bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical modeling of chemical reactions in complex environments: the intramolecular proton transfer in aqueous malonaldehyde
Authors: Aschi Massimiliano , D'Abramo Marco , Ramondo Fabio , Daidone Isabella , D'Alessandro Maira , Di Nola Alfredo , Amadei Andrea
Published: November 2006

The free energy profile and the (classical) kinetics of chemical reactions in (soft) condensed phase are modeled theoretically by means of molecular dynamics simulations, the Perturbed Matrix Method (PMM) and the quasi Gaussian entropy (QGE) theory. In this paper we describe the theoretical framework and apply the model to the intramolecular proton transfer reaction of aqueous malonaldehyde. Although in the present application we disregard the quantum effects for the proton dynamics along the reaction coordinate (i.e., tunneling), the classical‐like view of the proton transition over the reaction free energy surface seems to properly describe the kinetic process and shows that water acts lowering the reaction free energy barrier. Moreover, a weak temperature dependence of the free energy surface is obtained, implying small entropy variations in the transition. Interestingly the activation entropy, as provided by the QGE model, is negative in the whole temperature range considered, thus indicating an entropy reduction at the transition structure. Finally, by comparing our results with theoretical and experimental literature data, we critically address the actual role of tunneling in this reaction and discuss the emerging kinetic scheme. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An improved characteristic molecular volume parameter for linear solvation energy relationships of acyclic alkanes
Authors: Palatinus Joseph A. , Carroll Felix A. , Argenton André B. , Quina Frank H.
Published: November 2006

Boiling point numbers (YBP) of acyclic alkanes serve as the basis for an improved characteristic molecular volume parameter (VY) for use in linear solvation energy relationships. These VY values correlate much better than do Abraham–McGowan V values with a wide range of physical properties of acyclic alkanes, including vapor pressure, log L16 values, HPLC and GC retention indices, and aqueous solubilities. The VY parameter may be determined easily from literature boiling point data. Alternatively, it may be calculated from boiling points predicted by a wide variety of group contribution, connectivity, or computational methods when the experimental boiling point is unavailable. Thus, the results reported here enable fundamental physical properties of acyclic alkanes to be predicted directly from molecular structure. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amide and lactam hydrolysis of N‐(2‐hydroxyacetyl)‐2‐pyrrolidone: effective catalysis
Authors: Borboa Lisaedy García , Núñez Oswaldo
Published: November 2006

When N‐(2‐hydroxyacetyl)‐2‐pyrrolidone (open form) is dissolved in water at pH > 8, irreversible cleavage of the exocyclic and endocyclic amide CN bond occurs. The latter rupture corresponds to the lactam opening yielding N‐(4‐hydroxyacetyl)butanoic acid (NBA). NBA is produced from the ester hydrolysis of the ester‐amide macrocycle that is in equilibrium with the cyclol form of the open form. We have previously reported this latter equilibrium for N‐(2‐aminoacetyl)‐2‐lactams. 2‐pyrrolidone (lactam) and glycolic acid are produced from direct hydrolysis of the open form by means of the amide exocyclic cleavage. The [NBA]/[lactam] ratio increases at higher pH since the NBA production is second order with respect to [OH−] while the corresponding lactam formation is only first order. The obtained kobs is hence the sum of the rate constants that yield lactam and NBA, respectively. This kobs is uncatalyzed and specific base catalyzed with unusually high rate constants of 2.1 × 10−6 s−1 and 0.025 M−1 s−1, respectively. The stability of the corresponding tetrahedral intermediate formed and the intramolecular alkoxy nucleophilic attack on the lactam carbonyl group combined with an effective protonation of the lactam nitrogen that promotes the CN cleavage, contribute to increase the reaction rates and lactam opening. Rate constants for the two parallel reactions are obtained from kobs and [NBA]/[lactam] versus pH plots. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electron transfer reactions (ETR) of tert‐butyl perbenzoates with dimethyl sulfide: the rates controlled by translational entropy
Authors: Kim Sung Soo , Lim Sang Hak
Published: November 2006

Various tert‐butyl perbenzoates were prepared according to the known methods. The mixtures of tert‐butyl perbenzoate and dimethyl sulfide underwent thermolysis at several temperatures (T °C: 80, 90, 100, and 110). The rates of consumption of the peresters (kobs) were obtained from ln C0/Ct = kobs × t where C0 and Ct are the concentration of the perester at time 0 and t, respectively. For example: The decrease of the perester satisfied pseudo first order kinetics, and kobswere determined. kHom. and kET were obtained from kobs = kHom. + kET[CH3SCH3] where [CH3SCH3]/[perester] > 10. kET and its relative rates are produced from plot of kobs against [CH3SCH3]. Hammett correlation are plotted against σ and σ+ in which σ is better correlated than σ+. Hammett ρ could be considered selectivity which stays constant irrespective of temperature. The phenomenon is not consistent with reactivity/selectivity principle. The differential activation entropies linearly increase with substituent constant σ to give slope of 2.63 while the similar slope for differential enthalpies shows much lower value of 0.892. The dominance of differential entropic terms clearly indicates the entropy control of the rates. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Engineering functional materials by halogen bonding
Authors: Metrangolo Pierangelo , Resnati Giuseppe , Pilati Tullio , Liantonio Rosalba , Meyer Franck
Published: November 2006

