bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicted climate change may spark box turtle declines
Authors: McCallum Malcolm , McCallum Jamie , Trauth Stanley
Published: May 2009

How will organisms deal with Climate change? Ectotherms such as reptiles and amphibians are especially at risk due to their metabolic ties to the environment and their general inability to migrate with changing climates over short time frames. We modeled the growth response of Three-toed Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina triunguis) to fluctuations in ambient temperature and precipitation. Then we extrapolated this model to climate conditions expected in 2100. We predict that there is less than 20% possibility of hatchling turtles growing during their first year. Reduced annual growth rates during later years may cause earlier termination of growth, smaller standard carapace lengths, and reduced fecundity. These responses are typical of those that stimulate an extinction vortex. These findings provide for a general understanding of how this species and other terrestrial reptiles may respond to climate change. Without reduction in greenhouse gas emissions we could face catastrophic declines in many ectotherms as temperature and rainfall patterns change.
A preliminary analysis of phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of the dangerously venomous Carpet Vipers, Echis (Squamata, Serpentes, Viperidae) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences
Authors: Arnold Nicholas , Robinson Michael , Carranza Salvador
Published: May 2009

Phylogenetic analysis of 1117 bp of mitochondrial DNA sequences (731 bp of
cytochrome b and 386 bp of 16S rRNA) indicate that Echis consists of four
main clades: E. ocellatus, and the E. coloratus, E. pyramidum, and E.
carinatus groups. In the E. coloratus group, E. coloratus itself shows
substantial genetic divergence from E. omanensis, corroborating their
separate species status. In the E. pyramidum clade, E. pyramidum from Egypt
and E. leucogaster from West Africa are genetically very similar, even
though samples are separated by 4000 km. South Arabian populations of the E.
pyramidum group are much better differentiated from these and two species
may be present, animals from Dhofar, southern Oman probably being referable
to E. khosatzkii. In the E. carinatus group, specimens of E. carinatus
sochureki and E. multisquamatus are very similar in their DNA. The phylogeny
indicates that the split between the main groups of Echis was followed by
separation of African and Arabian members of the E. pyramidum group, and of
E. coloratus and E. omanensis. The last disjunction probably took place at
the lowlands that run southwest of the North Oman mountains, which are
likely to have been intermittently covered by marine incursions; they also
separate the E. pyramidum and E. carinatus groups and several sister taxa of
other reptiles. The E. carinatus group may have spread quite recently from
North Oman into its very extensive southwest Asian range, and there appears
to have been similar expansion of E. pyramidum (including E. leucogaster) in
North Africa. Both these events are likely to be associated with the marked
climatic changes of the Pleistocene or late Pliocene. Similar dramatic
expansions have also recently occurred in three snake species in Iberia.
Phylogeography of the European Whip Snake, Hierophis viridiflavus (Colubridae), using mtDNA and nuclear DNA sequences
Authors: Rato Catarina , Zuffi Marco , Corti Claudia , Fornasiero Sara , Gentilli Augusto , Razzetti Edoardo , Scali Stefano , Carretero Miguel , Harris D.J.
Published: May 2009

The phylogeography of the colubrid snake Hierophis viridiflavus was estimated
using ND4 mtDNA sequences and a fragment of the nuclear marker β-fibrinogen
intron 7. This species has a wide distribution across the Mediterranean
region, and is characterized by three distinct colour patterns
(“viridiflavus”, abundistic, and melanic-melanotic) with a quite well
defined geographic distribution. The “viridiflavus” pattern occurs in the
northwestern and central areas of the species' range, the abundistic pattern
is typical of the individuals from Corsica and Sardinia, and the
melanic-melanotic coloration is present in northeastern and southern Italy,
and Sicily. A total of 42 individuals from most of the species' range
(including Pyrenees, central France, Italian Peninsula, Corsica, Sardinia
and Sicily) were analyzed. Results support the existence of two different
mtDNA lineages, one from Spain, France, Corsica, Sardinia, and continental
Italy mainly west of the Apennines, and another one occurring in the
southern part of Italy and northeast of the Apennines, with a 4% genetic
divergence between them. Since both mtDNA lineages are found in northwestern
Italy, where the “viridiflavus” colour pattern is almost exclusively found,
it is clear that colour pattern is not linked to the mtDNA clades. The same
is evident for β-fibrinogen, which is not subdivided geographically in the
way that the mtDNA lineages are. Regarding Corsica and Sardinia, the limited
genetic differentiation of island populations from the western continental
lineage, indicates that these populations are a result of a recent
colonization in accordance with recent described phylogeographic
patterns.
Mitochondrial diversity of the widespread Central Asian steppe tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii Gray, 1844): implications for taxonomy and relocation of confiscated tortoises
Authors: Fritz Uwe , Auer Markus , Chirikova Marina , Duysebayeva Tatyana N. , Eremchenko Valery , Kami Haji Gholi , Kashkarov Roman , Masroor Rafaqat , Moodley Yoshan , Pindrani Attaullah , Široký Pavel , Hundsdörfer Anna
Published: May 2009

