bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fomenting a customer obsession
Authors: Deschamps Jean‐Philippe , Nayak P. Ranganath
Published: July 2007

Companies that innovate relentlessly and successfully are intriguing. How do they manage? Can other organizations develop the competencies and processes that foster obsession for customers and products? In this chapter from a recently published book, the authors show that Rubbermaid and other trailblazing firms have learned to listen continuously to the “voice of the customer,” marshall customers' help in designing products, build a customer‐driven organization and culture and in so doing, improve their products relentlessly.
Defining high‐performance workplace skills—and how community colleges can help achieve them
Authors: Kauffmann Paul J. , Long Thomas L.
Published: July 2007

Most corporate executives realize that the job skill level of their workforce has a significant impact on the organization's bottom, line. However, many do not appreciate the bottom‐line impact of the job skills of the larger circle of people who are employed by sub‐contractors, service providers, and the broad network of small and medium businesses that directly and indirectly support the goods or services produced by the large corporation. Although it is in the interest of corporate management to support the continuous improvement of the larger pool of employees' workplace skills, the path to achieving this goal is not clear.

Community college programs affect a wide spectrum of the workforce and respond to the involvement and input of the business community. Therefore, by becoming involved in their local community colleges, corporate managers can greatly enhance the skills of the general labor pool—and possibly of their own future workforce.
Profiting from customer‐driven quality at amoco corporation
Authors: Buckles Richard J.
Published: July 2007

Customer‐driven quality must focus on the aspects of product and service that have a positive and significant impact on the bottom line. That is the lesson that Amoco Corporation learned from the major organizational change that has shaped it since 1988. This article details the quality principles that the organization used to achieve its overall strategic objectives and explains how customer research data can be used as a tool to change systems, allocate scarce resources, and improve profitability.
A point of view: The new—and unimproved?—corporate integrity
Authors: Womack Larry
Published: July 2007

“Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.”—Samuel Johnson (1709–1784).
Curing the monday blues: A U.S. navy guide for structuring cross‐functional teams
Authors: O'Leary Laurie P.
Published: July 2007

More and more organizations are beginning to realize that traditional organizational structures inhibit productivity because they do not consider the cross‐functional way in which work actually gets done. They attempt to reorganize, often in teams, but in many cases leaders and managers do not know what kind of infrastructure they'll need—that is, they 're not sure how many teams to form or how those teams should be integrated with the existing organizational structure.

U.S. Department of the Navy organizations have found that they are able to improve productivity by establishing cross‐functional teams to manage and improve the core processes that most affect external customers and mission performance. This article describes a method for identifying primary customers, products, and core processes around which to structure process improvement teams. It also offers a practical step‐by‐step guide to assist the senior team of any organization—public or private—to meet its team‐building objectives and, ultimately, its productivity goals.
Making the best of the new technology
Authors: Uretsky Mike
Published: July 2007

All organizations are faced with ongoing technological developments. If managers are reasonably familiar with the new technologies and have a sound understanding of their business needs, they'll be able to select the most appropriate technologies and use them successfully in their business. This article identifies several important current technologies that will affect all organizations and offers advice to help managers who do not have a formal technological background to ensure the successful implementation of the most up‐to‐date computer technologies.
Using competency alignment to shape, drive, and sustain change efforts
Authors: Horney Nicholas F. , Koonce Richard
Published: July 2007

Competency alignment, commonly called job redesign, in the past, can be a vital element in implementing and sustaining successful organizational change initiatives, including downsizings, corporate restructurings, and business process redesign and reengineering efforts. This is because it dramatically affects the success of change initiatives at a “transactional” level in an organization—that is, the level at which actual, everyday work is accomplished.

This article outlines a systematic and robust way that organizations can use competency alignment as a fundamental building block in planning and implementing change efforts. If carefully undertaken, competency alignment can help invigorate, reinforce, and, in some cases, salvage organizational change initiatives that might not otherwise succeed.
Facing reality in the virtual factory
Authors: Henning Kathleen A.
Published: July 2007

Each day, corporations make difficult decisions on how to approach their future. Companies are frantically reengineering their corporations, installing and integrating automated systems, and rearranging shop floors to provide lean, streamlined manufacturing and service environments. How can they be sure that such changes will help them achieve this goal? As this article points out, many organizations are finding the answer to that question in the eye‐opening world of computer simulation.
Improving manufacturing performance through scrap reduction at belden wire and cable company
Authors: Vokurka Robert J. , Davis Robert A. , Fast Larry E.
Published: July 2007

Can a company improve manufacturing and operating performance by concentrating on a single internal quality improvement objective? Belden Wire and Cable Company significantly improved all major manufacturing performance indicators and operating profit by focusing on the reduction of manufacturing scrap. This article details the establishment of the objective and the key elements in realizing the improvements.
Juran institute: A barometer of trends in quality management
Authors: Blackiston G. Howland
Published: July 2007

