bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anatomy of the recurrent coastal sediment plume in Lake Michigan and its impacts on light climate, nutrients, and plankton
Authors: Vanderploeg H. A. , Johengen T. H. , Lavrentyev P. J. , Chen C. , Lang G. A. , Agy M. A. , Bundy M. H. , Cavaletto J. F. , Eadie B. J. , Liebig J. R. , Miller G. S. , Ruberg S. A. , McCormick M. J.
Published: March 2007

As part of the Episodic Events Great Lakes Experiment, we sampled total suspended matter (TSM), light climate, nutrients, and plankton along cross‐margin transects in southern Lake Michigan during February, March, and April 1998–2000 to capture conditions before, during, and after the occurrence of storm‐driven recurrent coastal sediment plumes to define the anatomy of the resuspension events and get insights into their interactions with nutrients and plankton. Variability in timing and strength of winter storms among years led to different timing, intensity, and extent of plumes among years. TSM concentrations in the core of plumes varied between 15 and 30 mg L−1, and photic depth was reduced to ∼1 to 2 m, thus potentially seriously limiting phytoplankton growth in plume areas. Total P concentration was highly correlated with TSM and river influence. Chlorophyll concentrations were lower in plume regions than in adjacent areas, in contrast to the relatively constant chlorophyll concentration across the plume predicted by a coupled hydrodynamic and nutrient‐phytoplankton‐zooplankton model. Contrary to expectation, protozoan microzooplankton (MZ) biomass was not more abundant in the plume than adjacent waters, but was highest in nearshore areas receiving river inflow. Storms affected horizontal distribution of zooplankton. Because of the lower concentrations of phytoplankton in the plume, the plume over the short term had a negative impact on zooplankton during this food‐limiting season. Our results combined with those of other EEGLE studies lead us to conclude that storms and storm‐driven plumes had a negative effect on the planktonic food web.
Response of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation to increasing atmospheric CO2: Sensitivity to mean climate state
Authors: Weaver Andrew J. , Eby Michael , Kienast Markus , Saenko Oleg A.
Published: March 2007

The dependence on the mean climate state of the response of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is investigated in 17 increasing greenhouse gas experiments with different initial conditions. The AMOC declines in all experiments by 15% to 31%, with typically the largest declines in those experiments with the strongest initial AMOC. In all cases, changes in surface heat fluxes, rather than changes in surface freshwater fluxes, are the dominant cause for the transient AMOC decrease. Surface freshwater fluxes actually switch from reducing the transient AMOC decrease, for low values of atmospheric CO2, to reinforcing the transient AMOC decrease, for higher values of atmospheric CO2. In addition, we find that due to changes in the strengths of feedbacks associated with water vapour and snow/sea ice, the climate sensitivity and transient climate response of the UVic model strongly depends on the mean climate state.
Chloride transporting capability of Calu‐3 epithelia following persistent knockdown of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, CFTR
Authors: MacVinish L J , Cope G , Ropenga A , Cuthbert A W
Published: March 2007

Background and purpose:

Calu‐3 cells are derived from serous cells of human lung submucosal glands, a prime target for therapy in cystic fibrosis (CF). Calu‐3 cells can be cultured to form epithelia capable of transepithelial transport of chloride. A CF Calu‐3 cell is not available.

Experimental approach:

A retroviral vector was used to cause persistent down regulation of CFTR using siRNA methodology, in Calu‐3 cells. A Calu‐3 cell line with CFTR content less than 5% of the original line has been established. Epithelia grown using the modified cells have been used in comparative studies of transporting capability.

Key results:

All aspects of cAMP activated chloride secretion were attenuated in the epithelia with reduced CFTR content. However transporting capability was reduced less than the CFTR content. From studies with the CFTR channel inhibitor, GlyH‐101, it was concluded that wild type Calu‐3 cells have a reserve of CFTR channels not located in the membrane, but available for replacement, while in the modified Calu‐3 cell line there was little or no reserve. Lubiprostone, a putative ClC‐2 activator, increased transepithelial chloride secretion in both modified and wild type Calu‐3 epithelia. Modified Calu‐3 epithelia with the residual CFTR currents blocked with GlyH‐101 responded equally well to lubiprostone as those without the blocking agent.

Conclusions and implications:

It appears that lubiprostone is capable of stimulating a non‐CFTR dependent transepithelial chloride secretion in Calu‐3 monolayers, with obvious implications for CF therapy. Cell lines, however, do not always reflect the behaviour of the native tissue with integrity.

