bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling bio-irrigation rates in the sediments of Port Phillip Bay
Authors: Berelson W. M. , Townsend T. , Heggie D. , Ford P. , Longmore A. , Skyring G. , Kilgore T. , Nicholson G.
Published: March 2006

The introduction of a deuterium-enriched tracer to benthic incubation chambers
emplaced on the sea floor of Port Phillip Bay provides a method of modelling
bio-irrigation within the sediments. Plots of deuterium
v. incubation time reveal that all seven chambers,
emplaced at four sites, indicate non-diffusive transport of pore-water solutes
across the sediment–water interface. Modelling indicates that advection
of overlying chamber water must occur to depths of 20–50 cm below the
interface and at rates between 150 and 700 mL h–1.
Multiple chambers deployed in the same region within the bay are consistent
with respect to bio-irrigation depth and rate. This indicates that the
distribution of infauna responsible for irrigation is quite consistent within
regions defined by sediment type and depth. However, various regions in the
bay show distinctly different irrigation rates; thus the distribution
and/or activity of infauna is not constant throughout the bay. At the
lower rate of pore-water advection, the entire water column in Port Phillip
Bay passes through the sediments within 200 days. Dissolved caesium, injected
into the chamber, is also an effective tracer of bio-irrigation although
adsorption onto sediment particles increases the uncertainty of model results.
Modelling of nutrient impacts in Port Phillip Bay — a semi-enclosed marine Australian ecosystem
Authors: Murray Alexander G. , Parslow John S.
Published: March 2006

This paper overviews the ecosystem model developed for the Port Phillip Bay
Environmental Study. The model simulates the cycling of N, P and Si in the
water-column, epibenthos and sediments, and is driven by a physical transport
model. The integrated model is forced by exchanges with Bass Strait and by
nutrient inputs from the Western Treatment Plant, rivers, and the atmosphere.
The model has been calibrated and tested by using data from process studies,
flux measurements and spatial surveys at a range of scales. It provides a
picture of nitrogen cycling through the water and sediments on bay-wide annual
scales, which emphasizes the role of denitrification. It also reproduces well
the observed spatial and temporal variation under varying nutrient load
regimes, and provides insights into the factors controlling regional
phytoplankton blooms, including the interaction of nitrogen and silica in the
western bay. The model is used to investigate the bay’s responses to
changed nutrient loads, changes in sediment biogeochemistry, and marine pest
invasion. The bay’s assimilative capacity for nitrogen is largely
controlled by its sediment denitrification capacity. If nitrogen loads
approach the limits of this capacity, a rapid onset of eutrophication is
predicted.
Deimination of membrane-bound myelin basic protein in multiple sclerosis exposes an immunodominant epitope
Authors: Musse Abdiwahab A. , Boggs Joan M. , Harauz George
Published: March 2006

The degradation of myelin in the CNS is the hallmark of multiple sclerosis. Reduction in the net positive charge of myelin basic protein (MBP), through deimination, correlates strongly with disease severity and may mediate myelin instability and loss of compaction. Using Cys scanning, spin labeling, EPR spectroscopy, and site-specific proteolysis, we show that in the membrane-bound state the primary immunodominant epitope, V83-T92, of the less cationic recombinant murine MBP C8 mimic (rmC8) forms a more highly surface-exposed and shorter amphipathic α-helix than in the unmodified form, recombinant murine MBP C1 mimic (rmC1), analogous to the most cationic and abundant isomer of MBP in normal myelin. Moreover, cathepsin D digested lipid-associatedrmC83-fold faster thanrmC1, and cleavage at F86–F87 occurred more readily inrmC8thanrmC1. These findings suggest a mechanism for initial loss of myelin stability and the autoimmune pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.
Three-dimensional structure of the bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan
Authors: Meroueh Samy O. , Bencze Krisztina Z. , Hesek Dusan , Lee Mijoon , Fisher Jed F. , Stemmler Timothy L. , Mobashery Shahriar
Published: March 2006

The 3D structure of the bacterial peptidoglycan, the major constituent of the cell wall, is one of the most important, yet still unsolved, structural problems in biochemistry. The peptidoglycan comprises alternating
N
-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and
N
-acetylmuramic disaccharide (NAM) saccharides, the latter of which has a peptide stem. Adjacent peptide stems are cross-linked by the transpeptidase enzymes of cell wall biosynthesis to provide the cell wall polymer with the structural integrity required by the bacterium. The cell wall and its biosynthetic enzymes are targets of antibiotics. The 3D structure of the cell wall has been elusive because of its complexity and the lack of pure samples. Herein we report the 3D solution structure as determined by NMR of the 2-kDa NAG-NAM(pentapeptide)-NAG-NAM(pentapeptide) synthetic fragment of the cell wall. The glycan backbone of this peptidoglycan forms a right-handed helix with a periodicity of three for the NAG-NAM repeat (per turn of the helix). The first two amino acids of the pentapeptide adopt a limited number of conformations. Based on this structure a model for the bacterial cell wall is proposed.
Priming and binding in and across perception and action: A correlational analysis of the internal structure of event files
Authors: Colzato Lorenza S. , Warrens Matthijs J. , Hommel Bernhard
Published: March 2006

