the characteristics of the ozone generation, within the range of the corona inception voltage to the gap breakdown voltage. The trend showing the dependence of the concentration of ozone in oxygen on these parameters generally agrees with the experimental results, thus confirming the validity of the mathematical model.
A local-based method for manipulators path planning, using sub-goals resulting from a local graph
Authors: Zeghloul S. , Helguera C. , Ramirez G.
Published: July 2006

This paper addresses the path planning problem for manipulators. The problem of path planning in robotics can be defined as follows: To find a collision free trajectory from an initial configuration to a goal configuration. In this paper a collision-free path planner for manipulators, based on a local constraints method, is proposed. In this approach the task is described by a minimization problem under geometric constraints. The anti-collision constraints are mapped as linear constraints in the configuration space and they are not included in the function to minimize. Also, the task to achieve is defined as a combination of two displacements. The first displacement brings the robot towards to the goal configuration, while the second one allows the robot to avoid the local minima. This formulation solves many of classical problems found in local methods. However, when the robot acts in some heavy cluttered environments, a zig-zaging phenomenon could appear. To solve this situation, a graph based on the local environment of the robot is constructed. On this graph, an A* search is performed, in order to find a dead-lock free position that can be used as a sub-goal in the optimization process. This path-planner has been implemented within SMAR, a CAD-Robotics system developed at our laboratory. Tests in heavy cluttered environments were successfully performed.
Comparative analysis of collision-free path-planning methods for multi-manipulator systems
Authors: Fraile J. C. , Perez-Turiel J. , Gonzalez-Sanchez J. L. , Baeyens E. , Perez R.
Published: July 2006

Motion planning for manipulators with many degrees of freedom is a complex task. The research in this area has been mostly restricted to static environments. This paper presents a comparative analysis of three reactive on-line path-planning methods for manipulators: the elastic-strip, strategy-based and potential field methods. Both the elastic-strip method [O. Brock and O. Khatib, “Elastic strips: A framework for integrated planning and execution,” Int. Symp. Exp. Robot. 245–254 (1999)] and the potential field method [O. Khatib, “Real-time obstacle avoidance for manipulators and mobile robots,” Int. J. Robot. Res.5(1), 90–98 (1986)] have been adapted by the authors to the problem at hand related to our multi-manipulator system (MMS) (three manipulators with five degrees of freedom each). Strategy-based method is an original contribution by the authors [M. Mediavilla, J. L. González, J. C. Fraile and J. R. Perán, “Reactive approach to on-line path planning for robot manipulators in dynamic environments,” Robotica20, 375–384 (2002); M. Mediavilla, J. C. Fraile, T. González and I. J. Galindo, “Selection of strategies for collision-free motion in multi-manipulator systems,” J. Intell. Robot Syst38, 85–104 (2003)].

The three methods facilitate on-line path planning for our MMS in dynamic environments with collision avoidance, where the three manipulators may move at the same time in their common workspace. We have defined some ‘basic motion problems’ for the MMS, and a series of simulations has been running that will tell us how effective each path-planning method is. The simulations have been performed and the obtained results have been analysed by using a software program developed by the authors.

The paper also presents experimental results obtained applying the path-planning methods to our MMS, that perform pick-and-place tasks sharing common working areas.
WAR OR PEACE?: A DYNAMICAL ANALYSIS OF ANARCHY
Authors: VANDERSCHRAAF PETER
Published: July 2006

I propose a dynamical analysis of interaction in anarchy, and argue that this kind of dynamical analysis is a more promising route to predicting the outcome of anarchy than the more traditional a priori analyses of anarchy in the literature. I criticize previous a priori analyses of anarchy on the grounds that these analyses assume that the individuals in anarchy share a unique set of preferences over the possible outcomes of war, peace, exploiting others and suffering exploitation. Following Hobbes' classic analysis of anarchy, I maintain that typically in anarchy some moderate individuals will most desire mutual cooperation while other dominators will most desire to exploit others' cooperation. I argue that once one allows for different types of individuals in anarchy, any a priori analysis of anarchy requires unrealistic assumptions regarding the agents' common knowledge of their situation. However, this move also suggests a dynamical analysis of anarchy, one that assumes no common knowledge. In the Variable Anticipation threshold model developed here, individuals modify their behavior as they learn from repeated interactions. I present specific instances of this model where the individuals in anarchy converge to different equilibria corresponding to either peace or war, depending on the initial conditions. I show that individuals are liable to converge to Hobbes' war of all against all even if only a small percentage of are dominators. The presence of only a few “nasty” individuals gradually drives all, including those inclined to be “nicer”, to imitate the “nasty” conduct of these few. This dynamic analysis suggests that the Hobbesian war in anarchy is indeed inevitable in most realistic circumstances.