Using a nearly range-wide sampling, we investigated phylogeographic
differentiation and mitochondrial diversity of Testudo horsfieldii, the only
tortoise species confined to Central Asia. We identified three major
haplotype clades with mainly parapatric distribution that do not correspond
well to the currently recognized three subspecies. One clade is restricted
to the Fergana Valley and seems to represent a previously overlooked
evolutionarily significant unit. Another clade, consisting of several
largely parapatrically distributed haplotypes, occurs in the north and the
central southern part of the species' range. The third clade, likewise
comprising several largely parapatrically distributed haplotypes, was
identified from the south-eastern corner of the Caspian Sea in the west,
from Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east and from two more northerly sites
in western and south-eastern Uzbekistan. It is possible that this clade also
occurs in eastern Turkmenistan and adjacent Afghanistan, regions not sampled
for the present study. The generally parapatric distribution of individual
haplotypes, even within each of the three major clades, suggests advanced
lineage sorting, either due to limited dispersal abilities, glacial
isolation in distinct local microrefuges or both acting in accord. The
localized distribution of endemic haplotypes in the northern and central
plains as well as in the mountainous eastern and southern parts of the
distribution range supports the existence of multiple microrefuges there.
Records of haplotypes of distinct clades in sympatry or close geographic
proximity are likely the result of Holocene range expansions. In recent
years, thousands of confiscated steppe tortoises were released into the
wild. The detected mitochondrial differentiation offers a powerful tool for
nature conservation, as a means of determining the geographic origin of
confiscated tortoises and selecting suitable reintroduction regions.
Small fish (Leucaspius delineatus) that are often released into garden ponds and amphibian breeding sites prey on eggs and tadpoles of the common frog (Rana temporaria)
Authors: Leu Thomas , Lüscher Beatrice , Zumbach Silvia , Schmidt Benedikt
Published: May 2009

Non-native fish often negatively affect amphibian populations. The sunbleak
(Leucaspius delineatus), a small cyprinid fish, is often released into ponds
that support amphibian populations because it is thought not to consume
amphibian larvae; the argument was based on diet analyses. Here, we present
results from a laboratory experiment that demonstrates that sunbleak consume
amphibian eggs and larvae. Mortality of eggs and small tadpoles was 100%.
Thus, sunbleak at least potentially could be harmful to amphibian
populations despite their preference for small prey items reported in the
literature. Although diet analyses are valuable, the assessment of whether a
species is a predator of another should not be based solely on diet
analyses. Experimental predation trials are necessary to assess predation
risk.
Effects of forest degradation on abundance and microhabitat selection by ground dwelling Chaco lizards
Authors: Pelegrin Nicolás , Chani José María , Echevarría Ada Lilian , Bucher Enrique Hugo
Published: May 2009

Human-induced degradation of Chaco forests has led to a mosaic of habitats
with different forest conditions, offering different habitat suitability
characteristics to the native fauna. Abundance and microhabitat use of Teius
teyou, Liolaemus chacoensis, Cnemidophorus ocellifer, and Tropidurus
etheridgei were analyzed in the western Chaco forest of Argentina. A mature
forest that has remained undisturbed for the last 30 years (Los Colorados
Biological Station, LC) and a highly disturbed forest (Campo Grande, CG)
were compared through diurnal visual encounter surveys along 74 1-km
transects. Lizards were assigned to the microhabitat category according to
the site where they were first observed (bare ground, litter/grass/herbs,
shrubs or trees). T. teyou preferred bare ground in LC, avoiding
litter/grass/herbs and using shrubs according to availability, whereas in CG
the species preferred shrubs, avoiding bare ground. C. ocellifer used
microhabitats according to their availability in LC, whereas in CG, this
species preferred shrubs and avoided the remaining microhabitats. L.
chacoensis preferred bare ground in LC, using litter/grass/herbs and shrubs
according to availability. In CG, the species used bare ground according to
availability, preferred shrubs, and avoided litter/grass/herbs. T.
etheridgei preferred bare ground in LC, avoiding litter/grass/herbs, and
using shrubs according to availability, whereas in CG both bare ground and
shrubs were preferred, and litter/grass/herbs was avoided. Our results
suggest that microhabitat selection by lizards in the Chaco is a plastic
process influenced by vegetation structure, and probably regulated by
lizards' thermal requirements.
Assessing the relative importance of conservation measures applied on sea turtles: comparison of measures focusing on nesting success and hatching recruitment success
Authors: Mazaris Antonios , Kramer-Schadt Stephanie , Tzanopoulos Joseph , Johst Karin , Matsinos Giannis , Pantis John
Published: May 2009

