bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Appeal of online computer games: a user perspective
Authors: Gao Yuan
Published: February 2004

This paper examines the perceptual antecedents of the appeal of online computer games from the users’ perspective. It proposes a framework that links the perceived ease of use, perceived entertainment, and perceived irritation with the appeal of an online computer game, measured through attitude toward the game and the user’s intention to play again. Results from a field study indicate that the three proposed perceptual antecedents explain over 60 per cent of variance in both attitude and intention to return. This research demonstrates that factors contributing to user perceptions of online games are important aspects of computer game development. Further research through experimental studies is also advocated.
Customer retention in retail financial services: an employee perspective
Authors: Dawes Farquhar Jillian
Published: February 2004

This paper reports the findings of a survey of staff perceptions on how customers are being retained in two traditional financial service retailers. In spite of a frequent acknowledgement that customer retention (CR) is a critical business objective, there is limited literature on how customers are actually being retained by organisations. A theoretical framework of managing customer retention is developed to form the basis for a 34‐item questionnaire, which was administered to two independent probability samples of staff working in two large retail financial service retailers. The study finds that these financial service retailers are aiming to retain customers through building relationships but that systems, strategies and structures may reflect transactional exchange.
Relationships are not ubiquitous in marketing
Authors: Zolkiewski Judy
Published: February 2004

This commentary aims to stimulate debate about the role of relationships in marketing. It raises the question of when it is appropriate to use the term relationship, requests a distinction between ongoing interaction and relationship, cautions against a “one size fits all” marketing theory and calls for much more focussed and innovative research in this area.
Managing the distribution channels for high‐technology products
Authors: Sahadev Sunil , Jayachandran S.
Published: February 2004

The effects of variations in the external environment on channel member behaviour have been widely acknowledged in marketing channel literature. This paper focuses on the behavioural issues associated with the management of distribution channels dealing in high‐technology products in India. The marketing task environment associated with high‐technology products being highly dynamic and unpredictable, the attendant channel management functions become extremely challenging. The paper presents a conceptual model for managing the distribution channels operating in highly dynamic and unpredictable environments. The conceptual model is validated through a sample survey conducted among computer hardware dealers.
The relationship between self‐reported emotional health, demographics, and perceived satisfaction with prenatal care
Authors: Tough Suzanne C. , Faber Alexandra J. , Newburn‐Cook Christine V. , White Deborah E. , Fraser‐Lee Nonie J. , Frick Corine
Published: February 2004

Aims to describe pregnant women with poor emotional health and the relationship between self‐reported emotional health and prenatal care satisfaction. To this end, 1,265 women who delivered a live‐born singleton infant were interviewed and information abstracted from prenatal records. Concludes that patient assessment of satisfaction with prenatal care may be related to both self‐reported emotional health and delivery of medical care. Identifying and addressing emotional health of prenatal patients may improve compliance with medical recommendations, ultimately improving health outcomes.
Standard, routine and non‐routine processes in health care
Authors: Lillrank Paul , Liukko Matti
Published: February 2004

Quality management methods have been introduced into health care with variable success. Industrial approaches, such as standardization, are not always applicable professional services, because of fundamental differences in conceptions of aims and the predictability of the results of action. Processes in health care can be classified into standard, routine and non‐routine depending on the level of repetition and amount of variation, variety and uncertainty. Quality problems are different in each type: standard processes may produce deviations from targets, routines errors in classification, and non‐routines failures in interpretation. Different management approaches for each type are discussed. A metaphor to assist discussion, The Broom, is introduced.
Design for lead‐free solder joint reliability of high‐density packages
Authors: Lau John , Dauksher Walter , Smetana Joe , Horsley Rob , Shangguan Dongkai , Castello Todd , Menis Irv , Love Dave , Sullivan Bob
Published: February 2004

The lead‐free solder joint reliability of several printed circuit board mounted high‐density packages, when subjected to temperature cycling was investigated by finite element modelling. The packages were a 256‐pin plastic ball grid array (PBGA), a 388‐pin PBGA, and a 1657‐pin ceramic column grid array. Emphasis was placed on the determination of the creep responses (e.g. stress, strain, and strain energy density) of the lead‐free solder joints of these packages.
Characterization of mechanical performance of Sn/Ag/Cu solder joints with different component lead coatings
Authors: Arra Minna , Castello Todd , Shangguan Dongkai , Ristolainen Eero
Published: February 2004

The mechanical properties of Sn/Ag/Cu solder joints in combination with different component lead coating materials (Ni/Pd/Au, Sn/15 per cent Pb, Sn/2 per cent Bi, and Sn) are studied in this work using a lead pull test and free fall drop test. The results of this study show that the Sn/2 per cent Bi coated components provide the best performance under the drop impact loading followed by the Sn/15 per cent Pb, Sn and Ni/Pd/Au coated components. Failure modes and the structure of the coating surfaces were examined from cross‐sectioned samples using a scanning electron microscope. Furthermore, the wetting of the leads by the solder and thickness of the IMC layers were studied.
The effect of lead‐free solder paste on component placement accuracy and self‐alignment during reflow
Authors: Liukkonen Timo , Nummenpää Pekka , Tuominen Aulis
Published: February 2004

