bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Late Quaternary Fluvial Sedimentation in the Voidomatis Basin, Epirus, Northwest Greece
Authors: Lewin John , Macklin Mark G. , Woodward Jamie C.
Published: December 2004

Detailed morpho- and lithostratigraphic investigations, allied with radiometric dating, in the Voidomatis basin, Epirus, northwest Greece, have identified four Quaternary terraced alluvial fills that range from middle Pleistocene to historic in age. Major-periods of alluviation during the late Quaternary were associated with valley glaciation (ca. 26,000–20,000 yr B.P.) and subsequent deglaciation (ca. 20,000–15,000 yr B.P.) in the Pindus Mountains during Late Würmian times, and more recently linked to overgrazing sometime before the 11th century AD. The late Quaternary alluvial stratigraphy of the Voidomatis River is more complex than the “Older Fill” and “Younger Fill” model outlined previously, and it is suggested that these terms should no longer form the basis for defining alluvial stratigraphic units in the Mediterranean Basin.
How to chat in English and Chinese: Emerging digital language conventions
Authors: LOTHERINGTON HEATHER , XU YEJUN
Published: December 2004

Rapid changes in language form and function occurring in digital environments present teachers
and students of second languages alike with conundrums as to language and discourse standards. Factors affecting the changes
that are emerging in digital English include the spatial and temporal possibilities and constraints of the medium, digital
facilitation of case-creativity and iconic incorporation, and new social network configurations. This paper analyzes evolving
changes in orthographic, syntactic, discourse and sociocultural conventions occurring in English and Chinese in digital
environments, based on a small scale study conducted at York University in 2002–2003, noting trends across these languages
as well as more limited, culturally and linguistically specific evolutions. The converging conventional changes occurring in
these two major world languages suggest that similar transitions are happening generally in languages used for online
communication, which has serious implications for second language instruction.
Connecting, motivating and raising awareness via WELL: Developing e-learning environments for science students
Authors: CANAPERO MARINA
Published: December 2004

This paper discusses the role of customized learning environ1ments in the teaching of English to
undergraduate science and technology students and focuses on a more subject-specific and skills-oriented approach in English
for Specific Purposes (ESP). It may be argued that multimedia technology and the Web have a vital role to play in integrating often
complex subject matter and language learning. As most university level students nowadays are mostly conversant with multimedia and
Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) packages and feel at home before a web-based interface, creating teaching materials
to cater to their needs requires a whole new set of skills, not least a knowledge of Web-design and Web-authoring programmes.
Educators now need to create environments in which students can learn; they engineer new situations. Let us call it
“WELL by design”. The focus is on motivating learning, a move towards constructing knowledge and involving the
students in meaningful interactions. This paper focuses on how web-based materials are incorporated in day-to-day classroom
teaching, how students are encouraged to interact with these materials, and how interaction is promoted and encouraged through
the creation of pair and group activities based on the materials. Particular attention will be given to the potential of Web
Enhanced Language Learning (WELL) in encouraging collaborative and constructive learning processes. The relationship between
tutor and learner in a technology-enhanced environment will also be considered and discussed. A demonstration of specially
devised link-mediated learning units within a web-enhanced course in ESP designed specifically for environmental science
students will be made, together with an overview of resources, tools and observations within the context of the technology
classroom. Particular emphasis will be placed on CALL and WELL as an essential support within a fully integrated language
course for science students, as well as on the community-creating and connecting spirit of the Web in a virtual language
learning environment.
The additional uses of CALL in the endangered language context
Authors: WARD MONICA
Published: December 2004

This paper considers the additional uses of CALL in the Endangered Language (EL) context.
It briefly reviews ELs and reports on CALL for ELs in general. It then reviews the extra uses of CALL for ELs; these include
changing negative attitudes towards the language, arousing interest in the language and contributing to language maintenance
and documentation. In order to demonstrate the benefits of CALL for an EL, three examples are presented. Each of the ELs
discussed in this paper could be considered to be on a different scale on the Fishman (1991) Scale for an EL. The first CALL
application discussed is a program for Irish for primary school children. Irish is a Celtic language and is only regularly
used by about 10,000 speakers in Ireland. The main aim of the program was to
try to increase the children’s motivation to study Irish, which is a compulsory subject in schools in Ireland.
The second application is a literacy program for Tojolab’al, a Mayan language
spoken in Chiapas, Mexico. Tojolab’al could be considered to be a relatively
stable language (30,000–40,000 speakers out of an ethnic population of
about 80,000 people), but it has very few literate speakers. The idea of this project was to develop CALL courseware to
teach literacy, beginning with the letters and then progressing to words and phrases. The third example is CALL
courseware for Nawat, an Uto-Aztecan language of El Salvador. The remaining 150 speakers of Nawat are mainly elderly and
illiterate and this courseware aimed to document and develop courseware for the language, while the remaining speakers
were still alive. The paper concludes with lessons learnt for ELs in general from these three specific examples.
It surmises that despite the difficulties involved in the CALL for EL context, if a pragmatic approach is adopted, CALL
materials can have positive social benefits, which probably outweigh its contribution to language learning in the short-term.
The effort involved in CALL for ELs is definitely worthwhile.
Création du logiciel d’alphabétisation bilingue
pour les Sourds “Le français sur le bout des doigts”:
évaluation de l’outil et de la démarche de développement
Authors: DUBUISSON COLETTE , BASTIEN MICHEL , BERTHIAUME RACHEL , PARISOT ANNE-MARIE , VILLENEUVE SUZANNE
Published: December 2004

