bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Liszt-Listmann incident
Authors: Eğecioğlu Ömer
Published: November 2008

Before ending his performance career by concerts in Odessa and Elizabethgrad in 1847, Franz Liszt visited Istanbul, gave a number of public concerts and performed twice for Sultan Abdul-Medgid in the Tcheragan Palace. A widely reported incident in relation to this trip concerns an impostor named Listmann, a historically unidentified character, who supposedly passed himself off as Liszt in Istanbul and who received valuable presents from the Sultan under this pretext. According to some accounts Listmann almost caused Liszt to be arrested upon his arrival. The purpose of this work is to present historical data on this folkloric Liszt-Listmann tale. We present primary sources that show that Herr Listmann of the Liszt-Listmann incident was in fact a German Tonkünstler and a man of letters named Eduard Litzmann who toured Spain and the orient, and who was apparently a pretty competent pianist. The sources indicate that notwithstanding Liszt’s own letter to his cousin Henriette, numerous colorful aspects of the incident as reported in the literature result from self-perpetuating transformations of fiction and cannot be substantiated.
Eduard Reményis Jugendjahre und seine Beziehungen zu Johannes Brahms — Eine biographische Skizze
Authors: Gellen Adam
Published: November 2008

Available information on the life of Eduard Reményi (c1829–1898) in the Hungarian, most notably, however, in the international literature turns out to be surprisingly poor, contradictory and inaccurate in view of the music-historical relevance of this Hungarian-Jewish violin virtuoso. For the study at hand, numerous original source documents associated with Reményi (baptismal register, police reports and other official documents, autographs, as well as newspaper articles) have been analysed and evaluated, most of them for the first time. This enabled the author to correct a number of common misconceptions concerning the biography of this musician shrouded in legend while still alive, and to verify or reject several previous hypotheses. The main focal points of the study lay on Reményi’s participation in the Hungarian War of Liberation against Austria (1848/49), the first years of his subsequent exile and on the circumstances of his first encounter with the young Johannes Brahms in Hamburg. On grounds of compelling evidence it was possible to narrow down the period in which the two musicians established their personal relations to January, 1853. At the same time, proof of Reményi’s earlier Hamburg sojourns — in the autumn of 1849, in the winter of 1850/51, and then again since November 1852 — has been provided.
Rate effects on penetrometer resistance in kaolin
Authors: LEHANE B.M. , O'LOUGHLIN C.D. , GAUDIN C. , RANDOLPH M.F.
Published: November 2008

This paper describes the results from a centrifuge investigation into the rate dependence of T-bar and ball penetrometer resistance in kaolin. Four T-bar diameters and two ball diameters were installed in kaolin with overconsolidation ratios of 1, 2 and 5 at penetration velocities varying over five orders of magnitude. The penetration resistances are compared with the properties of kaolin as measured in element tests to assist in the development of a framework that describes this resistance over the full velocity range. Consistent trends emerge when the soil viscosity is assumed to affect the penetration resistance in both the partially drained and undrained conditions, enabling the dependence of the T-bar and ball resistances on diameter, velocity and soil characteristics to be quantified.
Marginal Fit of Heat-pressed vs CAD/CAM Processed All-ceramic Onlays Using a Milling Unit Prototype
Authors: Reich S. , Gozdowski S. , Trentzsch L. , Frankenberger R. , Lohbauer U.
Published: November 2008

Clinical Relevance

The marginal fit of all-ceramic restorations has an important influence on the clinical performance and lifetime of adhesively luted restorations. In proximal boxes, an average marginal gap of less than 100 μm is claimed. These clinical requirements are fulfilled by both processing procedures.
Long-term Durability of One-step Adhesive-composite Systems to Enamel and Dentin
Authors: Foxton R. M. , Melo L. , Stone D. G. , Pilecki P. , Sherriff M. , Watson T. F.
Published: November 2008

Clinical Relevance

Resin-enamel and resin-dentin bonds formed by one-step adhesive-composite systems from the same manufacturer were not hydrolytically stable after accelerated aging in water.
The Peter Pan and Wendy Syndrome: A Marital Dynamic
Authors: Quadrio Carolyn
Published: November 2008

A marital system is described which features an unfaithful and narcissistic husband, Peter Pan, and a long suffering and depressed wife, Wendy. The dynamics of their individual adjustments are examined as well as the symbiotic nature of the dyadic relationship. Other characters take their parts—Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily, and Little Lost Boys. Peter's infidelities belie a firm attachment to his Wendy/mother whilst she depends upon him for protection from forbidden impulses.
Screening for Depression and Anxiety in the Post-Natal Period: Acceptance or Rejection of a Subsequent Treatment Offer
Authors: Robinson Steve , Young Jan
Published: November 2008

A technique is described for the potential secondary prevention of post-natal depression and anxiety. All mothers attending Baby Health Centres in one Shire were screened with self-rating scales for depression and anxiety at six to eight weeks postpartum. Six per cent of mothers scored as suspected cases of depression and 11.6% as suspected cases of anxiety. The subsequent course of these suspected cases was checked by screening again at six months. Twelve suspected depressed mothers were offered a psychiatric interview and 50% refused this offer. Possible reasons for treatment refusal are discussed. The feasibility of introducing screening for affective disturbance as a routine procedure in Baby Health Centres is commented upon.
Drug Dependence: An Appraisal of the Disease Concept
Authors: Drew L. R. H.
Published: November 2008