One of the nation's foremost organizations in the field of quality management, Juran Institute has become as much a witness of managerial triumphs and tragedies as a trailblazer of innovative management techniques. This article examines the role of the Institute in the quality arena, its perspectives on the total quality movement over the past 20 years, and ten of the top trends that enlightened business leaders would do well to track as they prepare for the challenges of the 21st century.
Creating a customer‐focused business at tennalum
Authors: Salyer Jeff
Published: July 2007

Many organizations have realized the tremendous benefits to be reaped by concentrating their efforts on their customers' concerns. But how is a customer‐driven facility created? Tennalum, a division of Kaiser Aluminum, discovered that teamwork spearheaded by a management‐led vision and augmented by flexible systems and a generous reward system will yield increases in profits and market share and create a solid base of loyal customer support.
Maintaining quality relationships between labor and management
Authors: Webster William P.
Published: July 2007

Although management and labor are often viewed as being at odds, more and more of the leaders of those two camps are recognizing the rewards to be reaped by working together. As this article explains, managers and union leaders must learn to look beyond their traditional roles to create a supportive work environment that enhances not only profitability and job satisfaction but also mutual respect.
Operating review meetings enhance teamwork
Authors: Fletcher Douglas S. , Taplin Ian M.
Published: July 2007

With today's emphasis on crossfunctional teams, natural work groups, and continuous improvement task forces, companies must learn to formally plan and review the activities of these emerging horizontal organizations. The traditional command‐and‐control structures had their teams, but they were vertical. Employees belonged to the sales team or the internal audit team, and the boss was responsible for managing the team. Now, with the growing evolution of networking across departmental boundaries, team meeting skills are vital to the success of the teams and their organizations. This article outlines the self‐discipline required for teams when they've been granted decision‐making authority.
Expanding the customer care fraontier
Authors: Wilhelm Wayne R. , Rossello Bill
Published: July 2007

Customer service has long been recognized as a critical indicator of organizational health. By examining the best practices of organizations that have earned a reputation for outstanding customer service, managers can learn the secrets of customer retention and ensure the long‐term success of their firms. This article details the winning techniques used by three leading companies that participated in a study of customer care best practices, thus pointing the way to success in a competitive environment.
A balanced set of measures points the way to customer satisfaction at prudential
Authors: Kohnke Luane
Published: July 2007

Companies have long realized that they cannot improve what they cannot measure. To obtain valuable customer input on company policies and practices. Prudential Insurance Company has established a new business measurement philosophy founded on a balanced set of measures. This article explains how Prudential's Voice of the Customer team consults with business managers to make good on the company's commitment to put customer needs and expectations at the forefront of all business decisions.
Focus through shared vision
Authors: George Stephen
Published: July 2007

By linking their strategic thinking with a shared vision, companies enable themselves to master change. In this excerpt from his recent book Uncommon Sense, the author explains how to create, communicate, and lead with a shared vision and, thus, fashion an organizationwide quality perspective.
Service: Manufacturing's new frontier
Authors: Rosen L. Drew
Published: July 2007

There is a revolution taking place in the U.S. economy, a service revolution. Today, the service sector accounts for more than 70 percent of the gross national product and 75 percent of all jobs. This monumental change affects service firms as well as manufacturers. As manufacturing becomes more automated, streamlining operations and outsourcing basic operations, the service component of a typical manufacturer is growing rapidly. An estimated 30 to 70 percent of value added in a typical manufacturer can be attributed to services.

Many manufacturers are beginning to address this change by formulating their operating strategies to put service and service operations into the forefront of their strategic plans. Trade associations and professional organizations like the National Association of Purchasing Management and APICS—The Educational Society for Resource Management also are shifting their orientation beyond their traditional manufacturing focus and expanding their educational offerings to meet new service components within—and beyond—the manufacturing field.
Avoiding morning‐after syndrome: Transforming your organization without regrets
Authors: Andrews Dorine C. , Stalick Susan
Published: July 2007

Implementing organizational transformation begins with the idea, not the solution. This article presents a model for organizational transformation that allows managers to design transformation solutions that address all aspects of organizational change‐from work processes and technology through culture and individual beliefs. It also details an implementation approach that creates a culture for change that mitigates the problems of resistance and creates a dynamic internal momentum toward the future.
Evolving to the ultimate level of performance through supply chain management
Authors: Poirier Charles C.
Published: July 2007

Supply chain management is a hot business topic that has delivered very mixed results. To date, the degree of progress has been limited, by the view that all savings should be kept internal to the organization. As firms continue to pursue supply chain improvement and develop internal excellence, they often overlook the opportunity to use selective partnering with suppliers and customers to develop what is really needed—a network of delivery that brings the demanded products and services to the ultimate consumer in a seamless manner. This article describes a four‐level evolutionary process that can bring a firm the highest potential returns from supply chain management.
The state of results‐driuen customer seruice quality in Gouernment
Authors: Milakovich Michael E.
Published: July 2007

