bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transmission‐type wide‐band periodic filter
Authors: Itanami Takao
Published: July 2007

The transmission‐type periodic branching filter presently is used as the multiplexer/demultiplexer for communication satellites. This type of filter can be applied to the submillimeter band multibeam communication satellite, in an attempt to realize large‐capacity communication for the efficient use of frequencies in the future. It can also be applied to the branching filter in the optical communication, aiming similarly at the largecapacity communication, if the filter is constructed using the dielectric transmission line.

To realize such an application, it is desired to improve the performance of the conventional periodic branching filter to realize a wider bandwidth and sharper roll‐off of the amplitude transmission response. The conventional periodic branching filter is composed of two 90‐deg hybrids, a quarter‐wavelength transmission line and a resonator. This type of filter has a narrow usable relative bandwidth of approximately 6 percent, with a frequency response of third‐order elliptic function type.

This paper proposes a new transmission‐type periodic branching filter with two resonators. It is composed of two hybrids and two resonators of different kinds. A bandwidth of approximately twice the width of the conventional filter and an approximately three‐times sharper roll‐off of the amplitude transmission response, with the frequency response of fifth‐order elliptic function type, are obtained.

This paper discusses the theoretical characteristics, design method and the result of experiment for this periodic branching filter. As a result of experimental construction, it was verified that the wide‐band, low‐loss property and the sharp roll‐off of amplitude characteristic can be realized.
Design and characteristics of a transfer system using centralized transfer connectors
Authors: Watanabe Ichiro , Kobayashi Hideo , Ueno Koji , Uenoya Takuya
Published: July 2007

In the transfer of optical trunk cables, it is advantageous from the viewpoints of repeater span and line losses to carry out the task via devices installed at the network center.

This paper investigates the optimization of the drive conditions of the transfer connector and deviations of the synchronism between the centers. Achievement of synchronous transfer time of less than 10 ms equal to that of DWS and its design guidelines are clarified.

Further, to suppress the transfer failure probability in the case of burst error in the control line, the variable abort ratio method is used in the synchronous controller and the possibility of achieving failure rates below 10−5 is indicated.

Finally, the performance of the manufactured synchronous transfer system optimized for field applications, and its synchronous transfer characteristics are indicated. From the results, it is shown that the system can be put into practical uses.
Effects of cell losses on picture quality in ATM networks
Authors: Iai Satoru , Kitawaki Nobuhiko
Published: July 2007

Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is viewed as the technique that forms the basis of broadband integrated services digital networks (B‐ISDN). In ATM, the cell losses that accompany congestion during cell multiplexing are believed to cause a significant deterioration in quality. In this paper, we study the effects of cell losses on image quality from the standpoint of subjective evaluations. First, the impairment factors that cause deterioration in the received video are extracted for the various network and terminal configurations that are assumed. Next, with the impairment factors as the parameters, a computer simulation was created of the impairment that accompanies cell loss and the subjective quality was studied using a 320‐frame video signal. It was clearly shown that of all the impairment factors, the five major influences on quality are the number of lost cells, the number of picture elements (pels) in the impaired region, the amplitude distortion of the image in the impaired region, the shape of the impaired region, and the bursti‐ness of cell loss. In addition, when consecutive frames are inquired as a result of cell loss, except when only one segment is seen, the total number of impaired frames hardly affects subjective image quality. Finally, based on these evaluation results, we discuss cell loss quality in pulse code modulation (PCM) and provide guidelines for designing networks and terminals.
Distribution of the maximum in air pollution fields
Authors: Aberg Sofia , Guttorp Peter
Published: July 2007

Air quality standards are set to protect public health. The values of the standards are often based on health effect studies, without any statistical considerations. In order to judge if a standard is met measurements of ambient air quality are taken at monitoring stations, and these measured values are used to decide whether or not the standard has been violated. In this paper we examine the statistical quality of some air quality standards by taking both measurement error and variability of the ambient field away from the monitoring sites into account. In particular we study the distribution of the maximum of the ambient field conditional on a measured monitoring value at the value prescribed by the standard. The distribution of the maximum is computed using a Rice method and relies on a generalization of upcrossings of a level in one dimension to two dimensions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
β‐Catenin transcriptional activity is inhibited downstream of nuclear localisation and is not influenced by IGF signalling in oesophageal cancer cells
Authors: Kiely B. , O'Donovan R.T. , McKenna S.L. , O'Sullivan G.C.
Published: July 2007