Designed for a literate, hearing clientele, traditional CALL tools do not necessarily meet the needs of
deaf people, and are not adapted to their learning styles, especially in the area of literacy. Current developments lead
us to believe that, in order for deaf people to subscribe to literacy campaigns and to ensure that such measures are
efficient, two conditions must be met: Quebec Sign Language must be the language
of instruction (Dubuisson et al., 1997)
and the participation of deaf people must be felt at every stage of the development of course material. Research has shown
that in architecture, for example, the participation of the target clientele in the design process of the product can
lead to the emergence of significant solutions (Vezeau et al., 1999). In light of the quantity of Web systems
and products that are hardly used or difficult to use, Rubin (1994) reminds us of the need to consider the user,
and not only the machine or the system, in the development process. The main goal of our research is to establish design
parameters (developmental process, type of software, and content) for CALL software aimed at deaf adults. Only the data relating
to the developmental process will be presented here. We will analyze and discuss the responses obtained through interviews
with deaf members of the development team, audiotapes (on which an interpreter recorded the words of the team members),
and videotapes of meetings. The interpretation of this data will give way to a qualitative assessment of the efficiency of
the approach in the development of material adapted to the needs of the target population.
Another look at tutorial CALL
Authors: HUBBARD PHILIP , SISKIN CLAIRE BRADIN
Published: December 2004

According to the dichotomy popularized by Levy (1995, 1997), computers may be used in language learning
in either tutor or tool roles. Recently there has been a waning of interest in tutorial software for language learning in favor
of tool-oriented applications. While we do not dispute the value of the computer as a tool, we argue that it is in the best interest
of CALL practitioners and language teachers in general to be better informed about the realities of tutorial software so that
the field can continue to grow and mature along multiple paths. In support of this position, we present a case for placing tutorial
CALL back into the mainstream of the field. After a discussion of several common myths about tutorial CALL, we offer six reasons
as to why tutorial CALL has been marginalized. We follow with some evidence that, despite the presence of these myths and this
marginalization, CALL practitioners around the world continue to find tutorial CALL appealing for research and development.
Specifically, we review the presentations at four major CALL Conferences in 2002 and classify them as primarily focused on tutor
or tool uses. Although tool-oriented applications dominate overall, the results show a strong continuing interest in tutorial
applications as well. We conclude with proposals for (1) reconsidering the dichotomous nature of the tutor-tool distinction,
(2) changing the defining characteristic of tutorial CALL from evaluation to teaching presence, and (3) suggesting several
aspects of language learning that tutorial CALL is best suited to support, given the present state of technology.
Enhancing online CALL design: The case for evaluation
Authors: HÉMARD DOMINIQUE
Published: December 2004

Whilst the potential of online Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in terms of access,
immediacy and exposure is widely acknowledged, as yet remarkably little is known about its impact on the user population,
be they language teachers or learners. Indeed, beyond its technological development, online CALL design is still affected by a
dearth of reliable evaluative data, critically needed for improving the interface design, implementation and integration. On
this premise, this paper proposes to focus on a range of appropriate evaluation methods applied to a recently authored
web-based interactive CALL interface, comprising multimedia interactive exercises and self testing, as part of an ongoing
research combining Human Computer Interaction (HCI), Java programming and language teaching expertise. This current
evaluation adopts a novel approach insofar as its main objectives are not only to assess the usability and usefulness
of the interface as well as the student experience, but also to compare the different methods used on the basis of their
input and evaluative output. Ultimately, this paper will strive to bring theory and practice closer together by shedding further
light on the crucial role of evaluation, the appropriateness of the data it generates and its applicability to online CALL
development.
Production of methyl iodide in the tropical Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Richter Uwe , Wallace Douglas W. R.
Published: December 2004

A series of 8 methyl iodide (CH3I) production experiments were conducted during Meteor cruise 55 to the tropical Atlantic. Natural seawater samples were incubated in quartz flasks, on‐deck, for 24 hours both in the dark and under the natural light‐dark cycle. A subset of incubations was conducted with samples that had been either filtered or poisoned to reduce or eliminate within‐flask biological activity. The accumulation of CH3I in the dark incubations was <20% of the ‘light’ production. The experimental results supported prior inferences that CH3I is produced in the open ocean by a light‐dependent production pathway that is not directly dependent on biological activity. The average observed net production rate in full sunlight incubations was 2–5 nmol m−3 day−1. A mass balance for the tropical Atlantic surface layer implies that this rate of production can support at least 50% of the average sea‐to‐air flux of 23 nmol m−2 day−1.
Paleomagnetic directions and 40Ar/39Ar ages from the Tatara‐San Pedro volcanic complex, Chilean Andes: Lava record of a Matuyama‐Brunhes precursor?
Authors: Brown Laurie L. , Singer Brad S. , Pickens James C. , Jicha Brian R.
Published: December 2004

