bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy of highly compensated CuGaSe2
Authors: Siebentritt Susanne , Papathanasiou Niklas , Lux‐Steiner Martha
Published: October 2005

The photoluminescence excitation spectra are presented of weakly and highly compensated CuGaSe2, grown under Cu‐excess and under Cu‐deficiency, respectively. An overlap is observed between the photoluminescence and the excitation spectrum in the Cu‐poor material, indicating fluctuating potentials due to high compensation, whereas no overlap is observed in material grown under Cu‐excess, indicating flat bands. The photoluminescence excitation spectra can be used as measure for the absorption spectrum in the case of flat bands, but not in the case fluctuating potentials, where different emission energies probe different depths of the fluctuations. Methods for the determination of the fluctuation amplitude from the photoluminescence and the excitation spectra are discussed. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Four case studies to highlight some opportunities and challenges in developing anti‐bacterial and anti‐fungal agents
Authors: Chuang‐Stein Christy , Heft Samuel , Koury Kenneth
Published: October 2005

Since the first properly randomized control trial of streptomycin for pulmonary tuberculosis in the late 1940s, society has made great advances in combating bacterial infections and in developing vaccines to prevent such infections. One constant challenge that anti‐bacterial clinical development must grapple with is to determine the potential benefit of newer agents over existing agents, in an era when anti‐bacterial resistance is a constantly shifting target. By contrast, the development of anti‐fungal agents went into high gear only in the late 1980s and early 1990s in an effort to manage fungal infections in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, especially in patients with haematologic malignancies, bone marrow transplantation, or lymphoma. The pursuit of anti‐fungal agents intensified with the AIDS epidemic. The evaluation of anti‐fungal agents often faces complications brought on by competing risks in situations where the underlying infections are associated with a high chance of mortality or severe morbidity.

In this paper, we use four case studies to illustrate some of the challenges and opportunities in developing anti‐bacterial and anti‐fungal agents. The illustrations touch on not only statistical issues, but also issues related to the availability of new anti‐bacterials in the future. Some suggestions on how statisticians could take advantage of the opportunities and answer to the challenges are also included. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploiting design patterns to automate validation of class invariants
Authors: Malloy Brian A. , Power James F.
Published: October 2005

In this paper, techniques are presented that exploit two design patterns, the Visitor pattern and the Decorator pattern, to validate invariants about the data attributes in a C++ class automatically. To investigate the pragmatics involved in using the two patterns, a study of an existing, well‐tested application, keystone, a parser and front‐end for the C++ language, is presented. Results from the study indicate that these two patterns provide flexibility in terms of the frequency and level of granularity of validation of the class invariants, which are expressed in the Object Constraint Language (OCL). The quantitative results measure the impact of these approaches and the additional faults uncovered through validation of the case study. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Temporal Soft Tissue Glioneuronal Heterotopia in a Child with a Seizure Disorder: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Ozolek John A. , Losee Joseph E. , Lopes Thelma C. , Galambos Csaba
Published: October 2005

Tissue and cellular elements generally attributed to the central nervous system (CNS) are infrequently found in areas outside the CNS proper. Most of these lesions contain predominantly glial tissue. In rare instances, heterotopic CNS tissue is found in the scalp, many associated with an intracranial connection and overlying skin and hair anomalies. In follow-up of these patients, development is normal. We present a case of a temporal scalp mass in a 19-month-old girl with a seizure disorder beginning at about age 1 year. At the time of excision, the mass was not associated with intracranial connection or overlying cutaneous abnormalities and demonstrated abundant neuronal and glial elements with features of dysplastic CNS tissue. We speculate that, in certain circumstances, aberrantly localized CNS tissue may be related to abnormal CNS development.
Three-Dimensional Reconstruction and Morphologic Measurements of Human Embryonic Hearts: A New Diagnostic and Quantitative Method Applicable to Fetuses Younger than 13 Weeks of Gestation
Authors: Schleich Jean-Marc , Dillenseger Jean-Louis , Loeuillet Laurence , Moulinoux Jacques-Philippe , Almange Claude
Published: October 2005

Improvements in the diagnosis of congenital malformations explain the increasing early termination of pregnancies. Before 13 weeks of gestation, an accurate in vivo anatomic diagnosis cannot currently be made in all fetuses with current imaging instrumentation. Anatomopathologic examinations remain the gold standard to make accurate diagnoses, although they reach limits between 9 and 13 weeks of gestation. We present the first results of a methodology that can be applied routinely, using standard histologic section, thus enabling the reconstruction, visual estimate, and quantitative analysis of 13-week human embryonic cardiac structures. The cardiac blocks were fixed, embedded in paraffin, and entirely sliced by a microtome. One of 10 slices was topographically colored and digitized on an optical microscope. Cardiac volume was recovered by semiautomatic realignment of the sections. Another semiautomatic procedure allowed extracting and labeling of cardiac structures from the volume. Structures were studied with display tools, which disclosed the internal and external cardiac components and enabled determination of size, thickness, and precise positioning of ventricles, atria, and large vessels. This pilot study confirmed that a new 3-dimensional reconstruction and visualization method enables accurate diagnoses, including in embryos younger than 13 weeks. Its implementation at earlier stages of embryogenesis will provide a clearer view of cardiac development.
Lymphatics in the Alimentary Tract of Children in Health and Disease: Study on Mucosal Biopsies Using the Monoclonal Antibody D2-40
Authors: Zeng Yiping , Wang Fenghua , Williams Elizabeth D. , Chow Chung Wo
Published: October 2005

Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia and intestinal lymphatic hypoplasia are 2 causes of protein-losing enteropathy in children and share many common clinical features. For the diagnosis of lymphatic hypoplasia on endoscopic biopsies of the intestine, i.e., based on a negative finding in a small specimen, a very sensitive and specific method for identifying lymphatics is essential. In the present study, lymphatic vessels were labelled using D2-40 immunostaining in mucosal biopsy specimens of the alimentary tract of children in whom no histologic abnormality was noted and of those who had different relatively common pediatric conditions, including inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. Using this method, lymphatic vessels were well visualized even in young infants and not destroyed by diseases. The presence of the muscularis mucosae in specimens was important for adequate assessment. In the duodenum and esophagus, lymphatics were observed in every single section; in the stomach, ileum, and colon, they were less regular and several sections were sometimes required. The extreme sensitivity of this method for demonstrating lymphatic vessels in the duodenum makes it ideal for the histologic diagnosis of intestinal lymphatic hypoplasia. In 4 patients who were considered to have this diagnosis based on clinical features, full-thickness intestinal biopsies and electron microscopy, D2-40 immunostaining confirmed the absence or marked paucity of lymphatics.
Sudden Death in a Neonate with Idiopathic Eosinophilic Endomyocarditis
Authors: Krous Henry F. , Haas Elisabeth , Chadwick Amy E. , Wagner Glenn N.
Published: October 2005

A 26-day-old male infant who had been fussy and feeding poorly for a period of several hours died suddenly despite efforts at resuscitation. Postmortem examination revealed eosinophilic endomyocarditis unassociated with disease in other organs. The etiology remained unexplained after review of the medical and family histories and circumstances of death, extensive light and immunofluorescence microscopies, and microbiological, metabolic, and toxicologic testing. This appears to be the youngest reported case of eosinophilic endomyocarditis, a disorder that typically occurs in middle-age males and is often associated with benign or malignant hypereosinophilic conditions. The medical literature is reviewed.
HER2 Amplification and Overexpression Is Not Present in Pediatric Osteosarcoma: A Tissue Microarray Study
Authors: Somers Gino R. , Ho Michael , Zielenska Maria , Squire Jeremy A. , Thorner Paul S.
Published: October 2005

The HER2 gene, located on 17q, encodes a 185-kD transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor. Amplification of this gene with overexpression of the gene product occurs in about 30% of cases of breast cancer and is considered to be a poor prognostic indicator for this tumor. Results for HER2 expression in osteosarcoma are controversial, with some studies reporting up to 61% of positive cases and others reporting only negative results. Further, expression of HER2 is reported to be a favorable prognostic indicator by some groups and unfavorable by others. The present study used tissue microarrays containing 34 samples of osteosarcoma from 18 patients to analyze HER2 expression by immunohistochemistry and gene copy number by chromogenic in situ hybridization. The microarray included 13 pretreatment biopsies, 11 posttreatment resection specimens, and 10 resected metastases and comprised 18 osteoblastic, 6 chondroblastic, 5 fibroblastic, and 5 mixed subtypes. HER2 protein expression was seen in 4 of 34 (12%) tumor samples that originated from 2 of 18 patients (11%). The staining pattern was consistently weak and focal, and immunohistochemical overexpression of the HER2 protein, defined as complete membrane positivity, was never observed. Further, the presence of HER2 gene amplification was not detected in any osteosarcoma by chromogenic in situ hybridization. Therefore, therapies based on antibodies directed against the HER2 protein are unlikely to have much value in the treatment of pediatric osteosarcomas. From a technical standpoint, this study also demonstrates the value of tissue micro-arrays in screening tumors at the protein and gene levels using conventional light microscopy.
Adenomyomatosis of the Gallbladder in Childhood: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature
Authors: Zani Augusto , Pacilli Maurizio , Conforti Andrea , Casati Alessandra , Bosco Sandro , Cozzi Denis Andrew
Published: October 2005

Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder is considered an acquired pathologic condition that affects adults, with only 2 cases previously described in childhood. We report on a 5-year-old boy with incidental detection of this lesion by ultrasonography. Pathologic and clinical assessments are discussed in addition to treatment decision-making, including current insights into the relation between adenomyomatosis and malignancy of the gallbladder. The liberal use of ultrasonography in children with abdominal pain may result in detection of an increasing number of asymptomatic patients. Care-givers should be aware of this condition and its therapeutic implications in the pediatric population.
Complementary and alternative medicine in obstetrics
Authors: Anderson F.W.J. , Johnson C.T.
Published: October 2005

Objective

To identify, survey and review randomized controlled studies of the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for obstetric treatment or health promotion.

