bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Continuous release of hepatitis C virus (HCV) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells and B-lymphoblastoid cell-line cultures derived from HCV-infected patients
Authors: Baré Patricia , Massud Ivana , Parodi Cecilia , Belmonte Liliana , García Gabriel , Nebel Marcelo Campos , Corti Marcelo , Pinto Miguel Tezanos , Bianco Raúl Pérez , Bracco María M. , Campos Rodolfo , Ares Beatriz Ruibal
Published: May 2005

In order to investigate hepatitis C virus (HCV) persistence and replication in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a group of haemophilic individuals, HCV production and release to PBMC culture supernatants (SNs) from HCV singly infected patients and HIV/HCV co-infected patients was studied. HCV RNA+ SNs were found more frequently from HIV/HCV co-infected individuals (89·5 %) with poor reconstitution of their immune status than from singly HCV-infected patients (57 %) or from HIV/HCV co-infected individuals with a good response to highly active anti-retroviral therapy (50 %). The presence of the HCV genome in culture SNs was associated with lower CD4+ T-cell counts and with a more severe clinical picture of HIV infection. In spite of prolonged negative HCV viraemia, PBMC from HIV/HCV co-infected patients released the HCV genome after culture. HCV permissive PBMC allowed generation of HCV productive B cell lines with continuous HCV replication. These findings add further weight to the involvement of PBMCs in persistence of HCV infection and emphasize the role of B lymphocytes as HCV reservoirs.
Murine interferon lambdas (type III interferons) exhibit potent antiviral activity in vivo in a poxvirus infection model
Authors: Bartlett Nathan W. , Buttigieg Karen , Kotenko Sergei V. , Smith Geoffrey L.
Published: May 2005

Human interferon lambdas (IFN-λs) (type III IFNs) exhibit antiviral activityin vitroby binding to a receptor complex distinct from that used by type I and type II IFNs, and subsequent signalling through the Janus kinase signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway. However, evidence for a function of type III IFNs during virus infectionin vivois lacking. Here, the expression of murine IFN-λs by recombinant vaccinia virus (VACV) is described and these proteins are shown to have potent antiviral activityin vivo. VACV expressing murine IFN-λ2 (vIFN-λ2) and IFN-λ3 (vIFN-λ3) showed normal growth in tissue culture and expressedN-glycosylated IFN-λin infected cell extracts and culture supernatants. The role that murine IFN-λs play during virus infection was assessed in two different mouse models. vIFN-λ2 and vIFN-λ3 were avirulent for mice infected intranasally and induced no signs of illness or weight loss, in contrast to control viruses. Attenuation of vIFN-λ2 was associated with increases in lymphocytes in bronchial alveolar lavages and CD4+T cells in total-lung lymphocyte preparations. In addition, vIFN-λ2 was cleared more rapidly from infected lungs and, in contrast to control viruses, did not disseminate to the brain. Expression of IFN-λ2 also attenuated VACV in an intradermal-infection model, characterized by a delay in lesion onset and reduced lesion size. Thus, by characterizing murine IFN-λs within a mouse infection model, the potent antiviral and immunostimulatory activity of IFN-λs in response to poxvirus infection has been demonstrated.
Correlation between positivity for immunoglobulin A antibodies and viraemia of swine hepatitis E virus observed among farm pigs in Japan
Authors: Takahashi Masaharu , Nishizawa Tsutomu , Tanaka Toshinori , Tsatsralt-Od Bira , Inoue Jun , Okamoto Hiroaki
Published: May 2005

To evaluate the usefulness of detection of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) to screen for viraemic pigs, serum samples obtained from 1425 1–6-month-old pigs in Japan were tested for swine HEV RNA and IgG, IgM and IgA classes of anti-HEV antibody. Fifty-five (5 %) of the 1071 2–5-month-old pigs were positive for swine HEV RNA, but none of 218 1-month-old pigs or 136 6-month-old pigs had detectable HEV RNA. The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG among the viraemic pigs (67 %, 37/55) was similar to that among the non-viraemic pigs (55 %, 757/1370) and the prevalence of anti-HEV IgM among the viraemic pigs and non-viraemic pigs was 7 and 3 %, respectively. However, anti-HEV IgA was detected significantly more frequently among viraemic pigs than among non-viraemic pigs (55 vs 10 %, P<0·0001). These results suggest that anti-HEV IgA is more useful than anti-HEV IgM to screen for viraemic pigs.
Nemesia ring necrosis virus: a new tymovirus with a genomic RNA having a histidylatable tobamovirus-like 3′ end
Authors: Koenig R. , Barends S. , Gultyaev A. P. , Lesemann D.-E. , Vetten H. J. , Loss S. , Pleij C. W. A.
Published: May 2005

