bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reduced growth, cull, and mortality of jack pine associated with sweetfern rust cankers
Authors: Gross Henry L. , Patton Robert F. , Ek Alan R.
Published: October 2007

Analysis of a 13-stand sample from northern Ontario indicated that the sweetfern blister rust disease (Cronartiumcomptoniae Arth.) caused cankers that were associated with significantly reduced height, diameter, and volume growth of jack pine (Pinusbanksiana Lamb.). Cankered trees were smaller than unaffected jack pine by an average of 20% (range 0–40%) cubic volume and 29% (range 3–53%) board volume.The average size of cankered pines was reduced and directly related to the percentage in the stand that had severe cankers, as these trees seem to have a reduced capacity for competing with other trees. Size difference was negligible in several stands and this was explained as being due to the lack of competition in young stands and to the elimination of many severely cankered trees in older stands. Such trees are prone to domination by other trees and to attack by insects, fire, and wood rots.The merchantable volume of a cankered tree was reduced by about 11% because wood associated with cankers is distorted, resinous, and frequently has enclosed bark.Mortality of seedling-sized pines was not included in the study. Older trees seem to tolerate the presence of cankers, and mortality of these was confined mostly to dominated trees. Cankered pines had a greater tendency to become dominated and die than did unaffected pines, but mortality was considered unimportant because dominated trees add little in terms of stand competition or usable product.
Variation in lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta var. latifolia): greenhouse response of wind pollinated families from five populations to day length and temperature–soil
Authors: Perry David A. , Lotan James E.
Published: October 2007

Seeds were collected from 10 lodgepole pine trees in each of five stands located in Utah, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and British Columbia. Seeds were planted and seedlings grown in four day-length regimes (14, 15.5, 16.5, and 22 h) in each of two temperature regimes (warm and cool). Soils used in the warm and cool treatment were slightly different. Height and dry weight were recorded.Variability among families within populations was considerably greater than that among populations. If interactions between families of the two cone types (open and closed) are removed, correlation between among-family variance and differential family response to day length and temperature–soil treatments is strong for dry weight (r2 = 0.96), and less strong for height (r2 = 0.51). Families from open- and closed-cone mothers did not have different heights and dry weights, but in at least some of the populations were different in the degree of among-family variability.Correlation between greenhouse and 5th-year heights of field planted seedlings was poor for individual families, but good (r2 = 0.92) for mean population heights. Correlation between 5th-year mean population heights and site index of the parent stand was also good (r2 = 0.89).
Réactions "organographiques" du pin laricio sous l'action de l'acide cacodylique
Authors: Lheureux Christian , Andre Pierre
Published: October 2007

The injection of a nonlethal dose of cacodylic acid (dimethylarsenic acid, silvisar 510) in young Pinusnigra Arn. ssp. laricio Poiret just before leafing resulted in the formation of new shoots from some interfascicular buds, from secondary buds, and from potential buds. The new shoots were 'rejuvenated' in that they bore green leaves resembling those on seedlings, instead of brown cataphylls.
Phyllotactic arrangements of needles on elongating conifer shoots: a computer simulation
Authors: Cannell M. G. R. , Bowler K. C.
Published: October 2007

Needle primordia are arranged in high-order phyllotactic spirals within conifer buds, mostly within the Fibonacci number series 8, 13, 21, or 34. When the buds elongate, these spirals became distorted making the lower-order spirals more visible (mostly 3, 5, or 8). At all stages of elongation, the needles can be numbered in the order in which they were produced. A computer graphics programme has been written to display a wide range of spiral phyllotactic arrangements in three dimensions.
Application of 15N-enrichment methodologies to estimate nitrogen fixation in Casuarinaequisetifolia
Authors: Parrotta John A. , Baker Dwight D. , Fried Maurice
Published: October 2007

The 15N-enrichment technique for estimating biological nitrogen fixation in Casuarinaequisetifolia J.R. & G. Forst. was evaluated under field conditions in single-species and mixed-species plantings (with a nonfixing reference species, Eucalyptus × robusta J.E. Smith) between ages 6 and 24 months in Puerto Rico. Trenched and untrenched quadrats within the plantations were labelled at 6-month intervals with 15N-enriched ammonium sulfate at a rate of 0.2 g 15N•m−2•year−1 (2.0 g N•m−2•year−1). Analyses of foliar and whole-tree (weighted average) N-isotope ratios, based on periodic nondestructive and whole tree harvests, were used to estimate the proportion of nitrogen derived from biological dinitrogen fixation (PNDFA) and total nitrogen derived from fixation (TNDFA) in Casuarina. These results were compared with those obtained using the nitrogen difference method. The 15N-enrichment technique yielded consistent estimates of biological nitrogen fixation in Casuarina when either foliar or whole-tree N-isotopic data were used to calculate PNDFA and TNDFA. Estimates of PNDFA in Casuarina were similar for trenched monoculture and mixed-species quadrats, and in trenched and untrenched quadrats where the reference species (Eucalyptus) was interplanted with the N-fixing species. However, the results indicate that eucalyptus grown in small, untrenched monoculture quadrats is an inappropriate reference for estimating PNDFA in Casuarina. During the first 2 years after plantation establishment, Casuarina obtained from 48 to 67% of its nitrogen from the atmosphere based on foliar and whole-tree sampling. This amounted to between 82 and 94 kg•ha−1•year−1 in the monoculture treatment and between 39 and 62 kg•ha−1•year−1 in the mixed stands with Eucalyptus. These results also were in close agreement with estimates made using an N-difference method.
Removal of stumps from a Phellinusweirii infested site and fertilization affect mortality and growth of planted Douglas-fir
Authors: Thies Walter G. , Nelson Earl E. , Zabowski Darlene
Published: October 2007