Methods

The MEDLINE database was searched to identify randomized controlled trials of CAM treatment and therapies in obstetrics. Studies examining modalities for treatment or improvement of health status were reviewed.

Results

Fifty‐four articles assessing a variety of health modalities met the criteria for inclusion. Acupressure and ginger for prenatal nausea and vomiting, moxibustion for version of breech presentation, sterile water injections for back pain relief in labor, and perineal massage to prevent perineal trauma have three or more studies demonstrating beneficial effect. Other interventions have been studied less, and evidence for them is limited.

Conclusions

Some CAM interventions have evidence of effectiveness for use in obstetric patients, while others require further investigation before they can be considered for use in practice.
Uterine artery ligation for management of uterine fibroids
Authors: Akinola O.I. , Fabamwo A.O. , Ottun A.T. , Akinniyi O.A.
Published: October 2005

Objective

To determine the efficacy of uterine artery ligation by the vaginal route for the management of symptomatic uterine fibroids. A pilot study had suggested that the procedure was effective.

Methods

After bilateral uterine artery ligation, ultrasonic measurements of uterine and fibroid volumes were determined at 6 and 12 months in 21 women (age, 31–49 years) with symptomatic fibroids. The severity of symptoms was assessed preoperatively and postoperatively.

Results

Mean uterine and fibroid volumes were significantly reduced at 6 and 12 months. A consistent pattern of decreased duration of menstrual blood flow was recorded. All participants who completed follow‐up expressed satisfaction with treatment outcome.

Conclusion

The procedure was found to be a safe, inexpensive, and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids.
The detection of shared and ancestral polymorphisms
Authors: CHARLESWORTH BRIAN , BARTOLOMÉ CAROLINA , NOËL VÉRONIQUE
Published: October 2005

There is increasing evidence that closely related species contain many polymorphisms that were present in their common ancestral species. Use of a more distant relative as an outgroup increases the ability to detect such ancestral polymorphisms. We describe a method for further improving estimates of the fraction of polymorphisms that are ancestral, and illustrate this with reference to data on Drosophila pseudoobscura and D. miranda. We also derive formulae for the proportion of fixations arising from ancestral polymorphisms and new mutations, respectively. The results should be useful for tests of selection based on the levels of expected and observed ancestral polymorphisms.
assessing the status of demersal elasmobranchs in uk waters: a review
Authors: ellis j.r. , dulvy n.k. , jennings s. , parker-humphreys m. , rogers s.i.
Published: October 2005

elasmobranch fish are susceptible to over-exploitation by commercial and recreational fisheries and an increasing focus of conservation initiatives. the lack of accurate species-specific landings data in many european fisheries and the paucity of biological data have restricted the types of stock assessment that can be undertaken. hence, other methods of determining the overall status of elasmobranch fish are required. for demersal elasmobranchs around the british isles, the most widely available biological data describe life histories and abundance from fishery-independent surveys. here, we examine the length-distribution of demersal elasmobranchs caught during groundfish surveys, to determine which life history stages are sampled effectively. for these stages, we report trends in abundance and relate the trends to knowledge of the species' biology and fisheries, and to the decline criteria that are used to assess species' status by nature conservation agencies. the analyses show that many large demersal elasmobranchs have been severely depleted in uk waters but that groundfish surveys still provide a good source of data for monitoring changes in status of the more abundant species. for rare and highly depleted species, groundfish surveys often provide good retrospective descriptions of declines, but the surveys have limited power to detect recent changes in status.
refuging behaviour in the nursehound scyliorhinus stellaris (chondrichthyes: elasmobranchii): preliminary evidence from acoustic telemetry
Authors: sims d.w. , southall e.j. , wearmouth v.j. , hutchinson n. , budd g.c. , morritt d.
Published: October 2005

the tendency for marine fish to refuge in natural and artificial structures underwater is well documented, but the incidence of this behaviour among predatory sharks is not widely known. a sub-adult male nursehound scyliorhinus stellaris was tracked by intermittent acoustic telemetry over 168 days in a tidal sea lough. this individual, in-between undertaking nocturnal foraging excursions, refuged in at least five different narrow-entrance holes. refuge location was validated by underwater and surface observations during which time other nursehounds (sub-adult male and female), were also seen refuging, sometimes together. this indicates nursehound display philopatric behaviour centred on aggregation in ‘home’ refuges that, in this case, were labyrinthine rock systems.
a hermaphroditic port jackson shark, heterodontus portusjacksoni, with complete and separate female and male reproductive tracts
Authors: jones a.a. , white w.t. , potter i.c.
Published: October 2005