British Journal of Pharmacology(2007)150, 1055–1065. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0707175
Epitaxial growth and magnetic properties of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films on (0001) sapphire
Authors: Bhosle V. , Narayan J.
Published: March 2007

In this letter the authors report the growth of (110) oriented La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films on (0001) single-crystal sapphire substrate. Growth of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) films with a fixed orientation was achieved by carefully controlling the deposition conditions, specifically the substrate temperature. The fixed orientation relationship between the film and the sapphire substrate ((110)f‖(0002)s, (1¯10)f‖(01¯10)s, (002)f‖(2¯110)s), has been explained via domain matching epitaxy, where there is perfect matching in one direction and 19% planar misfit in the perpendicular direction. LSMO films showed interesting magnetic anisotropy along the two mutually perpendicular in-plane directions, corresponding to [002]f as strong and [1¯10]f as weak magnetization directions.
Enhancement of tetracene photovoltaic devices with heat treatment
Authors: Shao Yan , Sista Srinivas , Chu Chih-Wei , Sievers Douglas , Yang Yang
Published: March 2007

An efficient photovoltaic heterojunction of tetracene and fullerene has been investigated, and high performance organic solar cells have been demonstrated by thermal deposition and successive heat treatment. After the heat treatment, the open circuit voltage of the devices was enhanced greatly and at the same time the photocurrent remained almost unchanged. The series resistance of the devices was reduced and the fill factor was slightly enhanced. Consequently, the power conversion efficiency was improved from 1.7% to 2.2%. The preliminary conclusion for this enhancement is due to the part crystallization of the tetracene layer and consequent morphological change, which were supported by atomic force microscopy images, absorption spectra, and x-ray diffraction analysis. The part crystallization results in increase in hole mobility as evidenced by hole mobility measurements.
Electron number probability distributions for correlated wave functions
Authors: Francisco E. , Martín Pendás A. , Blanco M. A.
Published: March 2007

Efficient formulas for computing the probability of finding exactly an integer number of electrons in an arbitrarily chosen volume are only known for single-determinant wave functions [E. Cancès et al., Theor. Chem. Acc. 111, 373 (2004)]. In this article, an algebraic method is presented that extends these formulas to the case of multideterminant wave functions and any number of disjoint volumes. The derived expressions are applied to compute the probabilities within the atomic domains derived from the space partitioning based on the quantum theory of atoms in molecules. Results for a series of test molecules are presented, paying particular attention to the effects of electron correlation and of some numerical approximations on the computed probabilities.
Fiber-microsphere laser with a submicrometer sol-gel silica glass layer codoped with erbium, aluminum, and phosphorus
Authors: Takashima Hideaki , Fujiwara Hideki , Takeuchi Shigeki , Sasaki Keiji , Takahashi Masahide
Published: March 2007

Lasing of a taper-microsphere system with a gain layer of submicrometer thickness is demonstrated. For the gain layer, an Er3+-doped P2O5–Al2O3–SiO2 thin film with a thickness of 200nm was fabricated using the sol-gel method on a silica microsphere. The demonstration of single-mode lasing with the thin gain layer suggests the improved dispersion of Er ions in the P codoped gain layer.
Hemispherical semi-insulating GaAs double-frequency absorption photodetector operating at 1.3μm wavelength
Authors: Liu Xiuhuan , Shi Bao , Jia Gang , Chen Zhanguo , Ren Ce , Zhang Yuhong , Cao Kun , Zhao Jianxun
Published: March 2007

The hemispherical semi-insulating GaAs photodetector operating at 1.3μm is presented. The GaAs hemisphere was used both as a detector and a solid immersion lens to improve the responsivity. The physical mechanism of the detector is attributed to double-frequency absorption (DFA) confirmed by the measured photocurrent quadratically dependent on the incident optical power and nonlinearly dependent on the bias and by the relationship between the photocurrent and the azimuth in agreement with the anisotropy of DFA in GaAs single crystal.
Medical diagnostic ultrasound
Authors: Carr Everbach E.
Published: March 2007

Although the roots of medical ultrasound lie in military technology, many of the past decade's advances have come from exploiting new understandings in the physics of mammalian tissues.
Life sciences and biotechnology in China
Authors: Chen Zhu , Wang Hong-Guang , Wen Zhao-Jun , Wang Yihuang
Published: March 2007

Life science and biotechnology have become a top priority in research and development in many countries as the world marches into the new century. China as a developing country with a 1.3 billion population and booming economy is actively meeting the challenge of a new era in this area of research. Owing to support from the government and the scientific community, and reform to improve the infrastructure, recent years have witnessed a rapid progress in some important fields of life science and biotechnology in China, such as genomics and protein sciences, neuroscience, systematics, super-hybrid rice research, stem cell and cloning technology, gene therapy and drug/vaccine development. The planned expansion and development of innovation in related sectors and the area of bioethics are described and discussed.
Thinness, overweight and obesity in a national sample of Iranian children and adolescents: CASPIAN Study
Authors: Kelishadi R. , Ardalan G. , Gheiratmand R. , Majdzadeh R. , Hosseini M. , Gouya M. M. , Razaghi E. M. , Delavari A. , Motaghian M. , Barekati H. , Mahmoud‐Arabi M. S. , Lock K. ,   Caspian Study Group
Published: March 2007

Background  This study was conducted to assess the national prevalence of different grades of nutritional status (underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity) among Iranian school‐students and to compare the prevalence of overweight and obesity using three different sets of criteria.

