bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells inhibit pulmonary immunopathology and promote clearance of respiratory syncytial virus
Authors: Smit Joost J. , Rudd Brian D. , Lukacs Nicholas W.
Published: May 2006

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is widely spread and is a major cause of bronchiolitis in infants and high-risk adults, often leading to hospitalization. RSV infection leads to obstruction and inflammation of the airways and induction of innate and acquired immune responses. Because dendritic cells (DCs) are essential in the elicitation of these immune responses, we investigated the presence and the role of dendritic cell subtypes upon RSV infection in the lung. Here, we report that RSV infection increased the number of both conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells in the lung and the lung-draining lymph nodes. In particular, the increase in plasmacytoid dendritic cell numbers was sustained and lasted until 30 d after infection. Depletion of plasmacytoid dendritic cells resulted in decreased RSV clearance. In addition, depletion of plasmacytoid dendritic cells resulted in an exacerbation of all manifestations of immune-mediated pathology caused by RSV infection. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that both conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells are attracted to the site of RSV infection. It is demonstrated that plasmacytoid dendritic cells play a protective role during RSV infection by modulation of local immune responses.
Implications of Food Irradiation for Food Safety
Authors: Kilcast David
Published: May 2006

Despite public unease, certain irradiated foods will be legally on
sale in the UK in 1990. The irradiation process is outlined and its
applications described. At present 36 countries have legalised the
process and more than 40 different foods are treated. Although the
process has as yet no detection method, all products so treated will be
identified. The main initial application in the UK will probably be
spices and herbs, whose decontamination is currently problematic.
Unobtrusive Testing of Reference Enquiry Work
Authors: Whittaker Kenneth
Published: May 2006

A survey is presented of the use of unobtrusive testing techniques
to measure reference enquiry answering performance, emphasising research
carried out in Britain. British studies reveal similar performance
figures to those obtained by American studies; the average succes rate
here also being only about 55 per cent. Possible developments in the use
of the techniques to aid user service research and management are
suggested, and the limitations of unobtrusive testing methods are
considered. The improvement of enquiry answering performance would seem
to lie in better training of library staff in communication skills.
Libraries and Librarians in the 1890s: A Survey of the
Library Scene 100 Years Ago
Authors: Baker William
Published: May 2006

The library situation in Great Britain in the 1890s is reviewed.
The growth of public libraries is demonstrated and the careers of
notable librarians such as James Duff Brown outlined. The foundation of
the Library Association and Library Assistants Association is noted as
is the establishment of the library press. Developments in sub‐scription
and academic libraries and the rise of technical education are reviewed.
Key Industrial Relations: West German Subsidiaries in Britain
Authors: Beaumont P.B. , Cressey P. , Jakobsen P.
Published: May 2006

The results of a survey of some 230 West German
subsidiaries currently operating in Britain are
analysed. The issues examined include the extent
of non‐union status, the existence of a personnel
manager, and the nature of employee involvement
arrangements. A major finding is that fully three‐quarters
of the respondents are non‐union
organisations, with the size of the organisation
being particularly influential in explaining this and
other relationships.
TQM and the Management of Labour
Authors: Wilkinson Adrian , Allen Peter , Snape Ed
Published: May 2006

Total Quality Management (TQM) looks like being
one of the management fashions of the 1990s. In
this respect the academic and prescriptive
literature on TQM is reviewed. The factors which
have encouraged organisations to introduce TQM
are discussed and some of the implications for the
management of labour outlined. It is suggested
that TQM is consistent with a move towards
human resource management.
Buying Packaged Software? – Caveat Emptor!
Authors: Sasserath J.D.
Published: May 2006

A guide to assist people along the path of software package
selection, helping them avoid the pitfalls (including over‐enthusiastic
salesmen) is presented. Guidelines to follow are: make sure that what
you intend doing is compatible with your company′s strategic goals and
plans; conduct a short feasibility study to create first estimates of
scope of the project, timescales and costs; define requirements in
sufficient detail for potential suppliers to give an accurate assessment
of all the costs involved. Function, performance and environment should
all be defined; involve all the users in agreeing this statement of
requirements; identify suitable potential suppliers; prepare and issue
an invitation to tender; evaluate responses against your requirements
and reduce the list of potential suppliers until you are left with one.
And when unsure about any part of the process – get professional
help!
Distribution Channel Relationships in Diverse Cultures
Authors: Kale Sudhir H. , McIntyre Roger P.
Published: May 2006

One of the main functions of culture is division of labour among
various actors in society. Since the global environment is characterised
by diverse and deep‐rooted cultural norms and value systems, the nature
of this division of labour across cultures should exhibit systematic
differences. Channels of distribution are primarily designed to
facilitate division of labour, and channel relationships should
therefore reflect the underlying cultural tenets of society. Using
Hofstede′s schemata to classify various national cultures, a series of
propositions is generated on how distribution channel relationships will
vary across countries based on their positions on Hofstede′s four
dimensions of culture.
Quality Issues in Banking: A Conceptual Approach
Authors: Kathawala Yunus , Johnson Judy
Published: May 2006