one of 353 port jackson sharks, heterodontus portusjacksoni, caught off the southern coast of western australia, was a hermaphrodite. the female reproductive tract consisted of a large (functional) right ovary with three large yolked ova, a small non-functional left ovary and two well-developed uteri and oviducal glands. the male tract comprised two conspicuous but undeveloped testes, two vas deferens and two calcified claspers with grooves. this individual represents the first published example of hermaphroditism in the order heterodontiformes and is a rare example of an elasmobranch with a complete suite of both male and female reproductive structures.
reproductive biology of centrophorus cf. uyato from the cayman trench, jamaica
Authors: mclaughlin donna m. , morrissey john f.
Published: October 2005

the taxonomy of the genus centrophorus (squaliformes: squalidae) is currently in a great deal of uncertainty. the characteristics of the species subject to the present study most closely resemble those of centrophorus uyato, hence the use of centrophorus cf. uyato, though the species in question may be a species of centrophorus that has not been described previously. specimens were obtained via vertical and horizontal longline at depths of 250–913 m. the reproductive biology of 51 female and 8 male centrophorus cf. uyato were examined. this species is sexually dimorphic, with females attaining a larger size than males. the smallest mature male was 81.2 cm total length whereas the smallest mature female was 91.5 cm total length. females are aplacentally viviparous, with the pups acquiring nutrition via large external yolk sacs, and there was a maximum of two pups per litter. oocytes continued to develop throughout gestation. most females carrying developing embryos had two large (>3.3 cm), equally developed ovarian oocytes, which leads us to believe that they ovulate soon after parturition. this species seems to exhibit complete sexual segregation during the non-breeding season, with mature males absent from the study site during summer months. centrophorus cf. uyato may have one of the lowest fecundities among sharks, giving birth to a maximum of two pups every three years. all species in genus centrophorus have small litters (<6) making them vulnerable to over-exploitation.
reproductive biology and seasonal distribution of mustelus schmitti (elasmobranchii: triakidae) in the rio de la plata oceanic front, south-western atlantic
Authors: oddone maría cristina , paesch laura , norbis walter
Published: October 2005

the population structure and reproductive biology of mustelus schmitti was analysed during autumn (1994, 1995) and spring (1994) in the rio de la plata oceanic front. the samples consisted mainly of adult males and immature females, indicating that nursery areas are situated elsewhere. in autumn, the highest female densities occurred between 36°s and 35°s, with densities decreasing further south, and high male densities occurred over all latitudes of the study area. in spring, both sexes occurred north of latitude 36°30′s. males attained maturity at 59 cm total length (tl), and females at 72 cm tl. litter size varied from one to ten in spring and two to nine in autumn, with embryos ranging from 9 to 26 cm and 7 to 26 cm tl respectively. the mean tl of embryos was significantly higher in spring (22 cm), suggesting that parturition occurs in late spring and summer. litter size was found to increase with female tl.
long-term changes in size–depth distributions of urophycis tenuis white hake in the southern gulf of st lawrence and cabot strait
Authors: herder erin c. , methven david a. , r. hurlbut thomas
Published: October 2005

the body length–water depth distribution of urophycis tenuis white hake (pisces, gadidae) in the southern gulf of st lawrence (1971–1975, 1981–1985, 1991–1995 and 2001–2002) and cabot strait (1994–1997) was examined. contrary to expectation, linear regression analyses indicated 13 of 17 years had negative slopes with larger fish being found in shallower water. length–depth relationships were statistically significant for five of 17 years (negative slopes: 1971, 1972, 1975, 1981; positive slope: 2002). regression slopes generally increased from 1971 to 2002 indicating the length–depth relationship changed from negative in the early 1970s and 1980s, to negative and positive in the early 1990s, and finally to positive in 2001–2002. in the cabot strait, a significant positive relationship was observed for fish length and water depth indicating large u. tenuis generally occurred in deeper water. we propose that slopes of the length–depth relationship became positive in the 1990s and early 2000s due to the loss of large u. tenuis taken in a seasonal fishery in the southern gulf of st lawrence that targeted highly aggregated spawning and post-spawning shoals of fish in shallow water during summer.
scanning electron microscopy of the peripheral olfactory organ in small and large juvenile apogon cyanosoma (apogonidae: teleostei)
Authors: arvedlund michael , takemura akihiro
Published: October 2005

