bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Instability of the Ekman Spiral with Applications to the Planetary Boundary Layers
Authors: Faller Alan J. , Kaylor Robert
Published: December 2004

The Ekman spiral boundary layer occurs in rotating systems near boundary surfaces perpendicular to the rotation axis when the flow is slow compared to the speed of rotation. New results are presented for the instability of the Ekman layer with a free boundary and for shear-flow instability in the presence of density stratification: (1) For the Ekman boundary layer caused by wind stress on a free water surface the critical Reynolds number is much less than for the case of flow over a smooth rigid boundary. An example of this instability from a laboratory experiment is presented. (2) For the free-surface case the distortion of the basic Ekman flow by finite-amplitude motion is very large. (3) With unstable density stratification either shear-flow instability or thermal convection may dominate according to the relative values of Rayleigh and Reynolds numbers. (4) With stable density stratification the shear-flow instability may be resonant with internal gravity-wave oscillations so that damping of the cellular circulations is minimized. Some of the implications of these results for the planetary boundary layers of the atmosphere and ocean are considered.
Structure of the Turbulent Boundary Layer
Authors: Kovasznay Leslie S. G.
Published: December 2004

The turbulent boundary layer can be subdivided into four distinct regions, sublayer, turbulent wall layer, outer region, and superlayer. Each one of these regions is briefly discussed and recent theoretical approaches dealing with the Reynolds stress are examined.
Single Point and Relative Diffusion in Unstable Wall Layers
Authors: Mandell David A. , O'Brien Edward E.
Published: December 2004

An entirely Lagrangian similarity analysis is used to determine, (a) the mean trajectory and mean ground level concentration resulting from continuous sources located at the origin in both slightly unstable and strongly unstable boundary layers and (b) the behavior of particle pairs released near the ground in such layers. It is predicted that the mean particle trajectories are somewhat more sensitive to a slightly unstable condition than has been previously suggested and also that the mean ground level concentration drops off more rapidly with distance for a line source. Furthermore, the effective cloud diffusivity is linearly dependent on time for the neutral boundary layer and quadratically dependent on time in the strongly unstable limit.
Organized Convection in the Ocean Surface Layer Resulting from Slicks and Wave Radiation Stress
Authors: Kraus Eric B.
Published: December 2004

Experiments are described which show that the attenuation of waves by surface films and the resulting radiation stress breaks up film patches into streaks and produces secondary flows. In the sea surface layers, this can result in the formation of longitudinal rolls with axes approximately parallel to the wind. The transverse circulation in the rolls involves both potential and rotational motion.
Study of Laminar-Turbulent Gas Flow Transition
Authors: Struminskii V. V.
Published: December 2004

The small parameter method was applied to the investigation of the development of aerodynamic disturbances. The disturbance, growing exponentially in the initial instant, is shown to tend asymptotically to some constant value. The mechanism of laminar-turbulent gas flow transition is considered. The new method of investigation of the transition region and the turbulent flow structure based on the scattered light intensity measurements is presented.
Bifurcation analysis for the construction of a phase diagram of heteropolymer liquids
Authors: Ivanova A. N. , Kuchanov S. I. , Manevitch L. I.
Published: December 2004

Rather general mean field theory of heteropolymer liquids developed earlier reduces the problem of the phase diagram construction to the determination of extremals of the free energy functional. These should be subsequently analyzed for their local and global stability. Tackling of this problem traditionally involves the examination of the behavior of the solutions of a set of nonlinear algebraic and partial differential equations at various values of the control parameters. Besides, the necessity arises here to construct in space of these parameters the lines where a polymer system loses the thermodynamic stability. To overcome mathematical difficulties encountered we employed a complex approach that combines analytical and numerical methods. A two-step procedure constitutes the essence of such an approach. First, the bifurcation analysis is invoked to find the asymptotics of the extremals in the vicinity of bifurcation points. Then these asymptotics are used as an initial approximation for the numerical continuation of specific lines, where the stability loss occurs, into regions of the parametric space far removed from bifurcation values. We realized this approach for the melt of linear binary copolymers of various chemical structure with macromolecules having a pattern of arrangement of monomeric units describable by a Markov chain. Bifurcation and phase diagrams for some of these copolymers have been constructed within a wide range of temperatures and volume fractions of a polymer.
Changes in DNA bending induced by restricting nucleotide ring pucker studied by weak alignment NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Wu Zhengrong , Maderia Melissa , Barchi Joseph J. , Marquez Victor E. , Bax Ad
Published: December 2004

