bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling dispersal of metals from a copper smelter at Rouyn-Noranda (Québec, Canada) using peatland data
Authors: Kettles Inez M. , Bonham-Carter Graeme F.
Published: March 2005

Copper, Pb and Zn levels in surface growth sampled from 37 peat hummocks (ombrotrophic) occurring in peatlands around a smelter in western Québec show that metal levels decrease exponentially with increasing distance from the smelter. The spatial pattern of metal in peat forms a circular map pattern, centred on the smelter and skewed by the predominant wind direction. An empirical model fitted to the data provides an estimate of the rate of concentration decrease with radial distance, and the background metal level far away from the smelter. For Cu, Pb and Zn, the smelter-related anomaly is statistically indistinguishable from background levels at about 50 km from the smelter. Using approximate measurements of peat accumulation rate and bulk density of peat, the amount of metal in the smelter-centred anomaly was calculated by integration. The Cu anomaly can account for about 30% of reported emissions in the sampling year (1996–1997); the Pb and Zn anomalies account for about 10 and 26% of reported emissions, respectively. The discrepancy between the peat-derived metal anomaly and the reported emissions may be due in part to various sources of error and bias. The major causes, however, are probably long-range transport of atmospheric emissions, particularly during dry weather periods, and incomplete physical trapping and chemical fixation of metal in the peat hummocks.
The effect of mining and related activities on the sediment trace element geochemistry of the Spokane River Basin, Washington, USA
Authors: Grosbois Cecile A. , Horowitz Arthur J. , Smith James J. , Elrick Kent A.
Published: March 2005

Surface sediments in the Spokane River Basin are enriched in Pb, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, and Hg relative to local background levels. Maximum enrichment occurs in the Upper Spokane River in close proximity to Lake Coeur d'Alene. On average, enrichment decreases downstream. Subsurface sediments also are enriched in Pb, Zn, As, Cd, Sb, and Hg relative to background levels. Enrichment began between 1900 and 1920 in the middle of the basin; this is contemporaneous with similar findings in Lake Coeur d'Alene (the upstream source of the Spokane River), as well as the completion of Long Lake Dam (1913). In the most downstream part of the basin, enrichment began between 1930 and 1940. This temporal shift may reflect the latter's greater distance from the Coeur d'Alene River Basin, the presumptive source of the enriched trace elements, but is more likely the result of the completion of Grand Coulee Dam (1934–1941) which backed up the Spokane River, and elevated water levels by about 30 m in the most downstream part of the basin.
Mercury methylation at mercury mines in the Humboldt River Basin, Nevada, USA
Authors: Gray John E. , Crock James G. , Lasorsa Brenda K.
Published: March 2005

Total Hg and methylmercury concentrations were measured in mine-waste calcines (retorted ore), sediment, and water samples collected in and around abandoned mercury mines in western Nevada to evaluate Hg methylation at the mines and in the Humboldt River Basin. Mine-waste calcines contain total Hg concentrations as high as 14 000 μg g
−1
. Stream-sediment samples collected within 1 km of the mercury mines contain total Hg concentrations as high as 170 μg g
−1
, whereas stream sediments collected at a distance >5 km from the mines, and those collected from the Humboldt River and regional baseline sites, contain total Hg concentrations <0.5 μg g
−1
. Similarly, methylmercury concentrations in mine-waste calcines are locally as high as 96 ng g
−1
, but methylmercury contents in stream sediments collected downstream from the mines and from the Humboldt River are lower, ranging from <0.05 to 0.95 ng g
−1
. Stream-water samples collected downstream from two mines studied contain total Hg concentrations ranging from 6 to 2000 ng l
−1
, whereas total Hg in Humboldt River water was generally lower, ranging from 2.1 to 9.0 ng l
−1
. Methylmercury concentrations in the Humboldt River water were the lowest in this study (<0.02–0.27 ng l
−1
). Although total Hg and methylmercury concentrations are locally high in mine-waste calcines, there is significant dilution of Hg and there is also lower Hg methylation down gradient from the mines, especially in the sediments and water collected from the Humboldt River, which is >8 km from the nearest mercury mines. Our data indicate little transference of Hg and methylmercury from the sediment to the water column due to the lack of mine runoff in this desert climate.
An atmospheric pollution history for lead–zinc mining from the Ystwyth Valley, Dyfed, mid-Wales, UK as recorded by an upland blanket peat
Authors: Mighall T. M. , Grattan J. P. , Timberlake S. , Lees J. A. , Forsyth S.
Published: March 2005