Quality control of banks is discussed in the light
of the recession in banking in the early 1980s. The
failure of banks has been seen to be due more to
poor management and control than to adverse
economic conditions. Therefore the quality of
institutions must be measured not simply by
profitability but also by customer service, key
financial ratios and analysis, especially the loan
portfolio. It is also imperative that banking laws and
government regulations should be fully observed.
Finally, in an age of widespread computer and other
types of fraud it is essential that job applicants be
rigorously screened for trust worthiness.
Human Error Data Collection and Data Generation
Authors: Kirwan B. , Martin B. , Rycraft H. , Smith A.
Published: May 2006

Human error data in the form of human error probabilities should ideally form the corner‐stone of human reliability theory and practice. In the history of human reliability assessment, however, the collection and generation of valid and usable data have been remarkably elusive. In part the problem appears to extend from the requirement for a technique to assemble the data into meaningful assessments. There have been attempts to achieve this, THERP being one workable example of a (quasi) database which enables the data to be used meaningfully. However, in recent years more attention has been focused on the PerformanceShaping Factors (PSF) associated with human reliability. A “database for today” should therefore be developed in terms of PSF, as well as task/ behavioural descriptors, and possibly even psychological error mechanisms. However, this presumes that data on incidents and accidents are collected and categorised in terms of the PSF contributing to the incident, and such classification systems in practice are rare. The collection and generation of a small working database, based on incident records are outlined. This has been possible because the incident‐recording system at BNFL Sellafield does give information on PSF. Furthermore, the data have been integrated into the Human Reliability Management System which is a PSF‐based human reliability assessment system. Some of the data generated are presented, as well as the PSF associated with them, and an outline of the incident collection system is given. Lastly, aspects of human common mode failure or human dependent failures, particularly at the lower human error probability range, are discussed, as these are unlikely to be elicited from data collection studies, yet are important in human reliability assessment. One possible approach to the treatment of human dependent failures, the utilisation of human performance‐limiting values, is described.
STRESS AMONG GRADUATES WORKING IN THE SME SECTOR
Authors: Johnson David
Published: May 2006

The causes and consequences of stress are well documented. The
specific way in which stress may affect the graduate working in small‐
and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) is the focus. A model of stress,
specific to the experiences of the graduate, which incorporates both the
causes and consequences of stress is developed and viewed as a necessary
precursor to empirical investigation. Having highlighted how stress may
manifest for the graduate working in SMEs, interventions are suggested
which could reduce the all too apparent costs. An awareness of the
effects of stress, education about the working environment, and the need
for support networks, are presented as potential stress management
strategies.
PERCEIVED AND PREFERRED STYLES OF LEADERSHIP: INFLUENCES ON EMPLOYEE JOB SATISFACTION
Authors: Savery Lawson K.
Published: May 2006

The study was conducted in the headquarters of a mining company in Perth, Western Australia. The findings suggest that the dissonance factor (perceived leadership style received versus preferred style) was higher for women than for men. Women, in fact, desired a more democratic style of leadership than men while the perceived styles were very similar for both genders. The dissonance factor was related to job satisfaction but it appears that the dissonance factor is a better measure of longterm commitment to the organisation while job satisfaction appears to measure a shorter‐term employee satisfaction. The results of the study suggest that high levels of commitment and job satisfaction are independent of the style of leadership received. This challenges the advice given by organisational behaviourists over the last few years that a democratic style was necessary to improve job satisfaction, reduce absenteeism and labour turnover and increase productivity.
Developing Enterprising Graduates
Authors: Kirby David A. , Mullen David
Published: May 2006

In an era of change and uncertainty, there is a need for employees
who are both resourceful and flexible. The creation of such competencies
in graduates is the objective of the UK Training Agency′s recent
Enterprise Initiative in Higher Education. This Initiative is reviewed
and the outcomes of one project, the Shell Technology Enterprise
Programme, which exposes undergraduates, of any discipline, to a period
of action learning in a small firm, is explored. In total, the
experiences and attitudes of 75 students are examined, together with the
views of their employees. The study concludes that, as described in the
programme, action learning can help develop the requisite competencies
in students, at the same time developing their understanding of business
and management. However, to be fully effective, it needs to be
incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum.
Training Evaluation: A Procedure for Validating an
Organization′s Investment in Training
Authors: Plant Roger A. , Ryan Robert J.
Published: May 2006

At a time when industrial expense is under great pressure,
particularly training budgets, it is of great importance that training
is carefully focused, to ensure that organizations obtain the maximum
benefit. The widely accepted procedures for evaluation described by
Donald Kirkpatrick almost without exception have been applied only at
level 1 (Student Reaction forms). Many researchers have questioned the
value of this part‐application of an evaluation strategy. This new
system of training effectiveness evaluation not only forms the basis of
individual analysis, but also allows group deficiencies to be explored
over time. The method based on self‐perceived skill gap measurement
allows the monitoring of skills management at individual departmental
and organizational levels and gives management, for the first time, a
control measure to which skill management budgets (of which training is
a part) can be compared.
Cadmium Exposure in Daye County, China: Environmental
Assessment and Management, Health and Economic Effects
Authors: Hong Zhiyong , Bao Keguang , Tisdell Clem
Published: May 2006

