bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MECHANISM OF ANODE BREAK EXCITATION IN THE HEART: THE RELATIVE INFLUENCE OF MEMBRANE AND ELECTROTONIC FACTORS
Authors: ROTH BRADLEY J. , CHEN JUN
Published: May 2003

Two hypotheses for the mechanism of anode break excitation in cardiac tissue are electrotonic interaction between adjacent regions of depolarization and hyperpolarization, and a hyperpolarization-activated membrane current, if. We incorporate membrane kinetics proposed for if into the bidomain model with unequal anisotropy ratios. During unipolar stimulation, we find that:

(1) The mechanisms of cathode make, cathode break, and anode make excitation are insensitive to if.

(2) Both electrotonic interactions and if contribute to anode break excitation. In our simulations, if makes the dominant contribution.

(3) Electrotonic interactions cause the "dip" in the anodal strength-interval curve.

(4) Following anode break excitation, the wave front propagates in the direction perpendicular to the fibers.

(5) if improves the agreement between the measured and calculated strength-interval curves.

We suggest three experiments to determine the mechanism of anode break excitation: measure the site and timing of initial excitation, or use drugs to suppress if.
COMPUTER MODELS OF DEPOLARIZATION ALTERATIONS INDUCED BY MYOCARDIAL ISCHEMIA: THE EFFECT OF SUPERIMPOSED ISCHEMIC INHOMOGENEITIES ON PROPAGATION IN SPACE AND TIME-FREQUENCY DOMAINS
Authors: SHENAI MAHESH , GRAMATIKOV BORIS , THAKOR NITISH V.
Published: May 2003

A two-dimensional modified Luo-Rudy model was created to represent a 40 mm by 40 mm slab of myocardial tissue. An inhomogeneity was introduced to simulate acute myocardial ischemia, with components of hyperkalemia, acidosis and anoxia. Simulations were carried out for various degrees of ischemia, to study both the interaction of the propagation front with the inhomogeneity, and the reconstructed signals. The simulations utilized a modified LR model, with a realistic anisotropy of myocardial tissue. Each cluster (.4 mm ×.4 mm) was given bulk electric properties, Rx and Ry (25Ω and 250Ω, respectively). The slab was stimulated and the 2D depolarization pattern was computed by numerical integration. To study ischemia, a circular inhomogeneity with concentric regions (ro=12.8 mm{border zone, BZ} , ri=11.2 mm{extreme zone, EZ} ) regions was introduced in the model. From the 2D simulations and the regional action potentials (AP), unipolar and bipolar lead potentials were reconstructed. Time-frequency decomposition was performed on the lead signals by wavelet analysis. Isochrone and (dV/dt) max maps were obtained to study depolarization. Our results indicate that spatial inhomogeneities yield dramatic spatial dispersion of the wavefront and are the origin of mid-frequency intra-QRS components in cardiac signals. Severe APD shortening and spatial distortion of the isochrone and upstroke maps are also observed.
ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN COEXISTING TRADITIONAL AND COOPERATIVE TRANSACTIONS
Authors: ZHANG YANCHUN , KAMBAYASHI YAHIKO , JIA XIAOHUA , YANG YUN , SUN CHENGZHENG
Published: May 2003

In order to support the interaction betweeen coexisting traditional short transactions and long cooperative transactions, we propose a novel timestamp ordering approach. With this timestamp ordering method, short transactions can be processed in the traditional way, as if there were no cooperative transactions. Therefore they will not be blocked by cooperative transactions. Cooperative transactions will not be aborted when there is a conflict with short transactions. Rather, they will incorporate the recent updates into their own processing. The serializabilities, among short transactions, and between a cooperative transaction (group) and other short transactions, are all preserved.
INTEGRATING EXECUTION DEPENDENCIES INTO THE TRANSACTION CLOSURE FRAMEWORK
Authors: SCHWARZ KERSTIN , TÜRKER CAN , SAAKE GUNTER
Published: May 2003

The transaction closure framework provides means to describe and reason about different kind of dependencies between interrelated transactions. In this paper, we investigate execution dependencies for describing certain control flows among related transactions of a transaction closure. In particular, we consider the transitivity property for all kinds of transaction execution dependencies and present a complete and minimal set of rules for reasoning about the transitivity of execution dependencies. Furthermore, we analyze the relationship between execution and termination dependencies and point out that some dependency combinations are incompatible. Using derived transitive dependencies, we are able to conclude how arbitrary transactions of a transaction closure are transitively interrelated and, thus, to detect contradictory dependency specifications as well as superfluous transactions.
LEAST PRIVILEGE SECURITY IN CAPBASED-AMS
Authors: HUNG PATRICK C. K. , KARLAPALEM KAMALAKAR , GRAY JAMES
Published: May 2003