Lava flows within Quebrada Turbia valley of the Tatara San Pedro volcanic complex, in central Chile (36°S, 289°E), preserve a detailed record of what was presumed to be the Matuyama‐Brunhes geomagnetic reversal. A sampling traverse in the central west wall of the valley yields reverse and transitional polarity flows of the Quebrada Turbia sequence. Two kilometers to the north, another section yields 17 transitional flows from the same volcanic sequence overlain by flows with normal polarity. The 40Ar/39Ar incremental heating experiments on lavas within the two sections provide nine independent age determinations and yield a weighted mean of 791.7 ± 3.0 ka (±2σ) for the paleomagnetic transition. The sections are linked by geological mapping, the precise radioisotopic dating, and geochemical correlations. Alternating field and thermal demagnetization studies, rock magnetic analyses, and petrographic observations indicate that the magnetization is primary and carried by titanomagnetite. The polarity change is characterized by a jump from reverse poles to a quasi‐stationary cluster of virtual geomagnetic poles over Australia, followed by a jump to normal polarity latitudes. Magnetization of these lavas is thus consistent with either a brief period when the field was dominated by a subequatorial dipole, or a more complex nondipolar field that may reflect the influence of a long‐lived regional lower mantle control over a weakened dynamo. The Quebrada Turbia lavas are circa 16 kyr older than those, dated by exactly the same methods, which record a later more complex portion of the reversal at Haleakala volcano, Maui. Moreover, the 792 ka radioisotopic age of these Chilean lavas is older than most astronomical estimates for the Matuyama‐Brunhes reversal suggesting that this section may, in fact, record a precursor to the actual field reversal, that is expressed by low paleointensities in more than a dozen well‐studied marine sediment cores.
A three‐dimensional semianalytic viscoelastic model for time‐dependent analyses of the earthquake cycle
Authors: Smith Bridget , Sandwell David
Published: December 2004

Exploring the earthquake cycle for large, complex tectonic boundaries that deform over thousands of years requires the development of sophisticated and efficient models. In this paper we introduce a semianalytic three‐dimensional (3‐D) linear viscoelastic Maxwell model that is developed in the Fourier domain to exploit the computational advantages of the convolution theorem. A new aspect of this model is an analytic solution for the surface loading of an elastic plate overlying a viscoelastic half‐space. When fully implemented, the model simulates (1) interseismic stress accumulation on the upper locked portion of faults, (2) repeated earthquakes on prescribed fault segments, and (3) the viscoelastic response of the asthenosphere beneath the plate following episodic ruptures. We verify both the analytic solution and computer code through a variety of 2‐D and 3‐D tests and examples. On the basis of the methodology presented here, it is now possible to explore thousands of years of the earthquake cycle along geometrically complex 3‐D fault systems.
Stresses generated in cooling viscoelastic ice shells: Application to Europa
Authors: Nimmo F.
Published: December 2004

A cooling viscoelastic ice shell overlying an ocean develops stresses due to two effects: thermal contraction of the ice due to cooling and the expansion of the shell due to the ice‐water volume change. The former effect generates near‐surface compression and deeper extension; the second effect generates extension only. In both cases, stresses are smaller at depth due to viscous creep. The resulting combined stresses are extensional except at shallow (<1 km) depths in thin ice shells. For ice shells thicker than 45 km, stresses are extensional throughout. The extensional stresses exceed 10 MPa for shells thicker than 20 km and thus dominate all other likely sources of stress as long as shell cooling occurs. The dominantly extensional nature of the stresses may help to explain the puzzling lack of compression observed on Europa and other large icy satellites. However, after 100 Myr of conductive cooling the maximum theoretical elastic strains for Europa are ∼0.35%, which are probably insufficient to explain the total amount of observed extension.
Fish communities and habitat changes in the highly modified Goulburn Catchment, Victoria, Australia
Authors: Pollino Carmel A. , Feehan Pat , Grace Michael R. , Hart Barry T.
Published: December 2004

