bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recognizing Drug-Induced Liver Injury: Current Problems, Possible Solutions
Authors: Lee William M. , Senior John R.
Published: February 2005

Currently there are three major problems in understanding drug-induced liver injury (DILI): (1) reliably establishing whether the liver disease was caused by the drug, or by another process; (2) determining the true incidence of and clinical risk factors for drug-induced hepatotoxicity; and (3) elaborating the mechanisms by which injury occurs to hepatocytes and other liver cells. We have focused here on the first two problems, as issues that may be amenable to actions in the near future, but the third may take substantially longer to work out. The first problem requires sufficient information for medical differential diagnosis. There are no pathognomonic indicators of DILI; even liver biopsy is not diagnostic. Making the correct attribution of causality requires analyzing the temporal relationship of drug exposure to illness and excluding all other possible causes. The second problem, determining incidence, cannot be done entirely adequately using currently available methods, whether by clinical trials, by spontaneous adverse event reports, or by retrospective epidemiologic studies. There is need for prospective safety studies to establish the true incidence of DILI caused by a drug, to identify risk factors for it, and to collect biologic materials for analytic studies toward better understanding mechanisms of DILI.
Liver Immunobiology
Authors: Parker George A. , Picut Catherine A.
Published: February 2005

The liver has a number of important functions in innate and adaptive immunity. Contributions to the innate (nonspecific) immune system include production of acute phase proteins, nonspecific phagocytosis of particles, nonspecific pinocytosis of molecules, and nonspecific cell killing. Hepatic involvement in innate immunity contributes to the systemic response to local inflammation, clearance of particles and soluble molecules from the circulation, and killing of invading cells such as neoplastic cells. Liver involvement in the adaptive (specific) immune system includes deletion of activated T cells, induction of tolerance to ingested and self-antigens, extrathymic proliferation of T cells, and deletion of many of the signaling and effector molecules. Hepatic involvement in adaptive immunity allows clearance of activated T cells and signaling molecules following inflammatory reactions, and promotes immunologic tolerance toward potentially antigenic proteins that are absorbed from the intestinal tract. The liver is a major site of extrathymic T cell development, which assumes increasing significance with aging in mammals. Perturbations in hepatic structure or function can result in significant ramifications in both the innate and adaptive immune systems.
Tissue Repair: An Important Determinant of Final Outcome of Toxicant-Induced Injury
Authors: Mehendale Harihara M.
Published: February 2005

Tissue repair is a dynamic compensatory cell proliferation and tissue regeneration response stimulated in order to overcome acute toxicity and recover organ/tissue structure and function. Extensive evidence in rodent models using structurally and mechanistically diverse hepatotoxicants such as acetaminophen (APAP), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), chloroform (CHCl3), thioacetamide (TA), trichloroethylene (TCE), and allyl alcohol (AA) have demonstrated that tissue repair plays a critical role in determining the final outcome of toxicity, i.e., recovery from injury and survival or progression of injury leading to liver failure and death. Tissue repair is a complex process governed by intricate cellular signaling involving a number of chemokines, cytokines, growth factors, and nuclear receptors leading to promitogenic gene expression and cell division. Tissue repair also encompasses regeneration of hepatic extracellular matrix and angiogenesis, the processes necessary to completely restore the structure and function of the liver tissue lost to toxicant-induced initiation followed by progression of injury. New insights have emerged over the last quarter century indicating that tissue repair follows a dose response. Tissue repair increases with dose until a threshold dose, beyond which it is delayed and impaired due to inhibition of cellular signaling resulting in runaway secondary events causing tissue destruction, organ failure, and death. Prompt and adequately stimulated tissue repair response to toxic injury is critical for recovery from toxic injury. Tissue repair is modulated by a variety of factors including species, strain, age, nutrition, and disease condition causing marked changes in susceptibility and toxic outcome. This review focuses on the properties of tissue repair, different factors affecting tissue repair, and the mechanisms that govern tissue repair and progression of injury. It also highlights the significance of tissue repair as a target for drug development strategies and an important consideration in the assessment of risk from exposure to toxicants.
Imaging Mass Spectrometry: Principles and Potentials
Authors: Chaurand Pierre , Schwartz Sarah A. , Reyzer Michelle L. , Caprioli Richard M.
Published: February 2005

