bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A HYBRID APPROACH FOR DETERMINANT SIGNS OF MODERATE-SIZED MATRICES
Authors: CULVER TIM , KEYSER JOHN , MANOCHA DINESH , KRISHNAN SHANKAR
Published: January 2004

Many geometric computations have at their core the evaluation of the sign of the determinant of a matrix. A fast, failsafe determinant sign operation is often a key part of a robust implementation. While linear problems from 3D computational geometry usually require determinants no larger than six, non-linear problems involving algebraic curves and surfaces produce larger matrices. Furthermore, the matrix entries often exceed machine precision, while existing approaches focus on machine-precision matrices. In this paper, we describe a practical hybrid method for computing the sign of the determinant of matrices of order up to 60. The stages include a floating-point filter based on the singular value decomposition of a matrix, an adaptive-precision implementation of Gaussian elimination, and a standard modular arithmetic determinant algorithm. We demonstrate our method on a number of examples encountered while solving polynomial systems.
COMPUTING CLOSEST POINTS FOR SEGMENTS
Authors: BESPAMYATNIKH SERGEI
Published: January 2004

We consider the proximity problem of computing for each of n line segments the closest point from a given set of n points in the plane. It generalizes Hopcroft's problem11 and the nearest foreign neighbors problem.15 We show that it can be solved in O(n4/32O( log * n)) time. For the case of disjoint segments we reduce the problem to two dynamic problems for maintenance of points with segment queries. We present two different algorithms with O( log 2 n) query and (amortized) update time. With this we solve the problem of computing the closest point to each of n disjoint line segments in O(n log 2 n) time improving the best previously known result4 by a factor of log n. We show that the nearest foreign neighbors and the Hausdorff distance for disjoint, colored segments can be computed in the same time.
COMPUTING THE CENTER OF AREA OF A CONVEX POLYGON
Authors: BRAß PETER , HEINRICH-LITAN LAURA , MORIN PAT
Published: January 2004

The center of area of a convex planar set X is the point p for which the minimum area of X intersected by any halfplane containing p is maximized. We describe a simple randomized linear-time algorithm for computing the center of area of a convex n-gon.
17β-Estradiol Antagonizes Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy by Autocrine/Paracrine Stimulation of a Guanylyl Cyclase A Receptor-Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate-Dependent Protein Kinase Pathway
Authors: Babiker Fawzi A. , De Windt Leon J. , van Eickels Martin , Thijssen Victor , Bronsaer Ronald J.P. , Grohé Christian , van Bilsen Marc , Doevendans Pieter A.
Published: January 2004

Background—

Significant gender-related differences exist in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). In addition, administration of 17β-estradiol (E
2
) to ovariectomized female mice attenuates the development of LVH, demonstrating an antagonistic role for E
2
in this process, although no molecular mechanism has been proposed for this phenomenon.

Methods and Results—

E
2
attenuated phenylephrine and endothelin-1 induced hypertrophy in neonatal cardiomyocytes, and E
2
directly induced atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) expression as assessed by Northern blot, immunocytochemical analyses, and transient transfection assays using ANF promoter deletion fragments. Both the antihypertrophic effects and ANF induction could be blocked by the estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780, which demonstrates a genomic, estrogen receptor-dependent pathway. To mimic E
2
-induced autocrine/paracrine effects through stimulation of the guanylyl cyclase A receptor (ANF receptor), cardiomyocytes were stimulated with phenylephrine or endothelin-1 in the presence of exogenous ANF or 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), both of which attenuated agonist-induced hypertrophy. Both estrogen and ANF increased cGMP activity. The antihypertrophic effect of ANF could be reduced with extracellular ANF antibodies in a dose-dependent manner. cGMP-dependent protein kinase mediates the antihypertrophic effects of E
2
, so cardiomyocytes were agonist stimulated in the presence of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase blocker KT-5823. KT-5823 not only reversed the antihypertrophic properties of E
2
, ANF, or 8-bromo-cGMP, but also evoked potentiation of hypertrophy.

Conclusions—

E
2
-mediated induction of ANF in cardiac hypertrophy contributes to its antagonistic effects in LVH.
Long-Term Antioxidant Intervention Improves Myocardial Microvascular Function in Experimental Hypertension
Authors: Rodriguez-Porcel Martin , Herrman Joerg , Chade Alejandro R. , Krier James D. , Breen Jerome F. , Lerman Amir , Lerman Lilach O.
Published: January 2004

