bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facial allograft transplantation, personal identity and subjectivity
Authors: Swindell J S
Published: July 2007

An analysis of the identity issues involved in facial allograft transplantation is provided in this paper. The identity issues involved in organ transplantation in general, under both theoretical accounts of personal identity and subjective accounts provided by organ recipients, are examined. It is argued that the identity issues involved in facial allograft transplantation are similar to those involved in organ transplantation in general, but much stronger because the face is so closely linked with personal identity. Recipients of facial allograft transplantation have the potential to feel that their identity is a mix between their own and the donor’s, and the donor’s family is potentially likely to feel that their loved one “lives on”. It is also argued that facial allograft transplantation allows the recipients to regain an identity, because they can now be seen in the social world. Moreover, they may regain expressivity, allowing for them to be seen even more by others, and to regain an identity to an even greater extent. Informing both recipients and donors about the role that identity plays in facial allograft transplantation could enhance the consent process for facial allograft transplantation and donation.
Which medicine? Whose standard? Critical reflections on medical integration in China
Authors: Fan Ruiping , Holliday Ian
Published: July 2007

There is a prevailing conviction that if traditional medicine (TRM) or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) are integrated into healthcare systems, modern scientific medicine (MSM) should retain its principal status. This paper contends that this position is misguided in medical contexts where TRM is established and remains vibrant. By reflecting on the Chinese policy on three entrenched forms of TRM (Tibetan, Mongolian and Uighur medicines) in western regions of China, the paper challenges the ideology of science that lies behind the demand that all traditional forms of medicine be evaluated and reformed according to MSM standards. Tibetan medicine is used as a case study to indicate the falsity of a major premise of the scientific ideology. The conclusion is that the proper integrative system for TRM and MSM is a dual standard based system in which both TRM and MSM are free to operate according to their own medical standards.
Self-interest, self-abnegation and self-esteem: towards a new moral economy of non-directed kidney donation
Authors: Roff Sue Rabbitt
Published: July 2007

As of September 2006, non-directed donation of kidneys and other tissues and organs is permitted in the UK under the new Human Tissue Acts. At the same time as making provision for psychiatric and clinical assessment of so-called “altruistic” donations to complete strangers, the Acts intensify assessments required for familial, genetically related donations, which will now require the same level as genetically unrelated but “emotionally” connected donations by locally based independent assessors reporting to the newly constituted Human Tissue Authority. But there will also need to be considerable reflection on the criteria for “stranger donation”, which may lead us to a new understanding of the moral economy of altruistic organ donation, no matter how mixed the motives of the donor may be. This paper looks at some of the issues that will have to be accommodated in such a framework.
A NICE fallacy
Authors: Quigley Muireann
Published: July 2007

A response is given to the claim by Claxton and Culyer, who stated that the policies of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) do not evaluate patients rather than treatments. The argument is made that the use of values such as quality of life and life-years is ethically dubious when used to choose which patients ought to receive treatments in the National Health Service (NHS).
Rights, responsibilities and NICE: a rejoinder to Harris
Authors: Claxton Karl , Culyer Anthony J
Published: July 2007

Harris’ reply to our defence of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence’s (NICE) current cost-effectiveness procedures contains two further errors. First, he wrongly draws a conclusion from the fact that NICE does not and cannot evaluate all possible uses of healthcare resources at any one time and generally cannot know which National Health Service (NHS) activities would be displaced or which groups of patients would have to forgo health benefits: the inference is that no estimate is or can be made by NICE of the benefits to be forgone. This is a non-sequitur. Second, he asserts that it is a flaw at the heart of the use of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as an outcome measure that comparisons between people need to be made. Such comparisons do indeed have to be made, but this is not a consequence of the choice of any particular outcome measure, be it the QALY or anything else.
Fires in temperate peatlands (southern Quebec): past and recent trends
Authors: Lavoie Claude , Pellerin Stéphanie
Published: July 2007

In this study, we reconstructed the long-term fire history of a set of ombrotrophic peatlands (bogs) located in a temperate region of southern Quebec (Bas-Saint-Laurent). Past and recent fire-free intervals (time interval between two consecutive fires) were compared using macrofossil analyses. During most of the Holocene epoch, fires were relatively rare events in bogs of the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. The fire-free intervals were approximately ten times longer (all sites considered) before the beginning of agricultural activities in the region (1800 AD) than after. This strongly suggests an anthropogenic influence on the fire regime prevailing in the bogs over the last 200 years. However, the shortening of the fire-free intervals was mainly the result of the ignition of one or two fires in almost every site during a relatively short period (200 years), rather than a higher fire frequency in each of the bogs. In some cases, fires had an influence on the vegetation structure of bogs, but it is more likely that a combination of several disturbances (fire, drainage, and drier than average summers) favoured the establishment of dense stands of pine and spruce, a forest expansion phenomenon that is now widespread in temperate bogs.
Virulence of, and interactions among, mountain pine beetle associated blue-stain fungi on two pine species and their hybrids in Alberta
Authors: Rice A.V. , Thormann M.N. , Langor D.W.
Published: July 2007

