bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of C
1
-Metabolizing Prokaryotic Communities in Methane Seep Habitats at the Kuroshima Knoll, Southern Ryukyu Arc, by Analyzing
pmoA
,
mmoX
,
mxaF
,
mcrA
, and 16S rRNA Genes
Authors: Inagaki Fumio , Tsunogai Urumu , Suzuki Masae , Kosaka Ayako , Machiyama Hideaki , Takai Ken , Nunoura Takuro , Nealson Kenneth H. , Horikoshi Koki
Published: December 2004

Samples from three submerged sites (MC, a core obtained in the methane seep area; MR, a reference core obtained at a distance from the methane seep; and HC, a gas-bubbling carbonate sample) at the Kuroshima Knoll in the southern Ryuku arc were analyzed to gain insight into the organisms present and the processes involved in this oxic-anoxic methane seep environment. 16S rRNA gene analyses by quantitative real-time PCR and clone library sequencing revealed that the MC core sediments contained abundant archaea (∼34% of the total prokaryotes), including both mesophilic methanogens related to the genus
Methanolobus
and ANME-2 members of the
Methanosarcinales
, as well as members of the δ-
Proteobacteria
, suggesting that both anaerobic methane oxidation and methanogenesis occurred at this site. In addition, several functional genes connected with methane metabolism were analyzed by quantitative competitive-PCR, including the genes encoding particulate methane monooxygenase (
pmoA
), soluble methane monooxygenase (
mmoX
), methanol dehydrogenese (
mxaF
), and methyl coenzyme M reductase (
mcrA
). In the MC core sediments, the most abundant gene was
mcrA
(2.5 × 10
6
copies/g [wet weight]), while the
pmoA
gene of the type I methanotrophs (5.9 × 10
6
copies/g [wet weight]) was most abundant at the surface of the MC core. These results indicate that there is a very complex environment in which methane production, anaerobic methane oxidation, and aerobic methane oxidation all occur in close proximity. The HC carbonate site was rich in γ-
Proteobacteria
and had a high copy number of
mxaF
(7.1 × 10
6
copies/g [wet weight]) and a much lower copy number of the
pmoA
gene (3.2 × 10
2
copies/g [wet weight]). The
mmoX
gene was never detected. In contrast, the reference core contained familiar sequences of marine sedimentary archaeal and bacterial groups but not groups specific to C
1
metabolism. Geochemical characterization of the amounts and isotopic composition of pore water methane and sulfate strongly supported the notion that in this zone both aerobic methane oxidation and anaerobic methane oxidation, as well as methanogenesis, occur.
Viable but Nonculturable
Vibrio cholerae
O1 in the Aquatic Environment of Argentina
Authors: Binsztein Norma , Costagliola Marcela C. , Pichel Mariana , Jurquiza Verónica , Ramírez Fernando C. , Akselman Rut , Vacchino Marta , Huq Anwarul , Colwell Rita
Published: December 2004

In Argentina, as in other countries of Latin America, cholera has occurred in an epidemic pattern.
Vibrio cholerae
O1 is native to the aquatic environment, and it occurs in both culturable and viable but nonculturable (VNC) forms, the latter during interepidemic periods. This is the first report of the presence of VNC
V. cholerae
O1 in the estuarine and marine waters of the Río de la Plata and the Argentine shelf of the Atlantic Ocean, respectively. Employing immunofluorescence and PCR methods, we were able to detect reservoirs of
V. cholerae
O1 carrying the virulence-associated genes
ctxA
and
tcpA
. The VNC forms of
V. cholerae
O1 were identified in samples of water, phytoplankton, and zooplankton; the latter organisms were mainly the copepods
Acartia tonsa
,
Diaptomus
sp.,
Paracalanus crassirostris
, and
Paracalanus parvus
. We found that under favorable conditions, the VNC form of
V. cholerae
can revert to the pathogenic, transmissible state. We concluded that
V. cholerae
O1 is a resident of Argentinean waters, as has been shown to be the case in other geographic regions of the world.
A Previously Unexposed Forest Soil Microbial Community Degrades High Levels of the Pollutant 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol
Authors: Sánchez M. A. , Vásquez M. , González B.
Published: December 2004

2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) is a hazardous pollutant that is efficiently degraded by some aerobic soil bacterial isolates under laboratory conditions. The degradation of this pollutant in soils and its effect on the soil microbial community are poorly understood. We report here the ability of a previously unexposed forest soil microbiota to degrade high levels of 2,4,6-TCP and describe the changes in the soil microbial community found by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis. After 30 days of incubation, about 50% degradation of this pollutant was observed in soils amended with 50 to 5,000 ppm of 2,4,6-TCP. The T-RFLP analysis showed that the soil bacterial community was essentially unchanged after exposure to up to 500 ppm of 2,4,6-TCP. However, a significant decrease in richness was found with 2,000 and 5,000 ppm of 2,4,6-TCP, even though the removal of this pollutant remained high. The introduction of
Ralstonia eutropha
JMP134 or
R. eutropha
MS1, two efficient 2,4,6-TCP degraders, to this soil did not improve degradation of this pollutant, supporting the significant bioremediation potential of this previously unexposed, endogenous forest soil microbial community.
Diversity of Nontuberculoid
Mycobacterium
Species in Biofilms of Urban and Semiurban Drinking Water Distribution Systems
Authors: September S. M. , Brözel V. S. , Venter S. N.
Published: December 2004

