bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Total Sleep Deprivation on the Generation of Random Sequences of Key-Presses, Numbers and Nouns
Authors: Heuer Herbert , Kohlisch Olaf , Klein Wolfhard
Published: April 2004

According to a recent hypothesis, executive functions should be particularly vulnerable to the effects of total sleep deprivation. Random generation is a task that taps executive functions. In three experiments we examined the effects of total sleep deprivation on random generation of keypresses, numbers, and nouns, in particular on the suppression of prepotent responses and the selection of next responses by way of applying a local-representativeness heuristic. With random key-presses suppression of prepotent responses did not suffer from lack of sleep, but it became poorer at a sufficiently high pacing rate. In contrast, suppression of prepotent responses suffered when numbers and nouns were generated. According to these findings different types of random generation tasks involve different types of inhibitory process. With only four response alternatives, but not with larger response sets, application of the local-representativeness heuristic was impaired after a night without sleep. In terms of a simple formal model, serial-order representations of the preceding responses are used in selecting the next response only for the small response set, and not for larger response sets. Thus, serial-order representations are likely to suffer from loss of sleep. These findings strongly suggest that random generation involves multiple processes and that total sleep deprivation does not impair all sorts of executive functions, but only some.
Deconstructing the Tower of London: Alternative moves and conflict resolution as predictors of task performance
Authors: Carder Hassina , Handley Simon , Perfect Timothy
Published: April 2004

Despite widespread use the cognitive demands of the five-disc Tower of London (TOL) are unknown. Research suggests that conflict moves (those that are essential to the solution but do not place a disc in its final position) are a key aspect of performance. These were examined in three studies via a verification paradigm, in which normal participants were asked to decide whether a demonstrated move was correct. Experiment 1 showed that individual move latencies increase with the number of intermediate moves until the disc is placed in its goal position (resolution). Post hoc tests suggested that the number of alternative moves and moves to resolve a disc were independent predictors of performance. Experiment 2 successfully manipulated these factors in an experimental design. Experiment 3 showed that they remain determinants of performance as familiarity increased. Overall, errors on the task were significantly correlated with spatial memory. The implications of these findings for the use of the TOL in cognitive psychology and as an assessment tool are discussed.
Capacity and contextual constraints on product activation: Evidence from task-irrelevant fact retrieval
Authors: Rusconi Elena , Galfano Giovanni , Speriani Viviana , Umiltà Carlo
Published: April 2004

Three experiments tested the limiting conditions of multiplication facts retrieval in a number-matching task (LeFevre, Bisanz, & Mrkonjic, 1988). By presenting two digits as cue and by requiring participants to decide whether a subsequent numerical target had been present in the pair, we found interference when the target coincided with the product of the cue digits. This was evidence for obligatory activation of multiplication facts. Also, we showed that multiplication facts retrieval occurred even in the absence of any arithmetic context (i.e., a multiplication sign between the cue digits) and did not require processing resources (i.e., the process met the capacity criterion of automaticity; Jonides, 1981), whereas manipulation of the spatial relation between the two operands (cue digits) negatively affected retrieval. The present work appears to be unique in the context of previous similar studies on mental calculation, which invariably adopted an arithmetic task as the primary demand. We identify this difference as the reason for the failure of all previous studies in revealing independence of multiplication facts from attentional resources. Furthermore, we suggest the application of a contextual definition of automaticity to this kind of retrieval, given the fact that it might depend both on association strength and on contextual setting variables.
How quickly does a meningeal cyst increase in size?
Authors: Golder W. A.
Published: April 2004

Preoperative imaging of a 45‐year‐old woman disclosed a large (32 cc) meningeal cyst of the thoracic spine. A chest radiograph performed about four and a half years earlier exhibited a minute widening of the mediastinum in the same place, presumably representing the lesion in its nascent state. It is concluded that a meningeal cyst with a linear tendency to grow enlarges by about 6 cc per year.
Post‐herniographic abdominal pain syndrome
Authors: Ekberg O. , Lasson Å. , Kesek P. , Olsson R. , Gustafson T.
Published: April 2004

Purpose: To disclose the frequency of abdominal pain that led to post‐procedure hospitalization and the outcome of this major complication.

Material and Methods: 576 patients who had undergone herniography during a 13‐year period were retrospectively analysed.

Results: Nine out of 576 patients (1.6%) undergoing herniography with an iodine contrast medium developed abdominal pain. The pain resolved within 24 h in 6 patients while 3 patients had pain for up to 3 days.