This paper presents records of the atmospheric deposition of lead and zinc close to a former metal mining area as recorded by an upland blanket peat that has accumulated on the northern slopes of the Ystwyth valley, Dyfed, mid-Wales, UK. The research objective was to explore the possibility that the peat contained a geochemical record of the pollution generated by mining activity during the last four millennia. Four monoliths were extracted from the blanket peat to reconstruct the pollution history of lead and zinc mining. Three different geochemical measurement techniques were employed, and five lead and zinc profiles have been reconstructed, two of which are radiocarbon-dated. In the radiocarbon-dated monoliths lead enrichment occurs in the peat during the Roman occupation whilst both lead and zinc concentrations increase from the Mediaeval period until the early part of the 20th century. Similar enrichment of lead and zinc is shown in the remaining profiles. Whilst other possible explanations are discussed, it is argued that the high lead concentrations represent evidence of atmospheric pollution caused by mining. Zinc, however, may have suffered from post-depositional mobility. The results of this suggest that lead is largely rendered immobile in blanket peat and can be used to reconstruct atmospheric pollution histories in former lead mining areas.
Earthworms as bioindicators of mercury pollution from mining and other industrial activities
Authors: Hinton Jennifer J. , Veiga Marcello M.
Published: March 2005

Mercury (Hg) can be released into the environment by various natural and industrial processes. Given the potential for environmental discharges from a number of sources and the severity of hazards associated with this highly toxic metal, potential mercury transformations must be well understood to effectively predict and prevent harmful human and environmental health effects. Bioindicators play an important role in identifying the factors controlling Hg toxicity and bioavailability and can ultimately be used to evaluate hazardous situations. A methodology using the earthworm
Eisenia foetida
has been developed to assess Hg bioavailability in mine tailings and aqueous solutions. Results indicate that
E. foetida
accumulate Hg and a positive correlation exists between Hg concentrations in worm tissues, the substrate they consume and length of exposure. To investigate the effect of natural organic acids on Hg bioavailability, metallic Hg (Hg
0
) was dissolved in tannic acid and ‘fed’ to the worms in a substrate of paper and silica sand. Total Hg and methylmercury (MeHg) were analysed to determine whether methylation of Hg was occurring in the substrate, directly within worm intestines, or in the tannic acid–Hg solution. The MeHg:total Hg ratio was up to 160 times higher in worm tissues than both the tannic acid–Hg solution and the substrate. This result is particularly significant in organic-rich systems, where naturally occurring organic acids may be facilitating methylation within organisms digestive tracts.
Assessment of the mobility of trace elements in acidic soils using soil and stream geochemical data
Authors: Åström Mats , Deng Hongdeng
Published: March 2005

In the coastal areas of Finland and Sweden, widespread acid sulphate soil occurrences (
c.
4760 km
2
), developed on artificially drained Holocene sulphide-bearing sediments, are causing serious environmental problems, such as acidification and metal contamination of surface waters, hydrobiological damage and elemental imbalance in crops. In this study, five acid sulphate soil profiles were geochemically characterized and compared with existing hydrogeochemical data in order to find evidence of the behaviour of a variety of trace elements in catchments affected by these soils. The results show that Cd, Co, Ni, Y and Zn are depleted in the acid sulphate soils and enriched in the recipient streams, whereas As, Ga, Mo, Nb, Pb, Sb, Sc, Ti and Zr are not depleted in detectable amounts in these soils and are not (or only weakly) enriched in the recipient streams. It is concluded that the former group is highly mobile in the acid sulphate soils and thus lost to adjacent drains in substantial amounts, whereas the latter group is moderately to highly immobile in these soils and is thus leached in background amounts only. The approach is possible to use in similar areas elsewhere, i.e. where oxidation and weathering of soils or overburden significantly affect the surface-water quality.
A CO
2
–O
2
–light hydrocarbon–soil-gas anomaly above the Junction orogenic gold deposit: a potential, alternative exploration technique
Authors: Polito P. A. , Clarke J. D. A. , Bone Y. , Viellenave J.
Published: March 2005

A soil-gas survey conducted above the Junction orogenic lode-gold deposit near Kambalda in Western Australia detected strong, broadly coincident, CO
2
–O
2
–light hydrocarbon anomalies through cover sediments above known mineralization. Alternatively, only CO
2
–O
2
aberrations (without light hydrocarbons) were detected above areas where non-gold related carbonate and sulphide mineralization exists. Oxidation of the alteration assemblage associated with mineralization and the release of the gases in the fluid inclusions they contain are proposed as the source for these CO
2
–O
2
–light hydrocarbon anomalies. We believe that soil-gas exploration for orogenic gold deposits has widespread potential as an exploration method in Western Australia where regolith cover can make detection of mineralized shear zones by traditional exploration methods for gold problematic to impossible.
Application of three methods for determining mercury speciation in mine waste
Authors: Sladek Chris , Gustin Mae Sexauer , Kim Christopher S. , Biester Harald
Published: March 2005

Three methods, pyrolytic and chemical extractions (PCE), extended X-ray adsorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) and solid-phase-Hg-thermo-desorption (SPTD) were applied to determine mercury speciation in amended substrates and mine waste samples. Although these three methods determine Hg speciation by fundamentally different processes, comparison of the results are useful for validation of the three methods. PCE uses pyrolysis and weak leaches to determine relative percentages of volatile, ‘soluble’ and residual Hg in substrate. The results are operationally defined and specific species cannot be determined with this method. EXAFS is a nondestructive method which uses high energy synchrotron-sourced X-ray radiation to identify specific species based on scattering patterns. Least squares data analysis is done to link patterns to a database of model compounds. This method is most useful for identification of specific species, given that they are included in the model database. Identification of Hg
0
is difficult using EXAFS. SPTD identifies Hg species by incremental heating and comparison of thermal release patterns to a database of compounds. SPTD allows the identification of a more limited number of specific species than EXAFS, but is the best of the three methods for the identification of Hg
0
. Overlapping release patterns make the identification of species, such as HgS and some forms of matrix-bound Hg, difficult.