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous and have been isolated from a variety of environmental sources, including water. Various NTM were isolated from biofilms in drinking water distribution systems in two urban and two semiurban areas in South Africa. Most of the isolates belonged to opportunistic pathogenic species of the NTM group, but none belonged to the
Mycobacterium avium
complex.
Association of
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 with Houseflies on a Cattle Farm
Authors: Alam Muhammad J. , Zurek Ludek
Published: December 2004

The ecology of
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 is not well understood. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of and characterize
E. coli
O157:H7 associated with houseflies (HF).
Musca domestica
L. HF (
n
= 3,440) were collected from two sites on a cattle farm over a 4-month period and processed individually for
E. coli
O157:H7 isolation and quantification. The prevalence of
E. coli
O157:H7 was 2.9 and 1.4% in HF collected from feed bunks and a cattle feed storage shed, respectively.
E. coli
O157:H7 counts ranged from 3.0 × 10
1
to 1.5 × 10
5
CFU among the positive HF. PCR analysis of the
E. coli
O157:H7 isolates revealed that 90.4, 99.2, 99.2, and 100% of them (
n
= 125) possessed the
stx1
,
stx2
,
eaeA
, and
fliC
genes, respectively. Large populations of HF on cattle farms may play a role in the dissemination of
E. coli
O157:H7 among animals and to the surrounding environment.
Comparative Genomics of the T4-Like
Escherichia coli
Phage JS98: Implications for the Evolution of T4 Phages
Authors: Chibani-Chennoufi Sandra , Canchaya Carlos , Bruttin Anne , Brüssow Harald
Published: December 2004

About 130 kb of sequence information was obtained from the coliphage JS98 isolated from the stool of a pediatric diarrhea patient in Bangladesh. The DNA shared up to 81% base pair identity with phage T4. The most conserved regions between JS98 and T4 were the structural genes, but their degree of conservation was not uniform. The head genes showed the highest sequence conservation, followed by the tail, baseplate, and tail fiber genes. Many tail fiber genes shared only protein sequence identity. Except for the insertion of endonuclease genes in T4 and gene
24
duplication in JS98, the structural gene maps of the two phages were colinear. The receptor-recognizing tail fiber proteins gp37 and gp38 were only distantly related to T4, but shared up to 83% amino acid identity to other T6-like phages, suggesting lateral gene transfer. A greater degree of variability was seen between JS98 and T4 over DNA replication and DNA transaction genes. While most of these genes came in the same order and shared up to 76% protein sequence identity, a few rearrangements, insertions, and replacements of genes were observed. Many putative gene insertions in the DNA replication module of T4 were flanked by intron-related endonuclease genes, suggesting mobile DNA elements. A hotspot of genome diversification was located downstream of the DNA polymerase gene
43
and the DNA binding gene
32
. Comparative genomics of 100-kb genome sequence revealed that T4-like phages diversify more by the accumulation of point mutations and occasional gene duplication events than by modular exchanges.
RpoS-Regulated Genes ofEscherichia coliIdentified by RandomlacZFusion Mutagenesis
Authors: Vijayakumar Somalinga R. V. , Kirchhof Mark G. , Patten Cheryl L. , Schellhorn Herb E.
Published: December 2004

RpoS is a conserved alternative sigma factor that regulates the expression of many stress response genes inEscherichia coli. The RpoS regulon is large but has not yet been completely characterized. In this study, we report the identification of over 100 RpoS-dependent fusions in a genetic screen based on the differential expression of an operon-lacZfusion bank inrpoSmutant and wild-type backgrounds. Forty-eight independent gene fusions were identified, including several in well-characterized RpoS-regulated genes, such asosmY,katE, andotsA. Many of the other fusions mapped to genes of unknown function or to genes that were not previously known to be under RpoS control. Based on the homology to other known bacterial genes, some of the RpoS-regulated genes of unknown functions are likely important in nutrient scavenging.
INVENTORY MODELS WITH STOCK-DEPENDENT DEMAND AND NONLINEAR HOLDING COSTS FOR DETERIORATING ITEMS
Authors: CHANG CHUN-TAO
Published: December 2004

In this paper, we discuss why it is appropriate maximize the profits, instead of minimizing the costs, in an inventory system with an inventory-level-dependent demand rate. In addition, we restate Urban's viewpoint that the restriction of zero ending-inventory is not necessary in an inventory-level-dependent demand model. Consequently, we amend Giri and Chaudhuri's inventory model for deteriorating items by changing the objective to maximize the profits and relaxing the restriction of zero ending-inventory. Finally, we provide a couple of examples to show that both the order quantity and the profit obtained from our proposed model are significantly larger than those in Giri and Chaudhuri's model, in which the objective is to minimize the costs.
THE CHOICE OF FOREIGN PRODUCTION STRATEGY AND TIMING OF DECISION AMONG THREE COUNTRIES UNDER EXCHANGE RATE UNCERTAINTY
Authors: WU CHENG-RU , LIN CHIN-TSAI
Published: December 2004

