bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Hyperprolactinemia in Drug Naive Patients with Depression
Authors: Datta Subhendu , Sur Arindam , Gayen Rumi , Chakraborty Indranil
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Patients with hyperprolactinemia often present with emotional difficulties, which occasionally persist even after treatment with dopamine agonists. There is an unusual prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in patients with depressive disorder. Prolactin is a hormone of the anterior pituitary and its secretion is regulated by Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) and Dopamine. Several studies have shown that antidepressants that inhibit serotonin reuptake can cause hyperprolactinemia which in turn leads to several complications like galactorrhoea, sexual dysfunction and several hormonal imbalances. This study was envisaged to assess baseline prolactin levels before administering any antidepressants like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) in patients with depression. Aim: To assess serum prolactin level in drug naive patients with depression attending psychiatric Out Patient Department (OPD) of a tertiary care hospital and to compare its level with healthy controls. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional, descriptive hospital based study. The duration of the study was 12 months. The study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry and Psychiatry OPD of College of Medicine and Sagore Dutta Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Forty drug naive depression patients were selected as cases and 40 age and sex matched healthy individuals randomly were taken as controls. Results: A total of 40 Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients were studied with a gender distribution of 10 males (25%) and 30 females (75%), age ranging from 21-50 years with the majority (90%) of the participants belonging to Hindu community. Among cases (n=40) Median value of prolactin concentration was 19.7 ng/mL (Z=-2.879,p=0.004) among controls (n=40) Median value of prolactin concentration was 13.6 ng/mL.There was significant positive correlation between HAM-D and serum Prolactin levels. Conclusion: There should be restrictive use of SSRI in hyperprolactinemia in patients suffering from depression.
Stochastic Modeling for the Analysis and Forecasting of Stock Market Trend using Hidden Markov Model
Authors: Dar Gulbadin Farooq , Padi Tirupathi Rao , Rekha Sarode , Dar Qaiser Farooq
Published: June 2022

The HMM is generally applied to forecast the hidden system of observation data. In this paper, we deal with the development of HMM for a proper understanding of finance variables in the stock market. Formulation of relationships between and within both the changing share values of Housing Development Finance Corporation Bank Limited (HDFC Bank Ltd) as visible/observed states influenced by the indicators of S&P Bombay Stock Exchange Sensitive Index (Sensex) as invisible/influencing states. Stochastic modeling with hidden Markov models is carried out for exploring various parameters of the model. Mathematical derivations for all the required statistical measures are obtained using the method of moments for the proposed probability distribution. Deducing mathematical formulation of initial probability vector, transition and observed probability matrices were carried out with the empirical data sets. Probability distribution for visible states of various lengths is obtained. It is observed from the empirically analysis that there is the maximum likelihood of rising the share prices of HDFC bank in consecutive two days. Furthermore, an attempt is made to estimate the long-run steady-state behavior of both the SENSEX and HDFC Bank share prices. The share value of HDFC bank will be on rising state from the 19th day onwards and it may be recommended for good investment choice for the long run. The findings of these studies will be valid for effective decision-making in portfolio management.
ADMISSIBLE AND WEAKLY ADMISSIBLE OBSERVATION OPERATORS FOR THE RIGHT SHIFT SEMIGROUP
Authors: Jacob Birgit , Partington Jonathan R. , Pott Sandra
Published: July 2002

In this note we show that two conjectures of George Weiss on admissible and weakly admissible observation operators fail to hold in general for the right shift semigroup in the case that the output space is infinite dimensional.

AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 47D06; 32A37; 93B28
MINERAL NUTRITION, GROWTH AND YIELDS OF ANNATTO TREES (BIXA ORELLANA) IN AGROFORESTRY ON AN AMAZONIAN FERRALSOL
Authors: Elias M. E. A. , Schroth G. , Macêdo J. L. V. , Mota M. S. S. , D'Angelo S. A.
Published: July 2002

Permanent tree crop agriculture and multi-strata agroforestry are among the most promising options for the agricultural use of the mostly nutrient-poor and physically fragile soils of central Amazonia. In general, though, information on the optimum management of local tree crops under these conditions is inadequate. Annatto (Bixa orellana) is a small tree of tropical American origin whose seeds contain a non-toxic, carotenoid dye that is used widely in food and cosmetic products. The authors studied seed yields at ages four to seven years, biomass at seven years, nutrient accumulation and mineral nutrition of annatto trees growing in multi-strata agroforestry with different inputs of fertilizer and lime on a xanthic Ferralsol in central Amazonia. Leaf samples of three age classes were collected four times during one year, and nutrient concentrations were related to soil nutrient status, growth and yield of the trees in order to develop an optimum sampling scheme for foliar analysis. Growth and yields of the trees showed a pronounced response to increased fertilizer and lime input, which seemed to be due mainly to improved availability of phosphorus. Nitrogen fertilizer had no effect and may not be necessary for well-established trees on this soil. High litter quality and substantial nutrient recycling with annual pruning make annatto a valuable component for agroforestry systems. In this experiment, however, yields were low and decreased after the fifth year, presumably as an effect of infertile soil, shading by larger trees and, possibly, a negative effect of the drastic annual pruning with removal of the entire leaf and small-branch biomass on the vitality of the trees. Annatto is probably best suited for associations with small tree crops. Less drastic pruning treatments than those practiced in this experiment may be preferable.
ANALYSIS OF ENSET (ENSETE VENTRICOSUM) INDIGENOUS PRODUCTION METHODS AND FARM-BASED BIODIVERSITY IN MAJOR ENSET-GROWING REGIONS OF SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA
Authors: Tsegaye A. , Struik P. C.
Published: July 2002