Aberrant expression/localisation of β‐catenin has been implicated in the progression of oesophageal cancer. As a member of the Wnt‐signalling pathway, activated β‐catenin translocates into the nucleus and drives gene transcription. Insulin‐like growth factors (IGFs) have been implicated in modulation of β‐catenin localisation and transcriptional activity. We have demonstrated that β‐catenin is abundantly expressed by oesophageal cancer cells, and is both cytoplasmic and nuclear in location. β‐catenin was transcriptionally inactive in 4 of 5 cell lines. All cells expressed the IGF‐1 receptor. Addition of exogenous IGFs activated the PI‐3 kinase pathway but did not enhance β‐catenin/T‐cell factor‐ (TCF) mediated transcription. Activation of Wnt signalling by lithium induced β‐catenin stabilisation in 2 cell lines but this did not increase transcriptional activity. In contrast 2 cell lines without lithium‐enhanced stabilisation or re‐distribution of β‐catenin did exhibit β‐catenin/TCF‐mediated transcriptional activity. This study shows that β‐catenin accumulation and nuclear localisation is not indicative of transcriptional activity, and therefore is not supportive of a major role in these oesophageal cancer cells. It also questions the value of immunohistochemical studies that examine only expression. Co‐operative signalling from other growth factors or adhesive molecules is likely to be required to relieve nuclear inhibition of transcriptional activity, and the nature of this is currently unknown. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by ZD6474, an inhibitor of VEGFR tyrosine kinase with additional activity against EGFR tyrosine kinase
Authors: Xiao Xia , Wu Jiangxue , Zhu Xiaofeng , Zhao Peng , Zhou Jinlin , Liu Quentin Qiang , Zheng Limin , Zeng Musheng , Liu Ranyi , Huang Wenlin
Published: July 2007

ZD6474 is a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor. The present study was undertaken to investigate the direct antiproliferative effect of ZD6474 on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in vitro and the antitumor activity on NPC xenografts in vivo. Results indicated that ZD6474 treatment inhibited EGFR phosphorylation and led to a dose‐ and time‐dependent decrease in NPC cell (CNE‐1, CNE‐2 and C666‐1) proliferation. Further investigation demonstrated G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in all 3 cell lines, which was associated with an upregulation of p21 and/or p27, and downregulation of CDK4, CDK6 and CDK2. ZD6474 treatment also induced apoptosis in CNE‐1 and CNE‐2 cells. The apoptosis mechanisms involved reduction of Bcl‐2 and/or Bcl‐XL, induction of Bak and/or Bax, and activation of caspases‐3, ‐9 and/or ‐8. The in vivo antitumor activity was evaluated in CNE‐2 and C666‐1 xenografted nude mice. Administration of ZD6474 (25–100 mg/kg/day, once‐daily, p.o.) produced a dose‐dependent inhibition of tumor growth and prolonged survival in both models. This study suggests that ZD6474 exerts direct antiproliferative effects on NPC cell lines in vitro by inducing G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis, and potent antitumor effects on NPC xenografts in vivo. It indicates that ZD6474 may offer a new and effective treatment for human NPC. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The mechanism of elevated toxicity in HepG2 cells due to combined exposure to ethanol and ionizing radiation
Authors: Ogony Joshua , Matthews Richard , Anni Helen , Shannon Katie , Ercal Nuran
Published: July 2007

Ethanol and ionizing radiation exposure are independently known to cause tissue damage through various mechanisms. The non‐enzymatic and enzymatic metabolism of ethanol, the latter via the cytochrome P450 2E1dependent pathway produces free radicals, which deplete cellular glutathione (GSH). Ionizing radiation exposure has been shown to induce lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, protein oxidation and GSH depletion. It was postulated that cells sensitized by ethanol will be susceptible to additional insult, such as by radiation through increased oxidative stress. In this investigation, cultured liver cells (HepG2, human hepatocellular liver carcinoma) were exposed to ethanol, followed by ionizing radiation. The antioxidant status of the cells was evaluated by an array of techniques. Levels of glutathione, cysteine (CYS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured by HPLC. Activities of antioxidant enzymes, catalase and glutathione reductase (GR) were determined enzymatically. Apoptosis was evaluated by the caspases‐3 assay and fluorescence microscopy. The data showed that combined treatment with ethanol and radiation resulted in the lowest levels of GSH, and highest MDA level compared with the control. The catalase activity was lower in the combined exposure groups, when compared with the single agent exposure groups, and the glutathione reductase activity was the highest in the combined exposure groups and lowest in the control. These findings suggest that a combination of ethanol and ionizing radiation results in greater toxicity in vitro through elevated oxidative stress. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An integrative transactional process model of stress in organizations
Authors: Schuler Randall S.
Published: July 2007

In this paper a definition and a conceptualization of stress in organizations are offered. Stress is defined as a perceived dynamic state about something important. The model developed in this paper incorporates organizational and individual stressors, individual appraisal of the stressors and individual responses to the stress including short term, intermediate and long term responses, both voluntary and involuntary. Critical to the model is the definition of stress based on individual need for the resolution of dynamic states of uncertainty. Previous research from the medical and health sciences are used along with that from organizational sciences to develop the integrative transactional process model. Finally several hypotheses based on the model are suggested.
Objective job conditions, social support and perceived stress among blue collar workers
Authors: Wells James A.
Published: July 2007

The hypothesis that perceived supportive relations mediate the association between extra‐individual (objective) job conditions and perceptions of occupational stress is tested in a population of blue collar workers. Responses to a mailed questionnaire (N = 1830) include measures of social support from four sources (supervisor, coworkers, spouse, friends/relatives) and measures of perceived stress (five job pressures and four need deprivations). In addition, company records and expert ratings by company, union and study personnel provide measures of objective job conditions which are commensurate with the subjective reports.