Direct tissue profiling and imaging mass spectrometry (MS) allow for detailed mapping of the complex protein pattern across a tissue sample. Utilization of these tools provides spatial information across a tissue section for target protein expression and can be used to correlate changes in expression levels with specific disease states or drug response. Protein patterns can be directly correlated to known histological regions within the tissue, allowing for the direct monitoring of proteins specific for morphological regions within a tissue sample. Profiling and imaging MS have been used to characterize multiple tissues, including human gliomas and lung cancers, as well as tumor response to specific therapeutics, suggesting the use of proteomic information in assessing disease progression as well as predicting patient response to specific treatments. This article discusses both the technology and methods involved in analyzing proteins directly from tissue samples as well as several MS applications, including profiling human tumors, characterizing protein differences between tumor grades, and monitoring protein changes due to drug therapy.
Differential Display in Rat Livers Treated for 13 Weeks with Phenobarbital Implicates a Role for Metabolic and Oxidative Stress in Nongenotoxic Carcinogenicity
Authors: Elrick Mollisa M. , Kramer Jeffrey A. , Alden Carl L. , Blomme Eric A. G. , Bunch Roderick T. , Cabonce Marc A. , Curtiss Sandra W. , Kier Larry D. , Kolaja Kyle L. , Rodi Charles P. , Morris Dale L.
Published: February 2005

Hepatic enzyme inducers such as phenobarbital are often nongenotoxic rodent hepatocarcinogens. Currently, nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens can only be definitively identified through costly and extensive long-term, repeat-dose studies (e.g., 2-year rodent carcinogenicity assays). Although liver tumors caused by these compounds are often not found to be relevant to human health, the mechanism(s) by which they cause carcinogenesis are not well understood. Toxicogenomic technologies represent a new approach to understanding the molecular bases of toxicological liabilities such as nongenotoxic carcinogenicity early in the drug discovery/development process. Microarrays have been used to identify mechanistic molecular markers of nongenotoxic rodent hepatocarcinogenesis in short-term, repeat-dose preclinical safety studies. However, the initial “noise” of early adaptive changes may confound mechanistic interpretation of transcription profiling data from short-term studies, and the molecular processes triggered by treatment with a xenobiotic agent are likely to change over the course of long-term treatment. Here, we describe the use of a differential display technology to understand the molecular mechanisms related to 13 weeks of dosing with the prototype rodent nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogen, phenobarbital. These findings implicate a continuing role for oxidative stress in nongenotoxic carcinogenicity.

An Excel data file containing raw data is available in full at http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=journal&issn=0192-6233 . Click on the issue link for 33(1), then select this article. A download option appears at the bottom of this abstract. The file contains raw data for all gene changes detected by AFLP, including novel genes and genes of unknown function; sequences of detected genes; and animal body and liver weight ratios. In order to access the full article online, you must either have an individual subscription or a member subscription accessed through www.toxpath.org .
A Brief Overview of Nonneoplastic Hepatic Toxicity in Fish
Authors: Wolf Jeffrey C. , Wolfe Marilyn J.
Published: February 2005

Biochemical assays are not routinely used to assess liver damage in fish, therefore, a histopathological evaluation is usually required to determine the existence or extent of nonneoplastic liver toxicity. Many mammalian pathologists may be uncomfortable when requested to identify and interpret subtle liver changes in these unfamiliar animals. It may be reassuring to note that there are more similarities than differences between fish and mammals in terms of their macro- and microanatomy, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and pathologic responses to hepatotoxic substances. This brief overview addresses several topics pertaining to hepatotoxicity in fish, including: anatomic considerations, that is, how the anatomy of the fish liver may be predictive of its metabolic capacity, and also its microscopic appearance, following exposure to toxins; physiologic considerations, including comparisons between mammalian and fish livers regarding the uptake, elimination, toxification, or detoxification of xenobiotic compounds; morphologic responses to toxicity, in which some of the general types of findings that are most commonly observed in cases or studies of fish hepatotoxicity are highlighted; and last, responses of the fish liver to specific hepatotoxins.
Spontaneous and Drug-Induced Hepatic Pathology of the Laboratory Beagle Dog, the Cynomolgus Macaque and the Marmoset
Authors: Foster John R.
Published: February 2005

This review focuses on the background hepatic pathology present in three of the most commonly used species in the safety assessment of drugs, namely the beagle dog, the marmoset and the cynomolgus macaque. Both the nonneoplastic and neoplastic pathology are reviewed with a discussion on the potential impact that significant background pathology might have on the interpretation of any drug-induced pathology during subsequent testing. Although specific instances, such as parasitological infection in wild-caught primates can pose problems of interpretation, in general the background pathology in both the dog and the nonhuman primates, is not significantly different from that seen in the liver of laboratory rodents and with experience should not pose significant problems for the experienced pathologist. The relative merits of the primate versus the dog as a choice of second species are also considered in some detail. Although there is an inbuilt prejudice that the primate will more closely mimic subsequent effects that might occur in man in the clinic, insofar as the liver is concerned, there are many instances where the dog has been more representative of human exposure and metabolism and there is little evidence to show that the nonhuman primate is consistently better than dog in predicting human liver toxicity. As with most areas of science, comparative toxicology would dictate that the more information gained, from as wide a range of species as is practical, will give the best assessment for any subsequent problems in the clinic. This pragmatic approach should prove to be more successful than one based entirely upon an assumption, and in many cases the assumption is incorrect, that the primate always predicts human toxicity better than the nonprimate, including the dog.
Convergence in discrete Cauchy problems and applications to circle patterns
Authors: Matthes D.
Published: February 2005