Individual performance was compared across three different tasks that tap into the binding of stimulus features in perception, the binding of action features in action planning, and the emergence of stimulus–response bindings (“event files”). Within a task correlations between the size of binding effects were found within visual perception (e.g., the strength of shape–location binding correlated positively with the strength of shape–colour binding) but not between perception and action planning, suggesting different, domain-specific binding mechanisms. To some degree, binding strength was predicted by priming effects of the respective features, especially if these features varied on a dimension that matched the current attentional set.
Differences in the types of musical regularity learnt in incidental- and intentional-learning conditions
Authors: Kuhn Gustav , Dienes Zoltán
Published: March 2006

Several studies have found learning of biconditional grammars only under intentional rule-search conditions (e.g., Johnstone & Shanks, 2001). Memorization of strings merely led to the learning of chunks. We used a musical grammar, a diatonic inversion, that is a type of biconditional grammar. Participants either were required to memorize a set of grammatical tunes (incidental learning), or were asked to search for the underlying rule whilst being given feedback about their performance (intentional learning). The results showed that participants in the incidental-learning condition did not learn the inversion rule and merely acquired explicit knowledge about chunks. However, participants in the intentional-learning condition learnt both the inversion rule and chunks.
Dual-Modality Monitoring in a Classification Task: The Effects of Bilingualism and Ageing
Authors: Bialystok Ellen , Craik Fergus I. M. , Ruocco Anthony C.
Published: March 2006

Two experiments are reported in which monolingual and bilingual participants who were younger (Experiment 1) or older (Experiment 2) adults performed in a dual-task classification paradigm. Visually (primary task) and auditorily (secondary task) presented stimuli were classified into two categories. The stimuli belonged to two domains, letters or numbers (LN) and animals or musical instruments (AM), and the two task modalities used stimuli from the same (related) or opposite (unrelated) domains. For both age groups, bilinguals were less disrupted than monolinguals in visual sorting in the LN domain, and relatedness affected performance only in the AM domain. The results indicate different processing demands for the two domains, with the simpler domain (LN) favouring bilinguals and the more semantically complex domain (AM) favouring related judgements for the two task modalities.
Recognizing Face Identity from Natural and Morphed Smiles
Authors: Lander Karen , Chuang Lewis , Wickham Lee
Published: March 2006

It is easier to identify a degraded familiar face when it is shown moving (smiling, talking; nonrigid motion), than when it is displayed as a static image (Knight & Johnston, 1997; Lander, Christie, & Bruce, 1999). Here we explore the theoretical underpinnings of the moving face recognition advantage. In Experiment 1 we show that the identification of personally familiar faces when shown naturally smiling is significantly better than when the person is shown artificially smiling (morphed motion), as a single static neutral image or as a single static smiling image. In Experiment 2 we demonstrate that speeding up the motion significantly impairs the recognition of identity from natural smiles, but has little effect on morphed smiles. We conclude that the recognition advantage for face motion does not reflect a general benefit for motion, but suggests that, for familiar faces, information about their characteristic motion is stored in memory.
Mupirocin Resistance in Clinical Isolates ofStaphylococcus aureus
Authors: Jones Paula G. , Sura Terri , Harris Michael , Strother Anne
Published: March 2006

One hundred isolates ofStaphylococcus aureuswere collected in a laboratory serving several hospitals and clinics in southeastern Wisconsin and tested for mupirocin susceptibility. Only two isolates of S.aureusshowed mupirocin resistance. The mupirocin-resistant isolates were from hospitalized patients with positive blood cultures.
Progressive peak clustering in GC-MS Metabolomic experiments applied to Leishmania parasites
Authors: De Souza David P. , Saunders Eleanor C. , McConville Malcolm J. , Likić Vladimir A.
Published: March 2006

Motivation: A common problem in the emerging field of metabolomics is the consolidation of signal lists derived from metabolic profiling of different cell/tissue/fluid states where a number of replicate experiments was collected on each state.

Results: We describe an approach for the consolidation of peak lists based on hierarchical clustering, first within each set of replicate experiments and then between the sets of replicate experiments. The problems of finding the dendrogram tree cutoff which gives the optimal number of peak clusters and the effect of different clustering methods were addressed. When applied to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolic profiling data acquired on Leishmania mexicana, this approach resulted in robust data matrices which completely separated the wild-type and two mutant parasite lines based on their metabolic profile.