Engineering functional materials endowed with unprecedented properties require the exploitation of new intermolecular interactions, which can determine the characteristics of the bulk materials. The great potential of Halogen Bonding (XB), namely any noncovalent interaction involving halogens as electron acceptors, in the design of new and high‐value functional materials is now emerging clearly. This Highlight will give a detailed overview on the energetic and geometric features of XB, showing how some of them are quite constant in most of the formed supramolecular complexes (e.g., the angle formed by the covalent and the noncovalent bonds around the halogen atom), while some others depend strictly on the nature of the interacting partners. Then, several specific examples of halogen‐bonded supramolecular architectures, whose structural aspects as well as applications in fields as diverse as enantiomers' separation, crystal engineering, liquid crystals, natural, and synthetic receptors, will be fully described. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: PolymChem 45: 1–15, 2007
An analysis of the psychometric profile and frequency of anxiety and depression in Australian men with prostate cancer
Authors: Sharpley Christopher F. , Christie David R. H.
Published: November 2006

Zung's Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale and Self‐Rating Depression Scale were used to collect data from 195 Australian men who had received a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Analysis was via separate scales and also by combining both scales into a single unit to assess anxiety–depression and then analysing the underlying component structure of that unit. Applying Zung's recommended cutoff scores, 12% of the sample were classified as having clinically significant levels of anxiety and 16% had similar levels of depression. Factor analysis of the combined SAS and SDS indicated four major components which reflected a process of: loss of functional capacity, worthlessness and hopelessness, fear and somatic symptomatology. Implications for the effective assessment and treatment of anxiety and depression in prostate patients are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Associated and predictive factors of sleep disturbance in advanced cancer patients
Authors: Akechi Tatsuo , Okuyama Toru , Akizuki Nobuya , Shimizu Ken , Inagaki Masatoshi , Fujimori Maiko , Shima Yasuo , Furukawa Toshiaki A. , Uchitomi Yosuke
Published: November 2006

Little attention has been paid to sleep disturbance experienced by advanced cancer patients. The purpose of the present study was to investigate longitudinal change in sleep disturbance and to identify factors that associated with and predicted sleep disturbance among 209 consecutive terminally ill cancer patients. Patients were assessed twice for sleep disturbance by one item of the structured clinical interview for assessing depression, once at the time of their registration with a palliative care unit (PCU) (baseline) and again at the time of their PCU admission (follow‐up), and possible associated medical and psychosocial factors were evaluated. The proportions of patients with obvious sleep disturbance at baseline and follow‐up were 15.3 and 25.9%, respectively. Sixty‐seven percent of the subjects showed some sleep status changes, including both aggravation and improvement, between baseline and follow‐up. Being younger, having diarrhea and living alone were significantly associated with sleep disturbance at baseline, and the increase of psychological distress was the only significant predictive factor for sleep disturbance at follow‐up. These findings suggest that psychological distress is a possible key cause of sleep disturbance and management of psychological distress may be one promising strategy for prevention of sleep disturbance among advanced cancer patients. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From quantum dots to terahertz radiation
Authors: Vaughan M. P.
Published: November 2006

Conference Reports are meant to offer an authoritative view on a recently held scientific meeting rather than a comprehensive list of the conference presentations. Authors are invited to describe what they feel were the most interesting contributions. The ICSNN 2006 Conference was devoted to new phenomena in the physics and technology of superlattices, nanostructures and nanoscale devices. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Predicting pulmonary hypoplasia using the sonographic fetal lung volume to body weight ratio — how precise and accurate is it?
Authors: Ruano R. , Martinovic J. , Aubry M. ‐C. , Dumez Y. , Benachi A.
Published: November 2006

Objectives

To determine the precision and accuracy of ultrasound in estimating the fetal lung to body weight ratio (FLB ratio) using two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound by comparison with postmortem measurements, and to evaluate its potential to diagnose pulmonary hypoplasia.

Methods

Lung volumes were estimated by 3D ultrasound (rotational technique) and fetal weights were measured by 2D ultrasound (Hadlock equation) in 35 fetuses immediately before termination of pregnancy at 15–38 weeks. Sonographic estimates of FLB ratio were compared with postmortem values. Based on the pathological definition of pulmonary hypoplasia, the accuracy of sonographic estimation of the FLB ratio was analyzed.