the olfactory organ in small and large juveniles of the tropical yellowstriped reef cardinalfish apogon cyanosoma, collected from the wild (total length [tl] range=17–32 mm, mean=25 mm) was examined by scanning electron microscopy. the olfactory organ consisted of two bilaterally radial rosettes in each fish. they were oval-shaped, located medioventrally, one in each of the olfactory chambers. in small juvenile a. cyanosoma the rosette comprised six lamellae, three on each side of a midline raphe while large juveniles had eight lamellae, four on each side. the lamellae had a continuous cover of cilia, except for the margins. in small juvenile a. cyanosoma (tl mean=24.3 mm) only microvilli were observed, whereas both microvilli and a few cilia, presumably from olfactory receptor neurons, were observed in large juvenile a. cyanosoma (tl mean=32 mm).
distribution and abundance of sardine (sardina pilchardus) eggs in the english channel from continuous plankton recorder sampling, 1958–1980
Authors: coombs s.h. , halliday n.c. , southward a.j. , hawkins s.j.
Published: October 2005

continuous plankton recorder (cpr) samples from the english channel and adjacent celtic shelf, taken over the period 1958–1980, were analysed for sardine (sardina pilchardus) eggs. results showed the progression of sardine spawning along the english channel from west to east from march to august and a return from east to west from september to november. this corresponds with the two seasonal peaks of sardine egg abundance in the western channel: the main summer peak being in may/june, with a smaller autumn peak in october/november. long-term changes in sardine egg abundance in cpr samples showed a decline in summer spawning from the late 1960s, but no clear trend in autumn-spawned egg abundance. similar patterns were observed in the numbers of sardine eggs sampled by conventional plankton net tows at the time-series station l5 off plymouth. this supports the use of the longer time-series of sardine egg data at l5 as being representative of a wider area and emphasizes the importance in continuation of the l5 time-series.
fish–macrofauna interactions in a kelp (laminaria hyperborea) forest
Authors: norderhaug k.m. , christie h. , fosså j.h. , fredriksen s.
Published: October 2005

predator–prey interactions between fish and macrofauna in kelp (laminaria hyperboea) forest were examined. fish were caught in gill-nets and fish traps at two sites and throughout the diurnal cycle. their stomach contents were analysed. the most abundant fish species, except pollachius virens, were caught in larger numbers at night than during daytime. the examined fish fed throughout the diurnal cycle and kelp-associated fauna were found to be important prey. pollachius virens was caught in the same numbers throughout the diurnal cycle and contained mainly pelagic prey, in larger numbers during the day than at night. small labrids were specialists, feeding mainly on the two numerically dominant kelp-associated gastropods rissoa parva and lacuna vincta. the larger labrus bergylta, gadus morhua and myoxocephalus scorpius were generalists, feeding on a large range of kelp-associated invertebrates. some fish species showed preference for particular vertical levels when feeding in the kelp forest. the most mobile and/or the largest invertebrates were most heavily preyed upon.
Brain reserve and dementia: a systematic review
Authors: VALENZUELA MICHAEL J. , SACHDEV PERMINDER
Published: October 2005

Background. Behavioural brain reserve is a property of the central nervous system related to sustained and complex mental activity which can lead to differential expression of brain injury. Behavioural brain reserve has been assessed using autobiographical data such as education levels, occupational complexity and mentally stimulating lifestyle pursuits. So far there have been several epidemiological reports but no systematic review to put conflicting results into context. Our aim was to quantitatively review evidence for the effect of brain reserve on incident dementia.

Method. Cohort studies of the effects of education, occupation, premorbid IQ and mental activities on dementia risk were of interest. Abstracts were identified in MEDLINE (1966–September 2004), CURRENT CONTENTS (to September, 2004), PsychINFO (1984–September 2004), Cochrane Library Databases and reference lists from relevant articles. Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria. Key information was extracted by both reviewers onto a standard template with a high level of agreement. Studies were combined through a quantitative random-effects meta-analysis.

Results. Higher brain reserve was associated with a lowered risk for incident dementia (summary odds ratio, 0·54; 95% confidence interval, 0·49–0·59). This effect was found over a median of 7·1 years follow-up and resulted from integrating data across more than 29000 individuals. Notably, increased complex mental activity in late life was associated with lower dementia rates independent of other predictors; a dose–response relationship was also evident between extent of complex mental activities in late life and dementia risk.

Conclusions. This study demonstrates robust evidence that complex patterns of mental activity in the early, mid- and late-life stages is associated with a significant reduction in dementia incidence. Randomized control trials based on brain-reserve principles are now required.
moral heuristics
Authors: sunstein cass r.
Published: October 2005

with respect to questions of fact, people use heuristics – mental short-cuts, or rules of thumb, that generally work well, but that also lead to systematic errors. people use moral heuristics too – moral short-cuts, or rules of thumb, that lead to mistaken and even absurd moral judgments. these judgments are highly relevant not only to morality, but to law and politics as well. examples are given from a number of domains, including risk regulation, punishment, reproduction and sexuality, and the act/omission distinction. in all of these contexts, rapid, intuitive judgments make a great deal of sense, but sometimes produce moral mistakes that are replicated in law and policy. one implication is that moral assessments ought not to be made by appealing to intuitions about exotic cases and problems; those intuitions are particularly unlikely to be reliable. another implication is that some deeply held moral judgments are unsound if they are products of moral heuristics. the idea of error-prone heuristics is especially controversial in the moral domain, where agreement on the correct answer may be hard to elicit; but in many contexts, heuristics are at work and they do real damage. moral framing effects, including those in the context of obligations to future generations, are also discussed.
survival with an asymmetrical brain: advantages and disadvantages of cerebral lateralization
Authors: vallortigara giorgio , rogers lesley j.
Published: October 2005