Conclusion: Patients who present with this pain syndrome thus only need careful clinical observation until asymptomatic, with no need for laparotomy or X‐ray examination. Prior to herniography, the patients should be informed about this potential complication.
Book reviews
Authors: Axelsson O.
Published: April 2004

Perinatal Imaging. From Ultrasound to MR Imaging. Edited by F. E. Avni. (Medical Radiology, Diagnostic Imaging). A. L. Baert, L. W. Brady, H.-P. Heilmann et al. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, 2003. ISBN 3-540- 67327-X. Hardcover. 304 pages, 420 illustrations (14 in color). Price €129.00.
Dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in monitoring bone metastases in breast cancer patients receiving bisphosphonates and endocrine therapy
Authors: Montemurro F. , Russo F. , Martincich L. , Cirillo S. , Gatti M. , Aglietta M. , Regge D.
Published: April 2004

Purpose: To study the role of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) in monitoring the response of bone metastases to endocrine therapy combined with bisphosphonates in patients with breast cancer.

Material and Methods: Ten breast cancer patients with bone metastases who were to receive endocrine therapy and bisphosphonates were investigated prospectively by DCE‐MRI. We chose a reference lesion for each patient who was studied at baseline, within 3 weeks from the second administration of bisphosphonates, and after 4 and 8 months from the initiation of medical treatment. Time/intensity curves, representing temporal changes of signal intensity in areas of interest in the context of the target lesions (ROI), were obtained for each DCE‐MRI.

Results: Changes in the shape of the T/I curves suggesting tumor regression were seen shortly after the initiation of medical treatment in the three patients who had the most durable responses.

Conclusion: DCE‐MRI has the potential to detect early changes related to medical treatment in bone metastases from breast cancer. If confirmed in larger series, these data identify DCE‐MRI as a diagnostic tool for evaluating new bone targeting antineoplastic agents.
Magnetic resonance venography in consecutive patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity: initial experience
Authors: Baarslag H. J. , van Beek E. J. R. , Reekers J. A.
Published: April 2004

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and accuracy of two magnetic resonance (MR) venography methods in a consecutive series of patients with suspected deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity (DVTUE).

Material and Methods: Consecutive in‐ and outpatients who were referred for imaging of suspected DVTUE in a large teaching hospital during the period April 2001 to October 2002 were eligible for inclusion. All patients were scheduled to undergo contrast venography with the intention to perform additional MR venography. Both time‐of‐flight and gadolinium‐enhanced 3D MR venography were scheduled. All MR imaging were interpreted independently by consensus of two experienced radiologists, who were blinded for contrast venography outcome. Patients were managed based on contrast venography only.

Results: A total of 44 patients were eligible for inclusion. Thirteen patients were excluded (5 refused consent, 2 inability to gain venous access, 2 renal failure, 4 logistic reasons). Contrast venography was performed in 31 patients, and demonstrated DVTUE in 11 patients. MR imaging was not feasible in 10 patients (4 unable to lie flat, 3 claustrophobia, 1 too large for MR scanner, 1 osteosynthesis of shoulder, 1 pacemaker). The sensitivity and specificity of TOF MRV versus Gadolinium 3D MRV was 71% and 89% versus 50% and 80%, respectively.

Conclusion: A high number of patients were unable to undergo MR venography in this setting. Contrast‐enhanced MRV did not improve diagnostic accuracy. The clinical utility of MR venography in the setting of suspected DVTUE seems disappointing.
Electronic commerce: conceptual pitfalls and practical realities
Authors: Mansell Robin
Published: April 2004

This paper offers a critical assessment of the development of business‐to‐business electronic commerce. Focusing particularly on the use of Internet‐based ‘many‐to‐many’ electronic marketplaces, the practical reality of the experience of B2B electronic commerce for a sample of garment and horticulture sector firms in Bangladesh, Kenya and South Africa is examined. The limitations of conventional transaction cost perspectives on the development of electronic commerce are considered. A conceptual framework is applied that gives greater emphasis to institutional structures and practices and to the specific characteristics of the markets and supply chains in which firms operate. The empirical results suggest that in contrast to speculation about the benefits of Internet‐based many‐to‐many electronic markets especially for firms in developing countries, for firms that are already engaged in international trade, the emergence of restricted access Internet‐based trading and new ways of integrating supply chain information are the most significant developments. The paper considers some of the factors that are likely to influence future developments in B2B electronic commerce and the lessons for policy makers and practitioners.
The Prometheus school of information economics
Authors: Potts Jason
Published: April 2004

This paper reviews 20 years of information economics in Prometheus. It finds broad coherence about the theme of information as knowledge‐capital, as distinct from information as a message in a market‐space. The paper suggests that micro‐foundations for the Prometheus school of information economics should be based in evolutionary micro‐economic theory rather than in neoclassical micro‐economic theory.
Some notes on 20 years of book reviews in Prometheus
Authors: Doessel D. P.
Published: April 2004