A 2 × 4 set of factorial treatments of stump removal in combination with nitrogen fertilization was applied to 0.04-ha circular plots within a clearcut on the west slope of the Cascade Range (44°21′N, 122°39′W). Treatments included stump removal (either all stumps removed or the plot left undisturbed) and broadcast fertilization with ammonium nitrate (0, 336, 672, or 1345 kg N•ha−1). Diameter at breast height and height of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings, planted 4 months after treatment, were recorded five and nine seasons after outplanting. Soil bulk density in the upper 20 cm was measured with a single-probe neutron densimeter. Stump removal reduced the number of seedlings killed by laminated root rot (Phellinusweirii (Murr.) Gilb.) but had no significant effect on seedling growth. Stump removal increased soil bulk density only 7% as measured 9.7 years after treatment. Fertilization increased the growth in diameter at breast height, and height growth of the seedlings. Elevated total soil nitrogen could still be detected on fertilized, nonstumped plots 9.7 years after treatment.
Vegetation development in a hardwood-forest chronosequence in Nova Scotia
Authors: Crowell M. , Freedman B.
Published: October 2007

Vegetation and aboveground biomass and nutrient capital (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) were examined in a 22-stand, 75-year chronosequence within an angiosperm-dominated forest in Nova Scotia. Stands 20 years old and younger originated with clear-cutting, whereas older stands originated with wildfire. Early successional, ruderal species of vascular plants were prominent for ca. 5 years after clear-cutting, but they occurred as a part of a diverse, species-rich community dominated by more-tolerant species, many of which survived the disturbance of clear-cutting. The rate of accumulation of aboveground biomass averaged 2.2 t•ha−1•year−1 during the first 11 years after clear-cutting, 4.7 t•ha−1•year−1 between 11 and 30 years, and then decreased to 1.5 t•ha−1•year−1 between 30 and 75 years. Foliage biomass recovered to a quantity typical of mature stands within only 3–5 years of disturbance, as a result of the vigorous growth of both ground vegetation and stump sprouts of certain tree species. The patterns of accumulation of N, P, K, and Mg were similar to that of biomass, except that initially their relative rates of accumulation were faster because of the large proportion of nutrient-rich foliage in young stands. The accumulation of Ca was relatively slower, because of its large concentration in tree bark, a tissue whose proportion in the aboveground biomass reached a maximum much later than did foliage.
Investigating the reliability of a hedonic travel cost model: a Monte Carlo approach
Authors: Common Michael S. , McKenney Daniel W.
Published: October 2007

The reliability of nonmarket welfare estimates has been examined by analysts in a variety of contexts. Much of the focus of previous work has been on individual, rather than aggregate values. This paper examines the reliability of aggregate consumer surplus estimates via a Monte Carlo model. The basic elements of a hedonic travel cost model are represented in a forest management decision-making context. One result is that what would appear as minor errors in visitor estimates between sites has a significant impact on aggregate consumer surplus estimates. The results serve to emphasize that sensitivity analysis is critical when using nonmarket welfare estimates for decision making.
Amelioration of wood ash toxicity and jack pine establishment
Authors: Thomas P.A. , Wein Ross W.
Published: October 2007

Fresh wood ash inhibits the germination and early survival of some conifers but this ameliorates with leaching. It was unknown, however, how much precipitation and time it takes for wood ash to become a favourable seedbed. Laboratory and field studies showed that the rate of leaching of conifer and aspen ash was dependant on the amount of water, but a break between watering periods allowed the ionic content of ash to recover and rise. Field trials on a wildfire site and experimental plots in the Northwest Territories and Alberta indicated that 600–700 mm of water could leach 2–3 cm of ash sufficiently to allow some establishment of jack pine (Pinusbanksiana Lamb.), equivalent to that on undisturbed and vegetated duff. Precipitation in excess of 1000 mm appeared necessary for substantial jack pine establishment. With normal precipitation levels these levels of establishment would take 1–2 years (600–700 mm) and 2–3 years (1000 mm). After 1 year, jack pine seedfall from serotinous cones is complete and the opportunity for seedling establishment on ash has been lost. Wildfire sites with deep wood ash tend to be dominated by Betula and Salix species.
Effect of the purposive choice of families on the estimates of the juvenile–mature correlation derived from retrospective tests
Authors: Lascoux Martin , Kremer Antoine
Published: October 2007