Mountain pine beetle (MPB) is the most serious pest of lodgepole pine in western Canada, and it is predicted to spread into boreal jack pine within the next few years. Colonization of host trees by MPB-associated blue-stain fungi appears to be required for successful beetle reproduction. Three species of blue-stain fungi, Grosmannia clavigera (Robinson-Jeffery and Davidson) Zipfel, de Beer, and Wingfield (≡ Ophiostoma clavigerum (Robinson-Jeffery and Davidson) Harrington), Ophiostoma montium (Rumbold) von Arx, and Leptographium longiclavatum Lee, Kim, and Breuil, are associated with MPB in Alberta. In inoculation experiments, all three fungi caused lesions on lodgepole pine, jack pine, and their hybrids. On average, lesions were longer on jack pine and hybrids than on lodgepole pine, suggesting that fungal development will not be a barrier to MPB success in these trees. Differences in lesion length caused by the three fungal species were minimal, with significant differences observed only on hybrid pine and between O. montium and the other fungal treatments. On average, lesions caused by combinations of the three fungi (pair-wise and all together) did not differ significantly in length from those caused by the fungi singly, and none of the fungal species competitively excluded any of the others. These observations suggest that all three species are pathogenic to boreal pines and that the virulence of all three species is comparable.
The ectomycorrhizal status of Calostoma cinnabarinum determined using isotopic, molecular, and morphological methods
Authors: Wilson Andrew W. , Hobbie Erik A. , Hibbett David S.
Published: July 2007

Calostoma cinnabarinum Corda belongs to the suborder Sclerodermatineae (Boletales), which includes many well-known ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes, but the genus Calostoma has been described as saprotrophic. This study combines isotopic, molecular, and morphological techniques to determine the mode of nutrition of C. cinnabarinum. δ13C and δ15N measurements were compared among co-occurring C. cinnabarinum, ectomycorrhizal fungi, saprotrophic fungi, and ectomycorrhizal plants. Isotopic profiles of C. cinnabarinum resembled those of ectomycorrhizal fungi but not those of saprotrophic fungi. For molecular analyses, ectomycorrhizal root tips were extracted from soil cores collected beneath C. cinnabarinum fruit bodies. Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) sequences were obtained from ectomycorrhizal root tips using fungal-specific primers and screened against C. cinnabarinum nrITS sequences. Ectomycorrhizal root tips had nrITS sequences that matched C. cinnabarinum fruiting bodies. Root tips colonized by C. cinnabarinum were also described morphologically. Several morphological characters were shared between fruiting bodies and ectomycorrhizal root tips of C. cinnabarinum. Results of isotopic, molecular, and morphological analyses indicate that C. cinnabarinum is ectomycorrhizal. Molecular analysis and observations of plant associations suggest that C. cinnabarinum forms ectomycorrhizae with Quercus .
Colonization of maize silks by Fusarium graminearum, the causative organism of gibberella ear rot
Authors: Miller S. Shea , Reid Lana M. , Harris Linda J.
Published: July 2007

One of the most economically important diseases of maize in Canada is gibberella ear rot caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe (teleomorph = Gibberella zeae (Schw.) Petch). Understanding how the fungus becomes established will help in developing effective strategies to reduce the incidence of this disease. This study investigates the infection process of F. graminearum on maize silks using both a wild-type F. graminearum as well as a strain transformed with a gene from jellyfish to constitutively express green fluorescent protein. Immature ears of maize were inoculated in the field with wild-type F. graminearum and harvested at specific times post infection, and the silks were stained with Chlorazol Black E for examination. In addition, uninoculated ears were excised, placed on water agar in large Petri dishes, and the silks inoculated with a suspension of macroconidia of the transformed fungus. The progress of fungal growth was then monitored using microscopy. Germination of conidia was observed 4–6 h after inoculation. A variable period of random growth often followed, after which some of the hyphae would grow in more or less straight lines down the silk towards the cob (rachis), and ultimately infect the developing kernels. Access to the cob occurred in 7–9 d in susceptible genotypes and 12–15 d in resistant genotypes. The fungus could penetrate the ovary directly through the silk attachment point or, when the silk was growing over other kernels, the fungus could traverse from the silk to colonize interkernel spaces. Entry into the cob was either through the rachis surface via exterior growth between kernels, or into the rachis via the pedicel.
Assessing host specialization among aecial and telial hosts of the white pine blister rust fungus,Cronartium ribicola
Authors: Richardson Bryce A. , Zambino Paul J. , Klopfenstein Ned B. , McDonald Geral I. , Carris Lori M.
Published: July 2007