After considering several alternative ways of approaching the task of ‘reviewing book reviews’, this paper presents some descriptive data on the book‐reviewing function in Prometheus during the 20‐year period from 1983 to 2002. It is shown that the average annual number of reviews is approximately 32 and that there is approximately one review article per annum. The proportion of total pages devoted to the book‐review function is also calculated. A disaggregated analysis of the books reviewed, in terms of the five themes of Prometheus, i.e. Technological Change, Innovation, Information Economics, Communication and Science Policy, is also presented.
Review: HM Treasury and Productivity in the UK
Authors: Tomlinson Jim
Published: April 2004

A central theme of international political economy is the comparative performance of national economies and the determinants thereof. In the debate over such performance ‘productivity’ has emerged a key term, and this paper is concerned with the way in which that term has been deployed in public policy debate in the UK. Its focus is on the ‘New Labour’ period (since 1997), in which the term has been central to the economic agenda of government. However, it is a term which has long been important in the lexicon of British social democracy, and this historical background is discussed here as a preliminary to treatment of the more contemporary material. The core argument of the paper is that the formulation of the productivity issue, and related terms like the ‘productivity gap,’ is both conceptually and statistically highly problematic, and forms an extremely insecure basis for the pursuit of public policy on the economy.
Of Rats and Economists
Authors: McDonough Terrence
Published: April 2004

When the article “Experimental Confirmation of the Existence of a Giffen Good,” authored by Raymond C. Battalio, John H. Kagel, and Carl A. Kogut, appeared in 1991 in theAmerican Economic Reviewit represented the culmination of two separate and seemingly unrelated traditions in the economics literature. The first is a now-venerable tradition of attempting to locate Giffen behavior in the real world. The second is a more truncated modern tradition of animal experimentation in economics. In their article, Battalioet al.combine these traditions through setting out to discover Giffen behavior in a laboratory setting using white rats as experimental subjects. The authors (p. 962) describe their experimental procedure:

Subjects were placed in an experimental chamber for approximately three hours each day, during which time they received their entire daily liquid food ration … A rat obtained quinine and root beer by pressing either of two levers mounted on a wall in the experimental chamber … Income was controlled by restricting the number of lever presses that would result in obtaining liquid. Prices were changed by varying the amount of liquid obtained at each lever press.
Developmental perspectives on bilingual Swedish‐Arabic children with and without language impairment: a longitudinal study
Authors: Salameh Eva‐Kristina , Håkansson Gisela , Nettelbladt Ulrika
Published: April 2004

Background: There is a need for studies on bilingual language acquisition in combination with language impairment (LI). The speech and language clinician must have tools to differentiate between problems depending on inadequate exposure to a language and problems depending on a LI. Another important issue is the pace of bilingual language acquisition relative to the severity of LI.

Aims: To investigate grammatical development over 12 months in both languages in 10 Swedish‐Arabic pre‐school children with severe LI and 10 Swedish‐Arabic pre‐school children without LI.

Methods & Procedures: The children were matched for age, gender, exposure to Swedish dialect, and exposure to Arabic dialect. The developmental hierarchy predicted by Processability Theory was used in tests in both Swedish and Arabic. Processability Theory was used as a yardstick to measure grammatical development in both languages.

Outcomes & Results: Bilingual children, both with and without LI, developed grammatical structures in Swedish and Arabic in the same implicational way. Children with severe LI could develop two languages, although the pace of development was much slower in both languages. Bilingual children with severe LI were also more vulnerable to limited exposure of both their languages.

Conclusions: A developmental perspective is important to understand the nature of LI in bilingual children. The results also have implications for the assessment of language development in bilingual children with severe LI, since a hardly perceptible development over time is observed.
Pragmatic language impairment and social deficits in Williams syndrome: a comparison with Down's syndrome and specific language impairment
Authors: Laws Glynis , Bishop Dorothy V. M.
Published: April 2004

Background: The social communication strength of individuals with Williams syndrome described by some researchers contrasts with the picture of social difficulties painted by others.

Aims: To study the pragmatic aspects of language, social relationships and unusual interests in a group of children and adults with Williams syndrome, and to compare them with a group of children and adults with Down's syndrome, children with specific language impairment, and a group of typically developing children.

Methods & Procedures: Parents or teachers completed the Children's Communication Checklist or a modified version of it with wording appropriate for adults. Study groups consisted of 19 children and young adults with Williams syndrome, 24 with Down's syndrome, 17 children with specific language impairment and 32 typically developing children.

Outcomes & Results: Checklist ratings for the group with Williams syndrome indicated significant levels of pragmatic language impairment, and difficulties with social relationships. Together with evidence of unusual or restricted interests, the results suggested deficits across all three domains covered by the checklist.