Conservation measures applied to sea turtle nesting sites have a beneficial
effect on population trends and dynamics. Such measures aim to protect
nesting females, increase nesting success (proportion of female emergences
resulting in nests) and/or to improve hatching and hatchling emergence
success. However, taking into account financial and time constrains it is
important to identify those measures that have the most positive impact on
the sea turtle population. The aim of this paper is to assess and compare
the relative importance of the different factors that may influence the
efficiency of conservation actions and to investigate which factors, those
associated with decreased nesting success, or others leading to higher
embryonic and hatchling mortality have a higher impact on overall hatchling
recruitment. We developed a model that simulates the nesting activity of sea
turtles. For model parameterization, we used data collected from nesting
sites of the loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Eastern
Mediterranean. We conducted a series of simulations by simultaneously
changing model input parameters. The results of the model illustrate that an
increase in hatchling recruitment success (i.e., hatching and hatchling
emergence success) would have a more positive effect on overall hatchling
production than a similar in nesting success. Our analysis further suggests
that changes in hatchling recruitment success even at a single site, could
have an important impact on overall hatchling production of the rookery.
The Letter of Peter to Philip and its Message of Gnostic Revelation and Christian Unity
Authors: Kaler Michael
Published: May 2009

In this article I discuss the Letter of Peter to Philip, one of the gnostic documents found in the Nag Hammadi collection, as well as in the recently published Codex Tchacos. In prior work on the Letter, questions have been raised with regard to its overall coherence, the precise nature of its relationship to the canonical book of Acts, and the reasons for including it in Nag Hammadi Codex VIII in late antiquity. In my response to these questions, I demonstrate that it is a coherent work; that it is solidly grounded in a specific (albeit somewhat fictional) historical context, namely that of Acts 7-8; and that its presence in codex VIII makes good sense given the codex's underlying logic. The Letter has also been treated in the past as a Petrine document; I demonstrate that in fact it is extremely indebted to a Pauline view of revelation and enlightenment, drawing specifically on the account of Paul's revelation in Acts 9. Thus in contrast to older views that saw the Letter as an incoherent, Petrine work making scattershot use of Lukan references and placed in codex VIII as “filler,” I demonstrate that it is a quite coherent, Pauline work that operates within a precise context in the Actsian historical plan, and that its presence in Codex VIII illuminates the logic underlying that codex's arrangement. In all of this, my emphasis is firmly on the narrative aspects of the frame story part of the Letter, rather than privileging the content of the esoteric revelation delivered by Jesus, as has been done in the past.
Origen, Patristic Philosophy, and Christian Platonism Re-Thinking the Christianisation of Hellenism
Authors: Ramelli Ilaria
Published: May 2009

Origen was a Christian Platonist, which his adversaries (both Christians who opposed Greek philosophy and pagan philosophers like Porphyry who saw Christianity as a non-culture) considered to be a contradictio in adiecto. His formation and teaching centred on philosophy, and his Περì αρχων in its structure was inspired not so much by earlier Christian works as by pagan philosophical works stemming from the selfsame authors as those appreciated at Ammonius' and Plotinus' schools. A close examination of all extant sources and a careful investigation of Origen's philosophical formation, readings, and works show that Origen the Neoplatonist is likely to be our Christian philosopher. The presupposition of the incompatibility between Christianity and philosophy (especially Platonism), which provoked charges against Origen as a Christian Platonist from his lifetime onward, is still at work in modern theorizations concerning the “Hellenisation of Christianity,” which are here analysed and brought into connection with the supposed necessity of distinguishing Origen the Platonist from Origen the Christian. It is not the case that a “pure” Christianity was subsequently Hellenised: the NT itself was already Hellenised to some extent, and the Christian κηρυγμα, intended for all nations and cultures, was a σκανδαλον for the Jews as well as μωρìα for the Greeks.
Buddhist Belief in Merit (Punña), Buddhist Religiousness and Life Satisfaction among Thai Buddhists in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Ariyabuddhiphongs Vanchai
Published: May 2009

This study operationally defines Buddhist belief in merit (punña), Buddhist religiousness and examines their relationships with life satisfaction. Four hundred Buddhist merit makers at a temple in Bangkok participated in the study. LISREL models show that Buddhist belief in merit predicts Buddhist religiousness and life satisfaction, and Buddhist belief in merit mediates the relationship between Buddhist religiousness and life satisfaction. The different conceptualizations of Buddhist religiousness and life satisfaction and their difference with reference to the future and the present are discussed. Buddhist religiousness-life satisfaction nexus is then examined against western religiousness-life satisfaction relationship.
Religion and Helping: Impact of Target Thinking Styles and Just-World Beliefs
Authors: Pichon Isabelle , Saroglou Vassilis
Published: May 2009

Previous research on religion and helping has left some questions unanswered. In the present study, participants expressed willingness to help groups of people in need (homeless people and illegal immigrants), and this after having been religiously versus non-religiously stimulated. The activation of religious context increased the willingness to help, but only the homeless. Orthodox religious people tended to consider the targets responsible for their problem, an association partially mediated by the belief in a just world for other. Symbolic thinking was associated with willingness for helping, an association partially mediated by the belief in ultimate justice. Results suggest a limited (target) and conditional (thinking style, just world beliefs) prosociality as a consequence of religion.
Opening the Doors of Perception: Priming Altered States of Consciousness outside of Conscious Awareness
Authors: Randolph-Seng Brandon , Nielsen Michael E.
Published: May 2009