Results

The mean gestational age at termination of pregnancy was 26.7 (range, 15–38) weeks. The mean FLB ratios were 0.018 (SD, 0.006) on ultrasound and 0.019 (SD, 0.007) at autopsy (P = 0.730). Bias and precision of sonographic FLB ratio were − 0.001 and 0.003 (absolute limits, − 0.007 to + 0.006), respectively. Pulmonary hypoplasia was diagnosed in 12 (34.3%) cases at autopsy. The sonographic FLB ratio was significantly lower in fetuses with pulmonary hypoplasia at autopsy (median, 0.011; range, 0.004–0.014) than it was in those without pulmonary hypoplasia (median, 0.022; range, 0.013–0.045, P < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of the sonographic FLB ratio for diagnosing pulmonary hypoplasia were 91.7% (11/12) and 91.3% (21/23), respectively, the positive and negative predictive values were 84.6% (11/13) and 95.5% (21/22), and the accuracy was 91.4% (32/35).

Conclusion

FLB ratio can be estimated precisely on ultrasound examination, albeit with wide limits of agreement. The sonographically estimated FLB ratio may be useful in the prediction and diagnosis of pulmonary hypoplasia. Copyright © 2006 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanical limits to microbial activity in deep sediments
Authors: Rebata‐Landa Verónica , Santamarina J. Carlos
Published: November 2006

The observed decline in microbial abundance with increasing depth has been associated to various environmental factors. Meanwhile, the role of geometrical constraints and soil‐bacteria mechanical interactions remains poorly analyzed. Pore and pore‐throat sizes may restrict habitable pore space and traversable interconnected porosity, and sediment‐cell interaction may cause puncture or tensile failure of the cell membrane. In this study we compile published evidence on the presence of bacteria in deep sediments as well as pore and pore‐throat size data in sediments at different depths to establish possible geometrical conditions for the sediment‐cell complex. Compiled data are complemented with experimental results gathered through controlled axial compression experiments that reproduce the mechanical consolidation of deep sediment sequences. Then, we analyze the mechanical interaction between bacteria and sediments that may cause cell death. Finally, we combine data and model predictions to define the main regions in a particle‐size versus depth space that characterize the fate of bacteria: “active and motile,” “trapped inside pores,” and “dead or dormant.” These regions constrain hypotheses related to the role of biological activity in deep sediments, research protocols and sampling methods, the viability of bioremediation strategies for contaminated sites, and the potential development of bioengineered sediments.
Spatial distribution and abundance of red snow algae on the Harding Icefield, Alaska derived from a satellite image
Authors: Takeuchi Nozomu , Dial Roman , Kohshima Shiro , Segawa Takahiro , Uetake Jun
Published: November 2006

Red snow caused by algal bloom is common on glaciers and snowfields worldwide. Description of spatial distributions of snow algal blooms is important for understanding snow algae's unique life in an extremely cold environment and for determining the effect of algae through the reduction of surface albedo. Here we present the spatial distribution of red snow algae on the Harding Icefield, Alaska retrieved from a satellite image. Field observations on the icefield conducted in August 2001 revealed visible red snow, particularly near the snowline. Field measurements of spectral reflectance on the surface revealed the specific spectral absorption of algal pigments. We found a significant correlation between snow algal biomass and a reflectance ratio of SPOT (Satellite Probatoire d' Observation de la Terre) satellite band of wavelength 610–680 nm to band 500–590 nm. Using this relationship between the reflectance ratio and algal biomass, we estimated the distribution and abundance of red snow across the icefield using a SPOT satellite image. The spatial distribution of red snow on the icefield obtained by mapping the reflectance ratio matched field observations across the icefield with more red algal blooms on the continental than the maritime side of the icefield. Area averaged mean carbon content estimated from the red algal biomass for the icefield on the image was 1.2 kg km−2.
Magneto-optical imaging using polarization modulation method
Authors: Ishibashi Takayuki , Kuang Zhihao , Yufune Shuta , Kawata Tetsuya , Oda Masaru , Tani Toshiro , Iimura Yasufumi , Sato Katsuaki , Konishi Yasushi , Akahane Kouich , Zhao Xiaoru , Hasegawa Tetsuya
Published: November 2006

A magneto-optical (MO) microscope that uses the polarization modulation method has been developed for quantitative MO imaging. In this technique, images of MO rotation and ellipticity are reconstructed from three images for different polarization states; i.e., linear, right-circular, and left-circular polarization states. The three polarization states are generated either by rotating a quarter-wave plate or by changing the voltage applied to a liquid crystal modulator (LCM). Measurements are performed using a patterned thin film of Bi,Ga-substituted yttrium iron garnet prepared on a glass substrate. The values of MO rotation and ellipticity obtained from the images for several wavelengths between 450 and 650 nm are found to agree quantitatively with those obtained by an MO spectrometer. Hysteresis loops at any point of the image can be displayed by simply placing a pointer at the position. A real-time MO imaging with a rate of 1 frame/s is also achieved by using the LCM and a high-speed charge-coupled device camera.
A comprehensive structural and magnetic study of Ni nanoparticles prepared by the borohydride reduction of NiCl2 solution of different concentrations
Authors: Roy Aparna , Srinivas V. , Ram S. , De Toro J. A. , Goff J. P.
Published: November 2006