Conclusions: Despite earlier reports that emphasize a strong social interest and empathy, this study suggests that individuals with Williams syndrome have pragmatic language impairments, poor social relationships and restricted interests. Far from representing the polar opposite of autism, as suggested by some researchers, Williams syndrome would seem to share many of the characteristics of autistic disorder.
The psychological and social situation of repatriated and exiled refugees: a longitudinal, comparative study
Authors: Lie Birgit
Published: April 2004

Aims: The aim of this study was to explore possible differences in the longitudinal course of psychological symptoms and somatic symptoms between one group of Bosnian refugees returning to their home country (B) and one group remaining in the host country (N). The aim was also to look for possible differences in pre-flight traumatic experiences and psychological symptom load within the groups. In addition the experiences of returning home after a period in exile were studied, based on quantitative and qualitative data. Methods: The study is a follow-up study of 21 Bosnian refugees returning to Bosnia compared with 175 refugees remaining in exile in Norway. Quantitative results are supplemented with qualitative information. Results: Both groups demonstrated persistence of psychological symptoms, indicating severity and chronicity of the problems. The main findings were that refugees with a former history of traumatic experiences of a physical character were less willing to return. A decrease over time in all symptom parameters was found in the repatriated group with a statistically significant decline for the PTSS-16 and HTQ scores ( p<0.05). Conclusions: Chronicity of psychological symptom load was found in both groups. The decision to return home seems to be closely connected to pre-flight traumatic experiences. An early decision to return home seems to be persistent over time.
Informed consent and biobanks: a population-based study of attitudes towards tissue donation for genetic research
Authors: Hoeyer Klaus , Olofsson Bert-Ove , Mjörndal Tom , Lynöe Niels
Published: April 2004

Aims: The procurement and usage of tissue samples has begun receiving increasing legal and ethical attention. The authors' aim was to develop an empirically based understanding of public attitudes to the use of tissue for research. Method: A questionnaire was distributed to a randomized sample (n=1,000) of the population in the age group 18 - 85 in Västerbotten County, Sweden. Results: The response rate was approximately 60%. There was a general acceptance of genetic research based on biobank material (71%) but, though it is often a prerequisite for tissue-based research, a majority (62%) would not allow researchers to examine their healthcare records without specific consent. A majority (66.8%) accepted surrogate decisions by research ethical committees; 48% of the respondents estimated that they would feel respected if they were notified each time a sample was used. When compared and ranked with other issues, informed consent was a principal concern to a minority (4%) only. Should research efforts generate information on future health risks, a majority (55%) would want to be told only if treatment was available. Conclusion: Though genetic research in bioethical debate is often viewed as a potential threat to the integrity of the donor, the confidentiality of medical records still seems to concern donors more. Research ethical committees have support in the majority of the population for some surrogate decisions. The current emphasis on the question of informed consent in policy making for biobank-based research does not seem to be reflected unambiguously in the concerns of the general public.
Diabetes and obesity in Northern Sweden: occurrence and risk factors for stroke and myocardial infarction
Authors: Eliasson Mats , Lindahl Bernt , Lundberg Vivan , Stegmayr Birgitta
Published: April 2004

Aims: The authors describe the occurrence of diabetes and obesity in the population of Northern Sweden and the role of diabetes in cardiovascular disease. Methods: Four surveys of the population aged 25 to 64 years were undertaken during a 14-year time span. Stroke events in subjects 35 - 74 years during 1985 - 92 and myocardial infarction in subjects 25 - 64 years 1989 - 93 were registered. Results: The prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was 3.1 and 2.0% in men and women, respectively, and 2.6 and 2.7% for previously undiagnosed diabetes. During the 13-year observation period, BMI increased 0.96 kg/m2 in men and 0.87 in women. The proportion of subjects with obesity (BMI≥30) increased from 10.3% to 14.6% in men and from 12.5% to 15.7% in women. Hip circumference increased substantially more than waist circumference, leading to a decreasing waits-to-hip ratio (WHR). The relative risk for stroke or myocardial infarction was four to six times higher in a person with diabetes than in those without diabetes. The 28-day case fatality for myocardial infarction, but not for stroke, was significantly higher in both men and women with diabetes. Population-attributable risk for diabetes and stroke was 18% in men and 22% in women and for myocardial infarction it was 11% in men and 17% in women. Conclusion: Obesity is becoming more common, although of a more distal than central distribution. The burden of diabetes in cardiovascular diseases in Northern Sweden is high.
Stroke in Northern Sweden
Authors: Stegmayr Birgitta , Asplund Kjell
Published: April 2004