The complete nucleotide sequence of the genomic RNA of the new virus Nemesia ring necrosis virus (NeRNV), which is widespread in various ornamental plant species belonging to the Scrophulariaceae and Verbenaceae, has been determined. Based on its gene content, the folding properties of its 5′-untranslated region and in vitro translation experiments, NeRNV RNA is a typical tymovirus RNA. Its 3′ end, however, differs greatly from those of the valine-specific tymoviral RNAs that have been analysed previously. It can be folded into an upstream pseudoknot domain and a histidine-specific tRNA-like structure, a combination that, so far, has been found only in tobamoviral RNAs. The identity elements found in NeRNV RNA for recognition by yeast histidyl-tRNA synthetase are more similar to those of yeast tRNAHis than the ones found in tobacco mosaic virus RNA. As a result NeRNV RNA can be charged with histidine even more efficiently than tobacco mosaic virus RNA.
Molecular identification and characterization of novel coronaviruses infecting graylag geese (Anser anser), feral pigeons (Columbia livia) and mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)
Authors: Jonassen Christine Monceyron , Kofstad Tone , Larsen Inger-Lise , Løvland Atle , Handeland Kjell , Follestad Arne , Lillehaug Atle
Published: May 2005

In light of the finding of a previously unknown coronavirus as the aetiology of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), it is probable that other coronaviruses, than those recognized to date, are circulating in animal populations. Here, the results of a screening for coronavirus are presented, using a universal coronavirus RT-PCR, of the bird species graylag goose (Anser anser), feral pigeon (Columbia livia) and mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). Coronaviruses were found in cloacal swab samples from all the three bird species. In the graylag goose, 40 of 163 sampled birds were coronavirus positive, whereas two of 100 sampled pigeons and one of five sampled mallards tested positive. The infected graylag geese showed lower body weights compared with virus-negative birds, suggesting clinical significance of the infection. Phylogenetic analyses performed on the replicase gene and nucleocapsid protein sequences, indicated that the novel coronaviruses described in the present study all branch off from group III coronaviruses. All the novel avian coronaviruses harboured the conserved s2m RNA structure in their 3′ untranslated region, like other previously described group III coronaviruses, and like the SARS coronavirus. Sequencing of the complete nucleocapsid gene and downstream regions of goose and pigeon coronaviruses, evidenced the presence of two additional open reading frames for the goose coronavirus with no sequence similarity to known proteins, but with predicted transmembrane domains for one of the encoded proteins, and one additional open reading frame for the pigeon coronavirus, with a predicted transmembrane domain, downstream of the nucleocapsid gene.
Effects of Ac150 on virulence and pathogenesis of Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus in noctuid hosts
Authors: Zhang Ji-Hong , Ohkawa Taro , Washburn Jan O. , Volkman Loy E.
Published: May 2005

Ac150 is expressed late during infection of cultured lepidopteran insect cells by Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus. The Ac150 gene product is predicted to have a molecular mass of 11 161 Da and consists of a hydrophobic N terminus and a single ‘peritrophin-A’-like domain, connected by a short region of charged amino acids. An Ac150 deletion mutant and its parental wild-type virus were compared for differences in virulence by both oral and intrahaemocoelic routes of infection. It was found that the mutant was significantly less virulent in larvae of all three host species tested (Heliothis virescens, Spodoptera exigua and Trichoplusia ni) when occlusions were administered orally, but not when isolated occlusion-derived virus (ODV) was administered orally or budded virus was administered intrahaemocoelically. ODV yields were the same from equal numbers of mutant and wild-type occlusions, and nucleocapsid-distribution frequencies within the two ODV populations were the same, eliminating these features as explanations for the observed differences in virulence. Comparison of pathogenesis, as revealed by lacZ expression from identical reporter-gene cassettes in the mutant and wild-type virus, indicated that the mutant was less efficient at establishing primary infection in midgut cells; otherwise, it exhibited infection kinetics identical to those of wild-type virus. Ac150, therefore, can be considered a per os infection factor that mediates, but is not essential for, oral infection.
Preparation, crystal structure and magnetic properties of the high-pressure phase MnReO4 with a wolframite-type structure
Authors: Bramnik K. G. , Ehrenberg H. , Buhre S. , Fuess H.
Published: May 2005

The ternary oxide MnReO4, manganese rhenium oxide, has been synthesized under a high pressure of 5.5 GPa at 1473 K and its crystal structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. MnReO4 crystallizes in a wolframite-type structure with average bond lengths of 〈Re—O〉 = 1.935 and 〈Mn—O〉 = 2.160 Å that are in good agreement with the ionic radii of Re6+ and Mn2+. The magnetic properties of MnReO4 have been studied by SQUID measurements, revealing magnetic ordering below 275 (10) K and a weak ferromagnetic component of the ordered magnetic structure.
Remarkable features in lattice-parameter ratios of crystals. II. Monoclinic and triclinic crystals
Authors: de Gelder R. , Janner A.
Published: May 2005