The concept that drug dependence is a disease has made treatment of persons with drug-related problems an acceptable option. However it is contended that the primary element of drug dependence is the allocation of a high priority to behaviour associated with drug use, that in any individual this level of priority changes over time and that these changes are influenced by many factors. Uncritical acceptance of some of the implications of the disease concept have contributed to unnecessary community anxiety, the adoption of repressive measures aimed at containing a supposed ‘epidemic”, inappropriate responses to drug users, and the growth of a special drug treatment industry. At the same time more widespread behavioural disturbances in the community have been neglected. It is suggested that community policies and priorities need to be reassessed.
Psychosocial Factors and the Management of Physical Illness: A Contribution to the Cost-Containment of Medical Care
Authors: Mendelson George
Published: November 2008

Cost-containment of medical care has become of increasing importance to both medical administrators and politicians. Recently, studies have examined the impact of psychological and psychiatric treatments on medical care utilisation and hospitalisation rates and the cost-effectiveness of such treatments. These studies have demonstrated that interventions based on a consideration of psychosocial factors in physical illness are effective in reducing the morbidity, and mortality, of a wide range of illnesses and that they lead to reduced medical care utilisation and a lower rate of hospital treatment. It has also been demonstrated that holistic management based on the ‘biopsychosocial’ model of illness is cost-effective and that there is an overall reduction of expenditure after allowing for the cost of the psychological or psychiatric treatment. It is concluded that further development of consultation-liaison psychiatry should be encouraged to promote awareness of the influence of psychosocial factors on physical illness and their early management as both clinically important and cost-effective.
The ‘Ordinary’ Dreams of the Yolngu in Arnhem Land
Authors: Cawte John
Published: November 2008

The phenomena of dreams have been accorded significance by all branches of mankind of which there is record. Australian Aborigines in their traditional cultures are no exception, although unfortunately the printed record of their dreams is meagre. This paper reports nine dreams which were volunteered by Arnhem Landers of the present day. The subjects they dreamed about represent a melange of traditional and introduced concerns competing for attention, including lifting a taboo, portents and auguries, a shark attack, a brake failure in a truck, a mysterous light in a cave, a visit from the dead, a disappointing love tryst, a drink problem and the Christian revival movement. The ordinary dreams of Aborigines resemble those of modern Western subjects in aspects such as frequency, duration, clarity of recall, shifts in attention and derailment of the narrative, but they differ from them in being accorded more significance and in being more reflected upon during waking hours. In this respect, Aborigines infer a closer connection between the dream and the waking life.
Methodological Standards in Studies Evaluating the Dexamethasone Suppression Test
Authors: Davies John , Hall John , McFarlane Alexander
Published: November 2008

The dexamethasone suppression test (DST) has been used for several years to assist in the diagnosis of melancholia. However, recent studies have cast doubt upon the diagnostic efficacy of the test. Twenty of the original studies that assessed this application of the DST were reviewed using six methodological criteria considered essential for the evaluation of a diagnostic test. None of the papers complied with all the criteria and only seven of the papers satisfied more than three criteria. These findings suggest that methodological problems might account for discrepancies between the original claims made for the test and the current status of the test.
Cortisol Suppression Index in Major Depressive Illness
Authors: Fraser Allen
Published: November 2008

This study compares the utility of a cortisol suppression index with the standard dexamethasone suppression test as a diagnostic aid for major depressive disorder. In 50 patients the cortisol suppression index was found to have similar sensitivity while also having greater specificity and diagnostic confidence than the dexamethasone suppression test. By avoiding the need for a late-evening blood sample, the cortisol suppression index may be an acceptable alternative to the current procedure.
The Diagnostic Distribution of Dexamethasone Non-Suppressors
Authors: Mellsop G. W. , Cooke R. R. , Vijayasenan M. E.
Published: November 2008

Baseline serum cortisols and DSTs were performed on 100 psychiatric inpatients. The rates of non-suppression in selected DSM III diagnostic categories were calculated and the results discussed in the context of recent literature. It was concluded that test specificity may have been frequently overestimated. The suggestion is made that DST non-suppression may have non-specific and relative vector qualities, and thus be of little diagnostic use.
On Blinding the Journal Assessor
Authors: Parker Gordon
Published: November 2008

Thirty-two submissions to the Journal were rated by paired ‘blind’ and ‘non-blind’ assessors. The former were requested to identify the authors and their affiliation. For only a minority of the submissions could the assessors identify authorship details. Comparison of ratings made by the assessors established that awareness of the author is not associated with a bias in judging and rating Journal submissions.
Maternity Blues: Phenomena and Relationship to Later Post Partum Depression
Authors: Hapgood Catherine C. , Elkind Gail S. , Wright James J.
Published: November 2008