Associations between objective job conditions and perceived stress are significant but modest in size. Controls for age, education, exposure to noxious agents and physical effort on the job do not alter associations between objective conditions and perceived stress.

For five of the nine indicators of perceived stress, social support and objective conditions interact in determining perceptions. This is interpreted as a buffering effect in which social support provides a context that significantly alters perceptions of job conditions. The effect of supervisor support is especially important in regard to buffering.

It is suggested that research on the quality of work should be especially aware of the conditional nature of the relationship between objective job conditions and perceptions.
Negotiations after the sale: The roots and ramifications of conflict in an acquisition
Authors: Mirvis Philip H.
Published: July 2007

This paper presents a case study of negotiations over the combination of a small manufacturing firm into a multi‐billion dollar conglomerate following its 'white knight' acquisition. It focuses on the strategic and tactical conflicts between the two firms and traces these to the party's emotional reactions to the combination. Feeling of loss versus gain in the two firms, each party's sense of uncertainty and threat, and their moves toward proactive versus reactive control in the combination are analysed to identify the roots of strategic conflict. These feelings, plus incompatibilities in the two company's managements, business systems, corporate cultures, and goals for combination ramify in conflict in the negotiations themselves. The paper concludes with a more generic model illustrating contextual features of combinations that shape human reactions and conflicts in negotiations after the sale.
Social support, autonomy, and hierarchical level as moderators of the role characteristics‐outcome relationship
Authors: Beehr Terry A. , Drexler John A.
Published: July 2007

Although previous theory suggests that social support, job autonomy, and hierarchical level moderate role characteristics‐employee outcome relationships, the strength of these moderating effects among 2046 bank employees was practically zero. These theoretical moderators and three role characteristics (conflict, ambiguity, and overload) did have direct relationships with the outcomes (job satisfaction and job search intent), as summarized by canonical correlation. Recommendations for future research are offered.
Experimental research on race and sex discrimination: The record and the prospects
Authors: Rosenstein Joseph , Hitt Michael A.
Published: July 2007

Research in industry regarding race and sex access discrimination is reviewed. Review of sex discrimination research suggests that negative access discrimination exists for female applicants when the position is male‐stereotyped and positive access discrimination exists when it is female‐stereotyped. Results on race discrimination are few in number with mixed results, some showing reverse discrimination and others showing discrimination against blacks. More complex studies examining interactions between race and sex also provide mixed results. Recent evidence, which suggests that selection decisions are much more complex than have been studied, may account for the conflicting findings. Future research with more imaginative and complex designs and larger sample sizes is needed. Research designs should be selected to facilitate better measurement of the effects of civil rights law enforcement.
The informal rules of working relationships
Authors: Henderson Monika , Argyle Michael
Published: July 2007

It was expected that there would be informal rules of several kinds for working relationships. In the first study subjects rated 33 common rules and a number of relationship‐specific rules for three work roles. It was found that certain rules were strongly endorsed for work‐mates, superiors and subordinates. These provide a maintenance function by regulating general and relationship‐specific sources of conflict. Rules about cooperation, help and fairness applied strongly to work‐mates, rules about consideration and skilful use of power to supervisors, rules about using initiative and accepting orders and criticism to subordinates. Rules about reward were also obtained and these tended to be task‐focused rather than intimacy sustaining.

In the second study one hundred and twenty‐four subjects rated the degree of dissatisfaction which they would feel for 11 types of rule violation by each of four work colleagues varying in degree of intimacy. Some level of dissatisfaction was expressed for each rule violation particularly maintenance rules, and the degree of expressed dissatisfaction increased with increased closeness to the work colleague.

Study I was replicated in three other countries — Italy, Hong Kong and Japan, and cross‐cultural comparisons were made. While there was some cross‐cultural consistency for certain maintenance rules, there were cultural differences both in the type of rules endorsed and the strength of endorsement. Japanese relationships in particular were most dissimilar to other countries, characterized by greater homogeneity of overall rule structure within the four work roles, and by lower levels of intimacy and emotional expressiveness towards the other person in each relationship.
Focus of Attention at Work and Leader‐Follower Relationships
Authors: Gardner1 Donald G. , Dunham Randall B. , Cummings L. L. , Pierce Jon L.
Published: July 2007