Two studies are reported in which participants’ reports of altered states of consciousness (ASC) were manipulated using priming methods. Study 1 used both subtle and blunt supraliminal priming methods, while Study 2 used a subliminal priming method. Across the two studies, two different methods for inducing ASC were used. In both studies a direct and an indirect measure of ASC was employed in order to separate the more nonconscious and spontaneous (indirect) from the more conscious and directive (direct) reports of ASC. As predicted, results indicated that the indirect measures of ASC were consistent with the ASC primes participants received. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Is She Not My Wife, and Am I Not Her Husband?
Authors: Liang Wang-Huei
Published: May 2009

The love story of the prophet Hosea and his wife is considered a metaphor that signifies the relationship between YHWH and his people the Israelites. “For she is not my wife, and I am not her husband” is one of the sentences uttered by the prophet Hosea when his wife runs after other lovers. To take it literally as such, it seems that Hosea announces divorce to his wife. But this interpretation contradicts what we read from the context of the Scriptures. Alternatively, Hosea's statement could be read as a rhetorical question as is mentioned by Weems. This article, based on grammatical analysis, contextual and inter-textual analysis, proposes that it should be interpreted as a rhetorical question: “for is she not my wife, and am I not her husband?” and expects the reader/audience to respond “yes.”
Absolute Calibration of Radar Reflectivity Using Redundancy of the Polarization Observations and Implied Constraints on Drop Shapes
Authors: Gourley Jonathan J. , Illingworth Anthony J. , Tabary Pierre
Published: May 2009

A major limitation of improved radar-based rainfall estimation is accurate calibration of radar reflectivity. In this paper, the authors fully automate a polarimetric method that uses the consistency between radar reflectivity, differential reflectivity, and the path integral of specific differential phase to calibrate reflectivity. Complete instructions are provided such that this study can serve as a guide for agencies that are upgrading their radars with polarimetric capabilities and require accurate calibration. The method is demonstrated using data from Météo-France’s operational C-band polarimetric radar. Daily averages of the calibration of radar reflectivity are shown to vary by less than 0.2 dB. In addition to achieving successful calibration, a sensitivity test is also conducted to examine the impacts of using different models relating raindrop oblateness to diameter. It turns out that this study highlights the suitability of the raindrop shape models themselves. Evidence is shown supporting the notion that there is a unique model that relates drop oblateness to diameter in midlatitudes.
A New Stress-Based Model of Political Extremism
Authors: Canetti-Nisim Daphna , Halperin Eran , Sharvit Keren , Hobfoll Stevan E.
Published: May 2009

Does exposure to terrorism lead to hostility toward minorities? Drawing on theories from clinical and social psychology, we propose a stress-based model of political extremism in which psychological distress—which is largely overlooked in political scholarship—and threat perceptions mediate the relationship between exposure to terrorism and attitudes toward minorities. To test the model, a representative sample of 469 Israeli Jewish respondents was interviewed on three occasions at six-month intervals. Structural Equation Modeling indicated that exposure to terrorism predicted psychological distress (t1), which predicted perceived threat from Palestinian citizens of Israel (t2), which, in turn, predicted exclusionist attitudes toward Palestinian citizens of Israel (t3). These findings provide solid evidence and a mechanism for the hypothesis that terrorism introduces nondemocratic attitudes threatening minority rights. It suggests that psychological distress plays an important role in political decision making and should be incorporated in models drawing upon political psychology.
Epilogue
Authors: Gallois Cindy
Published: May 2009

In the epilogue to this special issue of JLSP, the author notes that the five articles presented in this special issue show the usefulness of a language and social psychology approach. While the topics and perspectives of the articles are different, several key themes emerge, particularly involving communication in complex health contexts. The articles taken together provide health communication scholars with a common research agenda for the next few years. These articles address hard health problems, all of which can be understood as grounded in intergroup relationships. They show the importance of large-scale interdisciplinary projects that can have a significant impact on the quality of health care and outcomes.
A Communication Model for the Competent Delivery of Geriatric Medicine
Authors: Nussbaum Jon F. , Fisher Carla L.
Published: May 2009

The competent practice of geriatric medicine has become a priority within the health care system. As older adults transition from independence to dependence, the health care system must respond to a complex set of interdependent networks that the system and those who work within it may not be prepared to handle. The competent practice of geriatric medicine is dependent on the coordination of numerous health specialists, organizations, the older patient, and the patient's social network. Failure to competently coordinate this system makes it nearly impossible to provide consistent quality health care, potentially resulting in misdiagnoses, increased cost, destruction of family relationships, professionals not willing to “see” older patients, and ultimately, higher mortality rates. A model is presented that graphically places communication at the core of the practice of geriatric medicine, while providing a “road map” for developing quality practices to improve older adults' health care.
Donor Milk Banking and Breastfeeding in Norway
Authors: Grøvslien Anne Hagen , Grønn Morten
Published: May 2009