Results of PCE analyses indicate that volatile and leachable forms of Hg in mine waste are low relative to the total Hg concentration. This was supported by EXAFS and SPTD analysis which identified HgS as the primary component of mine waste. In contrast, analysis of tailings from mills that utilized Hg to amalgamate Au and Ag from ores yielded conflicting results. The results of this study illustrate the importance of using multiple analytical methods for the evaluation of Hg in the substrate.
Statistical evaluation of anomaly recognition performance
Authors: Stanley C. R.
Published: March 2005

Over the past several years there have been a number of ‘new’ selective extraction/partial digestion (SE/PD) methods introduced to the mineral exploration industry. Some of these are truly novel, employing emerging technologies and recent chemical discoveries to digest specific mineral components of geochemical samples. Others represent improved, but recycled, historic approaches that benefit from advanced instrumentation and knowledge to surpass the performance of historic SE/PD techniques. Nowadays, most major commercial geochemical laboratories offer their own versions of a variety of SE/PD approaches, and all claim thattheir versions offer significant exploration advantage over conventional analytical techniques.

However, a significant number of geochemists remain unconvinced regarding the advantage that some of these SE/PD techniques offer. This is due to a large number of factors, including: i) the lack of disclosure of the geochemical procedures involved in the digestions, ii) the lack of knowledge of what is actually being extracted from a sample by these methods, iii) the lack of an adequate number of objective assessments of these techniques in orientation surveys, and iv) the lack of adequate rigorous comparisons of the results of these new techniques with those from conventional (trusted) exploration methods.

The objective of empirical assessment of a new exploration technique is to determine whether the new technique provides exploration advantage over competing, established methods. Exploration performance can be determined using the hypergeometric probability of obtaining a result by chance that is equivalent in performance to the results of an orientation survey testing a new SE/PD method. The lower the hypergeometric probability of a result equivalent to that from an orientation survey, the more likely the exploration method successfully detected the presence of mineralization. This probability is thus a quantitative measure of exploration performance that allows rigorous comparison of conventional andnew exploration techniques. Furthermore, this statistical procedure for assessing exploration performance of new SE/PD techniques provides the objectivity required to evaluate the effectiveness of any new exploration method.
GAPDH as a housekeeping gene: analysis of GAPDH mRNA expression in a panel of 72 human tissues
Authors: Barber Robert D. , Harmer Dan W. , Coleman Robert A. , Clark Brian J.
Published: March 2005

Quantitative gene expression data are often normalized to the expression levels of control or so-called “housekeeping” genes. An inherent assumption in the use of housekeeping genes is that expression of the genes remains constant in the cells or tissues under investigation. Although exceptions to this assumption are well documented, housekeeping genes are of value in fully characterized systems. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is one of the most commonly used housekeeping genes used in comparisons of gene expression data. To investigate the value of GAPDH as a housekeeping gene in human tissues, the expression of GAPDH mRNA was measured in a panel of 72 different pathologically normal human tissue types. Measurements were obtained from 371,088 multiplexed, quantitative real-time RT-PCRs with specific target genes. Significant differences in the expression levels of GAPDH mRNA were observed between tissue types and between donors of the same tissue. A 15-fold difference in GAPDH mRNA copy numbers was observed between the highest and lowest expressing tissue types, skeletal muscle and breast, respectively. No specific effect of either age or gender was observed on GAPDH mRNA expression. These data provide an extensive analysis of GAPDH mRNA expression in human tissues and confirm previous reports of the marked variability of GAPDH expression between tissue types. These data establish comparative levels of expression and can be used to add value to gene expression data in which GAPDH is used as the internal control.
Impact of a Community-Based Multiple Risk Factor Intervention on Cardiovascular Risk in Black Families With a History of Premature Coronary Disease
Authors: Becker Diane M. , Yanek Lisa R. , Johnson Wallace R. , Garrett Diane , Moy Taryn F. , Reynolds Stasia Stott , Blumenthal Roger S. , Vaidya Dhananjay , Becker Lewis C.
Published: March 2005

Background—

Black subjects with a family history of premature coronary heart disease (CHD) have a marked excess risk, yet barriers prevent effective risk reduction. We tested a community-based multiple risk factor intervention (community-based care [CBC]) and compared it with “enhanced” primary care (EPC) to reduce CHD risk in high-risk black families.