Workflow systems are becoming very popular and are being used to support many of the day to day activities in large organizations. One of the major problems with workflow systems is that they often use heterogeneous and distributed hardware and software systems to execute a given activity. This gives rise to decentralized security policies and mechanisms, which, in order to enable activity execution, give too many privileges (for accessing resources like documents) to the agents (humans or systems) for executing the work. We develop the concept of least priviledge, wherein the set of agents are given just enough privileges to complete the given activities. We develop our concepts in the context of CapBasED-AMS (Capability-based and Event-driven Activity Management System). The CapBasED-AMS deals with the management and execution of activities. An activity consists of multiple inter-dependent tasks (atomic activities, each executed by a single agent) that need to be coordinated, scheduled and executed by a set of agents. We formalize the concept of least privilege security and present algorithms to statically assign least privilege assignment to the agents. Further, we develop the concept of dynamic least privilege enforcement, wherein an agent is given its privileges only during the duration of the task for which those privileges were assigned. We also develop the concept of dynamic evolution of least privileges by taking into consideration the changes in the way resources are accessed by the agents in executing their tasks. Finally, we address the trade-off between resilience to agent failure and least privilege.
METHODOLOGY AND CASE TOOLS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FEDERATED DATABASES
Authors: HAINAUT J.-L. , THIRAN P. , HICK J.-M. , BODART S. , DEFLORENNE A.
Published: May 2003

Due to the current technological and economical context, there is an increasing need for cooperating information systems based on federated databases. Though the technical issues of these architectures have been studied for long, the way to build them has not triggered as much effort. This paper describes a general architecture, a methodology and a CASE environment intended to address the problem of providing users and programmers with an abstract interface to independent heterogeneous and distributed databases. The architecture comprise a hierarchy of mediators and a repository that dynamically transform actual data into a virtual homogeneous database and allow client applications to query it. The InterDB approach provides a complete methodology to define this architecture, including schema recovery through reverse engineering, database integration and mapping building. The methodology is supported by the DB-MAIN CASE tool that helps developers generate the mediators and their repository.
DYNAMIC AGENTS
Authors: CHEN QIMING , CHUNDI PARVATHI , DAYAL UMESHWAR , HSU MEICHUN
Published: May 2003

We claim that a dynamic agent infrastructure can provide a shift from static distributed computing to dynamic distributed computing, and we have developed an infrastructure to realize such a shift. We shall compare this infrastructure with other distributed computing infrastructures such as CORBA and DCOM, and demonstrate its value in highly dynamic system integration, service provisioning and distributed applications such as data mining on the Web. The infrastructure is Java-based, light-weight, and extensible. It differs from other agent platforms and client/server infrastructures in its support of dynamic behavior modification of agents. A dynamic agent is not designed to have a fixed set of predefined functions, but instead, to carry application-specific actions, which can be loaded and modified on the fly. This allows a dynamic agent to adjust its capability to accommodate changes in the environment and requirements, and play different roles across multiple applications. The above features are supported by the light-weight, built-in management facilities of dynamic agents, which can be commonly used by the "carried" application programs to communicate, manage resources and modify their problem-solving capabilities. Therefore, the proposed infrastructure allows application-specific multi-agent systems to be developed easily on top of it, provides "nuts and bolts" for run-time system integration, and supports dynamic service construction, modification and movement. A prototype has been developed at HP Labs and made available to several external research groups.
INTERFACIAL FRICTIONAL BEHAVIOR: CANCELLOUS BONE, CORTICAL BONE, AND A NOVEL POROUS TANTALUM BIOMATERIAL
Authors: Zhang Yongde , Ahn Peter B. , Fitzpatrick Daniel C. , Heiner Anneliese D. , Poggie Robert A. , Brown Thomas D.
Published: May 2003

A laboratory test was undertaken to evaluate the interfacial frictional characteristics of cortical and cancellous bone, as well as a novel porous tantalum biomaterial (Hedrocel®, Implex Corp.). Three sets of tests were conducted to measure the friction coefficients of (1) bovine cancellous bone against bovine cortical bone; (2) net-shape formed porous tantalum against bovine cortical and cancellous bone; and (3) electron-discharge-machine formed (EDM'd) porous tantalum against bovine cortical and cancellous bone. The bovine cortical bone was tested in three conditions: periosteum-intact, periosteum-denuded and surface-flattened. An inclined plane apparatus was used to determine the coefficients of friction. By gradually increasing the substrate tilt, the angle of slippage was determined, and the friction coefficient was calculated.