Milk banks in Norway have a long tradition of using raw milk. This is a practice the authors hope to continue as they see it as the best choice until a child's own mothers' milk production is sufficient. Not only will the premature babies benefit from having milk from the bank, but if a mother, for any reason, can not supply her baby while it's in the hospital her baby should be offered milk from a bank. In Norway, with a high breastfeeding rate this can be done at many hospitals. J Hum Lact. 25(2):206-210
Unlocking the Influence of Leadership Network Structures on Team Conflict and Viability
Authors: Balkundi Prasad , Barsness Zoe , Michael Judd H.
Published: May 2009

This article seeks to test whether a leader's position in the team's informal network strengthens or weakens the leader's team. Based on data collected from 231 employees working in 19 teams in a manufacturing organization, the study tested whether two different leader network centralities in teams' advice networks predicted team conflict and viability. Teams with more prestigious formal leaders (i.e., leaders whom a high proportion of subordinates sought out for advice) experienced lower levels of team conflict and had higher levels of team viability. In contrast, teams with leaders who brokered across subordinates within a team's advice network (i.e., leaders who had advice ties with subordinates who did not have advice ties with each other) reported elevated levels of team conflict and lower levels of team viability, even when controlling for the team leader's prestige. Team conflict mediated the effects of the two leader network positions on team viability.
Critical Review: Is Watchful Waiting a Viable Management Option for Older Men With Prostate Cancer?
Authors: Bailey Donald E. , Wallace Meredith
Published: May 2009

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second-leading cause of death from cancer in U.S. men. For older men with early-stage prostate cancer, watchful waiting (also referred to as surveil-lance, expectant management, deferred/delayed therapy, or active monitoring) is a reasonable approach to aggressive therapy. The purpose of this article is to critically review published studies on the watchful waiting management option for prostate cancer within the past 5 years. The review of documented reports on watchful waiting reveals that there are both negative and positive indications toward watchful waiting. Further research is needed to change the perception of watchful waiting as a “do nothing” approach to the management of prostate cancer or a “death sentence” and to develop interventions that assist men to manage the uncertainty associated with living with prostate cancer to improve health and advance quality of life.
Testicular Cancer Among African American College Men: Knowledge, Perceived Risk, and Perceptions of Cancer Fatalism
Authors: Powe Barbara D. , Ross Louie , Wilkerson Donoria , Brooks Patrice , Cooper Dexter
Published: May 2009

African American men present at later stages of testicular cancer and have higher mortality rates than Caucasian men. Lack of awareness, beliefs, and access to care may influence this disparity. Guided by the Powe fatalism model, this comparative study assessed knowledge of testicular cancer, perceived risk, and cancer fatalism among African American and Caucasian men who attended selected colleges and universities. Data were collected using the Powe Fatalism Inventory, the Testicular Cancer Knowledge Survey, and the Perceived Cancer Risk Survey. The majority ( n = 190) of men were African American (70%), and the remainder were Caucasian. African American men were significantly younger than Caucasian men. African American men also had lower testicular cancer knowledge scores, higher perceptions of cancer fatalism, and lower perceived risk for the disease. Rates of testicular cancer screening were low for all the men. Research should focus on further understanding the relationship between cancer fatalism and health-promoting behaviors among African American men.
Effect of alumina nanoparticles as nanocomposites on morphology and corrosion resistance of electroless Ni–P coatings
Authors: Rahimi A R , Modarress H , Amjad Iranagh S
Published: May 2009

Electroless Ni–P–Al2O3 nanocomposite coating was obtained by adding alumina nanoparticles to the nickel electroless plating bath. Particles of ∼74 nm in size were selected in order to study the influence of the particle incorporation to the coating properties. The composite coatings were heat treated at 200, 400 and 600°C for 1 h (60 min) and structural changes were evaluated by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Surface morphology of composite deposits has been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarisation method have been used to evaluate the coating performance before and after heat treatment. The Ni–P electroless coating contains 9·18 wt‐%P while the alumina composite coating contains 8·30 wt‐%P. The composite coatings, which contains alumina nanoparticles, exhibit better properties of hardness and corrosion resistance.
Structural and therapeutic insights from the species specificity and in vivo antithrombotic activity of a novel αIIb-specific αIIbβ3 antagonist
Authors: Blue Robert , Kowalska M. Anna , Hirsch Jessica , Murcia Marta , Janczak Christin A. , Harrington Amanda , Jirouskova Marketa , Li Jihong , Fuentes Rudy , Thornton Michael A. , Filizola Marta , Poncz Mortimer , Coller Barry S.
Published: May 2009

