bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Taxonomy and structure of Croatian personality‐descriptive adjectives
Authors: Mlačić Boris , Ostendorf Fritz
Published: November 2004

This paper describes the development of a comprehensive taxonomy of Croatian personality‐descriptive terms, organized in three studies. In the first study three judges searched through a standard dictionary of the Croatian language for person‐descriptive terms. In the second study, personality‐descriptive adjectives were classified by seven judges into 13 different categories of descriptors. In the third study, the 483 adjectives that the majority of judges in the second study classified as dispositions were rated for self‐descriptions by 515 University of Zagreb students and for peer‐descriptions by 513 students' best acquaintances. Self‐ and peer ratings were factor analysed separately and the Croatian emic lexical factors from both data sets were interpreted to be similar to the Big‐Five factors: Agreeableness, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Intellect, and Emotional Stability. The inspection of factor content of the Croatian emic factors and their relation to imported Big‐Five measures revealed high correspondences for all five Croatian factors although the relation between the Croatian and the imported factors of Emotional Stability and Agreeableness was somewhat more complex. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Flame retardancy of thermoplastic polyesters—a review of the recent literature
Authors: Levchik Sergei V , Weil Edward D
Published: November 2004

An overview is presented of the literature on the flame retardancy of thermoplastic polyesters, especially poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT). The main focus is on publications of the last fifteen years; however, some earlier work of major importance is discussed as well. Because PET and PBT almost totally convert to volatile fragments upon exposure to heat, providing fuel to the flame, it is a challenging task to flame‐retard these polymers. Although many of the commercially available systems for flame retardancy of PET and PBT consist of a halogen‐containing additive and a synergist, more recent publications and patents emphasize halogen‐free, particularly phosphorus‐based systems. Several phosphorus‐based additive or reactive systems are well‐established for use in PET textiles, and phosphorus‐based additives have recently been introduced for PBT. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Structural evidence for variable oligomerization of the N‐terminal domain of cyclase‐associated protein (CAP)
Authors: Yusof Adlina Mohd , Hu Nien‐Jen , Wlodawer Alexander , Hofmann Andreas
Published: November 2004

Cyclase‐associated protein (CAP) is a highly conserved and widely distributed protein that links the nutritional response signaling to cytoskeleton remodeling. In yeast, CAP is a component of the adenylyl cyclase complex and helps to activate the Ras‐mediated catalytic cycle of the cyclase. While the N‐terminal domain of CAP (N‐CAP) provides a binding site for adenylyl cyclase, the C‐terminal domain (C‐CAP) possesses actin binding activity. Our attempts to crystallize full‐length recombinant CAP from Dictyostelium discoideum resulted in growth of orthorhombic crystals containing only the N‐terminal domain (residues 42–227) due to auto‐proteolytic cleavage. The structure was solved by molecular replacement with data at 2.2 Å resolution. The present crystal structure allows the characterization of a head‐to‐tail N‐CAP dimer in the asymmetric unit and a crystallographic side‐to‐side dimer. Comparison with previously published structures of N‐CAP reveals variable modes of dimerization of this domain, but the presence of a common interface for the side‐to‐side dimer. Proteins 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The solution structure of BmTx3B, a member of the scorpion toxin subfamily α‐KTx 16
Authors: Wang Yuefeng , Chen Xiang , Zhang Naixia , Wu Gong , Wu Houming
Published: November 2004

This article reports the solution structure of BmTx3B (α‐KTx16.2), a potassium channel blocker belonging to the subfamily α‐KTx16, purified from the venom of the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch. In solution, BmTx3B assumes a typical CSαβ motif, with an α‐helix connected to a triple‐stranded β‐sheet by 3 disulfide bridges, which belongs to the first structural group of short‐chain scorpion toxins. On the other hand, BmTx3B is quite different from other toxins (such as ChTx and AgTx2) of this group in terms of the electrostatic and hydrophobic surface distribution. The functional surface (β‐face) of the molecule is characterized by less basic residues (only 2: Lys28 and Arg35) and extra aromatic residues (Phe1, Phe9, Trp15, and Tyr37). The peptide shows a great preference for the Kca1.1 channel over the Kv channel (about a 103‐fold difference). The model of BmTx3B/Kca1.1 channel complex generated by docking and dynamic simulation reveals that the stable binding between the BmTx3B and Kca1.1 channel is favored by a number of aromatic π–π stacking interactions. The influences of these structural features on the kinetic behavior of the toxin binding to Kca1.1 channel are also discussed. Proteins 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Anti‐Candida effects of estragole in combination with ketoconazole or amphotericin B
Authors: Shin Seungwon , Pyun Mi‐Sun
Published: November 2004

