bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finance-led divergence in the regions of Italy
Authors: A'HEARN BRIAN
Published: April 2005

The article evaluates finance-led growth as an explanation for regional divergence in Italy over the years 1890–1910. Regional banking disparities are documented and the hypothesis developed that the financial crisis of the early 1890s struck the fledgling Southern Italian banking system at a vulnerable moment, distorting its subsequent development and handicapping the region's economy. The South is revealed to have been a chronically (over the entire period) and comprehensively (on every indicator) unhealthy environment for banks. Further evidence indicates that regional divergence in bank assets was largely due to the South's failure to develop the entire range of large banks. Size-class transition matrix analysis reveals that the typical Southern bank failed to reach a large size because it was born smaller (and less frequently) than in the North, suffered a higher mortality rate, especially in the smaller classes, and had lower growth probabilities, especially in the larger categories. The salience of deposits on the liability side and government securities on the asset side suggests that they reflected more than directly caused the development of their local economies.
Global Governance and Global Politics
Authors: Castells Manuel
Published: April 2005

The world is undergoing a process of structural transformation in multiple dimensions: technological, economic, cultural, and institutional. This creates as many opportunities as it induces perils. Perhaps the most fundamental problem we now face isthe crisis of political institutions in charge of managing the transition. We know the problems, we understand the issues, and in many countries there is enough political will to tackle the questions to be addressed. However, the organizational and institutional tools of governance are either insufficient or inadequate. Furthermore, the crisis of governance is related to a crisis of political legitimacy, characterized by increasing distance between citizens and their representatives. Both crises feed into each other, threatening with political paralysis and opening the way both for authoritarian policies and for demagogic revolts.
Interrelations between the Parasitophorous Vacuole ofToxoplasma gondiiand Host Cell Organelles
Authors: Magno Rodrigo Cardoso , Straker Lorian Cobra , de Souza Wanderley , Attias Marcia
Published: April 2005

Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, is capable of actively penetrating and multiplying in any nucleated cell of warm-blooded animals. Its survival strategies include escape from fusion of the parasitophorous vacuole with host cell lysosomes and rearrangement of host cell organelles in relation to the parasitophorous vacuole. In this article we report the rearrangement of host cell organelles and elements of the cytoskeleton of LLCMK2 cells, a lineage derived from green monkey kidney epithelial cells, in response to infection byT. gondiitachyzoites. Transmission electron microscopy made on flat embedded monolayers cut horizontally to the apical side of the cells or field emission scanning electron microscopy of monolayers scraped with scotch tape before sputtering showed that association of mitochondria to the vacuole is much less frequent than previously described. On the other hand, all parasitophorous vacuoles were surrounded by elements of the endoplasmic reticulum. These data were complemented by observations by laser scanning microscopy using fluorescent probes from mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum and reinforced by three-dimensional reconstruction from serial sections observed by transmission electron microscopy and labeling of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum by fluorescent probes.
The Distribution of Light Elements in Biological Cells Measured by Electron Probe X-Ray Microanalysis of Cryosections
Authors: Zierold Karl , Michel Jean , Terryn Christine , Balossier Gérard
Published: April 2005

The intracellular distribution of the elements carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen was measured in cultured rat hepatocytes by energy dispersive electron probe X-ray microanalysis of 100-nm-thick freeze-dried cryosections. Electron irradiation with a dose up to 106e/nm2caused no or merely negligible mass loss in mitochondria and in cytoplasm. Cell nuclei lost carbon, nitrogen, and—to a clearly higher extent—oxygen with increasing electron irradiation. Therefore, electron doses less than 3 × 105e/nm2were used to measure the subcellular compartmentation of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in cytoplasm, mitochondria, and nuclei of the cells. The subcellular distribution of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen reflects the intracellular compartmentation of various biomolecules. Cells exposed to inorganic mercury before cryofixation showed an increase of oxygen in nuclei and cytoplasm. Concomitantly the phosphorus/nitrogen ratio decreased in mitochondria. The data suggest mercury-induced production of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and decrease of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Although biomolecules cannot be identified by X-ray microanalysis, measurements of the whole element spectrum including the light elements carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen can be useful to study specific biomolecular activity in cellular compartments depending on the functional state of the cell.
Volume–outcome relationships in breast cancer
Authors: Hiotis K. , Skinner K. A.
Published: April 2005

A significant effect of hospital case volume on perioperative mortality has been documented for a variety of malignancies that require technically challenging operative procedures and complex perioperative management. The effect of case volume on outcome is less clear for the more common cancers, such as breast and colon cancers, that are less technically challenging and require little in the way of specialized care in the postoperative period. For these cancers perioperative mortality is minimal and one must look at other end points such as long-term survival and functional results. The literature demonstrating improved outcomes in terms of mammographical sensitivity, breast-conservation rates, specimen to tumour volume ratios in breast-conserving surgery, sentinel node biopsy success rates, and 5-year survival is reviewed.
Impact of altered growth factor signalling on endocrine response in breast cancer and the transition from ER+ to ER− disease
Authors: Nicholson R. I. , Giles M. G. , Hutcheson I. R. , Madden T. , Gee J. M. W.
Published: April 2005

This article examines the experimental and clinical evidence of the effect of growth factor signalling in an attempt to reconcile the seeming paradox of, on the one hand, evidence that growth factor signalling can facilitate the activity of oestrogen receptor-α (ER-α), and on the other hand, evidence that extreme growth factor signalling can promote loss of ER function and expression, thereby promoting an endocrine insensitive and ultimately ER− phenotype. The results of this analysis lead to the therapeutic possibility that ER negativity may, in some instances, be reversible to generate endocrine response and improve patient prognosis.
Bisphosphonates and metastasis
Authors: Lester J. , Coleman R.
Published: April 2005

Bone metastases frequently occur in advanced breast cancer patients and once incorporated into bone have profound effects on bone physiology. Bisphosphonates are potent inhibitors of osteoclastic function and are becoming increasingly important for the management of patients with breast cancer. They affect the ability of cancer cells to accelerate bone turnover and as a result control pain and reduce the risk of pathological fracture.