As part of a prospective investigation of postnatal psychiatric disorder, 66 women, randomly selected antenatally, completed visual analogue scales postpartum and rated their mood state daily for two weeks following childbirth. They were then interviewed using the Goldberg Standardised Psychiatric Interview on four occasions up to 14 months postpartum. Dysphoric mood was temporally related to childbirth. Emotional lability was the important affective component of the puerperium. A significant correlation was found between the blues and subsequent postnatal depression. Lability of mood in the puerperium was related to psychiatric symptoms up to 14 months postpartum and was the strongest predictor of later psychopathology. Maternity blues ratings were not accounted for by labour variables.
Psychopathology in Adult Mentally Handicapped Hospital Patients
Authors: Glue Paul , Webb Olive J. , Surgenor Lois
Published: November 2008

In a population of 100 adult mentally handicapped patients, 71% had one or more ICD-9 diagnoses. The most common diagnosis was behavioural disorder, followed by affective psychosis and neurosis. Maladaptive behaviour was highest in younger, brighter patients and in patients who were psychiatrically disturbed. These findings have implications for the selection of patients for community living programmes, and for the appropriateness of providing treatment for particular mentally handicapped patients in psychiatric settings.
Road Blocks and Pot Holes on the Information Superhighway?
Authors: Melding Pamela S.
Published: November 2008

We are currently living in a world where communications technology is forcing us into new paradigms of thinking. Every day, we are bombarded, through television, magazines and newspapers, with the promise of a virtual world, an information superhighway, where unlimited information is available at a keyboard stroke.
Survey of Slaughtered Pigs for Occurrence of Ochratoxin A and Porcine Nephropathy in Serbia
Authors: Milićević Dragan , Jurić Verica , Stefanović Srđan , Jovanović Milijan , Janković Saša
Published: November 2008

Samples of blood, kidney and liver were randomly selected from slaughtered pigs (n=90) and analyzed for ochratoxin A by HPLC. In addition, in order to obtain information on the occurrence of nephropathy, histological examinations were carried out. Of the 90 liver samples, 26.6% contained OTA in the range of 0.22-14.5 ng/g. The incidence of OTA in serum and kidney were very similar (31%, 33.3%), with a maximum concentration of 220.8 ng/mL, and 52.5 ng/g, respectively. Histopathological examination of kidneys confirmed tubulopathies with edema and cell vacuolization. In addition, hemorrhages and necrosis of proximal kidney tubules’ cells were found.
Sedative and anticonvulsant drugs suppress postnatal neurogenesis
Authors: Stefovska Vanya G. , Uckermann Ortrud , Czuczwar Miroslaw , Smitka Martin , Czuczwar Piotr , Kis Jacek , Kaindl Angela M. , Turski Lechoslaw , Turski Waldemar A. , Ikonomidou Chrysanthy
Published: November 2008

Objective

Sedative and anticonvulsant drugs, which inhibit N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor–mediated excitation or enhance GABA‐mediated action, may cause apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing mammalian brain. Here we explored whether such agents influence early postnatal neurogenesis.

Methods

The N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate antagonist MK801 and the GABA subtype A agonists phenobarbital and diazepam were administered to infant rats, and cell proliferation and neurogenesis were studied in the brain using 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine and doublecortin immunohistochemistry and stereology. Using confocal microscopy, we quantified neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus on postnatal day 15 (P15) after treatment with MK801 or phenobarbital on P6 to P10. Learning and memory were assessed at the age of 6 months after early postnatal treatment with phenobarbital.

Results

MK801, phenobarbital, and diazepam reduced numbers of newly born cells in the brain. We found no evidence that these agents caused apoptosis of 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine–positive cells. In the dentate gyrus, many of the newly formed cells differentiated toward a neuronal phenotype. Phenobarbital and MK801 reduced numbers of newly formed neurons in the dentate gyrus. At the age of 6 months, phenobarbital‐treated rats had fewer neurons in the dentate gyrus and performed worse than saline‐treated littermates in water maze learning and memory task.

Interpretation

These findings show that blockade of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor–mediated excitation and enhancement of GABA subtype A receptor activation impair cell proliferation and inhibit neurogenesis in the immature rat brain. Because many sedative and antiepileptic drugs used in pediatric medicine act via these mechanisms, our findings raise concerns about their potential impact on human brain development. Ann Neurol 2008
Bauwerksschäden infolge des Erdbebens in Yogyakarta, Java, am 27. Mai 2006
Authors: Werkle Horst , Zahn Franz
Published: November 2008