The anti‐Candida effects of estragole combined with amphotericin B or ketoconazole, commonly used antifungal drugs for treatment of candidasis, were evaluated in this study. The fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices of both estragole combined with ketoconazole against C. albicans and C. utilis calculated from the checkerboard microtiter assay were 0.28 and 0.50 respectively, indicating signiﬁcant synergism. These drug combinations exhibited additive effects against C. tropicalis, with FIC index of 0.75. Consistent for the most part with the results from the checkerboard titer tests, the time‐kill curves of the tested samples also indicated signiﬁcant synergism or additive effect between ketoconazole and estragole against the Candida species evaluated. In contrast, amphotericin B showed antagonism in combination with estragole in most experiments of this study. Thus, we have shown the synergistic combination effects between estragole and ketoconazole, which may be effective combinations for the treatment of Candida infections. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Statistical methods for multivariate interval‐censored recurrent events
Authors: Chen Bingshu E. , Cook Richard J. , Lawless Jerald F. , Zhan Min
Published: November 2004

Multi‐type recurrent event data arise when two or more different kinds of events may occur repeatedly over a period of observation. The scientific objectives in such settings are often to describe features of the marginal processes and to study the association between the different types of events. Interval‐censored multi‐type recurrent event data arise when the precise event times are unobserved, but intervals are available during which the events are known to have occurred. This type of data is common in studies of patients with advanced cancer, for example, where the events may represent the development of different types of metastatic lesions which are only detectable by conducting bone scans of the entire skeleton. In this setting it is of interest to characterize the incidence of the various types of bone lesions, to estimate the impact of treatment and other covariate effects on the development of new lesions, and to understand the relationship between the processes generating the bone lesions. We develop joint models for multi‐type interval‐censored recurrent events which accommodate dependencies between different types of events and enable one to examine the covariate effects via regression. However, since the marginal likelihood resulting from the multivariate random effect model is intractable, we describe a Gibbs sampling algorithm to facilitate model fitting and inference. We use generalized estimating equations for estimation and inference based on marginal models. The finite sample properties of the marginal approach are studied via simulation. The estimates of both the regression coefficients and the variance–covariance parameters are shown to have negligible bias and 95 per cent confidence intervals based on the asymptotic variance formula are shown to have excellent empirical coverage probabilities in all of the settings considered. The application of these methods to data from a trial of women with advanced breast cancer provides insight into the clinical course of bone metastases in this population. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of statistical methods for analysis of clustered binary observations
Authors: Heo Moonseong , Leon Andrew C.
Published: November 2004

When correlated observations are obtained in a randomized controlled trial, the assumption of independence among observations within cluster likely will not hold because the observations share the same cluster (e.g. clinic, physician, or subject). Further, the outcome measurements of interest are often binary. The objective of this paper is to compare the performance of four statistical methods for analysis of clustered binary observations: namely (1) full likelihood method; (2) penalized quasi‐likelihood method; (3) generalized estimating equation method; (4) fixed‐effects logistic regression method. The first three methods take correlations into account in inferential processes whereas the last method does not. Type I error rate, power, bias, and standard error are compared across the four statistical methods through computer simulations under varying effect sizes, intraclass correlation coefficients, number of clusters, and number of observations per cluster, including large numbers 20 and 100 of observations per cluster. The results show that the performance of the full likelihood and the penalized quasi‐likelihood methods is superior for analysis of clustered binary observations, and is not necessarily inferior to that of the fixed‐effects logistic regression fit even when within‐cluster correlations are zero. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Resolving Gender Pay Inequality? Rationales, Enforcement and Policy
Authors: BROWNE JUDE
Published: November 2004

It is increasingly argued that models of Corporate Governance can be seen as an effective substitute for conventional state-centred social policy. This article examines the extent to which these contemporary business-led approaches are successful in remedying the gendered pay gap in the British labour market, using the latest Cabinet Office review on women's employment and pay in Britain: the Kingsmill Review, as its central example. The article outlines Kingsmill's recommendations and then analyses their efficacy by means of a ‘snap-shot’ case study of a large employing organisation which was identified as a ‘model employer’ by the Review and which has adopted many exemplary employment practices: the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The article employs analysis of a major original new data set to establish both the successes and limitations of these recommendations in overcoming the gender pay gap within the BBC.
The Moving Frontier in Denmark: Voluntary-State Relationships since 1850
Authors: HENRIKSEN LARS SKOV , BUNDESEN PETER
Published: November 2004

This article explores the interplay between state formation and voluntary action in order to describe and understand the changing scope and type of voluntary activities and the varying role of the voluntary sector. It does so by following voluntary human service organisations within the sector of social welfare in Denmark over a period of 150 years. Four different phases of voluntary-state relationships are identified. The first phase of liberal social policy supported a dual model with a strong call for self-help and philanthropic initiatives. The next phase, in which social rights and public responsibility gradually were introduced and expanded, supported a collaborative model with a strong public–private partnership. The third phase, in which the idea of a universalistic welfare state dominated, tended to marginalise voluntary service production but strengthen interest representation. Finally, the fourth phase, in which heavy critique was thrust upon the welfare state, opened up new spaces for voluntary organisations to assume civil obligations.
Social Policy Digest Online
Authors: Bennett Fran , Jones Ken
Published: November 2004