The frequency distributions of monoclinic crystals as a function of the lattice-parameter ratios resemble the corresponding ones of orthorhombic crystals: an exponential component, with more or less pronounced sharp peaks, with in general the most important peak at the ratio value 1. In addition, the distribution as a function of the monoclinic angle β has a sharp peak at 90° and decreases sensibly at larger angles. Similar behavior is observed for the three triclinic angular parameters α, β and γ, with characteristic differences between the organic and metal-organic, bio-macromolecular and inorganic crystals, respectively. The general behavior observed for the hexagonal, tetragonal, orthorhombic, monoclinic and triclinic crystals {in the first part of this series [de Gelder & Janner (2005). Acta Cryst. B61, 287–295] and in the present case} is summarized and commented. The data involved represent 366 800 crystals, with lattice parameters taken from the Cambridge Structural Database, CSD (294 400 entries), the Protein Data Bank, PDB (18 800 entries), and the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database, ICSD (53 600 entries). A new general structural principle is suggested.
Local structural properties of (Mn,Fe)Nb2O6 from Mössbauer and X-ray absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Tarantino Serena C. , Ghigna Paolo , McCammon Catherine , Amantea Roberta , Carpenter Michael A.
Published: May 2005

The MnNb2O6–FeNb2O6 solid solution has been investigated by Fe–K- and Mn–K-edge X-ray absorption (XANES and EXAFS), and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The first-shell M—O bond lengths deduced from EXAFS show a fairly small compositional dependence. A degree of static disorder, which increases with increasing manganese content, is clearly seen by the loss of correlation for the next-neighbour (NN) interaction. Hyperfine parameters from Mössbauer spectra are consistent with variations in the average environment, as recorded by X-ray data. Line broadening of the Mössbauer spectra provides evidence for next-neighbour effects and is consistent with there being no significant clustering of Fe or Mn within the samples. There appear to be differences in the way the columbite structure accommodates Fe2+ and Mn2+ ions. In ferrocolumbite all the Fe octahedra are close to being identical, while there are local structural heterogeneities at a longer length scale, presumably in ordering the precise topology of polyhedra immediately adjacent to the octahedron. By contrast, the manganocolumbite seems to have some diversity in the precise coordination at the MnO6 octahedra, but a greater uniformity in how the adjacent polyhedra are configured around them.
Structures of the ordered double perovskites Sr2YTaO6 and Sr2YNbO6
Authors: Howard Christopher J. , Barnes Paris W. , Kennedy Brendan J. , Woodward Patrick M.
Published: May 2005

The ordered perovskite Sr2YTaO6, distrontium yttrium tantalum hexaoxide, has been reported as showing an unusual triclinic structure, at odds with the results from a recent group-theoretical analysis. A new investigation establishes that Sr2YTaO6 and the isostructural Sr2YNbO6, distrontium yttrium niobium hexaoxide, in fact both adopt the commonly occurring monoclinic structure, with the space-group symmetry P21/n.
Modulated one-dimensional structure of [Cd(NH3)3Ni(CN)4]
Authors: Petříček Václav , Dušek Michal , Černák Juraj
Published: May 2005

The crystal structure of [Cd(NH3)3Ni(CN)4] has been solved and refined as an incommensurate structure in four-dimensional superspace. The Xcalibur point-detector diffractometer was used for data collection up to the third-order satellites. The structure was refined from 3496 observed reflections to a final R value of 0.0371. The modulation strongly affects all the atoms of the structure. The dominating feature of the modulation is the incommensurate alternation between octahedrally and tetrahedrally coordinated Cd atoms in the electroneutral chains [—Cd(NH3)
n
—NC—Ni(CN)2—CN—]∞ (n alternates between 2 and 4). The chain is propagated along the a axis, in which the [Cd(NH3)
n
]2+ cations are linked by square [Ni(CN)4]2− anions. The atomic positional modulations, having mainly a transversal character in the c-direction, exhibit a switching character that can be described by the crenel and sawtooth functions. The effectively pentagonal coordinated cadmium positions were detected in the intermediate regions.
Hypothetical binodal zeolitic frameworks
Authors: Simperler Alexandra , Foster Martin D. , Delgado Friedrichs Olaf , Bell Robert G. , Almeida Paz Filipe A. , Klinowski Jacek
Published: May 2005

Hypothetical binodal zeolitic structures (structures containing two kinds of tetrahedral sites) were systematically enumerated using tiling theory and characterized by computational chemistry methods. Each of the 109 refineable topologies based on `simple tilings' was converted into a silica polymorph and its energy minimized using the GULP program with the Sanders–Catlow silica potential. Optimized structural parameters, framework energies relative to α-quartz and volumes accessible to sorption have been calculated. Eleven of the 30 known binodal topologies listed in the Atlas of Zeolite Framework Types were found, leaving 98 topologies that were unknown previously. The chemical feasibility of each structure as a zeolite was evaluated by means of a feasibility factor derived from the correlation between lattice energy and framework density. Structures are divided into 15 families, based on common structural features. Many `feasible' structures contain only small pores. Several very open structures were also enumerated, although they contain three-membered rings which are thermodynamically disfavoured and not found in conventional zeolites. We believe that such topologies may be realizable as framework materials, but with different elemental compositions to those normally associated with zeolites.
Fatigue corrosion cracking of an austenitic stainless steel using electrochemical noise technique
Authors: Acuña N.
Published: May 2005

Purpose

To study the early stages of damage by corrosion fatigue (CF) in an austenitic stainless steel using the electrochemical noise (EN) Technique.