You have the same propension, that I have, in favor of what is contiguous above what is remote. You are, therefore, naturally carry'd to commit acts of injustice as well as I. Your example both pushes me forward in this way by imitation, and also affords me a new reason for any breach of equity, by showing me, that I shou'd be the cully of my integrity, if I alone shou'd impose on myself a severe restraint amidst the licentiousness of others. (David Hume, A Treatise of Human Nature)
Michael Chekhov and the Search for the ‘Ideal’ Theatre
Authors: Kirillov Andrei
Published: July 2006

In a keynote address delivered at the Michael Chekhov symposium ‘Theatre of the Future?’, held at Dartington Hall in November 2005, Andrei Kirillov argued that Chekhov’s ideas have not yet been fully assimilated, pointing out that merely to follow his exercises without understanding their connection to the actor’s imagination and meditative as well as spiritual dimensions is to fail fully to understand him. Andrei Kirillov is a researcher and Assistant Chair at the Theatre Department of the Russian Institute of the History of the Arts. His numerous publications on the history and theory of Russian theatre include Michael Chekhov: the Path of the Actor, co-edited with Bella Merlin (2005), and Teatr Mikhaila Chekhova: Russkoye Akterskoye Iskusstvo XX veca (The Theatre of Michael Chekhov: the Art of Russian Acting in the Twentieth Century, 1993). Bella Merlin originally enhanced the English-language version of this lecture, and with the author’s approval it has been further edited by NTQ for publication.
‘Competitive Co-operation’: Playing with Theatre de Complicite
Authors: Mendus Clive
Published: July 2006

Clive Mendus joined Theatre de Complicite a year after its formation by Simon McBurney in 1983. Born in Cumbria in 1954, he shared classes with McBurney during training at the Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris, before returning to Britain to develop his acting career. In this interview with NTQ Co-Editor Maria Shevtsova, held in London in December 2004, Clive Mendus discusses aspects of his work at the Lecoq School, while his account of playing with Complicite – particularly in The Street of Crocodiles (1992) and Measure for Measure (2003) – sheds light on the improvisation processes which are characteristic of the company, as well as on Mendus’s sense of himself as an actor. Measure for Measure toured Wroclaw, Madrid, Mumbai, Bangalore, Milan, Grenoble, and Berlin in 2005. Apart from accumulating a range of theatre experiences, Mendus has worked in film and television, including such television series as EastEnders and The Bill.
Performance Practice and Theatrical Privilege: Rethinking Weimann’s Concepts of Locus and Platea
Authors: Lin Erika
Published: July 2006

In this article, Erika T. Lin explores theatrical performance as a material medium by considering which elements might have been privileged in the dramaturgy of Shakespeare and his contemporaries. After considering the strengths and weaknesses of Robert Weimann’s influential concepts of locus and platea, she offers an alternative model for understanding the authority of performance in early modern England, in which stage geography and actor–audience interactivity, two key components of Weimann’s formulation, are less important than the interplay between representation and presentation. Through an analysis of specific scenes from a number of Shakespeare’s plays, she argues that the moments most privileged in the early modern playhouse were those that foregrounded the semiotic system through which actions presented onstage came to signify within the represented fiction. Erika T. Lin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of English at the University of Louisville. She is currently writing a book entitled Shakespeare and the Materiality of Performance, and is also beginning work on a new project which examines seasonal festivities, folk drama, and professional theatre in early modern England.
Discontinuous evolution of single‐crystal elastic constants as a function of pressure through the C2/c ↔ P21/c phase transition in spodumene (LiAlSi2O6)
Authors: Sondergeld Peter , Li Baosheng , Schreuer Jürgen , Carpenter Michael A.
Published: July 2006

A Landau free energy expansion in one order parameter has been developed to describe the first‐order C2/c ↔ P21/c phase transition at high pressures in spodumene (LiAlSi2O6). The complete set of elastic constants required for this model was determined at ambient conditions by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy. Other coefficients in the 246 expansion were calibrated using lattice parameter data from the literature, which had been collected by following the transition in a diamond anvil cell. The complete calibration leads to predictions of significant, abrupt changes in elastic constants at the transition point, 3.19 GPa, which have then been tested against ultrasonic data obtained in situ at high pressures in a uniaxial split cylinder apparatus. Velocities of compressional waves in three mutually perpendicular directions through single crystals of spodumene were measured and used to extract elastic constant data. The transition, indeed, causes large, abrupt changes of single‐crystal elastic constants with increasing pressure. Steep increases in attenuation were also observed in the vicinity of the transition point for two directions and over a broader pressure interval in the third direction. The Landau expansion reproduces the general form of the elastic anomalies, even though it does not do as well for spontaneous strain variations. If this type of transition occurred in mantle pyroxenes (or in any other mantle phase), it would be expected to leave a distinctive signature in seismic velocity profiles of the Earth's interior.
Measurements of the turbulent energy dissipation rate ɛ and an evaluation of the dispersion process of the Changjiang Diluted Water in the East China Sea
Authors: Matsuno Takeshi , Lee Joon‐Soo , Shimizu Manabu , Kim Sang‐Hyun , Pang Ig‐Chan
Published: July 2006