The white-pine blister rust fungus, Cronartium ribicola Fisch. in Rabenh., continues to spread in North America, utilizing various aecial (primary) and telial (alternate) hosts, some of which have only recently been discovered. This introduced pathogen has been characterized as having low genetic diversity in North America, yet it has demonstrated a capacity to invade diverse environments. The recent discovery of this rust fungus on the telial host Pedicularis racemosa Dougl. ex Benth., raises questions of whether this host association represents a recent acquisition by C. ribicola or a long-standing host association that was overlooked. Here we explore two questions: (i) is host specialization detectable at a local scale and (ii) is the capacity to infect Pedicularis racemosa local or widespread? Genetic analysis of C. ribicola isolates from different aecial and telial hosts provided no evidence for genetic differentiation and showed similar levels of expected heterozygosity within a geographic population. An inoculation test showed that diverse C. ribicola sources from across North America had the capacity to infect Pedicularis racemosa. These results support a hypothesis that ability to infect Pedicularis racemosa is common in C. ribicola from North America. Utilization of Pedicularis racemosa by C. ribicola may be dependent on the co-occurrence of this host, inoculum, and favorable environments.
Sex allocation in Carex (Cyperaceae): effects of light, water, and nutrients
Authors: Bertin Robert I.
Published: July 2007

Sedges of the genus Carex L. are mostly wind-pollinated, self-compatible, monoecious herbs in which female flowers are receptive before pollen is released (protogyny). One hypothesis was examined for the adaptive importance of the monoecious sexual system, namely that having two flower types permits flexibility in allocation of resources to male and female reproductive functions in the face of changing environmental conditions. Fourteen greenhouse experiments were conducted on a total of six Carex species in which I manipulated one or more of three environmental variables: nutrients, water, and light. These variables had small effects on the proportion of female flowers, though the effects were significant for at least one variable in 8 of the 14 experiments. High nutrient and light levels were generally associated with increased femaleness, while high water levels were associated with increased maleness. Increased female allocation in response to enhanced resource availability has been demonstrated in many species and is thought to reflect the greater potential fitness gains via the female function than via the male function when resources are plentiful. The opposite effects of water are anomalous and contrary to results in the literature. Because the effects of environmental manipulations on sex allocation are modest, the evolution and maintenance of monoecy in sedges probably reflect advantages other than flexible sex expression, at least in part. Selection for avoidance of self-pollination may have been particularly important in favoring the combination of protogyny and monoecy in Carex.
Patterns of amplified restriction fragment polymorphism in natural populations and corresponding seed collections of plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii)
Authors: Qiu Jie , Fu Yong-Bi , Bai Yuguang , Wilmshurst John F.
Published: July 2007

Plains rough fescue ( Festuca hallii (Vasey) Piper) is a dominant native grass species in the Fescue Prairie region of North America that has undergone dramatic range reduction in the past century. Little is known about the genetic diversity of this species. The amplified restriction fragment polymorphism (AFLP) technique was applied to assess the comparative genetic diversity of six plains rough fescue populations in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and their corresponding seed collections. Three AFLP primer pairs were employed to screen 529 samples, representing about 30 samples each of reproductive tiller, vegetative tiller, and seed collected from each population. A total of 330 polymorphic AFLP bands were scored for each sample; their occurrence frequencies ranged from 0.01 to 0.99 and averaged around 0.47. Analysis of molecular variance revealed more than 90% of the total AFLP variation resided within natural populations (reproductive and vegetative tillers) and within seed samples. Four populations sampled from protected areas appear to have relatively lower within-population variation than two unprotected populations. Only 0.2% AFLP difference was revealed among the three tissue types examined. The tiller samples revealed slightly larger among-population variation than the seed samples and captured substantial associations of AFLP variation with population geographic distances. These findings are important for germplasm sampling for ex situ conservation, are useful for germplasm development for pasture seeding, and should facilitate the management of fragmented fescue populations.
Pre-, syn-, and post-imbrication deformation of carbonate slices along the southern Quebec Appalachian front – implications for hydrocarbon exploration
Authors: Séjourné Stephan , Malo Michel
Published: July 2007

Thrust-imbricated shelf-carbonate slices form a wide but poorly understood part of the southernmost Quebec Appalachian structural front. Comprehensive structural analysis of two slices exposed at surface, the Saint-Dominique and Philipsburg slices, shows that pre- and post-imbrication structures are important in defining the final architecture of the slices. The dominant structural style is characterized by thrusts and associated asymmetrical folds, tear faults, oblique ramps and incipient backthrusts developed during WNW–ESE shortening. A forward-breaking (piggy-back) sequence of thrusting is recognised, as well as minor out-of-sequence thrusting. The complexity and diversity of contractional structures is directly influenced by lithology (bed thickness and shale content). Bedding-parallel slip planes are important in the concentration (activation and reactivation) of deformation, in that there are the loci for veining, faulting, and folding. Recognition of lithostructural units provides guidelines for the identification of sub-seismic-scale structural traps in subsurface investigations. Extensional structures (normal faults, veins, tension gashes) are found within all carbonate slices, as well as within the footwall of their basal thrusts. Only a few pre-imbrication normal faults have been identified, one of which is a growth fault. Post-imbrication extensional structures are linked with strain relaxation after overthrusting. A widespread front-parallel strike-slip faulting event postdates all other structural features and can have a major impact on the compartmentalization of potential hydrocarbon reservoirs.
Protaspides of uppermost Cambrian trilobiteMissisquoia, with implications for suprafamilial level classification of the genus
Authors: Lee Dong-Chan , Chatterton Brian DE
Published: July 2007