Persistent demands for increased government productivity have prompted the establishment of federal standards for customer service. In theory, these standards can be used to evaluate the quality, reliability, and timeliness of services provided by such federal agencies as the U.S. Postal Service, Social Security Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Without political accountability and independent oversight of individual agency implementation strategies, however, the achievement of these wellintended standards may be limited by bureaucratic resistance, lack of supervision, excessive bureaucratic discretion, and the need for regulatory compliance. This article discusses recent federal government actions aimed at promoting customer service quality and changing internal agency procedures to ensure accountability for results.
Pilot error: Are you setting your organization on a crash course?
Authors: Kane Michael E.
Published: July 2007

Most companies have undergone and survived a major management initiative over the past decade, only to be swamped by another fad that demands they rush full speed in the opposite direction. Although their intent is to improve business performance through quality, productivity, and service enhancements, the vast majority of management initiatives never attain their goals. The reasons for failure have little to do with top management strategy or with the effort expended among the rank and file. Businesses struggle in attaining desired results because they do not deploy the strategy of top management through the rank and file of the organization. This article describes the shortcomings of the traditional methods employed by companies to attack their day‐to‐day operating problems, and suggests a more progressive means of attaining competitive gains in productivity and quality.
Strategic and environmental management in the corporate value chain at shaw industries
Authors: Rondinelli Dennis A. , Berry Michael A.
Published: July 2007

In an effort to strategically structure its supply and customer linkages to gain a competitive edge in its industry, Shaw Industries, the world's largest manufacturer of tufted carpets and floor coverings, realized the benefit of integrating proactive environmental management practices into its value chain. This article examines the competitive challenges facing Shaw Industries, describes its strategy for integrating its value chain, assesses its experience in combining environmental management with value‐chain leadership, and explores various lessons for other companies that are competing globally in mature industries.
Ten strategies to enhance supplier management
Authors: Tyndall Gene , Gopal Christopher , Partsch Wolfgang , Kamauff John
Published: July 2007

Purchased goods and services represent between 50 and 70 percent of a manufacturing company's value potential. Even in service industries, more than half of all services are purchased from other organizations. In other words, the majority of what a typical company is is defined by the components, materials, and services it acquires from outside sources. Conversely, vertical integration is becoming less and less credible, serving only to clutter many organizations with noncore competencies and decrease flexibility in terms of cost structure and adaptability in the marketplace. With more and more parts, materials. goods, and services purchased outside the organization, companies are altering the tenor of their supplier relationships. In this excerpt from Supercharging Supply Chains, the authors explain how organizations can improve strategic sourcing and supplier management by buying smarter.
Optimizing investments in information technology
Authors: Albrecht Michael , Cortada James W.
Published: July 2007

Organizations around the world spend over $I trillion each year on information technology. Best practices approaches to managing this huge expense invariable involve the crucial issue of when to bring in or get rid of computers and supporting technology—that is, how to manage change. As this article points out, managers who want to productively exploit technology must first try to understand the critical patterns of behavior that have governed technological changes through the century.
Harnessing the power of visual strategic deployment
Authors: Colletti Joe
Published: July 2007

Organizations can power up their strategic plan deployment process by using management and planning tools that make the details of their plans visible. This visibility facilitates vertical integration, as well as horizontal, cross‐functional alignment. Organizations can define, refine, and communicate their strategic efforts as the visible plans are cascaded down through each management level. In addition, the same formats can be used in the plan review/audit process. For a modest investment of time and effort in making strategic plans visible, organizations can reap the significant benefits of increased ownership, alignment, and focus.
Putting concurrency in concurrent product design teams
Authors: Carroll Bob
Published: July 2007

To ensure that concurrent engineering design teams are truly concurrent and are designing producible products, Motorola's Space and Systems Technology Group (SSTG) has created a formal design methodology called Five Phases of Design. The methodology requires input from all the members of the design team at each of the five phases of the design to ensure that producibility issues are addressed during each phase. To augment this process, a high‐performance concurrent product design team model was developed and successfully tried on a concurrent design team at SSTG. This article describes the five phases of the design and the team model.
Focusing on uisible management at a USPS distribution center
Authors: Hacker Marla E. , Akinyele Akinyinka
Published: July 2007

Each year, business leaders conduct strategic planning retreats designed to point their organizations toward a successful future. Experienced managers know, however, that significant changes rarely result from these sessions. Frequently, the problem is not that the strategic plan is weak, but that too little attention is given to its implementation. As this case study explains, what happens after a strategic planning session is just as important as what happens during it.
Using TQM to preuent product liability lawsuits
Authors: Abraham Steven E. , Spencer Michael S.
Published: July 2007

Product liability is a legal doctrine that allows a person injured by a defective product to sue anyone in the chain of production. To win the suit, the plaintiff only has to show that the product was “defective” or “unreasonably dangerous.” Given the litigiousness of today's society, product liability lawsuits are common. Therefore, manufacturers and other sellers need to take all possible measures to minimize the possibility of being held liable in a product liability lawsuit. This article discusses how total quality management can be used by manufacturers to minimize, and possibly even eliminate, the risk of being held liable in a product liability lawsuit. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Developing critical new skills in a world of continuous change
Authors: Colella Sally , Cross Rob , Rieley James B.
Published: July 2007