Im Mai 2006 fand auf Java ein schweres Erdbeben der Magnitude Mw = 6.3 statt, bei dem in der Nähe des Epizentrums neben horizontalen Bodenbeschleunigungen von ca. 2,5 bis 3,0 m/s2 auch vergleichsweise hohe vertikale Beschleunigungen auftraten. Der Beitrag berichtet über Schäden an Mauerwerksbauten, Stahlbetonbauten und an Dachkonstruktionen, die bei einer Erkundungsreise der Autoren im August 2006 festgestellt wurden. Eine Reihe von Bauwerken wurde durch das Beben vollständig zerstört. Die meisten aufgetretenen Schäden bestätigen die Bedeutung der allgemeinen Regeln für die Erdbebensicherung von Bauwerken. Einzelne Schadensbilder und darauffolgende rechnerische Untersuchungen geben darüber hinaus Hinweise darauf, dass die Vertikalkomponente der Bodenbeschleunigung in bestimmten Fällen für das Versagen maßgebend sein kann und dann nicht vernachlässigt werden darf.
One‐Step Synthesis of Stoichiometrically Defined Metal Oxide Nanoparticles at Room Temperature
Authors: Chen Lan , Xu Ju , Tanner David A. , Phelan Richard , Van der Meulen Machteld , Holmes Justin D. , Morris Michael A.
Published: November 2008

A great variety of metal oxide nanoparticles have been readily synthesized by using alkali metal oxides, M2O (M is Na or Li) and soluble metal salts (metal chlorides) in polar organic solutions, for example, methanol and ethanol, at room temperature. The oxidation states of the metals in the resulting metal oxides (Cu2O, CuO, ZnO, Al2O3, Fe2O3, Bi2O3, TiO2, SnO2, CeO2, Nb2O5, WO3, and CoFe2O4) range from 1 to 6 and remain invariable through the reactions where good control of stoichiometry is achieved. Metal oxide nanoparticles are 1–30 nm and have good monodispersivity and displayed comparable optical spectra. These syntheses are based on a general ion reaction pathway during which the precipitate occurs when O2− ions meet metal cations (Mn+) in anhydrous solution and the reaction equation is Mn+ + n/2 O2− → MOn/2 (n=1–6).
Donor–Acceptor Interactions in Red‐Emitting Thienylbenzene‐Branched Dendrimers with Benzothiadiazole Core
Authors: Thomas K. R. Justin , Huang Tai‐Hsiang , Lin Jiann T. , Pu Shin‐Chien , Cheng Yi‐Ming , Hsieh Cheng‐Chih , Tai Chou Pi
Published: November 2008

Synthesis and characterization of dendrimers containing thienylbenzene repeating units, red‐emitting benzothiadiazole core, and triarylamine peripheries that bear naphthyl units are reported. The relevant dendrimers of different generations are classified as Gnb (n=1–3), while the tert‐butyl dendrimers Gna with the acceptor alone were also synthesized to serve as control chromophores that avoid donor–acceptor interactions. The resulting dendrimers are capable of harvesting photon energy through efficient energy transfer among donor–acceptor moieties, so that highly luminescent red fluorophores result. Transient fluorescence studies suggest that the energy transfer and its efficiency are approximately unity in all Ga dendrimers, whereas the rate of energy transfer for the Gb dendrimers is suppressed, that is, charge transfer from the core to the periphery is a significant quenching pathway. These dendrimers are amorphous in nature with high glass transition temperatures (176–201 °C). Electroluminescent devices were fabricated by using the dendrimers as hole‐transporting emitters, and the devices exhibit promising red emission parameters.
Total and Extractable Heavy Metals in Indoor, Outdoor and Street Dust from Aswan City, Egypt
Authors: Rashed Mohamed Nageeb
Published: November 2008

The level of heavy metal contamination in indoor room dust is evaluated and its relationship to the external environment examined. Samples of outdoor fallen dust, indoor room dust and street dust were collected from two different environmental locations in Aswan city, Egypt. Total and extractable (soluble) concentrations of cadmium, lead, iron, and manganese were determined in the three types of dust samples. The measurements of the metal contents were preformed using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The aims of this study are: (a) to assess the influence of urban traffic on the heavy metal content in house and street dust, and (b) to determine and compare the soluble fractions of the metals in indoor house dust, outdoor fallen dust and street dust. The results showed widespread heavy metal contamination, especially Pb, Mn, and Fe, which were present as the highest values in the outdoor fallen dust, indoor and street dust, while Cd was the lowest content metal present. In general, indoor and outdoor concentration ratios varied widely from one metal to another and from one residence to another. An enrichment factor for metal explained the originality of these metals. Traffic near the two studied buildings reflects the presence of Pb in outdoor fallen dust, indoor room dust and street dust in those residences. Soluble fractions of the studied heavy metals seem to be at the lower values compared to total metal concentration present.
Galectin‐1 functions as a Th2 cytokine that selectively induces Th1 apoptosis and promotes Th2 function
Authors: Motran Claudia C. , Molinder Karen M. , Liu Scot D. , Poirier Françoise , Miceli M. Carrie
Published: November 2008