Enset (Ensete ventricosum) production is declining, and it faces genetic erosion due to drought, diseases and population pressure. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and additional formal survey studies on 315 households were conducted over three consecutive years (1998–2000) in the Sidama, Wolaita and Hadiya ethnic regions of southern Ethiopia to assess traditional cultivation methods, analyse the production systems, and evaluate farm-based enset biodiversity. The regions differ in terms of cultural background, resources, farming systems, population density, and agro-ecology. Furthermore, the methods for initiating suckers and the frequency of transplanting vary among the three regions.

Diverse enset landraces were identified in the Sidama (52), Wolaita (55) and Hadiya (59) regions. Sidama farmers had the highest number of landraces per farm, 57% and 21% more than found on Wolaita and Hadiya farms respectively. In all three regions, landrace diversity was influenced by household resources, cultural background, population pressure, and agro-ecology. There were significant differences in the average number of enset landraces and livestock between rich and poor households in the three regions. Rich farmers had more land and manure-producing livestock, and they planted more enset landraces than did poor farmers. In all three regions, women proved to be more experienced than men in identifying enset landraces.

The number of enset landraces per farm was significantly correlated with other household characteristics for resource-rich Sidama farmers and with the number of livestock and area of farmland for resource-rich Hadiya farmers. This suggests that middle-income or poor farmers concentrate on annual crops, rather than on growing the perennial enset plant. More research is needed to identify, characterize and conserve genetic diversity, and to improve the cultivation practices for enset. The cultural, socio-economic, and gender-associated aspects of enset cultivation need to be assessed to understand the dynamics of enset biodiversity.
A polyphasic approach to highlight genotypic and phenotypic diversities of Lactobacillus helveticus strains isolated from dairy starter cultures and cheeses
Authors: LOMBARDI ANGIOLELLA , DAL MAISTRO LUCIANA , DE DEA PAOLA , GATTI MONICA , GIRAFFA GIORGIO , NEVIANI ERASMO
Published: July 2002

In the present work, 67 strains of Lactobacillus helveticus isolated from whey starter cultures and cheeses were identified and grouped by genotypic and phenotypic methods. Strains were identified by sugar fermentation pattern, by cell-wall protein profile, and by probe hybridisation. Phenotypic diversity was evaluated by a chemometric model taking into account biochemical characteristics (i.e. acidifying and peptidase activities) of technological interest. Genotypic diversity was evidenced by RAPD-PCR, which provided strain-specific patterns and revealed the occurrence of different strains. The RAPD-PCR profiles were clustered according to their similarities; the groups obtained, together with the cell-wall protein profiling and the chemometric information, could be sometimes correlated with the type of cheese and/or dairy niches used as sources of strains. A computerised analysis of genotypic and phenotypic information could be successfully applied for rapid and reliable differentiation and characterisation of Lb. helveticus isolates occurring in different dairy products.
Surge instability on a cavitating propeller
Authors: DUTTWEILER M. E. , BRENNEN C. E.
Published: July 2002

This study details experiments investigating a previously unrecognized surge instability
on a cavitating propeller in a water tunnel. The surge instability is explored through
visual observation of the cavitation on the propeller blades and in the tip vortices.
Similarities between the instability and previously documented cavitation phenomena
are noted. Measurements of the radiated pressure are obtained, and the acoustic
signature of the instability is identified. The magnitudes of the fluctuating pressures
are very large, presumably capable of producing severe hull vibration on a ship.

The origins of this instability are explored through separate investigation of the
cavitation dynamics and the response of the water tunnel to volumetric displacement
in the working section. Experiments are conducted to quantify the dynamics of
the propeller cavitation. Finally, a model is developed for the complete system,
incorporating both the cavitation and facility dynamics. The model predicts active
system dynamics (linked to the mass flow gain factor familiar in the context of pump
dynamics) and therefore potentially unstable behaviour for two distinct frequency
ranges, one of which appears to be responsible for the instability.
Lewis-number effects on edge-flame propagation
Authors: NAYAGAM VEDHA , WILLIAMS F. A.
Published: July 2002

