bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SEMI-SUPERVISED SEQUENCE CLASSIFICATION WITH HMMs
Authors: ZHONG SHI
Published: March 2005

Using unlabeled data to help supervised learning has become an increasingly attractive methodology and proven to be effective in many applications. This paper applies semi-supervised classification algorithms, based on hidden Markov models, to classify sequences. For model-based classification, semi-supervised learning amounts to using both labeled and unlabeled data to train model parameters. We examine three different strategies of using labeled and unlabeled data in the model training process. These strategies differ in how and when labeled and unlabeled data contribute to the model training process. We also compare regular semi-supervised learning, where there are separate unlabeled training data and unlabeled test data, with transductive learning where we do not differentiate between unlabeled training data and unlabeled test data. Our experimental results on synthetic and real EEG time-series show that substantially improved classification accuracy can be achieved by these semi-supervised learning strategies. The effect of model complexity on semi-supervised learning is also studied in our experiments.
Paradoxical Enhancement of Active Cochlear Mechanics in Long-Term Administration of Salicylate
Authors: Huang Zhi-Wu , Luo Yanyun , Wu Zhanyuan , Tao Zhezhang , Jones Raleigh O. , Zhao Hong-Bo
Published: March 2005

Aspirin (salicylate) is a common drug and frequently used long term in the clinic. It has been well documented that salicylate can cause reversible hearing loss and tinnitus and diminish outer hair cell (OHC) electromotility, which is capable of actively boosting the basilar membrane vibration and producing acoustic emission. However, aspirin's ototoxic mechanisms still remain largely unclear. In this experiment, the effects of long-term salicylate administration on cochlear hearing functions were investigated by measuring distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in awake guinea pigs. A single injection of sodium salicylate (200 mg/kg) could reduce the amplitude of the cubic distortion product of 2 f1- f2within 2 h. The reduction was significant at 20–50 dB SPL stimulus levels and recovered after 8 h. However, following daily injections of sodium salicylate (200 mg/kg, b.i.d.), the distortion product of 2 f1- f2progressively increased. After injection for 14 days, the distortion product increased about 2–3.5 dB SPL. The increase rate was about 0.2 dB SPL/day. The DP-I/O function remained nonlinear. The increase was greater at 40–70 dB SPL primary sound intensities and reversible. After cessation of salicylate treatment for 4 wk, the increased distortion product returned to the initial normal levels. The rate of recovery was 0.1 dB SPL/day. In the control animals with saline injection, there was no change in DPOAEs. The data revealed that long-term administration of salicylate could paradoxically enhance active cochlear mechanics. The data also suggested that salicylate-induced tinnitus might be generated at the OHC level.
Women's health groups to improve perinatal care in rural Nepal
Authors: Morrison Joanna , Tamang Suresh , Mesko Natasha , Osrin David , Shrestha Bhim , Manandhar Madan , Manandhar Dharma , Standing Hilary , Costello Anthony
Published: March 2005

Background

Neonatal mortality rates are high in rural Nepal where more than 90% of deliveries are in the home. Evidence suggests that death rates can be reduced by interventions at community level. We describe an intervention which aimed to harness the power of community planning and decision making to improve maternal and newborn care in rural Nepal.

Methods

The development of 111 women's groups in a population of 86 704 in Makwanpur district, Nepal is described. The groups, facilitated by local women, were the intervention component of a randomized controlled trial to reduce perinatal and neonatal mortality rates. Through participant observation and analysis of reports, we describe the implementation of this intervention: the community entry process, the facilitation of monthly meetings through a participatory action cycle of problem identification, community planning, and implementation and evaluation of strategies to tackle the identified problems.

Results

In response to the needs of the group, participatory health education was added to the intervention and the women's groups developed varied strategies to tackle problems of maternal and newborn care: establishing mother and child health funds, producing clean home delivery kits and operating stretcher schemes. Close linkages with community leaders and community health workers improved strategy implementation. There were also indications of positive effects on group members and health services, and most groups remained active after 30 months.

Conclusion

A large scale and potentially sustainable participatory intervention with women's groups, which focused on pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn period, resulted in innovative strategies identified by local communities to tackle perinatal care problems.
Termination of the leprosy isolation policy in the US and Japan : Science, policy changes, and the garbage can model
Authors: Sato Hajime , Frantz Janet E
Published: March 2005

Background

In both the US and Japan, the patient isolation policy for leprosy /Hansen's disease (HD) was preserved along with the isolation facilities, long after it had been proven to be scientifically unnecessary. This delayed policy termination caused a deprivation of civil liberties of the involuntarily confined patients, the fostering of social stigmas attached to the disease, and an inefficient use of health resources. This article seeks to elucidate the political process which hindered timely policy changes congruent with scientific advances.

Methods

Examination of historical materials, supplemented by personal interviews. The role that science played in the process of policy making was scrutinized with particular reference to the Garbage Can model.