Background: Stroke is one of the most common causes of death and long-term disability worldwide. Although stroke mortality has decreased in most industrialized countries, there are populations, particularly in East Europe, in which the mortality has increased. The WHO initiated, 20 years ago, the MONICA Project. The aim of the study was to measure trends in coronary heart disease and stroke and to assess the extent to which these were related to changes in known risk factors. Design: The Northern Sweden MONICA stroke study started in 1985 and is still ongoing. All individuals with an acute stroke in the age group 25 - 74 years have been included in the stroke register. Death certificates, discharge records, and GPs' records are screened and validated using strict MONICA criteria. Results: Stroke event rates (first ever and recurrent stroke) per 100,000 and year in the age group 25 - 74 years varied little over the years. Between 1985 and 1998 the annual incidence varied between 318 and 372 in men and between 195 and 240 in women, with no secular trends at all. The 28-day case fatality decreased in both men and women, from 19% to 11%. Logistic regression analyses showed a risk reduction in dying from stroke to 0.55 (p<0.0001) the last year compared with the first, with an absolute annual reduction in case fatality of 3%, in both men and women. In international comparison Northern Sweden shows an intermediately high incidence and one of the lowest case fatality rates of all participating populations. The incidence in subarachnoid haemorrhage was among the highest. Conclusion: The ongoing decline in stroke mortality in Sweden is driven exclusively by declining case fatality, whereas event rates (first ever and recurrent stroke) have remained the same since 1985. This, together with more people entering advanced, stroke-prone age groups, implies that the burden of stroke will continue to increase in Sweden.
Trends in lifestyle 1986 - 99 in a 25- to 64-year-old population of the Northern Sweden MONICA project
Authors: Lindahl Bernt , Stegmayr Birgitta , Johansson Ingegerd , Weinehall Lars , Hallmans Göran
Published: April 2004

Aims: The authors explore the time trends in lifestyle factors in the Northern Sweden MONICA population, including physical activity, intake of certain foods, coffee and alcohol consumption, smoking, and the use of smokeless tobacco. Methods: Four health surveys during a 14-year time span were compared (1986, 1990, 1994, and 1999). The participation rate in all surveys was high. A questionnaire with similar or comparable questions about lifestyle factors was used across all health surveys. Results: A large variation was demonstrated in the consumption of saturated fat in dairy products across the surveys. The use of butter on bread and of 3% fat milk clearly declined in favour of using low-fat margarine and 1 - 1.5% fat milk. A decline in the intake of boiled or baked potatoes together with an increase in the intake of pasta and rice was demonstrated. There were no changes in leisure-time physical activity. The proportion of the population using tobacco was unaltered. In men, smoking declined during the period but simultaneously there was an increase in the use of smokeless tobacco. The use of ``boiled'' or Scandinavian coffee diminished and more frequent use of alcohol was seen, especially in men. Conclusion: Pronounced changes were seen in food consumption with a decrease in saturated fat intake, boiled coffee, and potatoes and an increase in alcohol, rice, and pasta consumption. No clear time trends were found in physical activity or in the use of tobacco.
MONICA quality assessments
Authors: Eriksson Marie , Stegmayr Birgitta , Lundberg Vivan
Published: April 2004

The authors give an overview of the quality assessments in the WHO MONICA project and compare the quality of the data from Northern Sweden with other reporting units. Methods and results: Standardized measurement procedures and routine checks were used to ensure good quality of the data. The quality has been evaluated by a scoring system. The results show that the data from Northern Sweden have good quality for all variables except total cholesterol in the initial survey. In the subsequent surveys, the quality of cholesterol data was good. Conclusions: Great effort was put in to ensure good data quality and Northern Sweden is one of the MONICA units with very good quality of data.
The events registration and survey procedures in the Northern Sweden MONICA Project
Authors: Stegmayr Birgitta , Lundberg Vivan , Asplund Kjell
Published: April 2004

Introduction: The WHO MONICA Project (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) was initiated in 1982. The purpose was to evaluate to what extent mortality trends could be explained by changes over time in the population load of conventional cardiovascular risk factors. To test this hypothesis, time trends in cardiovascular event rates have been correlated with trends in levels of risk factors in 35- to 64-year-old men and women in 38 populations. In most MONICA populations, the study has covered a period of 10 years or more. Methods: All acute myocardial infarction and stroke events have been registered in a population-based setting in Norrbotten and Västerbotten counties from 1985 and onwards. The total population is approximately 510,000 inhabitants. In the frame of the WHO MONICA Project, the same strict criteria have been used in all years. Another part of the MONICA Project is population risk factor surveys. In Northern Sweden the first survey took place in 1986 and the following surveys were performed in 1990, 1994, and 1999, including the age group 25 - 74 years (the first two surveys were of the age range 25 - 64 years). Results: From 1985 to 2000, in total 18,105 suspected stroke events, aged 25 - 74 years, were scrutinized and validated at the central stroke office in Northern Sweden. Of these, 13,908 were found to fulfil the MONICA criteria of an acute stroke. During the period 1985 to 1998, in total 13,228 cases of suspected acute myocardial infarction, aged 25 - 64 years, were registered. Of these, 8,744 fulfilled the MONICA criteria for acute myocardial infarction. In the four surveys, in total 9,000 randomly selected men and women were invited for survey. Of these 6,952 (77%) participated in the surveys. Conclusion: From 1985 and onwards, the WHO MONICA project has been going on in Northern Sweden. During the whole time the same strict WHO criteria have been followed.
The complexity of family policy reform: The case of Norway
Authors: Ellingsæter Anne Lise
Published: April 2004