The electronics industry will implement lead‐free soldering in the near future. Lead‐free implementation steps are divided into lead‐free process and lead‐free product. The eutectic Sn/Ag/Cu alloy seems to have become the most widely used alloy in the implementation of lead‐free processes. In this study, the requirements for component placement are discussed from the lead‐free process point of view. Experiments concerning the self‐alignment capability and tack strength of both tin‐lead and lead‐free solder pastes are presented. According to the results, a bigger variation in self‐alignment capabilities can be expected when using a lead‐free paste. The paste properties affecting the self‐alignment mechanism and tack strength are also discussed.
Amyloid‐forming peptides selected proteolytically from phage display library
Authors: Koscielska‐Kasprzak Katarzyna , Otlewski Jacek
Published: February 2004

We demonstrated that amyloid‐forming peptides could be selected from phage‐displayed library via proteolysis‐based selection protocol. The library of 28‐residue peptides based on a sequence of the second zinc finger domain of Zif268, and computationally designed ββα peptide, FSD‐1, was presented monovalently on the surface of M13 phage. The library coupled the infectivity of phage particles to proteolytic stability of a peptide introduced into the coat protein III linker. It was designed to include variants with a strong potential to fold into ββα motif of zinc finger domains, as expected from secondary structure propensities, but with no structure stabilization via zinc ion coordination. As our primary goal was to find novel monomeric ββα peptides, the library was selected for stable domains with the assumption that folded proteins are resistant to proteolysis. After less than four rounds of proteolytic selection with trypsin, chymotrypsin, or proteinase K, we obtained a number of proteolysis‐resistant phage clones containing several potential sites for proteolytic attack with the proteinases. Eight peptides showing the highest proteolysis resistance were expressed and purified in a phage‐free form. When characterized, the peptides possessed proteolytic resistance largely exceeding that of the second zinc finger domain of Zif268 and FSD‐1. Six of the characterized peptides formed fibrils when solubilized at high concentrations. Three of them assembled into amyloids as determined through CD measurements, Congo red and thioflavin T binding, and transmission electron microscopy.
Stability of a 24‐meric homopolymer: Comparative studies of assembly‐defective mutants ofRhodobacter capsulatusbacterioferritin and the native protein
Authors: Kilic Mehmet A. , Spiro Stephen , Moore Geoffrey R.
Published: February 2004

The stability ofRhodobacter capsulatusbacterioferritin, a 24‐meric homopolymer, toward denaturation on variation in pH and temperature, and increasing concentrations of urea and guanidine. HCl was investigated with native PAGE, and CD and fluorescence spectroscopies. With temperature and urea, the wild‐type protein denatured without discernible intermediates in the equilibrium experiments, but with guanidine.HCl (Gnd.HCl) one or more intermediate species were apparent at relatively low Gnd.HCl concentrations. Dissociated subunit monomers, or aggregates smaller than 24‐mers containing the high α‐helical content characteristic of the native protein were not obtained at any pH without a high proportion of the 24‐mer being present, and taken together with the other denaturation experiments and the construction of stable subunit dimers by site‐directed mutagenesis, this observation indicates that folding of the bacterioferritin monomer could be coupled to its association into a dimer. Glu 128 and Glu 135 were replaced by alanine and arginine in a series of mutants to determine their role in stabilizing the 24‐meric oligomer. The Glu128Ala, Glu135Ala and Glu135Arg variants retained a 24‐meric structure, but the Glu128Ala/Glu135Ala and Glu128Arg/Glu135Arg variants were stable subunit dimers. CD spectra of the Glu135Arg, Glu128Ala/Glu135Ala, and Glu128Arg/Glu135Arg variants showed that they retained the high α‐helical content of the wild‐type protein. The 24‐meric Glu135Arg variant was less stable than the wild‐type protein (Tm, [Urea]50%and [Gnd.HCl]50%of 59°C, 4.9 M and 3.2 M compared with 73°C, ∼8 M and 4.3 M, respectively), and the dimeric Glu128Arg/Glu135Arg variant was less stable still (Tm, [Urea]50%and [Gnd.HCl]50%of 43°C, ∼3.2 M and 1.8 M, respectively). The differences in stability are roughly additive, indicating that the salt‐bridges formed by Glu 128 and Glu 135 in the native oligomer, with Arg 61 and the amino‐terminal amine of neighboring subunits, respectively, contribute equally to the stability of the subunit assembly. The additivity and assembly states of the variant proteins suggest that the interactions involving Glu 128 and Glu 135 contribute significantly to stabilizing the 24‐mer relative to the subunit dimer.
Identification of residues critical for catalysis in a class C β‐lactamase by combinatorial scanning mutagenesis
Authors: Goldberg Shalom D. , Iannuccilli William , Nguyen Tuan , Ju Jingyue , Cornish Virginia W.
Published: February 2004