This study considers the effects of two real exchange rates on strategies that govern the locations of production by firms that are entering two foreign countries. The batch process production model of Lin and Wu (Asia-Pacific Journal of Operational Research, 21, 2004, 35–52), which considers two locations of production, one in each of two countries is extended to develop a decision valuation model to choose the two optimal locations to produce a good — one in each country. This extended model applies the Real Options Analysis (ROA) to determine the value of locating production in three countries. Moreover, a closed-form solution to the Continuous-Time Model Optimization Problem is derived. The optimal entry trigger and expected arrival time of an exporter from country-0 to country-1 or 2 are calculated; a sensitivity analysis is performed, and some characteristic strategies of the operating method for the Cobb–Douglas batch process model among three countries are determined. A useful summary of insights is provided for global managers.
A NEW ADMISSIBLE PIVOT METHOD FOR LINEAR PROGRAMMING
Authors: LIM SUNGMOOK , PARK SOONDAL
Published: December 2004

We present a new admissible pivot method for linear programming that works with a sequence of improving primal feasible interior points and dual feasible interior points. This method is a practicable variant of the short admissible pivot sequence algorithm, which was suggested by Fukuda and Terlaky. Here, we also show that this method can be modified to terminate in finite pivot steps. Finally, we show that this method outperforms Terlaky's criss-cross method by computational experiments.
BULK MODULUS CALCULATIONS FOR GROUP-IV CARBIDES AND GROUP-III NITRIDES
Authors: MAHMOOD A. , SANSORES L. E. , HEIRAS J.
Published: December 2004

Wide band gap semiconductors such as group-IV carbides ( SiC , GeC ) and group-III nitrides ( AlN , GaN and BN ) are known to be important materials for novel semiconductor applications. They also have interesting mechanical properties such as having a particularly high value for their bulk modulus and are therefore potential candidates for hard coatings. In this paper we report the theoretical calculations for the bulk modulus for zincblende and wurzite polytypes of these materials. The Density Functional and Total-energy Pseudopotential Techniques in the Generalized Gradient approximation, an ab initio quantum mechanical method, is used to obtain the theoretical structure, from which equilibrium lattice parameters and volume of the cell versus pressure may be extracted. The Murnaghan's equation of state is then used to calculate bulk modulus under elastic deformation, which is related to the hardness of a material under certain conditions. The results for bulk modulus are compared with other theoretical and experimental values reported in the literature.
ON THE SPEED OF GRAVITY AND THE JUPITER/QUASAR MEASUREMENT
Authors: SAMUEL STUART
Published: December 2004

I present the theory and analysis behind the experiment by Fomalont and Kopeikin involving Jupiter and quasar J0842+1845 that purported to measure the speed of gravity. The computation of the vJ/c correction to the gravitational time delay difference relevant to the experiment is derived, where vJ is the speed of Jupiter as measured from Earth. Since the vJ/c corrections are too small to have been measured in the Jupiter/quasar experiment, it is impossible that the speed of gravity was extracted from the data, and I explain what went wrong with the data analysis. Finally, mistakes are shown in papers by Fomalont and Kopeikin intended to rebut my work and the work of others.
WELL-POSEDNESS FOR KOITER AND NAGHDI SHELLS WITH A G1-MIDSURFACE
Authors: LE DRET HERVÉ
Published: December 2004

We extend the notion of G1-join or visually C1 join between two surface patches, that is to say, a continuous join with continuous tangent plane. This notion is familiar in CAD, to the case of surfaces with minimal regularity with respect to linearly elastic shell models. We then prove the well-posedness of various shell models for surfaces defined via a collection of such patches.
ISSUES ON 3D PROFILING PATH GENERATION FOR AUTOMOTIVE DIE
Authors: CHUNG YUN C.
Published: December 2004

Profile machining with cutter radius compensation is widely used in die and mould manufacturing. Automotive die makers are trying to use 3D profiling especially, in which z-values vary along the profile for trimming or flange dies. However, there has been little research on the technological requirements and implementation issues on the tool-path generation of 3D profiling. This paper raises the importance and interest of 3D profiling using cutter radius compensation, and summarizes the requirements and issues. Keeping machining width and depth are specific requirements of 3D profiling. Issues of offsetting algorithm and sources of controller alarms are discussed.
ESTIMATING THE DELAY TIME IN AFFINE STOCHASTIC DELAY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Authors: REISS MARKUS
Published: December 2004

We consider linear differential equations with bounded time delay driven by additive white noise. Our aim is the estimation of the maximal delay time from observations of one realisation of the solution process X under nonparametric drift assumptions. In the stationarity case the covariance function has a jump in the third derivative according to the location of the delay time. Based on this result, the delay time estimator is obtained from a singularity detection in the covariance function using a multiresolution framework. It is proved that the estimator attains the rate T-1/3 for observation times T→∞, which corresponds to change point detection in an ill-posed setting.
LAPPED TRANSFORMS AND HIDDEN MARKOV MODELS FOR SEISMIC DATA FILTERING
Authors: DUVAL LAURENT , CHAUX CAROLINE
Published: December 2004