Methods  This cross‐sectional national survey was conducted on a representative sample of 21 111 school students including 10 253 boys (48.6%) and 10 858 girls (51.4%) aged 6–18 years, selected by multistage random cluster sampling from urban (84.6%) and rural (15.4%) areas of 23 provinces in Iran The percentage of subjects in the corresponding body mass index (BMI) categories of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the obtained national percentiles were assessed and compared.

Results  There was no gender differences in BMI, but was higher in boys living in urban than in rural areas (18.4 ± 3.88 vs. 17.86 ± 3.66 kg/m2 respectively, P < 0.05). The prevalence of underweight was 13.9% (8.1% of boys and 5.7% of girls) according to the CDC percentiles, and 5% (2.6% of boys and 2.4% of girls) according to the obtained percentiles. According to the CDC, IOTF and national cut‐offs, the prevalence of overweight was 8.82%, 11.3% and 10.1% respectively; and the prevalence of obesity was 4.5%, 2.9% and 4.79% respectively. The prevalence of overweight was highest (10.98%) in the 12‐year‐old group and that of obesity (7.81%) in the 6‐year‐old group. The kappa correlation coefficient was 0.71 between the CDC and IOTF criteria, 0.64 between IOTF and national cut‐offs, and 0.77 between CDC and national cut‐offs.

Conclusions  The findings of this study warrant the necessity of paying special attention to monitoring of the time trends in child obesity based on uniform definitions, as well as to design programmes to prevent and control associated factors.
Effect of the −420C/G variant of the resistin gene promoter on metabolic syndrome, obesity, myocardial infarction and kidney dysfunction
Authors: Norata G. D. , Ongari M. , Garlaschelli K. , Tibolla G. , Grigore L. , Raselli S. , Vettoretti S. , Baragetti I. , Noto D. , Cefalù A.B. , Buccianti G. , Averna M. , Catapano A.L.
Published: March 2007

Objective.  Resistin is an adipokine that has been suggested to be correlated with markers of inflammation and to be predictive of coronary atherosclerosis and type II diabetes in humans. A common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (−420C/G) in the promoter of resistin is associated with increased resistin plasma levels and susceptibility to type II diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the ‐420C/G polymorphism with metabolic syndrome, obesity, myocardial infarction and kidney disease.

Design and results.  First we studied 1542 subjects from the PLIC study (a population based cohort). GG carriers showed an higher prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome as well as increased plasma triglycerides levels, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and cardiovascular risk according to Framingham algorithm (P < 0.05 for all). Next we investigated the presence of the −420C/G resistin polymorphism in a case‐control study that included 300 subject with myocardial infarction and 300 age and sex matched controls and then we studied the role of the −420C/G SNP in 88 patients with mild to moderate renal dysfunction. No statistically significant differences in allele frequencies between the PLIC study, the myocardial infarction (MI) cases and the subjects with renal dysfunction were observed. Pro‐inflammatory gene expression profiling of peripheral blood mononuclear cells failed to detect any difference between wild type subjects and carriers of the rare allele.

Conclusion.  Our data suggest that the presence of the −420C/G SNP of the resistin gene is associated with increased obesity and metabolic syndrome, although it is not different in subjects at high cardiovascular risk such as patients with myocardial infarction or patients with renal dysfunction compared with controls.
MAX2 participates in an SCF complex which acts locally at the node to suppress shoot branching
Authors: Stirnberg Petra , Furner Ian J. , Ottoline Leyser H. M.
Published: March 2007

The Arabidopsis gene ORE9/MAX2 encodes an F‐box leucine‐rich repeat protein. F‐box proteins function as the substrate‐recruiting subunit of SCF‐type ubiquitin E3 ligases in protein ubiquitination. One of several phenotypes of max2 mutants, the highly branched shoot, is identical to mutants at three other MAX loci. Reciprocal grafting, double mutant analysis and gene cloning suggest that all MAX genes act in a common pathway, where branching suppression depends on MAX2 activity in the shoot, in response to an acropetally mobile signal that requires MAX3, MAX4 and MAX1 for its production. Here, we further investigate the site and mode of action of MAX2 in branching. Transcript analysis and a translational MAX2–GUS fusion indicate that MAX2 is expressed throughout the plant, most highly in developing vasculature, and is nuclear‐localized in many cell types. Analysis of cell autonomy shows that MAX2 acts locally, either in the axillary bud, or in adjacent stem or petiole tissue. Expression of MAX2 from the CaMV 35S promoter complements the max2 mutant, does not affect branching in a wild‐type background and partially rescues increased branching in the max1, max3 and max4 backgrounds. Expression of mutant MAX2, lacking the F‐box domain, under the CaMV 35S promoter does not complement max2, and dominant‐negatively affects branching in the wild‐type background. Myc‐epitope‐tagged MAX2 interacts with the core SCF subunits ASK1 and AtCUL1 in planta. We conclude that axillary shoot growth is controlled locally, at the node, by an SCFMAX2, the action of which is enhanced by the mobile MAX signal.
Effects of neighbouring vegetation on eucalypt seedlings at two sites subject to different levels of abiotic stress
Authors: LADD BRENTON , FACELLI JOSÉ M.
Published: March 2007