The Social Policy Digest went online in the summer of 2003. This means that the Digest, which used to be printed as part of the Journal of Social Policy, is now only available via the web.
Stress buildup in the Himalaya
Authors: Bollinger L. , Avouac J. P. , Cattin R. , Pandey M. R.
Published: November 2004

The seismic cycle on a major fault involves long periods of elastic strain and stress accumulation, driven by aseismic ductile deformation at depth, ultimately released by sudden fault slip events. Coseismic slip distributions are generally heterogeneous with most of the energy being released in the rupture of asperities. Since, on the long term, the fault's walls generally do not accumulate any significant permanent deformation, interseismic deformation might be heterogeneous, revealing zones of focused stress buildup. The pattern of current deformation along the Himalayan arc, which is known to produce recurring devastating earthquakes, and where several seismic gaps have long been recognized, might accordingly show significant lateral variations, providing a possible explanation for the uneven microseismic activity along the Himalayan arc. By contrast, the geodetic measurements show a rather uniform pattern of interseismic strain, oriented consistently with long‐term geological deformation, as indicated from stretching lineation. We show that the geodetic data and seismicity distribution are reconciled from a model in which microseismicity is interpreted as driven by stress buildup increase in the interseismic period. The uneven seismicity pattern is shown to reflect the impact of the topography on the stress field, indicating low deviatoric stresses (<35 MPa) and a low friction (<0.3) on the Main Himalayan Thrust. Arc‐normal thrusting along the Himalayan front and east‐west extension in southern Tibet are quantitatively reconciled by the model.
Role of recycled oceanic crust in the potassium and argon budget of the Earth: Toward a resolution of the “missing argon” problem
Authors: Lassiter John C.
Published: November 2004

The K content of the Silicate Earth is commonly estimated at ∼250 ppm on the basis of K/U ratios of ∼12,000–13,000 in mid‐ocean ridge basalts and continental crust, and assuming a chondritic U content for the Earth. Given this K content, only ∼50% of the 40Ar generated over Earth history from the decay of 40K currently resides in the atmosphere. Because the upper mantle is thoroughly degassed and contains little 40Ar, the “missing” Ar has long been taken as evidence for a gas‐rich (and therefore convectively isolated) lower mantle. An alternative solution of the “missing Ar” problem is that the K content of the Silicate Earth is substantially lower than 250 ppm. Previous estimates have failed to take into account the composition of recycled oceanic crust, which could comprise up to 6–9% of the mantle by mass and contain up to 40% of the Earth's U. Because K is more soluble than U in subduction‐generated hydrous fluids, recycled, dehydrated oceanic crust is characterized by extremely low K/U ratios. This is evidenced in the low K/U ratios of eclogites (∼1000), and in HIMU‐type basalts (∼4000), which are thought to derive from sources containing significant quantities of recycled crust. Ocean island basalts, which are generated from mantle containing varying amounts and types of recycled material, possess highly variable K/U ratios, but average K/U ratios from individual island chains are negatively correlated with 206Pb/204Pb, indicating that the low K/U in some ocean‐island basalts is a long‐lived source feature. Inclusion of a recycled crust reservoir in K and U mass balance calculations results in an estimate of the Bulk Silicate Earth K/U of ∼7000–9000, or a K content of ∼150–195 ppm. As a result, much of the “missing” 40Ar thought to be stored in the deep mantle may not exist, with ∼60–90% of the Earth's 40Ar residing in the atmosphere or continental crust. The remaining 40Ar can be accommodated in the convecting mantle without isolation of a deep, undegassed reservoir.
Distributions of UK37 and UK37′ in the surface waters and sediments of the Nordic Seas: Implications for paleoceanography
Authors: Bendle James , Rosell‐Melé Antoni
Published: November 2004

In this paper we revise the application of the UK37′ and UK37 indices as sea surface temperature (SST) proxies in the Nordic Seas. In the summer of 1999 and 2000 we obtained samples of filtered particulate organic matter (POM) from surface waters (∼6 m depth) of the Nordic Seas. A number of samples were collected from polar waters with up to 80% of sea ice cover. Alkenones were detected in all of the major water masses of the Nordic seas, across a spectrum of SST values from −0.5 to 13°C and SSS values from 29.6 to 35.6 (psu). Concentrations of alkenones were similar in magnitude to those reported previously for the North Atlantic and the Southern Ocean. Values of UK37′ from the new Nordic Seas POM data show no correlation with SST below 8°C. In contrast, below this temperature a linear correlation exists between UK37 and regional SST, supporting previous suggestions that, overall, UK37 may be a more appropriate SST index for the region. It must be noted however that UK37 is calculated using the tetraunsaturated alkenone, and the dominant control on this compound is not yet fully understood. The new data highlight major differences between distributions of UK37 and UK37′ in the water column POM and surficial sediments of the Nordic Seas. We also examine the geographical dependence of the UK37′ versus SST relationship in the region's surficial sediments. Some areas are associated with unreliable SST estimates, whereas in others the UK37′ versus SST relationship falls within the range of a global core top calibration. It is suggested that the breakdown of the UK37′‐SST relationship in some regions is due to ecological and sedimentological factors. The latter relates to the extension of the habitats of alkenone producers in polar waters. The former to the resuspension of sediments and laterally transported alkenone inputs. This suggests that accurate alkenone derived SST estimates in the Nordic seas are geographically constrained.
The winter Arctic Oscillation and the timing of snowmelt in Europe
Authors: Schaefer Kevin , Denning A. Scott , Leonard Owen
Published: November 2004