Changes in bending of the DNA helix axis caused by the introduction of conformationally locked nucleotide analogs into the center region of the palindromic Dickerson dodecamer, d(CGCGAATTCGCG)
2
, have been studied by NMR measurement of residual one-bond
13
C-
1
H dipolar couplings. Thymidine analogs, in which the deoxyribose was substituted by bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane, were incorporated in the T7, T8, and T7T8 positions. These nucleotide analogs restrict the ring pucker to the C2′-exo or “north” conformation, instead of C2′-endo or “south,” which dominates in regular B-form DNA. For all three oligomers, bending toward the major groove is found relative to the native molecule. The effects are additive with bending of 5 ± 1° per locked nucleotide. Measurement of the change in bending is more accurate than measurement of the bending angle itself and requires far fewer experimental data.
Photochemical selectivity in guanine–cytosine base-pair structures
Authors: Abo-Riziq Ali , Grace Louis , Nir Eyal , Kabelac Martin , Hobza Pavel , de Vries Mattanjah S.
Published: December 2004

Prebiotic chemistry presumably took place before formation of an oxygen-rich atmosphere and thus under conditions of intense short wavelength UV irradiation. Therefore, the UV photochemical stability of the molecular building blocks of life may have been an important selective factor in determining the eventual chemical makeup of critical biomolecules. To investigate the role of UV irradiation in base-pairing we have studied guanine (G) and cytosine (C) base pairs in the absence of the RNA backbone. We distinguished base-pair structures by IR–UV hole-burning spectroscopy as well as by high-level correlated
ab initio
calculations. The Watson–Crick structure exhibits broad UV absorption, in stark contrast to other GC structures and other base-pair structures. This broad absorption may be explained by a rapid internal conversion that makes this specific base pair arrangement uniquely photochemically stable.
Induction of lysosomal membrane permeabilization by compounds that activate p53-independent apoptosis
Authors: Erdal Hamdiye , Berndtsson Maria , Castro Juan , Brunk Ulf , Shoshan Maria C. , Linder Stig
Published: December 2004

The p53 protein activates cellular death programs through multiple pathways. Because the high frequency of p53 mutations in human tumors is believed to contribute to resistance to commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, it is important to identify drugs that induce p53-independent cell death and to define the mechanisms of action of such drugs. Here we screened a drug library (the National Cancer Institute mechanistic set; 879 compounds with diverse mechanisms of actions) and identified 175 compounds that induced caspase cleavage of cytokeratin-18 in cultured HCT116 colon cancer cells at <5 μM. Interestingly, whereas most compounds elicited a stronger apoptotic response in cells with functional p53, significant apoptosis was observed also in p53-null cells. A subset of 15 compounds showing weak or no dependence on p53 for induction of apoptosis was examined in detail. Of these compounds, 11 were capable of activating caspase-3 in enucleated cells. Seven such compounds with nonnuclear targets were found to induce lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP). Translocation of the lysosomal proteases cathepsin B and cathepsin D into the cytosol was observed after treatment with these drugs, and apoptosis was inhibited by pepstatin A, an inhibitor of cathepsin D. Apoptosis depended on Bax, suggesting that LMP induced a mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. We conclude that a large number of potential anticancer drugs induce p53-independent apoptosis and that LMP is a mediator of many such responses.
A Novel cis-Element That Is Responsive to Oxidative Stress Regulates Three Antioxidant Defense Genes in Rice
Authors: Tsukamoto Shigefumi , Morita Shigeto , Hirano Etsuko , Yokoi Hideki , Masumura Takehiro , Tanaka Kunisuke
Published: December 2004

All organisms have defense systems against oxidative stress that include multiple genes of antioxidant defense. These genes are induced by reactive oxygen species under condition of oxidative stress. In this study, we found that a 28-bp motif is conserved on the promoter regions of three antioxidant defense genes in rice (Oryza sativa): cytosolic superoxide dismutase (sodCc1), cytosolic thioredoxin (trxh), and glutaredoxin (grx). We demonstrated that the 28-bp sequence acts as a cis-element responsive to oxidative stress by transient expression assay and designated it as CORE (coordinate regulatory element for antioxidant defense). The CORE was activated by methyl viologen treatment and induced a 3.1-fold increase in expression of the reporter gene, but it did not respond to hydrogen peroxide. The expressions of the sodCc1, trxh, and grx genes were coordinately induced by methyl viologen, suggesting that multiple genes involved in antioxidant defense are controlled by a common regulatory mechanism via CORE. Application of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor caused the constitutive induction of the sodCc1, trxh, and grx genes and the activation of CORE without methyl viologen treatment. These results indicate that a mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade is involved in the gene regulation mediated by CORE.
Arabidopsis AtCUL3a and AtCUL3b Form Complexes with Members of the BTB/POZ-MATH Protein Family
Authors: Weber Henriette , Bernhardt Anne , Dieterle Monika , Hano Perdita , Mutlu Aysegül , Estelle Mark , Genschik Pascal , Hellmann Hanjo
Published: December 2004