Three different studies examine moderating effects of focus of attention at work on leader‐follower relationships, using the typology developed by Howell, Dorfman, and Kerr (1986). Survey data were collected from over 1300 subjects. Results indicate that: (1) high focus on the supervisor while at work enhances leader behaviour‐subordinate satisfaction and behaviour relationships, (2) high focus on off‐job factors while at work enhances leader behaviour‐subordinate satisfaction relationships, and (3) high focus on off‐job factors while at work weakens leader behaviour‐subordinate behaviour relationships. Theoretical implications for the study of organizational behaviour are discussed, as well as practical issues for enhancing leader behaviour effectiveness in work organizations.
The role and expectancy participation model: An empirical assessement and extension
Authors: Fry Louis W. , Hellriegel Don
Published: July 2007

Four hypotheses were investigated. The results substantially support and extend the usefulness of Schuler's role and expectancy participation model (1980). Schuler's model posits that participation intervenes to attenuate the relationships between job objectives and role conflicts and ambiguity. Also, participation, role conflict and role ambiguity are assumed to intervene to attenuate the relationships between job objectives and job satisfaction. The four hypotheses were tested using a sample of 187 retail store managers. Results revealed that job objectives were related to the role variables and satisfaction. Participation significantly attenuated the job objectives, role conflict and job satisfaction relationships. Implications for the use of the attributes of job objectives approach to integrate other objective setting paradigms are discussed.
Correlates of burnout among public service lawyers
Authors: Jackson Susan E. , Turner Jon A. , Brief Arthur P.
Published: July 2007

Several hypotheses suggested by the theoretical literature on burnout were empirically tested in an attempt to identify the organizational conditions associated with employee burnout. Public service lawyers in the U.S. (N= 391) completed a survey designed to assess (a) three components of burnout, namely, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and feelings of low personal accomplishment; (b) perceptions of several job conditions predicted to be associated these three components of burnout, including workload, role conflict, social support, decision‐making policies, and autonomy; and (c) organizational commitment. Results indicate that emotional exhaustion is most strongly associated with role conflict and quantitative workload. Feelings of personal accomplishment were associated with supervisory social support and job level. Depersonalization was associated with role conflict and decision‐making policies. Finally, each burnout component is significantly related to organizational commitment.
The effects of long‐term unemployment on attitudes to employment
Authors: Payne Roy L. , Graham Jones J.
Published: July 2007

This paper is concerned with whether long‐term unemployment (6‐24 months) affects people's attitudes to employment once they have found a new job. One hundred and forty men aged 25‐40 were asked whether they felt various aspects of employment (e.g. job security, pay) are more important to them as a result of being unemployed. The effects of mental well‐being when unemployed on attitudes to employment are explored. Unemployment is reported to have made most aspects of employment more important to people. Those whose mental health was worst when unemployed report that job security is most important to them.
Predictive effects of occupational and marital stress on the mental health of a male workforce
Authors: Bromet Evelyn J. , Dew Mary Amanda , Parkinson David K. , Schulberg Herbert C.
Published: July 2007

This study examined the predictive contribution of occupational and marital stress to the development of symptomatolgoy, affective disorder, and alcohol‐related problems in a sample of 325 male power plant employees interviewed at baseline and one‐year follow up. After controlling for known clinical and social risk factors, we found statistically significant predictive effects of job demands on affective disorder and job decision latitude on alcohol problems. In addition, the specific combination of high job demands with low decision latitude was important in predicting the occurrence of alcohol problems. Marital stress was not predictive of poorer mental health. The analyses provided only minimal support for a stress‐buffering rote of social support.
Exit and voice: A test of hypotheses based on fight/flight responses to job stress
Authors: Mayes Bronston T. , Ganster Daniel C.
Published: July 2007

Hypotheses were developed based on a coping model that views political behaviour (voice) as a fight response and turnover (exit) as a flight response to job stress. Data were collected from a group of professional, public employees and turnover dates were obtained for the group 13 months after completion of questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was employed to test hypotheses. Stressors of interest were person‐environment fit (P‐E fit), role conflict (RC), and role ambiguity (RA). Psychological strains (job dissatisfaction and lowered commitment) were hypothesized to mediate the stressor‐coping behaviour relationship. Turnover (TO) behaviour was the ultimate organizationally relevant outcome of coping behaviours. Job satisfaction and commitment were significantly related to intentions to leave. Political action was directly related to P‐E fit and this relationship was not mediated by satisfaction or commitment. The relationship between RA and politics was moderated by commitment. Less committed employees tended to exhibit political behaviour in response to RA. Both coping responses (intentions to leave and political action) predicted significant portions of retention/turnover variance.
A longitudinal study of climates
Authors: Jackofsky Ellen F. , Slocum John W.
Published: July 2007