Abstract  In spite of numerous studies on the effect of nutrient levels and/or standing crop on the intensity of resource competition the debate has not been resolved. Field studies that have used natural productivity gradients have generally supported the argument that competitive intensity and resource availability are positively correlated, whereas studies that have used artificial resource gradients have generally refuted the same argument. Here we report the results from study in which both approaches were used within the same system. We studied two species of eucalypt that occupy contrasting parts of the same landscape: Eucalyptus camaldulensis, found mostly along creek lines and in valleys with deep alluvial soils, and Eucalyptus microcarpa, found on hillsides and ridges with shallow soils. We studied the response of seedlings of the two species to the combined effects of competition and manipulated nutrient levels in a glasshouse experiment, and also investigated their responses to removal of neighbouring plants in the field. Eucalyptus microcarpa was less responsive to increased resource availability, which is consistent with one of the principal assumptions of Grime’s C‐S‐R model. In the glasshouse experiment both species of eucalypt responded in a qualitatively similar fashion to the combined effects of resource availability and competition: release from competition resulted in increased growth, but only in pots that received additional resources. In the field we found that neighbouring vegetation could severely limit the establishment of E. camaldulensis but the removal of neighbouring vegetation did not affect the performance of E. microcarpa seedlings. Eucalyptus camaldulensis seedlings suffered high levels of damage from herbivores. Our results thus generally support the predications of the C‐S‐R model, however, they indicate that the effects of competition and herbivory may be heavily confounded.
MEASURING QUANTITY‐QUALITY TRADE‐OFFS IN REGULATION: THE BRAZILIAN FREIGHT RAILWAYS CASE*
Authors: Estache Antonio , Perelman Sergio , Trujillo Lourdes
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACT**:  The quantity vs. quality trade‐offs in network industries are well known from the theoretical literature and have been the subject of many empirical assessments, although mostly for the telecoms and energy sectors. The purpose of this paper is to expand the evidence for the railway sector by documenting the importance of this trade‐off in the context of the Brazilian freight railway industry reform, the first example of a railway sector in which tariff revisions are subject to joint output and quality performance indicators. The analysis is based on the calculation of the Malmquist productivity index proposed by

Färe et al. (1995)

. The decomposable nature of this total factor productivity (TFP) index reveals the prevalence of quantity‐quality trade‐offs up to the end of the reform period, but a positive correlation between them during the period just afterwards. This type of information would certainly be useful for regulation purposes, particularly as an alternative way of taking into account quality without introducing complex, and very often ineffective, penalty schemes.
CONFIANCE DANS LES ASSOCIATIONS DE DEFENSE DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT ET OPPOSITION AUX OGM EN EUROPE
Authors: Chaklatti Samira , Rousselière Damien
Published: March 2007

RÉSUMÉ**:  L'apparition des plantes génétiquement modifiées, en Europe, a donné lieu à des débats importants notamment en ce qui a trait à la consommation des produits alimentaires issus des procédures de génie génétique. Dans ce contexte le mouvement collectif associatif est apparu comme un acteur important de diffusion de l'information sur le sujet, influençant de cette manière les comportements individuels des consommateurs. A partir des données de l'Eurobaromètre 58.0, on utilise un probit multivarié pour préciser l'importance de la confiance dans les associations de défense de l'environnement sur le niveau d'acquiescement ou de refus des biotechnologies agricoles à usage alimentaire de la part des “citoyens ordinaires”. Nous discutons les principaux faits stylisés ainsi caractérisés: notre approche confirme les résultats de la plupart des différentes recherches en théorie du consommateur sur l'importance des attitudes et valeurs personnelles et de l'inscription dans certains réseaux sociaux pour l'opposition ou, au contraire, l'acquiescement aux OGM.
THE IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING ON PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO NONPROFIT PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
Authors: Smith Thomas More
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACT**:  This paper tests the crowding‐out hypothesis for a balanced panel of nonprofit performing arts organizations between 1998 and 2003. This research uses a number of model specifications and estimating techniques to appropriately capture the relationship between government grants and private donations. Under alternative specifications, the relationship between government grants and private donations suggests crowding‐in between $0.14 and $1.15. The crowd‐in relationship does change according to art type: symphony orchestras and music companies experience a modest crowd‐in while dance and ballet companies experience a small crowd‐out. Although the crowd‐in falls to zero under the strictest condition, there is a lack of evidence of crowd‐out for nonprofit performing arts organizations as a group.
The Haitian revolution and the struggle against slavery: challenges to knowledge, ignorance, and silence
Authors: Nettleford Rex
Published: March 2007

Coming to terms with the slave trade and slavery is best done by engaging the facts of history through research, analysis, and interpretation targeting specific experiences both in the actual administration and operation of the trade and in its consequences in the African diaspora. The article refers specifically to the case of Haiti (Saint‐Domingue), both to its liberation and to its impact on the rest of the slave‐holding world, as well as to what succeeded emancipation and to the aftershocks leading up to modern times. Despite considerable progress in historical research, it remains for scholars and others to engage the silence, defeat the ignorance, and build the knowledge of a still significant dimension and period of modern human history, at least for some millions of souls in the African diaspora.
The contribution of databases and customary law to the protection of traditional knowledge
Authors: Brahy Nicolas
Published: March 2007