The ubiquitin proteasome pathway in plants has been shown to be important for many developmental processes. The E3 ubiquitin-protein ligases facilitate transfer of the ubiquitin moiety to substrate proteins. Many E3 ligases contain cullin proteins as core subunits. Here, we show that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) AtCUL3 proteins interact in yeast two-hybrid and in vitro pull-down assays with proteins containing a BTB/POZ (broad complex, tramtrack, bric-a-brac/pox virus and zinc finger) motif. By changing specific amino acid residues within the proteins, critical parts of the cullin and BTB/POZ proteins are defined that are required for these kinds of interactions. In addition, we show that AtCUL3 proteins assemble with the RING-finger protein AtRBX1 and are targets for the RUB-conjugation pathway. The analysis of AtCUL3a and AtCUL3b expression as well as several BTB/POZ-MATH genes indicates that these genes are expressed in all parts of the plant. The results presented here provide strong evidence that AtCUL3a and AtCUL3b can assemble in Arabidopsis with BTB/POZ-MATH and AtRBX1 proteins to form functional E3 ligases.
Generation of Active Pools of Abscisic Acid Revealed by In Vivo Imaging of Water-Stressed Arabidopsis
Authors: Christmann Alexander , Hoffmann Thomas , Teplova Irina , Grill Erwin , Müller Axel
Published: December 2004

A noninvasive, cell-autonomous reporter system was developed to monitor the generation and distribution of physiologically active pools of abscisic acid (ABA). ABA response (abi1-1) and biosynthesis (aba2-1) mutants of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) were used to validate the system in the presence and absence of water stress. In the absence of water stress, low levels of ABA-dependent reporter activation were observed in the columella cells and quiescent center of the root as well as in the vascular tissues and stomata of cotyledons, suggesting a nonstress-related role for ABA in these cell types. Exposure of seedlings to exogenous ABA resulted in a uniform pattern of reporter expression. In marked contrast, reporter expression in response to drought stress was predominantly confined to the vasculature and stomata. Surprisingly, water stress applied to the root system resulted in the generation of ABA pools in the shoot but not in the root. The analysis of the response dynamics revealed a spread of physiologically active ABA from the vascular tissue into the areoles of the cotyledons. Later, ABA preferentially activated gene expression in guard cells. The primary sites of ABA action identified by in planta imaging corresponded to the sites of ABA biosynthesis, i.e. guard cells and cells associated with vascular veins. Hence, water stress recognized by the root system predominantly results in shoot-localized ABA action that culminates in a focused response in guard cells.
Male Germ Line Development in Arabidopsis. duo pollen Mutants Reveal Gametophytic Regulators of Generative Cell Cycle Progression
Authors: Durbarry Anjusha , Vizir Igor , Twell David
Published: December 2004

Male germ line development in flowering plants is initiated with the formation of the generative cell that is the progenitor of the two sperm cells. While structural features of the generative cell are well documented, genetic programs required for generative cell cycle progression are unknown. We describe two novel Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mutants, duo pollen1 (duo1) and duo pollen2 (duo2), in which generative cell division is blocked, resulting in the formation of bicellular pollen grains at anthesis. duo1 and duo2 map to different chromosomes and act gametophytically in a male-specific manner. Both duo mutants progress normally through the first haploid division at pollen mitosis I (PMI) but fail at distinct stages of the generative cell cycle. Mutant generative cells in duo1 pollen fail to enter mitosis at G2-M transition, whereas mutant generative cells in duo2 enter PMII but arrest at prometaphase. In wild-type plants, generative and sperm nuclei enter S phase soon after inception, implying that male gametic cells follow a simple S to M cycle. Mutant generative nuclei in duo1 complete DNA synthesis but bypass PMII and enter an endocycle during pollen maturation. However, mutant generative nuclei in duo2 arrest in prometaphase of PMII with a 2C DNA content. Our results identify two essential gametophytic loci required for progression through different phases of the generative cell cycle, providing the first evidence to our knowledge for genetic regulators of male germ line development in flowering plants.
The AtProT Family. Compatible Solute Transporters with Similar Substrate Specificity But Differential Expression Patterns
Authors: Grallath Silke , Weimar Thilo , Meyer Andreas , Gumy Christophe , Suter-Grotemeyer Marianne , Neuhaus Jean-Marc , Rentsch Doris
Published: December 2004