Galectin‐1 has been implicated in regulating T‐cell survival, function, and Th1/Th2 balance in several mouse models, though the molecular and cellular basis of its immuno‐modulatory activity has not been completely elucidated. Therefore, we examined galectin‐1 expression and activity within differentiated murine Th1 and Th2 subsets. While recombinant galectin‐1 specifically bound to both T‐cell subsets, Th1 and Th2 T cells expressed distinct combinations of galectin‐1‐reactive epitopes and were differentially responsive to galectin‐1 exposure. Indeed, Th1 cells were more susceptible to galectin‐1‐induced death than Th2 cells. Th2 protection from apoptosis was correlated with expression of anti‐apoptotic galectin‐3. Further, galectin‐1 promoted TCR‐induced type 2 cytokine production by Th2 cells. Differentiated Th2 cells constitutively expressed high levels of galectin‐1 and can be induced to produce even higher levels of galectin‐1 with restimulation, whereas comparable levels of galectin‐1 in Th1 cells were only observed after restimulation. Co‐culturing experiments using galectin‐1−/− and galectin‐1+/+ Th1 and Th2 T cells demonstrated that Th2‐derived galectin‐1 induced Th1 apoptosis, whereas Th1‐derived galectin‐1 promoted Th2 cytokine production. These studies identify galectin‐1 as a cross‐regulatory cytokine that selectively antagonizes Th1 survival, while promoting TCR‐induced Th2 cytokine production.
Passive immunization with monoclonal antibody against a 70‐kDa putative adhesin of Sporothrix schenckii induces protection in murine sporotrichosis
Authors: Nascimento Rosana C. , Espíndola Noeli M. , Castro Rafaela A. , Teixeira Pedro A. C. , Loureiro y Penha Carla V. , Lopes‐Bezerra Leila M. , Almeida Sandro R.
Published: November 2008

Cell‐mediated and innate immunity are considered the most important mechanisms of host defense against fungus infections. However, recent studies demonstrated that specific antibodies show different degrees of protection against mycosis. In a previous study, antigens secreted by Sporothrix schenckii induced a specific humoral response in infected animals, mainly against the 70‐kDa molecule, indicating a possible participation of antibodies to this antigen in infection control. In the present study, an IgG1 mAb was produced against a 70‐kDa glycoprotein of S. schenckii in order to better understand the effect of passive immunization of mice infected with S. schenckii. Results showed a significant reduction in the number of CFU in organs of mice when the mAb was injected before and during S. schenckii infection. Similar results were observed when T‐cell‐deficient mice were used. Moreover, in a second schedule treatment, the mAb was injected after infection was established, and again we observed a significant reduction in CFU associated with an increase of IFN‐γproduction. Also, the 70‐kDa antigen is shown to be a putative adhesin present on the surface of this fungus. In conclusion, we report for the first time the protective effect of a specific antibody against S. schenckii.
Cover Picture: Eur. J. Immunol. 11/08
Authors: Zimmer Jacques , Andrès Emmanuel , Hentges François
Published: November 2008

The cover picture features a set of scales representing the “weighing up” of the latest developments and challenges regarding a selected aspect of immunology, as presented in our Viewpoint articles. The focus of the latest Viewpoint series is NK cells, and the cell schematic also presented on the cover depicts the influence/interactions between NK and Treg cells and is taken from the article by Zimmer et al. (pp. 2942–2945). This, and the related article by Andoniou et al. (pp. 2938–2942), discuss the cross‐talk between NK cells and adaptive immune cells.
Imidazole‐Mediated Cascade [2 + 2 + 2] Annulation Reactions: A Highly Diastereoselective Synthetic Protocol for the Construction of Multiply Substituted Cyclohexanes
Authors: Liu Xu‐Guang , Shi Min
Published: November 2008

A novel imidazole‐mediated [2 + 2 + 2] annulation process that enables the diastereoselective synthesis of multiply substituted cyclohexanes 3 in a one‐pot, three‐component manner from two units of (arylmethylidene)malononitriles 1 and one unit of nitroalkenes 2 is described. These cyclohexane derivatives were obtained in moderate to good yields under mild conditions.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
The influence of chemical conditioning on the removal of copper ions from aqueous solutions by using clinoptilolite
Authors: Çoruh Semra , Turan Gamze , Akdemir Andaç , Ergun Osman Nuri
Published: November 2008

Clinoptilolite, a silica rich variety of the heulendite group of natural zeolites, has the capability to remove trace quantities of cations from aqueous solutions by utilizing the phenomenons of ion‐exchange and adsorption. The aim of this study is to investigate the removal of copper ions from aqueous solutions by using the clinoptilolite samples. The results clearly showed that both conditioned and unconditioned forms of the clinoptilolized tuffs have a removal capacity up to 98–99% for low concentrations of metal ions. But the removal capacity decreases for the concentrations of about 500 mg/L when natural forms were used. The chemical conditioning has been found to increase the removal capability of the clinoptilolite to about 50%. The adsorption capacities of the unconditioned, conditioned, and reused forms of the clinoptilolite samples of Çankırı‐Çorum Basin have also been investigated in this study. The results have been analyzed by Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin‐Radushkevich (D‐R), and BET (Brauner Emmett Teller) adsorption isotherms. Of the model tested, Langmuir, Freundlich, and D‐R isotherm expressions were found to better fit the experimental equilibrium data compared with the BET model. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2009
Dynamic behavior of a heat equation with memory
Authors: Wang Jun‐Min , Guo Bao‐Zhu , Fu Meng‐Yin
Published: November 2008