Hypertension increases oxidative stress, which can impair myocardial microvascular function and integrity. However, it is yet unclear whether long-term antioxidant intervention in early hypertension would preserve myocardial perfusion and vascular permeability responses to challenge. Pigs were studied after 12 weeks of renovascular hypertension without (n=8) or with daily supplementation of antioxidants (100 IU/kg vitamin E and 1 g vitamin C, n=6), and compared with normal controls (n=7). Myocardial perfusion and microvascular permeability were measured in vivo by electron beam computed tomography before and after 2 cardiac challenges (intravenous adenosine and dobutamine). Basal left ventricular muscle mass was also obtained. Mean arterial pressure was significantly increased in both groups of hypertensive animals (without and with antioxidants, 123±9 and 126±4 mm Hg, respectively, versus normal, 101±4 mm Hg; both
P
<0.05), but muscle mass was not different among the groups. The impaired myocardial perfusion response to adenosine observed in hypertensives (normal, +51±14%;
P
<0.05 versus baseline; hypertension, +14±15%;
P
=0.3 versus baseline) was preserved in hypertensive pigs that received antioxidants (+44±15%;
P
=0.01 compared with baseline). Long-term antioxidant intervention also preserved subendocardial microvascular permeability responses in hypertension. On the other hand, antioxidant intervention had little effect on the hypertension-induced myocardial vascular dysfunction observed in response to dobutamine. This study demonstrates that the impaired myocardial perfusion and permeability responses to increased cardiac demand in early hypertension are significantly improved by long-term antioxidant intervention. These results support the involvement of oxidative stress in myocardial vascular dysfunction in hypertension and suggest a role for antioxidant strategies to preserve the myocardial microvasculature.
Description and phylogeny of Bursaphelenchus luxuriosae n. sp. (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) isolated from Acalolepta luxuriosa (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)
Authors: Kanzaki Natsumi , Futai Kazuyoshi
Published: January 2004

Bursaphelenchus luxuriosae n. sp. is described and figured. Specimens were collected from a 2-week-old culture on Botrytis cinerea. The new species is characterised by a body length of 897 (710-1159) μm in the female and 745 (621-887) μm in the male, relatively robust body (a = 33-39 in the female and 27-30 in the male), stylet ca 14 (11-16) μm long, four lines in the lateral field, the large (27-30 μm) arcuate spicule with a terminal cucullus, seven (2 + 1 + 2 + 2) male caudal papillae, the long, well developed vulval flap and the shape of the female tail which is long, tapered, and ventrally bent when killed by heat with an irregular or roughened dorsal contour near the tip and an irregular terminus. The new species is considered to belong to the Bursaphelenchus xylophilus group of the genus Bursaphelenchus and is most closely related to B. conicaudatus and B. fraudulentus in spicule shape, vulval flap and 'a' values of males and females. It is easily distinguished from these two species by the morphology of female tail. The RFLP profile confirms the distinctness of the new species within the B. xylophilus group. The phylogenetic status of B. luxuriosae n. sp. within the B. xylophilus group is indicated by molecular phylogenetic analysis. Bursaphelenchus luxuriosae n. sp. is assumed to be close to B. conicaudatus and to have diverged from the ancestor of the B. xylophilus group early in the speciation of the group.
The 18S ribosomal RNA gene of Soboliphyme baturini Petrow, 1930 (Nematoda: Dioctophymida) and its implications for phylogenetic relationships within Dorylaimia
Authors: Rusin Leonid , Aleshin Vladimir , Tchesunov Alexey , Atrashkevich Gennadiy
Published: January 2004

Phylogenetic estimations from 18S rDNA sequence data reveal close
relationships of dioctophymids with Trichinellida (Trichocephalida), the
latter represented by the families Trichinellidae and Trichocephalidae
(Trichuridae). This phylogeny is congruent with a scenario of molecular
evolution deduced from conservative motifs within the V4 and V9 regions of
18S rRNA. A phylogenetic approach to analyse data containing highly unequal
rates of sequence evolution is proposed. The entire gene possesses only a
few conservative molecular synapomorphies of a clade consisting of
Dorylaimida, Mononchida and Mermithida. Dioctophymida, together with
Trichinellida, are inferred as a sister taxon to this clade which jointly
constitute the Dorylaimia. Molecular data juxtaposed with morphology were
used to reconstruct some of the putative features of the common ancestor of
Dorylaimia which is speculated to have possessed a spear and, as found in
extant Enoplia and Dioctophymida, pharyngeal gland outlets located in the
stoma. Mononchids are postulated to have secondarily lost the spear contrary
to all previously published phylogenies. Reduction of caudal glands and
transformation of pharyngeal glands into the stichosome are not parsimonious
across the tree of Dorylaimia. There are no unequivocal adult morphological
synapomorphies for Dorylaimia; the only non-molecular diagnostic feature is
the unique specification of the endodermal precursor in early
embryogenesis.
Personality Structure in Chinese School Children: Is the Five-Factor Model Adequate?
Authors: Zeng Qing , Draper Thomas , De Lin Chong
Published: January 2004

To test the claimed universal model of Five-Factor Personality structure, we used teacher ratings of 493 10- to 12-year-old Chinese school children on an adjective rating scale developed by Digman and Inouye (1986). Factor analysis of the teacher ratings strongly replicated four of the "big five" personality factors that have been observed in a variety of other cultures. The fifth factor, emotional stability, was also evident, as was a sixth factor tentatively named ego strength. Overall, inquiring intellect was more important among Chinese than among American school children.
Defining the 'Other': Democracy in Mozambique Within - A Historical Perspective
Authors: Virtanen Pekka
Published: January 2004