Despite their clinical importance, the mechanism of action of the class C β‐lactamases is poorly understood. In contrast to the class A and class D β‐lactamases, which contain a glutamate residue and a carbamylated lysine in their respective active sites that are thought to serve as general base catalysts for β‐lactam hydrolysis, the mechanism of activation of the serine and water nucleophiles in the class C enzymes is unclear. To probe for residues involved in catalysis, the class C β‐lactamase from Enterobacter cloacae P99 was studied by combinatorial scanning mutagenesis at 122 positions in and around the active site. Over 1000 P99 variants were screened for activity in a high‐throughput in vivo antibiotic resistance assay and sequenced by 96‐capillary electrophoresis to identify residues that are important for catalysis. P99 mutants showing reduced capability to convey antibiotic resistance were purified and characterized in vitro. The screen identified an active‐site hydrogen‐bonding network that is key to catalysis. A second cluster of residues was identified that likely plays a structural role in the enzyme. Otherwise, residues not directly contacting the substrate showed tolerance to substitution. The study lends support to the notion that the class C β‐lactamases do not have a single residue that acts as the catalytic general base. Rather, catalysis is affected by a hydrogen‐bonding network in the active site, suggesting a possible charge relay system.
Prediction of lipoprotein signal peptides in Gram‐negative bacteria
Authors: Juncker Agnieszka S. , Willenbrock Hanni , von Heijne Gunnar , Brunak Søren , Nielsen Henrik , Krogh Anders
Published: February 2004

A method to predict lipoprotein signal peptides in Gram‐negative Eubacteria, LipoP, has been developed. The hidden Markov model (HMM) was able to distinguish between lipoproteins (SPaseII‐cleaved proteins), SPaseI‐cleaved proteins, cytoplasmic proteins, and transmembrane proteins. This predictor was able to predict 96.8% of the lipoproteins correctly with only 0.3% false positives in a set of SPaseI‐cleaved, cytoplasmic, and transmembrane proteins. The results obtained were significantly better than those of previously developed methods. Even though Gram‐positive lipoprotein signal peptides differ from Gram‐negatives, the HMM was able to identify 92.9% of the lipoproteins included in a Gram‐positive test set. A genome search was carried out for 12 Gram‐negative genomes and one Gram‐positive genome. The results for Escherichia coli K12 were compared with new experimental data, and the predictions by the HMM agree well with the experimentally verified lipoproteins. A neural network‐based predictor was developed for comparison, and it gave very similar results. LipoP is available as a Web server at www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/LipoP/.
Fast protein folding on downhill energy landscape
Authors: Cavalli Andrea , Haberthür Urs , Paci Emanuele , Caflisch Amedeo
Published: February 2004

Proteins fold in a time range of microseconds to minutes despite the large amount of possible conformers. Molecular dynamics simulations of a three‐stranded antiparallel β‐sheet peptide (for a total of 12.6 μsec and 72 folding events) show that at the melting temperature the unfolded state ensemble contains many more conformers than those sampled during a folding event.
High‐yield expression of isotopically labeled peptides for use in NMR studies
Authors: Lindhout Darrin A. , Thiessen Angela , Schieve Dean , Sykes Brian D.
Published: February 2004

Fusion protein constructs of the 56 amino acid globular protein GB‐1 with various peptide sequences, coupled with the incorporation of a histidine tag for affinity purification, have generated high‐yield fusion protein constructs. Methionine residues were inserted into the constructs to generate pure peptides following CNBr cleavage, yielding a system that is efficient and cost effective for isotopic labeling of peptides for NMR studies and other disciplines such as mass spectroscopy. Six peptides of varying sequences and hydrophobicities were expressed using this GB‐1 fusion protein technique and produced soluble fusion protein constructs in all cases. The ability to easily express and purify recombinant peptides in high yields is applicable for biomedical research and has medicinal and pharmaceutical applications.
Don’t Have No Time: Daily Rhythms and the Organization of Time for Low‐Income Families*
Authors: Roy Kevin M. , Tubbs Carolyn Y. , Burton Linda M.
Published: February 2004

Using ethnographic data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three‐City Study, we examined time obligations and resource coordination of low‐income mothers. Longitudinal data from 75 African American, Hispanic, and non‐Hispanic White families residing in Chicago, including information on daily routines, perceptions of time, and access to resources, were gathered via participant observation and intensive semistructured interviews over 4 years. Results indicated that families constantly improvised daily rhythms to obtain and sustain resources, including child care, transportation, and social services. Participants were proactive in identifying and coordinating resources to transition from welfare to work or to maintain paid employment. Strategies used to coordinate resources and the cost associated with the inability to do so are discussed. Policy and social service recommendations are offered.
Change in vegetation cover in East Timor, 1989–1999
Authors: Bouma George A. , Kobryn Halina T.
Published: February 2004