Keeping up with internal and external change is a challenge that all organizations face. The only way to succeed in an ever‐evolving environment is to ensure that workers at all levels of the organization have mastered the skills they need to best do their jobs and service the needs of their customers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Proteomic analysis of N‐glycosylation in mosquito dopachrome conversion enzyme
Authors: Li Junsuo S. , Vavricka Christopher J. , Christensen Bruce M. , Li Jianyong
Published: July 2007

A novel dopachrome conversion enzyme (DCE) is present in insects and involved in their melanization pathway. DCE shares no sequence homology with any noninsect species from bacteria to humans. Several DCE sequences have been available, but enzyme structure and catalytic mechanism are unclear. This study concerns DCE PTMs, especially glycosylation. A mosquito DCE was purified and its monosaccharide composition, N‐glycosylation site, and oligosaccharide structures were determined. Results showed that N‐acetyl D‐glucosamine and D‐mannose are the major monosaccharides and L‐fucose, D‐xylose, and D‐arabinose are the minor ones in mosquito DCE. Glycosylation site and oligosaccharide structures were elucidated from MS and MS/MS spectra of trypsin‐digested DCE glycopeptides. A single N‐glycosylation site (Asn285‐Glu‐Thr) was identified in DCE and was proven to be fully glycosylated. Man3GlcNAc2, Man3(Fuc)1–2GlcNAc2, and their truncated structures were the dominant oligosaccharides. In addition, high mannose‐type structures (Man4–7(Fuc)GlcNAc2) were also identified. Removal of DCE N‐oligosaccharides with peptide N‐glycosidase (PNGase F) decreased its activity and thermal stability. However, partial DCE deglycosylation with α‐mannosidase or α‐fucosidase somewhat stimulated its activity and improved its thermal stability. During mass spectrometric analysis of DCE glycopeptides, their CID patterns were highly intriguing, in that some glycopeptides underwent both C‐terminal rearrangement and formation of dimeric structures during CID. Results of this study provide an interesting example in terms of potential complexity of the glycopeptide CID fragmentation pattern.
Sequence similarity‐driven proteomics in organisms with unknown genomes by LC‐MS/MS and automated de novo sequencing
Authors: Waridel Patrice , Frank Ari , Thomas Henrik , Surendranath Vineeth , Sunyaev Shamil , Pevzner Pavel , Shevchenko Andrej
Published: July 2007

LC‐MS/MS analysis on a linear ion trap LTQ mass spectrometer, combined with data processing, stringent, and sequence‐similarity database searching tools, was employed in a layered manner to identify proteins in organisms with unsequenced genomes. Highly specific stringent searches (MASCOT) were applied as a first layer screen to identify either known (i.e. present in a database) proteins, or unknown proteins sharing identical peptides with related database sequences. Once the confidently matched spectra were removed, the remainder was filtered against a nonannotated library of background spectra that cleaned up the dataset from spectra of common protein and chemical contaminants. The rectified spectral dataset was further subjected to rapid batch de novo interpretation by PepNovo software, followed by the MS BLAST sequence‐similarity search that used multiple redundant and partially accurate candidate peptide sequences. Importantly, a single dataset was acquired at the uncompromised sensitivity with no need of manual selection of MS/MS spectra for subsequent de novo interpretation. This approach enabled a completely automated identification of novel proteins that were, otherwise, missed by conventional database searches.
Proteomic analysis of human reproductive fluids
Authors: Kolialexi Aggeliki , Mavrou Ariadni , Tsangaris George Th.
Published: July 2007

Fertilization, fetal development, and delivery depend upon a coordinated series of events in the oocyte, the embryo, and the supporting tissues and fluids. Proteomic techniques which are capable of identifying and characterizing multiple proteins simultaneously have added new dimensions to the field of human reproduction. Application of these high throughput methodologies in pregnancy‐related research has begun to provide a novel perspective on the biochemical pathways involved in pregnancy and its related disorders. Most of the existing research on human reproduction and gestation has focused on follicular fluid (FF) and amniotic fluid (AF). Proteome analysis of FF has yielded significant information relevant to oocyte maturation and quality. Studies performed on the protein content of AF cells and supernatant contributed to the comprehension of the underlying pathophysiology, clinical diagnosis of pregnancy‐related disorders and identification of relevant disease biomarkers. Although proteome technologies in reproduction research are not as yet widely applied, characterization of the proteome of reproductive fluids can be expected to significantly improve maternal healthcare in the future.
Gastrointestinal fluids proteomics
Authors: Tan Sandra , Liang Cynthia R. M. Y. , Yeoh Khay Guan , So Jimmy , Hew Choy Leong , Chung Maxey C. M.
Published: July 2007