Results

From the vantage of history, science remained instrumental in all period in the sense that it was not the primary objective for which policy change was discussed or intended, nor was it the principal driving force for policy change. When the argument arose, scientific arguments were employed to justify the patient isolation policy. However, in the early post-WWII period, issues were foregrounded and agendas were set as the inadvertent result of administrative reforms. Subsequently, scientific developments were more or less ignored due to concern about adverse policy outcomes. Finally, in the 1980s and 1990s, scientific arguments were used instrumentally to argue against isolation and for the termination of residential care.

Conclusion

Contrary to public expectations, health policy is not always rational and scientifically justified. In the process of policy making, the role of science can be limited and instrumental. Policy change may require the opening of policy windows, as a result of convergence of the problem, policy, and political streams, by effective exercise of leadership. Scientists and policymakers should be attentive enough to the political context of policies.
Comparative performance of the 16S rRNA gene in DNA barcoding of amphibians
Authors: Vences Miguel , Thomas Meike , van der Meijden Arie , Chiari Ylenia , Vieites David R
Published: March 2005

Background

Identifying species of organisms by short sequences of DNA has been in the center of ongoing discussions under the terms DNA barcoding or DNA taxonomy. A C-terminal fragment of the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) has been proposed as universal marker for this purpose among animals.

Results

Herein we present experimental evidence that the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene fulfills the requirements for a universal DNA barcoding marker in amphibians. In terms of universality of priming sites and identification of major vertebrate clades the studied 16S fragment is superior to COI. Amplification success was 100% for 16S in a subset of fresh and well-preserved samples of Madagascan frogs, while various combination of COI primers had lower success rates.COI priming sites showed high variability among amphibians both at the level of groups and closely related species, whereas 16S priming sites were highly conserved among vertebrates. Interspecific pairwise 16S divergences in a test group of Madagascan frogs were at a level suitable for assignment of larval stages to species (1–17%), with low degrees of pairwise haplotype divergence within populations (0–1%).

Conclusion

We strongly advocate the use of 16S rRNA as standard DNA barcoding marker for vertebrates to complement COI, especially if samples a priori could belong to various phylogenetically distant taxa and false negatives would constitute a major problem.
Tetrafluorobenzyne Thermochemistry: Experiment and Theory
Authors: Pratt Lawrence M. , Fattahi Alireza , Kass Steven R.
Published: March 2005

Gas-phase thermodynamic properties of 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzyne (1 – H2) were determined by Fourier transform mass spectrometry and ab initio and density functional theory methods. 1,2,3,4-Tetrafluorobenzyne radical anion was generated by abstraction of a proton and a hydrogen atom upon reaction of 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzene (1) with O−•. The resulting structure was confirmed by converting it to a species which could be independently prepared. Bracketing results provided the proton affinity of 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzyne radical anion and the electron affinities of 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorobenzyne and 1,2,3,4-tetrafluorophenyl radical. These measured values were combined in a thermodynamic cycle to provide the heat of hydrogenation of 1 – H2 (Δ H°hyd = 367 ± 18 kJ mol−1) and the first and second C–H bond dissociation energies of 1 (481 ± 11 and 321 ± 13 kJ mol−1). The same approach failed for the meta and para isomers, but their energetics were examined using B3LYP and CCSD(T) computations.
Li+-Coordinated Polyglycol Radicals: Ion—Molecule Reactions with Alkenes and Ethers
Authors: Polce Michael J. , Modarelli Jody M. , Wesdemiotis Chrys
Published: March 2005

The Li+ complexes of the radicals HOCH2CH2O• (“oxy” radical), HOCH2CH2OCH2• (“methyl” radical) and HOCH2CH2OCH2CH2• (“ethyl” radical) are produced in the gas phase by fast atom bombardment of poly(ethylene glycol) 200 and the ion–molecule reactions of these novel distonic ions, [R•+Li]+, with 1-butene, dimethyl ether and methyl vinyl ether are examined in the hexapole collision cell of a sector/quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer. The products arising from these reactions depend on the reagent used and the type of radical site present in [R•+Li]+. With 1-butene, predominantly radical-site addition–eliminations take place, initiated by addition of the unpaired electron of [R•+Li]+ to the olefinic double bond; fragmentations, induced by the unpaired electron of the adduct, follow to create stable closed-shell products. Dimethyl ether attaches to the charge site of [R•+Li]+ (i.e. at the metal ion) and the adduct reacts further by elimination of (mainly) small radicals from either the original [R•+Li]+ segment or the added reagent. Methyl vinyl ether, which blends the structural features of alkenes and ethers, gives rise to a combination of such radical-and charge-site addition–fragmentation processes. The dissociations promoted by the unpaired electron involve β-scissions and •H rearrangements, which are the typical reactions of neutral radicals. All lithiated radicals undergo addition to double bonds. A significant fraction of the oxy radical also reacts via hydrogen atom abstraction from the added reagent. The charge site (metal ion) does not directly participate in the radical-site reactions observed, but facilitates specific channels by transiently coordinating to dissociating ligands, so that inter-ligand hydrogen atom rearrangements between these ligands can occur. This type of metal ion involvement in radical reactivity could be particularly important in biological milieus where metal ions abound.
Silica Sampling and Analysis: Legal Issues Evolving from Regulatory Standards and the Role of ASTM E 1132
Authors: Abrams AL
Published: March 2005