Retrospective tests have been widely used during the last decade to address early selection of forest trees. The main goal of retrospective testing is to derive estimates of juvenile–mature correlations for a group of families that have already been tested in the field at the mature stage. The families were sometimes purposefully chosen to represent contrasted growth abilities. The aim of the present study is to show that the purposive selection of the families substantially influences the value of the estimate of the juvenile–mature correlation. We assume that the regression between the mature and juvenile stages is linear with constant residual variance. Under this assumption, a formula is derived that permits the correlation estimated through retrospective tests with purposive selection of the individuals to be related to the correlation in the whole population. An example with forest trees is given, and the implications of the results for future research are discussed. It is concluded that correlations estimated from retrospective tests whose families are purposefully chosen should be used with caution or that their computation should simply be avoided. Alternative approaches are suggested.
Relationship between leader morphology and resistance or susceptibility of Sitka spruce to the white pine weevil
Authors: Tomlin E.S. , Borden J.H.
Published: October 2007

Sitka spruce, Piceasitchensis (Bong.) Carr., from 27 provenances and five sites in British Columbia, were examined for traits of leader morphology that might be involved in resistance to the white pine weevil, Pissodesstrobi (Peck). Trees from the Usk Ferry provenance at Head Bay and the Kitwanga provenance at Nass River both had low incidence of weevilling, and had needles pressed more closely against the stems by up to 20° than trees from other provenances. At Fair Harbour, trees from the two most resistant provenances, Haney and Cedarvale, had inner resin ducts that were approximately twice the diameter of those in trees from the most susceptible provenances. Resistant trees from these two provenances also had significantly more outer resin ducts than those from any other provenance planted at any of the five sites. Values ranged from 28 outer ducts per centimetre for Haney trees, to <1 per centimetre for very susceptible trees from the Masset Sound provenance in the Queen Charlotte Islands, where the absence of weevils could have eliminated any selection for trees with a high density of resin ducts. We hypothesize that trees from the Haney and Cedarvale provenances may have large numbers of outer resin ducts as an important resistance mechanism, which could be used as a selection criterion for resistance. Resistant trees from other provenances such as Big Qualicum, Kitwanga, and Green Timbers, which have fewer outer resin ducts than those from Haney and Cedarvale, must rely heavily on mechanisms other than those associated with the resin system morphology.
STUDY OF THE Pt/Ru(0001) INTERFACE
Authors: GODOWSKI P. J. , LI Z. S. , BORK J. , ONSGAARD J.
Published: October 2007

The growth process of platinum on Ru (0001) near room temperature was characterized using photoelectron spectroscopy of high resolution. The binding energy position and intensity of the Pt 4f7/2 and Ru 3d5/2 core levels as well as the shape and structure of the valence band spectra corresponding to the different stages of the deposition were analyzed. Up to ca. two adsorbate monolayers, the intensity changes of the peaks indicated layer-by-layer growth mode. The surface core level shifts of Ru and Pt levels were evaluated as -0.33 and -0.476 eV, respectively. The valence band spectra show a rather weak interaction between the d-bands of Pt and Ru .
NANOSTRUCTURED ZrO2 POWDER SYNTHESIZED BY ULTRASONIC SPRAY PYROLYSIS
Authors: MARKOVIC JELENA P. , JUGOVIC DRAGANA , MITRIC MIODRAG , MAKOVEC DARKO , MILONJIC SLOBODAN K. , USKOKOVIC DRAGAN P.
Published: October 2007

The synthesis of nanostructured zirconia particles from aqueous colloidal dispersion of zirconia (zirconia sol) was carried out by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. The morphology of these nanostructured particles was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The synthesized particles are spherical in shape with the avarage size of 400 nm, consisting of smaller primary particles, with the mean crystallite size of 7 nm. The tetragonal phase was confirmed by both X-ray and electron diffraction measurements.
SURFACE MORPHOLOGY AND PHOTOLUMINESCENCE CHARACTERISTICS OF Sm-DOPED YVO4 THIN FILMS
Authors: YANG HYUN KYOUNG , CHUNG JONG WON , MOON BYUNG KEE , CHOI BYUNG CHUN , JUNG JUNG HYUN , YI SOUNG SOO , KIM JUNG HWAN , KIM KWANG HO
Published: October 2007