The protaspides of Missisquoia depressa (Missisquoiidae, Trilobita), from the uppermost Cambrian part of the Rabbitkettle Formation, Mackenzie Mountains, northwestern Canada, are described. Three metaprotaspid stages are recognized, using size as well as features of the anterior border of the cranidium and the shape of the glabella. The morphology of the protaspides is not typical of the Order Corynexochida, suggesting that Missisquoia is not a member of the order to which the genus has been previously assigned. This further indicates that its affinity to the stratigraphically younger styginids and illaenids is questionable.
Contrasting strategies of ova lipid provisioning in relation to maternal characteristics in three walleye (Sander vitreus) populations
Authors: Wiegand M D , Johnston T A , Leggett W C , Watchorn K E , Ballevona A J , Porteous L R , Casselman J M
Published: July 2007

We examined how the lipid content and fatty acid composition of walleye (Sander vitreus) ova varied with respect to maternal characteristics, particularly indices of body nutrient reserves, within three spawning populations that varied in maternal age, size, and somatic lipid reserves. We also compared the variability in ova lipid composition among three populations with that observed among spawning years within one of these populations. Maternal characteristics had little influence on ova lipid content. In Lake Ontario, percentages of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6(n-3), DHA) and arachidonic acid (20:4(n-6), AA) increased with maternal length, while those of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5(n-3), EPA) declined. In Lake Nipissing, maternal age had similar effects on AA and EPA, but not DHA. The Lake Winnipeg population did not conform to the trends of the other two populations, and ova from this population had very low levels of AA. We hypothesize that there are similar selection pressures on the Lake Ontario and Lake Nipissing populations with respect to desirable ova fatty acid profiles. Lake Winnipeg walleye may experience different selection pressures or may be unable to conform to the trends observed in the other two lakes.
Zooplankton community response to experimental acidification in boreal shield lakes with different ecological histories
Authors: Derry Alison M , Arnott Shelley E
Published: July 2007

Community responses to acidification and recovery of boreal lakes are poorly understood, particularly after several years of recovered lake-water pH (pH ≥ 6.0). We tested if zooplankton communities in two circumneutral lakes with different acidification histories were adapted to historical lake-water pH with a reciprocal transplant field enclosure experiment. A second objective was to assess the influence of local environments on zooplankton survival and abundance. Differences in acid tolerance could be detected in some zooplankton among the two lakes with different acidification histories — zooplankton from acid-recovering Carlyle Lake, recovered to pH ≥ 6.0 for 6 years were more speciose and maintained higher total abundance at pH 4.8 than the community from a buffered lake. The zooplankton community in this historically acidified lake was comprised of two dominant species with acid-adaptable tolerances, Holopedium gibberum and Leptodiaptomus minutus. High establishment of transplanted zooplankton in our experiment has important implications for the recovery of zooplankton communities because it suggests that local conditions are suitable for most species in acid-recovering lakes with pH ≥ 6.0 and that other factors such as dispersal limitation and biotic interactions may be impeding recovery.
Exploring ultimate hypotheses to predict diel vertical migrations in coregonid fish
Authors: Mehner Thomas , Kasprzak Peter , Hölker Franz
Published: July 2007

Evolutionary hypotheses for diel vertical migrations (DVM) of aquatic animals include foraging opportunity, predator avoidance, and bioenergetics efficiency. Here we test which hypothesis predicts DVM in the small planktivorous coregonids vendace, Coregonus albula, and Fontane cisco, Coregonus fontanae, in a deep oligotrophic lake. Densities and population depths of young-of-the-year and larger coregonids were determined by hydroacoustics during day and night over 10 consecutive months. Depth distributions of predator-like fishes and zooplankton resources were recorded as well. Furthermore, Secchi depth, water temperature, oxygen concentrations, and pH values were determined at each sampling month. A DVM of the coregonids was observed in all months. Population depths during the night were significantly correlated to water temperatures, oxygen concentrations, and pH values. In contrast, the vertical distributions of predators or resources were not correlated with the coregonid depth distribution. These results do not correspond to the feeding opportunity or predator avoidance hypotheses of DVM, but support in part the bioenergetics efficiency hypothesis. However, the stable migration pattern of fishes over all months despite substantial changes in biotic and abiotic conditions suggests that diel migrations in the coregonids are a genetically fixed behavioral trait to minimize the anticipated potential predation risk in the illuminated water layers during daytime.
Highly chlorinatedEscherichia colicannot be stained by propidium iodide
Authors: Phe M.-H. , Dossot M. , Guilloteau H. , Block J.-C.
Published: July 2007