Forest resources play a key role and provide many basic needs to communities in developing economies. To assess the patterns of vegetation cover change, as a corollary of resource utilization, satellite imagery, ground truth data, and image processing techniques can be useful. This article is concerned with identifying change in major vegetation types in East Timor between 1989 and 1999, using Landsat Thematic Mapper data. The results highlight a significant level of deforestation and decline in foliage cover. All major vegetation cover types declined from 1989 to 1999, and there was a sizeable increase in degraded woodlands. This decline has had considerable impact on the livelihoods of rural and urban communities. Causes for these changes include: economic exploitation of abundant resources; and implications of transmigration policies implemented during Indonesian rule, resulting in increased competition for land and woodland resources. As the new nation of Timor‐Leste establishes itself, it must consider its current stock and distribution of natural capital to ensure that development efforts are geared towards sustainable outcomes. Without the knowledge of historical patterns of resource consumption, development efforts may, unwittingly, lead to continuing decline in forest resources.
Innovative approaches to rural development: Moving from state‐controlled towards market‐based land reform
Authors: Neto Frederico
Published: February 2004

Among the world's poor, approximately 75% of those in extreme poverty live and work in rural areas and two‐thirds of them depend mainly on farming or farm labour for their livelihood. Policies to grant the rural poor secure access to land and water for irrigation — and to improve the economic efficiency of small‐scale agriculture — can thus play a critical role in the implementation of rural development strategies, including efforts to combat rural poverty. Since inadequate access to arable land is probably the most important cause of rural poverty, redistributive land reform is increasingly seen as crucial for socio‐economic development and poverty alleviation in many developing countries with substantial amounts of (unused) arable state land or (under‐utilized) large private landholdings. This article argues that market‐based land redistribution schemes, such as the one being implemented in South Africa, can be considered one of the most innovative approaches to land reform that have emerged over the last decade. These schemes thus provide a useful alternative to more conventional, state‐controlled land redistribution programmes. The article concludes, however, that when countries opt for market‐based approaches to land redistribution, the State still has an important role to play, without necessarily deciding which land parcels change hands.
Globalization and Local Leadership: Growth, Power and Politics in Thailand's Eastern Seaboard
Authors: Shatkin Gavin
Published: February 2004

A growing literature has examined the changing nature of urban political leadership in an era of economic globalization and increased pressures for fiscal austerity on governments. Based mostly on the experiences of the United States and Europe, this literature has emphasized the imperative of urban leaders to become increasingly entrepreneurial — to foster collaboration with private sector actors, to mobilize new sources of financing for urban development, and to develop innovative strategies for economic growth. This article examines this question in the very different context of the Extended Bangkok Metropolitan Region (EBMR) in Thailand. It argues that, in the context of rapidly urbanizing regions in Southeast Asia, these changes have in many contexts led to the emergence of businessmen‐cum‐politicians who exert both economic and political dominance in localities. Such figures have emerged as intermediaries in the process of industrialization and urbanization between national governments and people in localities, and play an important role in mobilizing land, labor and capital at the local level, and in fostering a political base for national economic development policy. The article illustrates this phenomenon with a case study from Chonburi, a rapidly industrializing province on the fringe of the EBMR.

L'évolution de l'autorité politique urbaine, dans un cadre de mondialisation économique et de gouvernements en butte à des pressions d'austérité fiscale accrues, fait de plus en plus souvent l'objet d'études. Essentiellement basées sur les expériences américaines et européennes, celles‐ci soulignent l'impératif, pour les leaders urbains, de devenir des chefs d'entreprise encourageant la collaboration avec les acteurs du secteur privé, mobilisant de nouvelles sources de financement de l'expansion urbaine et élaborant des stratégies novatrices de croissance économique. L'article examine cette question dans le contexte très différent de la Métropole étendue de Bangkok en Thaïlande. Dans un environnement sud‐asiatique en urbanisation rapide, ce changement a fréquemment fait émerger des hommes politiques‐hommes d'affaires qui exercent une domination tant économique que politique dans les régions. Apparus en tant qu’intermédiaires dans le processus d'industrialisation et d'urbanisation (entre les gouvernement nationaux et les populations régionales), ces personnages jouent un rôle important dans la mobilisation du terrain, de la main‐d'œuvre et du capital en plan local, tout en favorisant un appui politique pour les stratégies de développement économique nationales. L'article illustre ce phénomène avec le cas de Chonburi, province en cours d'industrialisation rapide située aux confins de la Métropole étendue de Bangkok.
The Treatment of Space and Place in the New Strategic Spatial Planning in Europe
Authors: Healey Patsy
Published: February 2004

This article examines recent European experiences in urban and regional spatial strategies. It focuses specifically on the concepts of space and place deployed within these strategies and the institutional work these concepts are called upon to do. It explores how far such concepts reflect the shift in geographical thought to a dynamic, dis‐contiguous, relational conceptualization of spatiality. These issues are explored through an analysis of three recent strategic planning episodes: The Netherlands Fifth National Policy Document on Spatial Planning, the Regional Development Strategy for Northern Ireland, and the Framework Document for Milan. All are innovative in their contexts in one way or another and provide exemplars of new ways of thinking about space and place, and the role of spatial strategies in contemporary governance contexts. All the episodes reflect in some way new relational geographical ideas, but many traditional planning ideas live on. The analysis highlights the political dimensions of developing new spatial vocabularies to guide urban and regional development and the significance of the institutional context in shaping and accepting new spatial planning concepts.