The construct of climate and its relationship to various work outcomes over time was examined. Based on perceptual agreement of various work setting characteristics, collective climates were formed. Climates were traced longitudinally 10 understand the bases of perceptual agreement. Collective climates were shown to (1) vary in stability over time and (2) affect employees' job satisfactions, how they described their leader's behaviour, and intentions to leave. A basis for understanding membership in climates was developed.
Multi‐dimensional quality of life among long‐term (5+ years) adult cancer survivors
Authors: Bloom Joan R. , Petersen Dana M. , Kang Soo H.
Published: July 2007

Survival from cancer has improved over the past decade resulting in more long‐term survivors. The literature on multi‐dimensional quality of life (QOL) among long‐term (5+ years) adult survivors is reviewed for each of seven cancer sites (i.e. breast, ovarian, cervical, prostate, colorectal, head and neck, and Hodgkin's disease survivors). Overall, long‐term survivors experience good to excellent QOL. Physical domain QOL was the most frequently measured while spiritual domain QOL was the least frequently measured. QOL varies according to treatment received and by age for all groups with older persons (excepting head and neck and Hodgkin's disease survivors) reporting better QOL. QOL improves with time for breast cancer survivors and tends to decrease over time for prostate cancer survivors. Issues regarding sexual functioning affected the social domain—especially for breast and prostate cancer survivors. Social support improves psychological domain QOL for breast, cervical, and colorectal survivors. Review of findings may assist researchers and clinicians wishing to enhance the QOL of the long‐term survivor population by identifying the most pressing and widely experienced concerns and by providing directions for future research. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Recent progress in urinary proteomics
Authors: Thongboonkerd Visith
Published: July 2007

Urinary proteomics has become one of the most attractive subdisciplines in clinical proteomics as the urine is an ideal source for the discovery of noninvasive biomarkers for kidney and nonkidney diseases. This field has been growing rapidly as indicated by >80 original research articles on urinary proteome analyses appearing since 2001, of which 28 (approximately 1/3) had been published within the year 2006. The most common technologies used in recent urinary proteome studies remain gel‐based methods (1‐DE, 2‐DE and 2‐D DIGE), whereas LC‐MS/MS, SELDI‐TOF MS, and CE‐MS are other commonly used techniques. In addition, mass spectrometric immunoassay (MSIA) and array technology have also been applied. This review provides an extensive but concise summary of recent applications of urinary proteomics. Proteomic analyses of dialysate and ultrafiltrate fluids derived from renal replacement therapy (or artificial kidney) are also discussed.
Monte Carlo simulation of controlled charge carriers diffusion in highly ordered iodine doped pentacene film
Authors: Demeyu L. , Stafström S. , Bekele M.
Published: July 2007

We propose and model an experiment where charge carriers in a highly ordered iodine doped two‐dimensional (2D) pentacene (PEN) film layer can be controlled by an external parabolic potential defined by a gate arrangement. The potential has its minimum at the center of the 2D organic semiconductor layer. Calculating the discrete interaction potential numerically, and using the Arrhenius equation modified to include effects of the external and internal fields to calculate time and position dependent probabilities, we carry out Monte Carlo simulations to predict the charge concentration profiles. The positive and negative charge concentration profiles are found to broaden outward and inward respectively with the increase of concentration when the external parabolic potential and the temperature are kept constant. A novel transition from a concentration profile controlled by the external potential to a profile determined by the internal potential is observed for increasing doping concentration. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The effect of small‐scale hills on orographic drag
Authors: Vosper S. B. , Brown A. R.
Published: July 2007

The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which the presence of hills with relatively short horizontal scales can influence the drag, due to mountain waves and flow blocking, exerted on the flow by larger‐scale mountains. Numerical simulations of stratified flow over mountains are presented for flow over orography described by the linear superposition of broad mountains, whose length scales are large enough to generate mountain waves, and narrow corrugations, whose wavelengths fall below the minimum horizontal wavelength for stationary gravity waves. Results are presented for both two‐ and three‐dimensional mountain shapes, and for a range of corrugation heights. It is shown that the corrugations can significantly reduce the amplitude of the mountain waves generated by the broader mountain, or they can suppress the unsteadiness of the wake. When these mechanisms make an important contribution to the total drag, this implies a significant drop in the total drag, compared to the sum of the contributions from the two scales of orography. From the point of view of drag parametrization, the extent to which the effect of the small‐scale hills can be represented via an effective roughness length is investigated. © Crown Copyright 2007. Reproduced with the permission of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Alkyl peroxides: Effect of substituent groups on the torsional mode around the OO bond
Authors: Maciel Glauciete S. , Bitencourt Ana Carla P. , Ragni Mirco , Aquilanti Vincenzo
Published: July 2007