Several studies have shown that the staining by fluorochromes (DAPI, SYBR Green II, and TOTO-1) of bacteria is altered by chlorination. To evaluate the effect of chlorine (bleach solution) on propidium iodide (PI) staining, we studied Escherichia coli in suspension and biomolecules in solution (DNA, RNA, BSA, palmitic acid, and dextran) first subjected to chlorine and then neutralized by sodium thiosulphate. The suspensions and solutions were subsequently stained with PI. The fluorescence intensity of the PI-stained DNA and RNA in solution dramatically decreased with an increase in the chlorine concentration applied. These results explain the fact that for chlorine concentrations higher than 3 μmol/L Cl2, the E. coli cells were too damaged to be properly stained by PI. In the case of highly chlorinated bacteria, it was impossible to distinguish healthy cells (with a PI-impermeable membrane and undamaged nucleic acids), which were nonfluorescent after PI staining, from cells severely injured by chlorine (with a PI-permeable membrane and damaged nucleic acids) that were also nonfluorescent, as PI penetrated but did not stain chlorinated nucleic acids. Our results suggest that it would be prudent to be cautious in interpreting the results of PI staining, as PI false-negative cells (cells with compromised membranes but not stained by PI because of nucleic acid damage caused by chlorine) are obtained as a result of nucleic acid damage, leading to an underestimation of truly dead bacteria.
Comparison of culturable fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli enumeration in freshwaters
Authors: Garcia-Armisen Tamara , Prats Josué , Servais Pierre
Published: July 2007

Fecal coliforms (FC) counts were compared with Escherichia coli counts in differently contaminated freshwater samples (n = 166). FC were enumerated by plate count on triphenyl 2,3,5-tetrazolium chloride Tergitol medium. Escherichia coli were enumerated by the most probable number microplate method based on the detection of glucuronidase activity. FC and E. coli counts were highly correlated; an average E. coli/FC ratio equal to 0.77 was found, meaning that on average, 77% of FC were E. coli. Knowing the E. coli/FC ratio allows us to convert the historical microbiological quality data expressed in FC counts into E. coli abundance and thus to compare with present and future monitoring data that are (or will be) based on E. coli enumeration.
Impact of log position in the tree on mechanical and physical properties of black spruce medium-density fibreboard panels
Authors: Shi Jun Li , Riedl Bernard , Deng James , Cloutier Alain , Zhang S. Y.
Published: July 2007

Mechanical and physical properties of medium-density fibreboard (MDF) panels made from black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) top, middle, and butt logs were studied. The analysis of variance and analysis of covariance were both performed to examine the impact of log position in the tree on panel modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), internal bond (IB), linear expansion (LE), thickness swell (TS), and water absorption. Results indicate that MOE and IB strength of MDF panels made from top and middle logs were significantly superior to those of panels made from butt logs; however, there was no significant difference in MOE and IB between panels made from top and middle logs. Water absorptions of top and middle log panels were significantly lower than that of panels made from butt logs, and the difference in water absorption between panels made from top and middle logs was not significant. TS of top log panels was the smallest among the panels from the three log positions in the tree and was significantly different from those of middle and butt log panels. TS of butt log panels was the highest, which was significantly different from that of top and middle log panels. The differences in LE among the panels made from top, middle, and butt logs were not significant. The comparison of MOR of top, middle, and butt log panels was dependent on panel density because of the interactions among the three groups. Top and middle log panels showed superior properties, because the thinner cell walls of fibres from top and middle logs resulted in an increased compaction ratio compared with the butt log panels. Panel density affected both panel MOR and MOE considerably; however, its impact on IB, LE, TS, and water absorption was not significant in this study. The equations describing the linear relationships between MOR, MOE, and panel density were developed.
Pathogenicity of wild-type and albino strains of the fungus Ceratocystis resinifera, a potential biocontrol agent against bluestain
Authors: Morin Chantal , Couturier Solajo , Bernier Louis
Published: July 2007

To verify the environmental innocuousness of large-scale applications of an albino strain (Kasper) of Ceratocystis resinifera Harrington & Wingfield, a potential biocontrol agent against bluestain, we tested the pathogenicity of this fungal species in greenhouse and field trials. In the greenhouse, the development of C. resinifera was negligible in deciduous seedlings, whereas the fungus was able to colonize the three conifer species tested. Ceratocystis resinifera induced only small lesions in white pine ( Pinus strobus L.) but colonized more extensively white spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) seedlings. Black spruce was the most affected species and showed the highest mean mortality rate (40%). However, the pathogenicity of C. resinifera seemed to be conditional, since no mortality was observed in one experiment. In the field trial, C. resinifera induced longer lesions than Ophiostoma piceae (Münch) Syd. & P. Syd. 1919 (a weak pathogen) as well as mortality in one mature black spruce tree. However, Kasper was less virulent than the wild type isolate tested, since it induced significantly smaller lesions and no mortality. In spite of its ability to colonize spruce trees, C. resinifera showed a weak tolerance to low oxygen levels, which, together with the lack of a primary bark beetle vector associate, may reduce its pathogenic potential.
A new dendroecological method to differentiate growth responses to fine-scale disturbance from regional-scale environmental variation
Authors: Thompson R. Douglas , Daniels Lori D. , Lewis Kathy J.
Published: July 2007