Seismic exploration provides information about the ground substructures. Seismic images are generally corrupted by several noise sources. Hence, efficient denoising procedures are required to improve the detection of essential geological information. Wavelet bases provide sparse representation for a wide class of signals and images. This property makes them good candidates for efficient filtering tools, allowing the separation of signal and noise coefficients. Recent works have improved their performance by modelling the intra- and inter-scale coefficient dependencies using hidden Markov models, since image features tend to cluster and persist in the wavelet domain. This work focuses on the use of lapped transforms associated with hidden Markov modelling. Lapped transforms are traditionally viewed as block-transforms, composed of M pass-band filters. Seismic data present oscillatory patterns and lapped transforms oscillatory bases have demonstrated good performances for seismic data compression. A dyadic like representation of lapped transform coefficient is possible, allowing a wavelet-like modelling of coefficients dependencies. We show that the proposed filtering algorithm often outperforms the wavelet performance both objectively (in terms of SNR) and subjectively: lapped transform better preserve the oscillatory features present in seismic data at low to moderate noise levels.
WAVELET-CONSTRAINED IMAGE RESTORATION
Authors: COMBETTES PATRICK L. , PESQUET JEAN-CHRISTOPHE
Published: December 2004

Image restoration problems can naturally be cast as constrained convex programming problems in which the constraints arise from a priori information and the observation of signals physically related to the image to be recovered. In this paper, the focus is placed on the construction of constraints based on wavelet representations. Using a mix of statistical and convex-analytical tools, we propose a general framework to construct wavelet-based constraints. The resulting optimization problem is then solved with a block-iterative parallel algorithm which offers great flexibility in terms of implementation. Numerical results illustrate an application of the proposed framework.
THE IMPROVED BOSTROM–FELBINGER PROTOCOL AGAINST ATTACKS WITHOUT EAVESDROPPING
Authors: ZHANG ZHANJUN , MAN ZHONGXIAO , LI YONG
Published: December 2004

In this paper, by introducing the additional classical information and taking advantage of the property of quantum entanglement swapping of two photon pairs instead of the property of quantum entanglement of a photon pair, the Bostrom–Felbinger protocol [Phys. Rev. Lett.89, 187902 (2002)] is improved. In the improved protocol, when the photon travels from the message receiver's site to the message sender's site, any attack can be detected in the control mode. Moreover, it is deterministically successful to transmit the secret messages in the message mode. The security of the present improved protocol against the eavesdropping is ensured by the Bostrom–Felbinger protocol, and besides, the attacks proposed by Cai [Phys. Rev. Lett.90, 109801 (2003)] to attack the Bostrom–Felbinger protocol without eavesdropping can be prevented.
Exogenous amino acids stimulate human muscle anabolism without interfering with the response to mixed meal ingestion
Authors: Paddon-Jones Douglas , Sheffield-Moore Melinda , Aarsland Asle , Wolfe Robert R. , Ferrando Arny A.
Published: December 2004

We sought to determine whether ingestion of a between-meal supplement containing 30 g of carbohydrate and 15 g of essential amino acids (CAA) altered the metabolic response to a nutritionally mixed meal in healthy, recreationally active male volunteers. A control group (CON; n = 6, 38 ± 8 yr, 86 ± 10 kg, 179 ± 3 cm) received a liquid mixed meal [protein, 23.4 ± 1.0 g (essential amino acids, 14.7 ± 0.7 g); carbohydrate, 126.6 ± 4.0 g; fat, 30.3 ± 2.8 g] every 5 h (0830, 1330, 1830). The experimental group (SUP; n = 7, 36 ± 10 yr, 87 ± 12 kg, 180 ± 3 cm) consumed the same meals but, in addition, were given CAA supplements (1100, 1600, 2100). Net phenylalanine balance (NB) and fractional synthetic rate (FSR) were calculated during a 16-h primed constant infusion of l-[ ring-2H5]phenylalanine. Ingestion of a combination of CAA supplements and meals resulted in a greater mixed muscle FSR than ingestion of the meals alone (SUP, 0.099 ± 0.008; CON, 0.076 ± 0.005%/h; P < 0.05). Both groups experienced an improvement in NB after the morning (SUP, −2.2 ± 3.3; CON, −1.5 ± 3.5 nmol·min−1·100 ml leg volume−1) and evening meals (SUP, −9.7 ± 4.3; CON, −6.7 ± 4.1 nmol·min−1·100 ml leg volume−1). NB after CAA ingestion was significantly greater than after the meals, with values of 40.2 ± 8.5 nmol·min−1·100 ml leg volume−1. These data indicate that CAA supplementation produces a greater anabolic effect than ingestion of intact protein but does not interfere with the normal metabolic response to a meal.
Gonadal steroid regulation of renal injury in renal wrap hypertension
Authors: Ji Hong , Menini Stefano , Mok Koby , Zheng Wei , Pesce Carlo , Kim James , Mulroney Susan , Sandberg Kathryn
Published: December 2004