This paper addresses the spectrum‐determined growth condition for a heat equation with exponential polynomial kernel memory. By introducing some new variables, the time‐variant system is transformed into a time‐invariant one. The detailed spectral analysis is presented. It is shown that the system demonstrates the property of hyperbolic equation that all eigenvalues approach a line that is parallel to the imaginary axis. The residual spectral set is shown to be empty and the set of continuous spectrum is exactly characterized. The main result is the spectrum‐determined growth condition that is one of the most difficult problems for infinite‐dimensional systems. Consequently, a strong exponential stability result is concluded. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intravascular ultrasound assessment of coronary artery involvement in Fabry disease
Authors: Kovarnik T. , Mintz G. S. , Karetova D. , Horak J. , Bultas J. , Skulec R. , Skalicka H. , Aschermann M. , Elleder M. , Linhart A.
Published: November 2008

Aim

We used intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to characterize coronary artery involvement in patients with Fabry disease (FD).

Methods

Nine FD patients (5 women) were matched to 10 control patients (5 women) chosen from our IVUS database. Standard volumetric IVUS analyses were performed along with assessment of plaque echodensity.

Results

Plaques in FD patients were diffuse and hypoechogenic compared with more focal and more echogenic lesions in control patients. Echogenicity of plaques was significantly lower in FD patients (median 30.7  ±  12.9 vs 55.9  ±  15.7,p  =  0.0052, mean 37.2  ±  15.6 vs 66.2  ±  13.3,p  =  0.0014). Diffusiveness was assessed as differences between mean and median plaque burden versus the plaque burden in each of the analysed cross‐sections. These differences were lower in FD vs controls (5.8  ±  4.8 vs 8.7  ±  6.6,p  <  0.001 for mean, and 5.8  ±  4.9 vs 8.8  ±  7.3,p  <  0.001 for median) indicating a more diffuse involvement. The occurrence of lipid cores was significantly higher in FD patients than in controls (2.4  ±  1.5 vs 1.0  ±  0.94,p  =  0.02).

Conclusion

IVUS showed diffuse hypoechogenic plaques in patients with FD. The explanation may be higher lipid content in plaques and accumulation of glycosphingolipid in smooth‐muscle and endothelial cells.
Ant nests and soil nutrient availability: the negative impact of fire
Authors: Sousa-Souto Leandro , Schoereder José H. , Schaefer Carlos Ernesto G. R. , Silva Washington L.
Published: November 2008

High-nutrient patches are important for regulating the structure and physiognomy of dystrophic habitats. Leaf-cutting ants create these rich patches in many neotropical habitats. Burning, however, could diminish or even annul the effects of ant nests on soil properties. To test this hypothesis, we compared the nutrient concentrations at various depths in soil samples near three nests of the leaf-cutting ant Atta laevigata and three non-nest soils, located in 10-ha plots subjected to burning or with fire-protection within a Brazilian cerrado. Root density in ant-nest soil was greater than in non-nest soil in both unburned and burned plots. Besides, the concentration of Ca, Mg, K and P increased 2–50-fold in ant nests from the unburned area compared to non-nest soils. In contrast, nutrient concentrations and pH in burned ant nests were similar to or lower than non-nest soils, but the nests maintained higher values of organic matter and cation exchange capacity. The positive effect of leaf-cutting ant nests as high-nutrient patches may be strongly reduced in habitats with frequent burning. In this case, the negative effects of leaf-cutter herbivory on a plant community could surpass the benefits of local nutrient enrichment by their nests.

Resumo: Sauveiros modificam as propriedades físicas e químicas do solo, alterando a estrutura e fisionomia local. Entretanto, queimadas podem reduzir os efeitos dos formigueiros nesses ambientes como, por exemplo, pela diminuição do forrageamento das formigas e, conseqüentemente, pela baixa incorporação de material orgânico ao solo. Este estudo testou o efeito do fogo sobre a concentração de nutrientes no solo de colônias de Atta laevigata em área de cerrado. A densidade de raízes foi maior nas colônias do que áreas controle, independentemente da presença do fogo. Na ausência de queimadas, as concentrações de nutrientes foram até 50 vezes superiores nos sauveiros. Contudo, queimadas reduzem a concentração de nutrientes e pH nas colônias. Possivelmente, essa baixa concentração seja atribuída à maior demanda pela vegetação remanescente, em resposta à perturbação provocada pelo fogo. Nesse caso, os efeitos negativos da herbivoria podem superar os benefícios causados por meio da disponibilização de nutrientes pelos sauveiros.
Teaching for Communicative Competence: Reality and Illusion
Authors: Maley Alan
Published: November 2008

A communicative approach to language learning necessarily entails a commitment to reality. While it is quite possible to teach language as a system in a completely self-contained way, once we begin to try to teach language for use we are inevitably involved in the complexity of human interaction. We focus not on what learners know about the language system but on what they can do with it in the real world beyond the classroom.
Invitations and Negative Questions: On Some Problems in the Communicative Approach to Foreign Language Teaching
Authors: Hüllen Werner
Published: November 2008