A lattice-discretization of analytic Cauchy problems in two dimensions is presented. It is proven that the discrete solutions converge to a smooth solution of the original problem as the mesh size

ε
\varepsilon

tends to zero. The convergence is in

C
∞

C^\infty

and the approximation error for arbitrary derivatives is quadratic in

ε
\varepsilon

. In application,

C
∞

C^\infty

-approximation of conformal maps by Schramm’s orthogonal circle patterns and lattices of cross-ratio minus one is shown.
Economy of mate attraction in the Cassin's finch
Authors: Sockman Keith W , Sewall Kendra B , Ball Gregory F , Hahn Thomas P
Published: February 2005

Mate attraction can be costly. Thus, individuals should modulate it according to its probable benefits. Specifically, individuals should modulate mate-attraction efforts based on their need for, the probability of attracting, and the reproductive competence of prospective mates. We tested these predictions by monitoring song output in laboratory-housed male Cassin's finches (Carpodacus cassinii) before, during and after brief female exposure following variable periods of isolation from females. We inferred individual reproductive competence from the product of season and reproductive schedule, the latter estimated from moult progress. Males produced little song in the presence of a female but robustly elevated song output in response to female loss. However, mere absence of a female did not elevate song output in males unaccustomed to female proximity. Furthermore, song output in response to female loss increased with her reproductive competence. We suggest that individuals modulate mate-attraction effort based on the benefits such efforts are likely to yield.
The quality of the fossil record of Mesozoic birds
Authors: Fountaine Toby M. R. , Benton Michael J. , Dyke Gareth J. , Nudds Robert L.
Published: February 2005

The Mesozoic fossil record has proved critical for understanding the early evolution and subsequent radiation of birds. Little is known, however, about its relative completeness: just how ‘good’ is the fossil record of birds from the Mesozoic? This question has come to prominence recently in the debate over differences in estimated dates of origin of major clades of birds from molecular and palaeontological data. Using a dataset comprising all known fossil taxa, we present analyses that go some way towards answering this question. Whereas avian diversity remains poorly represented in the Mesozoic, many relatively complete bird specimens have been discovered. New taxa have been added to the phylogenetic tree of basal birds, but its overall shape remains constant, suggesting that the broad outlines of early avian evolution are consistently represented: no stage in the Mesozoic is characterized by an overabundance of scrappy fossils compared with more complete specimens. Examples of Neornithes (modern orders) are known from later stages in the Cretaceous, but their fossils are rarer and scrappier than those of basal bird groups, which we suggest is a biological, rather than a geological, signal.
Metabolic profile of long–distance migratory flight and stopover in a shorebird
Authors: Landys Meta M. , Piersma Theunis , Guglielmo Christopher G. , Jukema Joop , Ramenofsky Marilyn , Wingfield John C.
Published: February 2005

Migrating birds often complete long non–stop flights during which body energy stores exclusively support energetic demands. The metabolic correlates of such long–distance travel in free–living migrants are as yet poorly studied. Bar–tailed godwits,Limosa lapponica taymyrensis, undertake a 4500 km flight to their single spring stopover site and thus provide an excellent model in which to determine the energy fuels associated with endurance travel. To this end, we evaluated plasma concentrations of six key metabolites in arriving godwits caught immediately upon landing near their stopover site. Initial metabolite levels were compared with levels after 5 h of inactive rest to determine how flightper seaffects energy metabolism. Birds refuelling on the stopover site were also examined. Arriving godwits displayed elevated plasma free fatty acids, glycerol and butyrate, confirming the importance of lipid fuel in the support of extended migratory activity. Furthermore, elevated plasma triglycerides in these birds suggest that fatty acid provisioning is facilitated through hepatic synthesis and release of neutral lipids, as previously hypothesized for small migrants with high mass–specific metabolic rates. Finally, elevations in plasma uric acid suggest that protein breakdown contributes to the support of long–distance movement, to possibly maintain citric acid cycle intermediates, gluconeogenesis and/or water balance.
Rates and patterns of gene duplication and loss in the human genome
Authors: Cotton James A. , Page Roderic D. M.
Published: February 2005