Regulation of crystalline silica is a current priority on the rulemaking agendas of both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). OSHA's draft standard has raised issues concerning which sampling and analytical procedures will be incorporated into the new regulation, and utilization of ASTM E 1132 is being considered as part of a comprehensive regulatory scheme for respirable crystalline silica. Citations supported by governmental determinations form the basis for “negligence per se” findings in tort litigation and constitute evidence of overexposure relative to worker's compensation and personal injury claims. This paper analyzes health issues associated with crystalline silica exposure, the rise of silica-related tort litigation, regulatory developments at the federal governmental level, the role of voluntary consensus standards, and recommendations for remedial action to minimize risk of harm to workers and the general public.
Spatial Variations in Material Properties of Segmental Retaining Wall (SRW) Units, Part I: Observed Variations
Authors: Chan C , Hover KC , Folliard KJ
Published: March 2005

An experimental program was conducted to examine the variations and distribution of measured properties in Segmental Retaining Wall (SRW) units. Flexural strength, flexural elastic modulus, and rate of absorption tests were conducted on specimens extracted from various split face SRW units and whose locations within the parent blocks were known. In general, material existing in regions at the bottommost layer of a block (i.e., material first deposited during casting) and farthest away from the split face displayed highest flexural strengths and elastic moduli and lowest absorptions out of all sampling locations considered. On the other hand, material in the middle layer and closest to the split face displayed lowest flexural strength and elastic moduli and highest absorptions. In addition, the SRW material also exhibited anisotropy with respect to flexural elastic modulus among samples taken at the same location within a block. These observations suggest that the blocks cannot be considered homogeneous throughout and that attention must be paid to possible spatial variations in measured properties when sampling specimens for testing.
Ultrathin Films to Modify Mechanical and Tribological Behavior of MEMS Components
Authors: Rymuza Z
Published: March 2005

Possible methods to control mechanical and tribological behavior of contacting/sliding surfaces in MEMS devices are discussed. Two types of ultrathin films were investigated as possible candidates to use as self-lubricating and wear resistant coatings on MEMS components manufactured using silicon. The techniques of deposition and the results of mechanical and tribological studies on micro/nano-scales of these films are presented and discussed. Wear-resistant coatings were deposited and tested multilayer films being the combinations of the single layers produced using TiN, CrN, and NbN.
Local names, foreign claims: family inheritance and national heritage on a Greek island
Authors: Sutton David E.
Published: March 2005

In this article I analyze the ways in which a national response to an international controversy—the naming of the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”—is mediated by local‐level kinship practices. While the Greek government insists that it has historical claims to this name, much of the press in the United States and Europe depicts Greece as displaying “hysteria over history” with respect to this issue. Both of these discourses mask the significance of the issue of the name “Macedonia” for ordinary Greeks, as interpreted through their ideologies and practices concerned with giving baptismal names and with inheritance and continuity. These provide the unstated assumptions through which a national ideology of historical continuity is filtered and reformulated. This case study suggests how anthropologists can make a unique contribution to current studies of nationalism “from the bottom up.”
The Natural History of the Soul In Ancient Mexico
Authors: Taggart James M.
Published: March 2005

The Natural History of the Soul In Ancient Mexico. JILL LESLIE MCKEEVER FURST. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1995. x + 230 pp., illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.
Romantic Passion: A Universal Experience?
Authors: Passerini Lusia
Published: March 2005

Romantic Passion: A Universal Experience? WILLIAM JANKOWIAK, ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 1995. viii + 310 pp., contributors, notes, references, index.
Wrapping In Images: Tattooing in Polynesia
Authors: Shore Bradd
Published: March 2005

Wrapping In Images: Tattooing in Polynesia. ALFRED GELL. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993. xi + 347 pp., diagrams, figures, tables, bibliography, Index.
L'avènement du père: rite, représentation, tantasme, dans un culte mélanesien
Authors: Brutti Lorenzo
Published: March 2005

L'avènement du père: rite, représentation, tantasme, dans un culte mélanesien. BERNARD JUILLERAT. Paris: CNRS Editions—Editions de la Malson des Sciences de I'Homme, 1996. 289 pp., illustrations.
Sex and the Empire That Is No More: Gender and the Politics of Metaphor in Qyo Yoruba Religion
Authors: Boddy Janice
Published: March 2005

Sex and the Empire That Is No More: Gender and the Politics of Metaphor in Qyo Yoruba Religion. J. LORAND MATORY. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1994. xviii + 295 pp., figures, photographs, appendixes, notes, bibliography, index.
Fields of Wheat, Hills of Blood: Passages to Nationhood in Greek Macedonia 1870‐1990
Authors: Rheubottom David
Published: March 2005

Fields of Wheat, Hills of Blood: Passages to Nationhood in Greek Macedonia 1870‐1990. ANASTASIA N. KARAKASIDOU. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997. xxiv. 334 pp., maps, gallery, appendix, tables, notes, bibliography, index.
Reason and Passion: Representation of Gender in Malay Society
Authors: Weix G. G.
Published: March 2005