The average friction coefficients of cancellous bone against periosteum-intact, periosteum-denuded and surface-flattened cortical bone were 0.91±0.14, 0.61± 0.07 and 0.58±0.06, respectively. Porous tantalum specimens prepared from a preshaped vitreous carbon skeleton, when tested against periosteum-intact, periosteum-denuded and surface-flattened cortical bone, and against cancellous bone, had average friction coefficients of 1.10±0.18, 0.82±0.15, 0.86±0.11, and 0.98±0.17, respectively. Porous tantalum specimens prepared by electron-discharge machining, when tested against periosteum-intact cortical bone, periosteum-denuded cortical bone and cancellous bone, had average friction coefficients of 1.75±0.33, 0.74±0.07, and 0.88±0.09, respectively. The friction coefficient of the porous tantalum material was very high in comparison to natural bone autografts or allografts, and to conventional orthopedic implant coating materials (sintered beads and wire mesh). Other factors being equal, this high-friction characteristic would be expected to translate into higher initial stability of a porous tantalum implant, as compared to natural bone grafts.
COMPLAINT OF NUCHAL PAIN FOLLOWING CERVICAL LAMINOPLASTY
Authors: Saita Kazuo , Hishino Yuichi , Kikkawa Ichiro , Ishii Takao , Lee Joon Hee
Published: May 2003

There is a report that 60% of patients suffer from neck and shoulder symptoms following unilateral open type laminoplasty. As for French-window-open type cervical laminoplasty, however, postoperative nuchal pain has not been fully investigated. The purpose of this study is to describe the prevalence and severity of nuchal pain following French-window-open type cervical laminoplasty, and to investigate the pain's influencing factor. Eighty-three cases with spastic tetraparesis due to cervical spondylotic myelopathy or ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament were followed. We interviewed these patients, at three months after surgery and again at one year after surgery, about the existence of nuchal pain, its laterality, and whether treatment was needed. Nuchal complaints remained in 56 out of 83 patients at three months and in 37 out of 78 patients at one year following surgery. There was no correlation between the complaint and disease, age, sex, blood loss, or method of muscle reconstruction. The side for which the patient complained of pain coincided with the approached side, and the magnitude of the complaint correlated with operation time. The results suggest that the cause of the nuchal pain is damage to the posterior neck muscles by retractor.
ANATOMICAL STUDY FOR THE PATHOGENESIS OF ACROMIAL SPUR UTILIZING MACERATED SKELETONS
Authors: Noda M. , Mizuno K.
Published: May 2003

In clarifying the pathogenesis of an acromial spur formation, sixty macerated whole body skeletons were studied by utilizing visual measurement. The criterion for judging the presence of spurs was determined as spurs: >3 mm. Spur formation at eight different extra-spinal skeletal bones was measured bilaterally. Additionally, the morphological features of acromial spurs were classified.

Comparative study on the paired acromial spur, both in the length and the morphology, was demonstrated to be significantly symmetric. Moreover, in the case of bilateral giant acromial spur presence: >4 mm, three out of six were associated with skeletal hyperostosis.

Impingement and overuse have been considered to be the common preceding factors in acromial spurs. Based on our study, two additional factors might be proposed. It may either be due to a local finding of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis or to intrinsic factors.
AGE-INDEPENDENT CORRELATION OF OPTICALLY DETERMINED THORACIC KYPHOSIS WITH LUMBAR SPINE BONE MINERAL DENSITY
Authors: Goh S. , Price R. I. , Leedman P. J. , Singer K. P.
Published: May 2003

The thoracic spine is susceptible to age-related increases in the sagittal curve, a process which is accentuated in osteoporosis. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between low vertebral bone mineral density (BMD) and accentuation of kyphosis. However, concerns of ionizing radiation associated with radiographic evaluation of osteoporotic fracture risks create a demand for alternative noninvasive detection methods. Back shape, and in particular the thoracic kyphosis, may act as a surrogate for bone density and complement methods of screening individuals for osteoporosis or monitoring progression. The aim of this prospective study is to establish the statistical association of mean lumbar spine BMD and the age-independent BMD Z-score with kyphosis, measured from noninvasive, rasterstereographic analysis of back shape. Back shape imaging of 42 females was performed following routine lumbar bone densitometry using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Kyphosis parameters derived from an optical back shape imaging system were correlated, using simple linear regression models, against mean lumbar BMD and BMD Z-scores. Moderate associations were noted between lumbar BMD and thoracic kyphosis (r=0.63 to 0.71, p<0.0001). The trend was still evident when correlating kyphosis against BMD Z-scores (r=0.57 to 0.68, p<0.0001). These data confirm earlier studies comparing radiographic indices of thoracic curvature with vertebral BMD, and suggest potential application of noninvasive back shape imaging to assist in the screening of individuals at risk of spinal osteoporosis, particularly in younger populations.
CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ISOMETRIC QUADRICEPS MUSCLE STRENGTH AND BONE MINERAL DENSITY
Authors: Ribom Eva , Olofsson Helena , Piehl-Aulin Karin , Mallmin Hans , Ljunghall Sverker
Published: May 2003