That ‘politics matters’ has become a central assumption in the booming welfare state literature in recent years. Sometimes policies do not matter much, however. A key argument in this paper is that family policies are becoming increasingly complex and diversified, and that the practical implications of policies have to be analysed in relation to the wider social, economic and political context. In the present case study of a cash-for-care reform introduced in Norway in 1998, the relationship between policy reform and mothers’ employment practices is explored. Against expectations, and after a heated and polarised public debate, the reform turns out to have very modest effects. The analysis aims at identifying the constellation of factors that can explain the unexpected outcome, locating them in the interplay of the reform’s intent and content, and divergences between policy assumptions and mothers’ actual context of social action.
Wire Separation From Automotive Shredder Residue
Authors: Fabrizi L. , de Jong T. P. R. , Bevilacqua P.
Published: April 2004

The investigation discussed in this article concerned the removal of wires and cables fraction contained in automotive shredder residue (ASR) through a newly invented device, called the ‘nail roll’. Series of tests were carried out with three ASR samples of different origin and the influence of the setting parameters of the machine was analyzed. Other separation techniques and their combination with nail roll were also investigated, pursuing the objective of the increasing profit of the entire processing chain. The results indicate that the recovery index achievable by a very cost effective treatment is higher than 70% in the best case for all the three tested samples, while the grade index in the best case is 87% for the first sample, 70% for the second and 35% for the third. Nail roll efficiency is mostly dependent on the properties of the material treated and on its setting based on them.
The Chemical Modification of the Essential Groups of β‐N‐Acetyl‐D‐glucosaminidase from Turbo cornutus Solander
Authors: Lin Jian‐Cheng , Chen Qing‐Xi , Shi Yan , Li Shao‐Wei , Zhao Hong
Published: April 2004

The chemical modification of β‐N‐acetyl‐D‐glucosaminidase (EC3.2.1.30) from Turbo cornutus Solander has been first studied. The results demonstrate that the sulfhydryl group of cysteine residues and the hydroxyl group of serine residues are not essential to the enzyme's function. The modification of indole group of tryptophan of the enzyme by N‐bromosuccinimide (NBS) can lead to the complete inactivation, accompanying the absorption decreasing at 278 nm and the fluorescence intensity quenching at 335 nm, indicating that tryptophan is essential residue to the enzyme. The modification of amino group of lysine residue by formaldehyde and trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid also inactivates the enzyme completely. The results show that lysine and tryptophan are probably situated in the active site of the enzyme. The modification of the imidazole residue and carboxyl group leads to inactivate incompletely, indicating they are not the composing groups of the enzyme active center, and they are essential for maintaining the enzyme's conformation which is necessary for the catalytic activity of the enzyme. IUBMB Life, 55: 547‐552, 2003
Competitive determinants of organizational risk‐taking attitude: the role of strategic reference points
Authors: Shoham Aviv , Fiegenbaum Avi
Published: April 2004

A growing body of literature has emphasized the importance of innovative strategy as a source of competitive advantage. Drazin and Shoonhoven summarized the literature using multilevel theoretical perspectives (community, population, and organization) that affect organizational innovative behavior. In parallel, Fiegenbaum et al. developed an organizational level theory, based on prospect theory, to explain how risky strategies are determined within organizations. They argued that organizational reference points delineate organizational attitudes toward risk‐taking into two polarized regimes: risk‐aversive whereas below it is risk‐assertive. They described the organizational mechanism that converts attitudes toward risk‐taking into actual risk‐aversive and risk‐assertive strategic behavior. A three‐dimensional space is provided that illustrates the spectrum of strategic reference points (SRP). The current study extends SRP theory. It is proposed that the nature of the industry, organizational strategy, and performance impact the kind of reference points used, which, in turn, impact risk‐taking behavior towards innovative strategy.
Formal mentoring: is there a strategic fit?
Authors: Friday Earnest , Friday Shawnta S.
Published: April 2004

Many organizations have implemented formal mentoring programs within the last few years. Some organizations have realized success with their formal mentoring programs, while others have not fared so well. A missing link with many formal mentoring programs is a corporate level mentoring strategy. The lack of a corporate level mentoring strategy inhibits the mentoring process from becoming an integral part of an organization’s culture, therefore not allowing for the maximization of benefits that can be gained from effective formal mentoring processes and programs. Thus, this paper offers a framework for creating a corporate level mentoring strategy; a standardized mentoring process; and customized mentoring programs, all of which should align with the organization’s strategic positioning to facilitate the achievement of maximum effectiveness from the implementation of formal mentoring programs.
Cloaked culture and veiled diversity: why theorists ignored early US workforce diversity
Authors: Landis Kurowski Lois
Published: April 2004