Design/methodology/approach

Potential and current transients measured between two nominally identical electrodes during CF of an UNS S31603 SS were continuously monitored using a zero‐resistance‐ammeter at different periods of exposure to seawater. The tests were carried out under cyclic loading of constant amplitude, stress ratio R=0 and load frequency of ω=0.17 Hz. The analysis was focused on both, crack nucleation sites and short fatigue crack growth, and the correlation between corrosion‐fatigue cracking and characteristics of potential transients and the associated intensity current.

Findings

Measurements of EN, showed a good relationship between the potential transients and current fluctuations with the initiation and growth of inter‐granular corrosion‐fatigue cracks. The amplitude and frequency of potential transients and the intensity of current transients became more intense as the number of loading cycles increased. The initiation of crack events and small crack growth could be associated with the noise patterns with amplitudes of 20 and 70 mV and current density between 0.10 and 0.60 μA cm2; while large inter‐granular crack growth events, were due to coalescence of small cracks, and could be associated with patterns of 200 mV in amplitude and a cathodic current density of 8.0 μA cm2. The crack nucleation sites generally were located at grain boundary triple points on the specimen surface.

Originality/value

The EN Technique can be a good alternative to evaluate the early stages of damage by CF.
Cyclic nitrones as novel organic corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in acidic media
Authors: Rahman S.U. , Saeed M.T. , Ali Sk.A.
Published: May 2005

Purpose

To demonstrate corrosion inhibition capabilities of new cyclic nitrones, containing hydrophobic substituents.

Design/methodology/approach

A number of new cyclic nitrones were synthesized. Corrosion inhibition efficiencies of these organic inhibitors were determined by gravimetric and electrochemical methods, using carbon steel as the substrate metal and 1 M HCl at 60°C as the corrosive environment. Concentration of inhibitor was varied between 50 and 400 ppm.

Findings

All compounds exhibited excellent corrosion efficiencies that ranged between 90.0 and 98.3 percent in 1 M HCl at 60°C. Tafel tests corroborated these results.

Research limitations/implications

The inhibitors were tested in acidic medium. It is unknown how these inhibitors will function in the presence of other ions that are typically present in natural corrosive environment.

Originality/value

All organic compounds presented in this work are new and this is the first time their corrosion inhibition characteristics have been evaluated.
Bitter melon: an exotic vegetable with medicinal values
Authors: Subratty A.H. , Gurib‐Fakim A. , Mahomoodally F.
Published: May 2005

Purpose

This article focuses on some of the reported medicinal values of bitter melon, an exotic vegetable forming part of the cuisine of various countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Available data in the literature strongly support the anti‐hypoglycaemic properties of Bitter melon. A literature view was carried out and the data were used to validate our findings regarding the effects of extracts of Momordica charantia on uptake of sugar.

Findings

Our work adds on to the growing evidence of the anti‐diabetic properties of bitter melon.

Practical implications

In view of evidence reported in the literature regarding the medicinal properties of vegetables, the importance of vegetables in a well balanced diet should therefore be strongly advocated.

Originality/value

This paper adds on to the evidence of the use of Momordica charantia as a medicinal plant in traditional medicine in the control of blood sugar level.
Effect of soy flour supplementation on mineral and phytate contents of unleavened flat bread (chapatis)
Authors: Issa khan Muhammad , Muhammad Anjum Faqir , Hussain Shahzad , Tayyab Tariq Muhammad
Published: May 2005

Purpose

Unleavened flat bread (chapatis and rotis) is staple food of the Pakistani population. Almost 90 per cent of wheat produced in the country is used for chapatis and roti preparation. Present study was carried out to prepare composite flour, assess suitable level of composition. The main aim was to increase the mineral content of the diet, as they are deficient in the diet of the Pakistani people as for other developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Composite flours were prepared by replacing wheat flour with 8, 16, 24, 32 and 40 per cent soy flour. Composite flour and chapatis were analysed for mineral and phytate contents. Sensory evaluation (color, flavor, taste, texture, folding ability and chewing ability) of chapatis was also carried out to assess acceptance of suitable level by the consumers.