Activation-energy asymptotics is employed to explore effects of the Lewis number,
the ratio of thermal to fuel diffusivity, in a one-dimensional model of steady motion
of edges of reaction sheets. The propagation velocity of the edge is obtained as a
function of the relevant Damköhler number, the ratio of the diffusion time to the
chemical time. The results show how Lewis numbers different from unity can increase
or decrease propagation velocities. Increasing the Lewis number increases the propagation
velocity at large Damköhler numbers and decreases it at small Damköhler
numbers. Advancing-edge and retreating-edge solutions are shown to exist simultaneously,
at the same Damköhler number, if the Lewis number is sufficiently large.
This multiplicity of solutions has a bearing on potential edge-flame configurations in
non-uniform flows.
Arbitrary-amplitude solitary kinetic Alfvén
waves in a non-thermal plasma
Authors: ROYCHOUDHURY RAJKUMAR
Published: July 2002

An exact Sagdeev equation for arbitrary-amplitude solitary kinetic Alfvén
waves in a non-thermal plasma is derived. For small β′, the proportion of fast electrons, an analytical expression for the exact pseudopotential V (φ) is obtained. For
several values of β′, the Sagdeev potential V (φ) has been calculated by integrating
the Sagdeev equation. It is found that, depending on the values of β′, both hump
and dip solitons exist.
Asymptotic theory of a collision-dominated
space-charge sheath with a velocity-dependent
ion mobility
Authors: BENILOV M. S. , FRANKLIN R. N.
Published: July 2002

The method of matched asymptotic approximations is used to examine
an ordering of the physical quantities in a collisional plasma–collisional sheath
model that has not been previously explored, namely in the constant ion mean
free path model with high electric field. The asymptotic theory for a collision-
dominated space-charge sheath at a negative surface is developed for the case when
the ions interact with neutral particles as rigid spheres while the electric field is high
both in the sheath and in the quasineutral plasma. The ion mobility is inversely
proportional to the square root of the electric field in such a case. The ratio λD/L
of the Debye length at the center of the quasineutral plasma to a characteristic
dimension of the plasma is considered as a small asymptotic parameter. The general
structure of the asymptotic solution obtained is similar to that in the case of low
electric field (or in the framework of the model of constant collision frequency),
considered by previous workers; however, the scalings are different. In particular,
the thickness of the sheath is found to have the order λ4/5DL1/5, while the respective
order in the case of low electric field is λ2/3DL1/3.
Nonideal effects on inelastic Compton
scattering in a nonideal plasma
Authors: JUNG YOUNG-DAE
Published: July 2002

Inelastic Compton scattering of photons by hydrogenic ions in a classical
nonideal plasma is investigated. An effective pseudopotential model taking into
account plasma screening and collective effects is applied to describe the interaction
potential in a nonideal plasma. The screened atomic wave functions and energy
eigenvalues for the ground and excited states of the hydrogenic ion in a classical
nonideal plasma obtained by the Ritz variational and perturbational methods. The
expression for the lowest-order transition matrix element is obtained by a two-photon process associated with terms quadratic in the vector potential A. The
inelastic Compton scattering cross-section horn the 1s ground state to the 2p excited
state is obtained as a function of the incident photon energy, Debye length, and
the non-ideality plasma parameter. It is found that the collective effect reduces the
cross-section. The collective effect on the cross-section is decreased with increasing
Debye length.
Nonlinear electrostatic oscillations in a dusty
plasma
Authors: HOUILI H. , TRIBÈCHE M. , ZERGUINI T. H.
Published: July 2002

Stationary nonlinear one-dimensional electrostatic oscillations in a
plasma containing dust grains with variable charge are considered through a cold-beam model. The new constraints brought by the presence of dusts on the BGK
modes are clarified and the appearance of a soliton mode that was not present in
the fixed-charge problem is investigated.
'Vergeblich bemüht’ (Gal 4.11)?: Zur paulinischen Argumentationsstrategie im Galaterbrief
Authors: SÄNGER DIETER
Published: July 2002

The widespread assumption that Paul's letter to the Galatians can be analysed in terms derived from the classical Greek and Roman rhetoric theorists has increasingly become doubtful. Above all it is challenged by the fact that the ancient theorists themselves made a clear distinction between oral speech and epistolography. However, the principal value of the rhetorical approach must not totally be denied. The absence of the addressees forced Paul to develop a strategy of argumentation based on elementary advices of rhetoric rules with which he was acquainted. Thus he tried to affirm the threatened state of the Galatian churches as εκκλησιαι and to prevent them from turning to a different gospel proclaimed by his opponents.
Rom 5.18–19 and Universal Salvation
Authors: BELL RICHARD H.
Published: July 2002

Rom 5.18–19 summarises Paul's view of condemnation in Adam and salvation in Christ. Since Paul believes that all human beings participate in Adam's sin and in Christ's ‘righteous act’, a universal salvation is affirmed. This view is clearly at variance with other parts of Romans (not to mention his other extant works). The difference in view could be explained by the fact that Paul in Rom 5.18–19 is using the mythical concept of participation and that he is focusing on the effects of Christ's reconciling act rather than on how the reconciling word is brought to human beings.
Nihil inopinati accidisse – ‘Nothing unexpected has happened’: A Cyrenaic Consolatory Topos in 1 Pet 4.12ff.
Authors: HOLLOWAY PAUL A.
Published: July 2002