Seventy million people suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract annually in US, translating to US$85.5 billion in direct healthcare costs. The debilitating effects of these gastrointestinal (GI) diseases can be circumvented with good biomarkers for early detection of these disorders, which will greatly increase the success of curative treatments. GI fluids represent a potential reservoir of biomarkers for early diagnosis of various GI and systemic diseases since these fluids are the most proximal fluid bathing diseased cells. They are anticipated to have proteomes that closely reflect the ensemble of proteins secreted from the respective GI tissues. Most importantly, the disease markers present in GI fluids should be present in higher concentrations than in sera, thus offering greater sensitivity in their detection. However, proteome analysis of GI fluids can be complex mainly due to the dynamic range of protein content and the numerous PTMs of proteins in each specialized GI compartment. This review attempts to discuss the physiology of the various GI fluids, the special technical considerations required for proteome analysis of each fluid, as well as to summarize the current state of knowledge of biomarker discoveries and clinical utility of GI fluids such as salivary, gastric, pancreatic, and biliary secretions.
Inhibition of Ribonuclease A by polyphenols present in green tea
Authors: Ghosh Kalyan S. , Maiti Tushar K. , Debnath Joy , Dasgupta Swagata
Published: July 2007

We report the effect of the natural polyphenolic compounds from green tea on the catalytic activity of Ribonuclease A (RNase A). The compounds behave as noncompetitive inhibitors of the protein with inhibition constants ranging from 80–1300 μM. The dissociation constants range from 50–150 μM for the RNase A–polyphenol complexes as determined by ultraviolet (UV) and circular dichroism (CD) studies. We have also investigated the changes in the secondary structure of RNase A on complex formation by CD and Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The presence of the gallate moiety has been shown to be important for the inhibition of enzymatic activity. Docking studies for these compounds indicate that the preferred site of binding is the region encompassing residues 34–39 with possible hydrogen bonding with Lys 7 and Arg 10. Finally we have also looked at changes in the accessible surface area of the interacting residues on complex formation for an insight into the residues involved in the interaction. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A large data set comparison of protein structures determined by crystallography and NMR: Statistical test for structural differences and the effect of crystal packing
Authors: Andrec Michael , Snyder David A. , Zhou Zhiyong , Young Jasmine , Montelione Gaetano T. , Levy Ronald M.
Published: July 2007

The existence of a large number of proteins for which both nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X‐ray crystallographic coordinates have been deposited into the Protein Data Bank (PDB) makes the statistical comparison of the corresponding crystal and NMR structural models over a large data set possible, and facilitates the study of the effect of the crystal environment and other factors on structure. We present an approach for detecting statistically significant structural differences between crystal and NMR structural models which is based on structural superposition and the analysis of the distributions of atomic positions relative to a mean structure. We apply this to a set of 148 protein structure pairs (crystal vs NMR), and analyze the results in terms of methodological and physical sources of structural difference. For every one of the 148 structure pairs, the backbone root‐mean‐square distance (RMSD) over core atoms of the crystal structure to the mean NMR structure is larger than the average RMSD of the members of the NMR ensemble to the mean, with 76% of the structure pairs having an RMSD of the crystal structure to the mean more than a factor of two larger than the average RMSD of the NMR ensemble. On average, the backbone RMSD over core atoms of crystal structure to the mean NMR is approximately 1 Å. If non‐core atoms are included, this increases to 1.4 Å due to the presence of variability in loops and similar regions of the protein. The observed structural differences are only weakly correlated with the age and quality of the structural model and differences in conditions under which the models were determined. We examine steric clashes when a putative crystalline lattice is constructed using a representative NMR structure, and find that repulsive crystal packing plays a minor role in the observed differences between crystal and NMR structures. The observed structural differences likely have a combination of physical and methodological causes. Stabilizing attractive interactions arising from intermolecular crystal contacts which shift the equilibrium of the crystal structure relative to the NMR structure is a likely physical source which can account for some of the observed differences. Methodological sources of apparent structural difference include insufficient sampling or other issues which could give rise to errors in the estimates of the precision and/or accuracy. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ideal amino acid exchange forms for approximating substitution matrices
Authors: Pokarowski Piotr , Kloczkowski Andrzej , Nowakowski Szymon , Pokarowska Maria , Jernigan Robert L. , Kolinski Andrzej
Published: July 2007