We present here a systematic study by quantum mechanical methods of structural and energetic properties for a series of substitutions by alkyl groups of the hydrogens in hydrogen peroxide. The emphasis is on the torsion around the peroxidic bond, which leads to the chirality changing stereomutation. The dihedral angle dependence of the geometrical features and of the dipole moment is discussed with reference to previous experimental and theoretical information, and with respect to the preceding paper on hydrogen peroxide (Maciel et al., Chem Phys Lett, 2006, 432, 383). This information is of interest for chiral separation experiments as well as in view of a possible dynamical mechanism for chirality exchange by molecular collisions. The cis and trans barriers appear to vary remarkably upon substitution by alkyl groups (methyl, ethyl, n‐ and iso‐propyl, sec‐ and tert‐butyl hydroperoxides), the most important property being their geometrical dimensions. As the latter increase, tendency for the equilibrium configuration towards the trans structure increases, so that the trans barrier becomes negligible for dimethyl and diethyl peroxides and for n‐ and iso‐butyl hydroperoxides, giving essentially achiral molecules. For the chiral ones (HOOH, CH3OOH, and C2H5OOH) torsional level energies and eigenfunctions are calculated and their distribution as a function of temperature determined. Their use is exemplified by a calculation of the dipole moment of hydrogen peroxide at room temperature, reconciling previous disagreement between theory and experiment. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007
A framework for improving effort management in software projects
Authors: Haapio Topi
Published: July 2007

Rapid changes in information technology (IT) set challenges to software project effort estimation. Besides effort estimation, software projects involve various other effort‐related functions which have an effect on the effort estimation. Some of these functions are required by the capability maturity models such as Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). However, both the capability maturity model requirements and research on software project effort is very fragmented. This article proposes a framework for improving effort management in software projects. The framework assists both the total management and, on the other hand, concentration on selected areas of effort‐related functions. The framework has been applied at TietoEnator Telecom & Media. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Brief report: Development of a brief scale to assess family support function among Chinese high school students
Authors: Hu Guoqing , Sun Zhenqiu , Hu Ming , Xia Qiang , Yin Xunqiang , Zheng Lei , Castillo Renan C.
Published: July 2007

Purpose

To develop a brief family support function scale for Chinese high school students (FSFS‐CHSS).

Methods

Standard procedures for scale development (identification of conceptual model, literature review, item selection and modification using consumer and expert panels and item reduction techniques) were used to develop a 17‐item scale. Families of students in 96 high school classes in Hunan were used for item selection and validation. A subset of 4 out of 96 classes was selected as a test–retest sample.

Results

A brief CHSS‐FSFS with 17 items was found to have good test–retest and internal consistency reliability (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.89, P<0.05; Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.87). Three factors were extracted using factor analysis, accounting for 48% of total variation. Comparison of CHSS‐FSFS score between healthy and unhealthy families was statistically significant, t=7.58, P<0.01.

Conclusions

CHSS‐FSFS is a reliable and valid tool for family support function assessment.
Association between anaemia and N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP): Findings from the Heart and Soul Study
Authors: Desai Arati S. , Bibbins‐Domingo Kirsten , Shlipak Michael G. , Wu Alan H.B. , Ali Sadia , Whooley Mary A.
Published: July 2007

Background

Anaemia is associated with elevated levels of natriuretic peptides. Whether the association of anaemia with natriuretic peptides is independent of other cardiovascular risk factors is unclear.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study of 809 ambulatory patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and no history of heart failure (HF). We evaluated the extent to which the relationship between haemoglobin and N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) was explained by differences in cardiovascular risk factors, inflammation, and kidney dysfunction.

Results

Of the 809 participants, 189 (23%) had anaemia (haemoglobin <13 g/dL). Haemoglobin (as a continuous variable) was inversely associated with log NT‐proBNP (beta coefficient – .28, p<.0001). This association was considerably attenuated after accounting for cardiovascular risk factors, C‐reactive protein, and kidney dysfunction. However, haemoglobin remained independently associated with log NT‐proBNP even after adjustment for these variables (beta coefficient – .11, p=0.0003). Each 1 g/dL decrease in haemoglobin was associated with a 20% greater odds of having NT‐proBNP in the highest quartile.

Conclusions

The relationship between anaemia and NT‐proBNP is largely explained by differences in cardiovascular risk factors, ventricular function, myocardial ischaemia, inflammation, and kidney function. Nonetheless, haemoglobin appears to be inversely associated with NT‐proBNP even after adjustment for these risk factors.
The Olduvai buffaloPelorovisand the origin ofBos
Authors: Martínez-Navarro Bienvenido , Antonio Pérez-Claros Juan , Palombo Maria Rita , Rook Lorenzo , Palmqvist Paul
Published: July 2007