Gene duplication has certainly played a major role in structuring vertebrate genomes but the extent and nature of the duplication events involved remains controversial. A recent study identified two major episodes of gene duplication: one episode of putative genome duplication
ca
. 500 Myr ago and a more recent gene–family expansion attributed to segmental or tandem duplications. We confirm this pattern using methods not reliant on molecular clocks for individual gene families. However, analysis of a simple model of the birth–death process suggests that the apparent recent episode of duplication is an artefact of the birth–death process. We show that a constant–rate birth–death model is appropriate for gene duplication data, allowing us to estimate the rate of gene duplication and loss in the vertebrate genome over the last 200 Myr (0.00115 and 0.00740 Myr
–1
lineage
–1
, respectively). Finally, we show that increasing rates of gene loss reduce the impact of a genome–wide duplication event on the distribution of gene duplications through time.
Gloom and doom? The future of marine capture fisheries
Authors: Garcia Serge M. , Grainger Richard J. R.
Published: February 2005

Predicting global fisheries is a high–order challenge but predictions have been made and updates are needed. Past forecasts, present trends and perspectives of key parameters of the fisheries—including potential harvest, state of stocks, supply and demand, trade, fishing technology and governance—are reviewed in detail, as the basis for new forecasts and forecasting performance assessment. The future of marine capture fisheries will be conditioned by the political, social and economic evolution of the world within which they operate. Consequently, recent global scenarios for the future world are reviewed, with the emphasis on fisheries. The main driving forces (e.g. global economic development, demography, environment, public awareness, information technology, energy, ethics) including aquaculture are described. Outlooks are provided for each aspect of the fishery sector. The conclusion puts these elements in perspective and offers the authors' personal interpretation of the possible future pathway of fisheries, the uncertainty about it and the still unanswered questions of direct relevance in shaping that future.
Engineering for the future: weight saving and cost reduction initiatives
Authors: Lequeu P. , Lassince P. , Warner T. , Raynaud G.M.
Published: February 2005

Over the past several years, Pechiney has launched intensive R&D activities, in close connection with its main customers, aimed at tailoring property balances to specific applications and at reducing the overall cost of manufactured aircraft parts. These close partnerships led to the development of a number of new alloys and tempers covering all the major aircraft structural parts, all of them bringing benefits in one or more design properties, and all of them having being chosen for new aircraft. Similarly, new special qualities were designed to reduce customer costs: low residual stress, high formability, age formable and weldable solutions were developed and chosen for their efficiency in lean manufacturing. It is the purpose of this paper to review these cost reduction and weight saving initiatives conducted by Pechiney. The main design property improvements for the newly developed alloys and tempers and practical applications of the special material qualities will be reported. In addition, the underlying metallurgical principles of the performance improvements will be discussed.
Airport noise monitoring ‐ a review
Authors: Wallis Alan D.
Published: February 2005

Suggests that before measurement of noise can be implemented all “non‐aircraft noises” must be eliminated. Sets out various approaches to the problem of airport noise: the acoustic companies’ approach; the systems companies’ approach; systems costs; flight identification and correlation; and noise monitoring. Looks at international standards for noise monitoring and reports on the current noise monitoring terminal situation. Includes an Appendix on units of measure for noise.
Vibrations in helicopters ‐ reduction and monitoring
Authors: Ford Terry
Published: February 2005

Describes the Westland active control of structural response (ACSR) technique for reducing and alleviating vibration. Examines a refined coupled rotor/flexible fuselage model based on the ACSR approach. Reports on vibration health monitoring (VHM) which has been developed by Westland and details further work which is continuing in this field.
Organisations, transformability and the dynamics of strategy
Authors: Chaharbaghi Kazem , Adcroft Andy , Willis Robert
Published: February 2005

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relationship between three concepts: organisations, transformability and the dynamics of strategy. These three concepts together with their interrelationships are central in explaining the life cycle of organisations, their survival and renewal.

Design/methodology/approach

The development of this explanation has been based on bringing together a diversity of perspectives. Each perspective provides a horizon of understanding by directing attention in a particular way. The benefits of this approach are that it avoids the pitfalls of one‐dimensionalism. This approach more accurately reflects the multi‐faceted reality within which organisations operate.

Findings

Discusses, compares and contextualises the findings and approaches of the papers in this special issue.

Originality/value

The perspectives considered represent a small sample of the diversity that exists. However, this sample as serves a starting‐point in developing a wider, more holistic debate that aims to bring theory and practice together.
The self‐reliant graduate and the SME
Authors: Hawkins Peter , Winter Jonathan
Published: February 2005

The dramatic increase in enrolments in UK universities since the 1980s, together with the changes taking place in the workplace, mean that the traditional recruiters of graduates are not able to absorb all the numbers. Looks at the opportunities provided by small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Considers the skills that graduates will need to work in SMEs and highlights examples of initiatives which enable graduates to overcome various barriers to an easier transition. Provides case studies of a number of strategies in practice.
Design and prototyping of an active hand prosthetic device
Authors: Yang Jingzhou , Abdel‐Malek Karim , Potratz Jason
Published: February 2005

Purpose

This paper presents the design and prototyping of the Inherently cOmpliant light Weight Active (IOWA) hand, an active hand prosthetic device.