Despite apparent success Mozambique is facing serious problems in institutionalising democracy in the context of economic liberalisation. The problems are linked to a basic contradiction between a need to construct a unified nation, and capacity to tolerate difference inside it which is an essential function of a democratic system. In Mozambique both neo-traditionalism and socialism, which can be interpreted as currents inside African nationalism, have roots in pre-independence political movements. In line with Western modernism the ruling party FRELIMO has been reluctant to accept any linkages between political pluralism and cultural difference based on denominational, ethnic or regional identity. On the other hand many opposition parties see cultural difference as a constitutive element of African socio-political reality, and promote devolution of power to cultural regions and local communities as an effective means to engage the whole population in the political process.
When Neutrality is Taboo. Navigating Institutional Identity in Protracted Conflict Settings - the Nigerian Ife/Modakeke Case
Authors: Soyinka-Airewele Peyi
Published: January 2004

This paper explores the means by which social institutions located in African communities that are deeply and violently polarized along ethnic-related lines, navigate the institutional role and identity within such a local environment. Utilizing a case study of ethno-political conflict in the Ile-Ife and Modakeke communities of South Western Nigeria, the paper investigates how the local academy has sought to survive as a zone of diversities located in host cit(ies) with rigidly structured mythicohistories and conflicting geopolitical claims. Through this exploration of the paradox of the uneasy cohabitation of contested realities and the quest for postwar healing and rehabilitation, the paper unveils the unusual local interpretation, rejection and reconstruction of the concept of neutrality, and highlights the challenges, both philosophical and concrete, which confront the academy. The findings of the study suggest a need to cautiously, but decidedly, resituate the university as a civically engaged arena for the creative re-envisioning of diversity and cultural pluralism and ultimately for local and national conflict transformation in Nigeria.
A Critical Reflection on Globalisation and Inequality: A New Approach to the Development of the South
Authors: Prabhakar
Published: January 2004

This article argues for a historical materialist approach, which exposes the condition of widespread routine poverty, unemployment and malnutrition in the world to be a modern worldhistorical product, the outcome of five centuries of global capitalist expansion under relations of imperialism. The bourgeoisie has, through its exploitation of its world-market, given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country. All established national industries have been destroyed or are daily being destroyed. They are dislodged by new industries, whose introduction becomes a life and death question for all civilised nations, by industries that no longer work up indigenous raw materials, but raw material drawn from the remotest zones; industries whose products are consumed, not only at home, but in every quarter of the globe. It creates wealth but also inequality. As a result of this globalisation, over 75 percent of the world population lives in underdevelopment, and extreme poverty has already reached 1.2 billion people in the third world. The revenue of the richest nations that in 1960 was 37 times larger then that of the poorest is now 82 times larger in 2002. The situation has such extremes that the assets of the three-wealthiest persons in the world amount to the GDP of the 48 poorest countries combined. The most affluent 5 per cent in the globe presently earn 114 times as much as the poorest 5 per cent. Even more mind-boggling, the 500 richest people currently own $1.54 trillion, which is more than the entire GDP of Africa. The central premise of this study is to analysis of the pattern of trade, development and inequality between the advanced industrial countries and the rest of the world. The growth of capitalism in nineteenth century Europe would have been possible to exploit of African and Asian markets and source of raw materials. In the new imperialism era, by the fact that Britain's predominant position in world markets was then beginning to be challenge by industrial rivals like the Americans. Both America and the European Union they have been possible to exploit of the Third World markets. This study is to evaluate to promote the local technological capacity co-operation among the south region for the development in the new era of globalisation. This co-operation is dealt with as agents for promoting industrial development in developing world, employment generation to locals, plus further export expansion from these regions.
PATTERNS AND PECULIARITIES OF ISLAMIC REFORM IN AFRICA
Authors: Loimeier Roman
Published: January 2004

African Muslim societies were characterised, in the 20th century, by the emergence of reformist movements that have gained, since the 1970s, major social, religious and political influence in a number of countries, including Northern Nigeria, Senegal, Zanzibar and Sudan. These movements of reform are, however, not recent phenomena. Rather, they look back to a history of several generations of reformist endeavour and thought that may have been influenced, to a certain extent, by external sources of inspiration. This contribution shows how the biographies of major reformist personalities such as Cheikh Touré in Senegal, Abubakar Gumi in Northern Nigeria and 'Abdallâh Sâlih al-Farsy in East Africa reflect a number of common features of Islamic reform in Africa, while their programmes of reform were shaped, at the same time, by local frame conditions.
AHMED DEEDAT'S THEOLOGY OF RELIGION: APOLOGETICS THROUGH POLEMICS
Authors: Westerlund David
Published: January 2004