Summarises the environmental cadmium loading, human body cadmium
(Cd) burden and the biological indicators of the early‐stage health
effects induced by exposure to cadmium on the population of Daye county
in China. Claims that urinary calcium and urinary low molecular weight
protein are good biological indicators for the detection of the
early‐stage renal dysfunction and recommend that the prevention and
treatment of cadmium pollution be incorporated into primary health care.
Cost‐benefit analysis of reduction of Cd emissions from the non‐ferrous
smelter in Daye county indicates that the benefit‐cost ratio taking into
account both direct health costs and indirect costs is far in excess of
unity.
In Preparation for the Principalship: Initiates′ Problems
in Conducting Instructional Conferences
Authors: Roberts Jo
Published: May 2006

This was an exploratory study of problems encountered by aspiring
administrators or instructional supervisors as they conducted
instructional improvement conferences with teachers for the first time.
Twenty‐nine initiates from the University of Colorado preparation
programme were monitored routinely over two semesters. After class
instruction, monitoring and practice, initiates completed two formal
observation cycles. Analysis of data gathered and conference tapes
showed that only 10 per cent of the initiates demonstrated adequate
conferencing abilities. Identified problems included under‐analysis,
poorly focused strategising, lack of reflective discussion, and failure
to pursue the conference objective. Reasons are explored and related
recommendations for the preparation of initiates to practise direct
instructional assistance to teachers are given.
Educational Change and the Khalwa in the Sudan: Reform
Reformed
Authors: Lynch Patrick D. , Al‐Fatih Qarib Allah Abasalih , Omer Saifelislam M.
Published: May 2006

Describes the new educational policy, a reform attempted for
primary and secondary education in the Sudan by the Nimeiri Government
during the period 1970‐1985. The plan was a top‐down attempt to increase
enrolments dramatically and to change the type of curriculum from
colonial, inherited from the British, to one which was authentically
Sudanese and would prepare all students to live in a modern society.
Beyond the Personnel Function: The Strategic Management of
Human Resources
Authors: Handy Laurence , Barham Kevin , Panter Sara , Winhard Amelie
Published: May 2006

It is argued that as firms become increasingly aware that people
are among their most valuable strategic assets, they are reappraising
the way in which they manage their human capital. The emphasis is
shifting from “personnel management” to the wider, strategic
concept of “human resource management” (HRM) in which human
resource policies and activities, including training and development,
are linked more closely to business strategy. Human resource specialists
who wish to develop a more strategic approach to people management must
establish credibility with top management as key figures in the
achievement of successful results.
Advisory Power and Predicament in Organisational Training
Authors: King Winnifred
Published: May 2006

Lack of support on the part of line managers and executives for the
training function is the most important factor contributing to
predicaments in organisational training. Attention is drawn to the
behaviours, attitudes and characteristics that can bring about changes
that will either impede or support the successful outcome of training
interventions. Information was drawn mainly from a field study done in
the UK and Jamaica, and from the author′s own professional experience.
Relevant themes and issues are explored, and emphasis given to what
trainers can do to improve their own profiles to gain recognition for
the training function.
Customer Service: Product Differentiation in International Markets
Authors: Kyj Larissa S. , Kyj Myroslaw J.
Published: May 2006

Oligopolistic markets typically revert to some form of non‐price
competition in order to differentiate their goods and services. Customer
services that are associated with tangible product offerings present an
opportunity for firms attempting to differentiate themselves. This
article presents findings that suggest the stated preferences for
customer services in selected customer markets is heterogeneous, thereby
enabling providers of services to differentiate themselves according to
the needs of existing market segments.
International Logistics Channels
Authors: Wood Donald F.
Published: May 2006

The concept of channels has long been used to
analyse and understand the functions of domestic
marketing and distribution. The concept is carried
further and used as an aid in understanding
international logistics. Three channels are
discussed: the international transaction and
payment channel; the international distribution
channel (through which the goods physically
move); and the documentation/communications
channel. Third parties or middlemen frequently
appear in channels to facilitate their operations;
they are mentioned briefly as are constraints on
the smooth, uninterrupted flows through channels.
Industrial Relations: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Sisson Keith
Published: May 2006

Based on the 1991 Shirley Lerner Memorial
Lecture, a discussion is conducted of the challenges
and opportunities facing teachers and researchers
arising from the rapidly changing practice of
industrial relations. A widening of the scope of the
subject, to include its individual as well as collective
aspects, it is argued, is fully compatible with seeing
the main focus as the employment relationship.
The challenge to the subject′s research tradition
of empirical enquiry, multi‐disciplinarity and above
all, its integrity, is much more fundamental.
Maintaining this tradition is not only vital for
industrial relations, but also for the future direction
of the business schools in which most industrial
relations teachers and researchers find themselves.
Creativity is People
Authors: Stein Morris I.
Published: May 2006