Furthermore ongoing clinical trials are investigating the role of bisphosphonates as an adjuvant therapy in high-risk breast cancer patients with an aim to prevent bone metastasis.

This article reviews the mechanisms of bone metastasis and will discuss present and future developments for the monitoring and treatment of metastatic bone disease.
Surgical considerations for breast-conserving therapy in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer
Authors: Babiera G. V.
Published: April 2005

According to the National Cancer Comprehensive Network guidelines patients with breast tumours ≤1 cm should be offered systemic therapy. Multiple studies, however, have demonstrated no survival advantage between giving chemotherapy before (neoadjuvant) or after (adjuvant) surgery. There are, however, certain benefits that can be derived from patients who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Such benefits include better stratification of the patient's prognosis based on tumour and nodal response, and converting patients from mastectomy-only candidates to breast-conserving surgery candidates. Due to these advantages, many patients with early-stage breast cancer will undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the surgical issues must be considered for patients who are treated in such a manner to guarantee optimal outcomes. Issues that will be discussed are the surgical preoperative evaluation, extent and timing of local resection of both the breast and regional nodes and finally, the potential future effects of this multi-modality therapy.
Psycho-oncology and palliative care: Opportunity for
integration
Authors: BREITBART WILLIAM
Published: April 2005

Palliative and Supportive Care is an international journal
that was begun specifically with the intent of promoting the development
and integration of psychiatric, psychosocial, and existential aspects of
clinical care into the modern practice of palliative medicine. We hoped to
achieve this goal by providing a resource to clinicians and an outlet for
clinical researchers interested in the unique interface of palliative care
and psychosocial/existential issues in those with life-threatening
medical conditions. It is therefore very encouraging to see a growing
interest in this particular interface of palliative medicine and
psychosocial/existential care. I reported to our readers, in the last
issue of Palliative and Supportive Care (PS&C), of
the great interest in psychosocial and existential issues in the
palliative care community as represented by the June 2004 Research
Congress of the European Palliative Care Association held in Stresa,
Italy. I have just returned from the 7th World Congress of
Psycho-Oncology, sponsored by the International Psycho-Oncology Society
(IPOS), held on August 24–27, 2004, in Copenhagen, Denmark. Again,
what I bring back to the readers of PS&C is a message of
encouragement and a sense that the time has come for our interests and
work to take on a more central role in the fields of both palliative care
and psycho-oncology (the psychosocial aspects of care of cancer patients).
The World Congress of Psycho-oncology featured psychiatric, psychosocial,
and existential aspects of palliative care in cancer patients as a
prominent part of the program.
KANT'S RELIGION AND PRUSSIAN RELIGIOUS POLICY
Authors: HUNTER IAN
Published: April 2005

Since Dilthey's template study of 1890, the Prussian state's attempt to censor Kant's religious writings has typically been seen as the work of a reactionary politics bent on imposing religious orthodoxy as a bulwark against the spread of Aufklärung. This essay offers a revisionist interpretation, arguing that the attempted censoring was a by-product of a set of a long-standing Religionspolitik designed to achieve religious toleration through a system of regulated public confessions. Reaffirmed in the Religious Edict (1788) and the Censorship Edict (1788), Prussian policy required acceptance of a plurality of public confessions whose stability was preserved through the restriction of public proselytizing and the acceptance of private religious freedom. In breaking with this religious settlement, through their public advocacy of a true “religion of reason”, the Protestant religious rationalists of the theological Aufklärung breached the embargo on public proselytizing, leading eventually to government's attempt to censor Kant's own “pure moral religion”.
POLITICS IN A SYMBOLIC KEY: PIERRE LEROUX, ROMANTIC SOCIALISM, AND THE SCHELLING AFFAIR
Authors: BRECKMAN WARREN
Published: April 2005

Pierre Leroux founded the liberal journal Le Globe in the 1820s, moved briefly into the Saint-Simonian camp, and then emerged as one of the most important, independent and philosophically ambitious Romantic socialists of the period before 1848. This essay examines the conflict that erupted between Leroux and German Left Hegelians when Leroux chose to endorse the Berlin lectures of F. W. J. Schelling in 1841. Whereas German radicals like Marx believed Leroux simply did not understand Schelling, the article argues that Leroux's support of Schelling was consistent with the political project that he had pursued since his break with the Saint-Simonians. Leroux's attempt to create a third-way politics between the “socialisme absolu” of the Saint-Simonians and the “individualité absolu” of liberalism was strongly influenced by his long-standing engagement with Romantic poetics, most importantly with what he called Romanticism's “style symbolique.” The Romantic notion that the symbol is a visible representation of the invisible and fundamentally unrepresentable connected Leroux's aesthetics and his politics, for the symbolic mode suggested a way to think of social relationships without reifying them; the gap between representation and objects such as “individual”, “society”, “humanity”, and “God” seemed to open up a space for artistic and political creativity. This commitment to a politics based on the role of the symbolic created an affinity with Schelling that was not acknowledged in the polemics that followed from Leroux's defense of the Left Hegelians' arch-enemy. Recovering the terms of that affinity casts a new and different light on the intersection of aesthetics and politics in Romanticism, and it illuminates paths in the early history of socialism that later developments closed down.
EMERSON: AMERICA'S FIRST PUBLIC INTELLECTUAL?
Authors: JOHNSON LINCK
Published: April 2005