Cet article examine de récentes expériences de stratégies spatiales urbaines et régionales en Europe. Il s'attache aux concepts d'espace et de lieu appliqués à celles‐ci et au travail institutionnel qui leur est réclamé. Il étudie notamment dans quelle mesure ces concepts reflètent l'évolution de la réflexion géographique vers une conceptualisation dynamique, dissociée et relationnelle de la spatialité. Ce faisant, il analyse trois cas récents de planification stratégique: le 5ème Texte de Politique nationale des Pays‐Bas sur la planification spatiale, la Stratégie de développement régional en Irlande du Nord, et le Document‐cadre pour Milan. D'une manière ou d'une autre, tous sont novateurs dans leur contexte, et constituent des modèles originaux de réflexion sur l'espace et le lieu, ainsi que sur le rôle des stratégies spatiales dans le cadre des modes de gouvernance contemporains. Tous les cas traduisent par certains aspects de nouvelles notions géographiques relationnelles, la planification traditionnelle n'étant pas pour autant totalement évincée. L'étude souligne la portée politique des nouveaux lexiques spatiaux élaborés pour guider l'expansion urbaine et régionale, ainsi que l'importance du contexte institutionnel dans la configuration et l'acceptation de concepts de planification spatiale innovants.
The Ascendance of New York Fashion
Authors: Rantisi Norma M.
Published: February 2004

This article examines the evolution of New York City from a low‐end, high‐volume apparel manufacturing hub to an international fashion capital. Drawing on evolutionary economic theories of path‐dependence, it argues that New York City's initial specialization in ready‐to‐wear apparel has shaped its subsequent development as a mass‐market oriented industry. At the same time, however, it shows how key institutional actors were able to alter the industry's course of development at critical historical junctures by nurturing and promoting their own local design talent. As such, the article's investigation into New York's ascendance as an international fashion center challenges the dominant interpretation of path‐dependence in regional development theory and practice. It contends that industries are not held captive to past choices and illustrates how an industry's origins can shape but not over‐determine its economic development trajectory.

L'article examine l'évolution de la ville de New York, laquelle est passée d'un centre de manufacture industrielle de vêtements bas de gamme à une capitale internationale de la mode. En se basant sur les théories économiques évolutionnaires de path‐dependence, il affirme que la spécialisation initiale de New York dans le prêt‐à‐porter a modelé son évolution ultérieure vers une industrie de masse. Parallèlement, il montre toutefois comment des acteurs institutionnels clés ont modifié le cap de l'expansion industrielle à des moments historiques cruciaux en encourageant leurs talents de création locaux. Ce faisant, l'étude de la suprématie new‐yorkaise en tant que centre international de la mode défie l'interprétation dominante de la ‘dépendance de sentier’ dans la théorie et la pratique du développement régional. En effet, elle soutient que les secteurs d'activité ne sont pas prisonniers des choix passés, et illustre comment les origines d'une industrie peuvent influencer sa trajectoire d'expansion économique sans la déterminer irrésistiblement.
Local Political Leadership: Nordic Style
Authors: Goldsmith Mike , Larsen Helge
Published: February 2004

In a context where changes brought about by globalization and Europeanization, and where local governments increasingly operate in a governance mode, different countries place increasing stress on the importance of strong local leadership. This article reviews local political leadership in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Outside of a few major (mainly capital) cities, local government in the Nordic area remains small scale and frequently rural, is strongly partisan, yet relies on a strong tradition of consensual, corporatist style of decision‐making. Furthermore, this social democratic consensus places a stress on the continued production and delivery of high quality welfare state services. This domestic environment produces a style of local leadership which is essentially collective in nature and in which the strong mayor concept is alien. The article reviews the experience of local political leadership in the four Nordic countries and concludes that, though there is some small country variation and without many examples of strong mayors, local political leaders play an important role, especially in managing and maintaining the consensual style of politics.

Mondialisation et européanisation créent des changements qui, à l'instar des gouvernements locaux, opèrent de plus en plus selon un mode de gouvernance, poussant plusieurs pays à faire une place plus importante à une forte autorité locale. L'article étudie l'autorité politique locale au Danemark, en Finlande, en Norvège et en Suède. A l'exception de quelques rares grandes villes (essentiellement les capitales), un gouvernement local dans les pays nordiques garde une échelle réduite et souvent un caractère rural, tout en étant fortement partisan même s'il s'appuie sur une solide tradition décisionnelle consensuelle de type syndical. Par ailleurs, ce consensus social démocratique agit sur la poursuite et la qualité de la fourniture de prestations dans le cadre de l'État‐providence. Cet environnement national génère un style d'autorité locale de nature principalement collective, qui exclut toute notion de pouvoir propre au maire. L'article étudie les formes d'autorité politique locale dans les quatre pays scandinaves concluant que, malgré quelques légères variations nationales et la quasi‐absence de maires puissants, les leaders politiques locaux jouent un rôle important, en particulier dans la gestion et la préservation d'un style politique consensuel.
Between Institutional Learning and Re‐legitimization: Italian Mayors in the Unending Reform
Authors: Magnier Annick
Published: February 2004