On the one hand industrial and business managements pay lip‐service to creativity, but on the other hand they show scant recognition of the characteristics of creative people. And yet it is on scientists and engineers of a special kind, as well as many other creative people, that the future depends – technologically, socially, culturally and spiritually. In this article, Professor Stein presents valuable data for the selection and management of creative scientists, engineers and supporting personnel. The central point he makes is that to do its job right, management needs to do far more to acknowledge the role it must itself play in the creative process. This article is a condensed and modified version of a paper presented by Dr Stein at the 1985 annual conference of the Personnel Association of Ontario, on 28 February 1985, held in Toronto, Canada. We acknowledge permission of the Association to publish.
Reflections on Organizational Conflict
Authors: Pondy Louis R.
Published: May 2006

Pondy reflects on the accuracy of his classic ASQ 1967 article on
conflict. He challenges the basic premise that conflict represents a
deviation from the status quo, and suggests that conflict, not
co‐operation, represents the normal state of functioning.
Market Positioning and Performance of Foreign Banks in
Korea
Authors: Ursacki Terry , Vertinsky Ilan
Published: May 2006

Examines the market positioning of foreign banks in Korea from 1983
to 1988. Examines predictions with respect to the Korean market derived
from Dunning′s general proposition that firms tend to enter foreign
markets so as to exploit their ownership‐specific advantages (OSAs).
Also examines whether foreign banks′ performance in the Korean market
can be explained in terms of fit between market positioning and bank OSA
profiles. The findings largely confirm the usefulness of OSA analysis in
predicting foreign bank behaviour in Korea.
On the Seeking of a Definition of Management Consulting
Authors: Munchus George
Published: May 2006

The nature of management consulting is explored through definitions
and the activities of the major consulting associations. Criteria for
selecting a management consultant are supplied and an insight is given
into fees and billing practices. In exploring the question of internal
or external consulting, the role of internal and external audit is drawn
on.
Nutrition Label Usage: Behaviour in Food Choice Decisions
Authors: Meidan Arthur , Edris Thabet A.
Published: May 2006

Analysis of British consumers′ actual usage of nutrition labels
raises critical questions regarding public policy decisions to provide
consumers with nutrition information. Multiple Discriminant Analysis
reveals that consumers vary significantly in their use of nutrition
labels in food choice. On the basis of psychographic and
sociodemographic characteristics, three district consumer segments (i.e.
heavy users, light users and non‐users) were identified. The results
indicate that 55 per cent of British consumers are likely to be
non‐users of nutrition labels. Non‐users are less educated, have lower
family incomes and can be either younger or older than users. They are
oriented to price and bargain rather than quality and nutrition. The
implications of these findings for public policy are discussed.
Devolution of Power: The Ideological Meaning
Authors: Watt John
Published: May 2006

The policy of radical devolution of responsibility for educational
decision making is criticised. Current Western Australian and Victorian
moves towards self‐governing public schools and earlier moves in that
direction in the 1970s are briefly reviewed, and a wide agreement on the
progressive nature of these changes is noted. That agreement is
questioned. The potential of this policy shift to increase in several
ways the inequalities between schools in affluent and poor areas is
described. The tendency is noted for the policy to be propounded by
reference to the values of diversity and freedom of choice rather than
to egalitarian values. Devolution of power over schooling is placed in
the context of a trend in Australian society since the 1970s towards
increasing concentration of privilege and more extreme class
stratification. Ideologically the period has been marked by a shift to
the right, away from egalitarianism towards the ideology of individual
freedom, competition and privatisation. The flight to private schools is
presented as an aspect of this general trend in Australian society. It
is argued that the trend towards diversity and local control in public
schooling should be seen as another aspect of this shift to the right,
which has, as its central social function, a sharpening of the
differences between the schooling of the rich and the schooling of the
poor, and therefore a facilitation of the inheritance of affluence and
poverty.
The Framing of Purchase for Services
Authors: Burton Scot
Published: May 2006

Illustrates, through both actual and hypothetical examples, the
importance to services marketers of recent empirical and theoretical
work on decision framing. Suggests that services marketers could have
more opportunity than product marketers for affecting the decision
frames of consumers. Discusses implications for service marketers,
including how decision framing can effect the positioning of service
firms in an industry. Considers how the frame can affect the decision of
whether or not to purchase, and how changes in the decision frame might
encourage consumers to purchase more expensive alternatives.Notes
ethical issues raised for marketers by these implications.
Copper‐carbohydrate Interaction: Part II
Authors: Fields Meira
Published: May 2006

In this second part of the review the roles that copper and dietary carbohydrate play in the cardiovascular system, pregnancy and lactation, haemopoiesis, and in male and female animals, are summarised. The mechanisms that may contribute to the exacerbation of copper deficiency when simple sugars are consumed are discussed.
River alteration and niche overlap among three native minnows (Cyprinidae) in the Missouri River hydrosystem
Authors: Welker T. L. , Scarnecchia D. L.
Published: May 2006