Contact:  vlikic@unimelb.edu.au
Comparing gene expression networks in a multi-dimensional space to extract similarities and differences between organisms
Authors: Lelandais Gaëlle , Vincens Pierre , Badel-Chagnon Anne , Vialette Stéphane , Jacq Claude , Hazout Serge
Published: March 2006

Motivation: Molecular evolution, which is classically assessed by comparison of individual proteins or genes between species, can now be studied by comparing co-expressed functional groups of genes. This approach, which better reflects the functional constraints on the evolution of organisms, can exploit the large amount of data generated by genome-wide expression analyses. However, it requires new methodologies to represent the data in a more accessible way for cross-species comparisons.

Results: In this work, we present an approach based on Multi-dimensional Scaling techniques, to compare the conformation of two gene expression networks, represented in a multi-dimensional space. The expression networks are optimally superimposed, taking into account two criteria: (1) inter-organism orthologous gene pairs have to be nearby points in the final multi-dimensional space and (2) the distortion of the gene expression networks, the organization of which reflects the similarities between the gene expression measurements, has to be circumscribed. Using this approach, we compared the transcriptional programs that drive sporulation in budding and fission yeasts, extracting some common properties and differences between the two species.

Availability: The source code is freely distributed to academic users upon request to the authors. More information can be found online at .

Contact:  lelandais@biologie.ens.fr

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at
Methodological aspects of collecting data from children: lessons from three research projects
Authors: Mauthner Melanie
Published: March 2006

This paper considers some methodological aspects of collecting data from children drawing on three empirical studies carried out in home and school settings using qualitative methods. The paper begins with an overview of methodological issues before briefly describing the three studies and the range of methods used. Then it examines the merits and limitations of these methods including participant observation, small group discussions, interviews and structured activities. Finally, some concluding remarks are made about the appropriateness and effectiveness of these methods.
Parent Education: Empowerment or Control?
Authors: Smith Roger S.
Published: March 2006

This article describes the recent growth in interest in both government circles and elsewhere in the subject of education for parenthood. A brief history of this emerging area of interest is provided, and the article goes on to consider the range of interests involved, reflecting on their possible motivations. The question of ‘who benefits?’ is important, it is argued. The article concludes that despite widespread claims of considerable success by the proponents of such programmes, a greater degree of rigour is needed in assessing their achievements so far.
Advocating for children of separating parents
Authors: Bond Meg
Published: March 2006

This article draws upon the author's lay experiences of helping two sets of divorcing parents to retain contact and meaningful relationships between their young children and their non‐resident fathers. It argues that the failure to take account of past parenting practices in divorce proceedings, to grant children party status and to make independent representation available to them, and to offer child‐centred services to help parents to practise shared parenting post‐separation, may contribute to the widespread loss of contact between children and their non‐resident parents, particularly fathers. The Family Law Act 1996 promises little change.
Evaluating community initiatives
Authors: Lewis Janet
Published: March 2006

The increasing emphasis on using research evidence as a basis for policy and practice change has led the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to consider better methods of evaluation. A theories of change approach has been found to be particularly valuable.
Looking After Children: assessing outcomes in child care. The experience of implementation
Authors: Jones Helen , Clark Robin , Kufeldt Kathleen , Norrman Monica
Published: March 2006

A Department of Health initiative has supported the implementation of Looking After Children in over 90 per cent of local authorities in England. The process has required major organisational change and new values and attitudes towards children looked after away from home. Difficulties arise where management and monitoring systems are not available to support these wider changes and to assess the quality of practice. Nevertheless clear benefits to using the system can be identified. Pilot projects in Sweden, Canada and Australia provide an opportunity to compare experiences internationally; strong parallels are evident in some of the current issues facing child welfare.
Assessing child welfare outcomes in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Herczog Maria
Published: March 2006

Despite the declared priority given to children's well‐being in Central and Eastern Europe, the effectiveness of services has never been measured. Financial considerations and differences in the objectives of those involved have increased the importance of outcome measurement.
Assessing outcomes in an English authority (The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea)
Authors: Murphy Imelda , Phillips Malcolm
Published: March 2006

The local authority has used the Looking After Children materials to develop needs‐led and outcome‐oriented services at both individual and strategic planning levels. A specific study used data from the Assessment and Action Records to identify priority needs and desired outcomes for young people leaving care.
Children with challenging behaviour: past and present in the United Kingdom
Authors: Chung Man Cheung , Nolan Peter
Published: March 2006

The aim of this paper is to give a brief overview of the historical and current understanding of and care for children with learning difficulties who displayed challenging behaviour in the United Kingdom. It is clear that challenging behaviour is not a new phenomenon but has existed throughout the history of learning difficulty.
Informing ourselves about early childhood services
Authors: Moss Peter , Owen Charlie , Statham June
Published: March 2006