Surface morphology and crystallinity of YVO 4: Sm 3+ thin films have an influence on the photoluminescence characteristics. The YVO 4: Sm 3+ films have been deposited on Al 2 O 3 (0001) substrates using pulsed laser deposition method. The films were grown at the various substrate temperatures changing from 500 to 700°C. The crystallinity and surface morphology of the films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. The results of XRD showed that YVO 4: Sm 3+ films had a zircon structure and AFM study revealed that the films consisted of homogeneous grains ranging from 100 to 400 nm depending on the deposition conditions. The photoluminescence spectra were measured at room temperature and the emitted radiation was dominated by the red emission peak at 620 nm radiated from the transition of 5 D 0-7 F 2. The crystallinity, surface morphology, and photoluminescence spectra of thin-film phosphors were highly dependent on the substrate temperature. The surface roughness and photoluminescence intensity of the films showed similar behavior as a function of substrate temperature.
Angiotensin II response in afferent arterioles of mice lacking either the endothelial or neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase
Authors: Patzak Andreas , Steege Andreas , Lai En Yin , Brinkmann Jan Ole , Kupsch Eckehardt , Spielmann Nadine , Gericke Adrian , Skalweit Angela , Stegbauer Johannes , Persson Pontus B. , Seeliger Erdmann
Published: October 2007

The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of nitric oxide (NO) produced by endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) on the angiotensin II response in afferent arterioles (Af). Dose responses were assessed for angiotensin II in microperfused Af of mice homozygous for disruption of the eNOS gene [eNOS(−/−)], or nNOS gene [nNOS(−/−)], and their wild-type controls, eNOS(+/+) and nNOS(+/+). Angiotensin II at 10−8and 10−6mol/l reduced the lumen to 69% and 68% in eNOS(+/+), and to 59% and 50% in nNOS(+/+). NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) did not change basal arteriolar diameters, but augmented angiotensin II contraction, reducing diameters to 23% and 13% in eNOS(+/+), and 7% and 10% in nNOS(+/+) at 10−8and 10−6mol/l. The response to angiotensin II was enhanced in nNOS(−/−) mice (41% and 25% at 10−8and 10−6mol/l) and even more enhanced in eNOS(−/−) mice (12% and 9%) compared with nNOS(+/+) and eNOS(+/+). l-NAME led to complete constriction of Af in these groups. Media-to-lumen ratios of Af did not differ between controls and gene-deficient mice. mRNA expression of angiotensin II receptor types 1A and 1B and type 2 also did not differ. The results reveal that angiotensin II-induced release of NO from both eNOS and nNOS significantly contributes to the control of Af. Results also suggest that eNOS-derived NO is of greater importance than nNOS-derived NO in this isolated arteriolar preparation.
Metabolic syndrome and endothelial fibrinolytic capacity in obese adults
Authors: Van Guilder Gary P. , Hoetzer Greta L. , Greiner Jared J. , Stauffer Brian L. , DeSouza Christopher A.
Published: October 2007

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) often accompanies obesity and contributes to the increased risk of atherothrombotic events with increased body fatness. Indeed, the risks for coronary artery disease and acute vascular events are greater with obesity combined with MetS compared with obesity alone. Endothelial release of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) is a key defense mechanism against thrombosis and has been shown to be impaired with obesity. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the presence of MetS exacerbates endothelial fibrinolytic dysfunction in obese adults. Net endothelial release of t-PA was determined in vivo in response to intrabrachial infusions of bradykinin and sodium nitroprusside in 47 sedentary adults: 15 normal weight (age 57 ± 2 yr; body mass index 22.9 ± 0.5 kg/m2), 14 obese but otherwise healthy (55 ± 1 yr; 29.4 ± 0.3 kg/m2), and 18 obese with MetS (55 ± 2 yr; 32.3 ± 1 kg/m2). MetS was established according to National Cholesterol Education Program ATP III criteria. Net release of t-PA antigen to bradykinin was ∼50% lower ( P < 0.01) in the obese (from 2.5 ± 1.9 to 37.1 ± 5.3 ng·100 ml tissue−1·min−1) and obese with MetS (from 0.4 ± 0.8 to 32.5 ± 3.8 ng·100 ml tissue−1·min−1) compared with normal-weight (from 0.9 ± 1.0 to 74.3 ± 8.1 ng·100 ml tissue−1·min−1) subjects. However, there were no significant differences in the capacity of the endothelium to release t-PA in the obese and obese with MetS adults. These results indicate that the presence of the MetS does not worsen the obesity-related endothelial fibrinolytic dysfunction.
IQ-Motif Proteins Influence Intracellular Free Ca2+in Hippocampal Neurons Through Their Interactions With Calmodulin
Authors: Kubota Yoshihisa , Putkey John A. , Shouval Harel Z. , Waxham M. Neal
Published: October 2007