Observations indicate earlier spring snowmelt in the northern hemisphere. We hypothesize that increased temperatures and decreased precipitation due to a positive trend in the winter Arctic Oscillation (AO) have advanced the date of snowmelt. To test this, we modeled snowmelt using the Simple Biosphere model, Version 2 (SiB2) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis from 1958–2002. The simulated snowmelt dates are consistent with dates derived from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weekly snow charts. The winter AO exerts the strongest influence on the timing of snowmelt in northern Europe, with a weaker influence in eastern Siberia and almost no influence in North America. The winter AO trend can statistically explain 20–70% of simulated snowmelt trends in northern Europe.
Mount Everest snow plume: A case study
Authors: Moore G. W. K.
Published: November 2004

A plume of snow blowing from the summit of Mount Everest is one of the most iconic images of the world's highest mountain. Its presence provides evidence of the strong jet stream winds that can buffet the mountain. In January 2004, astronauts onboard the International Space Station (ISS) observed a 15 to 20 km long snow plume emanating from the summit of Mount Everest. Remarkably little is known about these plumes and the role that they play in the redistribution of snow in the high Himalaya. In this paper we use a variety of meteorological datasets to show that the observed plume was the combination of high winds associated with the East Asian Jet Stream (EAJS) and a heavy snowfall that had occurred over the Himalaya during the preceding week. A simple model of a blown snow plume is shown to be consistent with the observations made from the ISS.
Rarely observed short‐period (5–10 s) suboceanic Rayleigh waves propagating across the Tyrrhenian Sea
Authors: Rovelli Antonio , Vuan Alessandro , Mele Giuliana , Priolo Enrico , Boschi Enzo
Published: November 2004

Shallow earthquakes occurring in the southern part of the Tyrrhenian basin excite a long‐duration low‐frequency coda that propagates efficiently along paths crossing the Tyrrhenian Sea. Seismograms recorded at regional distances in the Italian peninsula are analysed in the frequency‐time domain and compared with synthetics computed in simple vertically varying media. Based on results of our modeling, we interpret the coda as short‐period (5–10 s) suboceanic Rayleigh waves. Their large amplitude and long duration, that we emphasize here, are explained as due to the influence of the Tyrrhenian water layer over a fast seafloor with little S‐wave attenuation (QS > 300). A satisfactory fit of amplitude and duration of the observed waveforms is obtained assuming a young oceanic model with an average water column of 1 to 2 km and relatively high S‐wave velocity (2.5 km/s) in the shallow crust.
Altitude profiles of aerosol BC, derived from aircraft measurements over an inland urban location in India
Authors: Moorthy K. Krishna , Babu S. Suresh , Sunilkumar S. V. , Gupta Prabhat K. , Gera B. S.
Published: November 2004

Altitude profiles of aerosol black carbon (BC) in the atmospheric boundary layer and above it were measured for the first time in India, over the urban location Hyderabad, onboard an aircraft during two consecutive days of February 2004. The profiles on both the days were consistent, and showed a rapid decrease in BC concentration within the boundary up to ∼550 m AGL (where convective activity prevailed). Sodar measurements from the nearby location revealed the mean boundary layer height to be ∼600 m during the flight period. The decrease in BC above the boundary layer was quite weak up to ∼2.2 km AGL.
Preferential axisymmetric field growth in kinematic geodynamo models
Authors: Livermore Philip W. , Jackson Andrew
Published: November 2004

Earth's magnetic field, generated by fluid motion and inductive processes in Earth's core, has a predominantly axisymmetric dipolar component. Yet indefinite self‐excitation of purely axisymmetric fields through any dynamo mechanism is specifically disallowed, begging the question of why the geodynamo sustains this dominant axisymmetric component. By considering a number of different fluid flow models modified from existing studies, we show that axisymmetric fields are consistently the most easily regenerated magnetic fields on short timescales, despite the fact that on long timescales they must die away. We argue that this transient field generation may play an important role in generating Earth's magnetic field, especially in the recovery after reversals.
An evaluation of TRACE‐P emission inventories from China using a regional model and chemical measurements
Authors: Tan Q. , Chameides W. L. , Streets D. , Wang T. , Xu J. , Bergin M. , Woo J.
Published: November 2004