Reason and Passion: Representation of Gender in Malay Society. MICHAEL PELETZ. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. xiii. 402 pp., illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.
Keeping House In Lusaka
Authors: Cliggett Lisa
Published: March 2005

Keeping House In Lusaka. KAREN TRANBERG HANSEN. New York: Columbia University Press, 1997. xii. 228 pp., plates, maps, tables, notes, bibliography, index.
The Allure of the Foreign: Imported Goods In Postcolonlal Latin America
Authors: Seligmann Linda J.
Published: March 2005

The Allure of the Foreign: Imported Goods In Postcolonlal Latin America. BENJAMIN ORLOVE. ed. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1997. viii. 226 pp., bibliography, contributors, index.
Freeze Frame: Alaska Eskimos In the Movies
Authors: Graburn Nelson , Borja Cari
Published: March 2005

Freeze Frame: Alaska Eskimos In the Movies. ANN FIENUP‐RIORDAN. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1995. xxi. 234 pp., maps, illustrations, filmography, references, index.
God's Daughters: Evangelical Women and the Power of Submission
Authors: Csordas Thomas
Published: March 2005

God's Daughters: Evangelical Women and the Power of Submission. R. MARIE GRIFFITH. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997. xi. 275 pp., notes, bibliiography, index.
Mass Culture and Modernism In Egypt
Authors: Starrett Gregory
Published: March 2005

Mass Culture and Modernism In Egypt. WALTER ARMBRUST. Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press, 1996. xil. 275 pp., illustrations, notes, references, index.
Pronouncing and Persevering: Gender and the Discourses of Disputing in an African Islamic Court
Authors: Stoeltje Beverly
Published: March 2005

Pronouncing and Persevering: Gender and the Discourses of Disputing in an African Islamic Court. SUSAN F. HIRSCH. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. xiii. 360 pp., glossary, notes, references, index.
People of the Rainbow: A Nomadic Utopia
Authors: Mullin Molly H.
Published: March 2005

People of the Rainbow:. Nomadic Utopia. MICHAEL I. NIMAN. Knoxville‐ University of Tennessee Press, 1997. xiv. 274 pp., appendixes, notes, glossary, index, illustrations.
School‐Smart and Mother‐Wise: Working‐Class Women's Identity and Schooling
Authors: Stambach Amy
Published: March 2005

School‐Smart and Mother‐Wise: Working‐Class Women's Identity and Schooling. WENDY LUTTRELL New York: Routledge, 1997. xv +164 pp., notes, references, index.
Economies and Cultures: Foundations of Economic Anthropology
Authors: Tannenbaum Nicola
Published: March 2005

Economies and Cultures: Foundations of Economic Anthropology. RICHARD R. WILK. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996. xvii. 198 pp., illustrations, figures, appendix, bibliography, index.
Transforming Societies, Transforming Anthropology
Authors: Brush Stephen
Published: March 2005

Transforming Societies, Transforming Anthropology. EMILIO F. MORAN. ed. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1998. xil. 361 pp., contributors, index.
Between Marriage and the Market: Intimate Politics and Survival in Cairo
Authors: Faier Elizabeth
Published: March 2005

Between Marriage and the Market: Intimate Politics and Survival in Cairo. HOMA HOODFAR. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997. xviii. 302 pp., tables, references, index.
The Anthropology of Infectious Disease: International Health Perspectives
Authors: Wiley Andrea S.
Published: March 2005

The Anthropology of Infectious Disease: International Health Perspectives. MARCIA C. INHORN and PETER J. BROWN. eds. Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach Publishers, 1997. xv. 495 pp., contributors, index
Social Reproduction and History in Melanesia: Mortuary Ritual, Gift Exchange, and Custom in the Tanga Islands
Authors: Sykes Karen
Published: March 2005

Social Reproduction and History in Melanesia: Mortuary Ritual, Gift Exchange, and Custom in the Tanga Islands. ROBERT J. FOSTER. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995. xxii. 288 pp., index, bibliography, glossary, notes, figures.
Effect of different skin permeation enhancers on tack of a pressure sensitive adhesive
Authors: Lahootifard F. , Taghizadeh S. Mojtaba
Published: March 2005

Solutions of an acrylic copolymer pressure sensitive adhesive with different concentrations of propylene glycol (PG) and oleic acid (OA) were cast on a PET film. A rolling ball tack test was carried out on the adhesive coated tapes with different thicknesses. The results were explained on the basis of the surface (energy and roughness) and viscoelastic properties of the copolymer, which were related to the glass‐transition temperature. The 60‐μm PG samples with an approximately equal glass‐transition temperature and surface energy did not have a significantly different tack value. The tack value of the 30‐μm tapes decreased with PG concentrations above 15% (w/w), which was related to an increase in the surface roughness with a more prominent effect at the lower thickness. OA, which improved both the surface and viscoelastic properties, increased the tack value up to 15% (w/w). However, the tack value decreased above 15% (w/w). This was explained on the basis of OA large crystals, which can decrease viscoelastic energy dissipations and form a mechanically weak surface layer. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1287–1291, 2005
Effects of modifiers in organoclays on the curing reaction of liquid‐crystalline epoxy resin
Authors: Shen Min‐Min , Lu Man‐Geng , Chen Yong‐Lie , Ha Cheng‐Yong
Published: March 2005