Within Africa, as well as outside the continent, the writings and videocassettes of Ahmed Deedat have been, and still are, most influential. In this article, Deedat's great interest in religious polemics, especially against Christianity, has been interpreted primarily as an apologetical endeavour influenced largely by the marginal and exposed situation of the small minority of Muslims in the strongly Christiandominated South Africa. Deedat's main task was to provide Muslims with theological tools for defending themselves against the intense missionary strivings of many Christian denominations. He spoke and wrote for the Muslim masses rather than for learned scholars, and the fact that he used English instead of Arabic or some other 'Muslim' language further increased the availability of his writings among, for instance, Muslim minorities in Europe and North America.
EDUCATING THE MURID: THEORY AND PRACTICES OF EDUCATION IN AMADU BAMBA'S THOUGHT
Authors: Babou Cheikh Anta
Published: January 2004

The scholarship on the Muridiyya focuses mainly on the examination of the political and economic aspects of the brotherhood. Dominant scholarly interpretations see the organisation as an effective instrument of adaptation to a turbulent period in history. Disgruntled Wolof farmers joined the Muridiyya as a way of adjusting to the new order brought about by the demise of the pre-colonial kingdoms and the establishment of French domination in Senegal, in the second half of the nineteenth century. Since the role of religious innovations and beliefs was considered peripheral in this process of adjustment, not much attention has been devoted to doctrinal and spiritual issues within the brotherhood. Emphasis had been put on the analysis of the socio-political context of the founding of the Murid brotherhood, and the economic and psychological incentives that might have motivated people to join the organisation. In contrast to this interpretation, I conceive of the Muridiyya as the result of a conscious decision by a Sufi shaikh who saw it primarily as a vehicle for religious change, but also for social and political transformation. Education was the principal tool for the realisation of this social change. This article describes and analyses Amadu Bamba's views on educational theory and practices and explores how his Sufi orientation shaped Murid pedagogy. It reveals the centrality of the theme of education in his writings, sermons and correspondence and documents the continuing influence of this education on the Murid ethos.
HISTORICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL PUBLICATIONS IN THE VERNACULARS OF COLONIAL ZAMBIA: MISSIONARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE 'CREATION OF TRIBALISM'
Authors: Macola Giacomo
Published: January 2004

This paper examines the chronology and attributes of literate ethno-history in Northern Rhodesia. While the earliest published authors were invariably members of missionary societies whose evangelical policies were predisposed towards the Christianisation of local chieftaincies, the expansion and Africanisation of vernacular historiography from the late 1930s owed much to the intervention of the colonial government in the publishing sphere. A survey of their contents shows that vernacular histories and ethnographies mirrored preconceptions and preoccupations typical of the times of their composition. By placing these texts in the political and economic context of the colony, and by providing new data on their wide circulation among literate Africans, the article contends that published ethnohistories were one of the principal cultural components of the process of crystallisation of ethnic identities in the middle and late colonial era.
REMEMBERING BISHOP JOSEPH DUPONT (1850-1930) IN PRESENT-DAY ZAMBIA
Authors: Hinfelaar Marja
Published: January 2004

This article deals with the reburial of Bishop Joseph Dupont in Zambia in December 2000, 88 years after he left the country. After a brief précis of the burial itself, I examine the different presentations of Bishop Dupont by scholars, White Fathers, oral literature and the Bemba Catholics in Zambia, exploring the question of who kept his memory alive and for what purposes. It is not sufficient to view Dupont's funeral as an historical oddity, but rather as a manifestation of what Ranger called 'popular Christianity'. To understand this attachment to Dupont by local Catholics, one has to go beyond the official documents and academic literature and consider the historical reconstruction on the ground. As will become clear, this is the only way to explain Bishop Dupont's current heroic status.
PERSONHOOD AND SELF IN CATHOLIC FORMATION IN ZAMBIA
Authors: Simpson Anthony
Published: January 2004

The article describes and analyses the recruitment and training of young Zambians in the 1990s for Catholic religious Brotherhood. The consequences of the missionary employment of Euro-American concepts of personhood and self that involve particular understandings of narrative and the use of psychological testing are explored. The author argues that Zambian understandings of personhood and of individual experience of evil and suffering are silenced in the process of religious formation. This discussion raises salient issues about training for Catholic religious or priestly life in Africa because similar techniques have been commonly employed throughout the continent.
PRESIDENT FREDERICK J.T. CHILUBA OF ZAMBIA: THE CHRISTIAN NATION AND DEMOCRACY
Authors: Phiri Isabel Apawo
Published: January 2004