The origin of the genusBosis a debated issue. From ∼ 0.5 Ma until historic times, the genus is well known in the Eurasian large mammal assemblages, where it is represented byBos primigenius. This species has a highly derived cranial anatomy that shows important morphological differences from other Plio-Pleistocene Eurasian genera of the tribe Bovini such asLeptobos,Bison,Proamphibos-Hemibos, andBubalus. The oldest clear evidence ofBosis the skull fragment ASB-198-1 from the middle Pleistocene (∼ 0.6–0.8 Ma) site of Asbole (Lower Awash Valley, Ethiopia). The first appearance ofBosin Europe is at the site of Venosa-Notarchirico, Italy (∼ 0.5–0.6 Ma). Although the origin ofBoshas traditionally been connected withLeptobosandBison, after a detailed anatomical and morphometric study we propose here a different origin, connecting the middle Pleistocene Eurasian forms ofB. primigeniuswith the African Late Pliocene and early Pleistocene large size member of the tribe BoviniPelorovis sensu stricto. The dispersal of theBoslineage in Western Europe during middle Pleistocene times seems to coincide with the arrival of the Acheulean tool technology in this continent.
Upper ocean response of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System to Hurricane Mitch and coastal freshwater inputs: A study using Sea‐viewing Wide Field‐of‐view Sensor (SeaWiFS) ocean color data and a nested‐grid ocean circulation model
Authors: Sheng Jinyu , Wang Liang , Andréfouët Serge , Hu Chuanmin , Hatcher Bruce G. , Muller‐Karger Frank E. , Kjerfve Björn , Heyman William D. , Yang Bo
Published: July 2007

The passage of category‐5 Hurricane Mitch through the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS) in October 1998 was an extreme event with the potential to create unusual patterns of reef connectivity. The impact of this hurricane on the upper ocean of the MBRS is investigated using a triply nested grid ocean circulation modeling system. The model results are validated with contemporaneous ocean color data from the Sea‐viewing Wide Field‐of‐view Sensor (SeaWiFS) satellite and oceanographic measurements in the MBRS. The nested grid system is forced by 6‐hourly National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) winds for the first 294 days prior to the arrival of the hurricane in the MBRS, and then by the combination of the NCEP/NCAR wind‐forcing and an idealized vortex representative of Mitch for the following 20 days. The system is also forced by the monthly mean sea surface heat and freshwater fluxes and buoyancy forcing associated with major river discharges and storm‐induced precipitation in the western Caribbean Sea. The simulated upper ocean circulation during Mitch is characterized by strong and divergent currents under the storm and intense near‐inertial currents and sea surface temperature cooling behind the storm. The nested grid system also reproduces the buoyant estuarine plumes extending from the coast off Honduras as inferred from SeaWiFS satellite data and detected in field measurements at Gladden Spit in Belize shortly after the passage of Hurricane Mitch. The present model results suggest that populations of site‐attached organisms associated with nearshore and offshore reef features that are dynamically isolated in normal conditions experienced greater potential for ecological connection under Mitch's extreme conditions.
Exploring the signature of climate and landscape spatial variabilities in flash flood events: Case of the 8–9 September 2002 Cévennes‐Vivarais catastrophic event
Authors: Le Lay M. , Saulnier G. M.
Published: July 2007

This paper investigates the signature of climate and landscape spatial variabilities on flash‐floods events. Through the case of the catastrophic 8–9 September 2002 Cévennes‐Vivarais event, the impact of the space‐time structure of the rainfall on the distributed hydrological response is evaluated. Comparisons are made with other spatial variabilities that may also contribute to the flash‐flood generation such as initial soil moisture condition, topography, landscape characteristics, hydraulic processes. A model‐based approach is suggested and was applied on 19 catchments. It is shown that the spatial variability of rainfall and of the initial soil moisture conditions were both of first order in the flash‐floods generation and that the spatial variability of landscape properties were of second order. This methodology will be applied on other extreme hydro‐meteorological events surveyed by the OHM‐CV (Cévennes‐Vivarais Mediterranean Hydrometeorological Observatory), with the aim of providing clues on processes that should be particularly focused when measuring and simulating such intense mesoscale meteorological events.
Contrasting behavior of the thermosphere and ionosphere in response to the 28 October 2003 solar flare
Authors: Liu Huixin , Lühr Hermann , Watanabe Shigeto , Köhler Wolfgang , Manoj C.
Published: July 2007

We examined the thermospheric and ionospheric responses to the solar flare on 28 October 2003, utilizing simultaneous observations of the electron and neutral density from the CHAMP satellite. Rapid thermospheric response within a few minutes was observed. In addition, the neutral and plasma perturbations contrasted each other remarkably. First, their temporal development differed. Though started nearly simultaneously, the plasma perturbation developed much faster and to a larger amplitude than its neutral counterpart. Second, their latitudinal distributions differed. At the initial stage of the response, the neutral density was enhanced by 20% almost homogeneously at all latitudes below 50°N/S. In comparison, the plasma disturbance exhibited a distinctive latitudinal structure, with largest density enhancements of 68% at the dip equator, moderate increase of ∼20% at midlatitudes, and depression up to 35% around 15°N/S. This suggests a decoupling between the neutral and plasma disturbances during this stage. The plasma‐neutral coupling via ion drag was found to become important about 2–3 hours after the flare bursts. Another interesting feature is that the equatorial ionization anomaly was significantly weakened during the flare. The observations demonstrated that electrodynamics related to the equatorial fountain dominated the photochemistry in controlling the flare‐induced plasma density disturbances on 28 October 2003. This differs considerably from the nearly linear cos(SZA) dependence of flare‐induced total electron content enhancements.
Roots and Emergence of Cognition in Evolution
Authors: Riofrio Walter
Published: July 2007