recent evidence in natural and semi-natural settings has revealed a variety of left-right perceptual asymmetries among vertebrates. these include preferential use of the left or right visual hemifield during activities such as searching for food, agonistic responses, or escape from predators in animals as different as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. there are obvious disadvantages in showing such directional asymmetries because relevant stimuli may be located to the animal's left or right at random; there is no a priori association between the meaning of a stimulus (e.g., its being a predator or a food item) and its being located to the animal's left or right. moreover, other organisms (e.g., predators) could exploit the predictability of behavior that arises from population-level lateral biases. it might be argued that lateralization of function enhances cognitive capacity and efficiency of the brain, thus counteracting the ecological disadvantages of lateral biases in behavior. however, such an increase in brain efficiency could be obtained by each individual being lateralized without any need to align the direction of the asymmetry in the majority of the individuals of the population. here we argue that the alignment of the direction of behavioral asymmetries at the population level arises as an “evolutionarily stable strategy” under “social” pressures occurring when individually asymmetrical organisms must coordinate their behavior with the behavior of other asymmetrical organisms of the same or different species.
cognitivism, controversy, and moral heuristics
Authors: adler matthew d.
Published: October 2005

sunstein aims to provide a nonsectarian account of moral heuristics, yet the account rests on a controversial meta-ethical view. further, moral theorists who reject act consequentialism may deny that sunstein's examples involve moral mistakes. but so what? within a theory that counts consequences as a morally weighty feature of actions, the moral judgments that sunstein points to are indeed mistaken, and the fact that governmental action at odds with these judgments will be controversial doesn't bar such action.
partial reversal and the functions of lateralisation
Authors: andrew richard john
Published: October 2005

the use of lateralised cues by predators and fellows may not strongly affect lateralisation. conservatism of development is a possible source of consistency across vertebrates. individuals with partial reversal, affecting only one ability, or with varying degree of control of response by one hemisphere do exist. their incidence may depend on varying selection of behavioural phenotypes such as risk taking.
genes as primary determinants of population level lateralisation
Authors: concha miguel l.
Published: October 2005

vallortigara & rogers (v&r) propose a fundamental role of the environment in determining population-level lateralisation and suggest that genes play no primary function in this phenomenon. here i argue that genes involved in the coordination of visceral organ laterality and in coupling of different forms of lateralisation do play a role in the control of lateralisation within the population.
in the beginning: word or deed?
Authors: cowley stephen j.
Published: October 2005

emphasizing that agents gain from culture-based patterns, i consider the etiology of meaning. since the simulations show that “shared categories” are not based in learning, i challenge steels & belpaeme's (s&b's) folk view of language. instead, i stress that meaning uses indexicals to set off a replicator process. finally, i suggest that memetic patterns – not words – are the grounding of language.
neurobiology supports virtue theory on the role of heuristics in moral cognition
Authors: casebeer william d.
Published: October 2005

sunstein is right that poorly informed heuristics can influence moral judgment. his case could be strengthened by tightening neurobiologically plausible working definitions regarding what a heuristic is, considering a background moral theory that has more strength in wide reflective equilibrium than “weak consequentialism,” and systematically examining what naturalized virtue theory has to say about the role of heuristics in moral reasoning.
the trade-off between symmetry and asymmetry
Authors: corballis michael c.
Published: October 2005

population-level asymmetry may be maintained, not by an “evolutionarily stable strategy” pitting a dominant bias against its nondominant opposite, but rather by a genetically based system pitting a directional bias against the absence of any such bias. stability is then achieved through a heterozygotic advantage, maintaining balanced polymorphism. this model may better capture the fundamental trade-off between lateralization and bilateral symmetry.
language impairment and colour categories
Authors: davidoff jules , luzzatti claudio
Published: October 2005

goldstein (1948) reported multiple cases of failure to categorise colours in patients that he termed amnesic or anomic aphasics. these patients have a particular difficulty in producing perceptual categories in the absence of other aphasic impairments. we hold that neuropsychological evidence supports the view that the task of colour categorisation is logically impossible without labels.
causal relations between asymmetries at the individual level?
Authors: deason rebecca g. , andresen david r. , marsolek chad j.
Published: October 2005

studies with humans have failed to produce evidence that any direct causal relation exists between the asymmetry of one function in an individual and the asymmetry of a different function in that individual. without such evidence, factors external to an individual's nervous system, such as social interactions, may play crucial roles in explaining the directions of all asymmetries at all levels.
moral judgments in narrative contexts
Authors: gerrig richard j.
Published: October 2005