This paper focuses on the career of Frederick Chiluba from his election as President of Zambia in October 1991 to his renunciation of standing for a third term in April 2001. The paper argues first that, in his book on democracy and in his declaration of Zambia as a Christian nation, Chiluba set up the criteria by which his presidency would be judged and ultimately found wanting. Second, it argues that the Christian nation concept has had the inadvertent consequence of giving evangelicals a clear basis on which to judge Chiluba and the Zambian state, and hence has served as a catalyst for more energetic and extensive evangelical political engagement.
Experimental synthesis of chlorite from smectite at 300ºC in the presence of metallic Fe
Authors: Guillaume D. , Neaman A. , Cathelineau M. , Mosser-Ruck R. , Peiffert C. , Abdelmoula M. , Dubessy J . , Villiéras F. , Baronnet A. , Michau N.
Published: January 2004

The alteration and transformation behaviour of montmorillonite (bentonite from Wyoming, MX-80) in low-salinity solutions (NaCl, CaCl2) in the presence of metallic Fe (powder and 86461 mm plate) and magnetite powder was studied in batch experiments at 300ºC to simulate the mineralogical and chemical reactions of clays in contact with steel in a nuclear waste repository. The evolutions of pH and solution concentrations were measured over a period of 9 months. The mineralogical and chemical evolution of the clays was studied by XRD, SEM, Transmission Mössbauer Spectroscopy and TEM (EDS, HR imaging and EELS). Dissolution of the di-octahedral smectite of the starting bentonite was observed, in favour of newly formed clays (chlorite and saponite), quartz, feldspars and zeolite. The formation of Fe-chlorite was triggered by contact with the metallic Fe plate and Fe-Mg-chlorite at distance from the Fe plate (>2 mm).
Experimental alteration of Mg-vermiculite under hydrothermal conditions: formation of mixed-layered saponite-chlorite minerals
Authors: Mosser-Ruck R. , Pironon J . , Guillaume D. , Cathelineau M.
Published: January 2004

The hydrothermal reactivity of a Mg-vermiculite from Santa Olalla (Spain) was studied experimentally at 150 and 300ºC, 75 and 100 bars, respectively, in (Na,K,Ca,Mg) chloride and sulphate solutions (liquid/solid ratio = 10). The formation of mixed-layer clays is demonstrated by FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron microprobe. The gradual decrease of the 3220 cm–1infrared band intensity, characteristic of free water, is interpretated as the dehydration of the interlayer Mg cation of the vermiculite. The presence of ‘brucite type’ sheets is also observed by the increase of 3555 cm–1and 3420 cm–1band intensities. The XRD results show that run products are able to expand when glycolated. Microprobe analyses document the decrease ofIVSi content and a significant enrichment in Mg in the run products. The formation of a mixed-layer clay comprising saponite and chlorite layers is proposed.
In vivo imaging of graft-versus-host-disease in mice
Authors: Panoskaltsis-Mortari Angela , Price Andrew , Hermanson John R. , Taras Elizabeth , Lees Chris , Serody Jonathan S. , Blazar Bruce R.
Published: January 2004

We have developed a mouse system by which to track the migration and homing of cells in a setting of bone marrow transplantation (BMT)-induced graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after systemic infusion using enhanced green fluorescence protein (eGFP) transgenic (Tg) cells and a simple application of a fluorescence stereomicroscope outfitted with a color charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. Whole body images of anesthetized mice taken at various time points after cell infusion revealed the early migration of allogeneic cells to peripheral lymphoid organs, with later infiltration of GVHD target organs. Localization of eGFP Tg cells could be seen through the skin of shaved mice, and internal organs were easily discernible. After allogeneic or syngeneic eGFP Tg cell infusion, representative mice were dissected to better visualize deeper internal organs and tissues. Infusion of different cell populations revealed distinct homing patterns, and this method also provided a simple way to identify the critical time points for expansion of the transplanted cells in various organs. This simple application of the fluorescence stereomicroscope will be valuable for GVHD and graft-versus-tumor studies in which visualization of cellular migration, expansion, and cell-cell interactions will be more informative when analyzed by such an intravital method. (Blood. 2004;103:3590-3598)
Examining passage-related local item dependence (LID) and measurement construct using Q3 statistics in an EFL reading comprehension test
Authors: Lee Yong-Won
Published: January 2004

The purpose of the study reported in this article is to empirically examine passage-related local item dependence (LID) by using an IRT (item response theory)- based LID index called Q3 in an EFL reading comprehension test, with a special focus on item types as a potentially competing source of LID with passages. In this article, definitions and causes of LID and major LID detection methods including Q3 statistics are reviewed along with the two potential sources of LID in EFL reading assessment. Scored item responses of 1857 Korean high school students to a 40-item EFL (English as a Foreign Language) reading comprehension test were analysed by using MULTILOG and IRTNEW. It was found that positive LID exists among items within passages, but no item-type-related LID was confirmed in the study. Subsequent content analysis of an item pair with an extreme Q3 value has also provided some insights into the item characteristics that may exacerbate passage-related LID. These findings shed important light on the nature of passage-related LID, psychometric dimensionality, and measurement construct of the EFL reading comprehension test.
Using GENOVA and FACETS to set multiple standards on performance assessment for certification in medical translation from Japanese into English
Authors: Kozaki Yoko
Published: January 2004