This paper examines four questions: Was the US workforce diverse in previous times? What were the origins of its diversity? How did management scholars of the past view the diversity of the US workforce? Why did they view diversity as they did? While the workforce was diverse, particularly in the era 1880‐1930, the diversity was addressed exclusively in the early practitioner literature, not in theoretical literature. Five intellectual trends contributed to the “invisibility” of diversity in theoretical literature: ethnocentrism, the USA’s vision of itself, nativism (especially racial nativism), assimilationism and convergence theory.
Live virtual reference: more work and more opportunity
Authors: Patterson Rory
Published: April 2004

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Library uses Library Systems & Services’ (LSSI) Virtual Reference Desk (VRS) to provide live reference via the Internet. Energy Library reference librarians use VRS to conduct reference interviews by chat, take the patrons to or send Web pages, collaborate on questions, and provide transcripts for patron follow‐up. VRS allows the reference librarians to reach those who cannot or do not come to the library and makes the librarian a reference resource for a wider audience. The Energy Library VRS patrons and their questions have transitioned from mostly DOE headquarters employees looking for codes, policies and similar documents, to mainly non‐DOE people seeking information, increasing the diversity of reference skills needed.
The role of assessment in library user education
Authors: Knight Lorrie A.
Published: April 2004

In response to a growing need for the library to articulate the success of its efforts in terms of student learning outcomes, librarians at the University of the Pacific Library developed a plan to assess library instruction. The assessment project included the selection of a population, the development of learning objectives, the development of assessment devices, and data collection and analysis. This paper describes the process and presents the results of a case study of assessment of library instruction for first‐year students. Suggestions as to how assessment can lead to the development of good practices in both instruction and evaluation are given.
A scenario‐based approach to credit course instruction
Authors: Frantz Paul
Published: April 2004

What would a library credit course look like if the syllabus and course content were based on the type of daily questions that undergraduate students regularly present to librarians at the reference desk? The scenario‐based approach to credit course instruction integrates such real‐life situations into its syllabus. Examples of such scenarios include determining if a library owns materials on a reading list or bibliography; using a subject‐specific database to find articles from peer‐reviewed journals; finding reviews of books on a reading list; “packaging” a list of citations and then sending it via e‐mail to a home account; and creating a personalized “library gateway” through a Web authoring exercise. This article includes the advantages and disadvantages of this approach, and student evaluations from such a course. A course Web page is available at http://libweb.uoregon.edu/subjguid/lib101/
Why diversity in American libraries
Authors: Josey E.J. , Abdullahi Ismail
Published: April 2004

Provides an historical perspective for the fight for diversity in US libraries, defining diversity, describing the changing demographics and discussing problems of implementing diversity. The lack of diversity in middle management posts in the US Government is noted. Work within the American Library Association, including recruiting initiatives and the Spectrum Initiative, a Diversity Fair, the establishment of a Presidential Committee on Library Service to Minorities are described. Concludes with examples of services provided by public libraries and considers prospects for the future.
Combating racial discrimination in British public libraries: the role of the Quality Leaders Project
Authors: Durrani Shiraz
Published: April 2004

Addresses a number of issues concerning racial discrimination in UK public libraries. It examines Black librarianship in the UK in 2001; records the development of the Quality Leaders Project which focuses on policy development, management and leadership issues in the context of Black workers and community needs; and discusses the potential contribution of this approach.
South African libraries from pre‐Apartheid to Apartheid in the 1960s and 1970s: the beginning of the end
Authors: Owens Irene
Published: April 2004

Provides an historical context for the protest movements in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s and the situation for libraries at this time. The impact of the Sharpeville Massacre and the Soweto Uprisings on the outcries in the 1980s and 1990s are discussed. The structural changes in library services for South Africa as a whole are described.
Diversity in the library and information workplace: a South African perspective
Authors: Ocholla Dennis N.
Published: April 2004

Discusses diversity in the South African library and information work environment recognising major theories of diversity, and describing diversity provisions in the Constitution, policies and legislation of South Africa. Observes that diversity is not a focus issue in the library and information work environment and speculates that such insignificant attention to diversity could arise from the assumption that existing policies and legislation are sufficient to manage diversity interests. There is also a fear that making an issue on diversity can divide people rather than unite. Recommends that a major research project be conducted on diversity in the library and information workplace to provide insight into the true situation and help in strategizing, planning and intervention.
Small is beautiful: the Library Train for homeless children
Authors: Cheunwattana Aree , Meksawat Pimol
Published: April 2004