The effects of three organoclays (Cloisite 10A, 93A, and 30B) with different modifiers on the curing reaction of a liquid‐crystalline epoxy (LCE) resin based on 4,4′‐diglycidyloxybiphenyl and the curing agent sulfanilamide were studied. The curing kinetics of the LCE and clay composites were analyzed with differential scanning calorimetry. The Flyann–Wall–Ozawa and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose methods were used to calculate the activation energies at different conversions. All three alkylammonium ions lowered the reaction activation energy and catalyzed the epoxy ring‐opening reaction with the diamine curing agent. 30B, with two hydroxy groups of quaternary ammonium, showed the highest catalysis because the hydroxy groups facilitated the curing process. 10A and 93A had similar catalytic abilities. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1329–1334, 2005
Reactions of hydroxyalkyl esters with phenyl isocyanate
Authors: Lubczak Renata , Lubczak Jacek
Published: March 2005

In a reaction between 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate and phenyl isocyanate (PI), we did not obtain the expected urethane ester monomer but products of its subsequent conversion, namely, ethylene dimethacrylate and ethylene bis(phenylcarbamate). The effects of the structures of various hydroxyalkyl esters on the transformation of the products of their reaction with PI into their respective diesters and alkanediyl bis(phenylcarbamates) were observed with standard spectral methods (IR, 1H‐NMR) and chromatographic and classical separation techniques. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1357–1367, 2005
Formation of Fluorinated 1‐Oxaspiro[2.5]octa‐4,7‐dienes from Polyfluorinated Cyclohexa‐2,5‐dienones with Diazomethane and Reactions with Aryl and2‐Chloroethyl Isocyanates
Authors: Kovtonyuk Vladimir N. , Kobrina Ljubov S. , Kataeva, Olga M. , Haufe Günter
Published: March 2005

The reactions of four polyfluorinated cyclohexa‐2,5‐dienones 1a–1d, additionally substituted with an electron withdrawing substituent at the 4‐position, with diazomethane give mixtures of two diastereomeric fluorinated 1‐oxaspiro[2.5]octa‐4,7‐dienes 2 and 3. Compounds 2a/3a and 2b/3b react with aryl and 2‐chloroethyl isocyanates in the presence of lithium chloride or sodium pentafluorophenoxide to form fluorinated dihydro‐1,3‐benzoxazol‐2(3H)‐ones 5a–5c as the major products. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Capillary electrophoresis‐mass spectrometry in impurity profiling of pharmaceutical products
Authors: Visky Dora , Jimidar Ilias , Van Ael Willy , Vennekens Tom , Redlich Dirk , De Smet Maurits
Published: March 2005

Generally reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC) methods are extensively applied during quality control of pharmaceutical products. Since capillary electrophoresis (CE) is based on a different separation principle and consequently results in a unique selectivity compared to RP‐HPLC, it can advantageously be used as an orthogonal technique. CE equipped with a mass spectrometer detector provides even more information that can be helpful for identification and structural elucidation purposes. CE‐MS was recently implemented in the method development approach to support impurity profiling of pharmaceutical products. In this paper the application of CE‐electrospray ionization (ESI)‐MS/MS to the impurity profiling of galantamine hydrobromide in stressed Reminyl® Extended Release (ER) capsules is discussed. Reminyl® ER samples were stressed at different storing conditions. The impurity profile of these samples was compared with the current RP‐HPLC and chiral CE method, but also with CE‐ESI‐MS/MS. The combination of these three methods provided valuable data that allowed understanding comprehensively the impurity profile of these samples. Two impurities were detected at concentrations lower than 0.05%, which did not occur in nonstressed samples. Chromatographic data and the fragmentation patterns of galantamine and related compounds were also examined for identification of these two degradation products.
Study on Tribological Properties of Polytetrafluoroethylene Drawn Uniaxially at Different Temperature
Authors: Liu Xiao‐Xia , Li Tong‐Sheng , Liu Xu‐Jun , Lv Ren‐Guo
Published: March 2005

Summary: Wear behavior correlations with morphology have been established from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) drawn at 200, 327, and 375 °C with draw ratio about 4. The friction coefficient and wear rate for PTFE drawn at 327 °C are lower and the wear rate is lower than that of undrawn PTFE by about 30%. The structures of samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), DSC, and wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD). Results indicate that the debris morphologies of samples are different. The differences in the tribological behavior of undrawn and drawn samples were attributed to the improvement of the degree of the crystalline, fibrillation, and orderliness by drawing, especially, for PTFE drawn at 327 °C. The orderliness of molecular arrangement along the drawn direction is also higher for PTFE drawn at 327 °C than those of PTFE drawn at 200 and 375 °C, respectively. Therefore, the intensity of covalent bond along drawn direction is higher. The shear resistance and the deformability of the material are greatly improved and the size of the wear breakage unit decreases, which results in a good tribological property for PTFE drawn at 327 °C.