Proline transporters (ProTs) mediate transport of the compatible solutes Pro, glycine betaine, and the stress-induced compound γ-aminobutyric acid. A new member of this gene family, AtProT3, was isolated from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), and its properties were compared to AtProT1 and AtProT2. Transient expression of fusions of AtProT and the green fluorescent protein in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) protoplasts revealed that all three AtProTs were localized at the plasma membrane. Expression in a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mutant demonstrated that the affinity of all three AtProTs was highest for glycine betaine (K  m = 0.1–0.3 mm), lower for Pro (K  m = 0.4–1 mm), and lowest for γ-aminobutyric acid (K  m = 4–5 mm). Relative quantification of the mRNA level using real-time PCR and analyses of transgenic plants expressing the β-glucuronidase (uidA) gene under control of individual AtProT promoters showed that the expression pattern of AtProTs are complementary. AtProT1 expression was found in the phloem or phloem parenchyma cells throughout the whole plant, indicative of a role in long-distance transport of compatible solutes. β-Glucuronidase activity under the control of the AtProT2 promoter was restricted to the epidermis and the cortex cells in roots, whereas in leaves, staining could be demonstrated only after wounding. In contrast, AtProT3 expression was restricted to the above-ground parts of the plant and could be localized to the epidermal cells in leaves. These results showed that, although intracellular localization, substrate specificity, and affinity are very similar, the transporters fulfill different roles in planta.
Rote or Rule? Exploring the Role of Formulaic Language in Classroom ForeignLanguage Learning
Authors: Myles Florence , Hooper Janet , Mitchell Rosamond
Published: December 2004

This article investigates the role in learning of rote‐learned formulas orchunks. We examined data from a longitudinal study of 16 child beginner classroom learners ofFrench for occurrences of three chunks, against which we first tried out definitional criteria. Wethen tracked these forms for 2 years to chart their breakdown and explore their contribution tothe development of a creative language capacity. Our data showed that most of the learners notonly gradually “unpacked” their early chunks, but also used parts of themproductively in the generation of new utterances. These findings demonstrated that rote‐learningof formulas and the construction of rules are not independent processes, but interact and activelyfeed into one another.
Feature Extraction for Traffic Incident Detection Using Wavelet Transform and Linear Discriminant Analysis
Authors: Samant A. , Adeli H.
Published: December 2004

To eliminate false alarms, an effective traffic incident detection algorithm must be able to extract incident‐related features from the traffic patterns. A robust feature‐extraction algorithm also helps reduce the dimension of the input space for a neural network model without any significant loss of related traffic information, resulting in a substantial reduction in the network size, the effect of random traffic fluctuations, the number of required training samples, and the computational resources required to train the neural network. This article presents an effective traffic feature‐extraction model using discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The DWT is first applied to raw traffic data, and the finest resolution coefficients representing the random fluctuations of traffic are discarded. Next, LDA is employed to the filtered signal for further feature extraction and reducing the dimensionality of the problem. The results of LDA are used as input to a neural network model for traffic incident detection.
Preliminary Highway Design with Genetic Algorithms and Geographic Information Systems
Authors: Jong Jyh‐Cherng , Jha Manoj K. , Schonfeld Paul
Published: December 2004

A method that integrates geographic information systems (GIS) with genetic algorithms (GAs) for optimizing horizontal highway alignments between two given end points is presented in this article. The proposed approach can be used to optimize alignments in highly irregular geographic spaces. The resulting alignments are smooth and satisfy minimum‐radius constraints, as required by highway design standards. The objective function in the proposed model considers land‐acquisition cost, environmental impacts such as wetlands and flood plains, length‐dependent costs (which are proportional to the alignment length), and user costs. A numerical example based on a real map is employed to demonstrate application of the proposed model to the preliminary design of horizontal alignments.
Artificial Neural Network–Based Heuristic Optimal Traffic Signal Timing
Authors: Saito Mitsuru , Fan Jianzhong
Published: December 2004

A software called Optimal Traffic Signal Control System (OTSCS) was developed by us for testing the feasibility of dynamically controlling a traffic signal by finding optimal signal timing to minimize delay at signalized intersections. It also was designed as a research tool to study the learning behavior of artificial neural networks and the properties of heuristic search methods. It consists of a level‐of‐service evaluation model that is based on an artificial neural network and a heuristic optimization model that interacts with the level‐of‐service evaluation model. This article discusses the latter model, named the Optimal Traffic Signal Timing Model (OTSTM). The OTSTM was applied to determine optimal signal timing of two‐phase traffic signals to evaluate the model's performance. Two search methods were employed: a depth‐first search method (an enumeration method) and a direction‐search method that the authors developed. It was found that the OTSTM with the direction search resulted in “optimal” signal timings similar to the depth‐first search, which would always produce a global optimal timing. Yet the cost of the direction search, as measured by the CPU time of the computer used for analysis, was found to be much less than the cost of obtaining an optimal solution by the depth‐first search cases—more than 10 times less. The study showed that once the artificial neural network is properly trained, heuristic optimal signal timing combined with artificial networks can be used as a decision‐support tool for dynamic signal control. This article demonstrates how OTSTM can quickly find an optimal signal‐timing solution for two‐phase traffic signals.
Nonlinear Identification of Dynamic Systems Using Neural Networks
Authors: Huang Chih‐Chieh , Loh Chin‐Hsiung
Published: December 2004