The influence of physical and hydrologic stabilization on habitat niche overlap among three native cyprinid species: flathead chub Platygobio gracilis, sicklefin chub Macrhybopsis meeki and sturgeon chub Macrhybopsis gelida, in riverine segments of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers in western North Dakota and eastern Montana, was evaluated. Collectively the three species exhibited higher niche overlap in quasi‐natural river segments than in segments highly altered by a mainstem dam based on relatively high percentages of individuals in quasi‐natural river segments that were classified correctly, according to species, in discriminant function analyses of resource use, compared to lower percentages of individuals classified correctly in the altered river segments. The lower niche overlap in altered river segments resulted primarily from the lower overlap between flathead chub and the remaining species; this appears to be related to a decline in the diversity of natural habitats and conditions that provided a wide range of habitat conditions suitable for all three species. Results from this study suggest that selective segregation and habitat changes, rather than interactive segregation and competition, is probably the mechanism responsible for the pattern of habitat use and niche overlap among the three species in the altered segments.
In vivo effects of imatinib mesylate on human haematopoietic progenitor cells
Authors: Agis H. , Jaeger E. , Doninger B. , Sillaber C. , Marosi C. , Drach J. , Schwarzinger I. , Valent P. , Oehler L.
Published: May 2006

Background  Imatinib mesylate has considerable antineoplastic activity in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and some solid tumours. Although originally regarded as nontoxic for normal haematopoiesis, mild to moderate myelosuppression is a commonly observed side‐effect of this treatment. Recently, this molecule has been shown to suppress normal haematopoietic progenitor cells in vitro. This is the first study that has investigated the effect of imatinib on haematopoietic progenitor cells in vivo.

Materials and methods  We investigated the number of circulating haematopoietic progenitor cells in 79 patients with CML and five patients with solid tumours who were treated with imatinib for at least 3 months. Bone marrow progenitor cells were assessed in a subgroup of 18 patients with CML after 12 months of imatinib treatment. Results were compared with haematopoietic progenitor cell numbers of normal controls.

Results  Circulating progenitors of all classes were significantly decreased in CML up to 24 months of imatinib therapy compared with healthy controls (median progenitor cells in CML after 12 months: CFU‐GM 62, range 0–2543; BFU‐E 216, range 0–3259; CFU‐GEMM 0, range 0–139; versus controls: CFU‐GM 208, range 50–936; BFU‐E 690, range 120–1862; CFU‐GEMM 20, range 4–77; P < 0·001). Similar reductions in the number of progenitor cells derived from bone marrow were found in a subgroup of 18 patients with CML. In patients with solid tumours the number of circulating progenitor cells was significantly lower under treatment with imatinib when compared with the controls. Withdrawal of imatinib in a patient with a malignant brain tumour resulted in a prompt normalization of circulating progenitors.

Conclusions  This study suggests that imatinib exerts myelosuppressive effects through inhibition of haematopoietic progenitor cells.
Chondrocranium and cranial muscle morphology in Lysapsus and Pseudis tadpoles (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae)
Authors: Alcalde Leandro , Barg Monica
Published: May 2006

The chondrocranium and cranial muscles of Lysapsus limellum, Pseudis cardosoi, P. minuta and four subspecies of P. paradoxa (caribensis, occidentalis, paradoxa and platensis) are described. Lysapsus and Pseudis are related to the Hylidae by: (1) vertical processus anterolateralis of the larval crista parotica, and (2) presence of m. mandibulolabialis inferior and superior (the latter reversed in P. cardosoi). We confirm some larval synapomorphies previously proposed for the pseudids, except the m. subarcualis obliquus II having one head and the absence of copula anterior. We add three new features for the pseudids: (1) the distal end of ceratobranchiales III and IV projects towards either the capsula auditiva (Lysapsus) or the processus basicapsularis – new term – (Pseudis); (2) the arcus subocularis is twice as wide at the level of the processus ascendens as it is just posterior to the processus muscularis quadrati, and (3) the lateral corner of the processus articularis quadrati largely projects laterally. We diagnose Lysapsus larvae (the states of Pseudis in parentheses) as follows: (1) short processus pseudopterygoideus (long), (2) absence of lateral development of larval crista parotica (presence), (3) absence of commissura proximalis II (presence), (4) presence of processus lateralis hyalis – new term – (absence), (5) absence of processus basicapsularis (presence), (6) processus ascendens slightly curved along its entire extent (curved at the union with the basi cranii only), and (7) absence of m. tympanopharyngeus (presence).
Sound production in two carapids (Carapus acus and C. mourlani) and through the sea cucumber tegument
Authors: Parmentier Eric , Fine Michael , Vandewalle Pierre , Ducamp Jean‐Jacques , Lagardère Jean‐Paul
Published: May 2006