Findings

The statistical analysis of data obtained showed significant increase in minerals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Ca and Mg) and phytic acid content of flour. Significant decrease in phytate was found during the baking of chapatis. Chapatis were found acceptable by the panel of judges up to 24 per cent supplementation of soy flour. To combat mineral deficiency in developing countries composite flour technology can use as replacement of mineral salts fortification. As in case of composite flour natural source of nutrient are used.

Practical implications

Soy supplementation of wheat flour can be successfully done through flourmills and small‐scale grinders as it causes no problem in milling operations.

Originality/value

The research carried out is one of outstanding type as no such research was done earlier. Phytate besides minerals was also given due consideration in same study which is one of chelating agent found in plant source of minerals.
The effects of bearing distortion on the performance of hydrodynamic thrust bearings
Authors: Güllü Emin
Published: May 2005

Purpose

In this work, the performance characteristics of thrust bearings are studied by taking into account bearing distortions.

Design/methodology/approach

The pressure distribution in the bearing is found using Reynolds' equation. Reynolds' equation is solved under isothermal conditions by assuming oil viscosity constant. The amount of deformation in the bearing is determined using constitute equations applied to linear elastic materials. It is preferred to work with dimensionless equations for the result to be meaningful. The results of the finite differences method gives superior performance for analyzing the behavior of a bearing undergoing on elastic deformation. The amount of deformation which corresponds to a certain pressure and load carrying capability of the bearing after and before deformation are found and compared.

Findings

The comparison is carried out for steel‐steel and steel‐bronze material pairs. It is found that there is a decrease of 2.13 percent in the load carrying capacity of the bearing for the material pair of steel‐bronze. This decrease may be important for some applications.

Originality/value

The present investigation includes distortion of pads only. Distortion of runner is ignored since it is assumed to be rigid. This assumption may cause serious deviations in computing performance characteristics.
Entrepreneurship education and training: can entrepreneurship be taught? Part II
Authors: Henry Colette , Hill Frances , Leitch Claire
Published: May 2005

Purpose

Despite a growing body of literature in the field, there is still considerable uncertainty as to whether entrepreneurs are born are made, which has led to an ongoing debate in the entrepreneurship academy about whether we can actually teach individuals to be entrepreneurs. With this in mind, this two‐part paper aims to address the question of whether or not entrepreneurship can be taught.

Design/methodology/approach

Part I of the paper dealt with the importance of entrepreneurship in a modern and constantly changing environment; the various ways in which entrepreneurship programmes and courses can be categorised, and the objectives, content and delivery of programmes. The second part of the paper, which is presented in this issue, deals with the topic of determining and measuring programme effectiveness.

Findings

Despite the growth in entrepreneurship education and training programmes, the paper reports that little uniformity can be found. Attention is drawn to the art and the science of entrepreneurship, with the consensus that at least some aspects of entrepreneurship can successfully be taught.

Originality/value

The authors highlight the need for evaluating programmes, and for educators and trainers to have a fuller understanding of what they wish to achieve from their programme from the outset, in order to ensure a more accurate assessment of the outcomes.
Examining the impact of ethics training on business student values
Authors: Allen William R. , Bacdayan Paul , Berube Kowalski Kellyann , Roy Mathew H.
Published: May 2005

Purpose

Recent misconduct and highly questionable behavior has fostered considerable distrust, cynicism, and antagonism among the populace toward the leadership of virtually all social institutions. This paper aims to examine the impact of ethics training on business students values.

Design/methodology/approach

Focuses on the central question whether exposure to ethical dilemmas and discussions in the classroom setting will lead to new paradigms of leadership incorporating instrumental values.

Findings

The results support the contention that senior level students were influenced in their perceptions of the importance of instrumental values in comparison to freshmen. As hypothesized no difference was found between men and women in both the importance and reinforcement of the instrumental values examined. The results do not support the contention that increased emphasis on ethics in textbooks and courses has had a significant impact.

Practical implications

Directions for future training are considered in light of the findings.

Originality/value

Points to the conclusion that current models of business education are not helping to reinforce instrumental values.
Education, training and rural living: young people in Ryedale
Authors: Henderson Roger
Published: May 2005

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of rural renaissance projects aimed at overcoming issues of accessibility and out‐migration of the younger, more economically active population and to consider what young people feel about education, training and rural living in Ryedale, North Yorkshire.

Design/methodology/approach

Twenty Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) 5 projects focus on the 10‐29 age group to improve their confidence, employability and opportunities to encourage them to remain in, or return to, Ryedale. Research includes interviews with project managers and a survey of Year 11 students in four secondary schools to reveal views on education, jobs and rural living. The 320 replies are compared with 378 from a 2001 survey.

Findings

Educational attainment is rising. Young people expect to remain in education post‐16, but leave Ryedale for educational and employment opportunities. Job aspirations suggest mismatches between requirements and availability, especially in skilled professional, associate professional and technical fields. Ryedale is increasingly perceived as a pleasant, secure environment; many wish to stay or return eventually.