Renal injury is greater in male compared with female rats after renal wrap (RW) hypertension. We investigated the role of gonadal steroids in the sex differences in RW disease severity in male (M) and female (F), castrated (Cast), and ovariectomized (OVX) rats and after dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 17β-estradiol (E2) treatment. Male castration attenuated the severity of RW-induced glomerulosclerosis (GS) [GS index (GSI): RW-M, 2.1 ± 0.2; RW-Cast, 1.3 ± 0.2; RW-Cast+DHT, 2.4 ± 0.4], mean glomerular volume (MGV; μm3 × 106: RW-M, 1.9 ± 0.1; RW-Cast, 1.45 ± 0.15; RW-Cast+DHT, 1.91 ± 0.15), tubular damage, and proteinuria (mg/day: RW-M, 130 ± 8; RW-Cast, 105 ± 5; RW-Cast+DHT, 142 ± 9), whereas DHT treatment abrogated these effects. Ovariectomy increased the GSI (RW-F, 0.69 ± 0.05; RW-OVX, 1.2 ± 0.1; RW-OVX+E2, 0.65 ± 0.05), tubular damage, and MGV (μm3 × 106: RW-F, 1.0 ± 0.06; RW-OVX, 1.5 ± 0.05; RW-OVX+E2, 0.96 ± 0.06), whereas E2 treatment prevented these effects. Furthermore, DHT treatment of RW-OVX animals exacerbated the GSI (1.9 ± 0.19), MGV (1.7 ± 0.2 × 106 μm3), and proteinuria (171 ± 21 mg/day) even further. Our data show that the lack of E2 and presence of androgens contribute to progressive renal disease induced by RW hypertension, suggesting that gonadal steroid status is an independent factor in the greater susceptibility men exhibit toward hypertension-associated renal disease compared with women.
Motion Mechanisms in Macaque MT
Authors: Krekelberg Bart , Albright Thomas D.
Published: December 2004

The macaque middle temporal area (MT) is exquisitely sensitive to visual motion and there is a large amount of evidence that neural activity in MT is tightly correlated with the perception of motion. The mechanisms by which MT neurons achieve their directional selectivity, however, have received considerably less attention. We investigated the motion–energy model as a description of motion mechanisms in macaque MT. We first confirmed one of the predictions of the motion–energy model; macaques—just like humans—perceive a reversed direction of motion when a stimulus reverses contrast with every displacement (reverse-phi). This reversal of perceived direction had a clear correlate in the neural responses of MT cells, which were predictive of the monkey's behavioral decisions. Second, we investigated how multiple motion–energy components are combined. Psychophysical data have been used to argue that motion–energy components representing opposite directions are subtracted from each other. Our data show, however, that the interactions among motion–energy components are more complex. In particular, we found that the influence of a given component on the response to a stimulus consisting of multiple components depends on factors other than the response to that component alone. This suggests that there are subthreshold nonlinear interactions among multiple motion–energy components; these could take place within MT or in earlier stages of the motion network such as V1. We propose a model that captures the complexity of these component interactions by means of a competitive interaction among the components. This provides a better description of the MT responses than the subtractive motion opponency envisaged in the motion–energy model, even when the latter is combined with a gain-control mechanism. The competitive interaction extends the dynamic range of the cells and allows them to provide information on more subtle changes in motion patterns, including changes that are not purely directional.
Effect of Forelimb Use on Postnatal Development of the Forelimb Motor Representation in Primary Motor Cortex of the Cat
Authors: Martin John H. , Engber Daniel , Meng Zhuo
Published: December 2004

In the cat, the motor representation in motor cortex develops between wk 8 and wk 13. Motor map development is accompanied by a decrease in the current thresholds for evoking movements with a concomitant increase in the number of effective sites, an increase in the distal representation, and the representation of multijoint synergies. In this study we used intracortical microstimulation in anesthetized cats to examine how forelimb motor experiences influence development of map characteristics. To promote skilled movements during wks 8–13, animals were engaged in daily performance of a prehension task. Forelimb movements were prevented by intramuscular botulinum toxin injection or restraint. To determine whether experience-dependent changes were permanent, we examined the map in different animals between 1 wk and 1 yr after cessation of testing. Promoting forelimb use resulted in an increase in the number of sites from which multiple joint effects were produced by stimulation and the number of joints represented at those sites. The effect was maximal at 1 wk after cessation of testing, and became progressively less at 1 mo and at 4 mo. Preventing limb use resulted in a decreased number of effective sites, an increase in current thresholds for evoking responses, and a decreased representation of joints at multijoint sites. Our findings show that the motor map can respond to novel motor demands as it is forming during development but that it reverts back to one with the properties of a map in a control animal if those demands are not maintained in the animal's behavioral repertoire.
Efficiency and Choquet boundaries in separated locally convex spaces
Authors: Postolică Vasile
Published: December 2004

This research paper is devoted to the study of the properties for
Pareto‐type efficient point sets in separated locally convex
spaces, based upon an earlier result on the
coincidence of Pareto‐type efficient point sets and the Choquet
boundaries and the natural corresponding extension for the
approximate efficient point sets in Hausdorff locally convex
spaces. Both of these results represent an important connection
between two great fields of mathematics: vector optimization and
potential theory.
A note on resonant frequencies for a system of elastic wave equations
Authors: Cortés-Vega Luis A.
Published: December 2004

We present a rather simple proof of the existence of resonant
frequencies for the direct scattering problem associated to a
system of elastic wave equations with Dirichlet boundary
condition. Our approach follows techniques similar to those in
Cortés‐Vega (2003). The proposed technique relies on a
stationary approach of resonant frequencies, that is, the poles of
the analytic continuation of the solution.
Refinement equations for generalized translations
Authors: Lang W. Christopher
Published: December 2004