Direct election of the mayor, introduced in Italy in 1993 as a result of anti‐party attitudes and ‘modernization’, is one aspect of the broad redefinition of local authorities which recently culminated in an ambiguous revision of the constitutional text aimed to promote vertical subsidiarity. The impact of such a profound revision of the mayor's role is under debate. Beyond the radical changes in party labels and systems, a stronger territorial differentiation in the pattern of recruitment, a slight positive discrimination in favour of marginal categories in re‐election — possible forerunners of a deeper transformation — and the dominant social profile of current mayors (gender, age, education, work experiences, party training), it is not very different from that of their colleagues of 30 years ago. Their new role marks, nevertheless, significant progress towards greater accountability, activism and ambition among mayors, which is related to their increasing detachment from party politics and to an increased weakness of the other participants in local democracy. But such an excessive individualization of power and visibility in Italian local authorities threatens to reduce the possible positive impact of the reform on the efficiency of policy‐making and legitimization of local politics.

L'élection du maire au suffrage direct, mise en place en 1993 en Italie suite à une ‘modernisation’ et à des attitudes anti‐partis, constitue l'une des facettes de la vaste redéfinition des autorités locales, laquelle a récemment menéà une révision ambiguë du texte constitutionnel visant à promouvoir la subsidiarité verticale. L'impact d'une telle refonte du rôle du maire est l'objet de discussions. Malgré les changements radicaux dans les étiquettes et systèmes des partis, un renforcement de la différentiation territoriale dans le schéma de recrutement, une légère tendance anti‐discriminatoire en faveur des catégories marginales lors des réélections (présageant peut‐être une transformation plus profonde), et le profil social dominant des maires actuels (sexe, âge, instruction, expérience professionnelle, formation par le parti), leur rôle n'est pas très différent de celui de leurs prédécesseurs d'il y a 30 ans. La formule nouvelle présente néanmoins une importante avancée vers une responsabilité, un activisme et une ambition plus marqués des maires, évolution liée à leur désintérêt croissant pour la politique des partis, ainsi qu'à un affaiblissement des autres participants à la démocratie locale. Toutefois, cette individualisation excessive du pouvoir et de la visibilité au niveau des autorités locales italiennes menace d'atténuer la possible incidence positive de la réforme sur l'efficacité des décisions de politique publique et la légitimation des politiques locales.
From ‘Great’ Leaders to Building Networks: The Emergence of a New Urban Leadership in Southern Europe?
Authors: Genieys William , Ballart Xavier , Valarié Pierre
Published: February 2004

This article reviews the changes that have taken place in local government leadership in France and Spain. It has been argued that political leadership in local government in Southern Europe is characterized by major political leaders who are able to obtain resources from central government through their political connections. However, both French and Spanish local governments have evolved while developing new forms of leadership that are more connected to territory, its people and local issues than to the respective administrative capitals. The article argues that the development of new policies at the local level, the opening of new avenues of citizen participation and the introduction of new methods of public management have changed the relationship between elected representatives and the people. Institutional innovations at the supra‐municipal level have also created a space between regions and municipalities for local leaders to develop their capacity as project leaders and network creators.

Cet article examine les changements survenus au niveau de l'autorité gouvernementale locale en France et en Espagne. L'autorité politique dans un gouvernement local du sud de l'Europe se caractérise, assure‐t‐on, par de grands leaders politiques capables d'obtenir des ressources du gouvernement central grâce à leurs relations. Pourtant, les gouvernements locaux français et espagnols ont évolué tout en élaborant des formes originales de leadership, plus proches du territoire, de sa population et des affaires locales que les capitales administratives concernées. La conception de politiques publiques novatrices au plan local, l'ouverture d'autres accès à la participation des citadins et l'introduction de nouvelles méthodes de gestion publique ont modifié le rapport entre représentants élus et population. De plus, des innovations institutionnelles au niveau supra‐municipal ont généré un espace entre régions et municipalités permettant aux leaders locaux de développer leurs aptitudes en tant que chefs de projet et créateurs de réseaux.
Universities, Localities and Regional Development: The Emergence of the ‘Mode 2’ University?
Authors: Harloe Michael , Perry Beth
Published: February 2004

There has long been a tension between the roles of the university in servicing the needs of sub‐national economies and civil societies, those of the national state and those of learning and the pursuit of knowledge in an abstract sense. The position in liberal democracies through much of the twentieth century can be accurately characterized by a significant degree of separation and segregation between the university, the state and the market. Recently, however, it has been posited that the balance is shifting away from relative autonomy towards a new ‘mode of knowledge production’ in which the growing engagement of universities with their regions and localities is an important aspect. The first part of this article explores the knowledge economy rhetorics which have come to dominate public policy rationales in many liberal democracies and interrelationships with questions of territory and scale. Second, the implications for universities are considered as they are confronted by a number of challenges and choices in navigating the waters of increasing societal expectations. Finally, the article highlights key questions that emerge from our preliminary overview of these issues within a wider research agenda around universities, the knowledge economy and regional development.