A comparative study of the structure and magnetic properties of Ni nanoparticles (20–80nm) prepared by the chemical reduction of NiCl2 solution of four different concentrations is reported. The concentration of the NiCl2 solution has a profound influence on the room temperature (300K) magnetic state of the resulting Ni nanoparticles, even though all four samples show the same x-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, i.e., have the same crystal structure (tetragonal, as proposed by us). It is found that samples obtained from lower concentration solutions (0.1 and 0.5M) show a linear response with magnetic field while those obtained from higher concentration ones (1 and 2M) have a ferromagnetic component at 300K. This difference in magnetic behavior has been attributed to the possible presence of fcc (face centered cubic) Ni cores in the particles of higher molarity samples, which therefore leads to strong interparticle dipolar interactions in them. The strong interactions, together with the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the cores, present a significant barrier to the relaxation of core moments in these samples, giving rise to their blocked state even above 300K, as evident from the irreversibility in the field cooled (FC) and zero field cooled (ZFC) curves, which starts right from the measuring temperature of 390K. Intriguing features in the form of a sharp peak at 20K and a hump at 12K are observed in the ZFC curve of all samples, signaling magnetic transitions at these temperatures. Appreciably high magnetization values are also seen in the M-H plots at 5K. The presence of these low temperature features irrespective of sample molarity indicates that the low temperature magnetic states of the samples, in contrast to their room temperature states, are independent of the concentration of the NiCl2 solution.
Vibrational relaxation of C–D stretching vibrations in CDCl3, CDBr3, and CDI3
Authors: Gündoğdu Kenan , Nydegger Michael W. , Bandaria Jigar N. , Hill Sarah E. , Cheatum Christopher M.
Published: November 2006

We present time-resolved transient grating measurements of the vibrational relaxation rates of the C–D stretching vibrations of deuterated haloforms in benzene and acetone. We compare our results with previous measurements of excited C–H stretches in the same solvents to obtain insight into the solvent effect on the vibrational relaxation. In deuterated molecules, there are more low-order-coupled states and the states are closer in energy to the C–D stretch than in the unlabeled isotopologs. Therefore, the relaxation is faster for the deuterated molecules. The relaxation also shows a significant solvent dependence. Bromoform and iodoform form charge-transfer complexes with both benzene and acetone which enhance the relaxation rate. For chloroform, hydrogen bonding to acetone is expected to be a more favorable interaction. Surprisingly, however, the vibrational relaxation of CDCl3 is slower in acetone than in benzene.
On Chern–Simons (super) gravity, E8 Yang–Mills and polyvector-valued gauge theories in Clifford spaces
Authors: Castro Carlos
Published: November 2006

It is shown how the E8 Yang–Mills theory is a small sector of a Cl(16) algebra gauge theory and why the 11D Chern–Simons (super) gravity theory can be embedded into a Cl(11) algebra gauge theory. These results may shed some light into the origins behind the hidden E8 symmetry of 11D supergravity. To finalize, we explain how the Clifford algebra gauge theory (that contains the Chern–Simons gravity action in D=11, for example) can itself be embedded into a more fundamental polyvector-valued gauge theory in Clifford spaces involving tensorial coordinates xμ1μ2,xμ1μ2μ3,…,xμ1μ2…μD in addition to antisymmetric tensor gauge fields Aμ1μ2,Aμ1μ2μ3,…,Aμ1μ2…μD. The polyvector-valued supersymmetric extension of this polyvector valued bosonic gauge theory in Clifford spaces may reveal more important features of a Clifford-algebraic structure underlying M, F theory.
Dynamics of TIP5P and TIP4P/ice potentials
Authors: Picaud S.
Published: November 2006

The dynamics of a thin film of ice Ih deposited on MgO (001) is studied through molecular dynamics simulations performed with two new potential models of ice. This system is chosen because it is possible to compare the results of the simulations to incoherent neutron quasielastic scattering experiments performed few years ago and to previous molecular dynamics simulations using the TIP4P potential model. The present simulations are performed to determine the evolution of the translational and orientational order parameters of the ice film upon temperature increase in the 250–280K range. They are also used to calculate the translational and orientational diffusion coefficients of the water molecules in the supported film as a function of the temperature. When using the TIP5P potential, the present results show a better agreement with experimental data than those calculated with the TIP4P potential, especially regarding the temperature above which significant changes are obtained in the dynamics of the water film. Similar conclusions are obtained when using the TIP4P/ice potential, although this latter potential clearly underestimates the translational diffusion coefficients.
Jitter reduction of two synchronized picosecond mode-locked lasers using balanced cross-correlator with two-photon detectors
Authors: Minamikawa Takeo , Tanimoto Naoki , Hashimoto Mamoru , Araki Tsutomu , Kobayashi Minoru , Fujita Katsumasa , Kawata Satoshi
Published: November 2006