Parmentier, E., Fine, M., Vandewalle, P., Ducamp, J.‐J. and Lagardère, J.‐P. 2006. Sound production in two carapids (Carapus acus and C. mourlani) and throught the sea cucumber teguments. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 87: 113–119

Carapus acus and Carapus mourlani are able to live inside sea cucumbers and sea stars respectively. Unlike other carapids whose sounds have been recorded (C. boraborensis, C. homei and Encheliophis gracilis), these two species have a central constriction in their swimbladder and are unlikely to encounter heterospecific carapids within their hosts. We evoked sound production in Carapus acus and Carapus mourlani by adding several individuals to a tank with a single host and found that their sounds differ substantially from the sounds emitted by other carapids in pulse length, peak frequency and sharpness of tuning (Q3 dB). Unlike the other carapids, C. mourlani and C. acus produce shorter and less repetitive sounds and do not produce sounds when they enter their host. Since sounds produced within a sea cucumber have the potential to be heard by distant carapids and are typically recorded outside the sea cucumber, we examined the effect of the sea cucumber tegument on acoustic transmission. Attenuation by the tegument was negligible at the frequencies within carapid sounds. Therefore, carapids have the potential to call from the relative safety of a sea cucumber without sacrificing the distance over which their transmissions are heard.
Sperm morphology of five species of Colostethus (Anura, Dendrobatidae) from Brazil, with phylogenetic comments
Authors: Veiga‐Menoncello Ana Cristina P. , Lima Albertina P. , Recco‐Pimentel Shirlei M.
Published: May 2006

We describe the sperm ultrastructure of five species of Colostethus from Brazil. The general structures of the spermatozoa (acrosomal complex and flagellar apparatus) were similar to species within the Bufonoidea. Colostethus brunneus, Colostethus sp. (aff. trilineatus), Colostethus nidicola and Colostethus sp. had biflagellated spermatozoa, whereas the spermatozoa of Colostethus stepheni had a single flagellum, a characteristic previously unknown for this genus. In addition, the spermatozoa of this species showed some mitochondria within the thick, undulating membrane. These characteristics are apparently common to dendrobatid species that have a single flagellum. Based on these findings, we tentatively consider biflagellarity to be an apomorphic condition in the Dendrobatidae. In addition, the results described here do not support the proposed regrouping of the ‘brunneus’ and ‘alagoanus’ groups in a monophyletic ‘trilineatus’ group.
Disease‐specific quality of life among patients with localized prostate cancer: an Australian perspective
Authors: NEWTON FIONA J. , BURNEY SUE , MILLAR JEREMY L. , FRYDENBERG MARK , NG KIM T.
Published: May 2006

OBJECTIVES

To examine differences in sexual, urinary and bowel function, and bother, in patients with prostate cancer after treatment with radical prostatectomy (RP) or external beam radiation (EBRT), compared to a convenience sample of men with no diagnosis of prostate cancer, as little is known about the disease‐specific health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of men in Australia after treatment for clinically localized prostate cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study was a retrospective cross‐sectional survey of 95 controls, 82 men with localized prostate cancer treated with RP and 39 with EBRT at ≥ 2 years before data were collected. Disease‐specific HRQoL was assessed using the University of California Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index, a validated measure that includes six subscales addressing sexual, urinary and bowel symptoms, and level of bother associated with the symptoms. Univariate analyses were conducted to ascertain differences in disease‐specific HRQoL among the three groups. To minimize the influence of other factors, age and comorbid medical conditions were included as covariates.

RESULTS

Men treated with RP had more sexual and urinary symptoms (both P < 0.001) than those treated with EBRT, and more sexual bother (P < 0.001). Men treated with EBRT reported significantly worse bowel function (P = 0.02) and more bother (P < 0.001) with these symptoms than those who had RP.

CONCLUSIONS

Except for bowel dysfunction and the bother associated with these symptoms, disease‐specific HRQoL was generally worse after RP than EBRT.
Maternal Psychological Distress During Pregnancy in Relation to Child Development at Age Two
Authors: DiPietro Janet A. , Novak Matthew F. S. X. , Costigan Kathleen A. , Atella Lara D. , Reusing Sarah P.
Published: May 2006

Concern exists that a constellation of negative maternal emotions during pregnancy generates persistent negative consequences for child development. Maternal reports of anxiety, pregnancy‐specific and nonspecific stress, and depressive symptoms were collected during mid‐pregnancy and at 6 weeks and 24 months after birth in a sample of healthy women with low risk pregnancies. Developmental assessment and cardiac vagal tone monitoring were administered to 94 children at age 2. Higher levels of prenatal anxiety, nonspecific stress, and depressive symptoms were associated with more advanced motor development in children after postnatal control for each psychological measure; anxiety and depression were also significantly and positively associated with mental development. Mild to moderate levels of psychological distress may enhance fetal maturation in healthy populations.
Interpersonal predictors of onset of depression during the transition to adulthood
Authors: EBERHART NICOLE K. , HAMMEN CONSTANCE L.
Published: May 2006