We study refinement equations which relate the dilation of a
function with generalized translates of the function, consisting
of convolutions against certain kernels including Cauchy and
Gaussian densities; solutions are expressed in terms of solutions
of the corresponding refinement equation involving ordinary
translation.
Anthocyanin Concentration of “Assaria” Pomegranate Fruits During Different Cold Storage Conditions
Authors: Miguel Graça , Fontes Catarina , Antunes Dulce , Neves Alcinda , Martins Denise
Published: December 2004

The concentration of anthocyanins in fruits of “Assaria” pomegranate, a sweet Portuguese cultivar typically grown in Algarve (south Portugal), was monitored during storage under different conditions. The fruits were exposed to cold storage (5∘C) after the following treatments: spraying with wax; spraying with 1.5% CaCl 2; spraying with wax and 1.5% CaCl 2; covering boxes with 25 μc thickness low‐density polyethylene film. Untreated fruits were used as a control. The anthocyanin levels were quantified by either comparison with an external standard of cyanidin 3‐rutinoside (based on the peak area) or individual calculation from the peak areas based on standard curves of each anthocyanin type. The storage time as well as the fruit treatment prior to storage influenced total anthocyanin content. The highest levels were observed at the end of the first month of storage, except for the fruits treated with CaCl 2, where the maximal values were achieved at the end of the second month. The anthocyanin quantification method influenced the final result. When total anthocyanin was calculated as a sum of individual pigments quantified based on standard curves of each anthocyanin type, lower values were obtained.
Effect of Grape Seed Extract and Quercetin on Cardiovascular and Endothelial Parameters in High‐Risk Subjects
Authors: Clifton Peter M.
Published: December 2004

Grape seed extract (GSE) has in vitro antioxidant activity but whether or not it works in vivo is not clear. In a fully randomised, crossover trial with 4‐week treatment periods on 36 men and women with above‐average vascular risk, we aimed to demonstrate that 2 g/day of GSE (1 g of polyphenols) alone, or with 1 g/day of added quercetin in yoghurt, favourably alters vascular function, endothelial function, and degree of oxidative damage in comparison to a control yoghurt. GSE alone improved flow‐mediated dilatation determined ultrasonically by an absolute 1.1% compared with control. There was no effect of the combination of GSE with quercetin. No other blood or urine measure was altered. Thus sufficient polyphenols from GSE appear to be absorbed to influence endothelial nitric oxide production, and GSE has the potential to favourably influence vascular function.
Urinary Excretion of Cyanidin Glucosides and Glucuronides in Healthy Humans After Elderberry Juice Ingestion
Authors: Bitsch Roland , Netzel Michael , Sonntag Susanne , Strass Gabriele , Frank Thomas , Bitsch Irmgard
Published: December 2004

In a pilot study with 6 females and 1 male, the metabolism of various cyanidin glucosides after oral administration of elderberry juice was investigated. The anthocyanin metabolites were detected in urinary excretion. After ingestion of a bolus quantity of 3.57 g total anthocyanins in a 150 mL elderberry juice concentrate, 0.053% of the administered dose was excreted in urine as glucosidically bound cyanidins within the first 5 hours. Only 0.003% of the ingested anthocyanin glucosides was excreted as cyanidin glucuronide, suggesting that this conversion step might be of minor importance in urinary excretion.
Damages in Islamic Law: Maghribī Muftīs and the Built Environment (9th-15th Centuries C.E.)
Authors: Kahera Akel , Benmira Omar
Published: December 2004

The Mālikī jurists of the Maghrib, or Islamic West, applied the ḥadīth, “no harm shall be inflicted [on anyone] or reciprocated [against anyone]” (lā ḍarar wa-lā ḍirār fī-l-Islām ). This axiom called for the exercise of the muftī's independent reasoning (ijtihād) in matters that were not explicitly clear from the text (naṣṣ) of the Qurʾāan or sunnah. Mālikī jurists used this axiom, which was open to various interpretations, as a basis for rendering legal opinions (fatāwā) in domestic conflicts arising from infractions relating to the socio-spatial world.
Islamic Values, Law and Expectations in Contemporary Indonesia
Authors: Federspiel Howard
Published: December 2004

In this essay I survey the wide variety of views manifested by Indonesians regarding Islamic values and law. Within government circles, the security conscious “guardian group” bars political Islam but regards worship as benign, while the Ministry of Religious Affairs has adopted an accommodationist stance which promotes Muslim community values outside of politics. Outside of government, non-Muslims and nominal Muslims are chary of Islamic values and attempts to institute Islamic law, while Muslim groups express a strong desire to have Islamic norms operate for the betterment of society and to fulfill Qurʿanic admonitions about such matters. Some Muslim groups call for greater attention by individuals to Islamic teachings, while others call for the establishment of sacred law in society. Most Muslim groups want the Indonesian state to identify with Islam, but, at the same time, many approve of the current national policies regarding inter-communal harmony and the emphasis on modernity.
Global Networks and the Effects on Culture
Authors: Galloway Alexander R.
Published: December 2004

This analysis aims to derive general principles for under-standing the information age through an examination of the global computer networks that facilitate it. Computer networks are created via shared technical standards called protocols. These protocols exhibit several key characteristics, including openness, flexibility, robustness, and voluntary adoption. While computer networks such as the Internet were originally invented to avoid specific social and political threats during the height of the cold war, today networks suffer from a host of new vulnerabilities. Computer viruses provide a case study for understanding these new vulnerabilities and the future political challenges posed by networks of all kinds.
Organizing Technologies: Genre Forms of Online Civic Association in Eastern Europe
Authors: Vedres Balázs , Bruszt László , Stark David
Published: December 2004