Depuis longtemps, une tension existant entre les rôles qu'a l'université dans la satisfaction des besoins des économies sub‐nationales et des sociétés civiles, de ceux de l'État ou de ceux de l'enseignement, et la quête du savoir au sens abstrait du terme. Pendant une bonne partie du vingtième siècle, dans les démocraties libérales, la situation a pu se définir par un degré très net de séparation entre université, État et marché. Toutefois, récemment, certains ont suggéré que l'équilibre se décalait, d'une autonomie relative vers un nouveau ‘mode de production du savoir’ dans lequel l'intervention croissante des universités vis‐à‐vis de leur région et sites locaux constitue un aspect important. La première partie de l'article explore le discours de l'économie du savoir, lequel a envahi la logique de la politique publique dans nombre de démocraties libérales, ainsi que les inter‐relations avec les questions de territoire et d'échelle. La deuxième partie s'intéresse aux implications pour les universités, celles‐ci étant confrontées à de multiples défis et choix en parcourant l'océan des attentes sociétales croissantes. Pour finir, sont présentées les questions‐clés qui émergent de l'étude préalable de ces problèmes effectuée dans le cadre d'un programme de recherches plus vaste autour des universités, de l'économie du savoir et du développement régional.
Type 1 pili‐mediated adherence of Escherichia coli strain LF82 isolated from Crohn's disease is involved in bacterial invasion of intestinal epithelial cells
Authors: Boudeau Jérôme , Barnich Nicolas , Darfeuille‐Michaud Arlette
Published: February 2004

We previously characterized the invasive ability of Escherichia coli strain LF82, isolated from an ileal biopsy of a patient with Crohn's disease. In the present study, we performed TnphoA insertion mutagenesis to identify genes involved in LF82 invasion of intestinal epithelial cells. Most of the non‐invasive mutants had an insertion mutation within the type 1 pili‐encoding operon. Two non‐invasive fim mutants, which harboured an insertion within the fimI and fimF genes, still adhered but had lost the ability to induce host cell membrane elongations at the sites of contact with the epithelial cells. Transcomplementation experiments with a fim operon cloned from E. coli K‐12 restored both invasive ability and the ability to induce host cell membrane elongations. Expression of the cloned LF82 or K‐12 fim operon into the non‐invasive laboratory strain JM109 did not confer invasive properties. Thus, these findings showed that: (i) type 1 pili‐mediated adherence is involved in LF82‐induced perturbation of host cell signalling responsible for membrane elongations; (ii) native shafts are required for type 1 pilus‐mediated induction of membrane elongations; (iii) this active phenomenon is a key step in the establishment of the invasive process; and (iv) type 1 pili alone are not sufficient to trigger bacterial internalization.
Heterologous transposition in Aspergillus nidulans
Authors: Li Destri Nicosia Maria Giulia , Brocard‐Masson Corinne , Demais Stéphane , Hua Van Aurélie , Daboussi Marie‐Josée , Scazzocchio Claudio
Published: February 2004

Aspergillus nidulans is one of the model ascomycete fungi. Transposition events have never been described in this organism. We have determined that this organism has at least 13 copies of a Fot1‐related element. These copies are transcribed, non‐methylated and polymorphic in various wild isolates. In spite of this, we have failed to isolate transposon insertions when the resident niaD gene is used as a transposon trap. This contrasts with the situation described previously in Fusarium oxysporum. We show that two elements of F. oxysporum, Fot1 and impala, transpose efficiently in A. nidulans. We have developed the impala system by tagging it with the yA gene. This permits the visual detection of the transposon by the colour of the conidiospores. We demonstrate that no endogenous transposase of A. nidulans is able to act in trans on a defective impala element, whereas its own transposase driven by two different promoters is able to mobilize this element. The frequency of excision of these modified elements is between 10−4 and 10−5. Loss of the transposable element occurs in about 10% of all excision events. In the remaining 90%, the transposon seems to be integrated at random positions in the genome. The availability of mitochondrially inherited mutations has allowed us to demonstrate that hybrid dysgenesis is apparently absent in A. nidulans. The development of this system opens the way to investigating the mechanism underlying the paucity of transposition events leading to visible phenotypes. It should allow us to develop efficient gene‐tagging tools, useful in this and other fungi.
Patterns in specific leaf area and the structure of a temperate heath community
Authors: Burns K. C.
Published: February 2004