Methods and Results—

Black 30- to 59-year-old siblings of a proband with CHD aged <60 years were randomized for care of BP ≥140/90 mm Hg, LDL cholesterol ≥3.37 mmol/L, or current smoking to EPC (n=168) or CBC (n=196) and monitored for 1 year. EPC and CBC were designed to eliminate barriers to care. The CBC group received care by a nurse practitioner and a community health worker in a community setting. The CBC group was 2 times more likely to achieve goal levels of LDL cholesterol and blood pressure compared with the EPC group (95% CI, 1.11 to 4.20 and 1.39 to 3.88, respectively) with adjustment for baseline levels of age, sex, education, and baseline use of medications. The CBC group demonstrated a significant reduction in global CHD risk, whereas no reduction was seen in the EPC group (
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

Eliminating known barriers may not be sufficient to reduce CHD risk in primary care settings. An alternative community care model that addresses barriers may be a more effective way to ameliorate CHD risk in high-risk black families.
American Heart Association and American Stroke Association National Survey of Stroke Risk Awareness Among Women
Authors: Ferris Anjanette , Robertson Rose Marie , Fabunmi Rosalind , Mosca Lori
Published: March 2005

Background—

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a major cause of morbidity in women. Awareness of risk may be an important first step in stroke prevention. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge and awareness about stroke in a nationally representative sample of women.

Methods and Results—

An American Heart Association–sponsored telephone survey using random-digit dialing was conducted in June and July of 2003. Respondents were 1024 women ≥25 years of age, including an oversampling of racial/ethnic minorities (68% white, 12% black, 12% Hispanic). Participants were given a standardized questionnaire about heart disease and stroke risk. Only 26% of women ≥65 years of age reported being well informed about stroke, even though this group carries the highest incidence of stroke. Overall, 20% of women stated that they worried a lot about stroke. Among women aged 25 to 34 years, 37% stated that they were not at all informed about stroke, which was significantly higher than for women between 45 and 64 years (13%,
P
<0.05) and those ≥65 years of age (14%,
P
<0.05). More Hispanics reported being not at all informed about stroke compared with whites (32% versus 19%,
P
<0.05) and blacks (32% versus 20%,
P
<0.05). More white women were aware that at the onset of a stroke, treatment could be given to break up blood clots compared with blacks (92% versus 84%,
P
<0.05) and Hispanics (92% versus 79%,
P
<0.05). Correct identification of the warning signs of stroke was low among all racial/ethnic and age groups. More white respondents correctly identified sudden 1-sided weakness or numbness of the face or a limb as a warning sign compared with Hispanics (39% versus 29%,
P
<0.05). Whites identified difficulty talking or understanding speech as a sign of stroke significantly more often than did Hispanics (29% versus 17%,
P
<0.05).

Conclusions—

Results of this national survey document that awareness and knowledge about stroke is suboptimal among women, especially among racial/ethnic minorities, who are at highest risk. These data support the need for targeted educational programs about stroke risk and symptoms and underscore the importance of public health programs to improve awareness of stroke among women.
State of Disparities in Cardiovascular Health in the United States
Authors: Mensah George A. , Mokdad Ali H. , Ford Earl S. , Greenlund Kurt J. , Croft Janet B.
Published: March 2005

Background—

Reducing health disparities remains a major public health challenge in the United States. Having timely access to current data on disparities is important for policy and program development. Accordingly, we assessed the current magnitude of disparities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors in the United States.

Methods and Results—

Using national surveys, we determined CVD and risk factor prevalence and indexes of morbidity, mortality, and overall quality of life in adults ≥18 years of age by race/ethnicity, sex, education level, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. Disparities were common in all risk factors examined. In men, the highest prevalence of obesity (29.2%) was found in Mexican Americans who had completed a high school education. Black women with or without a high school education had a high prevalence of obesity (47.3%). Hypertension prevalence was high among blacks (39.8%) regardless of sex or educational status. Hypercholesterolemia was high among white and Mexican American men and white women in both groups of educational status. Ischemic heart disease and stroke were inversely related to education, income, and poverty status. Hospitalization was greater in men for total heart disease and acute myocardial infarction but greater in women for congestive heart failure and stroke. Among Medicare enrollees, congestive heart failure hospitalization was higher in blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians/Alaska Natives than among whites, and stroke hospitalization was highest in blacks. Hospitalizations for congestive heart failure and stroke were highest in the southeastern United States. Life expectancy remains higher in women than men and higher in whites than blacks by ≈5 years. CVD mortality at all ages tended to be highest in blacks.

Conclusions—

Disparities in CVD and related risk factors remain pervasive. The data presented here can be invaluable for policy development and in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of interventions designed to eliminate health disparities.
Is High Pulse Pressure a Marker of Preclinical Cardiovascular Disease?
Authors: de Simone Giovanni , Roman Mary J. , Alderman Michael H. , Galderisi Maurizio , de Divitiis Oreste , Devereux Richard B.
Published: March 2005