How do civic associations in Eastern Europe organize themselves online? Based on data collected on 1,585 East European civil society Web sites, the authors identify five emergent genres of organizing technologies: newsletters, interactive platforms, multilingual solicitations, directories, and brochures. These clusters do not correspond to stages of development. Moreover, newer Web sitesare morelikely to be typical of their genre,suggesting that forms are becoming more distinctive. In contrast to the utopian image of a de-territorialized, participatory global civil society, the authors’ examination of the structure of hyperlinks finds that transnational types of Web sites are not inclined to be participatory. Whereas other paradigms focus on inequality of users’ online access, the authors probe inequality in the accessibility of Web sites to potential users through search engine technology and show how this varies across different types of civil society Web sites.
Birth Parents in Adoption
Authors: Wiley Mary O’Leary , Baden Amanda L.
Published: December 2004

This article addresses birth parents in the adoption triad by reviewing and integrating both the clinical and empirical literature from a number of professional disciplines with practice case studies. This review includes literature on the decision to relinquish one’s child for adoption, the early postrelinquishment period, and the effects throughout the lifespan on birth parents. Clinical symptoms for birth parents include unresolved grief, isolation, difficulty with future relationships, and trauma. Some recent research has found that some birth mothers who relinquish tend to fare comparably to those who do not relinquish on external criteria of well-being (e.g., high school graduation rates). However, there appear to be serious long-term psychological consequences of relinquishment. Limitations of the current literature are presented, and recommendations for practice and research are offered.
Why Do Fear and Anger Look the Way They Do? Form and Social Function in Facial Expressions
Authors: Marsh Abigail A. , Adams Reginald B. , Kleck Robert E.
Published: December 2004

The origins of the appearances of anger and fear facial expressions are not well understood. The authors tested the hypothesis that such origins might lie in the expressions’ resemblance to, respectively, mature and babyish faces in three studies. In Study 1, faces expressing anger and fear were judged to physically resemble mature and babyish faces. Study 2 indicated that characteristics associated specifically with babyishness are attributed to persons showing fear, whereas characteristics associated with maturity are attributed to persons showing anger. In Study 3, composite faces were used to minimize the possibility that the attributions were based on associations to the anger and fear emotions alone rather than to the physical resemblance of the expressions to static facial appearance cues. These results suggest that fear and anger expressions may serve socially adaptive purposes for those who show them, similar to the social adaptations associated with a babyish or mature facial appearance.
Stereotype Content Model Explains Prejudice for an Envied Outgroup: Scale of Anti-Asian American Stereotypes
Authors: Lin Monica H. , Kwan Virginia S. Y. , Cheung Anna , Fiske Susan T.
Published: December 2004

The Stereotype Content Model hypothesizes anti-Asian American stereotypes differentiating two dimensions: (excessive) competence and (deficient) sociability. The Scale of Anti-Asian American Stereotypes (SAAAS) shows this envious mixed prejudice in six studies. Study 1 began with 131 racial attitude items. Studies 2 and 3 tested 684 respondents on a focused 25-item version. Studies 4 and 5 tested the final 25-item SAAAS on 222 respondents at three campuses; scores predicted outgroup friendships, cultural experiences, and (over)estimated campus presence. Study 6 showed that allegedly low sociability, rather than excessively high competence, drives rejection of Asian Americans, consistent with system justification theory. The SAAAS demonstrates mixed, envious anti-Asian American prejudice, contrasting with more-often-studied contemptuous racial prejudices (i.e., against Blacks).
On the Margins of Everything: Doing, Performing, and Staging Science in Homeopathy
Authors: Degele Nina
Published: December 2004

Although it seems scientifically implausible, holistically oriented forms of alternative and complementary medicine (ACM) have become popular over the past few years. Homeopathy is considered to be one of the most widespread, heterogeneous, and controversial of these therapies. Science works as a generator of professional identity in such groups of medical outsiders. This article is based on extensive research on homeopathic communities conducted over several years. It will outline social conditions of homeopathic knowledge and treatment as opposed to scientific standards and will shed some light on homeopathyas affected by science onthree levels: homeopathicresearch, education, and everyday work. Since the area of medical science and research affects homeopathic practice but not vice versa, this article will also highlight the challenge of “doing science” in a still marginalized field.
The Bourgeois Family in Nineteenth-Century Spain: Private Lives, Gender Roles, and a New Socioeconomic Model
Authors: Urdáñez Gracia Gómez
Published: December 2004

The aim of this article is to study the bourgeois family in liberal Spain. It contains an analysis of aspects such as the concept of family transmitted by liberalism; the relation between public and private life; and the different roles attributed to men and women in the family, in society, and in the economy. A unique insight into these phenomena can be gained from the author’s main research source, the private archives of the Olózagas, an important bourgeois family in the historical context of the establishment of liberalism in Spain. Revealing conclusions can be drawn from an analysis of these private records about the liberal conception of the family, the significance it acquired, the new moral values extolled by the bourgeoisie, and the objectives sought with the implantation in society of this model of the family.
The Ethics of Respect in Nursing
Authors: Milton Constance L.
Published: December 2004