The authors have developed a highly synchronized picosecond mode-locked laser system. A balanced cross-correlator using two-photon detectors was employed to observe femtosecond order timing jitter between two picosecond lasers (1.26fs with 150Hz bandwidth and 7.14fs with 1kHz bandwidth), and a signal from the correlator was used as a feedback control signal to reduce the timing jitter. The timing jitter between the two lasers was reduced to 8fs through a low-pass filter with 150Hz bandwidth.
Vacancy self-trapping during rapid thermal annealing of silicon wafers
Authors: Frewen Thomas A. , Sinno Talid
Published: November 2006

The density and spatial distribution of oxide precipitates within a crystalline silicon wafer is of paramount importance for microelectronic device yield. In this letter, the authors show how the formation of previously unconsidered, very small vacancy aggregates can explain macroscopic spatial variations in the oxide precipitate density, which are observed following certain rapid thermal annealing conditions. The formation of these nanometer-sized voids is predicted on the basis of their recent model for vacancy aggregation that accounts for high temperature entropic effects.
Analyzing solution-phase time-resolved x-ray diffraction data by isolated-solute models
Authors: Lee Jae Hyuk , Kim Kyoung Hwan , Kim Tae Kyu , Lee Youhong , Ihee Hyotcherl
Published: November 2006

Extracting transient structural information of a solute from time-resolved x-ray diffraction (TRXD) data is not trivial because the signal from a solution contains not only the solute-only term as in the gas phase, but also solvent-related terms. To obtain structural insights, the diffraction signal in q space is often Fourier sine transformed (FT) into r space, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation-aided signal decomposition into the solute, cage, and solvent terms has so far been indispensable for a clear-cut assignment of structural features. Here we present a convenient method of comparative structural analysis without involving MD simulations by incorporating only isolated-species models for the solute. FT is applied to both the experimental data and candidate isolated-solute models, and comparison of the correlation factors between the experimental FT and the model FTs can distinguish the best candidate among isolated-solute models for the reaction intermediates. The low q region whose influence by solvent-related terms is relatively high can be further excluded, and this mode of truncated Fourier transform (TFT) improves the correlation factors and facilitates the comparison. TFT analysis has been applied to TRXD data on the photodissociation of C2H4I2 in two different solvents (methanol and cyclohexane), HgI2 in methanol, and I3− in methanol excited at 267nm. The results are consistent with previous conclusions for C2H4I2 in methanol and HgI2 in methanol, and the new TRXD data reveal that the C2H4I transient radical has a bridged structure in cyclohexane and I3− in methanol decomposes into I+I2− upon irradiation at 267nm. This TFT method should greatly simplify the analysis because it bypasses MD simulations.
Changes in the Scale and Size Distribution of US Metropolitan Areas during the Twentieth Century
Authors: Ehrlich Steven , Gyourko Joseph
Published: November 2006

The scale and size distribution of US metropolitan areas from 1910 to 1995 are documented and analysed. The data show that the country's population became increasingly concentrated, prior to the Second World War, in the largest metropolitan areas in the top decile of the size distribution by population. The data leave little doubt that the largest labour market areas became increasingly attractive places in which to live and work during this time. In contrast to this pre-war trend, the data since 1950 show a loss of population share for the largest metropolitan areas in the top decile of the population size distribution. This loss of share by very large areas is not counterbalanced by increasing share among small or medium-sized metropolitan areas. Rather, the share is captured by the next-largest group of areas in the adjacent decile of the size distribution. Thus, while there is evidence of declining share for the very largest areas, there is no evidence that the rise of the services/information sectors of the economy has made small or medium-sized areas especially attractive places in which to live or work in the post-war era. In addition, the data provide only limited support for the hypothesis that a decline in the desirability of large metropolitan areas could account for the decline of many of the nation's larger central cities.
Ownership, Occupation and Risk: A View of the City of London Office Market
Authors: Lizieri Colin , Baum Andrew , Scott Peter
Published: November 2006

Office returns in the City of London are more volatile than in other UK markets. This volatility may reflect fluctuations in capital flows associated with changing patterns of ownership and the growing linkage between real estate and financial markets in the City. Using current and historical data, patterns of ownership in the City are investigated. They reveal that overseas ownership has grown markedly since 1985, that owners are predominantly FIRE-sector firms and that there are strong links between ownership and occupation. This raises concerns about future volatility and systemic risk in a market strongly influenced by the cyclical behaviour and shocks of the international financial system.
Utilisation of the Stock of Owner-occupied Single-family Houses: An Econometric Analysis
Authors: Nordvik Viggo
Published: November 2006

In many 'single-family' houses, the owner has the option to let a part of the house to another party or to use the entire house for her own purposes. This paper uses a stochastic utility framework to provide a theoretical analysis of this dichotomous choice. The paper also shows how an empirical model that is consistent with the theoretical model can be formulated and estimated using suitable parameterisation. Within the empirical analysis, we test, and reject, the hypothesis of locally linear utility functions that are frequently used in models of discrete housing choices. Furthermore, the estimated model is used to show how the tax treatment of owner-occupiers affects the utilisation of the stock of single-family houses.
The User-pays System in the Provision of Urban Infrastructure: Effectiveness and Equity Criteria
Authors: Azizi Mohammad Mehdi
Published: November 2006