Design/methodology/approach

This hand prosthetic device has five actuated fingers, each with three joints. Each joint is designed using a novel, flexible mechanism based on the loading of a compression spring in both transverse and axial directions, and using cable‐conduit systems. Rotational motion is transformed into tendon‐like behavior, which enables the location of the actuators far from the arm (e.g. on a belt around the waist).

Findings

It was shown that several numerical approaches for the study of a mechanical spring undergoing loading conditions in tension, bending moment, and shear can be obtained towards analysis of motion for control of each finder segment. It was also shown that these numerical models are accurate in comparison with experimental results.

Originality/value

While the mechanical design of the hand and associated kinematics were presented, we draw an early conclusion (without actual clinical testing) that this type of low‐cost inherently compliant hand may have a significant impact for providing added capabilities to a disabled person. It was also shown from the prototype that adequate control over the mechanical linkages leading to each segment of each digit is possible.
Development and validation of critical factors of environmental management
Authors: Soo Wee Yeo , Quazi Hesan A.
Published: February 2005

Purpose

The literature reveals that various authors have indicated various sets of requirements for corporate environmental management but no study has yet identified and statistically established the reliability and validity of a set of critical factors. It aims to develop and validate a set of critical factors of environmental management that could be used by the managers in assessing and improving their own environmental management practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a thorough synthesis of the environmental management literature the authors identified a number of critical factors. Performance measures for each of these factors were developed through literature review and interviews with environmental managers. A survey methodology was used. A pre‐tested questionnaire was mailed to the managing directors or the chief executive officers of 848 electronic and chemical manufacturing companies in Singapore and 186 completed responses were received. Using the data collected, the identified critical factors were subjected to appropriate statistical tests to establish reliability and validity.

Findings

Through reliability and validity analyses seven critical factors – top management commitment to environmental management, total involvement of employees, training, green product/process design, supplier management, measurement, and information management – were established.

Research limitations/implications

The study covered only two industries in Singapore but for the purpose of wider generalisability similar studies need to be conducted in other industries and in other parts of the world.

Practical implications

The validated instrument reported here could be used by managers to audit their environmental management practices. Such an audit may help management to prioritise its environmental management efforts. This instrument could also be used by the organizations to assess the level of environmental management practices of their respective suppliers.

Originality/value

This paper fills the gap in the literature on identification, establishment and validation of critical factors of environmental management.
Object‐oriented software development antecedents that influence product bug density
Authors: Misra Subhas C. , Bhavsar Virendrakumar C.
Published: February 2005

Purpose

Presents the results of a study aimed at investigating the antecedent software development factors that affect quality of final products. By monitoring those causal factors from the early phases of development, one can have a final product of enhanced quality and reduced costs.

Design/methodology/approach

The study considered an unprecedentedly large number of 30 C++ object‐oriented systems of varied size and application domains, a comprehensive suite of large number of predictive software design or code measures in one study, and compared their results on a common platform.

Findings

It was found that many of the software design or code measures have a significant positive or negative relationship with quality.

Originality/value

The value of the paper lies in the fact that it addresses some of the major problems from which most of the studies conducted in this research domain suffer. The objective and justification of this paper are to address these deficiencies, in addition to validating some of the results obtained in earlier studies. Another important value of the paper lies in the fact that, based on the results of the study, the paper enlists useful lessons learned that can provide some practical insight for practitioners and quality managers.
CIMAH and the Environment
Authors: Welsh Shaun
Published: February 2005

The UK′s Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards (CIMAH)
Regulations 1984 implement the European Communities “Seveso” Directive
(82/501/EEC). Central to these regulations are requirements for
manufacturers in control of qualifying activities which meet certain
indicative criteria or involve specific dangerous substances in an
industrial activity to provide evidence which identifies the major
accident hazards from their activities and which shows that they have
taken adequate steps to prevent such major accidents and to limit their
consequences to people and the environment. Provides background to a
presentation at “Disaster ′93” which will outline the environmental
aspects of CIMAH with particular reference to the technical difficulties
and current research work involved in the assessment of major accidents
to the environment.
Rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan: a challenge for
Afghans, NGOs and the UN
Authors: Barakat S. , Strand A.
Published: February 2005

Owing to the nature of their funding, hardly any NGO projects in
Afghanistan have been long term or geared to the future development of
the country. “Donor fatigue” and the fact that much of the
previous aid was politically motivated, has led NGOs to begin to
question the value of their existing work and to consider whether and
how they might do more to promote peace and longterm reconstruction and
development. In an attempt to address some of the questions, the
Norwegian Church Aid, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Oxfam jointly
supported the organization of a workshop aimed at exploring the role of
NGOs in peace building. Based on the findings of that workshop, as well
as on A. Strand′s five years of field experience.
Benchmarking: The Best Tool for Measuring Competitiveness
Authors: Zairi Mohamed
Published: February 2005