Research limitations/implications

The surveys feature Year 11 pupils. Further work might examine different age groups, areas and factors encouraging young people to stay in rural areas.

Practical implications

The SRB 5 projects produced positive impacts, however, scope remains for greater representation of young peoples' needs and inputs into local services and decision‐making.

Originality/value

The paper offers a temporal comparison of surveys and projects related to young people in a rural area. It is of value to policy‐makers and educationalists examining young peoples' perceptions and out‐migration influences.
Towards personalization in digital libraries through ontologies
Authors: Ferran Núria , Mor Enric , Minguillón Julià
Published: May 2005

Purpose

To describe a browsing and searching personalization system for digital libraries based on the use of ontologies for describing the relationships between all the elements which take part in a digital library scenario of use.

Design/methodology/approach

Identification of all the desired functionalities and requirements that are necessary to fully integrate the use of a digital library in an e‐learning environment, and the basic elements that are used to build the ontology that describes such scenario.

Findings

The elements that determine the functionalities of the desired personalization system: first, the user's profile, including navigational history and user preferences; and second, the information collected from the navigational behavior of the digital library users.

Research limitations/implications

The ontology is not complete. In fact, the ontology in itself will evolve with the new apparition of desired functionalities and requirements of the personalization system.

Practical implications

Such a personalization system will be very helpful to the users of a digital library to improve their experience of use.

Originality/value

The use of ontologies promotes the integration of new services into existing ones, and the interoperability with other systems through the appropriate semantic web services. New system functionalities and requirements can be added by including the appropriate description into the ontology framework that defines the digital library scenario of use.
On the conceptualisation of the query refinement task
Authors: Stojanovic Nenad
Published: May 2005

Purpose

To resolve the drawback in the existing methods for query refinement by using semantic technologies. Design/methodology/approach – The article introduces a conceptual space (ontology) in which a query refinement problem will be treated. In that space a query is modeled as a set of logic formulas, query refinement process is modeled as an inferencing process. The approach is focused on the positive conjunctive queries.

Findings

This (re)opens a question about a need for a more semantic‐based indexing of documents in the traditional information retrieval in order to improve the overall retrieval performances. This experimental study has shown that the semantics arisen (emerged) from row documents has enough quality to enable building query refinement methods that outperform the most advanced syntactic‐driven methods. Consequently, one can imagine a more emergent‐semantic based indexing process that will retain the autonomy of web data, but will significantly increase the precision of the retrieval process performed by a traditional search engine.

Originality/value

A novel approach for the query refinement is presented. It deals with the conceptual level of a user's query. Another benefits is that this conceptual structure emerges from the textual data automatically. The case study shows how a traditional full‐text search engine can benefit from applying this approach.
Publicly financed education in an endogenous growth model
Authors: Creedy John , Gemmell Norman
Published: May 2005

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the growth effects of human capital investment achieved through publicly‐provided, compulsory education, financed from income and consumption taxes.

Design/methodology/approach

Constructs an endogenous growth model for developing countries, based on human capital accumulation in which education is publicly provided and financed, and schooling is compulsory.

Findings

Public investment in human and physical capital are financed from taxes on wage and capital income, and consumption. Semi‐reduced forms are obtained to examine the equilibrium growth properties of the model, allowing the steady‐state effects of fiscal policy to be derived. The specification of the human capital production function and the strength of labour supply effects are shown to be important for the magnitude of steady‐state outcomes. Simulations illustrate the model's steady‐state and transitional dynamic properties.

Originality/value

Provides an analysis of the growth impact of state‐provided education.
Testing export‐led growth in South Asia
Authors: Love Jim , Chandra Ramesh
Published: May 2005

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to test the export‐led growth hypothesis for South Asia, a diverse region consisting of one large country, India, surrounded by a number of medium and small countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.

Design/methodology/approach

To test this, the study employs cointegration and error‐correction modelling, using data from the International Financial Statistics of the IMF.

Findings

The study produces fairly mixed results, and does not find any conclusive evidence in favour of export‐led growth. While India, Maldives and Nepal exhibit export‐led growth, Bangladesh and Bhutan show the opposite result of growth‐led exports. In Pakistan and Sri Lanka no causality in either direction was found. The mixed nature of the results is further confirmed by taking a common time period since 1980.

Practical implications

South Asia is one of the poorest regions of the world; so success or otherwise of export‐led growth is of great interest for policy purposes. For example, the finding of export‐led growth for the largest economy of the region, India, is particularly heartening as, by opening up its markets further to the other countries of the region, it can fuel growth in the entire region.