We previously reported on a novel compound (Compound 1; RUC-1) identified by high-throughput screening that inhibits human αIIbβ3. RUC-1 did not inhibit αVβ3, suggesting that it interacts with αIIb, and flexible ligand/rigid protein molecular docking studies supported this speculation. We have now studied RUC-1's effects on murine and rat platelets, which are less sensitive than human to inhibition by Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides due to differences in the αIIb sequences contributing to the binding pocket. We found that RUC-1 was much less potent in inhibiting aggregation of murine and rat platelets. Moreover, RUC-1 potently inhibited fibrinogen binding to murine platelets expressing a hybrid αIIbβ3 receptor composed of human αIIb and murine β3, but not a hybrid receptor composed of murine αIIb and human β3. Molecular docking studies of RUC-1 were consistent with the functional data. In vivo studies of RUC-1 administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 26.5 mg/kg demonstrated antithrombotic effects in both ferric chloride carotid artery and laser-induced microvascular injury models in mice with hybrid hαIIb/mβ3 receptors. Collectively, these data support RUC-1's specificity for αIIb, provide new insights into the αIIb binding pocket, and establish RUC-1's antithrombotic effects in vivo.
Performance of School Buildings in Turkey During the 1999 Düzce and the 2003 Bingöl Earthquakes
Authors: Gur Turel , Pay AliCihan , Ramirez Julio A. , Sozen Mete A. , Johnson Arvid M. , Irfanoglu Ayhan , Bobet Antonio
Published: May 2009

Several school buildings were surveyed in the disaster areas of the Marmara (17 August 1999, [Formula: see text]), Düzce (12 November 1999, [Formula: see text]), and Bingöl (1 May 2003, [Formula: see text]) earthquakes in Turkey. Among them, 21 reinforced concrete buildings were found to have an identical floor plan. Lateral load resisting structural system consisted of reinforced concrete frames (moment-resisting frame) in 16 of the buildings and structural concrete walls integrated with the moment-resisting frame (dual system) in the remaining five buildings. The number of stories above ground in these buildings ranged from two to four. These school buildings provide a nearly ideal test of the effect of a single important structural characteristic on the performance of buildings with structural designs that are uniform in all other respects. Our observation is that the presence of structural walls improves the behavior of reinforced concrete systems drastically.
Evaluation of Simplified Methods for the Design of Bridges with Seismic Isolation Systems
Authors: Cardone Donatello , Dolce Mauro , Palermo Giuseppe
Published: May 2009

In this paper, simplified methods for the design of bridges equipped with strongly nonlinear isolation systems (IS) are examined. Reference is made to the single mode method (SMM), adopted in many seismic codes and guidelines for the analysis and design of bridges with flexible substructure. Two different design approaches are considered, one aimed at controlling the maximum force transmitted by the IS to the pier, while the other the maximum pier-deck displacement. The background of the SMM and the implementation of the two design approaches are presented first. This is followed by a series of examples of application and validation studies through nonlinear time-history analyses (NTHA). The variability of the mechanical behavior of the IS with air temperature is taken into account in both design procedures and NTHA. The NTHA results point out that simplified methods of analysis can be reliably used for bridges with IS, to satisfy the design performance objectives over the whole operation range of temperature, once a proper design temperature is selected.
Cracking an Open Safe: HAZUS Vulnerability Functions in Terms of Structure-Independent Spectral Acceleration
Authors: Porter Keith
Published: May 2009

The HAZUS-MH Technical Manual provides a method and data for calculating earthquake loss to ordinary buildings using in part the capacity spectrum method (CSM) of structural analysis, but it does not provide tabular results relating loss to structure-independent intensity measures such as [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text], and no procedure for doing so is offered. It is a minor challenge to perform HAZUS-MH loss calculations outside of HAZUS-MH, owing to the sometimes iterative nature of CSM. A technique to calculate mean loss (here, casualty rates in ordinary buildings) as a function of site-soil-adjusted [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is presented that honors all HAZUS-MH methods and data. The resulting seismic vulnerability functions are available at www.risk-agora.org as a resource for open risk modeling. Such vulnerability functions facilitate loss analyses by de-coupling the calculation of hazard from that of loss given hazard.
Ground Motion Hazard and Scenario Design Earthquakes Including Source Rupture Effects, Case in Study: City of San Francisco
Authors: Rowshandel Badie
Published: May 2009

Using a probabilistic approach, a directivity model, and the fault and seismicity database of the California Geological Survey, one-second spectral accelerations for a site in the city of San Francisco are computed for several fault rupture types. Five rupture scenarios were investigated. Of these, two cases involve random distribution of hypocenters and two are “limiting cases,” resulting in the lower-bound and the upper-bound ground motions at the site. Deaggregation of hazard in terms of magnitude, distance, epsilon, and directivity for the rupture scenarios studied reveals that three scenario events dominate ground motion hazard at the site. Expressed in terms of modal values of the hazard parameters, these are: (1) [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], (2) [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and (3) [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]. The relative significance of these scenario events varies mostly with rupture type and to lesser degrees with site condition and return period. The first scenario event is a repeat of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The second represents the impact of the San Gregorio fault and North-Coast and Offshore segments of the San Andreas fault, and the third reflects the seismicity mainly on the Peninsula and the Santa Cruz Mountains segments of the San Andreas fault.
A Novel Technique of Seismic Strengthening of Nonductile RC Frame using Steel Caging and Aluminum Shear Yielding Damper
Authors: Sahoo Dipti R. , Rai Durgesh C.
Published: May 2009