It is generally accepted that the aim of second or foreign language teaching is communicative competence; after a sequence of courses, students should be able to use the language (approximately and in certain fields of communication) as native speakers do. But how, for that matter,donative speakers use their language? An exhaustive answer to this question would certainly demand more than one paper. Attention will therefore be drawn to only two points that are important for the problem under discussion: correctness and communicative value.
Factors in Targeting Proficiency Levels and an Approach to “Real” and “Realistic” Practice
Authors: Guntermann Gail
Published: November 2008

During most of the present decade the foreign-language teaching profession in the United States has devoted prodigious efforts to the creation and publication of classroom exercises to develop the learners' ability to communicate. While the resulting diversity of activities bears testimony to the ingenuity of foreign language educators, it also manifests the lack of a coherent system for specifying objectives and creating or selecting appropriate activities for practice. That ubiquitous term “communicative competence” has lacked an operational definition. The concept of functional syllabus design, founded on the identification of the sociolinguistic factors that comprise communication events, suggests some means to fill that void. Once the learners' communication needs have been ascertained, inventories of functions, notions, and keys should be valuable tools for selecting appropriate linguistic exponents and generally determining course content.
Attitudes and Preferences of ESL Students to Error Correction
Authors: Chenoweth N. Ann , Day Richard R. , Chun Ann E. , Luppescu Stuart
Published: November 2008

This article presents the findings of a survey of ESL students' attitudes toward and preferences for the correction of spoken errors by native speaker friends. The 418 subjects reported generally positive attitudes toward error correction and claimed to prefer even more correction than their friends did. They saw correcting errors as facilitating—even being necessary—for the improvement of their oral English.
A Multiple Word Association Probe in Second Language Acquisition Research
Authors: Kruse Heleen , Pankhurst James , Smith Michael Sharwood
Published: November 2008

The background to word association tests is described, their potential relevance to second language research considered, and the history of their use as L2 measuring instruments reviewed. A computer-controlled word association test is described, its reliability established, and its validity as a measure of language proficiency established by means of comparison with other tests.
Problems in Studying the Communicative Effect of Learner's Errors
Authors: Johansson Stig
Published: November 2008

The growing interest in error analysis shows a concern with errors as evidence of learner language systems. A study of errors becomes a means of revealing what the learner has yet to know. However, the analyst takes a lenient view of errors as such. What has to be remedied is the system, not the symptoms. Nevertheless, the errors produced may be more or less serious. As the analysis will normally reveal a host of deficiencies in the learner system, it may be difficult to know where to start and what to emphasize in applying the results. This is where error evaluation fits in, i.e. the study of error gravity (see Fig. 1.).
Immersion education: applicability for nonvernacular teaching to vernacular speakers
Authors: Swain Merrill
Published: November 2008

The characteristics of “immersion” education as it is practised in Canadian contexts are described in this paper. Immersion programs are outlined in terms of their background, structure, methodology, and outcomes. It is suggested that to achieve the outcomes of immersion education found for majority language groups, some minority language groups may require a program in which initial education is in the first language, and which continues in both the first and second languages.
Teaching-induced aspects of interlanguage discourse
Authors: Kasper Gabriele
Published: November 2008

The paper examines the influence of the formal classroom as a learning environment on the discourse behaviour of advanced German students of English in conversations with English native speakers. It is proposed that FL teaching as a causal factor in the formation of IL-specific rules can operate either directly, in presenting the learner with FL material which deviates from target norms, or indirectly, by triggering off psycholinguistic processes which in turn lead to IL-specific rule formation. These are referred to as primary and secondary teaching induction, respectively. On a more concrete level, the impact of two constituents of FL teaching on IL discourse is discussed:

(1) the textbook and other teaching materials;

(2) classroom specific discourse norms.

The influence of the first factor type manifests itself primarily in (a) the use of an inappropriately formal register, (b) an inappropriate use of modal verbs. The second factor type is found to result in (a) rising intonation with non-interrogative function, (b) inappropriate propositional explicitness of speech act realizations and discourse functions, (c) “complete sentence” responses, (d) a lack of marking for expressive and relational functions (“speech act modality”).

In conclusion of the data analysis, a classroom specific pidgin will be hypothesized which, when transferred to non-classroom settings, leads to pragmatically inappropriate communicative behaviour.

On a more general level, it will be postulated that second language acquisition hypotheses should be formulated with reference to specific types of acquisition/learning contexts.
Tense switching in narrative English discourse of Navajo and Western Apache speakers
Authors: Bartelt H. Guillermo
Published: November 2008

This paper summarizes some characteristics of Navajo and Western Apache speakers' tense switching in English and some observations on native English speakers' tense switching. It is suggested to teachers who have Southwestern Indian students in their classes to avoid restricting students to one particular tense in an artificial manner and to approach interlingual tense switching within a contrastive framework.
An Interactionist Approach to L2 Sentence Interpretation
Authors: Gass Susan M.
Published: November 2008