We evaluate the TRACE‐P emission inventories for gaseous and particulate pollutants from East Asia using chemical measurements made at a rural site in China during the China‐MAP Field Intensive in conjunction with a coupled regional climate/chemical transport modeling system. Time‐dependent, three‐dimensional fields for trace gas and particulate matter concentrations over East Asia are simulated by an updated version of the Regional Acid Deposition Model (RADM) driven by the TRACE‐P emission inventories along with meteorology fields calculated by the NCAR Regional Climate Model (RegCM) for the month of November 1999. Model‐calculated SO2 is in good agreement with measurements, while CO and particulate carbon (PC) are significantly smaller, and particulate sulfate (SO42−) is somewhat smaller. Our calculations suggest that increases in the TRACE‐P emission inventory of CO by ∼50% and PC by 60–90% would bring the model‐calculated CO, PC, and particulate sulfate concentration into agreement with the China‐MAP observations. If these increases were spread uniformly throughout China and the year, it would require that there be additional emissions in China of CO and PC of 60 Tg yr−1 and 2.5–4 Tg yr−1, respectively. Further analysis of high resolution gas species measurements suggests that the missing CO emissions are likely to be associated with SO2 emissions from coal burning. This in turn suggests that coal‐burning facilities in China are operating at significantly lower efficiencies than currently assumed.
Conformal Killing horizons
Authors: Sultana J. , Dyer C. C.
Published: November 2004

For time dependent black hole space–times the event horizon cannot be described by a Killing horizon. In the case when the space–time admits a timelike conformal Killing field, which becomes null on a boundary called the conformal stationary limit surface, one can locally describe the expanding event horizon by using this boundary, provided that it is a null geodesic hypersurface. In this case the boundary is called a conformal Killing horizon and is shown to be null and geodesic if and only if the twist of the conformal Killing trajectories on the hypersurface vanishes. Moreover if the space–time is conformally related to a stationary asymptotically flat black hole space–time, it is shown that this hypersurface is globally equivalent to the event horizon, provided that the conformal factor goes to a constant at null infinity. When the conformal stationary limit surface does not coincide with the conformal Killing horizon, a generalization of the weak rigidity theorem which establishes the conformal Killing property of the event horizon and the rigidity of its rotation is obtained. A physical definition of surface gravity for conformal Killing horizons is given, which is then used to formulate a generalized zeroth law of black hole physics.
Angular intricacies in hot gauge field theories
Authors: Grandou T.
Published: November 2004

It is argued that in hot quantum field theories, “hard thermal loops” leading order calculations call for a definite sequence of angular averages and discontinuity (or imaginary part prescription) operations, and run otherwise into incorrect results. The 10 years old collinear singularity problem of hot QCD provides a dramatic illustration of that fate.
Shared, Competitive, and Comparative Advantages: A Competence-Based View of Industrial-District Competitiveness
Authors: Camisón César
Published: November 2004

The author's aim is to construct and validate empirically a theoretical model that allows performance and competitiveness in firms located in industrial districts to be explained. From the strategic perspective adopted, economic revenues are explained by three types of advantage: shared advantages, competitive advantages, and comparative advantages. Neither integration in the district, nor its attraction due to the shared competences within it, are significant predictors of performance. Empirical results indicate that organisational performance is largely explained by the joint effect of firm distinctive competences and cluster-shared competences. It was also found that the greater the degree of a firm's embeddedness in an industrial district, the greater the effect of its distinctive competences on organisational performance. This evidence suggests that firms which are better endowed with resources and capabilities find the development of sustainable competitive advantages easier when they locate in industrial clusters, as they are more capable of capitalising on the potential for economic rents that these clusters offer. Therefore, the internal heterogeneity of the cluster stems from the different patterns of appropriation of shared competences. In addition, firm embeddedness in an industrial district is also revealed as a moderating variable in the relationship between shared competences and global performance/average return on assets, explained by the positive effects of the participation in models, values, and knowledge flows circulating within the cluster.
Running on water: Three-dimensional force generation by basilisk lizards
Authors: Hsieh S. Tonia , Lauder George V.
Published: November 2004

Water provides a unique challenge for legged locomotion because it readily yields to any applied force. Previous studies have shown that static stability during locomotion is possible only when the center of mass remains within a theoretical region of stability. Running across a highly yielding surface could move the center of mass beyond the edges of the region of stability, potentially leading to tripping or falling. Yet basilisk lizards are proficient water runners, regularly dashing across bodies of water to evade predators. We present here direct measurements of time-averaged force produced by juvenile plumed basilisk lizards (
Basiliscus plumifrons
) while running across water. By using digital particle image velocimetry to visualize fluid flow induced by foot movement, we show that sufficient support force is generated for a lizard to run across water and that novel strategies are also required to run across a highly yielding surface. Juvenile basilisk lizards produce greatest support and propulsive forces during the first half of the step, when the foot moves primarily vertically downwards into the water; they also produce large transverse reaction forces that change from medial (79% body weight) to lateral (37% body weight) throughout the step. These forces may act to dynamically stabilize the lizards during water running. Our results give insight into the mechanics of how basilisk lizards run across water and, on a broader scale, provide a conceptual basis for how locomotor surface properties can challenge established rules for the mechanics of legged locomotion.
A highly specific
l
-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase on the path to ascorbate biosynthesis
Authors: Laing William A. , Bulley Sean , Wright Michele , Cooney Janine , Jensen Dwayne , Barraclough Di , MacRae Elspeth
Published: November 2004