SEM morphology of fractured surface perpendicular to the draw direction for PTFE drawn at 327 °C.

magnified image

SEM morphology of fractured surface perpendicular to the draw direction for PTFE drawn at 327 °C.
Insertion of Polypyrrole Chains into Montmorillonite Galleries by a Solvent‐Free Mechanochemical Route
Authors: Yoshimoto Shoji , Ohashi Fumihiko , Kameyama Tetsuya
Published: March 2005

Summary: Non‐ionic pyrrole was directly intercalated into unmodified montmorillonite (MMT) and organically modified MMT galleries by adsorption, and subsequently polymerized within the interlamellar spaces by a mechanochemical route under solvent‐free conditions. XRD analysis revealed the successful intercalation of pyrrole into unmodified MMT and organically modified MMT clay galleries by mechanochemical grinding. After in situ polymerization, the XRD and FT‐IR analyses confirmed the insertion of polypyrrole chains between both MMT galleries.

X‐ray powder diffraction patterns of (A) pyrrole‐intercalated MMT and (B) pyrrole‐intercalated C18‐MMT.

image

X‐ray powder diffraction patterns of (A) pyrrole‐intercalated MMT and (B) pyrrole‐intercalated C18‐MMT.
DSM criteria for major depression: evaluating symptom patterns using latent-trait item response models
Authors: AGGEN STEVEN H. , NEALE MICHAEL C. , KENDLER KENNETH S.
Published: March 2005

Background. Expert committees of clinicians have chosen diagnostic criteria for psychiatric disorders with little guidance from measurement theory or modern psychometric methods. The DSM-III-R criteria for major depression (MD) are examined to determine the degree to which latent trait item response models can extract additional useful information.

Method. The dimensionality and measurement properties of the 9 DSM-III-R criteria plus duration are evaluated using dichotomous factor analysis and the Rasch and 2 parameter logistic item response models. Quantitative liability scales are compared with a binary DSM-III-R diagnostic algorithm variable to determine the ramifications of using each approach.

Results. Factor and item response model results indicated the 10 MD criteria defined a reasonably coherent unidimensional scale of liability. However, person risk measurement was not optimal. Criteria thresholds were unevenly spaced leaving scale regions poorly measured. Criteria varied in discriminating levels of risk. Compared to a binary MD diagnosis, item response model (IRM) liability scales performed far better in (i) elucidating the relationship between MD symptoms and liability, (ii) predicting the personality trait of neuroticism and future depressive episodes and (iii) more precisely estimating heritability parameters.

Conclusions. Criteria for MD largely defined a single dimension of disease liability although the quality of person risk measurement was less clear. The quantitative item response scales were statistically superior in predicting relevant outcomes and estimating twin model parameters. Item response models that treat symptoms as ordered indicators of risk rather than as counts towards a diagnostic threshold more fully exploit the information available in symptom endorsement data patterns.
6 Is there a legitimation crisis of the nation-state?
Authors: HURRELMANN ACHIM , KRELL-LALUHOVÁ ZUZANA , LHOTTA ROLAND , NULLMEIER FRANK , SCHNEIDER STEFFEN
Published: March 2005

It is widely accepted that internationalization and the increasing loss of parliamentary control over political power challenge the legitimacy of national democratic systems and their core institutions. We first present results from a study of public communication, which, when examined in the context of theories of legitimation, indicate that these processes do not necessarily lead to the erosion or breakdown of popular support for the nation state. The idea that there is a linear cause-and-effect relationship is overly simple, and a more detailed analysis is called for. Legitimation of a political system through public communication is a back-and-forth process which is determined by the system's specific institutional arrangements and by the fortuitous twists and turns of public debate. Nation states have more extensive, diverse and deeply rooted sources of legitimation than is often assumed.
Testing a Brief Cognitive-Behavioural Intervention to Improve Extreme Shape Concern: A Case Series
Authors: Farrell Clare , Shafran Roz , Lee Michelle , Fairburn Christopher G.
Published: March 2005

The successful treatment of extreme shape concern in patients with eating disorders has been shown to be important for their sustained recovery. This case series reports a preliminary investigation of the effects of a new brief cognitive-behavioural intervention for extreme shape concern. The intervention, which is implemented in a single 2-hour session, addresses four mechanisms hypothesized to contribute to the maintenance of extreme shape concern and is designed to be suitable as an adjunct to existing treatments for eating disorders. Participants were five women with extreme shape concern and three female patients with eating disorders. The results indicate that the intervention was effective to various degrees in each participant, and suggest that the intervention warrants further investigation. In particular, methods of increasing the potency of the intervention should be investigated, and its efficacy tested in a larger controlled study.
The National Co-ordination of EU Policy
Authors: Wright Vincent
Published: March 2005