The current situation of traditional knowledge (TK) is somewhat paradoxical. At the same time as it is eroding, it is becoming the object of growing interest by scientists. In this context, TK holders complain about the misappropriation of their knowledge and formulate two sets of claims. First, they ask for some protection of their intellectual property. Second, they demand the respect of their customary laws, arguing that they do not ask to be granted new rights but to have their existing rights respected. Regarding the first claim, little progress has been made after many years of debate; probably because participants rely on right‐based justifications that offer little guidance to design effective and transferable property rights. I suggest following a double approach: first, looking at the practices of TK holders, second, using a utilitarian justification that provides useful insights to design effective property rights. I conclude that there are strong arguments in favour of the creation of a database of traditional knowledge. Regarding the second claim, no progress has been made because it is perceived as a political demand for self‐determination. I also suggest adopting a utilitarian approach that makes us regard this claim as a demand of articulation between custom or norms‐based systems of innovation and the legal system of intellectual property law. This enables us to look at solutions that have already been tested for other norms‐based systems of innovation that also have had to organise their insertion in the legal system of intellectual property.
The economic organisation of biomedical research in the USA
Authors: Polski Margaret
Published: March 2007

This article analyses the economic organisation of biological materials and research in the USA, focusing particularly on human biological materials and biomedical research. The economic nature and the property rights arrangements that govern biological materials and biomedical research are quite complex. This has important implications for developing comprehensive research collections and exchanges. There is no single market for exchange nor is there a discernable commons: biomedical exchange involves a number of different types of transactions and many centres of decision‐making. Theories of efficient governance predict that biomedical exchange is best organised using polycentric principles and diverse contracting mechanisms, property rights and regulatory schemes. Contracting mechanisms include market, trilateral and relational contracting principles. Intellectual property rights arrangements include unrestricted access and use, confidentiality and proprietary information agreements, licenses and patents. Regulatory solutions include limited regulation, self‐regulation and third‐party ordering. The organisation of biomedical research in the USA provides an excellent opportunity for further research on efficient governance.
The science commons in life science research: structure, function, and value of access to genetic diversity
Authors: Cook‐Deegan Robert , Dedeurwaerdere Tom
Published: March 2007

Innovation in the life sciences depends on how much information is produced as well as how widely and easily it is shared. Policies governing the science commons – or alternative, more restricted informational spaces – determine how widely and quickly information is distributed. The purpose of this paper is to highlight why the science commons matters and to analyse its structure and function. The main lesson from our analysis is that both the characteristics of the physical resources (from genes to microbes, plants and animals) and the norms and beliefs of the different research communities – think of the Bermuda rules in the human genome case or the Belem declaration for bioprospecting – matter in the institutional choices made when organising the science commons. We also show that the science commons contributes to solving some of the collective action dilemmas that arise in the production of knowledge in Pasteur's Quadrant, when information is both scientifically important and practically applicable. We show the importance of two of these dilemmas for the life sciences, which we call respectively the diffusion–innovation dilemma (how readily innovation diffuses) and the exploration–exploitation dilemma (when application requires collective action).
Intellectual property rights and bio commons: open source and beyond
Authors: Srinivas Krishna Ravi
Published: March 2007

For many years seeds and plant varieties were beyond the purview of intellectual property rights. But since the 1930s intellectual property rights have covered them. Till the advent of trade‐related intellectual property rights under the World Trade Organisation, nations had no obligation to extend intellectual property rights to them, unless they were members of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants. Apart from provisions of trade‐related aspects of intellectual property rights, changes in laws, technological advances, and judicial interpretations of laws have resulted in the strengthening of the rights of patent holders and breeders, while farmers' rights have been diminished or effectively nullified. This has other implications like restriction on the researchers' freedom to invent and innovate and for North–South trade in seeds and grains, particularly in GM crops such as soya. In this article, open source is suggested as a solution and a BioLinux model is put forth as an alternative. While it is not claimed that open source will be a panacea, this article highlights some of the possibilities that are opened up by open source. It also suggests that open source will be very useful in finding a solution to anti‐commons problems while promoting innovations.
Landscape approaches to studying the effects of disturbance on waterbirds
Authors: BURTON NIALL H. K.
Published: March 2007