Ascorbate is a critical compound in plants and animals. Humans are unable to synthesize ascorbate, and their main source of this essential vitamin are plants. However, the pathway of synthesis in plants is yet to be established, and several unknown enzymes are only postulated to exist. We describe a specific
l
-galactose-1-phosphate (
l
-gal-1-P) phosphatase that we partially purified from young kiwifruit (
Actinidia deliciosa
) berries. The enzyme had a native molecular mass of ≈65 kDa, was completely dependent on Mg
2+
for activity and was very specific in its ability to hydrolyze
l
-gal-1-P. The activity had a pH optimum of 7.0, a
K
M
(
l
-gal-1-P) of 20–40 μM and a
K
a
(Mg
2+
) of 0.2 mM. The activity was inhibited by Mg
2+
at concentrations >2 mM. The enzyme from
Arabidopsis thaliana
shoots showed similar properties to the kiwifruit enzyme. The
Arabidopsis thaliana
enzyme preparation was digested with trypsin, and proteins present were identified by using liquid chromatography–MS. One of 24 proteins present in our preparation was an
Arabidopsis thaliana
protein, At3g02870, annotated
myo
-inositol-1-phosphate phosphatase in GenBank, that matched the characteristics of the purified
l
-gal-1-phosphate phosphatase. We then expressed a kiwifruit homologue of this gene in
Escherichia coli
and found that it showed 14-fold higher maximum velocity for
l
-gal-1-P than
myo
-inositol-1-P. The expressed enzyme showed very similar properties to the enzyme purified from kiwifruit and
Arabidopsis
, except that its
K
M
(
l
-gal-1-P) and
K
a
(Mg
2+
) were higher in the expressed enzyme. The data are discussed in terms of the pathway to ascorbate biosynthesis in plants
Anaerobic growth of
Methanosarcina acetivorans
C2A on carbon monoxide: An unusual way of life for a methanogenic archaeon
Authors: Rother Michael , Metcalf William W.
Published: November 2004

All methanogenic Archaea examined to date rely on methanogenesis as their sole means of energy conservation. Among these are ones that use carbon monoxide as a growth substrate, producing methane via a pathway that involves hydrogen as an intermediate. To further examine the role of hydrogen in this process, we tested the ability of
Methanosarcina acetivorans
C2A, a metabolically versatile methanogen devoid of significant hydrogen metabolism, to use CO as a growth substrate.
M. acetivorans
grew on CO to high cell densities (≈1 × 10
8
per ml) with a doubling time of ≈24 h. Surprisingly, acetate and formate, rather than methane, were the major metabolic end products as shown by
13
C NMR studies and enzymatic analysis of culture supernatants. Methane formation surpassed acetate/formate formation only when the cultures entered stationary growth phase, strongly suggesting that
M. acetivorans
conserves energy by means of this acetogenic and formigenic process. Resting cell experiments showed that methane production decreased linearly with increasing CO partial pressures, consistent with inhibition of methanogenesis by CO. Transposon-induced
M. acetivorans
mutants with lesions in the operon encoding phosphotransacetylase and acetate kinase failed to use either acetate or CO as growth substrates, indicating that these enzymes are required for both aceticlastic methanogenesis and carboxidotrophic acetogenesis. These findings greatly extend our concept of energy conservation and metabolic versatility in the methanogenic Archaea.
Prediction of the structural motifs of sandwich proteins
Authors: Fokas A. S. , Gelfand I. M. , Kister A. E.
Published: November 2004

We investigate the supersecondary structure of a large group of proteins, the so-called sandwich proteins. The analysis of a large number of such proteins has led us to propose a set of rules that can be used to predict the possible arrangements of strands in the two β-sheets forming a given sandwich structure. These rules imply the existence of certain invariant supersecondary substructures common to all sandwich proteins. Furthermore, they dramatically restrict the number of permissible arrangements. For example, whereas for proteins consisting of three strands in each β-sheet 180 possible strand arrangements exist
a priori
, our rules imply that only 15 of them are permissible. Five of these predicted arrangements describe all currently known sandwich proteins with six strands.
Developmental perspectives on prosocial and aggressive motives in preschoolers’ peer interactions
Authors: Persson Gun E. B.
Published: November 2004