Argues that benchmarking is much more fundamental to strategic thinking
than other tools relied upon thus far by senior managers in their
decision‐making processes. Argues that for benchmarking to be effective
it has to be closely linked to total quality management programmes in
place. Strongly recommends that the focal point has to be on
understanding process and behaviour (i.e. the means/enablers) before
asking questions about results (i.e. the outcomes). Unless such a
discipline is established, results can only be considered as absolutes
and as such are not useful in telling us why differences take place.
Benchmarking works inwards by helping organizations set desired goals
and objectives and set about achieving them through continuous
improvement activities. Proposes an implementation strategy for
benchmarking based on 16 steps. In addition highlights some factors
which are considered to be critical if the practice of benchmarking is
to lead to any results. Provides some guidelines on ensuring that
benchmarking remains a powerful strategic tool.
Experiences of Enterprise in Higher Education within two
research‐led universities
Authors: Wolfenden Ray
Published: February 2005

Describes the enterprise agenda of two large, civic universities
– the University of Manchester and the University of Manchester
Institute of Science and Technology. Relates the strategy used and
various achievements, including employer partnerships, a publicity
campaign, student enterprise, an enterprise central office, and the
establishment of an evaluation culture. Discusses the lessons learned
and the challenges for the future.
If it can be seen it can be measured
Authors: Hobden Jon
Published: February 2005

Reviews the technological advances made in non‐contact measurement. Discusses one company’s use of non‐contact video based co‐ordinate measuring machines (Quick Vision and Quick Scope). Considers advantages and drawbacks along with some solutions.
Consuming Ethics: Articulating the Subjects and Spaces of Ethical Consumption
Authors: Barnett Clive , Cloke Paul , Clarke Nick , Malpass Alice
Published: February 2005

Geography's debates about how to maintain a sense of morally responsible action often emphasise the problematic nature of caring at a distance, and take for granted particular kinds of moral selfhood in which responsibility is bound into notions of human agency that emphasise knowledge and recognition. Taking commodity consumption as a field in which the ethics, morality, and politics of responsibility has been problematised, we argue that existing research on consumption fails to register the full complexity of the practices, motivations and mechanisms through which the working‐up of moral selves is undertaken in relation to consumption practices. Rather than assuming that ethical decision‐making works through the rational calculation of obligations, we conceptualise the emergence of ethical consumption as ways in which everyday practical moral dispositions are re‐articulated by policies, campaigns and practices that enlist ordinary people into broader projects of social change. Ethical consumption, then, involves both a governing of consumption and a governing of the consuming self. Using the example of Traidcraft, we present a detailed examination of one particular context in which self‐consciously ethical consumption is mediated, suggesting that ethical consumption can be understood as opening up ethical and political considerations in new combinations. We therefore argue for the importance of the growth of ethical consumption as a new terrain of political action, while also emphasising the grounds upon which ethical consumption can be opened up to normative critique.
Building a Geographical Political Economy of Closure: The Case of R&DCo in North East England
Authors: Pike Andy
Published: February 2005

ParentCompany's decision to close R&DCo in North East England caused the loss of highly skilled scientific and technical jobs. R&DCo was a “white‐collar” R&D operation and supplier of services to ParentCompany's lead factories in the East Midlands and South West regions. The economic and social costs of closure were acute for the North East with its relatively weak growth, high unemployment and limited R&D activity. This paper argues that a clearer understanding and progressive response to such closures may benefit from a conceptualisation founded upon spatialised social relations and characterised by a social process of production that unfolds over time, across space and in place. Periodised in episodic socio‐spatial “moments”, a historically evolving social process of closure reveals differential potential—contingent upon specific conjunctures of structural forces, social agency and the particularities of places—to enable and/or inhibit intervention through public policy and institutional action and political mobilisation and resistance.
Genuine Renewal or Pyrrhic Victory? The Scale Politics of Trade Union Recognition in the UK
Authors: Cumbers Andrew
Published: February 2005

There is an ongoing debate within radical geography concerned with the trade union response to the hegemony of business interests apparent under neoliberal capitalism. In this paper, I contribute to this debate by exploring recent attempts to renew trade union organisation in the UK following decades of decline. I argue that, despite recent successes in stemming falling membership numbers and signing new recognition agreements, closer inspection reveals flaws in the renewal process that reflect the underlying nature of scale politics within the union movement itself. In particular, centralised strategies at the national level are failing to re‐energise local‐level union organisation leading to a rather hollow and pyrrhic renewal process. Drawing upon both macro‐level analysis and evidence from a particular industry case study, I suggest that unions rethink their organisational geographies and scalar relations if they wish to re‐connect with the grassroots and at a broader level remain a progressive force in the changing economic landscape.
The Geography of Union Organising in Low‐Paid Service Industries in the UK: Lessons from the T&G's Campaign to Unionise the Dorchester Hotel, London
Authors: Wills Jane
Published: February 2005