The internationally important populations of waterbirds that winter in the United Kingdom can face intense pressure from human disturbance as a result of the high urbanization found around many protected coastal or inland wetland sites. Here, I describe and evaluate an approach that has been used to investigate the spatial effects of human disturbance on waterbirds. Rather than directly investigating behavioural responses to individual disturbance events, the presence of features in the landscape associated with disturbance is instead used as a surrogate, with the essential aim being to demonstrate that bird numbers or densities are depressed or their behaviour altered in proximity to areas used by humans. This paper first describes case studies that demonstrate the limitations of the basic inference (i.e. that disturbance influences patterns of waterbird distribution or behaviour) and then how investigations might be strengthened. For conclusions to be sound, it is particularly important that other factors, such as food supply, that might also explain the spatial patterns observed are considered or other corroborative evidence presented. The approach is thus least applicable in the most heterogeneous environments where many factors, perhaps spatially autocorrelated, may explain variation in distribution or behaviour. However, greatest confidence in the validity of conclusions may be gained where studies are able to show (ideally by experimental manipulation) that species’ distributions or behaviour vary temporally in line with the levels of human use of the features examined. Although its aim and scope are thus limited, the use of a landscape approach, provided that it takes into account other factors affecting spatial variation in bird abundance or behaviour, can provide a preliminary assessment of species avoidance of key sources of disturbance that may offer a framework for more detailed investigation.
Habitat type determines the effects of disturbance on the breeding productivity of the Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata
Authors: MURISON GISELLE , BULLOCK JAMES M. , UNDERHILL‐DAY JOHN , LANGSTON ROWENA , BROWN ANDREW F. , SUTHERLAND WILLIAM J.
Published: March 2007

Numerous studies have examined the causes and impacts of human disturbance on birds, but little is known about how these impacts vary among habitats. This is of applied importance both for predicting bird responses to changes in disturbance and in planning how to reduce disturbance impacts. The Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata, a key heathland breeding species, occupies territories in a range of heathland types. Three territory habitat groups were identified: heather‐dominated territories, heather territories with significant areas of European Gorse Ulex europaeus and territories containing Western Gorse U. gallii. Productivity was significantly affected by the timing of breeding in all habitats, but disturbance only appeared to have a significant impact on the productivity of birds in heather territories. Disturbance events in heather territories delayed breeding pairs for up to 6 weeks. This significantly decreased both the number of successful broods raised and the average number of chicks fledged per pair. Nests situated close to territory boundaries in heather territories, with high numbers of disturbance events, were more likely to fail outright. It was determined that an average of between 13 and 16 people passing through a heather territory each hour would delay breeding pairs sufficiently to prevent multiple broods.
Understanding population change in migratory songbirds: long‐term and experimental studies of Neotropical migrants in breeding and wintering areas
Authors: HOLMES RICHARD T.
Published: March 2007

Effective conservation and management of migratory bird species requires an understanding of when and how their populations are limited and regulated. Since 1969, my colleagues and I have been studying migratory songbird populations in their breeding quarters at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in north‐central New Hampshire, USA, and since 1986, in their winter quarters in the Greater Antilles (Jamaica). Long‐term data on the abundance and demography of these populations, coupled with experimental tests of mechanisms, indicate that processes operating in the breeding area (e.g. density‐dependent fecundity, food limitation) are sufficient to limit and regulate the local abundance of these species. At the same time, limiting factors operating in the non‐breeding season (e.g. climate‐induced food limitation in winter quarters and especially mortality during migration) also have important impacts on migrant populations. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that limiting processes during the winter period can carry over into the breeding season and affect reproductive output. These findings clearly demonstrate that to understand changes in abundance of long‐distance migrant species requires knowledge of events operating throughout the annual cycle, which presents a challenge to researchers, managers and others concerned with the welfare of these species.
Calcium homeostasis and modulation of synaptic plasticity in the aged brain
Authors: Foster Thomas C.
Published: March 2007

The level of intracellular Ca2+ plays a central role in normal and pathological signaling within and between neurons. These processes involve a cascade of events for locally raising and lowering cytosolic Ca2+. As the mechanisms for age‐related alteration in Ca2+ dysregulation have been illuminated, hypotheses concerning Ca2+ homeostasis and brain aging have been modified. The idea that senescence is due to pervasive cell loss associated with elevated resting Ca2+ has been replaced by concepts concerning changes in local Ca2+ levels associated with neural activity. This article reviews evidence for a shift in the sources of intracellular Ca2+ characterized by a diminished role for N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors and an increased role for intracellular stores and voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channels. Physiological and biological models are outlined, which relate a shift in Ca2+ regulation with changes in cell excitability and synaptic plasticity, resulting in a functional lesion of the hippocampus.
Working with Anonymity: A Theory of Theory vs. Archive
Authors: Griffin Robert J.
Published: March 2007

This paper is part of a Literature Compass cluster arising from a panel entitled ‘Working the Early Modern Archive’, originally presented at the 2005 MLA conference held in Washington DC. This session, arranged by the MLA Division on Methods of Literary Research, was chaired by Elizabeth Hageman (University of New Hampshire) and included papers by Jennifer Summit (Stanford University) on readers and medieval manuscripts, Lena Cowen Orlin (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) using a case study of archival research and the discovery and recovery of missing 17th‐century materials, and Robert J. Griffin (Texas A&M University) on the relationship between archival research and theoretical approaches. The two pieces included in this Literature Compass special panel cluster highlight the different ways in which archival research continues to shape and to invigorate 17th‐century literary studies:

‘Working the Early Modern Archive: The Search for Lady Ingram’, Lena Cowen Orlin, Literature Compass 4 (2007), 10.1111/j.1741‐4113.2007.00425.x