The term respect is pervasive in biomedical ethical literature and in all disciplines. It is a concept used to connote dignity, reverence, and regard. To demonstrate respect implies actions of doing what is good. When viewed in the context of nursing research, practice, and education, questions abound as to how respect is offered to others. The author of this column examines and offers possible definitions for the term respect and provides possible implications for leadership in nursing from a nursing theoretical perspective.
The Well-Being Picture Scale: A Revision of the Index of Field Energy
Authors: Gueldner Sarah Hall , Michel Yvonne , Bramlett Martha Hains , Liu Chin-Fang , Johnston Linda W. , Endo Emiko , Minegishi Hideko , Carlyle Mable Searcy
Published: December 2004

This paper reports the development and psychometric properties of the Well-Being Picture Scale, a 10-item non-language based pictorial scale that measures general well-being, based on Martha Rogers’view of human beings as energy fields in continual mutual process with their environment. The Well-Being Picture Scale was designed for use with the broadest possible range of adult populations, including persons who are unable to respond to English-based text or lengthy, complex measurement instruments. Psychometric properties were established in a sample of more than 2,000 individuals from the United States, Taiwan, Japan, and Africa. The overall Cronbach’s alpha is .8795.
Corporate Repeat Investment and Regional Institutional Capacity
Authors: Fuller Crispian
Published: December 2004

This paper examines the role of after-care services in the corporate ‘repeat-investment’ process at foreign-owned establishments (FOEs) in Wales - a region of the UK which has attracted a significant number of inward investors. With the growing importance of repeat investment in peripheral regions, development agencies increasingly seek to support foreign production establishments with ‘after-care services’, such as supply-chain initiatives and lobbying corporate HQs. In this paper the corporate processes that influence the role and importance of regional after-care services are examined. Building upon an understanding of multinational enterprises as differentiated entities, the analysis centres on the repeat-investment process at two FOEs where after-care was important, and two FOEs where it was irrelevant. A heterogeneous range of corporate processes which are mostly beyond the authority of FOEs are found to influence the importance of after-care services. Such processes are related to the wider corporate context in which production establishments operate, suggesting that regions are being tied into important scalar processes of institutionalization with corporate processes functioning at much broader socio-spatial scales. This raises important questions about the extent to which regions can influence corporate processes, given their multi-scalar nature, and suggests that there should be greater emphasis on the broader political economy in which regions are embedded, one aspect of which is the (asymmetrical) power relations between regional development agencies and multinational enterprises.
Cardiovascular Late Effects
Authors: Greving Dawn M. , Santacroce Sheila Judge
Published: December 2004

This integrative literature review focuses on (1) the spectrum of cardiovascular late effects; (2) the factors that can influence the development of cardiovascular late effects; and (3) the role of the pediatric oncology nurse in minimizing the risks of cardiovascular late effects and associated disabilities in childhood cancer survivorship. The results showed that survivors who have been treated with radiation therapy, especially when the field includes the heart or the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA), and specific chemotherapies are at increased risk for developing particular cardiovascular risk factors and/or cardiovascular disease. Younger age at diagnosis, longer time since treatment, and family history of early heart disease can further heighten the risks. The role of pediatric oncology nurses in the promotion of cardiovascular health for children with cancer across the illness trajectory is discussed.
Neuroepidemiologic Trends in 105 US Cases of Pediatric Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome
Authors: Tate Elizabeth D. , Allison Tyler J. , Pranzate Michael R. , Verhu Steven J.
Published: December 2004

Opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) is a rare, autoimmune neurological disorder that is poorly recognized and undertreated. Neuroblastoma is found in one half of the cases. Because of the high incidence of spontaneous regression of neuroblastoma, it is unknown whether not finding a tumor means there was none. To define demographic trends and the standard of care in the first large series of OMS, 105 children were recruited over a 13-year period in a retrospective questionnaire survey. Children with and without a tumor differed little in viral-like prodrome and neurological symptoms. Earliest neurological symptoms were staggering and falling, leading to a misdiagnosis of acute cerebellitis. Later symptoms included body jerks, drooling, refusal to walk or sit, speech problems, decreased muscle tone, opsoclonus, and inability to sleep. Tumor resection alone did not provide adequate therapy for most. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), prednisone, and intravenous immunoglobulin were used with equal frequency, but ACTH was associated with the best early response. More than one half of the children had relapses. Residual behavioral, language, and cognitive problems occurred in the majority. The delay in diagnosis (11 weeks) and initiation of treatment (17 weeks) is unacceptably long.
Using Critical Ethnography to Explore Issues in Health Promotion
Authors: Cook Kay E.
Published: December 2004

In this article, the author outlines the need for a critical research method in the field of health promotion to explore the determinants of health. These determinants, including healthy child development, employment and working conditions, and education, for example, underlie many of the health issues that individuals experience. They are, in turn, influenced by nebulous factors such as patterns of inequality, and cultural norms, which are difficult to research using conventional methodologies. The author provides an overview of critical ethnography as a method for health promotion research. She describes specific data collection and analysis techniques, with the addition of critical discourse analysis to add scope to ethnographic findings. She concludes with an overview of the congruence between critical ethnography and health promotion research, including a discussion of the differences between critical ethnography and participatory action research.