This study tests the hypothesis that high brachial pulse pressure might constitute preclinical cardiovascular disease, rather than a risk factor. We studied 1250 subjects (472 nonobese normotensive [<135/80 mm Hg] and 778 untreated hypertensive). Central pulse pressure was estimated from brachial pulse pressure and age and divided by stroke volume (PP/SV). Brachial pulse pressure was considered high when >63 mm Hg, and peripheral resistance high when >90th percentile of normal distribution. Among hypertensive subjects, 34% had high resistance; among them, 33% had high brachial pulse pressure, as opposed to 147 of 516 patients (28.5%) with normal resistance (
P
=not significant). After adjusting for age, sex, race, body mass index, heart rate, and center, left ventricular (LV) internal dimension and mass were lower with high resistance, and higher when brachial pulse pressure was high. PP/SV was 36% higher with high resistance than with normal resistance, and higher when brachial pulse pressure was high (all
P
<0.0001). Factorial analysis demonstrated that associations of high brachial pulse pressure with both higher PP/SV and LV mass were independent of other pressure components. Thus, because of these associations, our hypothesis is that in hypertension, pulse pressure may be considered as a marker of preclinical cardiovascular disease, similar to LV mass and PP/SV, rather than a cardiovascular risk factor.
Fusiform Activation to Animals is Driven by the Process, Not the Stimulus
Authors: Rogers Timothy T. , Hocking Julia , Mechelli Andrea , Patterson Karalyn , Price Cathy
Published: March 2005

Previous studies have found that the lateral posterior fusiform gyri respond more robustly to pictures of animals than pictures of manmade objects and suggested that these regions encode the visual properties characteristic of animals. We suggest that such effects actually reflect processing demands arising when items with similar representations must be finely discriminated. In a positron emission tomography (PET) study of category verification with colored photographs of animals and vehicles, there was robust animal-specific activation in the lateral posterior fusiform gyri when stimuli were categorized at an intermediate level of specificity (e.g., dog or car). However, when the same photographs were categorized at a more specific level (e.g., Labrador or BMW), these regions responded equally strongly to animals and vehicles. We conclude that the lateral posterior fusiform does not encode domain-specific representations of animals or visual properties characteristic of animals. Instead, these regions are strongly activated whenever an item must be discriminated from many close visual or semantic competitors. Apparent category effects arise because, at an intermediate level of specificity, animals have more visual and semantic competitors than do artifacts.
Interaction of Face and Voice Areas during Speaker Recognition
Authors: Kriegstein Katharina von , Kleinschmidt Andreas , Sterzer Philipp , Giraud Anne-Lise
Published: March 2005

Face and voice processing contribute to person recognition, but it remains unclear how the segregated specialized cortical modules interact. Using functional neuroimaging, we observed cross-modal responses to voices of familiar persons in the fusiform face area, as localized separately using visual stimuli. Voices of familiar persons only activated the face area during a task that emphasized speaker recognition over recognition of verbal content. Analyses of functional connectivity between cortical territories show that the fusiform face region is coupled with the superior temporal sulcus voice region during familiar speaker recognition, but not with any of the other cortical regions normally active in person recognition or in other tasks involving voices. These findings are relevant for models of the cognitive processes and neural circuitry involved in speaker recognition. They reveal that in the context of speaker recognition, the assessment of person familiarity does not necessarily engage supra-modal cortical substrates but can result from the direct sharing of information between auditory voice and visual face regions.
Beyond Robotics: A New Proactive Research Initiative from the EU IST Program
Authors: Karp Pekka
Published: March 2005

A research initiative on embodied artificial intelligence has been launched in 2004 by the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) arm of the Information Society Technologies (IST) programme of the European Union. The initiative is called “Beyond Robotics” to emphasize that the research projects funded are required to set ambitious objectives and to aim at breakthroughs going well beyond the state of the art. Four projects worth 20 M € of EC funding were selected for 2004–2008 to address the objectives of the initiative.
Is the Narrator also among the Prophets? Reading Zechariah without Presuppositions
Authors: Frolov Serge
Published: March 2005

The article proposes a strategy for integrated reading of the canonical book of Zechariah. This strategy demonstrates that preconceived notions about the book's literary history and especially about the identity of the voices recorded in it are the main factors that have thus far prevented the scholars from adequately accounting for heterogeneity of its form and content in a synchronic perspective. Examined without presuppositions, Zechariah can be plausibly interpreted as an integral, if complex, composition featuring two interrelated principal speakers, Zechariah (in 1:2–6; 1:8–6:15; 7:9–8:17) and an anonymous prophet identified with the book's narrator (in 1:1, 7; 7:1–8; 8:18–14:21). This counterpoint pattern lends authority to the narrator's innovative message in Zech. 8:20–14:21 by placing it in the context of a dialogue initiated by Zechariah and linking it to the correct prediction that the temple of Jerusalem will be successfully rebuilt.
The Meaning of The Ikhtilāf Al-madhāhib In 'Abd Al-wahhāb Al-sha'rānī's Al-mīzān Al-kubrā
Authors: Pagani Samuela
Published: March 2005