Knowledge of a second language includes knowledge of syntax, phonology, lexicon, and so forth. While there is no a priori reason to assume that abilities in these areas develop independently of one another, most studies dealing with the acquisition of L2 grammars treat each of these components singly. In fact, Long and Sato (1984) call for more studies investigating the ways in which grammatical components interact in the acquisition of a second language. This paper deals with the complex issue of sentence processing in an L2, showing how L2 learners resolve the problem of competing factors of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics in the processing of L2 utterances. We present the results of a study involving sentence interpretation of compex sentences by 111 L2 learners of English and suggest that the acquisition of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics is an interactive phenomenon. It is further suggested that part of learning the syntax of a language is not only learning the word-order configurations of the language, but also learning the importance of word order in a given language in relation to semantic and pragmatic factors.
In Search of Systematicity in Interlanguage Production
Authors: Schachter Jacquelyn
Published: November 2008

This study evaluates a working hypothesis held by a number of second-language researchers that second-language learners progress in their acquisition of target language structure by observing regularities in their input, implicitly forming hypotheses, testing those hypotheses against further input, and revising some while dropping others as a result of their fit with the input. The study considers four possible sources for variability encountered in learner language: (1) the situation(s) in which particular forms are produced; (2) the learner's encoding and decoding capabilities; (3) the target language itself, whereby systematicity at one level may leave variability at another; and (4) the analyst and procedural decisions that may effect the perception of variability. The study concludes that the analyst's task must match in complexity that of the language learner if the fullness of the learner's accomplishments is to be captured accurately.
Second Language Acquisition and Universal Grammar
Authors: White Lydia
Published: November 2008

In this article, the motivation for Universal Grammar (UG), as assumed in the principles and parameters framework of generative grammar (Chomsky, 1981a, 1981b), is discussed, particular attention being paid to thelogical problemof first language acquisition. The potential role of UG in second language (L2) acquisition is then considered. Three different positions are reviewed: (a) the claim that UG is not available to L2 learners; (b) the claim that UG is fully available; and (c) the claim that the L2 learner's access to UG is mediated by the mother tongue. This raises the issue of what kind of evidence can be used to decide between these three positions. Recent experimental research which argues for one or another of these positions by investigating the L2 status of the Subjacency Principle is reviewed, and the implications of this research are discussed.
Acquisition Strategies in Language Death
Authors: Huffines Marion Lois
Published: November 2008

Nonsectarian Pennsylvania Germans who are the first generation in their families to learn English natively, often attempt to learn the Pennsylvania German that their families no longer regularly use. This study assesses the process of acquiring a dying language by investigating learners' use of the Pennsylvania German dative case. Learning strategies are remarkably free of reliance on English rules. Evidence indicates that speakers rely on what they have learned and seek analogies within Pennsylvania German, resorting to English only when other strategies fail. The search for near-congruity identified as operative across languages operates within the learner language as internal analogy. Learners also seek to maximize the distance between English and Pennsylvania German and emphasize the distinctiveness of each.
Decision Making in Second Language Acquisition
Authors: Birdsong David
Published: November 2008

The present paper isolates certain domain-general cognitive processes involved in decision making and examines their instantiations in adult second language acquisition (SLA). After reviewing important differences between mature and immature cognition, I discuss the epistemological categories and concepts that underlie decision making. I then address decision making from the point of view of fallibility—for example, maladaptive biases that mediate learners' decisions—and I suggest that some impediments to success in SLA may be the result of mature domain-general decision making. The heuristic value of research in the area of decision making is emphasized.
Cognitive Factors in Learning about Structured Sequences
Authors: Carr Thomas H. , Curran Tim
Published: November 2008

Cognitive science has developed a number of experimental techniques for studying how people learn about sequentially structured stimulus material. We describe these techniques, review findings they have produced, and discuss the findings' relevance for understanding the mastery of syntax during second language learning. Three issues are addressed: (a) the nature or content of what is learned and how it might be represented in the language learner's knowledge base, paying special heed to acquiring abstract rules versus generalizing across stored examples, (b) the role of conscious awareness in syntactic learning, and (c) the role of limited-capacity processing or focal attention in syntactic learning. Care is taken to distinguish between the latter two factors—Focal attention to the task of learning about syntax and conscious awareness of particular syntactic structures are not the same thing and may well play different roles in successful acquisition.
Nature, Nurture, and Age in Language Acquisition
Authors: Wode Henning
Published: November 2008

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to draw attention to the research on speech perception and, second, to use the results for a reassessment of the contribution of innate capacities versus external stimulation in conjunction with age in first and second language acquisition. The theoretical framework is the universal theory of language acquisition. The focus is on the functional potential of the biological substrate rather than its anatomy.

Neonates are innately capable of two major modes of auditory perception, namely, categorical and continuous perception. The interaction of these two modes allows infants to develop the perceptual categories of their ambient language(s). The continuous mode functions as a monitoring device in shaping the categories of the target(s). Various kinds of evidence are reviewed that suggest that these original sensory abilities remain unchanged throughout an individual's lifespan, but they become difficult to access during later stages of life, such as in adult L2 acquisition, because of the way perceptual-phonological information is stored in memory and/or activated in language processing. There are no biologically based restrictions as to the number of languages that can be learned, or the age ranges during which this can happen.