Using a range of examples, the paper argues that there is an information deficit concerning early childhood services; even on the most basic issues, there is either no information or such information as does exists is unreliable, limited or outdated. This matters because information is a necessary condition for good policy, for open and democratic decision making and for giving visibility to young children. The article concludes by considering how an adequate information system might be developed based on annual returns from individual services and regular surveys of households with children.
Lost lessons?: the Experience of a time‐limited home‐school support project
Authors: Lupton Carol , Sheppard Christine
Published: March 2006

This article reports on an evaluation of an innovative, but time‐limited, home‐school support project, designed to improve the behaviour of young children in danger of school exclusion. It concludes that, although valued by the families and schools involved, the effective operation of the initiative was hampered by problems of communication, by its single agency location and by the short‐term nature of its funding. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intensive training in youth sport: an example of unequal opportunity
Authors: Rowley Stephen R. W. , Graham Philip J.
Published: March 2006

The social composition of an unselected sample of 282 English children and adolescents aged eight to 16 years involved in intensive training in four sports, football, swimming, tennis and gymnastics, was investigated. Working class children and children from lone parent families were under‐represented in all sports. The costs of participation in intensive training were determined, and it was concluded that financial considerations as well as difficulties of access to training facilities were major deterrents to participation by disadvantaged children. Over a period of a two year follow up, working class children were more likely to withdraw from intensive training than middle class children. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Beliefs in child care: social work consensus and lack of consensus on issues of parenting and decision‐making
Authors: Daniel Brigid
Published: March 2006

This paper describes the results of a study that explored social worker's beliefs and opinions about ‘good enough’ parenting and about decision‐making in child care and protection. Subjects were qualified social workers from throughout Scotland who were students on post‐qualifying courses. Q sorts were used to gather data about significant clusters of opinion. Subjects were asked to rank statements that covered issues of parenting environments, children's needs, damaging environments and decision‐making. The findings indicate confidence in the child care system and a consensus about damaging environments. Issues about which there is disagreement suggest where further practice guidance could be helpful. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Getting them back to school—touchstones of good practice in the residential care of young people
Authors: Lindsay Meg , Foley Tim
Published: March 2006

The educational experience of children in residential care gives cause for concern. They achieve poorer results and are excluded more often than their peers. The literature has overemphasised the problem and under emphasised the description of good practice. Practitioners have been insufficiently involved in the debate. This paper describes in detail the approach of one residential project, which assists difficult and damaged young people to remain in mainstream schooling. The Project's approach is based on six principles—mutual professional respect, clear philosophy, attention to detail, a culture which values education, joint planning and determination in the face of setbacks. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Young sexual abusers: conceptual frameworks, issues and imperatives
Authors: Masson Helen , Morrison Tony
Published: March 2006

The problem of young people who sexually abuse others has emerged in the United Kingdom during the 1990s. This article briefly overviews the incidence and characteristics of young sexual abusers, anchors current concerns within broader studies of childhood and childhood sexuality and reflects on the likely impacts of recent policy and legislative changes on the management of young sexual abusers. Suggestions for areas of future research and strategic response are offered by way of conclusion. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Economic status: middle class and poor children's views
Authors: Weinger Susan
Published: March 2006

This qualitative study explored low and middle‐income children's character associations regarding economic class and their corresponding friendship choices. Projective techniques employing photographs of houses representing different income level families were used to interview 48 United States children between the ages of five and 14 years, divided equally between low and middle income. It is clear that even at early ages, both realistic assessments and popular prejudices about wealth and poverty were firmly fixed in their minds. Their prejudgments likely prevent them from reaching across economic boundaries on the basis of inherent factors of common interest and friendship. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Parent Concerns Questionnaire: evaluation of a mothers' self report instrument for the identification of problems and needs in child and family social work
Authors: Sheppard Michael , Watkins Mary
Published: March 2006

The measurement of problems and needs is a major issue for policy and practice in social work and social service provision. There has, furthermore, in recent years, been an increasing emphasis on gaining an understanding of users or clients' views of needs and service provision. However, there have been few attempts to develop practitioner and ‘client friendly’ ways of gaining information on problems and needs, either on an individual basis, or through the collection of aggregated data which can be used by local authorities as a whole. Where these have taken place there has been little attempt to assess their reliability or validity. This paper reports on the design and development of the Parent Concerns Questionnaire, an instrument designed to obtain the views of mothers in general, and depressed mothers in particular, in families subject to child and family care intervention. The paper reports on the reliability and validity of this instrument, which is presented as appropriate for use, both with families containing depressed mothers and other families subject to child and family care intervention. It may be used to examine problems and needs both on an individual family‐by‐family basis, and through the aggregation of data, on an authority‐wide basis. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bullying and harassment in schools and the rights of children
Authors: Smith Peter K.
Published: March 2006