A neural‐network‐based method is proposed for the modeling and identification of a discrete‐time nonlinear hysteretic system during strong earthquake motion. The learning or modeling capability of multilayer neural networks is explained from the mathematical point of view. The main idea of the proposed neural approach is explained, and it is shown that a multilayer neural network is a general type of NARMAX model and is suitable for the extreme nonlinear input‐output mapping problems. Numerical simulation of a three‐story building and a real structure (a bridge in Taiwan) subjected to several recorded earthquakes are used here to demonstrate the proposed method. The results illustrate that the neural network approach is a reliable and feasible method.
Health Monitoring and Structural Reliability as a Value Chain
Authors: Wong Felix S. , Yao James T. P.
Published: December 2004

A value chain is defined as an end‐to‐end solution to a problem, with the beneficiary constituting one end of the chain and the enabling technologies (or parties) making up the rest of the chain. In this context, enabling technologies such as health monitoring, damage detection, and reliability are viewed as sequential components in a chain, with each continuing the chain while adding value to it, so that the aggregate value of the chain can be delivered to the ownership. This holistic view is taken to expose a current imbalance in technology development, and the weak link corresponds to a lack of information that relates technology‐investment costs to financial benefits for the owner. Structural reliability, useful life expectancy, and other information of this genre are seen to be keeping the full value of the chain from being realized and appreciated by the ownership. An example of what the desired linkage may be comes from aerospace and mechanical engineering. In the form of so‐called symptom‐based reliability technology, reliability is quantified for existing structures based on actual usage instead of natural age and measured symptoms instead of idealized model prediction. Hence it is also compatible with current health‐monitoring and damage‐detection developments (enabling technologies of the value chain). Since the value of the chain is only as (in)effective as its weakest link, it is argued that future research effort should stress balanced development throughout the chain.
Incorporation of Seismic Considerations in Bridge Management Systems
Authors: Mayet Jerome , Madanat Samer
Published: December 2004

The objective of this paper is to incorporate seismic hazard and risk analysis considerations, which are concerned with the occurrence of earthquakes and the vulnerability of structures, into bridge management systems. We develop a decision model for optimizing bridge maintenance, repair, and reconstruction (MR&R) policies that takes into account the occurrence of earthquake events. The model presented in this paper is not meant to be very detailed or comprehensive, but rather to allow us to obtain qualitative implications of including seismic considerations in bridge management systems. Based on four different case studies, we found that accounting for the probability of earthquake occurrence in a bridge MR&R decision‐making model had a significant impact on the probability distribution of the bridge condition state, the optimal policies, and their total cost. Furthermore, we found that ignoring the probability of destruction due to earthquakes would lead to errors in budgeting.
Tests for Stochastic Seasonality Applied to Daily Financial Time Series
Authors: Andrade I. C. , Clare A. D. , O’Brien R. J. , Thomas S. H.
Published: December 2004

We develop tests for seasonal unit roots for daily data by extending the methodology of Hylleberg et al. (‘Seasonal Integration and Cointegration’, Journal of Econometrics, Vol. 44 (1990), No. 1–2, pp. 215–238) and apply our tests to UK and US daily stock market indices. We also investigate a suggestion by Franses and Romijn (‘Periodic Integration in Quarterly Macroeconomic Variables’, International Journal of Forecasting, Vol. 9 (1993), No. 4, pp. 467–476) and Franses (‘A Multivariate Approach to Modelling Univariate Seasonal Time Series’, Journal of Econometrics, Vol. 63 (1994), No. 1, pp. 133–151) and create a price series for each day of the week and test for cointegration amongst these series. Our Monte Carlo experiments indicate that the Hylleberg et al. procedure is robust to autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity type errors, while the Franses and Romijn procedure is less so. Finally, we employ Harvey’s (Time Series Models, Hemel Hempstead, Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1993) basic structural model to test for the presence of stationary stochastic seasonality. Our results suggest that we can reject the existence of seasonal unit roots at the daily frequency in both of these markets; however, we do find evidence of stationary stochastic seasonality.
The Role of Financial Spreads in Macroeconomic Forecasting: Evidence for the UK
Authors: Sarantis Nicholas , Lin Sharon X.
Published: December 2004

We examine the potential use of financial spreads in forecasting aggregate macroeconomic activity in the UK. We develop a quarterly Bayesian vector autoregressive macroeconomic model which is used to generate out‐of‐sample forecasts for GDP, prices, real effective exchange rate, interest rate and other macroeconomic variables at varying forecast horizons over the period 1989Q1–1995Q2. The forecasts are generated through sequential re‐estimation using the Kalman filter. Extensive experimentation is undertaken, using different priors, monetary indicators and financial spreads. The empirical results suggest that financial spreads in the UK do not contain any predictive information on future real macroeconomic activity, but they yield a significant improvement in price predictions.
Equity or Debt? Contracts in Markets with Asymmetric Information
Authors: Bracoud Frederique , Hillier Brian
Published: December 2004