Preschoolers’ prosocial and aggressive behaviours were explored longitudinally, with a focus on the inferred underlying motives of these behaviours. Forty-four children (initially 22–40 months of age) were observed in naturalistic interactions with peers, during a 2-month period, for each of three consecutive years. Three categories of prosocial behaviour (requested, altruistic, and nonaltruistic) and three categories of aggressive behaviour (reactive, proactive instrumental, and proactive hostile aggression) were explored for: (1) internal consistency; (2) developmental changes; (3) individual stability; (4) gender differences; and (5) interrelations. Internal consistency was moderately high for aggression and low for prosocial behaviour. All types of prosocial behaviour were enacted with increasing frequency as children grew older, whereas no developmental changes were revealed for the enactment of aggressive behaviour. Individual stability was found for aggression and for prosocial altruistic behaviour. A single gender difference was found: Girls outperformed boys on altruistic behaviour at the end of the preschool period. Patterns of intercorrelations indicated that (1) prosocial requested behaviour was unrelated to aggression; (2) prosocial altruistic behaviour was negatively related to aggression, in particular to proactive hostile aggression; (3) prosocial nonaltruistic behaviour was sometimes positively related to aggression. The theoretical significance of focusing on underlying motives rather than on behavioural forms is discussed.
Recent Developments at ISIS
Authors: Steigenberger Uschi
Published: November 2004

The status of the ISIS Facility is reviewed and new developments are discussed.
Antiferromagnetic Fractons Observed by Inelastic Neutron Scattering Experiments
Authors: Nakayama T. , Terao T.
Published: November 2004

We present an analysis of the experimental data obtained by means of inelastic neutron scattering (INS) experiments for diluted Heisenberg antiferromagnet RbMn0.39Mg0.61F3 (H. Ikeda et al., J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 67, 3376 (1998)). Calculated results recover well INS results. These results confirm the observation of antiferromagnetic fractons in RbMn0.39Mg0.61F3 by Ikeda et al.
Optic-type Vibrational Modes of Liquid Chalcogens
Authors: Chiba Ayano , Ohmasa Yoshinori , Yao Makoto , Bennington Stephen M.
Published: November 2004

We carried out inelastic neutron scattering (INS) measurements to study the dynamic structure of liquid (l-) Se and Te50Se50. The bond-stretching modes for both liquids were found to lie in higher energies than those forming a trigonal phase, showing that the chainlike molecules are more isolated than in the trigonal phase. The Q-dependence of the intensity of the dynamic structure factor was examined at the region of the stretching modes, and found to be explained by a simple model where we assumed completely out-of-phase motions of two atoms. The result shows the possibilities of extracting short-range structural information from such Q-dependences for these kinds of basically isolated molecules.
Cluster Structure in Helix-promoting Hexafluoro-iso-propanol–Water Mixtures
Authors: Yoshida K. , Yamaguchi T. , Bowron D.T. , Finney J.L.
Published: November 2004

Neutron diffraction measurements with H/D isotopic substitution have been performed for hexafluoro-iso-propanol (HFIP; 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3-hexafluoro -2-propanol)–water mixtures at 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 of HFIP mole fractions (xHFIP). The nine partial structure factors obtained were subjected to an empirical potential structure refinement (EPSR) method to derive all site–site pair correlation functions. It has been found that with increasing HFIP concentration the degree of hydrogen bonding between water–water, HFIP–water, HFIP–HFIP increases as have previously been found for aliphatic alcohols–water mixtures. There was no evidence that water structure is well defined around the hydrophobic groups of HFIP. At xHFIP = 0.1, the hydrophobic groups of HFIP contact with each other, whereas a zigzag chain structure due to hydrogen bonds via the hydroxyl groups grows in the more concentrated HFIP mixtures.
The Historical Development of Hierarchical Behavior in Economic Thought
Authors: Drakopoulos S. A. , Karayiannis A. D.
Published: November 2004

One of the basic ideas underlying the established conception of rational behavior is the unlimited substitutability of preferences. Economic agents are assumed to compare and reduce everything to a common denominator: utility. The most obvious example of such preferences can be found in standard consumer theory where complete substitutability of every good is assumed in the sense that a loss of some units of one bundle can always be compensated by gain of some units of another commodity (such preferences are sometimes called Archimedian—see Borch 1968). This conception of preferences has a long history in economic thought and forms the basis of the standard rational choice theory (Hicks and Allen 1934, Samuelson 1938, Hicks 1946, Houthakker 1950).
The Discovery of Comparative Advantage
Authors: Aldrich John
Published: November 2004

Torrens [in 1815] clearly preceded Ricardo [in 1817] in publishing a fairly satisfactory formulation of the doctrine [of comparative costs]. It is unquestionable, however that Ricardo is entitled to the credit for first giving due emphasis to the doctrine, for first placing it an appropriate setting, and for obtaining general acceptance for it by economists.
The Macroeconomic thought of Sir William Petty
Authors: Ullmer James H.
Published: November 2004

Sir William Petty (1623–1687) is generally known to historians of economic thought as an early contributor to classical political economy. In fact, Karl Marx claimed—rightly, I believe—that Petty was the founder of that school of thought (Marx 1867, p. 81). Frank Amati and Tony Aspromourgos echo the sentiment that Petty, and not Adam Smith, was “the founder of classical political economy, that school which had its culmination in the Ricardian economic theory” (Amati and Aspromourgos 1985, p. 127). Aspromourgos has also observed that Petty wrote A Treatise of Taxes and Contributions, as well as other works, in order to provide “an answer to the questions of how to maximize total employment and surplus labour, and how to best utilize surplus labour” (Aspromourgos 1996, p. 16, emphasis added).
Can Conditioning on the “Past Hypothesis” Militate Against the Reversibility Objections?
Authors: Winsberg Eric
Published: November 2004