By the year 2000, the issue of school bullying has come to occupy a prominent role in the national consciousness of many countries. There has been considerable media publicity, many publications, a great deal of research, and the beginnings of successful school‐based interventions to reduce bullying. In this article I define the term bullying, and discuss the history of the recent upsurge in interest and research. I then overview main findings concerning the nature of school bullying, the school‐based intervention work so far, and the implications for future research and action. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What do we mean by evaluation?
Authors: Newburn Tim
Published: March 2006

The popularity of evaluation research has increased markedly in recent years. Although initially associated with experimental and quasi‐experimental methods, current practices and methods have become much more diverse. This paper provides a brief overview of the recent history of evaluation research – its meanings and purposes – and asks whether the current emphasis on ‘evidence‐based policy’ heralds a brighter future. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Involving communities in the evaluation of programmes with ‘at risk’ children and young people
Authors: France Alan
Published: March 2006

This article explores the relationships between evaluators and those who take part in community‐based programmes. It draws specifically on experience gained from the continuing evaluation of the Communities that Care (CTC) programme in Britain. Different community perspectives towards evaluation are discussed, highlighting the challenges these create for evaluators. In the final sections examples are used to identify different strategies used on the CTC evaluation, showing how ‘trust’, ‘boundary setting’, ‘independence’ and ‘identification of benefits’ are central to including community participants in evaluation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do firms pay for audit risk? Evidence on risk premiums in audit fees after direct control for audit effort
Authors: Niemi Lasse
Published: March 2006

This paper documents the existence of risk premiums in actual audit fees after direct control of audit effort through audit hours in a legal environment (Finland) that can be characterised as mildly litigious. Audit fee and hour data were obtained from the internal archives of four Big Six audit firms. The results suggest that when the client is a listed company, or when the auditor's perceived business risk of the client is higher than average, the audit fee contains a risk premium. As the existence of risk premiums can be documented in the institutional setting examined in this paper, they are also likely to be found in more litigious settings.
Harmonization of Financial Reporting and Auditing Across Cultural Boundaries: An Examination of 201 Company Financial Reports
Authors: Dunn Lawrence J.
Published: March 2006

In 1973 a consortium of nine accountancy bodies under the initiative of Sir Henry Benson formed the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC), an organization devoted to the development of a universal accounting language that companies could use to cross‐list on financial exchanges throughout the world. Effective 2001, the organization became the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and is today recognized as a world leader in setting financial accounting standards. However, good accounting standards are meaningless without strong auditing standards. This study was undertaken to determine the proliferation of International Accounting Standards (IAS) throughout the world financial markets, whilst simultaneously assessing the role that the audit might play in the context of IAS enforcement. Upon completion of the study, many questions remain unanswered.
Changes in the fish species composition of all Austrian lakes >50 ha during the last 150 years
Authors: ZICK D. , GASSNER H. , FILZMOSER P. , WANZENBÖCK J. , PAMMINGER‐LAHNSTEINER B. , TISCHLER G.
Published: March 2006

Abstract  The fish communities of all Austrian natural lakes (n = 43) larger than 50 ha in surface area were assessed and the historical fish communities in c. 1850 were reconstructed. During the last 150 years, the fish communities of Austrian lakes have altered: in 49% of lakes at least one indigenous fish species, usually sensitive or small‐bodied taxa, is now missing. Conversely, in all but one of the 43 lakes the number of fish species has increased. In particular, certain fish species of interest to angling and commercial fisheries now occur in more lakes. Generalised linear models were used to identify variables that would explain the loss of fish species using categories of lake use (ranking score). The category human population density around the lakes seemed to be one of the main causes for the loss of fish species.
Incidental catch and discard of red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, in a large mesh Paralichthyidae gillnet fishery: experimental evaluation of a fisher's experience at limiting bycatch
Authors: BUCKEL J. A. , HINES R. J. , MCARTHUR T. C.
Published: March 2006

Abstract  The ability of a commercial fisher to limit red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus (Linnaeus), bycatch was evaluated by comparing the catch of directed sets (net site chosen by the commercial fisher) vs randomly placed gillnets during 70 days of gillnetting (n = 691 sets). Catch rate did not differ between directed sets and nets set randomly. Thus, fisher experience did not lead to reduced bycatch; however, this may have been influenced by overall low red drum bycatch (0.41 fish net−1 for 12 h sets and 0.59 fish net−1 for 24 h sets). Catch rates of southern flounder were much higher at 3.97 and 3.37 fish net−1 for 12 h and 24 h sets, respectively. Fishing 10 nets per day, the catch of red drum exceeded the daily bag limit of seven red drum on 23% of the days. Of the 326 red drum retrieved from gillnets, 32.5% were dead at the time of retrieval; but only 15 of the 106 dead red drum had to be discarded due to size limits, and six were discarded dead based on bag limits. Current fisheries management regulations (bag limit and window limit of 457–686 mm) are supported by these findings given the conditions (e.g. red drum densities) at which the study was performed.
Hypoxia‐based habitat compression of tropical pelagic fishes
Authors: PRINCE ERIC D. , GOODYEAR C. PHILLIP
Published: March 2006