Four cases of a selection problem are examined where knowledge of the distributions from which project returns are drawn is private to entrepreneurs with projects. Diagrammatic analysis is used to determine the contract form offered by funding banks which choose between debt, equity or a more general contract. Two variants of the problem are novel. One new case indicates that some projects will receive equity finance and others debt finance, the other that the choice between debt or equity depends upon the level of the deposit interest rate. The efficiency of the level and composition of investment is examined.
A characterization of the French financial system
Authors: Cobham David , Serre Jean‐Marin
Published: December 2004

Data on the net sources of finance for France are used to argue that the French financial system was never anéconomie d’endettement, and to question the idea that France has converged on the Anglo‐Saxon model under the impact of financial innovation and deregulation since the early 1980s. These data and additional qualitative information suggest that in the French financial system firms and their managers have more autonomy and more control over the allocation of financial resources than their counterparts in the Anglo‐Saxon countries or Japan, and the French system should not therefore be seen as a mere ‘halfway‐house’ between these two polar types.
On the Psychology of Vague Predicates
Authors: Bonini Nicolao , Osherson Daniel , Viale Riccardo , Williamson Timothy
Published: December 2004

Most speakers experience unclarity about the application of predicates like tall and red to liminal cases. We formulate alternative psychological hypotheses about the nature of this unclarity, and report experiments that provide a partial test of them. A psychologized version of the ‘vagueness‐as‐ignorance’ theory is then advanced and defended.
How We Think of Others’ Emotions
Authors: Goldie Peter
Published: December 2004

As part of the debate between theory‐theorists and simulation‐theorists in the philosophy of mind, there is the question of how we think about the emotions of other people. It is the aim of this paper to distinguish and clarify some of the ways in which we do this. In particular five notions are discussed: understanding and explaining others’ emotions, emotional contagion, empathy, in‐his‐shoes imagining, and sympathy. I argue that understanding and explanation cannot be achieved by any of the other four notions. So far as concerns prediction of other people’s emotional responses, I argue that simulationists have tended to concentrate on empathy and in‐his‐ shoes imagining to explain how this is done, and that more prominence should be given to other means of prediction through imagination which do not involve imagining events from the other’s point of view; roughly, imagining how she would feel need not involve imagining feeling how she would feel. But prediction in these other ways, like understanding and explanation, are achieved without losing sight of the fact that the other person has a point of view, and in this respect I argue that this approach is essentially distinct from the approach of the theory‐theorist of a functionalist persuasion.
Genericity and Logical Form
Authors: Koslicki Kathrin
Published: December 2004

In this paper I propose a novel treatment of generic sentences, which proceeds by means of different levels of analysis. According to this account, all generic sentences (I‐generics and D‐generics alike) are initially treated in a uniform manner, as involving higher‐order predication (following the work of George Boolos, James Higginbotham and Barry Schein on plurals). Their non‐uniform character, however, re‐emerges at subsequent levels of analysis, when the higher‐order predications of the first level are cashed out in terms of quantification over individuals: this last step, I suggest, involves knowledge concerning the lexical meaning of the predicates in question.
Alternative Forms of Mixing Banking with Commerce: Evidence from American History
Authors: Haubrich Joseph G. , Santos João A. C.
Published: December 2004

Much of the discussion about banking and commerce in America has failed to make several crucial distinctions and has not accounted for many arrangements that have promoted the mixing of these activities. We investigate the history of banking and commerce in the United States, looking both at bank control of commercial firms and commercial firms’ control of banks. We trace how these controls have changed with shifting definitions of “bank” and changing methods of “control.” Despite the regulations prohibiting some arrangements that promote financial control, we find evidence of extensive linkages between banking and commerce in the United States. These linkages usually build on devices that are very close substitutes to the arrangements prohibited by law. Altogether, our findings question the often made claim that traditionally banking in the United States has been separated from commerce. Furthermore, given that research on Japan and Germany has shown that the mixing of banking and commerce matters for a variety of issues, our evidence also raises some questions on similar research in the United States which makes the simplifying assumption that these industries are separated.
Academic Careers and Gender Equity: Lessons Learned from MIT1
Authors: Bailyn Lotte
Published: December 2004

This article describes the experience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after the publication of its report A Study on the Status of Women Faculty in Science at MIT. It starts by describing aspects of the academic career that make it difficult for women, or anyone with responsibilities outside of their academic work. It then outlines three definitions of gender equity based on equality, fairness, and integration, and probes the reasons behind persisting inequities. The MIT results fit well into the first two definitions of gender equity, but fall short on the last. Finally, the article analyses the factors that came together at MIT to produce the outcome described and indicates the lessons learned and those still to be learned.
The Inclusion of Female PhD Students in Academia: A Case Study of a Swedish University Department
Authors: Elg Ulf , Jonnergård Karin
Published: December 2004