A novel strengthening scheme for seismically-weak RC frames is proposed which utilizes external steel caging to improve flexural/shear strength of columns and aluminum shear-yielding damper ( Al-SYD) to further enhance lateral strength, stiffness and overall energy dissipation capacity of the frame. This paper describes the effectiveness of this scheme as evidenced in an experimental study on a reduced scale (1:2.5) single-story, single-bay, gravity-only designed reinforced concrete (RC) frame. The strengthened frame was simultaneously subjected to gravity loads and reversed cyclic lateral displacements as per ACI-374 loading protocol. An innovative connection scheme was designed to transfer a portion of frame lateral load to the energy dissipation device ( Al-SYD). Besides the significant increase in lateral strength and stiffness of the strengthened frame, RC frame members did not suffer any major damage during the entire test protocol. This indicates significant reduction in force demand on existing RC members because of enhanced energy dissipation through hysteretic shear yielding of aluminum panels. Moreover, the simple connection scheme proposed in this study proved very efficient in transferring the frame lateral load to strengthening elements.
HISTORICAL AND COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVES ONA-PREFIXING IN THE ENGLISH OF APPALACHIA
Authors: Montgomery Michael B.
Published: May 2009

This article both expands and confirms research on a relic grammatical feature, the prefix a- on present participles. Because previous work has concentrated on its occurrence in the English of Appalachia and only synchronically, first its superregional distribution is shown. The article then surveys its evolution from a preposition (on or at) + gerund in Early Middle English to the prefix a- + participle. The article assesses possible transatlantic sources, arguing that southern England to be most plausible. Previous work, especially Wolfram (1980, 1988) in West Virginia and Feagin (1979) in Alabama, have identified both grammatical and phonological constraints on its occurrence and possible semantic or discourse meaning, for the prefix. These are tested against a large corpus from an area intermediate between the two, the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Four major quantitative constraints prohibiting the prefix, originally proposed by Wolfram, are strongly substantiated, but a small number of exceptions to each argues that they are not categorical. With respect to other, more minor patterns, the prefix in the Smoky Mountains has a different distributed from West Virginia, but overall Wolfram's pioneering work is corroborated. Documenting and tracking these linguistic constraints through the history of English remain tasks for future corpus linguists.
DIALECT IDENTIFICATION: THE EFFECTS OF REGION OF ORIGIN AND AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE
Authors: Baker Wendy , Eddington David , Nay Lyndsey
Published: May 2009

This study examines whether two factors, region of origin (i.e., being from either Utah, Western states, or non-Western states) and amount of experience for those not native to Utah (having less than one, more than one but less than five, or over five years living in Utah), influence how well listeners are able to distinguish between Utah and non-Utah speakers and what phonetic characteristics they use to do so. The results suggest that the more similar the listener's dialect is to Utah English, the better his or her ability to identify Utah speakers. Moreover, it was found that listeners from Utah use less stereotypical characteristics of Utah English for identifying Utahns from non-Utahns; those from the Western United States and other locations use more. This study demonstrates that listeners with more experience with Utah English are better able to identify Utah speakers than those with less experience. These findings are also examined in light of stereotypical perceptions of both Utah English and the phonetic characteristics examined in this study.
Rhyme and Reason: Erasmus Darwin's Romanticism
Authors: Jackson Noel
Published: May 2009

The poetics of Erasmus Darwin's Botanic Garden, its status as an aesthetic as opposed to a purely scientific artifact, and the formal logic of the genre its author popularized have received scant historical attention. Yet in its time Darwin's contribution to the genre of “philosophical poetry” was thought dangerously radical not solely because of its content but because of the compound logic of its form. Effecting a more perfect union of scientific reason and the poetic imagination, Darwin's philosophical poetry conjoins as poetry the aesthetic and political aims of his work in a purposeful way that, while unmistakable to the conservative critics who attacked him, has largely escaped contemporary critical notice. Today Darwin's poetry may be viewed as a touchstone for debates over the legitimacy of perfectibilist schemes of political improvement during the period of the French Revolution.
Music on Location: Rhythm, Resonance, and Romanticism in Eichendorff's Marmorbild
Authors: Hamilton John T.
Published: May 2009

Literary history's persistent attempts to locate the work of Joseph von Eichendorff within German Romanticism aim at a stabilization that contradicts the very dynamism associated with this movement. A study of Eichendorff's exemplary novella Das Marmorbild (The Marble Statue) reveals the shortcomings of any interpretive desire to fix the text, not simply because the story delights in Romantic instability but because it posits phenomena of music and their effects as forces that frustrate every effort to localize. What Eichendorff presents to the reader is itself a “marble statue”—a Bild or image that both seduces and invites, inspires and imprisons, by means of epistemological and moral ambivalences that resonate far beyond the text's localizable source.
“The Projection of His Consciousness”: James and Narrative Technology
Authors: Fielding Heather
Published: May 2009