1 Peter was written for the dual purpose of exhortation and consolation. Recent studies have focused on the former of these purposes (exhortation); this article attends to the latter (consolation). It argues that the last section of 1 Peter (4.12ff.), which since Perdelwitz has been identified as a concluding ‘Trostwort’, develops at length the popular consolatory topos ‘nihil inopinati accidisse’ (‘nothing unexpected has happened’). This topos was common in contemporary Greco-Roman philosophical consolation. It also appears in Philo and in the genuine letters of Paul and the Gospel of John.
Omnipotence and necessary moral perfection are compatible: a reply to Morriston
Authors: MAWSON T. J.
Published: July 2002

In this paper, which is a reply to Wes Morriston's ‘Omnipotence and necessary moral perfection: are they compatible?’, I argue that, contrary to what Morriston suggests, a classical theist need not admit that omnipotence and necessary moral perfection are incompatible. Indeed, I shall argue that a classical theist can show that an omnipotent being is of necessity morally perfect.
Social support and dietary change among older adults
Authors: SILVERMAN PHILIP , HECHT LAURA , McMILLIN J. DANIEL
Published: July 2002

After a review of current conceptual models used in nutrition studies, we develop and test a ‘Dietary Change Model’ based on a sample of older rural adults. Predictor variables include socio-demographic, social network, and nutritional risk/support constructs; mediating variables include number of dietary changes attempted and whether the changes are successfully made; and criterion variables focus on psychosocial outcomes. The model is tested on a sample of 298 randomly selected respondents aged 60 years or more residing in five rural communities in Oregon. We find that those most likely to make dietary changes are women, married, and living in smaller households. The social network factors of density, range, and frequency of interaction negatively impact healthy dietary change. Among the most important nutritional support factors to have positive effects on dietary change are having a physician recommend changes in diet, and participating in a community food programme (women only). Successfully changing diet most clearly related to life satisfaction; results of other criterion variables were often complicated by marked gender differences.
Harmonic palette in early Joni Mitchell
Authors: Whitesell Lloyd
Published: July 2002

Joni Mitchell has recently been critically received and marketed as a ‘classic’ songwriter. Yet the existing literature has hardly begun to explore the sophistication of her technical achievement. One of her most distinctive contributions is in the realm of harmonic innovation. Through a comprehensive survey of her work, I have found that Mitchell's songs fall under five categories of harmonic organisation: modal, polymodal, chromatic, polytonal, and pedal point. I examine these categories in detail, choosing a variety of examples from the early years of her career (1966–1972). My analyses are intended to contribute to a more knowledgeable appreciation of Mitchell's intellectual stature as a composer. While many songwriters have been inventive within traditional tonal harmony, Mitchell's work is impressive for its extended exploration of alternatives to single key structures and the major/minor system.
Adaptation of Lowe's camera pose recovery algorithm to mobile robot
self-localisation
Authors: Ait-Aider Omar , Hoppenot Philippe , Colle Etienne
Published: July 2002

This paper presents an adaptation of Lowe's numerical model-based camera localisation algorithm to the domain of indoor mobile robotics. While the original method is straightforward and even elegant, it nonetheless exhibits certain weaknesses. First, due to an affine approximation, the method is not consistent with perspective projection especially when the dimensions of objects seen are large in comparison with their distances to the camera. Next, the non-linearity of equations makes convergence properties sensitive both to the initial solution estimate and to noise. By
taking the specificity and exigency of the mobile robotics domain into account, a new formulation of this method is proposed in order to improve efficiency, accuracy and robustness in the presence of noisy data and variable initial conditions. According to this formulation, line correspondences are used rather than points, the number of degrees of freedom is reduced, the affine approximation is removed and rotation is uncoupled from translation. Test results with both synthetic and real images illustrate the improvements expected from theoretical modifications.
Different floristic patterns of woody understorey and canopy plants in Colombian Amazonia
Authors: Duque Alvaro , Sánchez Mauricio , Cavelier Jaime , Duivenvoorden Joost F.
Published: July 2002

Distribution patterns of vascular plants with diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 2.5 cm were studied on the basis of compositional data from 30 small plots located in a rain-forest area in Colombian Amazonia. The research questions were: How are distribution patterns of species in relation to local abundance in plots? Do understorey species (defined as species with individuals that never attained dbh ≥ 10 cm anywhere) show better correlations with soils and environment than canopy species (defined as species with individuals that attained dbh ≥ 10 cm)? Are patterns found in the entire range of landscape units comparable to those found in well-drained uplands alone? Species that occurred in more than one plot showed higher local abundances. This pattern was consistent among environmental generalists and specialists. Locally rare species (with only one individual in a plot) occurred mostly in well-drained uplands. Considering all landscape units, Mantel tests showed substantial correlations between environmental data (soil chemical data, drainage and flooding) and species composition. Canopy species were only slightly less correlated with environmental data than understorey species. Elimination of the spatial component in the data did not reduce these correlations. In well-drained uplands, understorey species were better correlated with soils than canopy species. Here, however, the spatial configuration of the plots became more important in explaining species patterns.
Precursors to onset clusters in acquisition
Authors: GIERUT JUDITH A. , O'CONNOR KATHLEEN M.
Published: July 2002