The article introduces a framework for understanding women's entry into the academic world and how it interacts with internal departmental structures and practices. It presents three specific strategies applied by a group of women to gain a doctorate and acceptance in their department. Few previous studies have stressed women's strategies to cope with the organizational setting in academia. The article draws on previous research on women in academia and how organizational characteristics influence women's careers. It is based on a case study of a Swedish university department. Sweden is often recognized for creating favourable working conditions for women. Yet the Swedish academic world is very male‐dominated at the top and even the medium level. It is also more common than in many other Western countries that academics stay on at the department where they graduated. Therefore, a PhD is often a first step in a career within that department.
A Critical Look at Staff Appraisal: The Case of Women in Scottish Universities
Authors: Wilson Fiona , Nutley Sandra
Published: December 2004

An analysis of appraisal of women staff in Scottish universities reveals two ‘puzzles’. First, although there is a general decline in the use of appraisal schemes in these universities, women staff still have a strong sense of being subject to a disciplinary technology. Second, although appraisal and the broader disciplinary technology disadvantage women, they still want to be appraised. This article uses the critical literature on appraisal, and particularly a Foucauldian analysis of disciplinary power, to shed light on these apparent contradictions. Such an approach helps explain the first of these ‘puzzles’ but a basic conundrum for women remains — although there are demands for appraisal and normalization in the name of fairness and equity, such processes of normalization tend to be gender‐biased and hence should be resisted by women.
Refashioning a Passionate Manager: Gender at Work
Authors: Hatcher Caroline
Published: December 2004

Despite what has been historically recognized as the masculinity of the credentials required for successful business life, contemporary managers now face new challenges. They are required to be caring and relationship‐oriented. The traditional masculine/feminine hierarchy of logic/emotion is being reshaped by the imperative to be ‘passionate’ in the workplace. This article argues that a new gendered truth plays an important part in the ‘regime of truth’ (Foucault, 1980, p. 131) that shapes current organizational life. This truth, championed by feminists to distinguish women's contribution to social life, forms part of our understanding of what it means to be a successful manager. To achieve success in the current environment managers must be, not just rational, but passionate about their work. The article provides readings of a range of texts to establish the centrality of gender and its relationship to contemporary postmodern discourses about change and difference in management practice. The article articulates both some of the new freedoms and constraints for managers. It also elaborates some of the mechanisms whereby this gendered truth reconfirms the traditional masculine/feminine hierarchy.

The way to open the corporate heart is for individuals to open their own hearts. . . . You are the key to the corporate heart. (Cairnes, 1998)
Temporary Work in the Public Services: Implications for Equal Opportunities
Authors: Conley Hazel M.
Published: December 2004

This article examines the impact of the growing number of temporary employment contracts in the public sector on equal opportunity theory, policy and practice. Quantitative and qualitative data from two case study local authorities are utilized to examine the mechanisms by which temporary work becomes an equal opportunities issue. A strong association between part‐time work and temporary employment status is demonstrated as an important aspect of the gendered nature of temporary work. Links between ethnicity and temporary work are less clear but are based upon the insecurity of targeted funding for teachers and the under‐valuation of the skills of the workers concerned. The data indicate that temporary workers are largely excluded from equal opportunity policy and practice, bringing into question a concept of equality that can permit less favourable treatment for certain groups of workers. It is argued that public sector restructuring, particularly concerning decentralization and the quest for flexibility, has facilitated the differential treatment of employees, thereby fundamentally eroding the basis of equal opportunity policy and practice.
Gender, Organizational Cultures and the Practices of Manager‐Academics in UK Universities
Authors: Deem Rosemary
Published: December 2004

The article explores gendered management in UK universities in the context of moves to introduce new managerialism to higher education. Qualitative data are drawn from an Economic and Social Research Council funded project (R00023 7661) in which interviews were conducted with 137 male and female manager‐academics, from Heads of Department to Vice Chancellors, in 16 universities. The career trajectories of female and male manager‐academics are analysed to see if gender power relations, expectations and discrimination have affected their careers and organizational experiences. Also examined are whether and how gender relations and cultures are perceived to be relevant to management, the practices of women and men manager‐academics and the extent to which the differential value and status attached to teaching, research and management are gender‐related. It is suggested that women's participation in management roles, their perceptions of their practices and the expectations others hold of them are still marked by gender, even though some women have benefited, through promotion, from the greater emphasis on management now evident in UK universities.
Mandarins or Managers? The Bureaucratic Elite in Bonn, 1970 to 1987 and Beyond
Authors: Derlien Hans‐Ulrich
Published: December 2004