Calmodulin (CaM) is most recognized for its role in activating Ca2+–CaM-dependent enzymes following increased intracellular Ca2+. However, CaM's high intracellular concentration indicates CaM has the potential to play a significant role as a Ca2+buffer. Neurogranin (Ng) is a small neuronal IQ-motif–containing protein that accelerates Ca2+dissociation from CaM. In cells that contain high concentrations of both Ng and CaM, like CA1 pyramidal neurons, we hypothesize that the accelerated Ca2+dissociation from CaM by Ng decreases the buffering capacity of CaM and thereby shapes the transient dynamics of intracellular free Ca2+. We examined this hypothesis using a mathematical model constructed on the known biochemistry of Ng and confirmed the simulation results with Ca2+imaging data in the literature. In a single-compartment model that contains no Ca2+extrusion mechanism, Ng increased the steady-state free Ca2+. However, in the presence of a Ca2+extrusion mechanism, Ng accelerated the decay rate of free Ca2+through its ability to increase the Ca2+dissociation from CaM, which in turn becomes subject to Ca2+extrusion. Interestingly, PEP-19, another neuronal IQ-motif protein that accelerates both Ca2+association and dissociation from CaM, appears to have the opposite impact than that of Ng on free Ca2+. As such, Ng may regulate, in addition to the Ca2+–CaM-dependent process, Ca2+-sensitive enzymes by influencing the buffering capacity of CaM and subsequently free Ca2+levels. We examined the relative impact of these Ng-induced effects in the induction of synaptic plasticity.
Unconscious Word Processing Engages a Distributed Network of Brain Regions
Authors: Diaz Michele T. , McCarthy Gregory
Published: October 2007

A briefly exposed visual stimulus may not be consciously perceived if it is preceded and followed by a dissimilar visual pattern or mask. Despite the subject's lack of awareness, prior behavioral studies have shown that such masked stimuli, nevertheless, engage domain-specific processes [Dehaene, S., Naccache, L., Cohen, L., Le Bihan, D., Mangin, J.-F., Poline, J.-B., et al. Cerebral mechanisms of word masking and unconscious repetition priming. Nature Neuroscience, 4, 752–758, 2001; Bar, M., & Biederman, I. Subliminal visual priming. Psychological Science, 9, 464–469, 1998; Dehaene, S., Naccache, L., Le Clec'H, G., Koechlin, E., Mueller, M., Dehaene-Lambertz, G., et al. Imaging unconscious semantic priming. Nature, 395, 597–600, 1998; Whalen, P. J., Rauch, S. L., Etcoff, N. L., McInerney, S. C., Lee, M. B., & Jenike, M. A. Masked presentations of emotional facial expressions modulate amygdala activity without explicit knowledge. Journal of Neuroscience, 18, 411–418, 1998; Marcel, A. J. Conscious and unconscious perception: Experiments on visual masking and word recognition. Cognitive Psychology, 15, 197–237, 1983]. Masking thus provides a method for identifying language processes that are preattentive and automatic. Functional magnetic resonance imaging used in concert with masking may identify brain regions engaged by these unconscious language processes. In an adaptation design, subjects viewed a continuous stream of masked words and masked nonwords while performing an unrelated detection task, in which they were asked to make a response to a visible colored nonword stimulus (i.e., ampersands in red or blue font). Most trials were masked nonwords and masked words were presented once every 12–15 sec. The task ensured participant engagement, while the masked nonword baseline controlled for perceptual and orthographic processing. Participants were naïve to the purpose of the experiment and testing indicated that they did not consciously perceive either the words or nonwords. Masked words, but not masked nonwords, strongly activated left hemisphere language regions, including Broca's area, the angular gyrus, and the lateral temporal lobe. Differential activation of the posterior corpus callosum was also observed.
Early Face Processing Specificity: It's in the Eyes!
Authors: Itier Roxane J. , Alain Claude , Sedore Katherine , McIntosh Anthony R.
Published: October 2007

Unlike most other objects that are processed analytically, faces are processed configurally. This configural processing is reflected early in visual processing following face inversion and contrast reversal, as an increase in the N170 amplitude, a scalp-recorded event-related potential. Here, we show that these face-specific effects are mediated by the eye region. That is, they occurred only when the eyes were present, but not when eyes were removed from the face. The N170 recorded to inverted and negative faces likely reflects the processing of the eyes. We propose a neural model of face processing in which face- and eye-selective neurons situated in the superior temporal sulcus region of the human brain respond differently to the face configuration and to the eyes depending on the face context. This dynamic response modulation accounts for the N170 variations reported in the literature. The eyes may be central to what makes faces so special.
Democracy, Capitalism, and Income Inequality: Seeking Causal Directions
Authors: Burkhart Ross
Published: October 2007

Recent research shows that lower levels of income inequality cause higher levels of democracy, and vice versa in a simultaneous relationship. A critical factor missing from these studies is a direct exogenous measure of capitalism in models explaining variation in income inequality and democracy. This study examines 50 countries over the years 1978–1993 and finds in a pooled two stage least squares modeling exercise that the Fraser Institute measure of capitalism appears to have a weakly positive linear impact on POLITY IV measures of democracy and a weakly positive linear impact on income inequality (more capitalism, more inequality). There appears to be no higher-order relationship between capitalism and democracy or income inequality, though there is a weak parabolic relationship between democracy and income inequality.
The Paradox of Ethnic Minority Development in Beijing
Authors: Hasmath Reza
Published: October 2007