The large amount of fresh water discharged from Changjiang spreads over the East China Sea continental shelf as low salinity water, particularly in the summer season. To understand the primary production in the East China Sea, it is necessary to clarify the dispersion process of the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW), since the high production area appears to cover the CDW. In this study, the dispersion process of the CDW was evaluated through the estimation of the turbulent energy dissipation rate ɛ in the CDW and calculation of the divergence in the CDW using satellite‐tracked drifters. A large value of ɛ was observed just above the bottom and in the surface layer, whose magnitude was sometimes greater than 10−7 W kg−1. On the other hand, a small value of ɛ, less than 10−8 W kg−1, was found just beneath the CDW. The small value of ɛ leads to a small value of the vertical eddy diffusivity of less than 10−5 m2s−1. The vertical advection of the bottom water is likely to be a major process for increasing the salinity, since the horizontal diffusion would not play a significant role if the usual magnitude of the horizontal diffusivity is assumed. Calculation of divergence in the surface layer, using the drifters' data, also suggests that upward velocity of O(10−5) m s−1 over the CDW area is expected. The vertical transport from the bottom layer could increase the salinity of the CDW, and also carry the nutrients into the euphotic zone resulting in biological production.
North American and Asian aerosols over the eastern Pacific Ocean and their role in regulating cloud condensation nuclei
Authors: Roberts G. , Mauger G. , Hadley O. , Ramanathan V.
Published: July 2006

Measurements of aerosol and cloud properties in the Eastern Pacific Ocean were taken during an airborne experiment on the University of Wyoming's King Air during April 2004 as part of the Cloud Indirect Forcing Experiment (CIFEX). We observed a wide variety of aerosols, including those of long‐range transport from Asia, clean marine boundary layer, and North American emissions. These aerosols, classified by their size distribution and history, were found in stratified layers between 500 to 7500 m above sea level and thicknesses from 100 to 3000 m. A comparison of the aerosol size distributions to measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) provides insight to the CCN activity of the different aerosol types. The overall ratio of measured to predicted CCN concentration (NCCN) is 0.56 ± 0.41 with a relationship of NCCN,measured = NCCN,predicted0.846±0.002 for 23 research flights and 1884 comparisons. Such a relationship does not accurately describe a CCN closure; however, it is consistent with our measurements that high CCN concentrations are more influenced by anthropogenic sources, which are less CCN active. While other CCN closures have obtained results closer to the expected 1:1 relationship, the different aerosol types (and presumably differences in aerosol chemistry) are responsible for the discrepancy. The measured NCCN at 0.3% supersaturation (Sc) ranged from 20 cm−3 (pristine) to 350 cm−3 (anthropogenic) with an average of 106 ± 54 cm−3 over the experiment. The inferred supersaturation in the clouds sampled during this experiment is ∼0.3%. CCN concentrations of cloud‐processed aerosol were well predicted using an ammonium sulfate approximation for Sc ≤ 0.4%. Predicted NCCN for other aerosol types (i.e., Asian and North American aerosols) were high compared to measured values indicating a less CCN active aerosol. This study highlights the importance of chemical effects on CCN measurements and introduces a CCN activation index as a method of classifying the efficiency of an aerosol to serve as CCN relative to an ammonium sulfate particle. This index ranged from close to unity for cloud processed aerosols to as low as 0.31 for aged aerosols transported from Asia. We also compare the performance of two CCN instruments (static thermal diffusion chamber and streamwise continuous flow chamber) on a 45 minute level leg where we observe an aged layer and a nucleation event. More than 50% of the aged aerosol served as CCN at 0.2% Sc, primarily owing to their large size, while CCN concentrations during the nucleation event were close to 0 cm−3. CCN concentrations from both instruments agreed within instrument errors; however, the continuous flow chamber effectively captured the rapid transition in aerosol properties.
Three‐band temperature extraction from airborne imagery with imprecise atmospheric knowledge
Authors: Salvaggio C. , Boonmee M. , Sinisgalli N. , Messinger D.
Published: July 2006

The accurate estimation of an object's surface temperature from airborne imagery is complicated by several factors, including the effects of the atmosphere and surface emissivity variations. Several methods have been proposed to handle specific cases where some of the unknowns can be eliminated. Typically, these methods use one or two spectral bands or viewing geometries and are applied to large, homogeneous surfaces where the surface emissivity may be approximated as a blackbody. In particular, a method using two spectral bands for sea surface temperature estimation with the advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) sensor has shown success while removing the need for an estimate of the atmospheric upwelling radiance. Here this method is extended to include a third spectral band and is applied to terrestrial targets. The algorithm has been tested against a synthetically generated scene containing a wide variety of targets. Temperature estimation capabilities are modestly improved (∼1 K) by inclusion of the third spectral band, particularly for materials with low emissivity and when using midwave infrared measurements. Sensitivity studies demonstrate that the inclusion of the third band slightly decreases the sensitivity of the algorithm to knowledge of the atmospheric transmission and downwelling radiance. This is true even for stressing cases such as hot targets and man‐made materials with low emissivity. It is also shown, for both methods, that precise knowledge of the downwelling radiance is the least significant input parameter for accurate surface temperature estimation for targets with high emissivities, resulting in errors less than 1 K for errors in downwelling radiance of up to 35%.