Trying to understand when and how the cognitive phenomena arise in evolution continues being a hard problem of confronting. One important task is to find the ways in which we will be able to arrive at those explanations that will enable us to understand how living beings put together perceived sensory information as well as how they represent it. In this presentation, we address some conceptual questions involved in the relationships between sensorial information perceived by brains and its representational capacities.
A periodic pattern of SNPs in the human genome
Authors: Madsen Bo Eskerod , Villesen Palle , Wiuf Carsten
Published: July 2007

By surveying all validated SNPs in the human genome we have found that SNPs positioned 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8 bp apart are more frequent than SNPs 3, 5, 7 or 9 bp apart. This holds even when we correct for nucleotide frequencies and site dependencies in nucleotide usage in the genome. The observed pattern is not restricted to any of the genomic regions that might give sequencing or alignment errors; i.e. transposable elements (SINE, LINE and LTR), tandem repeats and large duplicated regions. However we can define periodic DNA, which virtually capture the entire pattern. Periodic DNA is defined as small DNA sequences (16.9 bp average length) with a high degree of periodicity in nucleotide usage. Periodic DNA is widely distributed in the genome, underrepresented in exons, widespread in transcripts and slightly overrepresented in tandem repeats. Furthermore periodic DNA has a 1.8 times higher SNP density than the rest of the genome.A possible biological explanation of these observations is that during DNA replication small fragments of (periodic) DNA is copied to nearby positions, substituting the original sequence. If the copied fragment differs from the original sequence a new SNP is created. In conclusion these observations suggest that not all SNPs in the human genome are created by independent single nucleotide mutations.
Basic flow and its three-dimensional linear stability in a small spherical droplet spinning in an alternating magnetic field
Authors: Shatrov Victor , Priede Jānis , Gerbeth Gunter
Published: July 2007

We present a numerical analysis of the liquid metal flow and its three-dimensional linear stability in a spherical droplet spinning in an alternating magnetic field. The applied magnetic field is uniform and the droplet spins around an axis parallel to the field. The droplet is assumed to be small so that its deformation by both electromagnetic and centrifugal forces is negligible. We find that a sufficiently fast spinning suppresses and stabilizes the internal flow in the droplet. However, there is a narrow range of rotation rates corresponding to an Ekman number of E≈10−2, where the spinning can destabilize the internal flow. Our results can be useful for the assessment of melt flow conditions in certain material processing technologies using electromagnetic levitation melting techniques.
Combinatorial electrochemical cell array for high throughput screening of micro-fuel-cells and metal/air batteries
Authors: Jiang Rongzhong
Published: July 2007

An electrochemical cell array was designed that contains a common air electrode and 16 microanodes for high throughput screening of both fuel cells (based on polymer electrolyte membrane) and metal/air batteries (based on liquid electrolyte). Electrode materials can easily be coated on the anodes of the electrochemical cell array and screened by switching a graphite probe from one cell to the others. The electrochemical cell array was used to study direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), including high throughput screening of electrode catalysts and determination of optimum operating conditions. For screening of DMFCs, there is about 6% relative standard deviation (percentage of standard deviation versus mean value) for discharge current from 10to20mA∕cm2. The electrochemical cell array was also used to study tin/air batteries. The effect of Cu content in the anode electrode on the discharge performance of the tin/air battery was investigated. The relative standard deviations for screening of metal/air battery (based on zinc/air) are 2.4%, 3.6%, and 5.1% for discharge current at 50, 100, and 150mA∕cm2, respectively.
High-throughput combinatorial study of local stress in thin film composition spreads
Authors: Woo Noble C. , Ng Bryan G. , van Dover R. Bruce
Published: July 2007

We investigate the stresses in thin films with sub-millimeter lateral spatial resolution using a dense array of prefabricated cantilever beams prepared by microelectromechanical-system techniques. Stress induced deflection of the cantilever is interrogated by an optical (laser/position sensitive detector) measurement system. Composition spread films are deposited on the cantilever array using a three gun on-axis magnetron cosputtering system. The position dependent composition is inferred using rate calibrations and verified by electron microprobe/energy dispersive spectroscopy. We demonstrate the function of this system using an Fe–Ni–Al composition spread with ∼1at.% resolution. This approach allows for measurement of the composition dependence of other electromechanical properties such as the martensitic phase transition temperature of traditional and ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys, as well as the properties of hydrogen storage materials and the magnetic response of magnetostrictive materials.