This paper highlights the importance of organising workers in the low‐paid services sector if British trade unions are to secure themselves for the future. After outlining the scale of the challenge and the new efforts being made to promote organising by unions, the paper looks at the hotel industry in more depth. A case study of a union campaign to win union recognition at the Dorchester Hotel in London is used to highlight the limitations of workplace‐focused campaigns in this sector. Drawing on the lessons of experience in North America, the paper then argues that an extra‐workplace, occupational and/or sectoral approach may well secure better results. In so doing, workplace issues could be recast as matters of economic and social injustice, widening the scale of any campaign.
U.K. winter egg survival in the field and laboratory diapause of Typhlodromips montdorensis
Authors: Hatherly Ian S. , Bale Jeffrey S. , Walters Keith F. A.
Published: February 2005

Abstract.  Typhlodromips montdorensis has potential for release as a glasshouse biological control agent in the U.K. against thrips and spider mites. This study investigates the field survival in the U.K. of T. montdorensis when released as eggs, and the diapause response when reared in a regime related to its location of origin. All acclimated and nonacclimated eggs of T. montdorensis die in the field within 7 days of exposure. It is not possible to induce diapause in T. montdorensis reared at 21 °C under a LD 11 : 13 h photoperiod. The results presented here support the view that T. montdorensis is unlikely to survive a U.K. winter outside of the glasshouse environment, and contribute to the understanding of the biology of this little known species.
Thermal orientation of Anthonomus pomorum (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in early spring
Authors: Hausmann Claudia , Samietz Jörg , Dorn Silvia
Published: February 2005

Abstract.  The selection of habitats with favourable temperature by the apple blossom weevil Anthonomus pomorum (L.) is investigated in a temperature gradient arena with a range of approximately 0–15 °C. Single female and male weevils are tested in the arena 2, 4 and 6 days after termination of diapause, during photophase and during scotophase. During photophase, weevils of both sexes choose the warmest part of the temperature gradient arena, irrespective of the time elapsed after diapause. During scotophase, high temperature is favoured by male weevils, as well as by females 2 and 4 days after diapause. However, 6 days after termination of diapause, females show no thermal preference in the temperature gradient arena during scotophase, indicating that thermal choice of female A. pomorum in the scotophase changes with time after the termination of diapause. The results suggest that both sexes benefit from thermoregulation by habitat choice during photophase when the weevils are flight active and colonize apple trees.
Cold tolerance in relation to developmental and adult temperature in a butterfly
Authors: Zeilstra Ilja , Fischer Klaus
Published: February 2005

Abstract.  Larvae of the butterfly Lycaena tityrus (Poda) are reared at 20 or 27 °C until adult eclosion, after which they are maintained at the same temperature or are transferred to the alternate temperature. The resulting adults are exposed to −20 °C for 8 min, returned to ambient temperature, and the recovery time to standing position is recorded. On the day of eclosion, individuals reared at 20 °C show 19% shorter recovery times than individuals reared at 27 °C. This effect of developmental temperature disappears when the same animals are tested 3 and 6 days later. However, adult temperature did not affect recovery time in these animals, presumably due to over‐riding effects of previous cold shocks. This is suggested by another set of animals, not having experienced previous cold shocks, demonstrating recovery times that are 28% shorter in individuals maintained as adults for 3 days at 20 compared to 27 °C. Thus, L. tityrus appears to be capable of adapting to local temperatures.
Comparison of the sensitivity of four Delia species to host and non‐host plant compounds
Authors: Gouinguene S. P. D. , Städler E.
Published: February 2005