The Mīzān kubrā by 'Abd al-Wahhāb al-ShaAErānī (d. 973/1565) was cited by nineteenth-century Muslim scholars to support a wide range of mutually exclusive conceptions of religious authority. In the twentieth century, modern students of Islamic law have given different assessments of ShaAErānī's view of the relationship between the madhāhib: while some stress its innovativeness and potential for legal reform, others regard it as a conservative restatement of scholastic tradition. In substantial agreement with the latter view, I discuss some of ShaAErānī's theories, focusing on the significance of his peculiar blending of Sufi and legal discourses for the cultural history of Islam in the early Ottoman period. I argue that ShaAErānī's aim is to bring Ibn 'Arabī's spiritual hermeneutics of the revelation into line with the "age of taqlīd." As a "legal theorist" no less than a h agiographer, ShaAErānī was an imaginative and reliable witness of the religious values and mentalités of his time. Far from calling into question the established system of the legal schools, he assigned a pivotal role to the metaphysical validation of ikhtilāf in order to strengthen a pluralist view of mainstream Islam.
Thermohaline Circulation Stability: A Box Model Study. Part I: Uncoupled Model
Authors: Lucarini Valerio , Stone Peter H.
Published: March 2005

A thorough analysis of the stability of the uncoupled Rooth interhemispheric three-box model of thermohaline circulation (THC) is presented. The model consists of a northern high-latitude box, a tropical box, and a southern high-latitude box, which correspond to the northern, tropical, and southern Atlantic Ocean, respectively. Restoring boundary conditions are adopted for the temperature variables, and flux boundary conditions are adopted for the salinity variables. This paper examines how the strength of THC changes when the system undergoes forcings that are analogous to those of global warming conditions by applying the equilibrium state perturbations to the moisture and heat fluxes into the three boxes. In each class of experiments, using suitably defined metrics, the authors determine the boundary dividing the set of forcing scenarios that lead the system to equilibria characterized by a THC pattern similar to the present one from those that drive the system to equilibria with a reversed THC. Fast increases in the moisture flux into the northern high-latitude box are more effective than slow increases in leading the THC to a breakdown, while the increases of moisture flux into the southern high-latitude box strongly inhibit the breakdown and can prevent it, as in the case of slow increases in the Northern Hemisphere. High rates of heat flux increase in the Northern Hemisphere destabilize the system more effectively than low ones; increases in the heat fluxes in the Southern Hemisphere tend to stabilize the system.
Speeding disease gene discovery by sequence based candidate prioritization
Authors: Adie Euan A , Adams Richard R , Evans Kathryn L , Porteous David J , Pickard Ben S
Published: March 2005

Background

Regions of interest identified through genetic linkage studies regularly exceed 30 centimorgans in size and can contain hundreds of genes. Traditionally this number is reduced by matching functional annotation to knowledge of the disease or phenotype in question. However, here we show that disease genes share patterns of sequence-based features that can provide a good basis for automatic prioritization of candidates by machine learning.

Results

We examined a variety of sequence-based features and found that for many of them there are significant differences between the sets of genes known to be involved in human hereditary disease and those not known to be involved in disease. We have created an automatic classifier called PROSPECTR based on those features using the alternating decision tree algorithm which ranks genes in the order of likelihood of involvement in disease. On average, PROSPECTR enriches lists for disease genes two-fold 77% of the time, five-fold 37% of the time and twenty-fold 11% of the time.

Conclusion

PROSPECTR is a simple and effective way to identify genes involved in Mendelian and oligogenic disorders. It performs markedly better than the single existing sequence-based classifier on novel data. PROSPECTR could save investigators looking at large regions of interest time and effort by prioritizing positional candidate genes for mutation detection and case-control association studies.
Proposal to create subspecies of Rickettsia conorii based on multi-locus sequence typing and an emended description of Rickettsia conorii
Authors: Zhu Yong , Fournier Pierre-Edouard , Eremeeva Marina , Raoult Didier
Published: March 2005

Background

Rickettsiae closely related to the Malish strain, the reference Rickettsia conorii strain, include Indian tick typhus rickettsia (ITTR), Israeli spotted fever rickettsia (ISFR), and Astrakhan fever rickettsia (AFR). Although closely related genotypically, they are distinct serotypically. Using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), we have recently found that distinct serotypes may not always represent distinct species within the Rickettsia genus. We investigated the possibility of classifying rickettsiae closely related to R. conorii as R. conorii subspecies as proposed by the ad hoc committee on reconciliation of approaches to bacterial systematics. For this, we first estimated their genotypic variability by using MLST including the sequencing of 5 genes, of 31 rickettsial isolates closely related to R. conorii strain Malish, 1 ITTR isolate, 2 isolates and 3 tick amplicons of AFR, and 2 ISFR isolates. Then, we selected a representative of each MLST genotype and used multi-spacer typing (MST) and mouse serotyping to estimate their degree of taxonomic relatedness.

Results

Among the 39 isolates or tick amplicons studied, four MLST genotypes were identified: i) the Malish type; ii) the ITTR type; iii) the AFR type; and iv) the ISFR type. Among these four MLST genotypes, the pairwise similarity in nucleotide sequence varied from 99.8 to 100%, 99.4 to 100%, 98.2 to 99.8%, 98.4 to 99.8%, and 99.2 to 99.9% for 16S rDNA, glt A, omp A, omp B, and sca 4 genes, respectively. Representatives of the 4 MLST types were also classified within four types using MST genotyping as well as mouse serotyping.