Evidence for the decline in native fish communities in the lowland Goulburn Catchment has been based primarily on studies investigating changes to environmental conditions as a result of river regulation. The present study aggregates historical fisheries data to spatially compare native fish communities in different parts of the catchment. Multivariate analyses demonstrate that distinctly different community compositions are found in different parts of the catchment. Eildon Dam, a deep release reservoir, has drastically altered the hydrology and water quality of the upper Goulburn River, and ordination analyses show that this has created both physical and artificial barriers to movement of native fish into the main channel. Concurrently, fisheries data from the upper main channel show the community is highly divergent compared to the remaining catchment. Further downstream, Goulburn Weir creates a barrier to fish movement between Lake Nagambie and the lower Goulburn Catchment, and alters the natural hydrological regime. Similarity Percentage analyses demonstrate that these stressors have facilitated the establishment of alien species, which dominate fish abundance in the upper and lower main channels. The current study emphasises the need to explore alternatives for improving management strategies to rehabilitate fish communities throughout the Goulburn Catchment.
The relative efficacy of stocking fry or yearling rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) into a large impoundment dominated by redfin perch (Perca fluviatilis) in south-western Australia
Authors: Molony Brett W. , Bird Chris , Nguyen Vinh P.
Published: December 2004

To compare the efficacy of stocking fry and yearling rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, into reservoirs of south-western Australia, 20 000 fry and 1400 yearlings were stocked into Lake Navarino and sampled over a five-month period. Oncorhynchus mykiss fry were collected via seine-nets within 24 h of stocking; however, within 60 h of stocking, no O. mykiss fry could be located, suggesting the total mortality of fry. Within 24 h of stocking, O. mykiss fry were present in the guts of Perca fluviatilis and Salmo trutta. A simple risk analysis of stocking O. mykiss fry, based on gut contents and relative abundances of predatory fishes, indicated that P. fluviatilis has a relative predatory impact on O. mykiss fry more than 100 times greater than other fishes. Perca fluviatilis also has a greater relative predatory impact on freshwater crayfishes than either species of trout. The results demonstrate the advantages of stocking yearling O. mykiss in impounded waters dominated by P. fluviatilis. Existing data of relative abundances of predatory fishes and relative predatory impacts can be used by managers as a powerful and simple tool to assess strategies for stocking fish and the application of other management options.
15-Hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase, a COX-2 oncogene antagonist, is a TGF-β-induced suppressor of human gastrointestinal cancers
Authors: Yan Min , Rerko Ronald M. , Platzer Petra , Dawson Dawn , Willis Joseph , Tong Min , Lawrence Earl , Lutterbaugh James , Lu Shilong , Willson James K. V. , Luo Guangbin , Hensold Jack , Tai Hsin-Hsiung , Wilson Keith , Markowitz Sanford D.
Published: December 2004

Marked increased expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), a prostaglandin-synthesizing enzyme that is pharmacologically inhibited by nonsteroid anti-inflammatory-type drugs, is a major early oncogenic event in the genesis of human colon neoplasia. We report that, in addition to inducing expression of COX-2, colon cancers further target the prostaglandin biogenesis pathway by ubiquitously abrogating expression of 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH), a prostaglandin-degrading enzyme that physiologically antagonizes COX-2. We find that 15-PGDH transcript and protein are both highly expressed by normal colonic epithelia but are nearly undetectable in colon cancers. Using gene transfection to restore 15-PGDH expression in colon cancer cells strongly inhibits the ability of these cells to form tumors in immune-deficient mice and demonstrates 15-PGDH to have functional colon cancer tumor suppressor activity. In interrogating the mechanism for 15-PGDH expression loss in colon cancer, we determined that colonic 15-PGDH expression is directly controlled and strongly induced by activation of the TGF-β tumor suppressor pathway. These findings thus delineate an enzymatic pathway that induces colon cancer suppression, a pathway that is activated by TGF-β and mediated by 15-PGDH.
Gamma protocadherins are required for synaptic development in the spinal cord
Authors: Weiner Joshua A. , Wang Xiaozhong , Tapia Juan Carlos , Sanes Joshua R.
Published: December 2004

Fifty-eight cadherin-related protocadherin (
Pcdh
) genes are tandemly arrayed in three clusters (α, β, and γ) on mouse chromosome 18. The large number of clustered
Pcdh
family members, their presence at synapses, and the known binding specificities of other cadherin superfamily members all suggest that these Pcdhs play roles in specifying synaptic connectivity. Consistent with this idea, mice lacking all 22 genes of the
Pcdh
-γ cluster have decreased numbers of spinal cord synapses and are nearly immobile. Interpretation of this phenotype was complicated, however, by the fact that
Pcdh
-γ loss also led to apoptosis of many spinal interneurons. Here, we used two methods to circumvent apoptosis and neurodegeneration in
Pcdh
-γ mutant mice. First, we analyzed mutants lacking both Pcdh-γ proteins and the proapoptotic protein Bax. Second, we generated a hypomorphic allele of
Pcdh
-γ in which apoptosis was minimal. In both cases, spinal interneurons were preserved but the mice bore dramatically decreased numbers of spinal cord synapses and exhibited profound neurological defects. Moreover, synaptic function was compromised in neurons cultured from the hypomorphs. These results provide evidence for a direct role of γ-Pcdhs in synaptic development and establish genetic tools for elucidating their contribution to synaptic specificity.
Analytical framework for the smooth manoeuvre of wheeled mobile robots traversing obstacles
Authors: Oyadiji S. O. , Ayalew A. , Lai E.
Published: December 2004