Overall, within the broad descriptive framework of the comparative‐elites study, the special impact of New Public Management (NPM) on the German federal government is considered, but judged marginal. The mandarin status of the administrative elite prevails, despite a long‐term decrease in the share of jurists and more open career patterns, both due to a first managerialist turn in the 1970s. It is argued that new administrative policies are carried out like any other substantive policy. On the polity dimension, the bureaucracy's function as the center of expertise is reflected in terms of both formal education and subjective role understanding. On the policy dimension, the 1970 reformist agenda of the Brandt government resulted in higher programmatic commitment than at the point of replication of the base line study in 1987, when the Kohl government was consolidating public finances. Under conditions such as those prevailing after national unification in 1990 and since about 1995, though, top administrators can turn quite managerial. The most significant change is observed on the politics dimension: growing party politicization of the administrative elite, in particular after fundamental government changes (1969, 1982, 1998) examined here. Functional as it may be for streamlining the ministries, the extent of party patronage may, in the long run, undermine the still‐high trust in executive institutions in Germany.
In the Wake of War: Geo–strategy, Terrorism, Oil and Domestic Politics
Authors: Hadar Leon T. , Anderson Frank , Mohamedi Fareed , Lustick Ian S.
Published: December 2004

The following is an edited transcript of the thirty–first in a series of Capitol Hill conferences convened by the Middle East Policy Council. The meeting was held on January 10, 2003, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building with Chas. W. Freeman, Jr., moderating.
Women in corrections: A call to social work
Authors: Agllias Kylie
Published: December 2004

As governments continue to spend more money on law enforcement and prison construction, social workers will be increasingly faced with clients who have connections with the criminal justice and correctional systems. Despite the increasing numbers of women entering the criminal justice system, they continue to be one of the most marginalised groups in Australian society. This article reviews the social work literature concerning this population and proceeds to argue that social work has a significant role to play with women in corrections. Using a conceptual model based on an ecological systems framework, the author examines the mutuality of various social work practice principles at different levels of intervention and the roles that social workers may engage in to enhance the lives of women in corrections.
Therapeutic collaboration: Bridging the gap between statutory and therapeutic work
Authors: Robinson Mark
Published: December 2004

This paper will consider the clinical effectiveness of child and youth mental health workers and child protection workers employing a therapeutic collaborative model for practice when engaged with extremely at risk and vulnerable families. It will be argued that this approach has the potential to assist professionals work in a meaningful way that enhances therapeutic containment and subsequent engagement with families. The author will advocate for a model that does not demarcate statutory from psychological thinking. Indeed, such a split it is argued, promotes barriers that impede and fragment the helping process. Various examples will be discussed using this practice model, including the need for greater flexibility and professional goodwill across government and non‐government agencies.
The challenge of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing the social determinants
Authors: Whiteside Mary
Published: December 2004

The importance of professional disciplines working together to address the critical social and health issues facing society today cannot be overstated. Policy makers, service providers and researchers have long been calling for greater interdisciplinary collaboration. Despite this there has been little systemic analysis of the constraints involved in such collaboration. Far too often disciplines continue to work in silos. This paper aims to analyse the barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration through a case study of the relationship between social work and public health. These two disciplines have a lot more in common than might first appear. There is real potential for social work and public health to work together and enhance each other's efforts to address their common goal of greater social equality. However, this will require a genuine commitment from both disciplines to develop a shared political analysis, common language and a framework for action, which utilises their respective strengths.
Symposium on Financial Institutions
Authors: Wall Larry D.
Published: December 2004

Financial institutions are the topic of the 2003 Eastern Finance Association Symposium. The symposium papers illustrate the importance of bank research for improving our understanding of both financial and nonfinancial firms. Benston begins the symposium with an overview of banking. Three papers consider different aspects of banks' commercial lending: Frame, Padhi, and Woosley; Gottesman and Roberts; and Gonas, Highfield, and Mullineaux. Next, DeYoung and Rice analyze increases in bank's increased noninterest income. Finally, two papers illustrate the benefits of using banking data: Hasan and Wall, in examining the management of financial reporting, and Sfiridis and Daniels, in examining the implications of different organizational forms.
Credit Scoring and the Availability of Small Business Credit in Low‐ and Moderate‐Income Areas
Authors: Frame W. Scott , Woosley Lynn
Published: December 2004

This paper estimates that credit scoring is associated with about a $3,900 increase in small business lending per sample banking organization, per low‐ and moderate‐income (LMI) area served, and this effect is roughly equivalent to that estimated for higher‐income areas. For our sample, this corresponds to a $536 million increase in small business credit in LMI areas in 1997 than otherwise would have been the case. This effect appears to be driven by increased out‐of‐market lending by banking organizations, as in‐market lending generally declines. Overall, it does not appear that credit scoring has a disparate impact on LMI areas.
Maturity and Corporate Loan Pricing
Authors: Gottesman Aron A. , Roberts Gordon S.
Published: December 2004

We investigate the relation between corporate loan spreads and maturity to test whether lenders are compensated for longer maturity loans (tradeoff hypothesis) or limit their exposure by forcing riskier borrowers to take short‐term loans (credit‐quality hypothesis). Earlier studies reject the tradeoff hypothesis. We use the LPC DealScan database to create a matched sample of pairs of loans to the same borrower on the same day holding credit quality constant. We perform mean of difference tests and cross‐sectional and regression analyses, and find evidence supporting both the tradeoff and credit quality hypotheses.