We have analyzed 29 published substitution matrices (SMs) and five statistical protein contact potentials (CPs) for comparison. We find that popular, ‘classical’ SMs obtained mainly from sequence alignments of globular proteins are mostly correlated by at least a value of 0.9. The BLOSUM62 is the central element of this group. A second group includes SMs derived from alignments of remote homologs or transmembrane proteins. These matrices correlate better with classical SMs (0.8) than among themselves (0.7). A third group consists of intermediate links between SMs and CPs ‐ matrices and potentials that exhibit mutual correlations of at least 0.8. Next, we show that SMs can be approximated with a correlation of 0.9 by expressions c0 + xixj + yiyj + zizj, 1≤ i, j ≤ 20, where c0 is a constant and the vectors (xi), (yi), (zi) correlate highly with hydrophobicity, molecular volume and coil preferences of amino acids, respectively. The present paper is the continuation of our work (Pokarowski et al., Proteins 2005;59:49–57), where similar approximation were used to derive ideal amino acid interaction forms from CPs. Both approximations allow us to understand general trends in amino acid similarity and can help improve multiple sequence alignments using the fast Fourier transform (MAFFT), fast threading or another methods based on alignments of physicochemical profiles of protein sequences. The use of this approximation in sequence alignments instead of a classical SM yields results that differ by less than 5%. Intermediate links between SMs and CPs, new formulas for approximating these matrices, and the highly significant dependence of classical SMs on coil preferences are new findings. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of zinc‐ligand bond lengths in metalloproteins: Trends and patterns
Authors: Tamames Bruno , Sousa Sérgio Filipe , Tamames Juan , Fernandes Pedro Alexandrino , Ramos Maria João
Published: July 2007

Zinc is one of the biologically most abundant and important metal elements, present in a plethora of enzymes from a broad array of species of all phyla. In this study we report a thorough analysis of the geometrical properties of Zinc coordination spheres performed on a dataset of 994 high quality protein crystal structures from the Protein Data Bank, and complemented with Quantum mechanical calculations at the DFT level of theory (B3LYP/SDD) on mononuclear model systems. The results allowed us to draw interesting conclusions on the structural characteristics of Zn centres and to evaluate the importance of such effects as the resolution of X‐ray crystallographic structures, the enzyme class in which the Zn centre is included, and the identity of the ligands at the Zn coordination sphere. Altogether, the set of results obtained provides useful data for the enhancement of the atomic models normally applied to the theoretical and computational study of zinc enzymes at the quantum mechanical level (in particular enzymatic mechanisms), and for the development of molecular mechanical parameters for the treatment of zinc coordination spheres with molecular mechanics or molecular dynamics in studies with the full enzyme. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Structure of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri YaeQ reveals a new compact protein fold built around a variation of the PD‐(D/E)XK nuclease motif
Authors: Guzzo Cristiane R. , Nagem Ronaldo A. P. , Barbosa João A. R. G. , Farah Chuck S.
Published: July 2007

The YaeQ family of proteins are found in many Gram‐negative and a few Gram‐positive bacteria. We have determined the first structure of a member of the YaeQ family by X‐ray crystallography. Comparisons with other structures indicate that YaeQ represents a new compact protein fold built around a variation of the PD‐(D/E)XK nuclease motif found in type II endonucleases and enzymes involved in DNA replication, repair, and recombination. We show that catalytically important residues in the PD‐(D/E)XK nuclease superfamily are spatially conserved in YaeQ and other highly conserved YaeQ residues may be poised to interact with nucleic acid structures. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Locating Jews by ethnicity: a reply to D. Voas (2007), ‘Estimating the Jewish Undercount in the 2001 Census: A Comment on Graham and Waterman (2005) “Underenumeration of the Jewish Population in the UK 2001 Census”’
Authors: Graham David J. , Waterman Stanley
Published: July 2007

The inclusion of identity questions in censuses opens up new and complex horizons for quantitative analysis. In this Reply we examine these difficulties, especially those associated with the enumeration and interpretation of such data. We present Census data to illustrate these problems and which support the claim that many Jews in Britain identify not only by religion but also, or instead, by ethnicity. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Capture of Gas Dissolved in a Solid by a Moving Gas Bubble
Authors: Mikhlin E. Ya. , Semionov L. P.
Published: July 2007

A solution is found of the equation describing the entering of gas atoms dissolved in a solid into a moving gas bubble. Its behaviour enables one to confirm the recent analysis [1] of conditions under which the gas entering a moving bubble will be essentially different from that of an unmoved one.
Investigations into Ripple Wavelength in Evaporated Thin Films by Lorentz Microscopy
Authors: Suzuki T.
Published: July 2007

A systematic experimental study of ripple wavelength by Lorentz microscopy in NiFe alloy films was carried out. The following should be noted: 1. The only possible way to determine experimentally a meaningful wavelength is to evaluate visually well‐defined ripple high‐contrast lines on a photomicrograph. 2. The average wavelength determined in this way is of the order of 1 μm. This value is in reasonable agreement with the main wavelength predicted by the theories developed by others. However, the predicted slight dependence of this observed wavelength on substrate deposition temperature and alloy composition was not observed. On the other hand, the strong dependence of the measured wavelength on the external magnetic fields is in good agreement with that predicted theoretically.
Faraday Ellipticity of Hot Electrons in Many‐Valley Semiconductors
Authors: Gupta B. M.
Published: July 2007