This article presents a standard-setting procedure for performance assessment in a foreign language, through which some of the major problems facing performance assessment in criterion-referencedtesting can be addressed. The procedure, which was geared to revealing and accommodating inter-judge variability, employed the synergy of multiple approaches to the data analysis, including Generalizability Theory (Brennan, 1983; Shavelson and Webb, 1991) and Multifaceted Rasch Analysis (Linacre, 1994; McNamara, 1996), whereby the investigator was better informed in handling the problems associated with performance assessments in criterion-referenced testing. The study was motivated by the need to develop a viable standard-setting procedure and to demonstrate its potential.
Evaluation of an in-depth vocabulary knowledge measure for assessing reading performance
Authors: Qian David D. , Schedl Mary
Published: January 2004

The central purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate an in-depth vocabulary knowledge measure in the context of developing the new TOEFL test. The study was carried out with a sample of 207 international students attending an intensive English as a second language (ESL) program in a major Canadian university, in order to determine whether this vocabulary knowledge measure could provide a basis for developing appropriate and useful item types for assessing test-takers’ reading comprehension. The results indicate that, compared with existing TOEFL vocabulary measures, the new measure has a similar difficulty level and provides a similar amount of prediction of test-takers’ reading performance.
DIF for examinees with different academic backgrounds
Authors: Pae Tae-Il
Published: January 2004

The purpose of the present study was to investigate differential item function (DIF) on the English subtest of the 1998 Korean National Entrance Exam for Colleges and Universities for examinees with different academic backgrounds (i.e., Humanities vs. Sciences) using the Item Response Theory (IRT) Likelihood Ratio (LR) approach. The English subtest consisted of a total of 55 items, which comprised the subscales of Listening Comprehension and Reading Comprehension. Data were fitted with a modified three parameter logistic IRT model, and DIF was detected using both the Mantel-Haenszel procedure and the IRT likelihood ratio approach. To evaluate a baseline estimate of DIF due to chance, the entire DIF detection procedure was repeated, with the sample randomly divided in half. The results of the study identified 18 DIF items with 28 DIF parameters. DIF magnitude for each studied item is also provided. Results of a preliminary content analysis are discussed in terms of the relationships between DIF directions and item content. Implications and recommendations for future research are also addressed.
Reflectance characteristics of display screen equipment: application to workplace lighting design
Authors: Howlett OA
Published: January 2004

Workplace lighting design is dominated by a perceived requirement for low-brightness luminaires, to avoid distracting reflections in display screen equipment (DSE). This paper presents measurements of the reflectance characteristics of current commercially available DSE. The results suggest that modern display screens cause less distracting reflections, and consequently that current workplace lighting guidelines could be significantly relaxed. The measurements of screen self-luminance, specular and diffuse reflectance followed the experimental method of EN 29241-7, and corroborate tendencies seen in previous studies. EN 29241-7 contains calculations for quantifying the subjective distraction effect to office workers, and these calculations were adapted to derive numerical values for the maximum tolerable luminance of office luminaires. The practical application of these measurement techniques to commercial workplace lighting design is discussed.
A qualitative study of occupant controlled office lighting
Authors: Moore T , Carter DJ , Slater AI
Published: January 2004

This study of open-plan office buildings equipped with locally addressable dimmable lighting relates luminance patterns and levels within the interior to users’ subjective assessments of them. The parts of the field of view which appeared to be related to occupants’ subjective assessments of lighting quality were identified. Luminance measurement was based on digital photography. Occupants on the whole had positive perceptions of lighting quality strongly suggesting that the significant energy savings previously shown to be attributable to systems were not achieved at the expense of occupant comfort.
Quantifying lighting energy efficiency: a discussion document
Authors: Loe DL
Published: January 2004

Energy efficiency is now an important part of lighting design and operation, but so far there is no agreed way of determining its energy efficiency performance rating when considering all the elements that influence it. This discussion paper is based on the work of the Society of Light and Lighting, Energy in Lighting Panel which sets out a possible way forward by describing a formula which combines all the major elements. It also indicates areas that still need investigation.
Spectral and electrical performance of screw-based dimmable compact fluorescent lamps
Authors: Hu Xin , Houser Kevin W
Published: January 2004

Screw-based dimmable compact fluorescent lamps (SD-CFLs) are promoted as alternatives to incandescent lamps. This paper investigates the performance of SD-CFLs over their dimming range—including luminous flux output, colorimetric quantities, and electrical characteristics—and compares these data against the performance of incandescent lamps. The performance of SD-CFLs differs from that of the incandescent lamps they are meant to replace in several important ways, including their colour appearance, colour rendering properties, and dimming range. These and other attributes that might inhibit the widespread application of current SD-CFLs are discussed.
Daylighting performance of sawtooth roofs of industrial buildings
Authors: Asdrubali F
Published: January 2004