This book is the second of two volumes in which leading scholars examine the way in which European Union (EU) member states co-ordinate their European policies, and investigates the structures, institutions and processes put in place by national governments in Brussels. The companion volume, published in 2000, examines the national co-ordination of EU policy at the domestic level. This second book offers a comprehensive, comparative analysis of national co-ordination at the European level. It investigates the way in which eleven member states—Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom—co-ordinate their European policy in Brussels. It examines their co-ordination ambitions, the value attached to co-ordination and their conception of it, and the strategies adopted by the member states for defining and defending a national position in EU policy-making. It looks in detail at the organization and operation of the permanent representations—the principal institution charged by governments with safeguarding the ‘national interest’ in Brussels—and at how, to what extent (indeed, whether) they succeed in reconciling their responsibilities as both agencies of the national government and part of the EU decision-making system. The book assesses the effectiveness of the various national arrangements in achieving their intended goals, and identifies the factors that influence or determine performance at the European level. The institutions, structures, and processes utilized by the member states in Brussels are compared with a view to discovering whether there is evidence of convergence around a common model or whether national differences persist. All of the chapters except for the Conclusion are extensively revised versions of papers presented at a workshop, held at Nuffield College, Oxford, on 13–14 May 1999.
Private Donations for International Development
Authors: Micklewright John , Wright Anna
Published: March 2005

The chapter starts by considering the extent to which development benefits from philanthropic effort, showing that a great deal of philanthropy in rich industrialised countries is aimed at domestic concerns, and may vary with household income; the super‐rich are treated here as a special case. The next question asked is why development may command only a small share of charitable donations and how people determine the objects of their giving; here the economic literature on philanthropy provides only limited help and the discussion draws on the literature on donor behaviour from other disciplines, notably marketing. The special case of private donations to the UN agencies is then considered, looking at the particular problems faced by the UN, and focusing on the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which is by far the most successful UN agency at collecting money from private individuals; the question is asked as to whether private donations are crowded‐out by governmental contributions or by Official Development Assistance (ODA). The last main section of the chapter discusses future prospects and ways forward, including measures designed to promote charitable donations, in general, but focusing on their particular relevance for development. It covers the issue of tax incentives to donors, the new ‘global funds’ (intended partly to attract money from the super‐rich), new forms of corporate social responsibility and giving in relation to ‘cause‐related marketing’, the use of the Internet, and long‐term donor education.
Perfectly nested or significantly nested – an important difference for conservation management
Authors: Fischer Joern , Lindenmayer David B.
Published: March 2005

Assemblages are nested if species present at species‐poor sites are subsets of those present at species‐rich sites. In fragmented landscapes, nestedness analyses have been suggested as a means of assessing which patches are most important for biodiversity conservation. In the theoretical situation of perfect nestedness in relation to patch size, the single largest patch is disproportionally more important compared to smaller patches and will capture all species of conservation concern. However, real ecosystems are rarely perfectly nested. Here, we examined how different the implications for conservation management would be for an assemblage of birds that was highly significantly, but imperfectly nested in relation to patch size.

The study focused on a fragmented landscape in southeastern Australia. Across 43 patches, 76 species of birds were recorded and classified as generalist, intermediate and sensitive species. The dataset was highly significantly nested by patch size (p=0.002). Under perfect nestedness by patch size, the single largest patch would have captured all species, and all sensitive species would have co‐occurred in the largest patch. In our imperfectly nested dataset, co‐occurrence patterns were substantially weaker. Usually, less than half of the sensitive species co‐occurred in any given patch, and using the largest patches only, over a quarter of the study area would have been required to capture 80% of sensitive species at least once. These findings highlight there can be large qualitative differences between theoretical perfectly nested assemblages, and real imperfectly nested assemblages.

Despite the outcomes of our study which showed highly significant nestedness by area, smaller patches in the system were important to complement large patches. We therefore argue that nestedness analyses need to be interpreted carefully, especially in an applied conservation context. Alternative conservation planning tools which consider the complementarity of various different patches are likely to be more informative for conservation management than nestedness analyses.
Individuals as the basic accounting unit in studies of ecosystem function: functional diversity in shepherd's purse, Capsella
Authors: Hawes C. , Begg G. S. , Squire G. R. , Iannetta P. P. M.
Published: March 2005

Agricultural intensification has led to a systematic erosion of the biodiversity in arable ecosystems. Despite this, densities of plant species in the seedbank of arable fields are still sufficient to provide the potential for recovery of the arable flora and associated fauna. Identification of management practices to achieve this, while minimising negative effects of weed competition on crop yield, requires a mechanistic understanding of functional diversity in arable systems. However, a review of the ecological, physiological and genetic characteristics of 66 representative UK arable weed species revealed major gaps in this knowledge for even the most common species. Even less is known about the degree of variation between individuals within these species that contributes to overall levels of functional diversity. Classification of organisms into functional groups on the basis of species‐level taxonomy is inadequate to describe the functional diversity of a system, since variability in a particular physiological trait can be as great between individuals within a species as between species. We therefore propose an individual based approach to examine the functional attributes of arable plants that affect resource acquisition, partitioning and energy transfer through the food web. Capsella (shepherd's purse) is proposed as a key species that is widespread, ecologically important, and physiologically and genetically diverse. Current understanding of Capsella systematics is therefore reviewed and a methodological approach is described that establishes a foundation for studies of biodiversity and function in arable systems.
Crab spiders deter insect visitations to slickspot peppergrass flowers
Authors: Robertson Ian C. , Maguire Danielle Klemash
Published: March 2005