There is evidence that depression during adolescence and early adulthood is marked by deficits in interpersonal functioning. However, few studies have prospectively examined whether interpersonal difficulties are a risk factor for depression onset, so it is unclear whether these deficits in interpersonal functioning are products or predictors of depression. The present study aimed to clarify the direction of association between interpersonal factors and depression by examining whether social factors longitudinally predicted onset of depression in a diverse sample of young women with no history of depression. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses controlling for baseline depressive symptoms indicated that poorer family relationship quality and anxious attachment cognitions predicted onset of depressive episodes during the 2‐year period. Further, a wide variety of interpersonal factors predicted depressive symptoms over 6 months, including poor peer and family relationship quality, difficulty being close to others, and difficulty depending on others, controlling for baseline depressive symptoms and college attendance. The results provide evidence for the importance of an interpersonal perspective on vulnerability to depression.
Approaches for Model Validation: Methodology and Illustration on a Sheet Metal Flanging Process
Authors: Buranathiti Thaweepat , Cao Jian , Chen Wei , Baghdasaryan Lusine , Xia Z. Cedric
Published: May 2006

Model validation has become an increasingly important issue in the decision-making process for model development, as numerical simulations have widely demonstrated their benefits in reducing development time and cost. Frequently, the trustworthiness of models is inevitably questioned in this competitive and demanding world. By definition, model validation is a means to systematically establish a level of confidence of models. To demonstrate the processes of model validation for simulation-based models, a sheet metal flanging process is used as an example with the objective that is to predict the final geometry, or springback. This forming process involves large deformation of sheet metals, contact between tooling and blanks, and process uncertainties. The corresponding uncertainties in material properties and process conditions are investigated and taken as inputs to the uncertainty propagation, where metamodels, known as a model of the model, are developed to efficiently and effectively compute the total uncertainty/variation of the final configuration. Three model validation techniques (graphical comparison, confidence interval technique, and r2 technique) are applied and examined; furthermore, strength and weakness of each technique are examined. The latter two techniques offer a broader perspective due to the involvement of statistical and uncertainty analyses. The proposed model validation approaches reduce the number of experiments to one for each design point by shifting the evaluation effort to the uncertainty propagation of the simulation model rather than using costly physical experiments.
Experimental Tool Temperature Distributions in Oblique and Orthogonal Cutting Using Chip Breaker Geometry Inserts
Authors: M’Saoubi Rachid , Chandrasekaran Hariharan
Published: May 2006

Cutting tool temperature distribution was mapped using the infrared-charge-coupled device technique during machining of carbon steel SS2511 (∼AISI 3115) and stainless steel AISI 316L under oblique cutting conditions with chip breaker geometry inserts. Results indicated that the temperature on the rake surface was not uniform. Local maximum temperature points are present on the tool face at different locations, i.e., land, groove, backwall, and at the end of tool chip contact. Further investigation of the effect of cutting parameters on the tool temperature indicated that a suitable combination of cutting speed and feed resulted in a lower tool temperature for conditions of comparable material removal rate.
Dynamic electrostatic force-gradient microscopy employing mechanoelectric cross modulation
Authors: Weng Z. , Kaminski T. , Bridges G. E. , Thomson D. J.
Published: May 2006

This article describes a dynamic mode electrostatic force-gradient microscopy technique capable of high-frequency voltage measurement. The technique employs a wide-bandwidth implementation of a mechanoelectric cross-modulation scheme, where a microfabricated probe is driven by an amplitude-modulated sampling pulse and the sample is mechanically vibrated at a frequency different to that of electrical modulation. The resulting probe oscillation at the cross-modulation frequency provides local high-frequency voltage information. Unlike the force detection method, which is susceptible to poor resolution due to large coupling to the probe tip sidewall and cantilever, the force-gradient method provides an enhancement of spatial resolution. A significant reduction of interference from adjacent signal traces is demonstrated when performing integrated circuit testing. Quantitative high-frequency voltage measurement with high accuracy is achieved by using a null-force-gradient approach, but at the expense of reduced sensitivity.
Parasitics-aware layout design of a low-power fully integrated complementary metal-oxide semiconductor power amplifier
Authors: Abdelsayed Samar M. , Deen M. Jamal , Nikolova Natalia K.
Published: May 2006

There is a need for efficient fully integrated complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) power amplifiers (PAs) for very low power implanted biomedical transceiver systems. However, the parasitics of on-silicon interconnections can cause significant degradation in the performance of radio frequency integrated circuits, in general, and PAs, in particular. In this article, we propose a special layout design approach, which was used to design the layout of a CMOS PA. This approach relies on modeling the interconnection wires in the simulations and optimizing their widths for minimum parasitic effects and hence optimum measured circuit performance. The PA circuit is operating at 2.45GHz and is implemented in a standard 0.18μm CMOS process. Measurement results show that at a supply voltage of 1.4V, the PA delivers an output power of 4.5mW with 28.5% power-added efficiency and a power gain of 21.5dB. Owing to the careful layout design and interconnection optimization, the implemented PA circuit shows good efficiency and demonstrates a good match between the measured and simulated performance characteristics.
Growth of CdTe∕Si(100) thin films by pulsed laser deposition for photonic applications
Authors: Neretina S. , Hughes R. A. , Sochinskii N. V. , Weber M. , Lynn K. G. , Wojcik J. , Pearson G. N. , Preston J. S. , Mascher P.
Published: May 2006