As most readers of this journal will already know, 2003 marked the bicentennial of Ralph Waldo Emerson's birth in Boston on May 25, 1803. The occasion did not generate quite the hoopla that characterized the celebration of the centennial of his birth; then, as Lawrence Buell notes in his own generous tribute to Emerson, children in Concord were let out of school for the day, and there were major celebrations both there and in Boston. To the chagrin of some of Emerson's admirers, the bicentennial passed without official recognition: as one complained on a website, “It's Emerson's 200th Birthday—and there's no postage stamp,” an important indicator of cultural currency in the United States. In 1967, for example, the Post Office issued a stamp to commemorate the mere 150th anniversary of the other most famous Transcendentalist, Henry Thoreau. Nonetheless, like Thoreau, Emerson retains a tenacious foothold in American popular culture, though he is probably known there primarily for the inspirational aphorisms—usually collected under headings such as “action,” “confidence,” and “conformity”—on websites with names like Brainy Quote and Wisdom Quotes. Despite challenges from both the left and the right, Emerson also remains a central figure in American literary and cultural history; and he has been the focus of sustained scholarly attention, especially since the so-called “Emerson Renaissance,” the resurgence of interest in his life and writings beginning around 1980.
Deutsche Adaptation der Restraint Scale zur Erfassung gezügelten Essverhaltens
Authors: Dinkel Andreas , Berth Hendrik , Exner Cornelia , Rief Winfried , Balck Friedrich
Published: April 2005

Zusammenfassung. Mit dem Konstrukt des gezügelten Essverhaltens wird die Kontrolle der Nahrungsaufnahme mit der Absicht, eine Gewichtsreduktion zu erreichen, bezeichnet. Diesem Essstil wird eine zentrale Rolle bei der Entstehung von Adipositas und Essstörungen zugeschrieben. Eines der international am weitesten verbreiteten Verfahren zur Erfassung gezügelten Essverhaltens ist die Restraint Scale (RS) von Herman und Polivy (1980) . In der vorliegenden Studie wurde die Reliabilität und Validität der deutschen Form der RS bei einer Stichprobe von N = 349 Studenten untersucht. Die zweifaktorielle Struktur der RS konnte exakt repliziert werden. Die Gesamtskala weist ein Cronbachs Alpha von .83 auf. Bezüglich der Kriteriumsvalidität der RS zeigten sich signifikante Unterschiede zwischen Männern und Frauen. Weiterhin hatten gezügelte Esser einen signifikant höheren BMI und sie berichteten ein höheres Maß an dysfunktionalen Einstellungen im EDI. Hinweise auf die Konstruktvalidität zeigten sich durch signifikante Korrelationen der RS mit Skalen des EDI und Maßen der psychischen Befindlichkeit (ADS, BAI, SCL-K-9).
IRES-24 Patientenfragebogen
Authors: Wirtz Markus , Farin Erik , Bengel Jürgen , Jäckel Wilfried H. , Hämmerer Dorothea , Gerdes Nikolaus
Published: April 2005

Zusammenfassung. Der IRES-Patientenfragebogen (Indikatoren des Reha-Status) ist eines der am häufigsten eingesetzten Assessmentinstrumente in der medizinischen Rehabilitation in Deutschland. Mittels der Item-Response-Theorie wurde aus der 144 Items umfassenden Langform die Kurzform IRES-24 entwickelt, die die Dimensionen ‘Psychisches Befinden‘, ‘Funktionsfähigkeit im Alltag‘, ‘Somatische Gesundheit‘ und ‘Schmerzen‘ erfasst. Durch die Itemselektion wurde sichergestellt, dass das Antwortverhalten auf den Items jeder Skala durch jeweils eine latente Dimension und geordnete Schwellenwerte modelliert werden kann. Das Item-Fitmaß Q nimmt für alle Items sehr gute Werte an. Die Mixed-Rasch-Analyse zeigt, dass für jede Skala verschiedene Klassen von Patienten unterschieden werden müssen, damit die Annahme der Personenhomogenität erfüllt ist. Auf den Skalen ‘Psychisches Befinden‘ und ‘Funktionsfähigkeit im Alltag‘ unterscheiden sich die Klassen hinsichtlich der Antworttendenzen ‘Tendenz zur Mitte‘ und ‘Tendenz zu Extremwerten‘. Im Bereich ‘Somatische Gesundheit‘ werden in den Klassen unterschiedliche latente Merkmalsdimensionen erfasst. Für die Skala ‘Schmerzen‘ existiert eine kleine Gruppe von Patienten (8.3%) für die die Rasch-Kriterien nur zum Teil erfüllt sind. Die Zugehörigkeit der Patienten zu den latenten Klassen kann durch die Variabilität der Skalenitems, die Häufigkeit extremer Werte und die Ausprägungen auf den Skalenitems sehr gut vorhergesagt werden. Es wird eine zweigestufte Diagnostik vorgeschlagen, bei der zunächst die Klassenzugehörigkeit und anschließend die klassenspezifischen Personenparameter bestimmt werden. Der IRES-24 ermöglicht ein ökonomisches und zuverlässiges Screening der Indikatoren, die für die Behandlungsplanung und -evaluation in der medizinischen Rehabilitation von Bedeutung sind.
Biomass carbon accumulation by Japan's forests from 1947 to 1995
Authors: Fang Jingyun , Oikawa Takehisa , Kato Tomomichi , Mo Wenhong , Wang Zhiheng
Published: April 2005