The Faraday ellipticity of hot electrons is investigated in the infrared region for the case of many‐valley semiconductors. It is shown that the anisotropy in ellipticity is independent of the magnitude and direction of the external magnetic field in the linear approximation. The increase in the magnitude of anisotropy of the ellipticity with the heating field is presented by graphs for various directions of the heating field. The anisotropy of the Faraday rotation with the magnitude and direction of the heating field is discussed.
Transverse Magnetoresistance in Plastically Deformed n‐Type Germanium
Authors: Balázs J. , Pödör B.
Published: July 2007

The transverse magnetoresistance in plastically bent n‐type Ge has been measured at 77 °K. In the bent samples the magnetoresistance coefficients were strongly increased and at the same time the mobility was reduced. This effect is caused by the scattering of electrons on dislocations. A theoretical model is presented for evaluating the magneto‐resistance coefficients, taking into account anisotropic scattering caused by the dislocations, and the conduction band structure of Ge. The theoretical results agree well with the experimental ones.
Extrinsic Photoconductivity of Fast‐Electron‐Irradiated Undoped CdS Single Crystals
Authors: Wruck D.
Published: July 2007

The extrinsic photoconductivity of undoped platelet‐type CdS crystals irradiated with 280 keV electrons was investigated at liquid nitrogen and room temperatures in the photon energy range 0.1 to 2.5 eV, using polarized light in the range 0.6 to 2.5 eV. A sensitive ac method was used, superimposing a chopped measuring beam on a constant bias illumination level. At least six photoconductivity bands were found. The bands in the range 0.6 to 2.5 eV are weakly polarized, the higher intensity occurring for E ⟂ c. The fine structure of the low‐energy quenching band previously observed by Hemila and Bube [28] was reproduced but was found to be caused by atmospheric absorption bands. Most of the bands in the photoconductivity spectrum correspond to absorption bands found by Boyn [8] in thick crystals. — The present results, assuming the threshold energies for atomic displacement in CdS determined by Kulp and Kelley [2, 3] to be valid, together with the results of trap analysis made also in this work, absorption measurements [8], and our earlier investigations of the trap spectrum, electron lifetime, and dark conductivity of deuteron‐bombarded CdS crystals [27] suggest an assignment of the photoconductivity bands to intrinsic lattice defects and to donor‐acceptor associates involving intrinsic defects and residual impurities.
Magnetic Hyperfine and Quadrupole Interactions of F‐Centres in NaCl as Measured by ENDOR
Authors: Deigen M. F. , Zevin V. Ya. , Ischenko S. S. , Baran N. P. , Ruban M. A. , Teslenko V. V.
Published: July 2007

The hyperfine and quadrupole interactions of F‐centres in NaCl were investigated by the ENDOR method. The constants of hyperfine interactions with nuclei of coordination shells I to X surrounding the vacancy have been determined. The quadrupole interaction with nuclei of shells II, IV, VI, and VIII has been recorded and measured. General expressions for ENDOR frequencies are given in single‐particle approximation, allowance being made for the deviation of the nuclear spin quantization axis from the direction of the constant magnetic field H0 and for corrections due to second order perturbation theory. The angular dependence of ENDOR spectra has been investigated in detail and fully explained on the basis of theoretical formulae. The constants were determined at T = 20, 77, and 300 °K.
Low Temperature Reversal in Anisotropic Ferromagnetic Films
Authors: Bostanjoglo O.
Published: July 2007

The magnetic reversal of anisotropic iron and 83% Ni—17% Fe films was studied by Lorentz microscopy at 4 to 300 °K. Below 15 °K for permalloy and 30 °K for iron the usual Barkhausen jumps vanish. In permalloy now wall motion at constant field consisting of tiny jumps (≪ 0.5 μm) sets in at a critical field. Below the critical field wall deflections are reversible. In iron the low temperature wall motion consists of short circle Bloch line jumps (≪ 0.1 μm), formation of small bordering domains and their reversal by rotation. These processes take place in constant fields.
High Temperature Resistivity Measurements on Chromium
Authors: Anderson J. M. , Stewart A. D. , Ramsay I.
Published: July 2007

The resistivity of single crystals of chromium has been investigated in the temperature range 300 to 2000 °K. Anomalous behaviour above 1300 °K is reported and this is attributed to an electronic rearrangement taking place which affects the relative positions of the Fermi level and the minimum in the density of states curve for the d‐band.
Contribution to the Theory of the Thermopower of Alkali Metals at Low Temperatures
Authors: Rösler M.
Published: July 2007

The diffusion thermopower is calculated by means of the usual variational method in the simplest approximation. A careful calculation of the variational expressions yields a thermopower formula valid for all temperatures, which enables a qualitative understanding of the measurements also for Li in contrast to previous variational calculations. An approximative evaluation of this thermopower formula at low temperatures for Li, Na, and K shows that, firstly, the diffusion thermopower is in no case linearly dependent on the temperature and, secondly, the diffusion thermopower can also be different in sign.
On the Temperature Dependence of Hole Mobility in Silicon
Authors: Asche M. , Von Borzeskowski J.
Published: July 2007