Large areas of cold hypoxic water occur as distinct strata in the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP) and Atlantic oceans as a result of high productivity initiated by intense nutrient upwelling. We show that this stratum restricts the depth distribution of tropical pelagic marlins, sailfish, and tunas by compressing the acceptable physical habitat into a narrow surface layer. This layer extends downward to a variable boundary defined by a shallow thermocline, often at 25 m, above a barrier of cold hypoxic water. The depth distributions of marlin and sailfish monitored with electronic tags and average dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature profiles show that this cold hypoxic environment constitutes a lower habitat boundary in the ETP, but not in the western North Atlantic (WNA), where DO is not limiting. Eastern Pacific and eastern Atlantic sailfish are larger than those in WNA, where the hypoxic zone is much deeper or absent. Larger sizes may reflect enhanced foraging opportunities afforded by the closer proximity of predator and prey in compressed habitat, as well as by the higher productivity. The shallow band of acceptable habitat restricts these fishes to a very narrow surface layer and makes them more vulnerable to over‐exploitation by surface gears. Predictably, the long‐term landings of tropical pelagic tunas from areas of habitat compression have been far greater than in surrounding areas. Many tropical pelagic species in the Atlantic Ocean are currently either fully exploited or overfished and their future status could be quite sensitive to increased fishing pressures, particularly in areas of habitat compression.
Effects of predation and nutrient enrichment on a food web with edible and inedible prey
Authors: STEVENS M. HENRY H. , STEINER CLAIRE E.
Published: March 2006

1. Trophic heterogeneity, or differences in edibility or resource consumption among species within a single trophic level, is widespread in natural food webs. Here, we test simple food web models that incorporate trophic heterogenity and that make robust predictions regarding food web responses to nutrient enrichment. To test these predictions, we assembled simple food webs consisting of an inedible alga, a mixed assemblage of bacteria, and a protist bacterivore in laboratory microcosms of contrasting nutrient concentrations.

2. Several results were consistent with model predictions. First, increasing nutrient concentration caused an increase in the abundance of the inedible alga, but only in the presence of the bacterivore. Secondly, nutrient enrichment increased the abundance of bacteria, but only in the absence of their bacterivore. Last, nutrient enrichment had no effect on abundance of the bacterivore.

3. Two results were not consistent with model predictions. First, at low nutrient concentrations, the presence of the bacterivore increased the abundance of bacteria. Secondly, although the abundances of the bacterivore and bacteria were positively correlated, some of the lowest abundances of both occurred in the high nutrient treatment. Thus, while our results were generally consistent with several simple food web models, additional explanations are required for selected food web responses.
Exploring the nursing role in pain management from a post‐structuralist perspective
Authors: Price Kay , Cheek Juhanne
Published: March 2006

The way in which discourses influence understandings of pain and the management of pain by nurses has received little attention in the nursing literature This is particularly apparent with the taken‐for‐granted practice of using self‐reports of pain as the basis for the development of treatment regimes designed to manage that pain This paper uses a post‐structural frame to analyse the way in which pain itself, and the management of that pain, are texts which are discursively constructed In so doing it opens up possibilities for a ‘different’ nursing role in the management of pain
Reinstating the person in the professional: reflections on empathy and aesthetic experience
Authors: Smyth Terry
Published: March 2006

Although the literature seems to suggest that the caring professions have embraced a view of the ‘whole’ person, there are some important weaknesses in current models and practices Nurses, as people, are often left out of the care equation To offer creative and rounded care, nurses need to accept all aspects of both their own personalities and those of their clients This exploratory paper argues that aesthetics and the arts are influential forces in all our lives, however, despite this, they are rarely discussed explicitly in the nursing literature The value of aesthetics and the arts to the nursing profession is introduced and explored through reflections on the concept of empathy
Loneliness in elderly people: an important area for nursing research
Authors: Donaldson Jean M , Watson Roger
Published: March 2006

The phenomenon of loneliness occurs in people of all ages but may be a particular problem in the elderly It is acknowledged that loneliness is not a necessary accompaniment to ageing and that ageing is not solely responsible for the development of loneliness in elderly people However, there is a relationship between ageing and loneliness Four major theories of loneliness are reviewed and their utility for application to research in the elderly is examined along with a consideration of the ways in which loneliness can be measured While causal relationships are difficult to determine, there is evidence that loneliness is associated with a number of physical and psychological pathologies and the relevance of these to nursing is discussed There is a growing awareness of the phenomenon of loneliness in elderly people in the nursing literature and some evidence that nursing intervention can be beneficial in this regard both at alleviating loneliness and reducing some of the adverse effects of loneliness Finally some directions for nursing research are presented which are aimed at improving the assessment and nursing intervention for loneliness in elderly people
Coalescing the theories of two nurse visionaries: Parse and Watson
Authors: Walker Charles A
Published: March 2006