The educational attainments of Beijing's permanent ethnic minority population out perform or are on par with the dominant, local Hans. Yet, the Han demographic disproportionately dominates the high-wage, education-intensive employment sectors. What accounts for this paradox? What does this signify regarding the management of ethnic difference in the capital city? And how do we improve this situation? Drawing upon recent research, this paper will offer sociological explanations to answer these questions. Moreover, it will further suggest strategies for enhancing the development of ethnic minorities in Beijing.
Social Structure and Personality during the Transformation of Urban China: A Preliminary Report of an Ongoing Research Project
Authors: Li Lulu , Wang Weidong , Kohn Melvin , Yue Yin
Published: October 2007

This paper presents the theoretical rationale and research design of an ongoing study of social structure and personality in transitional urban China. The study is designed to be precisely comparable to recent studies in Poland and Ukraine during the early stages of their transformation from socialism to nascent capitalism, as well as to earlier studies of the United States, Poland when it was socialist, and Japan during more stable times. The paper also presents evidence that the dimensions of personality measured in the previous studies, and the questions used to measure those dimensions, are as appropriate for a study of urban China as they were to studies of the United States, Poland, Japan, and Ukraine, during times both of relative social stability and of radical social change; moreover, these measures of personality are essentially invariant for Chinese cities of differing degrees of wealth and privatization, and for both genders.
Parliamentarians as Errand Boys in France, Britain and the United States
Authors: Dogan Mattei
Published: October 2007

Comparison of three democracies that practice the single member constituency, the common denominator of which is the importance parliamentarians grant to the local issues in their electoral constituencies, often to the detriment of their roles as national legislators and holders of popular legitimacy. These "local servitudes" that entail frequent visits to the constituency and sustained contact with the electors, are examined in terms of tending to the local electoral garden. Emphasis is placed on the similarities between parliamentarians' local preoccupations, in spite of the differences that exist between these three political regimes.
Litigation as a Form of Pressure Group Activity
Authors: Vose Clement E.
Published: October 2007

The important place of judicial review in the American system of government and the attention demanded by litigation dealing with large issues of public law have drawn organizations into many important court cases. In Supreme Court cases, organizations have participated openly by filing briefs as "friend of the court." They have also played a less noticed role either by aiding individuals in whose name "test cases" have been brought or by providing assistance to govern ment attorneys defending a statute in which the organization has an interest. Particular attention is drawn to the activities of the American Liberty League, the National Consumers' League, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. The practices of these and other organiza tions have led to controls designed to assure the integrity of the judicial process. It is contended that controls must be applied with caution lest there be interference with freedom of associa tion and with the concomitant rights of access to the courts.
Pressure Groups and the American Tradition
Authors: Stedman Murray S.
Published: October 2007

Present social research indicates that interest groups have little effect on the formation or on the distribution of basic values. On the other hand, these groups are often able to create a short-run favorable climate of opinion. Market re search surveys and election campaign studies furnish the prin cipal documented evidence on opinion fluctuations. To be successful, an interest group must rally to its cause formerly uncommitted persons who are latently predisposed toward the group's values. The degree to which an interest group may mobilize wide support depends on its ability to capitalize on predispositions. These, in turn, may best be ascertained by examination of interpersonal relations which serve as anchorage points for opinions, habits, attitudes, and values. Theory and practice both suggest that an effective interest group must give attention to the horizontal as well as to the vertical flow of communication. Conversations between people may have a greater effect than the impact of mass media on people.
The Family in Health and Illness: Some Neglected Areas
Authors: Vincent Clark E.
Published: October 2007

That the family is of crucial importance in in dividual health and illness is an age-old truism with many neglected implications. Much of the literature pertaining to the family and illness is so little concerned with families qua families as to suggest a nonfamily orientation, an afamily bias. For example, the several hundred studies of child-rearing patterns and parent-child relationships as causal factors in mental illness largely ignore the family unit by excluding the patient's siblings, the mother's relationships with her well children, and the impact of the ill child upon the total family. The current trend of moving the treatment setting back into the family and community is contrary to the thesis that the modern family is unable to perform sick-care functions for its members but is consonant with the existence of a modified extended family which family specialists have largely ignored. Thus, it is encouraging that an increasing number of educators and researchers are emphasizing the total f amily—nuclear and extended—in relation to health and illness; the emphasis is long overdue. The question remains as to whether the recent and growing interest in the reciprocal influences of illness and the total family will develop with sufficient speed and soundness to provide policy guidance and a firm basis for evaluation and re-evaluation of current developments in the public-health and mental-health fields.
Why Organized Crime Thrives
Authors: Ruth Henry S.
Published: October 2007