Relationships between the distribution and specific leaf area (SLA: leaf area per unit dry mass) of six heath (Ericaceae) species were investigated along an environmental gradient between peat bogs and conifer forest in British Columbia, Canada. I asked whether patterns in SLA could help to identify the processes shaping plant distributional patterns. Specifically, I assessed whether (i) species’ distributions across the environmental gradient are correlated with SLA (ii) relationships between plant distributional patterns and SLA are similar among bogs with different shrub species (iii) intraspecific patterns in SLA parallel interspecific relationships between distributions and SLA, and (iv) intraspecific patterns are environmentally determined. Results showed that distributional patterns were often correlated with SLA; species with lower SLA were more abundant towards the centre of bogs, while species with higher SLA were more abundant in forest. Intraspecific patterns in SLA paralleled distributional patterns across the gradient; individuals located towards the centre of bogs had lower SLA than those growing in forest. A transplantation experiment showed that plants typically altered their SLA according to local environmental conditions. However, one bog showed no relationship between species’ distributions and SLA. This bog lacked the two species with lowest SLA, which typically occurred at the centre of other bogs. In their absence, species with higher SLA that typically occurred in forest increased in abundance towards the centre of the bog, where they obtained lower values of SLA. Therefore, while distributional patterns were often closely associated with SLA, plasticity in SLA was associated with increased breadth of species’ distributions across the gradient. Overall results indicate SLA may serve as a useful proxy for a range of life history traits to help elucidate the processes structuring plant communities.
A neutral terminology to define ‘invasive’ species
Authors: Colautti Robert I. , MacIsaac Hugh J.
Published: February 2004

The use of simple terms to articulate ecological concepts can confuse ideological debates and undermine management efforts. This problem is particularly acute in studies of nonindigenous species, which alternatively have been called ‘exotic’, ‘introduced’, ‘invasive’ and ‘naturalised’, among others. Attempts to redefine commonly used terminology have proven difficult because authors are often partial to particular definitions. In an attempt to form a consensus on invasion terminology, we synthesize an invasional framework based on current models that break the invasion process into a series of consecutive, obligatory stages. Unlike previous efforts, we propose a neutral terminology based on this framework. This ‘stage‐based’ terminology can be used to supplement terms with ambiguous meanings (e.g. invasive, introduced, naturalized, weedy, etc.), and thereby improve clarity of future studies. This approach is based on the concept of ‘propagule pressure’ and has the additional benefit of identifying factors affecting the success of species at each stage. Under this framework, invasions can be more objectively understood as biogeographical, rather than taxonomic, phenomena; and author preferences in the use of existing terminology can be addressed. An example of this recommended protocol might be: ‘We examined distribution data to contrast the characteristics of invasive species (stages IVa and V) and noninvasive species (stages III and IVb)’.
Recent drastic changes in the gammarid fauna (Crustacea, Amphipoda) of the Vistula River deltaic system in Poland caused by alien invaders
Authors: Jazdzewski Krzysztof , Konopacka Alicja , Grabowski Michal
Published: February 2004

During the last decade of 20th century, the nonindigenous gammarid species Gammarus tigrinus, Dikerogammarus haemobaphes, Pontogammarus robustoides and Obesogammarus crassus invaded the lower Vistula River and its deltaic, partly brackish regions. G. tigrinus, an oligohaline North‐American species, was introduced to western Europe in the 1950s; the remaining three species are oligohaline/freshwater Ponto‐Caspian species. All these species are now invading central and western Europe using the network of man‐made canals connecting different European river systems. In the Vistula River, the native European freshwater gammarid species Gammarus pulex and G. varsoviensis were replaced in the 1920s by the Ponto‐Caspian Chaetogammarus ischnus (syn. Echinogammarus ischnus), which in turn has been outnumbered by the more recent invasions of D. haemobaphes and P. robustoides. In brackish waters, the native Atlantic‐boreal species Gammarus zaddachi and Gammarus duebeni are replaced or at least outnumbered by G. tigrinus, P. robustoides and O. crassus. Possible invasion routes are discussed.
A parametric diversity measure combining the relative abundances and taxonomic distinctiveness of species
Authors: Ricotta Carlo
Published: February 2004

Most ecological diversity indices summarize the information about the relative abundances of species without reflecting taxonomic differences between species. Nevertheless, in environmental conservation practice, data on species abundances are mostly irrelevant and generally unknown. In such cases, to summarize the conservation value of a given site, so‐called ‘taxonomic diversity’ measures can be used. Such measures are based on taxonomic relations among species and ignore species relative abundances. In this paper, bridging the gap between traditional biodiversity measures and taxonomic diversity measures, I introduce a parametric diversity index that combines species relative abundances with their taxonomic distinctiveness. Due to the parametric nature of the proposed index, the contribution of rare and abundant species to each diversity measure is explicit.
Inflammation in allergic asthma: Initiating events, immunological response and risk factors
Authors: Ferreira Manuel A. R.
Published: February 2004

Abstract:  Allergic asthma affects 155 million people worldwide. Currently, it is a disease that can be controlled by diverse therapeutic approaches but that cannot be cured. This means that asthma is one of the most expensive diseases for healthcare systems in developed countries. Efficient prevention strategies are therefore greatly needed to reduce both individual morbidity and national economic burdens. This requires a detailed knowledge of the immunological and physiological mechanisms involved in asthma. This review synthesizes current understanding about the immunobiology of IgE‐mediated asthma. It discusses the initiating events, the main immunological and inflammatory processes, and addresses the importance of risk factors in the development and maintenance of allergic diseases. Finally, it integrates these concepts in a theoretical causal model for atopic asthma.