Natural lighting in industrial, commercial and sports buildings is usually provided by roofs with transparent surfaces. Sawtooth roofs, in which opaque modular elements are combined with transparent surfaces, whether inclined or in various shapes, are especially popular. The exact dimensioning of these roofs is extremely important both in terms of energy savings (less electricity needed for artificial lighting) and as regards vision quality. This paper illustrates a calculation method that accurately assesses daylighting performances of sawtooth roofs. The method allows detailed modelling of the sawtooth roof’s shape to be created and the transmittances and reflectances of all the materials making up the roof to be taken into account. The calculation method was applied to 11 different sawtooth roofs supplied by different manufacturers; the results were compared and some technical solutions were suggested for optimizing the performances of the analysed roofs. Experimental verifications were performed on the method in two industrial buildings, with different roofs; the results show that the calculation method being proposed is both accurate and reliable.
Prediction of discomfort glare from windows
Authors: Fisekis K , Davies M , Kolokotroni M , Langford P
Published: January 2004

Visual discomfort in a day-lit interior environment is usually represented by the degree of discomfort glare perceived by the user. The paper reports on the evaluation of several models for the prediction of discomfort glare from daylighting, using data collected over a 10-month period, in a purpose built test cell. The Daylight Glare Index (DGI) was evaluated according to different interpretations of the background luminance (Lb). The evaluation of the models led to a better understanding of the effect of the adaptation function and a modified DGI is explored in light of these findings. The Unified Glare Rating (UGR), which is the CIE model for the prediction of discomfort glare from artificial lighting, was also evaluated to identify the differences between the two approaches and to test the potential for the development of a general UGR that would include both lighting environments.
Octreotide Alone or With Prednisone in Patients With Advanced Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma: An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Phase II Trial
Authors: Loehrer Patrick J. , Wang Wei , Johnson David H. , Ettinger David S.
Published: January 2004

Purpose

To determine the objective response rate, duration of remission and toxicity of octreotide alone or with the later addition of prednisone in patients with unresectable, advanced thymic malignancies in whom the pretreatment octreotide scan was positive.

Patients and Methods

Forty-two patients with advanced thymoma or thymic carcinoma were entered onto the trial, of whom 38 were fully assessable (one patient had inconclusive histology; three patients had negative octreotide scan). Patients received octreotide 0.5 mg subcutaneously tid. At 2 months, patients were evaluated. Responding patients continued to receive octreotide alone; patients with progressive disease were removed from the study. All others received prednisone 0.6 mg/kg orally qid for a maximum of 1 year.

Results

Two complete (5.3%) and 10 partial responses (25%) were observed (four partial responses with octreotide alone; the remainder with octreotide plus prednisone). None of the six patients without pure thymoma responded. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 86.6% and 75.7%, respectively. Patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 lived significantly longer than did those with a performance status of 1 (P = .031).

Conclusion

Octreotide alone has modest activity in patients with octreotide scan–positive thymoma. Prednisone improves the overall response rate but is associated with increased toxicity. Additional studies with the agent are warranted.
The Role of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription Factors in Leukemogenesis
Authors: Sternberg David W. , Gilliland D. Gary
Published: January 2004

Human leukemias are frequently associated with the aberrant expression of activated fusion tyrosine kinases or activated protein tyrosine kinases carrying insertional or point mutations. The activated kinase enzymes typically phosphorylate one or more signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) factors, which translocate to the cell nucleus and regulate the expression of genes associated with survival and proliferation. The phosphorylation and activation of STAT family members has been described in a wide range of human leukemias. Furthermore, animal models of leukemia have demonstrated the pivotal contribution of STAT activation to leukemic pathogenesis. This review discusses evidence for the functional importance of STAT activation in the biology of leukemia and current opportunities for modulating STAT proteins in the therapy of this group of diseases.
Olfactory Familiarization and Discrimination in Preterm and Full‐Term Newborns
Authors: Goubet Nathalie , Rattaz Cécile , Pierrat Véronique , Allémann Eric , Bullinger André , Lequien Pierre
Published: January 2004

The purpose of this study was to observe olfactory detection and discrimination in preterm and full‐term newborns. Infants were familiarized for 10 trials with either vanillin or anethole. On each trial, a cotton swab perfumed with one of the odors was slowly moved in front of the baby's nose for 10 sec. For half of the preterm and full‐term infants, a new odor was presented after the last familiarization trial (experimental groups). For the other half, the same odor as during familiarization was presented (control groups). Facial and head movements for both populations and heart rates for preterm infants were recorded before, during, and after odor presentation. Preterm infants reacted to the scents by increasing facial actions and heart rate but not head movements. Full‐term infants increased facial and head movements. Neither population showed a clear behavioral habituation pattern, but full‐term newborns had a significantly reduced facial reactivity on the last familiarization trial compared to preterm infants. Preterm newborns did, however, show cardiac habituation on the last familiarization trial. Preterm and full‐term infants presented with a new odor after familiarization increased responding compared to infants presented with the same odor, indicating their ability to discriminate between 2 odors. Infants' reactivity and discrimination to odors indicate preterm and full‐term newborns' ability to be attuned to their olfactory environment.
Four‐Month‐Olds' Discrimination of Optic Flow Patterns Depicting Different Directions of Observer Motion
Authors: Gilmore Rick O. , Rettke Heather J.
Published: January 2004