Conclusion

Although homogeneous genotypically, strains within the R. conorii species show MST genotypic, serotypic, and epidemio-clinical dissimilarities. We, therefore, propose to modify the nomenclature of the R. conorii species through the creation of subspecies. We propose the names R. conorii subsp. conorii subsp. nov. (type strain = Malish, ATCC VR-613), R. conorii subspecies indica subsp. nov. (type strain = ATCC VR-597), R. conorii subspecies caspia subsp. nov. (type strain = A-167), and R. conorii subspecies israelensis subsp. nov. (type strain = ISTT CDC1). The description of R. conorii is emended to accomodate the four subspecies.
Functional characterization of two newly identified Human Endogenous Retrovirus coding envelope genes
Authors: Blaise Sandra , de Parseval Nathalie , Heidmann Thierry
Published: March 2005

A recent in silico search for coding sequences of retroviral origin present in the human genome has unraveled two new envelope genes that add to the 16 genes previously identified. A systematic search among the latter for a fusogenic activity had led to the identification of two bona fide genes, named syncytin-1 and syncytin-2, most probably co-opted by primate genomes for a placental function related to the formation of the syncytiotrophoblast by cell-cell fusion. Here, we show that one of the newly identified envelope gene, named envP(b), is fusogenic in an ex vivo assay, but that its expression – as quantified by real-time RT-PCR on a large panel of human tissues – is ubiquitous, albeit with a rather low value in most tissues. Conversely, the second envelope gene, named envV, discloses a placenta-specific expression, but is not fusogenic in any of the cells tested. Altogether, these results suggest that at least one of these env genes may play a role in placentation, but most probably through a process different from that of the two previously identified syncytins.
Tezosentan-induced attenuation of lung injury in endotoxemic sheep is associated with reduced activation of protein kinase C
Authors: Kuklin Vladimir , Kirov Mikhail , Sovershaev Mikhail , Andreasen Thomas , Ingebretsen Ole C , Ytrehus Kirsti , Bjertnaes Lars
Published: March 2005

Introduction

Studies in vitro reveal that endothelin-1 (ET-1) activates the α isoform of protein kinase C (PKC-α) in cultures of endothelial cells, thereby deranging cellular integrity. Sepsis and endotoxemia are associated with increased plasma concentrations of ET-1 that induce acute lung injury (ALI). We recently reported that non-selective ET-1 receptor blockade attenuates ALI in sheep by reducing the endotoxin-induced increase in extravascular lung water index (EVLWI). The aim of this study was to find out whether this attenuation is associated with reduced translocation of PKC-α from the cytosolic to the membrane fraction of lung tissue homogenate.

Methods

Seventeen awake, instrumented sheep were randomly assigned to a sham-operated group (n = 3), a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group (n = 7) receiving an intravenous infusion of Escherichia coli 15 ng/kg per min for 24 hours, and a tezosentan group (n = 7) subjected to LPS and, from 4 hours, an intravenous injection of tezosentan 3 mg/kg followed by infusion at 1 mg/kg per hour for the reminder of the experiment. Pulmonary micro-occlusion pressure (Pmo), EVLWI, plasma concentrations of ET-1, tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were determined every 4 hours. Western blotting was used to assess PKC-α.

Results

In non-treated sheep a positive correlation was found between the plasma concentration of ET-1 and Pmo in the late phase of endotoxemia (12 to 24 hours). A positive correlation was also noticed between Pmo and EVLWI in the LPS and the LPS plus tezosentan groups, although the latter was significantly reduced in comparison with LPS alone. In both endotoxemic groups, plasma concentrations of ET-1, TNF-α, and IL-8 increased. In the LPS group, the cytosolic fraction of PKC-α decreased by 75% whereas the membrane fraction increased by 40% in comparison with the sham-operated animals. Tezosentan completely prevented the changes in PKC-α in both the cytosolic and the membrane fractions, concomitantly causing a further increase in the plasma concentrations of ET-1, TNF-α, and IL-8.

Conclusion

In endotoxemic sheep, ET-1 receptor blockade alleviates lung injury as assessed by a decrease in EVLWI paralleled by a reduction in Pmo and the prevention of activation of PKC-α.
Disruption of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor production in the lungs severely affects the ability of mice to controlMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection
Authors: Gonzalez-Juarrero Mercedes , Hattle Jessica M , Izzo Angelo , Junqueira-Kipnis Ana Paula , Shim Tae S , Trapnell Bruce C , Cooper Andrea M , Orme Ian M
Published: March 2005

Mice lacking expression of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF KO) are unable to contain Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) growth and succumb to infection by 35 days following pulmonary challenge. GM-CSF KO mice do not express normal levels of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) nor the chemokines, regulated on activation, normal T expressed and secreted (RANTES), macrophage-inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β), MIP-1α, and lymphotactin, which are required for recruitment of lymphocytes and expression of a T helper cell type 1 (TH1) response within the lungs. In contrast, transgenic mice overexpressing GM-CSF in the lungs but with a lack of GM-CSF in other organs (GM+) are able to recruit lymphocytes and to express a TH1 response with production of TNF-α and interferon-γ in the lungs. However, GM+ mice succumb to infection between 60 and 90 days post-challenge, as they are unable to develop a normal granulomatous response. Although GM+ mice are able to express the chemokine RANTES, they lack the ability to express other inflammatory chemokines such as lymphotactin and MIP-1β. We conclude that GM-CSF is essential to the recruitment of lymphocytes and expression of a TH1 response in the lung, to the generation of a normal mononuclear granuloma, and most importantly, to the containment of M. tuberculosis bacterial growth.
A validated procedure for determining the buoyancy-induced flow in ducts
Authors: Brinkworth BJ , Sandberg M
Published: March 2005