The aims of this paper are twofold. The first aim is to employ a vectorial approach to model the dynamics of wheeled mobile robots (WMRs), which need to travel over localized surface irregularities. This approach results in compact vectorial equations which are more easily programmable using a symbolic programming software tool. The second aim is to apply the model in conjunction with temporal trajectory functions to compute the traction–force requirements of WMRs traversing obstacles of specified profiles. This model–based approach provides a more robust framework for the development of active control of the motion of WMRs traversing obstacles. It is demonstrated that, during obstacle traversing, a compromise can be achieved between the minimal times of manoeuvre on the one hand and traction force, inertia load and geometrical properties of WMRs and obstacles on the other. The traction force needed to complete the manoeuvre may change sign, necessitating a switch to a braking action. This shift between the traction mode and braking mode of the actuators can be avoided by an appropriate choice of a minimum time of manoeuvre. This study also provides a basis for the selection of an appropriate manoeuvre time based on prior knowledge of the friction characteristics of a traction surface.
The role of sleep in changing our minds: A psychologist's discussion of papers on memory reactivation and consolidation in sleep
Authors: Cartwright Rosalind D.
Published: December 2004

The group of papers on memory reactivation and consolidation during sleep
included in this volume represents cutting edge work in both animals and
humans. They support that the two types of sleep serve different necessary
functions. The role of slow wave sleep (SWS) is reactivation of the
hippocampal-neocortical circuits activated during a waking learning period,
while REM sleep is responsible for the consolidation of this new learning into
long-term memory. These studies provide further insights into mechanisms
involved in brain plasticity. Robeiro has demonstrated the upregulation of an
immediate-early gene (IEG zif 268) to waking levels, which occurs only in REM
and only in connection with new learning. McNaughton and his group have
identified electrical indicators that the hippocampus and neocortex are
talking to each other by testing the coactivation of hippocampal sharp wave
bursts in SWS and shifts from down to up states of activation in the
neocortex. In human studies Smith's group reports work on individual
differences such as intelligence and presleep alcohol that affect postsleep
performance, and Stickgold and collaborators report that a short nap will
improve performance if it contains REM sleep. Payne and Nadel suggest that the
recall benefit associated with REM sleep may be due to its association with
increased cortisol levels. These papers are important not only in their
individual contributions but also in revitalizing the work coordinating waking
and sleep. This promises to further the understanding of how our unique
capacity to learn from experience and modify our behavior takes place.
Memory reactivation and consolidation during sleep
Authors: Paller Ken A. , Voss Joel L.
Published: December 2004

Do our memories remain static during sleep, or do they change? We argue
here that memory change is not only a natural result of sleep cognition, but
further, that such change constitutes a fundamental characteristic of
declarative memories. In general, declarative memories change due to retrieval
events at various times after initial learning and due to the formation and
elaboration of associations with other memories, including memories formed
after the initial learning episode. We propose that declarative memories
change both during waking and during sleep, and that such change contributes
to enhancing binding of the distinct representational components of some
memories, and thus to a gradual process of cross-cortical consolidation. As a
result of this special form of consolidation, declarative memories can become
more cohesive and also more thoroughly integrated with other stored
information. Further benefits of this memory reprocessing can include
developing complex networks of interrelated memories, aligning memories with
long-term strategies and goals, and generating insights based on novel
combinations of memory fragments. A variety of research findings are
consistent with the hypothesis that cross-cortical consolidation can progress
during sleep, although further support is needed, and we suggest some
potentially fruitful research directions. Determining how processing during
sleep can facilitate memory storage will be an exciting focus of research in
the coming years.
Declarative memory consolidation: Mechanisms acting during human sleep
Authors: Gais Steffen , Born Jan
Published: December 2004

Of late, an increasing number of studies have shown a strong relationship
between sleep and memory. Here we summarize a series of our own studies in
humans supporting a beneficial influence of slow-wave sleep (SWS) on
declarative memory formation, and try to identify some mechanisms that might
underlie this influence. Specifically, these experiments show that declarative
memory benefits mainly from sleep periods dominated by SWS, whereas there is
no consistent benefit of this memory from periods rich in rapid eye movement
(REM) sleep. A main mechanism of declarative memory formation is believed to
be the reactivation of newly acquired memory representations in hippocampal
networks that stimulates a transfer and integration of these representations
into neocortical neuronal networks. Consistent with this model, spindle
activity and slow oscillation-related EEG coherence increase during early
sleep after intense declarative learning in humans, signs that together point
toward a neocortical reprocessing of the learned material. In addition, sleep
seems to provide an optimal milieu for declarative memory reprocessing and
consolidation by reducing cholinergic activation and the cortisol feedback to
the hippocampus during SWS.
POROUS EUROPE: EUROPEAN CITIES IN GLOBAL URBAN ARENAS
Authors: TAYLOR PETER J. , DERUDDER BEN
Published: December 2004