Forest ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere function as carbon (C) sinks for atmospheric carbon dioxide; however, the magnitude, location, and cause of the sinks remain uncertain. A number of field measurements of forest biomass and systematic national forest inventories in Japan make it possible to quantify the C sinks and their distribution. Allometric relationships between forest biomass and stem volume were obtained for the major forest types in Japan from 945 sets of direct field measurements across the country. These relationships were used to estimate the changes in C accumulations of aboveground biomass and total living biomass from 1947 to 1995 from the national forest inventories of 1947, 1956, 1961, 1965, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, and 1995. The results showed that the C accumulations have significantly increased during the last 50 years. The C density (C stock per hectare) and total C stock of aboveground biomass increased from 27.6 Mg C/ha and 611.7 Tg C in 1947 to 43.2 Mg C/ha and 1027.7 Tg C in 1995, respectively, and those of total living biomass increased from 33.9 Mg C/ha and 751.8 Tg C in 1947 to 53.6 Mg C/ha and 1274.8 Tg C in 1995. These increases were remarkable during 1976–1995, with a net increase of 5.6 Mg C/ha and 369 Tg C for the C density and total living biomass. These results suggest that Japan's forest vegetation is a significant C sink. In the past 20 years, living vegetation has sequestered 18.5 Tg C annually, 14.6 Tg C of which was accumulated in aboveground biomass. The total C sink for the whole forest sector (including nonliving biomass) of Japan was estimated as 36 Tg C/yr if using the net change ratio of nonliving biomass C to living biomass C derived from the United States and Europe. On the basis of average C sink per hectare, Japan's forests have a higher sequestration rate (0.77 Mg C ha−1 yr−1) than the average of the other northern countries (0.14–0.19 Mg C ha−1 yr−1). The expansion and regrowth of planted forests are two major causes for this increased C uptake; planted forests contribute ∼80% of the total C sink in Japan. The suitable oceanic climate for fast forest growth and effective forest management practice may be the principal factors for such a large sink.
Prediction of the timing of the 2–3 kHz radio emission within the solar cycle
Authors: Mitchell J. J. , Cairns Iver H. , Müller H.‐R. , Zank G. P.
Published: April 2005

High power radio emissions near 2–3 kHz originating in the outer heliosphere have been observed by the Voyager spacecraft. Recent theories for these emissions combine acceleration of nonthermal electrons at global merged interaction region shocks with formation of a superthermal electron tail by lower‐hybrid drive associated with pick‐up ions, beyond the heliopause. This paper examines the efficiency of this process during the solar cycle, based on variations of the availability of pick‐up ions in the source region associated with periodic solar cycle variations in the solar wind ram pressure. It is predicted that high levels of pick‐up ions are present in the source region approximately 2–3 years after solar maximum, leading to strong emissions, in close agreement with the observed timing of events: the 1983–84, 1992–93 and 2003 events were preceded by solar maxima in 1980, 1990 and 2000, respectively. These results provide further evidence for the proposed model.
Tides near the Arctic summer mesopause during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS summer program
Authors: Singer W. , Latteck R. , Hoffman P. , Williams B. P. , Fritts D. C. , Murayama Y. , Sakanoi K.
Published: April 2005

Observations with a meteor radar, two medium‐frequency (MF) radars, and a sodium lidar at ALOMAR at Andenes, Norway (69.3°N, 16.0°E) were used to derive tidal winds and temperatures at altitudes from 72 km to 94 km for a period from June 15 to July 15 during the MaCWAVE/MIDAS summer rocket program in 2002. The longitudinal variations of tidal winds were examined including MF radar winds obtained at Poker Flat, Alaska (65.1°N, 147.5°W). Results show continuity in tidal assessments among the instruments at Andenes, large variability in tidal amplitudes in time and longitude, and an expected phase relationship between winds and temperatures despite the amplitude variability.
Response of thermohaline circulation and thermal structure to removal of ice sheets and high atmospheric CO2 concentration
Authors: Chan Wing‐Le , Motoi Tatsuo
Published: April 2005

The thermohaline circulation (THC) response to ice sheet removal and quadrupling of atmospheric CO2 in a coupled model and the equilibrium thermal structure are examined. After THC weakening, diffusion of heat and salt to the northern North Atlantic at deep layers increases the temperature and salinity there, in response to CO2‐quadrupling. Resulting convective instability induces the exchange of warmer, saltier water in deep layers and cooler, fresher water near the surface. This contributes to a gradual increase in the THC intensity, culminating in its complete and rapid recovery due to positive haline feedback overcoming negative thermal feedback on the THC. Removal of ice sheets prolongs the overall recovery and strengthens the final THC due to precipitation changes over the northern North Atlantic and Labrador Sea. Bottom water and high‐latitude sea‐surface temperatures are higher without ice sheets, leading to a smaller meridional temperature gradient as indicated by Cenozoic reconstructions.
Sensitivity of extreme climate events to CO2‐induced biophysical atmosphere‐vegetation feedbacks in the western United States
Authors: Diffenbaugh Noah S.
Published: April 2005