A procedure is set out for calculating the buoyant flow induced in a duct with heat input at the wall, as in the cooling ducts used behind photovoltaic arrays. In these, buoyancy is opposed by various pressure losses, due to obstructions at the inlet and outlet, fluid friction at the walls and structural support members passing transversely through the duct. New methods are developed for calculating these losses, and each is validated separately by tests in a purpose-built isothermal rig. Measurements are also reported for some further losses, not yet amenable to calculation, due to nets and hoods at the duct ends, as might be used to exclude rain and wildlife. Finally, the whole procedure is validated by measurement of a duct with one heated wall.

Practical application: Verified by measurements at every stage of its development, the method reported gives greater confidence in the routine calculation of the flow induced in ductwork where there is heat gain, as in systems for PV cooling and natural ventilation. The new treatments given for the hydrodynamic losses at basic components apply wherever these are used in the field of HEVAC.
Sustainability analysis of window frames
Authors: Asif M , Muneer T , Kubie J
Published: March 2005

The characteristics of the frame materials have significant impacts on the properties of a window. A window itself plays a crucial role in determining the overall energy performance of the building. This article analyses four different frame types; aluminium, aluminium-clad timber, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and timber make, from the sustainability perspective. These frame types have been studied on various parameters such as; environmental impacts during production/extraction of frame materials and disposal of frames; embodied energy, durability and service life; and maintenance and repair of frames. A price comparison and market scenario has also been discussed. It has been found that timber- and aluminium-clad timber windows are sustainable products due to their environment-friendly characteristics i.e., low embodied energy, low environmental impacts, better durability and longer service life. While aluminium and PVC frames have high values of embodied energy and associated environmental impacts.

Practical application: In the present sustainability-conscious age, the window industry is emphasising how to enhance the energy and environmental performance of their products. This article will be of interest not only to modern window manufacturers but also to customers as it addresses the key sustainability features of windows, i.e., energy and environmental performance, durability and service life, and maintenance and life cycle costing.
Did they take the same test? Examinee language proficiency and the structure of language tests
Authors: Shin Sang-Keun
Published: March 2005

This study investigated the relationship between examinee proficiency and the structure of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Speaking proficiency in English Assessment Kit (SPEAK). Specifically, using multi-group structural equation modeling, this study tested two competing hypotheses about the relationship: whether or not the dimensions of language ability become more or less differentiated as a function of increasing examinee proficiency. Among four alternative models (a second-order model, a correlated specific factor model, a single general factor model, and a totally divisible model), a second-order factor model was established as a baseline model for three ability groups and then estimated simultaneously with cross-group equality imposed. The results showed that the tests were partially equivalent, thereby supporting neither of the hypotheses. Finally, the multiple indicators and multiple causes modeling analysis suggested that the language backgrounds of test-takers were related to measurement non-invariance.
Translation, adaptation and validation of the Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (SRQ) into the Dutch language
Authors: Vermeulen Henricus M , Boonman Dies CG , Schüller Hans M , Obermann Wim R , van Houwelingen Hans C , Rozing Piet M , Vlieland Thea PM Vliet
Published: March 2005

Objective: To translate and adapt the original English version of the Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (SRQ) into the Dutch language (SRQ-DLV) and evaluate its internal consistency, reliability, validity and responsiveness to clinical changes.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: Outpatient departments of orthopaedics, radiology and physical therapy of an academic and a non-academic hospital.

Subjects: One hundred and seven patients treated for unilateral shoulder disorder (adhesive capsulitis 68, calcifying tendinitis 22, impingement syndrome or rotator cuff tear 17).

Methods: The original SRQ was translated and adapted following international guidelines. The SRQ-DLV was used among other measures of body function and structure, activities and societal participation in order to determine reliability, internal consistency, validity and responsiveness. Assessments were done at baseline and three months after treatment, with the SRQ-DLV being re-administered within one week before the baseline measurement and the start of the treatment for testing reliability.

Results: Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was 0.89 for the total questionnaire and 0.81, 0.80, 0.72 and 0.84 for the domains pain, daily activities, sports/recreational activities and work, respectively. Test-retest reliability of the SRQ-DLV and its subscales ranged from 0.63 to 0.86. The summary score of the SRQ-DLV correlated with measures of shoulder function, daily activities and quality of life. Except for the work subscale of the SRQ-DLV, large effect sizes, reflecting its responsiveness to clinical changes after treatment, were found for both the summary and the subscales scores.

Conclusions: Empirical data support that the SRQ-DLV is a reliable, valid and responsive measure to be used in clinical trials including Dutch patients with various shoulder disorders.