The notion that there is a European ‘system of cities’ or ‘urban hierarchy’ has been an attractive idea, since it appears to provide a coherent subset of cities to study within a regional context. Under conditions of contemporary globalisation, however, the spatial order of European cities can only be properly understood as a ‘porous Europe’. That is, it is impossible to sensibly discuss European intercity relations separate from an encompassing world city network. This paper therefore analyses 88 European cities in the context of a global urban analysis of 234 cities around the world. The main conclusion is that leading European world cities are specifically distinguished through their forming of global urban arenas. They should therefore not be thought of as being un‐European, but as a special kind of world city that is highly cosmopolitan in its intercity relations.
The hepatitis C virus genotype and subtype frequency in hepatitis C virus RNA‐positive, hepatitis C virus antibody‐negative blood donors identified in the nucleic acid test screening program in Poland
Authors: Brojer E. , Gronowska A. , Medyńska J. , Grabarczyk P. , Mikulska M. , Łȩtowska M , Kryczka W. , Gietka A.
Published: December 2004

BACKGROUND: Since 2002, blood donors in Poland have been tested not only for hepatitis C virus antibodies (anti‐HCV) but also for HCV RNA or HCV core antigen. This screening program identifies asymptomatic, recently infected individuals with no anti‐HCV (in the “window period”). The aim of this study was to compare HCV genotype and subtype distribution in window‐period (wp) donors, anti‐HCV‐positive donors, and chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 2.37 milion donors were investigated for HCV RNA, and 340,000 for HCV core antigen. HCV genotypes and subtypes were investigated in 50 HCV RNA‐positive, anti‐HCV‐negative donors; in 70 anti‐HCV‐positive donors; and in 170 CHC patients. Re‐questioning of wp donors for probable risk factors was introduced.

RESULTS: HCV RNA was detected in 50 donors of 2.71 million (1:54,200) anti‐HCV‐negative blood donations. Of these 50 donors, 36 percent exhibited Subtype 1b, whereas Subtypes 3a and 4c/d were identified in 40 and 14 percent, respectively. In anti‐HCV‐positive donors and CHC patients, the frequency of Subtype 1b was significantly higher (75.7 and 85.3%, respectively); in both groups the lower frequency of Subtypes 3a (14.3 and 10.6%, respectively) and 4c/d (4.3 and 1.2%, respectively) was found. The probable source of infection was identified in 9 wp donors.

CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of wp donors is 18.5 per 1 million. The unexpected high frequency of Genotype 4 and Subtype 3a and the low frequency of Subtype 1b was observed in wp donors compared to anti‐HCV‐positive individuals. Additional epidemiologic questioning introduced after HCV RNA detection may help to identify infection source.
Recipients of blood from a donor with multiple HLA antibodies: a lookback study of transfusion‐related acute lung injury
Authors: Toy Pearl , Hollis‐Perry K.M. , Jun Jason , Nakagawa Mayumi
Published: December 2004

BACKGROUND:  The effects of transfusion of HLA antibodies to patients with corresponding antigens are not well known.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  Records of patients who received blood from previous donations of a donor implicated in a case of transfusion‐related acute lung injury (TRALI) were examined. The donor had multiple HLA antibodies reactive with 96 percent of HLA Class I antigens and 88 percent of HLA Class II antigens.

RESULTS:  Among 103 patients (40 with a pretransfusion white blood cell [WBC] count of ≥3.5 × 109/L), 1 patient met criteria for TRALI and had clinical evidence for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Among the subset of 55 patients (17 with a pretransfusion WBC count of 3.5 × 109/L) with known HLA types, none developed TRALI even though 54 (98%) had one to five corresponding HLA antigens. In a subgroup of patients four of 62 patients with chest radiographs, developed new or worse bilateral infiltrates with implicated but not control units (p = 0.0625).

CONCLUSION:  Transfusion of HLA antibodies from this donor to nonneutropenic patients did not cause TRALI, but there was a trend of an association with new or worse bilateral pulmonary infiltrates. Further research is needed to determine why transfusion of HLA antibodies to recipients with corresponding antigens causes TRALI in some cases and not in others.
Resolution of a serum sample mix‐up through the use of short tandem repeat DNA typing
Authors: Allen Robert W. , Pritchard Jane K.
Published: December 2004

BACKGROUND:  A sample mix‐up occurred in a tissue procurement laboratory in which aliquots of serum from two tissue donors were accidentally mislabeled. The clues to the apparent mixup involved discrepant Hepatitus C test results. In an attempt to resolve the apparent mix up, DNA typing was performed using serum samples as a possible source of genomic DNA.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  Two hundred microliter aliquots of two reference sera and aliquots prepared from them were subjected to DNA extraction. PCR amplification of 9 STR loci was performed on the extracts and amplicons were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis.

RESULTS:  About 1 µg/ml of DNA was recovered from all serum samples and was of sufficient quality to direct the amplification of most, if not all STR loci allowing the mislabeled specimens to be traced to the proper tissue donor.