Two lawful relationships involving word-initial onset clusters have been advanced in the acquisition literature; namely, that clusters imply affricates, and that liquid clusters imply a liquid distinction. This study evaluated and extended the validity of these implicational laws in a population of 110 children (aged 3;0 to 8;6) with functional phonological delays who contributed extended speech samples for computational analyses. Results indicated that, for the most part, the composition of children's sound systems were in compliance with the proposed laws; however, there were noted asymmetries and apparent exceptions in the data. The asymmetries motivated an integration of the two laws to reveal a pattern of segmental–prosodic cyclicity consistent with deterministic models of phonological acquisition. The apparent exceptions highlighted the relevance of independent methodologies and offered a potential theoretical alternative with the Resolvability Principle as directions for future research.
Approximation property of C*-algebraic bundles
Authors: EXEL RUY , NG CHI-KEUNG
Published: July 2002

In this paper, we will define the reduced cross-sectional C*-algebras of C*-algebraic
bundles over locally compact groups and show that if a C*-algebraic bundle has
the approximation property (defined similarly as in the discrete case), then the full
cross-sectional C*-algebra and the reduced one coincide. Moreover, if a semi-direct
product bundle has the approximation property and the underlying C*-algebra is
nuclear, then the cross-sectional C*-algebra is also nuclear. We will also compare the
approximation property with the amenability of Anantharaman-Delaroche in the
case of discrete groups.
Extending Coverage of DGPS by Considering Atmospheric Models and Corrections
Authors: Kee Changdon , Yun Doohee
Published: July 2002

We have developed a local-area ionospheric time-delay model that consists of nominal and perturbation models. The nominal model describes the trends of ionospheric time delay over 1–2 days and uses nine parameters. The perturbation model describes rapid changes of ionospheric time delay over 2–3 hours and uses six parameters. All the parameters are estimated from raw data measured at one reference station, which has filters to estimate all the parameters of the local-area ionospheric time-delay model. With this model and Black's tropospheric time-delay model, we obtain compensated Differential GPS (DGPS) pseudorange corrections by subtracting the atmospheric time-delay difference between the reference station and the user. We believed that the model could extend DGPS coverage. To check this, we analyzed experimental data. The results show that this algorithm not only improves DGPS positioning accuracy, but also extends DGPS coverage from 100 km to more than 400 km. We named this new algorithm the Seoul National University Differential GPS (SNUDGPS).
Growth and hard tissue remodelling in the dentition of the Australian lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri (Osteichthyes: Dipnoi)
Authors: Kemp A.
Published: July 2002

The extant lungfish, including three genera, the Australian, South American and African lungfishes, retain a dentition that appeared first in the Devonian, in some of the oldest members of this group. The dentition consists of permanent tooth plates with persistent cusps that appear early in development of the fish. The cusps, separate early in development, form ridges that are arranged in a radiating pattern, and fusion of the cusps to each other and to the underlying jaw bone produces a tooth plate. The lungfish dentition is based on a template of mantle dentine that surrounds bone trabeculae enclosed in the tooth plate. The mantle layer is covered by enamel. In most derived dipnoans, this framework encloses two further forms of dentine, known as interdenteonal and circumdenteonal dentines. The tooth plates grow in area and in depth without evidence of macroscopic resorption of dentines or of enamel. Increase in size and changes in shape of lungfish tooth plates is actually achieved by a process involving microscopic remodelling of the bone contained within the margin of each tooth plate, and the later addition of new dentines and enamel within and around the bone. This is accomplished without creating weakness in the structural integrity of the tooth plate and bone complex, and proceeds in line with growth and remodelling of the jaw bones attached to the tooth plates.
Estimates of blow-up time for a non-local
problem modelling an Ohmic heating process
Authors: KAVALLARIS N. I. , NIKOLOPOULOS C. V. , TZANETIS D. E.
Published: July 2002

We consider an initial boundary value problem for the non-local equation, ut = uxx+λf(u)/(∫1-1f
(u)dx)2,
with Robin boundary conditions. It is known that there exists a critical
value of the parameter λ, say λ*, such that for λ > λ* there is no stationary solution and
the solution u(x, t) blows up globally in finite time t*, while for λ < λ* there exist stationary
solutions. We find, for decreasing f and for λ > λ*, upper and lower bounds for t*, by using
comparison methods. For f(u) = e−u, we give an asymptotic estimate: t* ∼ tu(λ−λ*)−1/2
for 0 < (λ−λ*) [Lt ] 1,
where tu is a constant. A numerical estimate is obtained
using a Crank-Nicolson scheme.
Assessing learners’ writing using lexical frequency
Authors: GOODFELLOW ROBIN , LAMY MARIE-NOËLLE , JONES GLYN
Published: July 2002