America has never been able to build a sustained attack against organized crime. This inaction has been caused by many interlocking factors. Organized crime chooses crimi nal activities which are not reported by the compliant "victims." It provides services relied upon by business, labor, and politics. For noncompliant customers of organized crime, the criminals utilize the element of fear to nullify opposition. The public, and many officials, see only parts of organized crime's activities, and thus do not conceive it to be a priority problem. Organized crime has become categorized as a separate problem, when, in fact, it is closely related to professional crime, street crime, aggravation of ghetto conditions, and low-quality or corrupted criminal-justice personnel. The annual income produced by organized crime is twice that engendered by all other criminal activities combined. Sporadic law-enforcement effort has been government's only response, and law-enforcement officers receive no encouragement from the community and government officials. The alliance between organized crime and the so-called legitimate power structure in many communities defeats efforts to expose or minimize organized crime's influence. With business, labor, politicians, scholars, the citizenry, and much of law enforcement ignoring the problem, the program recommended by the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice (hereinafter referred to as the National Crime Commission) to combat organized crime will not be implemented without national recognition and concern about this phenomenon.
Teaching Educational Philosophy
Authors: Ellsasser Christopher Ward
Published: October 2007

Our least-served students are taught by our least-experienced teachers. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, teachers in high-poverty public schools are twice as likely to transfer to another school as their colleagues in low-poverty public schools. Consequently, many students in high-poverty, urban public schools spend their academic careers watching a parade of new teachers pass through their classrooms on their way to “good schools” with “good students.” Until new teachers arrive ready to join their constituents in a collaborative effort to reform the pathology of urban schools by asserting an educational philosophy rooted in their beliefs about the purpose of education and forged in the day-to-day context of urban schooling, the teacher parade will continue marching through the poorest urban communities.
Compulsion in active labour market programmes
Authors: van Ours Jan C.
Published: October 2007

This paper examines compulsion in active labour market programmes (ALMP). When an unemployed worker has to participate in a programme in order to remain eligible for benefits there are two seperate effects. First, there is the treatment effect, i.e. the programme makes the worker more attractive for a potential employer or makes search more efficient, thus helping the unemployed worker to find a job more quickly. Second, there is the compulsion effect, i.e. because the worker has to attend the programme his value of being unemployed drops and he is stimulated to find a job more quickly. So, both effects induce the worker to find a job more quickly. The difference between the treatment effect and the compulsion effect concerns the quality of the post-unemployment job. The treatment effect improves the quality; the compulsion effect lowers the quality of post-unemployment jobs.
The Effect of Pathways to Work on Labour Market Outcomes
Authors: Dorsett Richard
Published: October 2007

This article summarises the recent evaluation of Pathways to Work – a package of reforms aimed at encouraging employment among people claiming incapacity benefits (Belway et al., 2007). The results show an increase of over 7 percentage points in the probability of working about a year and a half after the start of claim. The probability of not claiming incapacity benefits was also increased initially but this effect later reduced to just 1½ percentage points. The findings suggest Pathways to Work may contribute to the Government's aim of increasing the employment rate. They provide less encouragement with regard to the aim of reducing by 1 million the number claiming incapacity benefits.
The Surface Friction of Yarns
Authors: Saxl Erwin J.
Published: October 2007

Yarn friction is of considerable importance in the manufacture and conversion of all types of yarns and threads. It is indicative of the value of softening and lubricating compounds, of dyestuffs and chemicals, and also of the influence of sizing upon the yarn. Furthermore it indicates the effect of flyers, tension devices, and other guiding parts of machinery in roughening up the yarn.

In order to determine the coefficient of friction of yarns and thus to get knowledge of the running quality of threads, an apparatus has been developed whereby a yarn is lifted under precision conditions until a standard rider placed upon the yarn begins to travel. At this point the angle of inclination is read on a protractor and from this the coefficient of friction of the yarn is determined simply and quantitatively.
Media Effects Reconsidered
Authors: Clarke Peter , Kline F. Gerald
Published: October 2007

Arguments are presented for looking at cognitive outcomes as dependent variables in communication research rather than placing emphasis only on affective realms. This approach also brings attention to the independent-dependent variable emphases found in the communication literature over the last few decades. The social context of media use and the motivations that spring from this contextual embeddedness are also discussed with regard to information utility and the distribution of information availability. Finally a comment is offered on how these perspectives may relate to developments in new media technology.
Mass Media and the Knowledge Gap
Authors: Donohue G.A. , Tichenor P.J. , Olien C.N.
Published: October 2007

A principal consequence of mass media coverage about national public affairs issues, particularly from print media, appears to be an increasing "knowledge gap" between various social strata. Previous data presented by the authors were concerned with issues largely external to the local community. More recent work raises the question whether social conflict about a community issue will tend to open the gap further, or close it. Survey data from fifteen Minnesota communities experiencing conflicts of varying magnitude indicate that as level of conflict about local issues increases, the knowledge gap actually tends to decline. Level of interpersonal communication about the issue appears to be a major intervening variable. Thus, it appears that the knowledge gap hypothesis needs to be modified according to the type of issue involved and the conflict dimensions of the issue within the community.
Communication About the Military
Authors: Segal David R.
Published: October 2007

The relative roles of mass media and interpersonal communication in the transmission of information about war and the armed forces are evaluated using data from a sample of the population of the Detroit Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area. Little interpersonal discussion was found to take place regarding military affairs. The most common source of information was found to be the printed media, with the visual media second most important. The data suggest that a "one-step" rather than a "two-step" flow model best represents communication about the military.
The Functions of Mass Media in the Political Socialization of Adolescents
Authors: Adoni Hanna
Published: October 2007