The theories of two nurse visionaries, Rosemarie Rizzo Parse and Jean Watson, are examined for areas of agreement and notable differences Watson and Parse reject (or hold seriously suspect) traditional, positivistic methods of studying human behaviour and posit their theories as alternatives to the totality paradigm Since both of these theories, Parse's theory of human becoming and Watson's theory of transpersonal care, borrow heavily from existential phenomenology, major tenets of this philosophic perspective are outlined Each theory is then described with emphasis on anchoring motifs, concepts, and principles Next both theories are analysed and critiqued simultaneously Finally, the theories are applied to a case study with the intent of maximizing their mutual strengths and diminishing their limitations Coalescence of compatible theories is recommended as a way of enhancing the application of nursing knowledge in practice
Regulative support for collaborative scientific inquiry learning
Authors: Manlove S. , Lazonder A.W. , de Jong T.
Published: March 2006

Abstract
This study examined whether online tool support for regulation promotes student learning during collaborative inquiry in a computer simulation‐based learning environment. Sixty‐one students worked in small groups to conduct a scientific inquiry with fluid dynamics. Groups in the experimental condition received a support tool with regulatory guidelines; control groups were given a version of this tool from which these instructions were removed. Results showed facilitative effects for the fully specified support tool on learning outcomes and initial planning. Qualitative data elucidated how regulative guidelines enhanced learning and suggests ways to further improve regulative processes within collaborative inquiry learning settings.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV): A Ring Test Performed in Germany to Assess RT‐PCR Detection Methods
Authors: Truyen U. , Wilhelm S. , Genzow M. , Schagemann G.
Published: March 2006

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is a major pathogen of swine. Due to genetic variation between the European and the US genotype as well as within both genotypes detection of PRRSV is a diagnostic challenge. This paper reports on a ring test to compare different established reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction methods applied routinely in 16 different laboratories in Germany. Three different sets of samples were sent to the laboratories which were to be analysed as follows: (i) basis package: detection of PRRS (yes/no); (ii) differentiation package I: differentiation of EU and US genotypes; and (iii) differentiation package II: differentiation of EU field isolates and EU vaccine strain. A total of 80% of the samples of the basic package were analysed correctly, the analysis of the differentiation package I revealed 61.82% correctly tested samples and the two laboratories that analysed the differentiation package II showed only one correct result. The ring test showed that the majority of incorrect diagnoses were false‐negative results.
Extended Phylogeny of Equine Arteritis Virus: Division into New Subgroups
Authors: Mittelholzer C. , Stadejek T. , Johansson I. , Baule C. , Ciabatti I. , Hannant D. , Paton D. , Autorino G. L. , Nowotny N. , Belák S.
Published: March 2006

To determine a conclusive phylogeny, equine arteritis viruses from Italy, Austria, Hungary, Sweden, South Africa and other parts of the world were analysed by reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction amplification and direct sequencing. The nucleotide sequences corresponding to the variable part of the large glycoprotein GP5, specified by open reading frame 5, were compared and added to a previously published phylogenetic tree in which a clear division between ‘European’ and ‘American’ type viruses had been established. Adding the sequences determined in this study and new sequences retrieved from GenBank revealed additional diversity and new subgroups.
Serodiagnostic Comparison Between Two Methods, ELISA and Surface Plasmon Resonance for the Detection of Antibody Titres of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae
Authors: Kim T. J. , Cho H. S. , Park N. Y. , Lee J. I.
Published: March 2006