A new dendroecological method is developed to differentiate growth responses to fine-scale disturbance from regional-scale environmental variation. In spruce–fir forests of central British Columbia, release from suppression in response to overhead canopy tree mortality was calibrated as >60% change in radial growth (%CRG, adjacent 15 year periods compared) using gap-maker–gap-filler pairs with known years of mortality and response. Many release events, attributed to regional-scale environmental variation (e.g., bark beetle outbreaks), were counted. Species-specific regional-scale chronologies were subtracted from standardized gap-filler series producing residuals and 1 was added to all residual indices. Percent divergence (%DIV) values were calculated as the percent change in residuals (adjacent 15 year periods compared). A %DIV criterion was set at >15% increase in the residual series. The %CRG and %DIV criteria were applied to an independent data set of ring-width series, determining the date(s) of release for each tree. %CRG and %DIV criteria were used in a complementary approach to differentiate (i) release due to fine-scale canopy gaps, (ii) no response to a gap and regional-scale environmental variation, (iii) release due to regional-scale environmental variation, and (iv) response to a fine-scale canopy gap but not detected by the %CRG criterion.
Estimating coarse root biomass of balsam fir
Authors: Lavigne M.B. , Krasowski M.J.
Published: July 2007

Root systems of 31 balsam fir ( Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) trees were excavated at five sites in central New Brunswick. Sites ranged from 10 to >80 years in stand age; most had been thinned at least once, and densities ranged from 750 to 44 000 trees·ha–1. The relationship between diameter at breast height and coarse root biomass in the present investigation was similar to one reported for balsam fir in northern New Brunswick but differed from two other published biomass equations. Coarse root biomass per hectare ranged from 3 to 30 Mg·ha–1 among studied sites. Coarse root biomass in the smaller root diameter classes was similar at all sites, but biomass in diameter classes >50 mm increased with stand age. Precommercial thinning added 3 Mg coarse root biomass·ha–1 to the detrital pool. The ratio of coarse root biomass to stem biomass averaged 0.36 (±0.02 SE). These results show that there is more belowground biomass in balsam fir ecosystems than would be expected from the generic ratio of belowground to aboveground biomass often applied to coniferous ecosystems, pointing to a need for using ratios that are more specific.
Predicting postfire Douglas-fir beetle attacks and tree mortality in the northern Rocky Mountains
Authors: Hood Sharon , Bentz Barbara
Published: July 2007

Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) were monitored for 4 years following three wildfires. Logistic regression analyses were used to develop models predicting the probability of attack by Douglas-fir beetle ( Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins, 1905) and the probability of Douglas-fir mortality within 4 years following fire. Percent crown volume scorched (crown scorch), cambium injury, diameter at breast height (DBH), and stand density index for Douglas-fir were most important for predicting Douglas-fir beetle attacks. A nonlinear relationship between crown scorch and cambium injury was observed, suggesting that beetles did not preferentially attack trees with both maximum crown scorch and cambium injury, but rather at some intermediate level. Beetles were attracted to trees with high levels of crown scorch, but not cambium injury, 1 and 2 years following fire. Crown scorch, cambium injury, DBH, and presence/absence of beetle attack were the most important variables for predicting postfire Douglas-fir mortality. As DBH increased, the predicted probability of mortality decreased for unattacked trees but increased for attacked trees. Field sampling suggested that ocular estimates of bark char may not be a reliable predictor of cambium injury. Our results emphasize the important role of Douglas-fir beetle in tree mortality patterns following fire, and the models offer improved prediction of Douglas-fir mortality for use in areas with or without Douglas-fir beetle populations.
INFORMATION DISTANCE AND ITS APPLICATIONS
Authors: LI MING
Published: July 2007

We have been developing a general theory of information distance and a paradigm of applying this theory to practical problems.[3, 19, 20] There are several problems associated with this theory. On the practical side, among other problems, the strict requirement of triangle inequality is unrealistic in some applications; on the theoretical side, the universality theorems for normalized information distances were only proved in a weak form. In this paper, we will introduce a complementary theory that resolves or avoids these problems.

This article also serves as a brief expository summary for this area. We will tell the stories about how and why some of the concepts were introduced, recent theoretical developments and interesting applications. These applications include whole genome phylogeny, plagiarism detection, document comparison, music classification, language classification, fetal heart rate tracing, question answering, and a wide range of other data mining tasks.
ON THE STATE COMPLEXITY OF COMBINED OPERATIONS AND THEIR ESTIMATION
Authors: SALOMAA KAI , YU SHENG
Published: July 2007

We consider the state complexity of several combined operations. Those results show that the state complexity of a combined operation is in general very different from the composition of the state complexities of the participating individual operations. We also consider general estimation methods for the state complexity of combined operations. In particular, estimation through nondeterministic state complexity is studied. It is shown that the method is very promising for a large class of combined operations.
BISIMULATION MINIMIZATION OF TREE AUTOMATA
Authors: ABDULLA PAROSH AZIZ , HÖGBERG JOHANNA , KAATI LISA
Published: July 2007