in narrative contexts, people often find themselves mentally rooting for “bad guys.” these circumstances lead to questions about how sunstein's moral heuristics function during narrative experiences. in particular, must people undertake explicit moral analysis for the heuristics to apply?
what's in a heuristic?
Authors: hahn ulrike , frost john-mark , maio greg
Published: October 2005

the term “moral heuristic” as used by sunstein seeks to bring together various traditions. however, there are significant differences between uses of the term “heuristic” in the cognitive and the social psychological research, and these differences are accompanied by very distinct evidential criteria. we suggest the term “moral heuristic” should refer to processes, which means that further evidence is required.
dynamical categories and language
Authors: ikegami takashi
Published: October 2005

the dynamical category uses the sensory-motor coordination to do categorization. if categories are inevitably grounded in sensory-motor coordination, sharing categories may also share the same sensory-motor coordination. concerning this aspect, we discuss the color category as a dynamical categorization. additional to the converging effect of a category by communication, we discuss the diverging effect of communication that creates new categories.
the riddle of nature and nurture – lateralization has an epigenetic trait
Authors: manns martina
Published: October 2005

vallortigara & rogers's (v&r's) proposal that directional asymmetries evolved under social pressures raises questions about the ontogenetic mechanisms subserving the alignment of asymmetries in a population. neuro-ontogenetic principles suggest that epigenetic factors are decisively involved in the determination of individual lateralization and that genetic factors align their direction. clearly, directional asymmetry has an epigenetic trait.
on sticking labels
Authors: maes jan pieter m. a.
Published: October 2005

steels & belpaeme (s&b) are clearly interested in the possible test their models may provide for human language theories. however, they only superficially address the assumptions underlying their own agent architecture, while these are of crucial relevance to the topic of human language. these assumptions fit an augustinian picture of language, which wittgenstein challenges in his philosophical investigations. it is too early to draw conclusions regarding human language evolution from such models.
selection pressure on the decision-making process in conflict
Authors: matsushima toshiya
Published: October 2005

it is argued in the target article that hemispheric lateralization is advantageous when faced with conflicting choices. as decision-making processes must have been subject to a strong selection pressure, the sensitivity of response latencies could suggest a modular and hierarchical organization of behavioral execution, as was formulated by tinbergen (1951).
cognitive heuristics and deontological rules
Authors: ritov ilana
Published: October 2005

preferences for options that do not secure optimal outcomes, like the ones catalogued by sunstein, derive from two sources: cognitive heuristics and deontological rules. although rules may stem from automatic affective reactions, they are deliberately maintained. because strongly held convictions have important behavioral implications, it may be useful to regard cognitive heuristics and deontological rules as separate sources of nonconsequential judgment in the moral domain.
intuitions, heuristics, and utilitarianism
Authors: singer peter
Published: October 2005

a common objection to utilitarianism is that it clashes with our common moral intuitions. understanding the role that heuristics play in moral judgments undermines this objection. it also indicates why we should not use john rawls' model of reflective equilibrium as the basis for testing normative moral theories.
colour is a culturalist category
Authors: van brakel j.
Published: October 2005

extrapolation of steels & belpaeme's (s&b) results show that colour is a culturalist category. populations will only share the category of colour if it is built into the system. if “left to themselves” different populations may or may not stumble on the colour category. populations that do not share a colour category may still be able to communicate in a wide variety of environments.
gauging the heuristic value of heuristics
Authors: tetlock philip e.
Published: October 2005

heuristics are necessary but far from sufficient explanations for moral judgment. this commentary stresses: (a) the need to complement cold, cognitive-economizing functionalist accounts with hot, value-expressive, social-identity-affirming accounts; and (b) the importance of conducting reflective-equilibrium thought and laboratory experiments that explore the permeability of the boundaries people place on the “thinkable.”
regulation of risks
Authors: weirich paul
Published: October 2005

sunstein argues that heuristics misguide moral judgments. principles that are normally sound falter in unusual cases. in particular, heuristics generate erroneous judgments about regulation of risks. sunstein's map of moral reasoning omits some prominent contours. the simple heuristics he suggests neglect a reasoner's attempt to balance the pros and cons of regulating a risk.
when dominance and sex are both right
Authors: schirillo james a. , fox melissa
Published: October 2005

we have found that the left side of faces displayed in rembrandt's portraits capture how humans rank male dominance, helping to coordinate avoidance behaviors among asymmetric individuals. moreover, the left side of faces may also coordinate approach responses, like attractiveness, in human females. therefore, adding sexual selection to dominance paints a more realistic picture of what the contralateral right hemisphere is doing.
on moral intuitions and moral heuristics: a response
Authors: sunstein cass r.
Published: October 2005