Insects visiting the flowers of slickspot peppergrass, Lepidium papilliferum (Brassicaceae), risk predation by crab spiders, Misumena vatia (Thomisidae). In a field study conducted at two sites in southwestern Idaho, 7.5±2.7% of L. papilliferum plants (range 0–30%, N=16 surveys of up to 40 randomly selected plants) harbored a crab spider. However, through 205 minutes of observations at plants with a spider, only 15 predation attempts were observed, with only 3 of those being successful. Despite the relatively low incidence of predation by crab spiders, an experiment revealed that the number of insects visiting L. papilliferum flowers was significantly lower at plants that harbored a crab spider than at plants free of spiders. In another experiment, floral visits increased significantly following the removal of crab spiders from individual plants. The deterrent effect of spiders was not due to a disproportionate avoidance response by certain types of insects; all insect families included in our analysis showed decreases in visitations to flowers when spiders were present, although none of these differences were statistically significant at the individual level. We found no significant change in the duration of visits to plants harboring a spider, implying either that the visitors were oblivious to the predator's presence, or that they were aware of the predator but kept their distance. Our study is one of a growing number to find a decrease in floral visits in response to predators, suggesting that the phenomenon is more widespread than was previously recognized.
Xenopus ILK (integrin‐linked kinase) is required for morphogenetic movements during gastrulation
Authors: Yasunaga Takayuki , Kusakabe Morioh , Yamanaka Hiroaki , Hanafusa Hiroshi , Masuyama Norihisa , Nishida Eisuke
Published: March 2005

It has been suggested that ILK (integrin‐linked kinase) participates in integrin‐ and growth factor‐mediated signaling pathways and also functions as a scaffold protein at cell–extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion sites. As the recently reported ILK knockout mice were found to die at the peri‐implantation stage, the stage specific to mammals, little is known about the function of ILK in early developmental processes common to every vertebrate. To address this, we isolated a Xenopus ortholog of ILK (XeILK) and characterized its role in early Xenopus embryogenesis. XeILK was expressed constitutively and ubiquitously throughout the early embryogenesis. Depletion of XeILK with morpholino oligonucleotides (XeILK MO) caused severe defects in blastopore closure and axis elongation without affecting the mesodermal specification. Furthermore, XeILK MO was found to interfere with cell–cell and cell–ECM adhesions in dorsal marginal zone explants and to result in a significant loss of cell–ECM adhesions in activin‐treated dissociated animal cap cells. These results thus indicate that XeILK plays an essential role in morphogenetic movements during gastrulation.
Effect of Xenon on elevated intracranial pressure as compared with nitrous oxide and total intravenous anesthesia in pigs
Authors: Schmidt M. , Marx T. , Armbruster S. , Reinelt H. , Schirmer U.
Published: March 2005

Background:  Xenon in low concentrations has been investigated in neuroradiology to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF). Several reports have suggested that inhalation of Xenon might increase intracranial pressure (ICP) by increasing the cerebral blood flow and blood volume, raising concerns about using Xenon as an anesthetic in higher concentrations for head‐injured patients.

A porcine study is presented in which the effects of inhaled 75% Xenon on elevated ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure and the efficacy of hyperventilation for ICP treatment were compared with nitrous oxide anesthesia and total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA).

Methods:  Twenty‐one pentobarbital‐anesthetized pigs (age: 12–16 weeks) were randomly assigned to three groups to receive either 4 h of Xenon‐oxygen ventilation, nitrous oxide‐oxygen ventilation or air‐oxygen (75%/25%) ventilation, respectively. After instrumentation for parenchymal ICP measurement and ICP manipulation, an epidurally placed 6‐F balloon catheter was inflated until a target ICP of 20 mmHg was achieved.

After 4 h of anesthesia hyper‐ and hypoventilation maneuvers were performed and consecutive ICP and CBF changes were investigated.

Results:  Intracranial pressure and CBF increased significantly in the nitrous oxide group as compared with the controls. There was no increase of ICP or CBF in the Xenon or control group. Intracranial pressure changed in all three groups corresponding to hyper‐ and hypoventilation.

Conclusions:  During Xenon anesthesia, elevated ICP is not increased further and is partially reversible by hyperventilation. Our study suggests that inhalation of 75% Xenon seems not to be contraindicated in patients with elevated ICP.
ON REGIONAL SHOCKS IN THE SPANISH ECONOMY
Authors: Maza Adolfo , Villaverde José
Published: March 2005

It is well known that the nature of potential shocks impinging on a set of countries or regions may have important implications for relevant aspects of economic policy. This paper addresses the shocks issue empirically by applying the State Space methodology and the Kalman Filter to the case of the Spanish regions. The main conclusions are as follows: (i) it seems that the shocks affecting the Spanish regions have been mostly symmetric; (ii) their effects have been persistent rather than transitory; and (iii) supply shocks have been slightly more frequent than demand shocks.