Henry James often criticizes mass culture for having instrumentalized the novel by conditioning readers to reduce the text to its ending. Yet he also suggests that popular visual technologies—cinema and its predecessor, the magic lantern—are uniquely able to compensate for mass culture's end-driven tendencies by taking the viewing process out of the viewer's hands. While readers can read novels as they please, visual technologies function independently of the spectator. From them, James thought, twentieth-century novelists might derive formal strategies to solve the problem of instrumentalization. James's theories of technology and modernism recast familiar debates about the relationship among the early-twentieth-century novel, mass culture, and commodification. He neither posits the novel as a work of art that is exempt from economic pressures nor embraces the commodity as a model for a new aesthetic. Instead, he critically revises mass culture, using technology to nullify the hazards of commodification.
The German Detour from Ulysses to Magic Realism
Authors: Wexler Joyce
Published: May 2009

In 1929 Alfred Döblin's Berlin Alexanderplatz was not only compared to Ulysses but also hailed as a prime example of the postwar movement called magic realism. This junction led directly to landmark magic realist texts by Günter Grass, Gabriel García Márquez, and Salman Rushdie, who adopted Joyce's strategies because they faced the same problem he did: how to represent the unimaginable violence of their times. Joyce taught them how to bear witness to contemporary events while impugning their own testimony. In Ulysses and its successors, an ironic combination of symbolism and realism locates multiple secular meanings in specific historical events. Secular excess replaces divine plenitude. The absence of a consistent authorial voice prevents readers from determining a hierarchy of significance. Exaggerated correlations between individual lives and public events aggrandize the former and domesticate the latter. Terrible events are described comically, and everyday matters are treated as portents. The echoes of Ulysses in magic realism amplify its irony and dispel the primitivist tendency to interpret the fantasy in later texts as evidence of indigenous belief in supernatural forces.
Stabilization of Suspension Concentrate Formulations via Specialized Double-comb Polymers
Authors: Hazen James L. , Bergström Dr. Karin
Published: May 2009

Alkyl naphthalene sulfonate condensates, lignosulfonates, block copolymers, and alkoxylated polyarylphenol derivatives are used as dispersants in pesticide suspension concentrate (SC) and suspoemulsion formulations. Typically, a pesticide formulation could contain either type of dispersant, with the final selection being driven by the active ingredient and the desired performance characteristics of the final formulation. Until now, little attention has been focused to the use of stabilizing polymers to improve the quality and shelf life of these formulations. Comparative data were generated on selected aqueous SC formulations to better understand the particle stabilization effects of a specialized double-comb polymer. Significant improvement of suspension stability is possible over the standard formulations.
An Evaluation of Data Entry Error and Proofing Methods for Fisheries Data
Authors: Johnson Christopher L. , Temple Gabriel M. , Pearsons Todd N. , Webster Timothy D.
Published: May 2009

Reducing data entry error has the potential to improve estimates produced by fisheries practitioners. However, the frequencies of data entry error and evaluations of the recommended protocols for dealing with data entry error have rarely been presented in fisheries‐related literature. The objectives of our study were to determine the magnitude of data entry error in a typical fisheries data set, what kind of errors occurred most often, and how those errors might affect commonly generated estimates of abundance, size structure, and species richness. We evaluated four methods of data entry and proofing: (1) a single entry, (2) read‐aloud proofing, (3) double‐entry proofing, and (4) field use of a personal digital assistant (PDA). We determined the quality of the data after the use of each method and compared common fisheries estimates derived from each with estimates generated from standardized data. Total error discovered in the data set averaged 0.79 ± 0.22% (mean ± SD) and consisted of 44.1% field‐related errors and 55.9% data entry errors. We found that numbers of known errors remaining in the data were significantly lower when proofing methods were used. Abundance estimates derived from a single data entry were significantly different from those derived from data that had undergone proofing. However, the magnitude of the difference (2.22%) was less than our limit of acceptable error and far less than the mean confidence interval of the estimates themselves (60.91%). Further, no differences were detected in mark‐recapture abundance estimates, estimates of size, or estimates of species richness. This suggests that for most common fisheries estimates, a single entry of data or single entry using a PDA is sufficient. We subsequently found that the use of automated error checking helped to ensure an acceptable level of data quality without the time and expense of more traditional error‐checking methods.
On the Design of an In-Line Control System for a Vial Freeze-Drying Process: The Role of Chamber Pressure
Authors: Fissore Davide , Pisano Roberto , Barresi Antonello A.
Published: May 2009

This paper is focused on the design of an in-line control system for the freeze-drying process of pharmaceuticals in a vial. The goal is to minimize the duration of the primary drying, when most of the water is removed by sublimation while maintaining the product temperature below the maximum value allowed by the product. The pressure in the drying chamber and the temperature of the fluid that is used to heat (or to cool) the product can be manipulated; the pressure rise test and the DPE (Dynamic Parameters Estimation) algorithm are used to estimate the product temperature and the residual ice fraction, i.e. the controlled variables. Both an open-loop controller, using constant values of fluid temperature and chamber pressure, and a closed-loop controller, based on the in-line optimization of the fluid temperature, will be described and tested. Finally, the possibility of manipulating in-line the pressure in the drying chamber will be discussed.