moral heuristics are pervasive, and they produce moral errors. we can identify those errors as such even if we do not endorse any contentious moral view. to accept this point, it is also unnecessary to make controversial claims about moral truth. but the notion of moral heuristics can be understood in diverse ways, and a great deal of work remains to be done in understanding the nature of moral intuitions, especially those that operate automatically and nonreflectively, and in exploring the possibility of altering such intuitions through modest changes in context and narrative.
cerebral asymmetry: from survival strategies to social behaviour
Authors: sieratzki jechil , woll bencie
Published: October 2005

we describe a possible link between coordinated lateralised group behaviour serving species survival in lower vertebrates and a striking lateralisation phenomenon found in human social behaviour: the universal preference for cradling a young infant on the left side. our exploration offers a different perspective on the role of cerebral asymmetry for the survival of both the individual and the species.
the question of the assumed givenness of the singularity of the target
Authors: wright edmond
Published: October 2005

interesting as the experiments are, their relevance to the real-life situation is rendered questionable by the unthinking use of given singularities as target objects. the evolutionary process does not respect what one agent takes to be a singular referent. a “singling” from the continuum is rather a varying feature of the necessity to track what is rewarding in it.
Welfare effects of alternative pension reforms: Assessing the transition costs for French socio-occupational groups
Authors: HENIN P. Y. , WEITZENBLUM Th.
Published: October 2005

In this paper, we assess the welfare costs and gains of different scenarios of pension reforms in France, using a life-cycle model including various sources of heterogeneity and distinguishing between socio-occupational groups. The pension reforms considered combine features regarding the generosity of the pension system as well as features regarding the financing schemes: PAYG, the build-up of a temporary fund and that of a permanent one. We focus on both macro and distributional issues. It appears that (i) a considerable increase in savings is to be expected, even in the case where pensions remain generous, (ii) a considerable crowding-out effect would occur in the case of the constitution of a fund trust, (iii) reducing the generosity of pension seems relatively more beneficial to low-income low-life expectancy agents, while (iv) postponing the legal retirement age benefits relatively more high-income high-life expectancy agents.
Public pensions in the national accounts and public finance targets
Authors: OKSANEN HEIKKI
Published: October 2005

Preparations are underway to revise national accounting to implement actuarial recording of pension liabilities for corporations and government as an employer. This paper extends this to unfunded public pensions with the help of ‘implicit tax’ in pension contributions. The clearest advantages of the revision appear in situations where pension liabilities are shifted from the corporate sector to government, and where part of the public pension system is privatized. The proposed revision raises public debt and deficit to new orders of magnitude. The paper provides a framework for setting the debt and deficit targets under both current and proposed definitions.
Wissenschafts-Praxis-Forum
Authors: Püschel Antonia
Published: October 2005

Zusammenfassung. Die mit Urteils- und Entscheidungsprozessen verbundene Unsicherheit bildet ein ernstes Problem hinsichtlich der Qualität der Beurteilung oder des Risikos einer Fehlentscheidung. Zur Quantifizierung der Unsicherheit wird der in der physikalischen Metrologie gebräuchliche, international genormte Begriff der Messunsicherheit interdisziplinär auf die psychologische Praxis am Beispiel des Assessment Centers (AC) übertragen. Dabei werden zu bewertende Merkmale von Personen oder Alternativen in Analogie zu physikalischen Messgrößen betrachtet. Daraus folgt ein Auswerteverfahren, das zu den Ergebnissen der Merkmalsbewertungen jeweils auch quantitativ die Messunsicherheiten liefert. Außerdem lassen sich bei umfangreichem Datenmaterial Unsicherheitskennwerte berechnen, die konventionell ermittelte Korrelationskoeffizienten zur Beurteilung der Konstruktvalidität eines ACs ergänzen.
Use of ammonium and other nitrogen tracers to investigate the spreading of shelf waters in the western Arctic halocline
Authors: Nishino Shigeto , Shimada Koji , Itoh Motoyo
Published: October 2005

The contribution of nutrient regeneration in summer to the nutrient maximum associated with Bering Sea Winter Water (BSWW) is estimated from the ammonium data, which was obtained in the outer shelf region of the Chukchi Sea for the first time by the R/V Mirai in 2002. The contribution rate reaches 20–30%, which is larger than the rate studied earlier inside the Chukchi shelf. Such BSWW influenced by the regeneration spreads to the Chukchi shelf slope up to the isobath of ∼3000 m, however, was not found in the Canada Basin. The ammonium and a nitrogen deficit are also useful tracers to study the spreading of shelf waters that are less saline than BSWW. In the Canada Basin, a small amount of ammonium (<2 μM) was observed east of the Northwind Ridge. This small amount of ammonium would be associated with the spreading of Eastern Chukchi Summer Water via the Barrow Canyon. Around the Chukchi Borderland, a prominent nitrogen deficit layer was found. It would be accompanied by Western Chukchi Summer Water via the Hope Valley–Herald Valley channel. The water flows into the Chukchi Abyssal Plain and then spreads eastward to the west of the Northwind Ridge with the decrease of nitrogen deficit signal.