A protein chip based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was developed for measuring the Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae antibody titres using a recombinant 30‐kDa fragment of P97 adhesin as an antigen. The diagnostic potential of this SPR assay, for detecting the antibody titres to the M. hyopneumoniae 30‐kDa protein, was compared with that of conventional ELISA using 70 pig serum samples taken from six pig farms. The SPR assay was found to be highly specific and sensitive. Moreover, there was a strong positive correlation between the SPR and ELISA titres (n = 70, r = 0.898, P < 0.01). Therefore, this recombinant 30‐kDa protein can be used as an antigen for serological studies, and the SPR, which is a label‐free method, is expected to be a valuable and reproducible tool in the serodiagnosis of M. hyopneumoniae infection.
Normal Somatic Cell Count and Subclinical Mastitis in Murrah Buffaloes
Authors: Dhakal I. P.
Published: March 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the normal somatic cell count (SCC) and to define subclinical mastitis in Murrah buffaloes. Data were collected from 60 clinically normal buffaloes stationed at five farms of Chitwan Nepal and Buffalo Research Center, Hissar, India. Somatic cell count was measured using the Newman–Lampert staining technique. The upper limit of SCC was determined ≥200 000/ml of milk based on the mean ± 2SD of a total SCC. Abnormal data of the SCC was repeatedly removed, which lie beyond the values of more than mean + 2SD until all the data come to lie within (mean + 2SD). Averages of SCC of right front and right hind quarters were significantly higher than left front and left hind quarters. Nearly 94% of California mastitis test (CMT) negative quarters were having somatic cells ≥200 000/ml. The mean SCC of CMT positive quarter was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than CMT negative quarters. Subclinical mastitis was diagnosed on the basis of samples with SCCs ≥200 000/ml with positive bacterial cultures. Subclinical mastitis was found in 21.7% buffaloes and 8% of the quarter foremilk samples. Neutrophil counts were significantly higher in subclinical mastitis milk.
Complications and the learning curve for a laparoscopic nephrectomy at a single institution
Authors: KANNO TORU , SHICHIRI YASUMASA , OIDA TOMOYUKI , KANAMARU HIROSHI , TAKAO NORIYASU , SHIMIZU YOSUKE
Published: March 2006

Background:  We assessed our experiences in performing a laparoscopic nephrectomy, with regard to complications and the learning curve, during a 4‐year period.

Methods:  Between November 2000 and October 2004, a total of 78 laparoscopic nephrectomies were performed at our institution (37 radical nephrectomies, 30 nephroureterectomies and 11 simple nephrectomies). The patient charts were retrospectively reviewed to identify any operative and postoperative complications, and also to evaluate the operating time.

Results:  A total of eleven complications (14.1%) occurred in our series (nine operative and two postoperative complications). All operative complications were due to vascular injuries (n = 9), five (2.6%) of which required an open conversion. The operating time and the rates of complications decreased significantly as the surgeons’ experiences increased.

Conclusion:  A laparoscopic nephrectomy could be performed as safely as previously reported. In addition, the learning curve for a laparoscopic nephrectomy appeared to be good over the initial 50 procedures at our institution.
Do children with primary nocturnal enuresis have a retarded bone age? A cross‐sectional study
Authors: NUHOĞLU BARIS̨ , AYYILDIZ ALI , FIDAN VECIHI , CEBECI ÖZDEN , KOS̨AR UĞUR , GERMIYANOĞLU CANKON
Published: March 2006

Objective:  Nocturnal enuresis is a common pediatric problem, the etiology of which is unclear. In recent years, various studies have been published stating that children with nocturnal enuresis exhibit growth and skeletal maturation retardation.

Methods:  In this cross‐sectional study, we included 27 patients (16 boys, 11 girls) between the ages of 6 and 14 years who had presented with primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE) complaints. We included in the evaluation 19 healthy subjects (12 boys, 7 girls), who were the siblings of the children with PNE, as the control group.

Results:  The patients in both groups were similar in chronological age, bone age, height and weight, with no significant difference between groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion:  The two groups in our study consisted of the same genetic background. Thus, our results were found to be different from the previous studies.

We have concluded that there is no direct relationship between enuresis nocturnal and skeletal maturation.
Endoscope‐assisted minilaparotomic radical retropubic prostatectomy
Authors: YAMADA YOSHIAKI , NAKAMURA KOGENTA , AOKI SHIGEYUKI , TAKI TOMOHIRO , KOKUBO HIROTO , MATSUBARA HIROYUKI , TOBIUME MOTOI , HONDA NOBUAKI
Published: March 2006

Objective:  To assess the clinical efficacy of endoscope‐assisted minilaparotomic radical retropubic prostatectomy (EAM‐RRP) compared with conventional radical retropubic prostatectomy (cRRP).

Methods:  From September 2001 to December 2003, 30 patients with localized prostate cancer were treated by EAM‐RRP. The surgical manipulation was performed through the wound with thoracoscopic assistance, using standard surgical instruments. In all cases, 800 mL of blood was collected from the patient for autotransfusion. For both EAM‐RRP and cRRP, the internal iliac and obturator lymph nodes were dissected before the prostate removal. Clinical indicators such as operation time, blood loss, and duration of postoperative urine incontinence were analysed in the two groups.

Results:  The postoperative period before ambulation and the duration of postoperative urine incontinence were significantly shorter after EAM‐RRP than after cRRP, while no significant difference was found in operation time, blood loss, and duration of urethral catheterization. None of the cases required allotransfusion.

Conclusion:  EAM‐RRP, which had a shorter postoperative period before ambulation and continence, is considered a safe and useful technique for radical prostatectomy.