Originality/value

This study tries to fill an important gap in the literature as it is the first comprehensive study of the region as a whole.
Towards a framework of the performance evaluation of SMEs' industry portals
Authors: Chou Tzu‐Chuan , Hsu Li‐Ling , Yeh Ying‐Jung , Ho Chin‐Tsang
Published: May 2005

Purpose

With the fast growth of the internet, the development of industry portals for SMEs is becoming an increasingly important issue of economic growth. However, designing and developing efficient portals is not easy, and how to evaluate industry portals' performance has not yet been convincingly demonstrated. To address this gap, this paper aims to propose a framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The framework uses the analytic hierarchical process and incorporates both experts' and users' judgments into the performance evaluation process. It also employs three different objectives for performance evaluation including data quality, technology acceptance, and knowledge distribution. An exemplary case is given to demonstrate the proposed framework by empirically assessing an industry portal project, developed by Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan.

Findings

The proposed framework can enable industry associations to become more familiar with the nature and scope of portal performance evaluation.

Originality/value

Develops a framework which addresses the practical aspect of portal evaluation in terms of multiple objectives and involvement.
A cross country analysis of outward foreign direct investment patterns
Authors: Pantelidis Pantelis , Kyrkilis Dimitrios
Published: May 2005

Purpose

To evaluate the relevance of the source country idiosyncratic factors in determining the firm's foreign direct investment (FDI) propensity and consequently the country's outward FDI position.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample containing all countries with positive outward FDI flows for the whole period between 1976 and 1999 is selected. The sample consists of 25 countries and is divided in three groups, namely advanced countries, middle‐income countries and developing countries. An econometric model is estimated for each country group aiming to determine the variables affecting outward FDI position.

Findings

Market structure differentiation and openness are the only variables affecting outward FDI in all country groups. Marginal efficiency of capital is the significant variable in advanced and middle‐income countries. All other variables, namely technology, human capital and exchange rate affect outward FDI position of advanced countries.

Research limitations/implications

The list of FDI explanatory variables is not an exhaustive one. Changes of country income indicating changes of economic development may be explicitly introduced among others as an explanatory variable in a model, with outward FDI changes as the dependent variable in order to identify any relation between the two.

Practical implications

A very useful source of information for policy makers.

Originality/value

The validity of the model is tested over each country income group aiming at capturing variations in the statistical significance of the FDI explanatory variables between countries that have passed certain economic development thresholds.
Prejudice against female children: economic and cultural explanations, and Indian evidence
Authors: Tisdell Clem , Regmi Gopal
Published: May 2005

Purpose

The purpose is to outline and illustrate the economic theory of parental self‐interest and its implications for the entitlements of children according to their gender, and using empirical data, to determine the extent to which the theory is reflected in discrimination of parents against female siblings in different communities in eastern India.

Design/methodology/approach

Using economic analysis, this paper outlines and illustrates the basis of the economics of parental discrimination against female children and structured questionnaires are used to collect data from village rural wives in the Santal tribal belt of West Bengal and in Orissa in Kondh‐dominated village to determine the extent to which economics explains parental discrimination between daughters and sons. The selection of the areas has been done on the basis that their different cultural dimensions may affect parental attitudes to female children. The statistical significance of differences in responses between the West Bengal sample and that from Orissa is tested using the chi‐squared test. Implications of the results for theory of parental discrimination between siblings according to their gender are outlined.

Findings

It is found that parental discrimination in favour of boys and against girls is much more marked in the Santal‐dominated belt of West Bengal than in the Kondh‐dominated villages of Orissa, where it is absent or virtually so. This is the case despite similar economic conditions and the fact that all the sampled villagers are relatively poor. Differences in cultural values seem to explain the difference.

Research limitations/implications

Results could be strengthened by using a similar questionnaire to survey wives in additional villages in the Santal tribal‐belt of West Bengal and in more Kondh‐dominated villages in Orissa, as well as in other cultural contexts. Furthermore, families in these areas are patriarchal. It would be interesting to obtain results also from Indian communities that have matriarchal families as in parts of Meghalaya.

Originality/value

The findings support the view that the behaviour of parents towards children (according to their gender or otherwise) is a combined result of personal parental goals, social structures and cultural values. Economic theories of the family are likely to be too narrow and may be misleading in their predictions unless they take into account the institutional and cultural contexts in which families exist.
Economics, social justice and the common good: Roman‐Catholic perspectives
Authors: Nitsch Thomas O.
Published: May 2005

Purpose

Aims to discuss whether Roman Catholicism can legitimately lay claim to a distinctive brand of Economics, as well as to concepts of Social Justice and the Common Good.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual approach is taken.

Findings

To what traditionally has been packaged under the rubric of “Social Catholicism” the author has assigned the alias “Roman‐Catholic Social Economy(ics)”. This has the effect of rechristening and casting in English dress what emerged unequivocally (and parochially) asÉconomie politique chrétiennein a realm of thought and language where the adjective “Christian” was virtually synonymous with Franco‐Roman‐Catholic, and the (ideological/praxeological) theses assailed lay across the channel in Smithian political economy and British industrial society. The formal, official definition of “Social Justice” is enunciated in nothing less than a papal Encyclical Letter. Forms and formulations of “Social Lutheranism” there are, but a tradition thereof remains to establish itself. The R‐C concept of social justice is defined in terms of the Common Good, which inextricable bond is well‐documented and elaborated.