Abstract.  The behavioural facilitation hypothesis, tested in the present study, suggests that evolution of host‐plant shifts by phytophagous insects is based on the preadaptation of insects to the chemistry of potentially novel plant hosts. Thus, closely‐related insects should have similar sensitivities to compounds that are shared by different host plants. The chemoreception is investigated for four phytophagous flies, Delia radicum, Delia floralis, Delia antiqua and Delia platura (Diptera, Calyptratae: Anthomyiidae), belonging to the same genus but developing mainly on different plant families, with particular secondary plant compound profiles. In addition, the carrot fly, Psila rosae, an acalyptrate Diptera, is included as an unrelated species that is associated with completely different host plants. For the comparison, the known oviposition stimulants of the cabbage root fly (glucobrassicin, sinalbin, sinigrin and a thia‐triaza‐fluorene compound; CIF‐1) present on the cabbage leaf surface were chosen. Responses from prothoracic tarsal sensilla are recorded to contact stimulation in a dose‐dependent manner. Among the different flies tested, only D. radicum responds to all the compounds. By contrast, D. floralis is only sensitive to CIF‐1, and not specifically on the C5 sensillum, a finding that is in conflict with previously published results. This discrepancy is possibly an indication of the variability among flies originating from different cultures or habitats. With the exception of sinigrin at high concentration, the various compounds tested do not stimulate D. antiqua or D. platura. However, the carrot fly appears to be completely insensitive to sinigrin even at the highest tested concentration of 10−1 M. The responses of the contact‐chemoreceptor neurones to the selected compounds therefore provide little evidence of common sensitivities that would explain host shift in Delia species and specialization at the physiological level. The wide divergence within closely‐related species and rearing cultures appears to indicate that the sensitivity and distribution of sensory receptor neurones is very variable on an evolutionary scale.
Effects of larval antlions Euroleon nostras (Neuroptera, Myrmeleontidae) and their pits on the escape‐time of ants
Authors: Devetak Dušan
Published: February 2005

Abstract.  Pit‐building antlions are predators with a unique predation strategy, namely using pitfall traps constructed in loose sand to catch prey. Here, prey escape‐time in the field is measured by introducing ants into one of four different treatment arenas. The first treatment lacks pits and antlions, the second includes 10 antlions that did not build pits, the third comprises eight artificially constructed pits, and the fourth is a treatment of eight antlions in pits and two without pits. Their pits are of a similar size to those used in the third treatment. When antlions are present without constructing pits, they impede the dispersal of prey. The mean escape‐time for one half of the released ants is twice as long with antlions present as without them. When pits are present, the time taken for one half of the released ants to escape the predator is more than 10 times as long as when pits are absent. Escape‐time from artificial pits is three times that from nonpit building antlions. Pits hinder the escape of ants and therefore increase the amount of time that the prey is available for capture. In the area where the pits are occupied by antlions, escape‐time is four times longer than in a treatment with similar sized artificial pits. Thus, it appears that not only a pit, but also the presence of antlions influences the capture success.
Film and membrane properties of polybenzimidazole (PBI) and polyarylate alloys
Authors: Chung Tai‐Shung , Chen Paul N.
Published: February 2005

Blends of a poly[2,2′‐(m‐phenylene)‐5,5′‐bibenzimidazole] (FBI) polymer with polyarylate (PA) yield films exhibiting synergistic mechanical properties. The break strength of the blended materials exceeded the strength of the stronger polymer in its 100% form. The molecular interaction and compatibility of PBI/PA have been investigated and confirmed by infrared, dynamic mechanical analysis and thermogravimetric analysis. For example, interactions were typically found between the carbonyls and the imidazole in these systems, and there was a shift of the carbonyl band to lower frequency. DMA study of a (40/60) PBI/PA film blend revealed the existence of two Tg values (e.g., 245 and 362°C). The shift of the Tg from each individual component strongly suggested that FBI and PA interact on a molecular scale. Membranes made from a solution of a 60/40 (weight %) mixture of PBI and polyarylate exhibited excellent UF properties: a flux of 60–80 gfd at 50 psi and a rejection of 90–99% of cytochrome‐c (MW = 12,000). The HPLC results confirmed the red color species (Vitamin 12 and cytochrome‐c) were quantitatively removed. Further experiments indicated that the excellent UF properties were due to the novel combination of PBI and PA which offered a unique absorption and ionic‐exchange characteristics.
Live Three‐Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Atrial Tumors
Authors: Mehmood Farhat , Nanda Navin C. , Vengala Srinivas , Winokur Thomas S. , Dod Harvinder S. , Frans Ebenezer , Patel Vinod , Bodiwala Kunal , Upendram Sailendra , Kirklin James K. , McGiffin David C. , Pacifico Albert D.
Published: February 2005

This preliminary study demonstrates the superiority of live three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (3D TTE) over two‐dimensional (2D) TTE in the assessment of left atrial (LA) tumors in four patients studied by us (three myxomas, one hemangioma, all subsequently pathologically proven). Because of the unique ability of live 3D TTE to systematically section and view the contents of an intracardiac mass, LA myxomas in the three patients studied could be more confidently diagnosed by noting isolated echolucent areas consistent with hemorrhage/necrosis in the tumor mass. On the other hand, a definite echolucent area was found by 2D TTE in only two of the three patients with myxoma. In the fourth patient with a hemangioma, live 3D TTE showed much more extensive and closely packed echolucencies with little solid tissue as compared to a myxoma consistent with a highly vascularized tumor. In contrast, 2D TTE demonstrated only two isolated echolucencies in the tumor suggesting an erroneous diagnosis of myxoma.