In this work we set out to investigate the feasibility of applying measures
of lexical frequency to the assessment of the writing of learners of French. A system developed
for analysing the lexical knowledge of learners, according to their productive use of high and low
frequency words (Laufer and Nation 1995), was adapted for French and used to analyse learners’
texts from an Open University French course. Whilst we found that this analysis could not be said
to reflect the state of the learners’ vocabulary knowledge in the same way that Laufer and
Nation’s study did, elements of the system’s output did correlate significantly with
scores awarded by human markers for vocabulary use in these texts. This suggests that the approach
could be used for self-assessment. However, the feedback that can be given to learners on the
basis of the current analysis is very limited. Nevertheless, the approach has the potential for
refinement and when enhanced with information derived from successive cohorts of learners performing
similar writing tasks, could be a first step in the development of a viable aid for learners
evaluating their own writing.
CALL and the classroom: the case for comparative research
Authors: ALLUM PAUL
Published: July 2002

Educators are more and more concerned to integrate human and computer
capabilities as efficiently as possible. There is an increasing demand in language teaching for
evidence on which to base decisions about use of this ever more prevalent tool. One main yardstick
for evaluation of CALL is, naturally, the human teacher. Thus there is demand for comparative data.
Attempts to provide such data in a way that allows useful generalisations to be made or accurate
analyses of the outcomes are still comparatively limited and difficult to produce. Many attempts
have been strongly criticised and the very concept of comparative studies of this kind has been
attacked. The belief asserted here is that there is still a need for general studies in a variety
of contexts. A longitudinal comparative study is reported that tries to take into account some of
the major criticisms, while providing support for the idea that these kinds of study still need
to continue. The study provides a detailed description of the design and implementation, an
evaluation in terms of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) criteria, and pre and post tests to
measure outcomes across a range of language learning tasks.
Population trends and priority conservation sites for Mexican Duck Anas diazi
Authors: Perez-Arteaga A. , Gaston K. J. , Kershaw M.
Published: July 2002

Little is known about Mexican Duck Anas diazi biology and populations. We analyse long-term (1960–2000) trends of Mexican Duck numbers in Mexico and employ contemporary count data (1991–2000) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service midwinter surveys to identify key sites for conservation using a complementarity approach. The overall Mexican Duck population showed a significant long-term increase of 2.5% per year, with large fluctuations throughout the study period. The Northern highlands population increased at an annual rate of 7.7%, while the Central highlands population showed no significant long-term trend. During the last decade, counts in both the Northern and Central highlands exhibited no significant change. At the site level, significant long-term increases occurred in four localities in the Northern highlands (Laguna Babï¿½cora +13.9% annually, Laguna Bustillos +25.9%, Laguna Mexicanos +20.4% and Laguna Santiaguillo +16.9%) and in three localities in the Central highlands (Languillo +15.3% annually, Presa Solís +8.9%, Zacapu +13.4%). Two sites in the Central highlands showed significant declines, in the long term (Lago de Chapala, -5.2% per year) and during the last decade (Lerma, -11.8% per year). The Northern highlands held 16% and the Central highlands 84% of the Mexican Duck population in the period 1960–2000; during the last decade, these figures were 31% and 69%, respectively. A set of priority sites for conservation of the Mexican Duck was identified, consisting of 15 sites holding more than 70% of the midwinter Mexican Duck counts in Mexico. Ten sites from the priority set also qualify for designation as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, by holding ≥ 1% of the estimated population. Four of the priority sites are in the Northern highlands and 11 in the Central highlands, of which eight are distributed along the Rio Lerma drainage. The most urgent actions that need to be undertaken are to estimate the current minimum population size in Mexico; to establish a programme for monitoring populations in the priority sites, especially those located within the highly degraded Rio Lerma drainage; and to determine the most feasible management actions for the species, concentrating efforts around the priority sites.
NOTES ON THE FLORA OF IRAN: 1. ASPARAGUS (ASPARAGACEAE) AND NITRARIA (ZYGOPHYLLACEAE)
Authors: AKHANI H.
Published: July 2002

Asparagus lycaonicus P.H. Davis (Asparagaceae), a species hitherto known only from E Central Turkey, is reported from Iran. A review of Nitraria (Zygophyllaceae) in Iran together with critical comments on the account of the genus in Flora Iranica are given, and Iranian records of N. komarovii Iljin & Lava are referred to Atraphaxis suaedifolia Jaub. & Spach (Polygonaceae).
Detection of glycine receptor/Cl- channel beta subunit transcripts in mouse testis
Authors: Sato Yoko , Tucker Richard P. , Meizel Stanley
Published: July 2002

The sperm glycine receptor/Cl- channel (GlyR) is important to the initiation of the mammalian sperm acrosome reaction by the egg zona pellucida, but its presence in spermatogenic cells has not been demonstrated. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction studies confirmed that GlyR beta subunit transcripts similar to those of the neuronal GlyR beta subunit are present in the testis of Swiss Webster mice. In situ hybridisation analysis demonstrated that GlyR beta subunit mRNAs were expressed within the germ cells of seminiferous tubules in those mice.
Swiss holding companies from the mid-nineteenth century to the early 1930s: the forerunners and subsequent waves of creations
Authors: PAQUIER SERGE
Published: July 2002