The influence of the non‐parabolicity of the valence band on the hole mobility in Si is investigated. The numerical and experimental results can be fitted if for the holes the non‐parabolicity of the energy spectrum as well as their scattering on acoustic and optical phonons are taken into account.
Contribution to the Theory of Cubic Harmonics
Authors: Puff H.
Published: July 2007

An elementary derivation of the explicit structure of cubic harmonics is given.
Influence of the Non‐Hermitean Splitting Terms on Excitonic Spectra
Authors: Zimmermann R.
Published: July 2007

A treatment of the Bethe‐Salpeter equation leads to additional short‐range interaction terms in the effective‐mass equation of the exciton theory. These non‐Hermitean splitting terms decrease the excitation energies and cause the triplet energy to be the first to become zero if the energy gap is reduced.
Surface Scattering of Electrons in Magnetic Surface States
Authors: Mertsching J. , Fischbeck H. J.
Published: July 2007

The scattering rate 1/τ of magnetic surface states due to scattering at a rough surface is calculated in the Born approximation. In the regime of small angle scattering, we obtain 1/τ ∼ B in small magnetic fields B, 1/τ ∼ B4/3 (n + 3/4)1/3 for intermediate field strengths, and 1/τ ∼ B2 in larger fields. The B4/3 (n + 3/4)1/3 law agrees with the quasiclassical theory of surface scattering which holds for magnetic surface states with a large quantum number n in a rather large range of magnetic field strengths. When large angle scattering is predominant, a scattering rate 1/τ ∼ B is obtained throughout.
Influence of Crystal Orientation and Oxide Structure on the Interface States of GeGeO2
Authors: Flietner H. , Oertel G.
Published: July 2007

Hexagonal, tetragonal, and amorphous oxides were prepared on 111‐, 110‐, and 100‐surfaces of germanium. Interface‐states were determined by the ac‐field effect. The hexagonal oxide shows on the 111‐surface, the tetragonal on the 100‐surface the lowest density of surface states. Amorphous oxide does not show significant differences for the three orientations. This shows clearly, that the matching of the lattices at the interface is of importance for the existence of surface states.
Determination of the Effective Masses of the Electron Jack, Hole Octahedron, and Ellipsoids of Molybdenum by Cyclotron Resonance Measurements
Authors: Herrmann R. , Krüger H.
Published: July 2007

The anisotropic behaviour of the effective masses in the {100} plane in molybdenum was determined by cyclotron resonance measurements. The authors succeeded in measuring resonances from all parts of the Fermi surface — electron jack, hole octahedron, and hole ellipsoids — with effective masses between μ = 3.9 and μ = 0.4. From the cut‐off angles of the different resonances and the behaviour of the corresponding effective masses as a function of the angle between the magnetic field and the [011] axis, conclusions could be drawn as to details of the Fermi surface. The mean velocity on the hole octahedron was estimated. The measurements were made at f = 9.25 GHz and T = 1.6 °K, the vector of the high‐frequency current being parallel to the [011] axis.
On the Dynamical Theory of Hydrogen‐Bonded Ferroelectrics. I. Dampings and Shifts
Authors: Stamenković S. , Novaković L.
Published: July 2007

The frequency shifts and damping constants of the protonic collective motion in hydrogen‐bonded ferroelectrics due to both the proton—proton and proton—lattice interactions are calculated using the method of temperature dependent Green's functions. Some parameters describing the tunnelling frequency of the proton and the above mentioned interactions are reconsidered. The final results are interpreted from the standpoint of the dynamical and kinematical interactions in the boson representation of the fictitious spin as well as of a thermodynamical quasi‐equilibrium approximation.
Strain‐Broadened EPR Lines of 3d5 Ions in Td Symmetry Study of Fe3+ in ZnS
Authors: Parrot R. , Tronche G.
Published: July 2007

An investigation is made of the angular variations of EPR linewidths of 3d5 ions in crystals with Td symmetry where the effect of internal shear stresses is preponderant. Broadening depends on the R tensor describing the Stark effect and on a single parameter related to the fluctuations of the internal electric field. The chosen model applies correctly to the Fe3+ centre in cubic ZnS.
Absorption Spectra of Tellurium in the Spectral Range from 18 to 460 cm−1
Authors: Grosse P. , Richter W.
Published: July 2007

The absorption spectra of undoped monocrystalline tellurium were measured in the spectral range from 18 to 460 cm−1 at 300, 77, and 4 °K. The spectra can be analysed by absorption through 1‐, 2‐, and 3‐phonon sum processes in the spectral range from 90 to 460 cm−1. In the remaining range additional measurements with doped samples at 40 cm−1 show the absorption constant to be proportional to the free carrier concentration.
Investigation of the Electronic Structure of β′‐NiAl by Means of the Photoemission Technique
Authors: Nilsson P. O.
Published: July 2007

UV photoemission electron distributions from clean β′‐NiAl surfaces are reported. Two features are observed which can be related to peaks in the density of states 0.8 and 2.1 eV below the Fermi level. The result is in agreement with a recent density of states calculation by Connolly and Johnson [10].