CONCLUSIONS:  Serum is a useful source of genomic DNA for STR analysis in situations in which such samples are the only source of DNA for testing. Interestingly, one of the tissue donors on life support and repeatedly receiving blood products, exhibited a mixed DNA profile indicative of the presence of DNA from multiple individuals in the bloodstream.
Implications of the U.S. Reaction to the World Court Rulingagainst Israel's“Separation Barrier”
Authors: Zunes Stephen
Published: December 2004

Dr. Zunes is a professor of politics and chair of the peace and justice studies program at the University of San Francisco. He serves as Middle East editor for the Foreign Policy in Focus Project (http://www.fpif.org) and is the author of Tinderbox: U.S. Middle East Policy and the Roots of Terrorism (Common Courage Press, 2003).
Basic Wages and Firm Characteristics: Rent Sharing in French Manufacturing
Authors: Fakhfakh Fathi , FitzRoy Felix
Published: December 2004

Abstract.  This paper shows that firm profits (and losses), and value added, are strongly related to individual hourly basic wages for most employees, as well as to the total earnings measures used previously but correlated with working time. Capital intensity is independently important without reducing the significance of profits, as in other studies. Value added avoids the negative bias implicit in accounting profits, and has a much larger effect on basic wages and earnings in the presence of numerous individual and firm controls.
Setting Incentives: Temporary Performance Premiums versus Promotion Tournaments
Authors: Meier Volker
Published: December 2004

Abstract. Two alternative relative compensation schemes are compared with respect to the output that can be generated at a given sum of salaries. While the promotion regime guarantees that any salary increase is permanent, the premium system allows a reduction in the income of an agent to the base salary after one period. It is shown that the optimum promotion tournament system induces a higher total output than the optimum premium system. This result is obtained because a promotion regime allows a distortion in a contest in favor of winners of previous contests.
Temporary Agency Workers in Italy: Alternative Techniques of Classification
Authors: Porro Giuseppe , Vezzulli Andrea , Iacus Stefano Maria
Published: December 2004

Abstract.  Cluster analysis and the classification tree technique are applied to investigate the relationship between the individual characteristics of Italian temporary help agency (THA) workers and their probability of achieving a temporary job. The application aims to show some advantages of these techniques with respect to traditional econometric tools. Sketches of the most common profiles among Italian THA workers are obtained as a result. Besides the typical THA worker pointed out by previous studies (young male workers, with a medium–high level of education, living in the Northern regions), two new profiles have been identified: the first comprising male manual workers with previous job experience, whose average age is over 30 and whose educational level is low; the second comprising young female workers with a medium–high level of education, working in the service sector or in the public sector. The results are compared with the more usual logit analysis and show their robustness.
Determinants of smoking in eight countries of the former Soviet Union: results from the Living Conditions, Lifestyles and Health Study
Authors: Pomerleau Joceline , Gilmore Anna , McKee Martin , Rose Richard , Haerpfer Christian W.
Published: December 2004

Aims  To provide accurate and timely data on the determinants of smoking in countries of the former Soviet Union in order to facilitate the development of effective tobacco control policies in the region. Such data are urgently needed given the absence of accurate comparative data in the region and the recent changes experienced.

Design  Cross‐sectional surveys using standardized methods and representative samples of the adult population in eight former Soviet Union countries conducted as part of the EU–Copernicus Project Living Conditions, Lifestyle, and Health study.

Setting  Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.

Participants  A total of 18 428 adults aged 18 plus; response rates 71–88%.

Measurements  The association of smoking with demographic and socio‐economic factors was investigated using multiple logistic regression analyses, stratifying by gender.

Findings  Age was a strong determinant of smoking in both genders, with elderly individuals being less likely to smoke. Men who were more socially disadvantaged (less educated, poorer economic situation and/or less social support) were more likely to smoke. In women, living in larger urban areas was the strongest predictor of smoking. Divorced, separated or widowed women were also more likely to smoke than married women. Muslim respondents smoked less frequently compared with other respondents.

Conclusions  Smoking is a major public health issue in the FSU particularly affecting socially vulnerable men and young women living in urbanized areas. These high‐risk groups should be targeted in future smoking prevention and cessation strategies in the region.
The cost‐effectiveness of HIV preventive measures among injecting drug users in Svetlogorsk, Belarus
Authors: Kumaranayake Lilani , Vickerman Peter , Walker Damian , Samoshkin Syiatsaslav , Romantzov Vladimir , Emelyanova Zoya , Zviagin Victor , Watts Charlotte
Published: December 2004

Aim  To undertake a cost‐effectiveness analysis of a harm reduction and HIV prevention project for injecting drug users (IDUs) in Eastern Europe. Economic evaluation methods were adapted to consider the effect of an 8‐month financing gap that negatively impacted on project implementation.

Design  Financial and economic costs of implementing the intervention were analysed retrospectively. The data were also modelled to estimate the costs of a fully functioning project. Estimates of the intervention impact on sexual and drug injecting behaviour were obtained from existing pre‐ and post‐intervention behavioural surveys of IDUs. A dynamic mathematical model was used to translate these changes into estimates of HIV infections averted among IDUs and their sexual partners. Projections of the potential effect of the shortfall in funding on the impact and cost‐effectiveness of the intervention were made.