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) has become one of the most useful and versatile photonic materials. While many applications require the highest quality material possible, others can sacrifice some degree of sample quality in favor of reduced fabrication costs. Here, we explore the deposition of CdTe thin films deposited on (100) silicon substrates in the absence of costly ultrahigh vacuum conditions. This inevitably leads to the deposition of films on silicon’s native oxide. The work presented here explores the trade-offs in sample quality as determined by a host of characterization techniques. The films were deposited using the pulsed laser deposition technique at relatively low growth rates and at an optimized substrate temperature of 300°C. X-ray diffraction data show only (111) oriented CdTe with rocking curve widths broadened due to the lack of an epitaxial relationship between the film and substrate. Atomic force microscopy images confirm that the films have a smooth surface morphology as was suggested by their mirrorlike appearance. Film quality was also analyzed using photoluminescence, positron annihilation spectroscopy, and ellipsometry. While structural deficiencies have been observed in these films, the optical properties are remarkably similar to those expected for high quality CdTe.
Electron cyclotron resonance plasma assisted pulsed laser deposition for compound host film synthesis and in situ doping
Authors: Lu Y. F. , Sun J. , Yu D. , Shi L. Q. , Dong Z. B. , Wu J. D.
Published: May 2006

We developed a method for compound host film synthesis and in situ doping based on plasma assisted pulsed laser deposition by coablation of two targets with two pulsed laser beams. The feasibility of this method was demonstrated by the preparation of Er-doped GaN films. In the reactive nitrogen environment and with the assistance of nitrogen plasma generated from electron cyclotron resonance microwave discharge, the ablation of a polycrystalline GaAs target resulted in the reactive deposition of a GaN host film, whereas the ablation of a metallic Er target provided the host with Er atoms for in situ doping in the growing GaN host film. Hexagonal GaN films were formed on a silicon substrate as the host and Er was incorporated into the host with controlled concentration. We found that the composition of the compound host could be adjusted by varying the laser fluence on the target for host deposition or the energy of the plasma stream bombarding the growing host film. The dopant concentration could also be independently controlled to vary in a wide range by changing the pulse repetition ratio of the two laser beams or the laser fluence on the target for dopant supply. It was also proved that doping of very low concentrations could be easily realized by simply adjusting the pulse repetition rate and the fluence of the second laser.
Visible-blind ultraviolet imagers consisting of 8×8 AlGaN p-i-n photodiode arrays
Authors: Kim K. C. , Sung Y. M. , Lee I. H. , Lee C. R. , Kim M. D. , Park Y. , Kim T. G.
Published: May 2006

We report successful development of both discrete ultraviolet (UV) photodiodes and UV imagers consisting of 8×8 backside-illuminated AlGaN p-i-n photodiode arrays. The discreteAlGaN p-i-n photodiodes showed a responsivity of 0.1A∕W, a cutoff wavelength of 350nm, an external quantum efficiency of 35%, and a response time of 4.1ns. Then, 8×8 AlGaN p-i-n photodiode arrays were fabricated, followed by hybridizations with readout integrated circuits manufactured using a 0.5μm 2poly-3metal N-well complementary metal-oxide semiconductor process by gold stud bumping. The 8×8 focal plane array UV imagers operated successfully by sensing radiation in the 300–350nm spectral bands.
Energetic ion bombarded Fe∕Al multilayers
Authors: Al-Busaidy M. S. , Crapper M. D.
Published: May 2006

The utility of ion-assisted deposition is investigated to explore the possibility of counteracting the deficiency of back-reflected current of Ar neutrals in the case of lighter elements such as Al. A range of energetically ion bombarded Fe∕Al multilayers sputtered with applied surface bias of 0, −200, or −400V were deposited onto Si(111) substrates in an argon atmosphere of 4mTorr using a computer controlled dc magnetron sputtering system. Grazing incidence reflectivity and rocking curve scans by synchrotron x rays of wavelength of 1.38Å were used to investigate the structures of the interfaces produced. Substantial evidence has been gathered to suggest the gradual suppression of interfacial mixing and reduction in interfacial roughness with increases of applied bias. The densification of the Al microstructure was noticeable and may be a consequence of resputtering attributable to the induced ion bombardment. The average interfacial roughnesses were calculated for the 0, −200, and −400V samples to be 7±0.5, 6±0.5, and 5±0.5Å respectfully demonstrating a 30% improvement in interface quality. Data from rocking curve scans point to improved long-range correlated roughness in energetically deposited samples. The computational code based on the recursive algorithm developed by Parratt [Phys. Rev. 95, 359 (1954)] was successful in the simulation of the specular reflectivity curves.