One of the most powerful sources of information about spatial relationships available to mobile organisms is the pattern of visual motion called optic flow. Despite its importance for spatial perception and for guiding locomotion, very little is known about how the ability to perceive one's direction of motion, or heading, from optic flow develops early in life. In this article, we report the results of 3 experiments that tested the abilities of 4‐month‐old infants to discriminate optic flow patterns simulating different directions of self‐motion. The combined results from 2 different experimental paradigms suggest that 4‐month‐olds discriminate optic flow patterns that simulate only large (> 32°) changes in the direction of the observer's motion through space. This suggests that prior to the onset of locomotion, there are limitations on infants' abilities to process patterns of optic flow related to self‐motion.
Infant Emotionality: Observational Methods and the Validity of Maternal Reports
Authors: Forman David R. , O'Hara Michael W. , Larsen Karin , Coy Katherine C. , Gorman Laura L. , Stuart Scott
Published: January 2004

This study was designed to improve the observational measurement of emotionality, and to test factors that influence the validity of maternal reports. More than 150 infants were visited at home with their mothers, two thirds of whom were depressed. These visits yielded 4 different observational measures of positive and negative emotionality at both 6 and 9 months. These were standard assessments (based on LabTab), naturalistic interactions, atypical reactions to the standard assessments, and the still‐face procedure. Atypical reactions were consistently related to traditional measures of emotionality. Responses to the still‐face procedure also generally cohered with the other measures. Aggregation improved agreement between mothers and observers. Depressed mothers' reports of negative emotionality were less accurate at 6 months than those of nondepressed mothers. Parenting experience appeared to be associated with greater maternal accuracy. Taken together the findings provide some support for both sides of the controversy surrounding the validity of maternal reports.
Additivity Versus Attenuation: The Role of Culture in the Resolution of Information Incongruity
Authors: Aaker Jennifer L. , Sengupta Jaideep
Published: January 2004

Past research on dual process models of persuasion has documented that, when faced with information incongruity, individuals tend to form product evaluations by attenuating the less diagnostic information, relying solely on the more diagnostic information. The current research suggests that this way of resolving incongruity may be culture specific. Consistent with recent research in cultural psychology, this study shows that individuals in a North American culture tend to follow the attenuation strategy, whereas individuals in an East Asian culture tend to follow an additive strategy in which both pieces of information are combined to jointly influence evaluations (Experiment 1). Experiments 2 and 3 provide further support for the proposed psychological mechanism underlying these findings and also identify boundary conditions for these findings. Implications for understanding choice mind‐sets, the moderating role of justification on evaluations, and cultural limitations in incongruity resolution are discussed.
The Meaning of Brand Names to Children: A Developmental Investigation
Authors: Achenreiner Gwen Bachmann , John Deborah Roedder
Published: January 2004

We explored the way that children use brand names in making consumer judgments. Brand names can serve as a simple perceptual cue that identifies a product as one people are familiar with or one they associate with certain perceptual features. Brands can also be associated with symbolic or conceptual meanings, conveying status, prestige, or trendiness. We proposed that young children relate to brands on a perceptual level, whereas older children relate to brands on a conceptual basis as well. We examined this proposition in an experiment conducted with children 8,12, and 16 years of age. Participants were asked to evaluate an advertised product (e.g., athletic shoes) with a familiar brand name that was either popular (e.g., Nike®) or less popular (e.g., Kmart®). The advertised product was physically identical in both cases, allowing us to explore whether the brand name had meaning for children apart from its name familiarity or perceptual features. The use of conceptual brand meanings was assessed by asking participants to make several types of brand‐related judgments including evaluations of the advertised product, impressions of the owners of the advertised product, and evaluations of possible extensions of the popular brand name advertised. Results indicate that by the time children reach 12 years of age, they use brand names as an important conceptual cue in consumer judgments.
Understanding Materialism Among Youth
Authors: Goldberg Marvin E. , Gorn Gerald J. , Peracchio Laura A. , Bamossy Gary
Published: January 2004

As an emerging value, materialism helps explain the consumer behavior of youth. Using a national sample of 9‐ to 14‐year‐olds, in this study we developed a Youth Materialism Scale. The findings suggest that more materialistic youth tend to shop more and save less. They are most interested in new products and most responsive to advertising and promotional efforts. Their parents view them as more expert with regard to products and they wield more purchase influence on their parents. Parents who are more materialistic tend to have children who are more materialistic. This study also reveals a modest negative relation between materialism and liking for school and school performance.