We have tested the sensitivity of extreme temperature and precipitation events to CO2‐induced atmosphere‐vegetation feedbacks (AVFs) in the western United States using an equilibrium vegetation model coupled to a regional climate model. Biophysical AVFs resulted in positive anomalies in the frequency and magnitude of extreme temperature events over much of the western United States, with the notable exception of key high elevation areas, where there were strong negative anomalies. Anomalies in extreme temperature events were largely associated with changes in surface albedo, LAI, upper layer water extracted and root zone depth. Negative anomalies in extreme precipitation along the Pacific coast were associated with reductions in low‐level specific humidity, zonal wind speeds and eddy kinetic energy. These results suggest that AVFs could strongly influence the response of extreme climate regimes to anthropogenic greenhouse forcing, with the sign of that influence varying on horizontal scales of 101 to 102 km.
Spectral wave dissipation over a barrier reef
Authors: Lowe Ryan J. , Falter James L. , Bandet Marion D. , Pawlak Geno , Atkinson Marlin J. , Monismith Stephen G. , Koseff Jeffrey R.
Published: April 2005

A 2 week field experiment was conducted to measure surface wave dissipation on a barrier reef at Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. Wave heights and velocities were measured at several locations on the fore reef and the reef flat, which were used to estimate rates of dissipation by wave breaking and bottom friction. Dissipation on the reef flat was found to be dominated by friction at rates that are significantly larger than those typically observed at sandy beach sites. This is attributed to the rough surface generated by the reef organisms, which makes the reef highly efficient at dissipating energy by bottom friction. Results were compared to a spectral wave friction model, which showed that the variation in frictional dissipation among the different frequency components could be described using a single hydraulic roughness length scale. Surveys of the bottom roughness conducted on the reef flat showed that this hydraulic roughness length was comparable to the physical roughness measured at this site. On the fore reef, dissipation was due to the combined effect of frictional dissipation and wave breaking. However, in this region the magnitude of dissipation by bottom friction was comparable to wave breaking, despite the existence of a well‐defined surf zone there. Under typical wave conditions the bulk of the total wave energy incident on Kaneohe Bay is dissipated by bottom friction, not wave breaking, as is often assumed for sandy beach sites and other coral reefs.
Short‐term flood forecasting with a neurofuzzy model
Authors: Nayak P. C. , Sudheer K. P. , Rangan D. M. , Ramasastri K. S.
Published: April 2005

This study explores the potential of the neurofuzzy computing paradigm to model the rainfall‐runoff process for forecasting the river flow of Kolar basin in India. The neurofuzzy computing technique is a combination of a fuzzy computing approach and an artificial neural network technique. Parameter optimization in the model was performed by a combination of backpropagation and least squares error methods. Performance of the neurofuzzy model was comprehensively evaluated with that of independent fuzzy and neural network models developed for the same basin. The values of three performance evaluation criteria, namely, the coefficient of efficiency, the root‐mean‐square error, and the coefficient of correlation, were found to be very good and consistent for flows forecasted 1 hour in advance by the neurofuzzy model. The value of the relative error in peak flow prediction was within reasonable limits for the neurofuzzy model. The neurofuzzy model forecasted 47.95% of the total number of flow values 1 hour in advance with less than 1% relative error, while for the neural network and fuzzy models the corresponding values were 36.96 and 18.89%, respectively. The forecasts by the neurofuzzy model at higher lead times (up to 6 hours) are found to be better than those from the neural network model or the fuzzy model, implying that the neurofuzzy model seems to be well suited to exploit the information to model the nonlinear dynamics of the rainfall‐runoff process.
Block of TRPC5 channels by 2‐aminoethoxydiphenyl borate: a differential, extracellular and voltage‐dependent effect
Authors: Xu Shang‐Zhong , Zeng Fanning , Boulay Guylain , Grimm Christian , Harteneck Christian , Beech David J
Published: April 2005

2‐Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2‐APB) has been widely used to examine the roles of inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) and store‐operated Ca2+ entry and is an emerging modulator of cationic channels encoded by transient receptor potential (TRP) genes.

Using Ca2+‐indicator dye and patch‐clamp recording we first examined the blocking effect of 2‐APB on human TRPC5 channels expressed in HEK‐293 cells.

The concentration–response curve has an IC50 of 20 μM and slope close to 1.0, suggesting one 2‐APB molecule binds per channel. The blocking effect is not shared by other Ca2+ channel blockers including methoxyverapamil, nifedipine, N‐propargylnitrendipine, or berberine.

In whole‐cell and excised membrane patch recordings, 2‐APB acts from the extracellular but not intracellular face of the membrane.

Block of TRPC5 by 2‐APB is less at positive voltages, suggesting that it enters the electric field or acts by modulating channel gating.

2‐APB also blocks TRPC6 and TRPM3 expressed in HEK‐293 cells, but not TRPM2.

Block of TRP channels by 2‐APB may be relevant to cell proliferation because 2‐APB has a greater inhibitory effect on proliferation in cells overexpressing TRPC5.