A variety of means are currently used throughout the world to finance urban infrastructure in new areas and many countries have attempted to apply alternative and innovative methods to address this issue. Since 1985, Iran has employed a direct user-pays system to finance urban infrastructure in new areas. Questions surrounding effectiveness and equity in the user-pays system result in some conflicting issues. This paper examines the implications of the user-pays system in terms of effectiveness and equity considerations, using the experience of Iran. The primary foci are: first, to expand the discussion on financial aspects of infrastructure provision; and, secondly, to understand and explain the implications of the user-pays system for infrastructure provision, based on an empirical analysis.
Determinants of Individual Commuting in Catalonia, 1986-91: Theory and Empirical Evidence
Authors: Artís Manuel , Romaní Javier , Suriñach Jordi
Published: November 2006

Commuting exists because an important fraction of workers in developed countries do not live close to their workplaces, but at long distances from them, so that they must travel to their jobs and then back home daily. This paper studies commuting in Catalonia (a Spanish region) for the 1986-91 period. We introduce the main facts of commuting in Catalonia by a descriptive analysis using several statistical methods, first on its sectoral side (de-composing the Catalonian economy into 24 sectors), then on its territorial side (dividing Catalonia in 16 homogeneous territorial units called regions) and an analysis of the professional categories. Then, we comment briefly on the theory of residential location, which provides us with the theoretical framework needed for the study of commuting. The last part of the paper consists of an estimation of commuting using a logit model with individual data from the 1991 Spanish Population Census, in order to select the most relevant variables and estimate their effect on commuting.
Ruralopolises : The Spatial Organisation and Residential Land Economy of High-density Rural Regions in South Asia
Authors: Qadeer Mohammad A.
Published: November 2006

Many rural regions, extending over thousands of square kilometres, in parts of Asia and Africa, have population densities comparable to Western metropolitan areas. In these agrarian and poor regions, population density is precipitating thresholds for collective facilities and services on the one hand, and squeezing the provision of land for living on the other. Such regions have been named ruralopolises to underline the fusion of rural economic and social systems with metropolitan spatial organisations. Ruralopolises are the sites of urbanisation through implosion. This paper outlines the phenomenon of ruralopolises and explores their emerging forms of settlement and evolving residential land tenures. It is essentially a conceptual exploration of high-density rural settlement systems based upon examples and observations from south Asian ruralopolitan regions. Given the scale of ruralopolitan regions in the Third World, it appears that ruralopolises are another urban frontier ripening for spatial and infrastructural crises in the 21st century.
An Assessment of the Decision to Extend Government-built Houses in Developing Countries
Authors: Graham Tipple A. , Masters Gillian A. , Garrod Guy D.
Published: November 2006

In an international comparative study of self-help transformations (alterations and extensions) to government-built housing in developing countries, sponsored by the Department for International Development, data were collected on the household and housing characteristics of about 400 households in each of 4 case studies (in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Cairo, Egypt; Kumasi, Ghana; and Harare, Zimbabwe). The data for each country have been used in a two-step econometric analysis of the decision to transform. The first step examines the factors which influenced the decision to make an extension in the period 1991-93 (the 3 years before our survey) and the second step examines how much was spent on the extension. In general, it seems that the characteristics of the house were very influential in the decision to transform and in the decision on how much to spend once the transformation had been undertaken. Thus, its frequency could have been influenced by housing design and physical planning policy.
New Deals, No Wheels: Social Exclusion, Tele-options and Electronic Ontology
Authors: Carter Chris , Grieco Margaret
Published: November 2006

Attention has largely fallen on the grand providers and users of new information communication technologies, such as corporations, government and municipal authorities with their needs to reduce public expenditure bills, but there are new dimensions to social existence opened up by these technologies at the community and individual levels which have been repeatedly ignored. The paper explores, from a radical organisational perspective, the extent to which new tele-technologies provide new social options for the previously marginalised and disadvantaged: tele-options can greatly assist in the delivery of the New Deal whilst simultaneously reducing the negative quality of the current urban transport environment. The new electronic communication technologies have the potential to alter radically power structures and equalise power, through increased transparency, heightened reflexivity and the opportunity for electronic dialogue, between clients and experts, communities and politicians and students and teachers. The power-knowledge discourse is all set to take a new form: a form which fits with Habermas' conception of the ideal communication situation. In this context, the paper explores the ontology-epistemology relationship which new technology brings into play.
Reconnecting to the Public
Authors: Corrigan Paul , Joyce Paul
Published: November 2006