In his recent book,Time and Chance, David Albert claims that by positing that there is a uniform probability distribution defined, on the standard measure, over the space of microscopic states that are compatible with both the current macrocondition of the world, and with what he calls the “past hypothesis”, we can explain the time asymmetry of all of the thermodynamic behavior in the world. The principal purpose of this paper is to dispute this claim. I argue that Albert's proposal fails in his stated goal—to show how to use the time-reversible dynamics of Newtonian physics to “underwrite the actual content of our thermodynamic experience” (Albert 2000, 159). Albert's proposal can satisfactorily explain why the overall entropy of the universe as a whole is increasing, but it does not and cannot explain the increasing entropy of relatively small, relatively short-lived systems in energetic isolation without making use of a principle that leads to reversibility objections.
Selection, Drift, and the “Forces” of Evolution
Authors: Stephens Christopher
Published: November 2004

Recently, several philosophers have challenged the view that evolutionary theory is usefully understood by way of an analogy with Newtonian mechanics. Instead, they argue that evolutionary theory is merely a statistical theory. According to this alternate approach, natural selection and random genetic drift are not even causes, much less forces. I argue that, properly understood, the Newtonian analogy is unproblematic and illuminating. I defend the view that selection and drift are causes in part by attending to a pair of important distinctions—that betweenprocessandproductand that betweennatural selectionandfitness.
Evaluation of phenotypic methods for methicillin resistance characterization in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS)
Authors: Caierão Juliana , Musskopf Maiara , Superti Silvana , Roesch Eliane , Dias Cícero G , d'Azevedo Pedro A
Published: November 2004

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the major cause of nosocomial infections. Methicillin-resistant strains are particularly important because they narrow therapeutic options. Detecting methicillin resistance among CNS has been a challenge for years. The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of an agar screening test (0.6 and 4 μg oxacillin ml−1), disc diffusion and the automated MicroScan system to characterize methicillin resistance among CNS. One hundred and seventy five strains were analysed: 41.1 % Staphylococcus epidermidis and 59.9 % other species; 69.1 % were mecA-positive. The results showed that the methods have optimal correlation with the detection of mecA gene for S. epidermidis, Staphylococcus hominis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus. However, accuracy of the tests is impaired when less common species are analysed. The only 100 % accurate test was agar screening with 4 μg oxacillin ml−1.
Percutaneous exposure resulting in laboratory-acquired leptospirosis – a case report
Authors: Sugunan A P , Natarajaseenivasan K , Vijayachari P , Sehgal S C
Published: November 2004

A screw-capped glass tube containing a Leptospira culture accidentally broke and the laboratory worker who was handling the tube sustained a cut on his hand. The wound was flooded with the culture. The culture was that of strain MG 347 belonging to serovar Australis recovered from a patient, and it had undergone 52 passages in Ellinghausen McCullough Johnson Harris medium. The laboratory worker developed a headache 21 days after the accident and became febrile the next day. He was hospitalized for 5 days and was treated initially with doxycycline and later with ciprofloxacin. A blood sample collected on the second day of illness, after starting doxycycline therapy, yielded leptospires and the isolate, HZ 651, was identified as serovar Australis. Monoclonal antibody patterns and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA fingerprinting patterns of the isolate and strain MG 347 were identical, thus indicating that HZ 651 and MG 347 were clonal.
Rapid identification and differentiation of fungal DNA in dermatological specimens by LightCycler PCR
Authors: Gutzmer Ralf , Mommert Susanne , Küttler Uta , Werfel Thomas , Kapp Alexander
Published: November 2004

The aim was to develop a LightCycler PCR method for the rapid detection and differentiation of fungal DNA in dermatological specimens such as skin scales and skin swabs. LightCycler PCR assays were established for seven primer sets specific for fungal DNA. For each primer set LightCycler melting points were defined by amplification of DNA from 21 fungi and sensitivity was determined by amplification of serial dilutions of fungal DNA. A protocol was established that allows detection and differentiation of mould and yeast DNA with one highly sensitive PCR reaction by assessment of LightCycler melting points. Two subsequent LightCycler PCR reactions and one RFLP reaction allowed the differentiation of dermatophytes and non-dermatophyte moulds and the subclassification of yeasts. Analysis of clinical samples from 38 patients with fungal skin diseases provided conclusive new diagnostic information in 9/38 cases (23.7 %) by this PCR protocol that was not equally provided by direct microscopy and mycological culture. Thus the LightCycler PCR protocol established here represents a rapid diagnostic tool that aids in the diagnosis of fungal skin disease in a substantial number of patients.