Our data indicate a specific and functionally important binding site on TRPC5 that enables block by 2‐APB. The site is only available via an extracellular route and the block shows mild voltage‐dependence.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 145, 405–414. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706197
Ciclopirox protects mitochondria from hydrogen peroxide toxicity
Authors: Lee Sun J , Jin Youngnam , Yoon Hye Young , Choi Byung‐Ok , Kim Hyoung Chun , Oh Yu‐Kyoung , Kim Hee‐Sun , Kim Won‐Ki
Published: April 2005

The mitochondrial respiratory chain produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) during normal electron transport. Despite producing ROS, mitochondria are vulnerable to oxidative stress. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been associated with many degenerative diseases, making it important to identify compounds that protect mitochondria from ROS‐mediated toxicity. Here we report that ciclopirox (CPX) blocks H2O2‐induced mitochondrial injury by maintaining mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψm).

CPX completely blocked H2O2‐stimulated release of lactate dehydrogenase (a marker of cell death) and decrease in MTT reduction (a marker of mitochondrial function) in adenocarcinoma SK‐HEP‐1 cells.

H2O2 rapidly depolarized the Δψm, and CPX blocked this H2O2‐stimulated Δψm decrease. Similar data were obtained in experiments using mitochondria isolated from rat liver.

Furthermore, CPX effectively inhibited H2O2‐induced mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) opening. In de‐energized mitochondria, however, CPX did not inhibit Ca2+‐evoked MPTP opening, indicating that CPX is not a direct inhibitor of the MPTP.

Oxygen consumption studies showed that in the presence of pyruvate and malate CPX restored the rate of state 3 to state 4 respiration decreased by H2O2. Consistent with this, CPX replenished ATP levels lowered by H2O2.

The present results indicate that CPX protects SK‐HEP‐1 cells from H2O2 cytotoxicity by inhibiting Δψm decrease and indirectly preventing MPTP opening.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 145, 469–476. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706206
Hyperbolic Kac–Moody superalgebras
Authors: Frappat L. , Sciarrino A.
Published: April 2005

We present a classification of the hyperbolic Kac–Moody (HKM) superalgebras. The HKM superalgebras of rank r⩾3 are finite in number (213) and limited in rank (6). The Dynkin–Kac diagrams and the corresponding simple root systems are determined. We also discuss a class of singular sub(super)algebras obtained by a folding procedure.
High-temperature cluster glass state and photomagnetism in Zn- and Ti-substituted NiFe2O4 films
Authors: Seki Munetoshi , Hossain A. K. M. Akther , Kawai Tomoji , Tabata Hitoshi
Published: April 2005

We report on the cluster glass nature and photoinduced magnetization (PIM) of (Ni,Zn,Fe,Ti)3O4 thin films prepared using a pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) technique. The films exhibit cluster glass behaviors with a spin-freezing temperature Tf of approximately 230 K. It was found that the magnetization increases following light irradiation below Tf. The experimental results suggest that the electronic transitions induced by photons are intrinsic to the observed PIM rather than the thermal heating effects resulting from light irradiation. The change in the magnetization from the original dark value at 10 K was approximately 40% for the Ni0.7Zn0.3Fe1.7Ti0.3O4 film, and it was approximately 5% for the Ni0.4Zn0.6Fe2O4 film when the excitation intensity is 1.48mW∕mm2. The analysis of the excitation energy dependence of PIM suggests that an intervalence charge transfer Ti4++Fe2+→Ti3++Fe3+ contributes to the observed enhancement in the PIM of the Ti-substituted films.
Optical lifting force under focused evanescent wave illumination: A ray optics model
Authors: Kuriakose Smitha , Gan Xiasong , Chon James W. M. , Gu Min
Published: April 2005

We propose a ray optics model to calculate the trapping force on a dielectric particle located on the interface between two media and illuminated by a focused evanescent field beam. Such a focused evanescent beam is produced by a high numerical aperture objective with a central obstruction whose size satisfies the total internal reflection condition on the interface. The dependence of the lifting force on the obstruction size, the particle size, and the distance of the particle from the interface is revealed.
The role of solvent structure in the absorption spectrum of solvated electrons: Mixed quantum/classical simulations in tetrahydrofuran
Authors: Bedard-Hearn Michael J. , Larsen Ross E. , Schwartz Benjamin J.
Published: April 2005

In polar fluids such as water and methanol, the peak of the solvated electron’s absorption spectrum in the red has been assigned as a sum of transitions between an s-like ground state and three nearly degenerate p-like excited states bound in a quasispherical cavity. In contrast, in weakly polar solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), the solvated electron has an absorption spectrum that peaks in the mid-infrared, but no definitive assignment has been offered about the origins of the spectrum or the underlying structure. In this paper, we present the results of adiabatic mixed quantum/classical molecular dynamic simulations of the solvated electron in THF, and provide a detailed explanation of the THF-solvated electron’s absorption spectrum and electronic structure. Using a classical solvent model and a fully quantum mechanical excess electron, our simulations show that although the ground and first excited states are bound in a quasispherical cavity, a multitude of other, nearby solvent cavities support numerous, nearly degenerate, bound excited states that have little Franck–Condon overlap with the ground state. We show that these solvent cavities, which are partially polarized so that they act as electron trapping sites, are an inherent property of the way THF molecules pack in the liquid. The absorption spectrum is thus assigned to a sum of bound-to-bound transitions between a localized ground state and multiple disjoint excited states scattered throughout the fluid. Furthermore, we find that the usual spherical harmonic labels (e.g., s-like, p-like) are not good descriptors of the excited-state wave functions of the solvated electron in THF. Our observation of multiple disjoint excited states is consistent with femtosecond pump-probe experiments in the literature that suggest that photoexcitation of solvated electrons in THF causes them to relocalize into solvent cavities far from where they originated.
Internal rotation in peroxynitrous acid (ONOOH)
Authors: McGrath Mark P. , Rowland F. Sherwood
Published: April 2005