In Switzerland, finance companies constituted the business group with the largest accumulation of capital of all joint-stock companies. This development began during the 1860s with respect to investment in gas, and accelerated from 1875 as a result of the activities of syndicates combining Swiss and foreign banks, first, in railways and, from the 1890s, in electricity. During the period 1910-14, domestic holding companies were established to aid the major Swiss industries of textiles, food and mechanical engineering. However, over the interwar years, international forces were once more dominant, leading to the establishment of both giant holding companies (related to the petrol and chemical industries), and small-scale companies, linked with capital flight to Switzerland.
Optimum sowing dates for soybean in central India using CROPGRO and ClimProb symbiosis
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Singh K K , Gupta B R D , Baxla A K , Rathore L S , Attri S D
Published: July 2002

The optimum sowing dates for soybean cv. Gaurav were derived for Jabalpur, Raipur and Gwalior in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Dates were derived based on two strategies: (a) probabilities of rainfall and temperature events using ClimProb, a PC based software package, and (b) the CROPGRO Soybean v3.0 crop growth simulation model. In Madhya Pradesh, the optimum sowing dates for multiple cropping, with the first crop as soybean under rainfed conditions, are between weeks 25 and 27, while the optimum sowing dates for rainfed mono‐cropping are between weeks 28 and 29. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society
Vowel harmony in Buchan Scots English
Authors: Fitzgerald Colleen M.
Published: July 2002

In this article, I discuss vowel reduction, stress, and vowel harmony in Buchan Scots English, a dialect spoken in Aberdeenshire in northern Scotland. Work by Wölck (1965) describes Buchan Scots English as having vowel harmony. This article explores the conditions that restrict the distribution of vowels in those syllables that do not receive a primary stress. Such syllables allow a smaller range of contrasts, and vowel height in these syllables is at least partially predictable from a preceding stressed vowel. These facts show that both vowel reduction and vowel harmony operate in Buchan Scots English.
Three changing patterns of verb complementation in Late Modern English: a real-time study based on matching text corpora
Authors: Mair Christian
Published: July 2002

The article looks at three instances of grammatical variation in present-day standard English: the use of bare and to-infinitives with the verb help, the presence or absence of the preposition/complementizer from before -ing-complements depending on prevent, and the choice between -ing- and infinitival complements after the verbs begin and start. In all three instances, current British and American usage will be shown to differ, and these differences need to be interpreted against diachronic changes affecting Late Modern English grammar as a whole. The description of twentieth-century developments is mainly based on data obtained from matching corpora of British and American standard English. Since in all three cases studied developments did not originate in the twentieth century, additional data from the quotation base of the OED were used to outline the long-term evolution of the relevant portions of the grammar since ca. 1600. In general/methodological terms, the article aims to show that an utterance-based model of language change, in combination with the exceptionally well-developed corpus-linguistic working environment available to the student of standard English, can lead to new discoveries even in a well-studied area such as the grammar of standard English.
Olfactory predator recognition: wallabies may have to learn to be wary
Authors: Blumstein Daniel T. , Mari Melissa , Daniel Janice C. , Ardron Jodie G. , Griffin Andrea S. , Evans Christopher S.
Published: July 2002

Many species modify their behaviour in response to the scents of their predators, but species or populations living without predators may lose such abilities. This loss has been suggested to be irreversible, and to constitute a significant hurdle in restoring historical ecosystems. Olfactory predator recognition was studied in two macropodid marsupials ‐ the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) and the red‐necked pademelon (Thylogale thetis). Both species are in the ‘critical weight range’ of Australian native mammals that have been negatively affected by the introduction of novel predators since European settlement. Predator‐naïve animals were tested by exposing subjects simultaneously to two feeders with either a predator or a herbivore faecal or urine sample beneath the food tray. The presence of predator olfactory cues beneath the feeder did not affect foraging behaviour or feeder use when compared to control stimuli (herbivore faeces or urine). Previous studies have found that predator‐experienced herbivorous marsupials modify their behaviour in the presence of predator scents. In contrast, our studies of predator‐naïve individuals found no evidence of such selectivity, suggesting that marsupial herbivores may have to learn to modify their behaviour in response to olfactory cues from predators. This implies that the loss of olfactory predator recognition may not be irreversible. Animals translocated from predator‐free areas could potentially be trained to recognise the smells of their predators.
Origin of juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in a tropical developmental habitat in Caribbean Panamá
Authors: Engstrom Tag N. , Meylan Peter A. , Meylan Anne B.
Published: July 2002

Maximum likelihood mixed stock analysis was used to identify the natal origin of immature loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in a tropical developmental habitat in Caribbean Panamá. Approximately 65–70% of the loggerhead turtles in Chiriquí Lagoon originate from South Florida nesting beaches, and the other 30–35% originate from Mexico. Haplotype frequencies of the Chiriquí Lagoon loggerhead population are significantly different from those observed in the pelagic environment in the eastern Atlantic, and estimated nesting beach contributions to Chiriquí Lagoon are significantly different from values expected if recruitment were based solely on the size of nesting populations. These observations suggest that dispersal of loggerheads into benthic developmental habitats from the pelagic environment is not random. The occurrence of US and Mexican loggerheads in tropical developmental habitats has not been previously recognized. Exploitation and other mortality factors operating in the Caribbean area must be taken into account in demographic models and management plans for these two populations. This exploitation could be particularly important for the small, demographically vulnerable Mexican population and for other small populations for which no genetic data are currently available.
The long and short of sperm polymorphisms in insects
Authors: SWALLOW JOHN G. , WILKINSON GERALD S.
Published: July 2002