This study suggests that the mass media serve as socializing agents by providing direct linkage to media and contents which are essential for the development of political values, and by contributing to the structuring of social contexts in which adolescents may exercise such value orientations and reinforce ties with primary socializing agents.
The Three Faces of Evaluation
Authors: Quay Herbert C.
Published: October 2007

Evaluations of intervention programs have concentrated on the adequacy of research design and the specification of outcome, while tending to ignore the integrity of the programs being evaluated. This third face of evaluation, assessing program integrity, involves information as to the adequacy of the conceptualization of the treatment, the duration and intensity of the program, the quality and quantity of personnel, and the match of treatment, treater and treated. The study by Kassebaum, Ward, and Wilner (1971), which utilizes an exemplary research design and provides considerable information on program integrity, is analyzed in detail to demonstrate that the almost complete lack of program integrity rendered the drawing of conclusions about the efficacy of group counseling in the correctional setting impossible from the results reported in this research. Continued lack of attention to the question of program integrity can only lead to further, and generally unproductive, debate about "what works." It is suggested that techniques be developed for the objective assessment of the elements of program integrity for commonly used treatment strategies in corrections.
Female Offenders
Authors: Spatz Widom Cathy
Published: October 2007

The validity of three assumptions about self-esteem, sex-role identity, and feminism in female offenders was empirically investigated in a study of 73 women awaiting trial (ATU) in Massachusetts. ATU and a comparison group of women were administered several paper-and-pencil questionnaires measuring self-esteem, personal autonomy, psychological masculinity and femininity, and feminism. Despite age and educational differences, ATU women were similar to nonoffender women. The results did not support assumptions regarding low self-esteem and increased masculinity in female offenders. The third assumption about feminism in young female offenders received slight support. The relationship between social class and attitudes was discussed as well as the appropriateness of rehabilitative goals for female offenders and speculations were made about the role femininity (or expressiveness) in criminality, Spence's concepts of negative masculinity and femininity, and the role of societal expectations in influencing one's self-concept.
Objections to External
Authors: Ebel Robert L.
Published: October 2007

_ External tests do serve an important purpose, says this writer, who counters the rea sons most often cited by critics of such tests.
A Review of the Options: Alternatives to Paper-and-Pencil Testing
Authors: Cornett Joe D.
Published: October 2007

Procedures other than paper-and- pencil tests are needed to assess the full range of student achieve ments. This author reviews some of those testing al _ ternatives.
Communicating Technology Knowledge to Small and Medium-Sized Companies
Authors: Videm Jan
Published: October 2007

Jan Videm is vice-president and technical director of the National Institute of Technology (STI), Oslo, Norway. This note examines some of the problems encountered in communicating technology knowledge to small and medium-sized firms and describes some of the methods used in Norway and elsewhere.
The Development of New Manufacturing Firms
Authors: Mason Colin M.
Published: October 2007

Dr. Colin M. Mason is a Lecturer in the Department of Geography at the University of Southampton, England. The paper presents the results of a follow-up study, undertaken in mid-1983, of 52 new manufacturing firms in South Hampshire, all started since 1975, and which were originally interviewed in 1981. Almost one-quarter of these firms had closed prior to the follow-up survey. As a group the panel of surviving firms is characterised by increases in turnover, floorspace and employment and improvements in the quality of premises, capital stock and technological sophistication. However, changes in other dimensions of business development -notably management structure, markets and customers -tended to be quite limited. The surviving group is also characterised by the emergence of a small number of rapid-growth enterprises: these 'high fliers' in the panel have made the greatest contribution to employment generation and economic development. It is concluded that policy would achieve more substantive results by shifting from its present indiscriminate assistance to the small firm sector towards a more selective approach which attempts to encourage the creation of greater numbers of rapid growth firms.
The Entrepreneurial Personality: A Few Ghosts Laid to Rest?
Authors: Chell Elizabeth
Published: October 2007

Dr. Elizabeth Chell is Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour in the Department of Business and Administration, at the University of Salford, England. This paper considers critically three approaches to entrepreneurship; the psychodynamic, social development and trait models. It appears that the psychodynamic model relies on the stereotypic notion of the entrepreneur as a deviant; the social development model reduces to four stereotypes which are said to characterize the entrepreneur at different stages of life; and the trait approach is unable to identify reliably a trait which characterizes entrepreneurs and distinguishes them from other business persons. Other possible modification of the trait approach is to take into account the interaction of traits and situations as modifiers of behaviour. An alternative conceptualisation of entrepreneurship is put forward in which 'cognitive social learning variables' are substituted for traits, and Harr6's Situation-Act model is used as the basis for analysing how entrepreneurs relate to their business situation. Recent theoretical and empirical studies of entrepreneurship are used to provide the key concepts of person (entrepreneur) situations (business environment) fit.