Using higher levels of wave-function-based electronic structure theory than previously applied, as well as density functional theory (B-LYP and B3-LYP functionals), all theoretical models conclude that three ONOOH conformers are stationary point minima, in disagreement with some of the previous studies that we survey. In order of increasing energy, these are the cis-cis, cis-perp, and trans-perp conformers. Basis sets including diffuse functions seem to be needed to obtain a qualitatively correct representation of the internal rotation potential energy surface at higher levels of theory. Internal rotation about the peroxide bond involving the cis-cis, cis-gauche transition structure (TS), cis-perp, and cis-trans TS conformers is studied in detail. To help ascertain the relative stability of the cis-perp conformer, multireference configuration interaction energy calculations are carried out, and rule of thumb estimates of multireference character in the ground-state wave functions of the ONOOH conformers are considered. CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ physical properties (geometries, rotational constants, electric dipole moments, harmonic vibrational frequencies, and infrared intensities) are compared with the analogous experimental data wherever possible, and also with density functional theory. Where such experimental data are nonexistent, the CCSD(T) and B3-LYP results are useful representations. For example, the electric dipole moment ∣μe∣ of the cis-cis conformer is predicted to be 0.97±0.03D. CCSD(T) energies, extrapolated to the aug-cc-pVNZ limit, are employed in isodesmic reaction schemes to derive zero Kelvin heats of formation and bond dissociation energies of the ONOOH stationary point minima. In agreement with recent gas-phase experiments, the peroxide bond dissociation energies of the cis-cis and trans-perp conformers are calculated as 19.3±0.4 and 16.0±0.4kcal∕mol, respectively. The lowest energy cis-cis conformer is less stable than nitric acid by 28.1±0.4kcal∕mol at 0 K.
Ab initio dipole polarizability surfaces of water molecule: Static and dynamic at 514.5nm
Authors: Avila G.
Published: April 2005

Coupled cluster calculations with a carefully designed basis set have been performed to obtain both static, α, and dynamic at 514.5nm, α(514.5nm), dipole polarizability surfaces of water. We employed a medium size basis set (13s10p6d3f∕9s6p2d1f)[9s7p6d3f∕6s5p2d1f] consisting of 157 contracted Gaussian-type functions that yields values near the Hartree–Fock limit for α [G. Maroulis, J. Chem. Phys. 94, 1182 (1991)]. The α and α(514.5nm) surfaces were able to reproduce all the experimentally available information about the dipole polarizability of water, especially the Raman spectra of gaseous H2O, D2O, and HDO. Vibrational averages for the dipole polarizability of water molecule are also reported.
Phase-change recording materials with a growth-dominated crystallization mechanism: A materials overview
Authors: van Pieterson L. , Lankhorst M. H. R. , van Schijndel M. , Kuiper A. E. T. , Roosen J. H. J.
Published: April 2005

The influence of phase-change material composition on amorphous phase stability, crystallization rate, nucleation probability, optical constants and media noise is reported for materials with a growth dominated crystallization mechanism. Two material classes have been studied, doped Sb–Te and doped Sb-based compositions. The material properties of both are greatly influenced by their composition, and in a similar way. For both materials systems hold that the antimony content especially influences the crystallization rate, amorphous phase stability and media noise of the phase-change material. Compositions rich in antimony generally show high crystallization rates, low archival life stability and high media noise. The material properties are further influenced by the presence of dopants like tellurium, germanium, gallium, indium or tin. Germanium and tellurium reduce the crystallization rate, but are essential to increase the amorphous phase stability. Dopants like tin or indium are added to increase the crystallization rate or to adjust the optical constants.
Systematic ab initio studies of the conformers and conformational distribution of gas-phase tyrosine
Authors: Zhang Meiling , Huang Zhijian , Lin Zijing
Published: April 2005

A full structural assignment of the conformers of gaseous tyrosine is presented. A total of 1296 unique trial structures were generated by allowing for all combinations of internal single-bond rotamers and optimized at the B3LYP∕6-311G* level of theory and then subjected to further optimization at the B3LYP∕6-311++G** level. A total of 76 conformers are found and their dipole moments, rotational constants, and harmonic frequencies are determined. Accurate relative energies are given at the MP2∕6-311G(2df,p)∕∕B3LYP∕6-311++G** level of theory. Characteristic H-bonding types are classified and listed for all the conformers. The four most stable conformers display an intramolecular H bond, COOH⋯NH2, and an additional H-bonding interaction between the amino group and π electron of the aromatic ring. The results further confirm that the global minimum conformations of the aromatic amino acids have the same H-bonding type. Combined with statistical mechanics principles, conformational distributions at various temperatures are computed and the temperatures with which the theoretical results match that of experiments are indicated.
Frequency-temperature response of ferroelectromagnetic Pb(Fe1∕2Nb1∕2)O3 ceramics obtained by different precursors. Part II. Impedance spectroscopy characterization
Authors: Raymond O. , Font R. , Suárez-Almodovar N. , Portelles J. , Siqueiros J. M.
Published: April 2005