Production of more than one morphological type of sperm in a common testis has been documented for a variety of invertebrates, including gastropods, spiders, centipedes, and insects. This unusual phenomenon is diffcult to explain by current theory, particularly since available evidence indicates that one sperm type is often incapable of effecting fertilization. In this review we critically examine evidence on the distribution and development of sperm heteromorphisms among insects in light of competing hypotheses for the evolutionary origin, maintenance, and function of a non‐fertilizing class of sperm. To date, no single hypothesis, including alternatives which assume non‐fertilizing sperm are non‐adaptive, or that they provision, facilitate, or compete with fertilizing sperm, has received strong empirical support by any group of insects. The diversity of sperm heteromorphisms suggests that non‐fertilizing sperm may have different functions in different clades or even serve multiple functions within a clade. We suggest that insight could be gained from (1) new models for the evolution of sperm polymorphism, (2) comparative studies that focus on multiple traits simultaneously (e.g. sperm number, proportion, length, and remating rate) and utilize clades in which more than one gain or loss of sperm heteromorphism has been documented (e.g. Pentatomidae, Carabidae, or Diopsidae), and (3) experimental studies that exploit individual variation or directly manipulate the composition of the male ejaculate.
Social Democracy Then and Now
Authors: Page Robert
Published: July 2002

C.A.R. Crosland (1956) The Future of Socialism, Jonathan Cape, London.

Donald Sassoon (1997), One Hundred Years of Socialism, HarperCollins London. (First published by I.B.Tauris in 1996).

John Callaghan (2000), The Retreat of Social Democracy, Manchester University Press, Manchester.

Between them these three books provide an excellent overview of the theory and practice of social democracy as it has twisted and turned over the past century. As Sassoon reminds us in his magisterial review of the West European left, revisionism of one kind or another has been a constant feature of socialist discourse. The key question has always been whether such revisions have helped to bring about the transformation of capitalism (or, perhaps more realistically, its humanisation) or, in contrast, helped to secure its long-term survival. The first, and arguably the most controversial, revisionism of social democratic thought occurred in Germany at the end of the nineteenth century.
Family Policy in Scotland
Authors: Wasoff Fran , Hill Malcolm
Published: July 2002

Family policy now has greater prominence in UK politics than ever before. These policies are developing in the context of major constitutional change across the UK, which has the potential for significant policy divergence. Devolution has generated greater interest in Scottish family policy, and how its policy processes have been reconfigured. New Scottish legal and policy initiatives with a family focus have emerged from both Westminster and Holyrood. This paper reviews the present context for family policy in Scotland, some recent family policy developments at both UK and Scottish levels of government, and identifies key issues these raise.
From Washington Heights to the Raploch: Evidence, Mediation, and the Genealogy of Policy
Authors: Nixon Jon , Walker Melanie , Baron Stephen
Published: July 2002

This paper provides an analysis of the New Community Schools (NCS) initiative as developed in Scotland. As our analysis makes clear the evidential base of this development was, at the outset, extremely slender. From that base, however, NCS has migrated to diverse localities within which it has had significant impact while itself being impacted upon by local conditions and contexts. We are particularly interested in the democratic potential of this process of migration: the extent to which, and ways in which, localities can speak back to the centralising sources of power through the mediation of policy. Our analysis focuses on NCS from inception, through formal announcement by the then Scottish Office, to the first year of implementation within a particular local authority in central Scotland. The paper is organised around what we see as three major shifts in the migration of NCS during this early period of its development. We argue that evidence of how, why, and to what effect policy ‘travels’ is crucial not only for the purposes of academic analysis, but also to the effective implementation of policy at the local level. Our central concern is with the self-reflexive development of policy through the formative analysis of evidence relating to its mediation.
New production in the Sargasso Sea: History and current status
Authors: Lipschultz Fredric , Bates Nicholas R. , Carlson Craig A. , Hansell Dennis A.
Published: July 2002

The Sargasso Sea has been, and continues to be, the focus for research on new production in the open ocean. The history of the concept and the evolution of understanding of the mechanisms is reviewed from its inception in the early 1960s through a controversial period in the 1980s to the current status of a plethora of sources of new nitrogen. Rather than viewing all processes supplying new nutrients as uniformly distributed over the Sargasso Sea, it is now clear that new production in the northern or subtropical area is primarily sustained by nitrogen injection via mesoscale eddies and winter convection. In the tropical area, where permanent stratification precludes deep winter mixing and eddy kinetic energy is low, nitrogen fixation is potentially the dominant source along with diapycnal mixing and atmospheric deposition. The timescale of new production measurements has lengthened to an annual basis using time series measurements and satellite imagery but, in the context of climate change, should be lengthened further to greater than decadal scales.