Presents an inspiring story of a determined effort to reach out to the children in high‐risk situations providing them with a charming library in old train carriages. The Library Train Project was initiated in 1999 by the railway policemen of the Railway Police Division within the Royal Thai Police. It is aimed at offering education services to homeless children as a way to reduce the crime rate and child exploitation by channelling children to more constructive activities. The library is equipped with a book collection, toys and computers. It serves as an informal classroom where learning activities take place everyday. The children learn to read and write and to appreciate cleanliness, good health and beauty from a carefully designed and nurturing environment. This paper also highlights creative approaches used by the project’s initiator, which is gaining support from governmental and non‐governmental organisations, mass media, libraries and the general public.
Robovie: an interactive humanoid robot
Authors: Ishiguro Hiroshi , Ono Tetsuo , Imai Michita , Maeda Takeshi , Kanda Takayuki , Nakatsu Ryohei
Published: April 2004

The authors have developed a robot called “Robovie” that has unique mechanisms designed for communication with humans. Robovie can generate human‐like behaviors by using human‐like actuators and vision and audio sensors. Software is a key element in the systems development. Two important ideas in human‐robot communication through research from the viewpoint of cognitive science have been obtained – one is importance of physical expressions using the body and the other is the effectiveness of the robot’s autonomy in the robot’s utterance recognition by humans. Based on these psychological experiments, a new architecture that generates episode chains in interactions with humans is developed. The basic structure of the architecture is a network of situated modules. Each module consists of elemental behaviors to entrain humans and a behavior for communicating with humans.
Optimum production planning: an analytic framework
Authors: Houghton Erne , Portougal Victor
Published: April 2004

Presents an analytic framework for processing planning in industries where fixed batch sizes are common. The overall optimum processing plan is shown to be located on an envelope between the optimum JIT plan and the optimum level plan. These concepts provide the framework for understanding the overall optimum plan, and the framework leads to an efficient heuristic. The approach is practical, illustrated by a case study from the food industry, which shows the place of overall optimum planning within the company’s planning system and its implications for company performance.
Optimisation of landfill volume by the simplex method
Authors: Bellezza Ivo
Published: April 2004

This paper considers an application of optimisation techniques in landfill design. In order to reduce the environmental impact, the maximisation of the landfill storage capacity is obtained as a constrained optimisation problem by the simplex method of linear programming. The proposed approach allows the designer to model the external surface of the waste in respect of some geometrical constraints and three‐dimensional stability, evaluated for one or more prefixed slip surfaces. Analytical expressions needed to assemble a computer program are given and an illustrative example is also presented.
Fuzzy eigensolutions of mechanical structures
Authors: Massa F. , Lallemand B. , Tison T. , Level P.
Published: April 2004

This paper presents an efficient methodology to calculate fuzzy eigenvalues and eigenvectors of finite element structures defined by imprecise parameters. The material and geometric parameters are then described by fuzzy numbers. The proposed methodology, based on α‐cut discretization of fuzzy numbers and Taylor's expansion, determines the extreme eigensolutions for each α‐cut. The study of a finite element model and the comparison of results with a combinatorial approach, based on Zadeh's extension principle, show the efficiency of this methodology.
Self‐audit of process performance
Authors: Karapetrovic Stanislav , Willborn Walter
Published: April 2004

Quality audit, as a methodology for evaluating system, product and/or process performance against established requirements, has experienced substantial growth in worldwide use in recent years. This is largely due to the steady increase in ISO 9000 registrations, which topped 350,000 in the year 2000. Based on the fundamental principles of independence, objectivity and professionalism, the audit is an irreplaceable tool when confirmation of compliance with standards is sought. However, it commonly fails in enabling continuous improvement and spanning the differing aspects of business performance beyond conventional “quality assurance”. This paper argues for removing one of the principles of traditional auditing, namely independence, to empower the process owner to conduct periodic self‐evaluations of process performance. Such “self‐audits” would be less formal than quality audits, and, much like the better‐known self‐assessments against business excellence models, aimed at continuous quality improvement. The concept, principles and practices of a self‐audit are focused on.
A review and classification of total quality management research in Australia and an agenda for future research
Authors: Rahman Shams‐ur , Sohal Amrik S.
Published: April 2004

Over the last decade, Australian organisations have embraced total quality management (TQM) as an effective management philosophy. However, a recent report indicated that there is little evidence of leading Australian researchers working on quality and related areas. Moreover, the perception is that whatever research has been done, it is fragmented and at a low level. In the light of this we conducted an extensive literature search on TQM materials. Our purpose was to provide a systematic analysis of the TQM articles published by the Australian researchers or in the context of Australian organisations. Our analysis led us to conclude that the research has been unbalanced, focusing mainly on case studies and empirical research. Further research is necessary to develop conceptual underpinning and analytical models based on large empirical studies.