New information and communication technology can be used to improve the productivity of public services and the responsiveness of government. However, as this paper suggests, without substantial re-engineering of the organisational relationship to the public, IT on its own will achieve little. The paper examines three issues about the use of ICT to reconnect the government and the public. Why is reconnecting so important? What are the issues standing in the way of this reconnection using ICT? And what can be done to address these issues? The paper examines the whole nexus of the nature of government-public interactions rather than simply exploring the strategic utility of IT in the governmental sector.
Intelligent Urban Management: Learning to Manage and Managing to Learn Together for a Change
Authors: Stubbs Mark , Lemon Mark , Longhurst Phil
Published: November 2006

Increasing awareness of the complexity of the modern urban setting has led to the questioning of management approaches founded on institutional, administrative and geographical compartmentalisation. The paper develops a conceptualisation of management for responding to complex urban issues that confound bounded problem-solving. The article shows how an interagency management response was fostered in relation to issues of urban air quality in the south-central region of the UK. The notion of intelligent urban management that arises from this experience focuses on improving communication within and between agencies about the highly connected and emergent nature of problems for which management responsibility has been assumed. In conclusion, the paper considers how this kind of transboundary action and learning can be further inspired and sustained.
Modelling Intrametropolitan Location of Foreign Investment Firms in a Chinese City
Authors: Wu Fulong
Published: November 2006

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is now becoming a driving force for world-wide urban structuring. Very few studies have been made at the intrametropolitan scale of industrial location in post-socialist cities. Studies at a regional scale have generally emphasised the 'peculiar' nature of FDI and have resorted to the description of 'special factors' such as kinship ties and social networks to explain FDI location processes in contemporary urban China. With the aid of GIS techniques, this study geo-located FDI firms through their postal codes and measured the site characteristics through cross-referencing location factors presented in the coverage such as infrastructure and land use. This study used logistic regressions to examine how site attributes influence the popularity of a development site. The results suggest that intraurban FDI firm location can be explained by the location advantages prevailing at development sites, among which highway accessibility, the access to major high-ranking hotels and the status of the Economic and Technological Development Zone (ETDZ) are important determinants in addition to conventional location factors such as access to railway terminals, agglomeration economies and labour markets. The implications of FDI location for the urban spatial structure are profound. First, FDI has transformed the function of the city centre (for example, an emerging CBD). Secondly, the intrametropolitan distribution of FDI has triggered polycentric urban growth in Chinese cities.
Housing-sector Performance in Global Perspective: A Cross-city Investigation
Authors: Arimah Ben C.
Published: November 2006

This paper measures and accounts for variations in housing-sector performance using the UNCHS and World Bank's Housing Indicators database of a diverse sample of 52 cities. The first stage of the empirical analysis, based on a principal components analysis, indicates that housing-sector performance can be evaluated in terms of six distinct dimensions. These are: poor housing conditions, house price appreciation, public-sector housing provision, home-ownership, housing finance and the absence of homelessness. The second stage of the analysis reveals that intercity variations in these dimensions can be accounted for by differences in the levels of economic development, the macroeconomic environment, demographic characteristics, the efficiency of the construction industry, expenditure on infrastructure and the regulatory and institutional environment governing the housing delivery process.
Models of Office Market Dynamics
Authors: Tse Raymond Y. C. , Webb James R.
Published: November 2006

This study introduces a dynamic adjustment model, relating the growth rate of the supply of office spaces to the vacancy rate and the gap between actual and expected supply growth rates. A two-equation model of stock adjustments based on adaptive expectations is used to provide empirical tests. This study also presents estimates of the space absorption rate by linking it to the expected vacancy rate, office employment rate and the structural change in services sector. The connection between office and product markets is investigated. Annual data from the national office market in the US during the 1977-96 period are consistent with the adjustment equations. Both the office employment rates and the shift in employment to office jobs directly affect the rate of space absorption in office markets.
From Metropolis to Metropolis-based Region: The Case of Tel-Aviv
Authors: Bar-El Raphael , Parr John B.
Published: November 2006

The decreasing relative importance of major metropolitan areas in the distribution of population and economic activity within many nations of the developed world raises questions about the emergence of agglomeration diseconomies and the associated changes in spatial structure. Here, we explore the thesis that a metropolis-based region (MBR), comprising the metropolis and a surrounding territory, has come to replace the metropolis as the appropriate unit of analysis for tracking such developments. Using data covering the past 22 years for the Tel-Aviv MBR, various indicators are estimated. These include national and regional deconcentration (both measured in terms of population and employment), as well as centrality, dependence, attractiveness and integration (measured in terms of employment). The main results of the analysis include the following: the need to view metropolitan stagnation and deconcentration within the wider context of the MBR; employment deconcentration occurring at a slower rate than population deconcentration, leading to increasing levels of employment centrality within the MBR; the process of consolidation within the MBR, accompanied by a strengthening of its economic role within the nation.
Housing Careers in the United States, 1968-93: Modelling the Sequencing of Housing States
Authors: Clark William A. V. , Deurloo Marinus C. , Dieleman Frans M.
Published: November 2006