Originality/value

Contributes to the literature on Roman‐Catholic perspectives on economics and social justice.
Library services for people with disabilities in Argentina
Authors: Julia Todaro Alicia
Published: May 2005

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to determine the current status of the library services for visually impaired and physically handicapped people in Argentina.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was made of 20 different libraries throughout Argentina that provide services for visually impaired and physically handicapped people. A questionnaire composed of 114 questions based on American Library Association guidelines was developed and delivered by e‐mail and post to participating libraries. Additionally, visits were made to ten of these libraries with the objective of obtaining information by means of interviews with their respective directors as well as library personnel and users who were present at the time of the visit.

Findings

It was concluded that these libraries are not in a position to provide the best library services for visually impaired and physically handicapped individuals: it was seen that there are still many things to correct and improve.

Originality/value

It is considered that the present model of special libraries in Argentina is a possible contributor to the isolation and confinement of visually impaired and physically handicapped people. For this reason a new model of service should be considered. This should take into account an integrated library approach based on the Unesco manifesto 1994 for public libraries. It is suggested that the Unesco model of integrating universal library services will effectively ensure access to information for visually impaired and physically handicapped people, thus ensuring “a public library for everyone”.
The impact of thermal cycling regime on the shear strength of lead‐free solder joints
Authors: Dusek Milos , Wickham Martin , Hunt Christopher
Published: May 2005

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to undertake a comparison of accelerated test regimes for assessing the reliability of solder joints, in particular those made using lead‐free solders.

Design/methodology/approach

Identical samples of 1206, 0805 and 0603 resistors were subjected to six different cycling regimes to investigate the effect of thermal excursions, ramp rates and temperature dwells.

Findings

The most damage to joints was found to be caused by thermal cycling between −55 and 125°C, with a 10°C/min ramp rate and 5 min dwells. Large thermal excursions were shown to give faster results without compromising the failure mode.

Research limitations/implications

Similar degrees of damage in the lead‐free solder joints were experienced from thermal shock regimes with ramp rates in excess of 50°C/min. However, these regimes, although faster to undertake, appeared to cause different crack propagation modes than observed with the thermal cycling regimes. However, these differences may be small and thermal shock testing may still be used to differentiate between, or enable ranking of, the effects of changes to materials or processes on the reliability of the solder joints. Hence, it is envisaged that if a wide range of conditions are to be tested a first sift can be completed using thermal shock, with the final work using typical thermal cycling conditions.

Practical implications

The difference between the SAC (95.5Sn3.8Ag0.7Cu) and SnAg (96.5Sn3.5Ag) solder alloy results across all types of cycles showed very little difference in the rates of joint degradation.

Originality/value

This paper compares relative reliability (remaining shear strength) of three chip components soldered with two lead‐free alloys based on various thermal cycling conditions.
Ceremonial academic gowns of the University of Zagreb – idea to a finished product path
Authors: Dragčević Zvonko , Bogović Slavica , Vujasinović Edita , Bakran Tomislav
Published: May 2005

Purpose

To design, develop and construct specific garment designs for use in Croatia as academic gowns using advanced engineering principles.

Design/methodology/approach

The synergism of historians, designers, engineers, clothing technologists and textile finishers using specialised equipment has been employed in this project.

Findings

Using interdisciplinarity can yield good results.

Research limitations/implications

The research targets specific products, but its methodology may be used for any other products/end users also.

Practical implications

Gowns have been designed, made and used in academic ceremonies successfully.

Originality/value

Design/technology approach to new product development.
Equipment and methods used to investigate energy processing parameters of sewing technology operations
Authors: Rogale Dubravko , Petrunić Igor , Dragčević Zvonko , Firšt Rogale Snježana
Published: May 2005

Purpose

The equipment for computerised measuring of electrical power and energy is presented, adapted to the needs of investigating processing parameters of garment sewing operations.

Design/methodology/approach

The method of measuring the energy necessary to run the sewing‐machine driving electrical motor is also presented, correlated to the stitching speed in joining a straight seam in a single, two, or three, segments. Electrical energy consumption is analysed as dependent on the stitching speed, varying the number of stitches in the seam.

Findings

The investigations described have shown the impact of the method of work applied and the effect of the changes in garment sewing operation in processing parameters on the level of electrical energy consumed by the sewing‐machine drive electrical motor. A new measuring method has been introduced in garment engineering, aimed at predicting electrical energy consumption in garment sewing operations, thus opening a completely new field of investigation in the area of garment technologies.

Originality/value

A method of calculating the energy processing parameters of sewing operations.