‘Working with Anonymity: A Theory of Theory vs. Archive’, Robert J. Griffin, Literature Compass 4 (2007), 10.1111/j.1741‐4113.2007.00426.x

It is a commonplace that sustained research in the archive has the potential to challenge and subvert received ideas in any field. But to allow this to happen, we must slow down our speed of processing material and allow anomalies to appear. Often, powerful yet faulty theories continue to be repeated when the evidence points elsewhere. One has not only to research an archive, one also has to be alert to the way previous interpretations have shaped one's own presuppositions. Only then do discoveries become discoveries by virtue of their status as anomalies. A careful consideration of the history of anonymous publication puts in question standard historical narratives about authorship and thus requires us to rethink our most ingrained assumptions and procedures for dealing with texts.
Vps4 regulates a subset of protein interactions at the multivesicular endosome
Authors: Vajjhala Parimala R. , Catchpoole Elizabeth , Nguyen Chau H. , Kistler Carol , Munn Alan L.
Published: March 2007

During endocytic transport, specific integral membrane proteins are sorted into intraluminal vesicles that bud from the limiting membrane of the endosome. This process, known as multivesicular body (MVB) sorting, is important for several important biological processes. Moreover, components of the MVB sorting machinery are implicated in virus budding. During MVB sorting, a cargo protein recruits components of the MVB sorting machinery from cytoplasmic pools and these sequentially assemble on the endosome. Disassembly of these proteins and recycling into the cytoplasm is critical for MVB sorting. Vacuolar protein sorting 4 (Vps4) is an AAA (ATPase associated with a variety of cellular activities) ATPase which has been proposed to play a critical role in disassembly of the MVB sorting machinery. However, the mechanism by which it disassembles the complex is not clear. Vps4 contains an N‐terminal microtubule interacting and trafficking (MIT) domain, which has previously been shown to be required for recruitment to endosomes, and a single AAA ATPase domain, the activity of which is required for Vps4 function. In this study we have systematically characterized the interaction of Vps4 with other components of the MVB sorting machinery. We demonstrate that Vps4 interacts directly with Vps2 and Bro1. We also show that a subset of Vps4 interactions is regulated by ATP hydrolysis, and one interaction is regulated by ATP binding. Finally, we show that most proteins interact with the Vps4 MIT domain. Our studies indicate that the MIT domain has a dual role in substrate binding and recruitment to endosomes and indicate that Vps4 disassembles the MVB sorting machinery by direct effects on multiple proteins.
INCLUDING THE EXCLUDED WORKERS? THE CHALLENGES OF JAPAN'S KANAGAWA CITY UNION
Authors: Urano Edson I. , Stewart Paul
Published: March 2007

Historically, Japanese labor unions have organized the core of the labor force in Japanese companies. The increase in the number of nonregular employees in the labor market and the decrease of the unionization of core regular workers is imposing new challenges on the mainstream labor movement. Against this backdrop labor supply takes on a new dimension, notably as a result of a falling birth rate and the role of foreign workers. The latter takes on a distinct significance in this context. This article will provide an assessment of the latent and more obvious difficulties facing the unionization of foreign workers by focusing on the experience of labor activists in Kanagawa City Union, in Kanagawa Prefecture just south of Tokyo. This minority union organizes many Latin American workers, among whom Peruvians form the most numerous group. The second issue surrounds the precarious nature of workers’ employment. The third and final matter addresses the character of the response by mainstream labor, especially Rengo, to this and other community unions. Finally, how and to what extent can the distinctive structure of such marginal unions provide a new dimension to the analysis of the problems casual workers are facing in society?
New Criteria for Sustainable Water Quality Management1
Authors: Chen Yun‐Ju , Tung Ching‐Pin
Published: March 2007

Abstract:  New criteria, pollutant load of unit area (PLUA), are developed for sustainable water quality management, which not only avoids degrading water quality but also considers the equity of development between different generations. A simulation‐optimization model is established to determine PLUA, in which uses the QUAL2E model to simulate pollutant transport and formulates a linear programming model to optimize the objective of maximal loads (carrying capacity). Two watersheds, the Touchen creek and the Keya creek, both in Taiwan, are taken as case studies. The PLUA criterion is applied to several existing projects which have passed environmental impact assessment (EIA). The results show that if the Hsinchu Science‐Based Industrial Park discharges wastewater to the Touchen creek, the total pollutant discharge of 85.6 kg/day exceeds the allocated load. Consequently, a waste reduction of at least 23.4% is required. Although these existing projects have passed EIA, most of them violate the criterion of PLUA and thus contribute to continued degradation of water quality. This study suggests developing PLUA as a part of the process of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) for watershed management plans and then applying it to EIA as a criterion for new project assessment. Furthermore, if carrying capacities of all pollutant discharges and resource uses can be translated into loads per unit of area, an integrated sustainable watershed management plan can be developed.
The multi‐module, multi‐resolution system : A novel small‐animal SPECT system
Authors: Hesterman Jacob Y. , Kupinski Matthew A. , Furenlid Lars R. , Wilson Donald W. , Barrett Harrison H.
Published: March 2007