We extend an algorithm by Paige and Tarjan that solves the coarsest stable refinement problem to the domain of trees. The algorithm is used to minimize nondeterministic tree automata (NTA) with respect to bisimulation. We show that our algorithm has an overall complexity of [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the maximum rank of any symbol in the input alphabet, m is the total size of the transition table, and n is the number of states.
REDUCING SIMPLE GRAMMARS: EXPONENTIAL AGAINST HIGHLY-POLYNOMIAL TIME IN PRACTICE
Authors: BASTIEN CÉDRIC , CZYZOWICZ JUREK , FRACZAK WOJCIECH , RYTTER WOJCIECH
Published: July 2007

Simple grammar reduction is an important component in the implementation of Concatenation State Machines (a hardware version of stateless push-down automata designed for wire-speed network packet classification). We present a comparison and experimental analysis of the best-known algorithms for grammar reduction. There are two approaches to this problem: one processing compressed strings without decompression and another one which processes strings explicitly. It turns out that the second approach is more efficient in the considered practical scenario despite having worst-case exponential time complexity (while the first one is polynomial). The study has been conducted in the context of network packet classification, where simple grammars are used for representing the classification policies.
HYBRID EXTENDED FINITE AUTOMATA
Authors: BORDIHN HENNING , HOLZER MARKUS , KUTRIB MARTIN
Published: July 2007

Extended finite automata are finite state automata equipped with the additional ability to apply an operation on the currently remaining input word, depending on the current state. Hybrid extended finite automata can choose from a finite set of such operations. In this paper, five word operations are taken into consideration which always yield letter-equivalent results, namely reversal and shift operations. The computational power of those machines is investigated, locating the corresponding families of languages in the Chomsky hierarchy. Furthermore, different types of hybrid extended finite automata, defined by the set of operations they are allowed to apply, are compared with each other, demonstrating that there exist dependencies and independencies between the input manipulating operations.
Lp DISTANCE AND EQUIVALENCE OF PROBABILISTIC AUTOMATA
Authors: CORTES CORINNA , MOHRI MEHRYAR , RASTOGI ASHISH
Published: July 2007

This paper presents an exhaustive analysis of the problem of computing the Lp distance of two probabilistic automata. It gives efficient exact and approximate algorithms for computing these distances for p even and proves the problem to be NP-hard for all odd values of p, thereby completing previously known hardness results. It further proves the hardness of approximating the Lp distance of two probabilistic automata for odd values of p. Similar techniques to those used for computing the Lp distance also yield efficient algorithms for computing the Hellinger distance of two unambiguous probabilistic automata both exactly and approximately.

A problem closely related to the computation of a distance between probabilistic automata is that of testing their equivalence. This paper also describes an efficient algorithm for testing the equivalence of two arbitrary probabilistic automata A1 and A2 in time O(|Σ|(|A1| + |A2|)3), a significant improvement over the previously best reported algorithm for this problem.
PATH-EQUIVALENT DEVELOPMENTS IN ACYCLIC WEIGHTED AUTOMATA
Authors: GIRAUD MATHIEU , VEBER PHILLIPE , LAVENIER DOMINIQUE
Published: July 2007

Weighted finite automata (WFA) are used with FPGA accelerating hardware to scan large genomic banks. Hardwiring such automata raises surface area and clock frequency constraints, requiring efficient ∊-transitions-removal techniques. In this paper, we present bounds on the number of new transitions for the development of acyclic WFA, which is a special case of the ∊-transitions-removal problem. We introduce a new problem, a partial removal of ∊-transitions while accepting short chains of ∊-transitions.
LABELLING MULTI-TAPE AUTOMATA WITH CONSTRAINED SYMBOL CLASSES
Authors: NICART FLORENT , CHAMPARNAUD JEAN-MARC , CSÁKI TIBOR , GAÁL TAMÁS , KEMPE ANDRÉ
Published: July 2007

Rational relations are a powerful model used in many domains such as natural language processing. In this article, we propose a new model of finite state automata: multi-tape automata with symbol classes and identity or non-identity constraints. This model generalizes classical multi-tape automata, as well as automata and transducers with extended alphabet. We define this model in terms of a constraint satisfaction problem and discuss a problem occurring when handling the projection operation. Finally, we describe its implementation and results of a performance test.
EFFICIENT ALGORITHMS FOR DEGENERATE PRIMER SEARCH
Authors: BALLA SUDHA , RAJASEKARAN SANGUTHEVAR , MANDOIU ION I.
Published: July 2007

Degenerate primers are used to amplify a given set of genomic sequences using a technique called Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (MP-PCR). The problem of minimizing the number of degenerate primers required to amplify a given set of DNA sequences, also known as the Degenerate Primer Design Problem (DPDP), has been extensively studied in the literature and proven to be NP-Complete. In this paper we present efficient algorithms for solving DPDP. For example, one of the algorithms we give in this paper is iterative and has a runtime of O(b|Σ|log|Σ|dn2mp) to select a set of p degenerate primers, each of given length l and degeneracy at most d, for n sequences each of length m in the input, the number of candidates retained in each iteration being b. Σ is the alphabet of the input strings. This is an improvement over the runtime of the best known prior algorithm, MIPS by Souvenir et al. [15], which has a runtime of O(bn3mp). We provide an experimental comparison of MIPS and our algorithms.
ALTERNATIVE LINEAR STRUCTURES FOR CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Authors: ERCOLESSI E. , IBORT A. , MARMO G. , MORANDI G.
Published: July 2007