Setting  Svetlogorsk, Belarus, where in 1997 the IDU HIV prevalence was 74%.

Findings  The intervention averted 176 HIV infections (95% CI 60–270) with a cost‐effectiveness of $359 per HIV infection averted (95% CI $234–1054). Without the $2311 reduction (7%) in financing, the estimated cost‐effectiveness ratio of the project would have been 11% lower. The costing methods used to measure donated mass media can substantially influence cost and cost‐effectiveness estimates.

Conclusions  Harm reduction activities among IDUs can be cost‐effective, even when IDU HIV prevalence and incidence is high. Relatively small shortfalls in funding reduce impact and cost‐effectiveness. Increased and consistent allocation of resources to harm reduction projects could significantly reduce the pace of the HIV epidemic in Eastern Europe.
Drinking patterns in mid‐adolescence and psychosocial outcomes in late adolescence and early adulthood
Authors: Wells J. Elisabeth , Horwood L. John , Fergusson David M.
Published: December 2004

Aims  To describe the pattern of drinking at age 16 and to relate this to outcomes at 16–21 years and 21–25 years across a number of psychosocial domains.

Design  A prospective birth cohort study with annual follow‐up until age 16 then at 18, 21 and 25 years.

Setting  Christchurch, New Zealand.

Participants  Of 1265 subjects, 953 were interviewed at age 16.

Measurements  Multiple measures of family background were collected from birth to 16 years. Alcohol consumption was measured in terms of frequency, usual or last quantity drunk and most drunk per occasion. Problems were also recorded. Questions about psychiatric symptoms enabled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) criteria to be applied. Detailed reports on educational outcomes, employment, sexual behaviours and offending were collected.

Findings  Four latent classes were required to describe drinking at age 16, but these appeared to lie along a single dimension which strongly predicted outcomes at ages 16–21 and 21–25 across all domains (alcohol‐related, substance dependence, mental health, education, sexual relationships and offending). After controlling for background and correlates only a small number of outcomes were still related consistently to drinking at age 16 over both periods: most alcohol‐related outcomes, the number of sexual partners and the extent of violent offending.

Conclusions  Drinking at age 16 is a clear indicator of future life‐course over most domains in late adolescence and early adulthood. Many of these associations are due to other covariates. Outcomes specific to drinking at age 16 are alcohol outcomes, number of sexual partners and violence.
Changes in soil carbon with stand age – an evaluation of a modelling method with empirical data
Authors: Peltoniemi Mikko , Mäkipää Raisa , Liski Jari , Tamminen Pekka
Published: December 2004

Forest soils store a substantial amount of carbon, often more than the forest vegetation does. Estimates of the amount of soil carbon, and in particular estimates of changes in these amounts are still inaccurate. Measuring soil carbon is laborious, and measurements taken at a few statistically unrepresentative sites are difficult to scale to larger areas.

We combined a simple dynamic model of soil carbon with litter production estimated on the basis of stand parameters, models of tree allometry and biomass turnover rates of different biomass components. This integrated method was used to simulate soil carbon as forest stands develop. The results were compared with measurements of soil carbon from 64 forest sites in southern Finland.

Measured carbon stocks in the organic soil layer increased by an average of 4.7±1.4 g m−2 a−1 with increasing stand age and no significant changes were measured in the amount of carbon in mineral soil. Our integrated method indicated that soil carbon stocks declined to a minimum 20 years after clear‐cutting and the subsequent increase in the soil carbon stock (F/H − 1 m) was 5.8±1.0 g m−2 a−1 averaged over the period to next harvesting (∼125 years). Simulated soil carbon accumulation slowed down considerably in stands older than 50 years. The carbon stock measured (F/H − 1 m) for the study area averaged 6.8±2.5 kg m−2. The simulated carbon stock in soil was 7.0±0.6 kg m−2 on average.

These tests of the validity of the integrated model suggest that this method is suitable for estimating the amount of carbon in soil and its changes on regional scales.
Purification and characterization of a new reovirus from the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis
Authors: Zhang S , Shi Z , Zhang J , Bonami J‐R
Published: December 2004

A new reovirus was recently isolated from a freshwater crab, the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, in China. The complete viral particles are 55 nm in diameter, icosahedral, non‐enveloped and have a mean buoyant density of 1.39 g cm−3 in CsCl gradient. The viral genome is composed of 12 pieces of dsRNA with an electrophoretic pattern of 3/4/2/3. This virus infects connective tissue of the gills, gut and hepatopancreas. Partial cDNA cloning and sequence analysis showed that the RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase is located in the first RNA segment. From its biochemical, ultrastructural and physicochemical properties, this virus is quite different from the genus Aquareovirus (Reoviridae). It may represent a new genus of Reoviridae, different from the other crab reoviruses, P and W2.