The dielectric behavior of ferroelectromagnetic Pb(Fe1∕2Nb1∕2)O3 ceramics obtained using the traditional ceramic method employing three different precursors was investigated by impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range of 200–300°C. This study was carried out by means of the simultaneous analysis of the complex impedance Z̃, electric modulus M̃, and admittance Ỹ functions from the measurements in the frequency range of 20Hz–1MHz. In correspondence to a previous structural, morphological, and temperature response study, appropriate microstructural and equivalent circuit models were established. Based on the brick layer model, three series of interconnected electrically distinct regions are considered: a conductive grain boundary layer, a capacitive grain boundary surface layer, and a resistive-ferroelectric bulk layer. Two conduction mechanisms were identified: a dielectric relaxation process due to localized conduction associated with the presence of oxygen vacancies and the nonlocalized conduction corresponding to long range conductivity associated with extrinsic mechanisms due, fundamentally, to Fe2+ presence. Both mechanisms were discerned to occur inside the grains and where the contributions of the grain boundary are neglected. Three conductivity components were deconvoluted: a longe range dc conductivity at the low frequency region, a capacitive behavior at higher frequencies, and a universal power law behavior in an intermediate-frequency region. Values of the activation energy corresponding to relaxation processes and dc conductivity were determined and excellent correlation with those obtained from the temperature response was found. A comparative analysis between the behaviors of each sample is presented.
Longitudinal polarizability of long polymeric chains: Quasi-one-dimensional electrostatics as the origin of slow convergence
Authors: Kudin Konstantin N. , Car Roberto , Resta Raffaele
Published: April 2005

The longitudinal linear polarizability α(N) of a stereoregular oligomer of size N is proportional to N in the large-N limit, provided the system is nonconducting in that limit. It has long been known that the convergence of α(N)∕N to the asymptotic α∞ value is slow. We show that the leading term in the difference between α(N)∕N and α∞ is of the order of 1∕N. The difference [α(N)−α(N−1)], as well as αcenter(N) (when computationally accessible), also converge to α∞, but faster, the leading term being of the order of 1∕N2. We also present evidence that in these cases the power law convergence behavior is due to quasi-one-dimensional electrostatics, with one exception. Specifically, in molecular systems the difference between α(N)∕N and α∞ has not just one but two sources of the O(1∕N) term, with one being due to the aforementioned Coulomb interactions, and the second due to the short ranged exponentially decaying perturbations on chain ends. The major role of electrostatics in the convergence of the remainders is demonstrated by means of a Clausius–Mossotti-type classical model. The conclusions derived from the model are also shown to be applicable in molecular systems, by means of test-case ab initio calculations on linear stacks of H2 molecules, and on polyacetylene chains. The implications of the modern theory of polarization for extended systems are also discussed.
Electron kinetic effects in atmospheric dielectric-barrier glow discharges
Authors: Zhu X. M. , Kong M. G.
Published: April 2005

Large-volume atmospheric dielectric-barrier discharges (DBD) are particularly useful for processing applications when they operate in their homogeneous mode. A vast majority of their theoretical studies is currently based on the hydrodynamic treatment in which electrons are assumed to be in equilibrium with the local electric field. Recognizing that this assumption is incorrect in the sheath region, we report the development of an electron-hybrid model to treat electrons kinetically and all other particles hydrodynamically. Through numerical examples, it is shown that the mainstream hydrodynamic model underestimates gas ionization and discharge current. Using the hybrid model, it is demonstrated that variation in the amplitude of the applied voltage does not significantly alter sheath characteristics in terms of the electric field and the electron mean energy. Also gas ionization in atmospheric DBD is found to be significant only over a short timescale of 1 μs. Compared with dc atmospheric pressure glow discharges, atmospheric DBD are shown to have a smaller electron mean energy and a larger sheath thickness.
Luminescence of CaWO4, CaMoO4, and ZnWO4 scintillating crystals under different excitations
Authors: Mikhailik V. B. , Kraus H. , Miller G. , Mykhaylyk M. S. , Wahl D.
Published: April 2005

The luminescence spectra of CaWO4, CaMoO4, and ZnWO4 scintillating crystals were investigated in the temperature range 8–400K. The excitation photon energy was varied from the ultraviolet (4.5eV) to the hard x-ray region (35keV). It is found that as the excitation energy decreases the relative intensity of the low-energy luminescence band, attributed to the extrinsic emission of defect centers in CaWO4 and CaMoO4 crystals, increases. This observation is interpreted in terms of the total absorption of incident radiation, i.e., the variation of the mean penetration depth of the photons with their energy. It indicates that the centers responsible for the extrinsic emission in the crystals with scheelite structure are mainly localized in a thin (∼100nm) surface layer. On the other hand no noticeable changes with the excitation energy were found in the emission spectra of ZnWO4 crystals with wolframite structure. The possible implication of this finding is discussed. The light yield of the crystals is compared at low temperature using monochromatic x-ray excitation and it is shown that ZnWO4 has ∼10% higher light yield than CaWO4, while this parameter has a factor of 4 lower in CaMoO4.