The possibility of deforming the (associative or Lie) product to obtain alternative descriptions for a given classical or quantum system has been considered in many papers. Here we discuss the possibility of obtaining some novel alternative descriptions by changing the linear structure instead. In particular we show how it is possible to construct alternative linear structures on the tangent bundle TQ of some classical configuration space Q that can be considered as "adapted" to the given dynamical system. This fact opens the possibility to use the Weyl scheme to quantize the system in different nonequivalent ways, "evading," so to speak, the von Neumann uniqueness theorem.
Towards groundwater flood risk mapping
Authors: Morris S.E. , Cobby D. , Parkes A.
Published: July 2007

Whereas fluvial flood risks have, in recent years, become better appreciated and understood, little is generally known about the risks posed by groundwater emergence. To better understand the risks of groundwater flooding, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) commissioned a scoping study to assess these risks. As part of the scoping study, provisional maps of areas vulnerable to groundwater emergence from consolidated aquifers were produced that reflect the groundwater conditions experienced in the exceptionally wet winter of 2000–2001. These maps, covering all consolidated aquifers of England, are presented as a provisional set of risk maps that, with further refinement, could be utilized in regional planning decisions and for flood risk management.
Leaching characteristics of a fine-grained calcareous sediment
Authors: Aiban S.A.
Published: July 2007

The Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia has witnessed extensive industrialization and urbanization over the past three decades. The wastes produced by such developments would have a serious environmental impact if they were not disposed of properly. The effectiveness of earthen liners or closure caps as hydraulic barriers depends on the composition and construction of the typical local materials used. This investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of leaching on some of the properties of a local calcareous soil. Samples were compacted at different moisture contents and subjected to leaching for periods ranging from a few months to over a year in fixed-wall permeameters. The permeation fluid consisted of distilled water mixed with sabkha brine at different proportions. Test results show that the permeability increases with the permeation period as a result of leaching. This is more pronounced in the case of samples compacted on the dry side of optimum compared with those compacted both at optimum and on the wet side of optimum. The coefficient of permeability of the calcareous samples increased by up to 19 times the initial value. The total dissolved solids in the effluent increased initially and then decreased to almost their initial values towards the end of the tests.
Characterization of the Ezousas aquifer of SW Cyprus for storage–recovery purposes using treated sewage effluent
Authors: Christodoulou G.I. , Sander G.C. , Wheatley A.D.
Published: July 2007

Ahydrogeological characterization of the Ezousas alluvial aquifer, located in SW Cyprus, has been conducted to assess its suitability for groundwater recharge with 5 Mm
3
 a
−1
of chlorinated disinfected tertiary treated sewage effluent from the Paphos Municipality Wastewater Treatment Plant. We present results from a 3 year field study conducted to establish the regional groundwater regime and to define the aquifer hydrology. New drillings at selected locations were made to provide reliable information about the aquifer dimensions and boundaries. Pumping and constant-head permeability tests were used to estimate the key hydraulic properties of the aquifer system. The storage capacity was assessed to be 4.2 Mm
3
. The bedrock of the aquifer, in its approach to the sea, was found to be some 40 m below sea level, thus indicating the potential for seawater intrusion. A monitoring programme consisting of recording piezometric heads and electrical conductivities was used to observe the position of the seawater–freshwater interface, so that rates of abstraction and recharge could be determined, to maintain a stable interface. The quality of the treated sewage effluent, and of native and abstracted groundwater, was continuously assessed in terms of salinity, heavy metals, persistent organic compounds and microbiota, to optimize the quality of the downstream groundwater used for local irrigation.
A5 Llyn Ogwen peatslide, Capel Curig, North Wales
Authors: Nichol D. , Doherty G.K. , Scott M.J.
Published: July 2007

A minor peatslide event occurred near Llyn Ogwen, Snowdonia National Park, North Wales in November 2005, during a period of heavy rainfall. The mass movement consisted of some 250 m
3
of peat debris that obstructed the A5 London to Holyhead trunk road and affected a nearby construction project. Four principal factors contributed to the peatslide: (1) prolonged wet weather; (2) saturated peat conditions; (3) a steeply dipping surface of smooth rockhead of Ordovician microgranite; (4) a natural drainage pipe at the point of initiation of the slide. Safety measures to protect road users included erection of concrete barriers along the highway verge to prevent secondary debris from reaching the carriageway, removal of displaced blocks of peat from the flow track of the peatslide and a programme of geological surveillance to monitor for any variations in site conditions. A remedial strategy was suggested to protect the slope from further degradation. However, conservation designations at the site gave rise to stringent conditions for environmental engineering works and so greater reliance on natural vegetation recovery will probably apply in this case.