We have designed and built an inexpensive, high‐resolution, tomographic imaging system, dubbed the multi‐module, multi‐resolution system, or. Slots machined into the system shielding allow for the interchange of pinhole plates, enabling the system to operate over a wide range of magnifications and with virtually any desired pinhole configuration. The flexibility of the system allows system optimization for specific imaging tasks and also allows for modifications necessary due to improved detectors, electronics, and knowledge of system construction (e.g., system sensitivity optimization). We provide an overview of, focusing primarily on system design and construction, aperture construction, and calibration methods. Reconstruction algorithms will be described and reconstructed images presented.
Modeling and measurement of the detector presampling MTF of a variable resolution x‐ray CT scanner
Authors: Melnyk Roman , DiBianca Frank A.
Published: March 2007

The detector presampling modulation transfer function (MTF) of a 576‐channel variable resolution x‐ray (VRX) computed tomography (CT) scanner was evaluated in this study. The scanner employs a VRX detector, which provides increased spatial resolution by matching the scanner's field of view (FOV) to the size of an object being imaged. Because spatial resolution is the parameter the scanner promises to improve, the evaluation of this resolution is important. The scanner's pre‐reconstruction spatial resolution, represented by the detector presampling MTF, was evaluated using both modeling (Monte Carlo simulation) and measurement (the moving slit method). The theoretical results show the increase in the cutoff frequency of the detector presampling MTF from 1.39 to as the FOV of the VRX CT scanner decreases from 32 to . The experimental results are in reasonable agreement with the theoretical data. Some discrepancies between the measured and the modeled detector presampling MTFs can be explained by the limitations of the model. At small FOVs , the MTF measurements were limited by the size of the focal spot. The obtained results are important for further development of the VRX CT scanner.
Comparison of local and global angular interpolation applied to spectral‐spatial EPR image reconstruction
Authors: Ahn Kang‐Hyun , Halpern Howard J.
Published: March 2007

Spectral‐spatial images reconstructed from a small number of projections suffer from streak artifacts that are seen as noise, particularly in the spectral dimension. Interpolation in projection space can reduce artifacts in the reconstructed images. The reduction of background artifacts improves lineshape fitting. In this work, we compared the performances of angular interpolation implemented using linear, cubic B‐spline, and sinc methods. Line width maps were extracted from 4‐D EPR images of phantoms using spectral fitting to evaluate each interpolation method and its robustness to noise. Results from experiment and simulation showed that the cubic B‐spline, angular interpolation was preferable to either sinc or linear interpolation methods.
Automatic determination of primary electron beam parameters in Monte Carlo simulation
Authors: Pena Javier , González‐Castaño Diego M. , Gómez Faustino , Sánchez‐Doblado Francisco , Hartmann Guenther H.
Published: March 2007

In order to obtain realistic and reliable Monte Carlo simulations of medical linac photon beams, an accurate determination of the parameters that define the primary electron beam that hits the target is a fundamental step. In this work we propose a new methodology to commission photon beams in Monte Carlo simulations that ensures the reproducibility of a wide range of clinically useful fields. For such purpose accelerated Monte Carlo simulations of , , and fields at are carried out for several combinations of the primary electron beam mean energy and radial FWHM. Then, by performing a simultaneous comparison with the correspondent measurements for these same fields, the best combination is selected. This methodology has been employed to determine the characteristics of the primary electron beams that best reproduce a Siemens PRIMUS and a Varian 2100 CD machine in the Monte Carlo simulations. Excellent agreements were obtained between simulations and measurements for a wide range of field sizes. Because precalculated profiles are stored in databases, the whole commissioning process can be fully automated, avoiding manual fine‐tunings. These databases can also be used to characterize any accelerators of the same model from different sites.
SLIP ON CURVED BOUNDARIES IN THE LATTICE BOLTZMANN MODEL
Authors: SZALMÁS LAJOS
Published: March 2007

We present a new boundary condition in the lattice Boltzmann method to model slip flow along curved boundaries. A requirement is formulated for the distribution functions based on the tunable momentum balance at the walls, which is shown to be equivalent to the constraint on the second moment. Numerical simulation of plane Couette flow in inclined channels and cylindrical Couette flow shows excellent agreement with the analytical results in the nearly continuum regime. Orientation effects on the velocity field are completely avoided.
STRIPE PATTERN FORMATION OF OLIGONUCLEOTIDES BY LANGMUIR–BLODGETT METHOD
Authors: MATSUO YASUTAKA , IJIRO KUNIHARU
Published: March 2007

In this report, the stripe pattern formation of oligonucleotide in Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) monolayer was investigated. A polyion complex monolayer of oligonucleotide and cationic amphiphile spread on a TE buffer solution of a RhodamineX-labeled oligonucleotide was transferred on a glass substrate by the LB method. Fluorescence images of the transferred polyion complex monolayers showed that stripe patterns of the oligonucleotide were formed. The interval of the lines was dependent on the transferring speed of the substrate.