The research in this paper focuses on the housing career during a household's life-course. The housing career is the sequence of housing states defined in terms of tenure and the quality/price of the dwellings that households occupy while they make parallel careers in family status and the job market. The research brings out, more than the literature on separate residential moves, that many households are in a stable housing state over long stretches of their life-course. Housing careers are notable for having a relatively simple structure and, in general, an upward trend in quality, price and tenure of the sequence of dwellings occupied. As expected, there is a close relationship between the type of housing career and a household's income and income growth. Regional variation in tenure composition and the price of the stock have a strong influence on the development of the housing careers in different regions.
Global City Formation in a Capitalist Developmental State: Tokyo and the Waterfront Sub-centre Project
Authors: Saito Asato
Published: November 2006

It is widely believed that the integration of the global economy and the development of information technology have led to the creation of the world city as a centre of command-and-control functions in the world economy. However, as each city is nested in its national and regional context, such a simple deterministic logic is not satisfactory. This article explores the world city formation of Tokyo by investigating the decision-making process of the Tokyo waterfront sub-centre, one of the flagship urban development projects. The author argues that the institutional relations among the national and local governments, and the business community in Tokyo were grounded in the country's unique tradition of a state-capital relationship which can be explained by capitalist developmental state theory.
Embedded Autonomy and Uneven Metropolitan Development: A Comparison of the Detroit and Nagoya Auto Regions, 1969-2000
Authors: Jacobs A.J.
Published: November 2006

This article compares the relationship between national embeddedness and metropolitan development in the Detroit and Nagoya auto regions. Based upon literature, descriptive data and in-depth interviews with 140 development officials in these 2 regions, it finds that, over the past 30 years, the US governmental system, its national approach to development and a lack of institutional support for metropolitan planning, have produced fiercely competitive interlocal relations. These elements have also exacerbated conditions of uneven metropolitan development in the Detroit auto region. Conversely, it argues that Japan's embedded autonomy has produced extremely co-operative intermunicipal relations and has helped to facilitate relatively balanced growth in the Nagoya auto region, during this same period. In other words, despite arguments against it, the spatial configurations of metropolitan areas in the US and Japan continue to be embedded or nested within their national (and sub-national) contexts.
Globalisation, Class, Consumption and Civil Society in South-east Asian Cities
Authors: Clammer John
Published: November 2006

Debates about the nature of globalisation have often taken a very abstract turn and have often failed to address the specificities of urban cultures and of the sociological as well as economic changes created by globalising forces. This paper examines the relationship between class, consumer culture and civil society in contemporary south-east Asian cities, particularly in the light of the region-wide economic crisis beginning in 1997. It attempts to place the relationship between class and civil society participation in the bigger framework of consumption behaviour, arguing that this both creates the primary cultural context in which the new middle classes in Asia operate and provides the linkage between globalisation and local urban cultures. In doing so, it attempts to provide a fresh perspective on south-east Asian urban social processes and to suggest an avenue for more accurately theorising the nature of urban social movements from a comparative perspective and specifically in the ethnically, religiously and culturally complex urban societies of contemporary Asia.
Attracting and Retaining Investments in Uncertain Times: Singapore in South-east Asia
Authors: Ho K.C.
Published: November 2006

This paper takes a political economy approach in evaluating the state's role in investment promotion. Using the Asian financial crisis as an opportunity to study regulatory mechanisms, the paper examines both state-society relations as well as relations between Singapore and its neighbours, Indonesia and Malaysia. The difficult policies which Singapore enacted during the crisis-namely, a wage-cut as well as the drive to recruit foreign skilled labour in the midst of a depressed economy—cannot be understood except in terms of an institutional context involving agencies, interest-groups and segments of society and the state's continuing ideological work and, specifically, within an embedded autonomy position where the state was able to fend off lobbying efforts while at the same time using its position with the unions to push for wage-cuts and skilled foreign labour. Such embedding or nestedness was also apparent in Singapore's regional relations. The incorporation of the Riau islands in Indonesia in sub-regional production networks managed by Singapore led to consistent stances taken by Singapore and Indonesian regional authorities to protect investments, in the midst of inconsistent signals between the national governments of the two countries.
Linking physiological mechanisms of coherent cellular behaviour with more general physical approaches towards the coherence of life
Authors: Jaeken Laurent
Published: November 2006

Schrödinger pointed out that one of the most fundamental properties of life is its coherent behaviour. This property has been approached from a physiological point of view by Ling in his 'association‐induction hypothesis' and extended by Pollack (gel‐sol theory), by Chaplin and by Kaivarainen (detailed studies of cellular water). The question of coherence has also been attacked from general physics in three independent approaches: from non‐linear thermodynamics (Fröhlich), from quantum field theory (Del Giudice and his group) and from quantum mechanics (Davydov). In this paper all these approaches are unified. The emerging picture constitutes a new paradigm of life.
iubmb Life, 58: 642 ‐ 646, 2006