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between isometric quadriceps muscle strength and measurements of bone density (BMD), mass (BMC) and ultrasound properties. A total of 113 individuals were included, 53 men and 60 women aged 22-85 years. Isometric quadriceps muscle strength correlated significantly to BMD of the total body for both men (r=0.63, p=0.02) and women r=0.77, p=0.04) after adjustments for age, weight and height. In women, there was also an association between isometric quadriceps muscle strength and BMD of the lumbar spine (r=0.67, p=0.04). These correlations were evident in premenopausal women for BMD at the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total body whereas no significant relationships were seen in postmenopausal women or any age group of men. For isometric quadriceps muscle strength and the ultrasound measurements of the heel, a positive correlation was seen in men and women aged 41-60 years. The findings point to a role of endogenous sex steroids, primarily estrogens, in the correlation between BMD and isometric quadriceps muscle strength.
PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF DISABLING DEGENERATIVE SCOLIOSIS
Authors: Laohacharoensombat Wichien , Wajanavisit Wiwat , Chaiyakit Pruk
Published: May 2003

Degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS) is an unsolved condition and is becoming more of a problem in a modern community with increasing elderly population. Our objective is to study prospectively the results of corrective and stabilization surgery in DLS utilizing pedicle screw and plate system after wide posterior decompression surgery at Ramathibodi Hospital. From July 1, 1995 to March 31, 1998, 26 patients with DLS who had Cobb angles of equal or more than 10° with intense neurogenic claudication (walking distance <300 m) or severe back pain underwent decompression surgery followed by deformity correction and fusion utilizing the pedicle-screw–plate system. The patients' age was 62.9±9.4 years. The follow-up time was 18.27±6.44 months. The preoperative and postoperative Cobb angles were 19+8° and 9±7° (p<0.001), respectively, and the mean preoperative and postoperative (last follow-up) walking distances were 47.7±68.8 m and 673.2±419.2 m (p<0.001), respectively. The preoperative and the postoperative average visual analog scales were 8.35±1.56 and 2.3±1.89 (p<0.001), respectively. Pseudarthrosis evidenced by plate breakage was found in two patients (9.1%) by one year. The others (89.9%) were proved to be successful fusion by bending films study. Secondary deformity due to junctional problem occurred in two cases (9.1%). To avoid junctional problem, the spinal segments that need fusion and instrumentation should include (i) all the laminectomized segments; (ii) adjacent segments with moderate disc degeneration; and (iii) the whole instrumented unit centers over the mid-sacral line. By utilizing the L5/S1 buttress technique, most of the L5/S1 junctions with moderate stenosis and degeneration could be saved provided that the L5 body stays in a balanced position.
THE USE OF ENTIRE FRESH PATELLAR ALLOGRAFT FOR ARTICULAR CARTILAGE REPLACEMENT IN RABBITS: A LONG-TERM INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY
Authors: Lee Thay Q , Shrader Todd A. , Wang Yi-Peng , Glaser Francis E. , Kim William C. , McMahon Patrick J.
Published: May 2003

Fresh patellar allograft without violating the continuum of the articular cartilage was evaluated in rabbits. Twenty-four skeletally immature New Zealand White rabbits underwent resurfacing of the patella with fresh allografts and 92% (22/24) of the allografts survived. These specimens were analyzed to assess the geometric parameters of the patellofemoral joint anatomy as well as the biomechanical and histological properties of the patellar articular cartilage at 12 (n=8), 26 (n=7) and 52 weeks (n=7) postoperatively. Despite incomplete restoration of the patellofemoral joint geometry, both the biomechanical and histologic results showed excellent preservation of the articular cartilage at 26 and 52 weeks. From the biomechanical testing, the aggregate modulus (Ha) and the permeability (k) of the transplanted cartilage for the 26- and 52-week groups showed no difference between the experimentals and the controls. For the 26-week group, the aggregate modulus was 0.70±0.07 MPa and 0.72±0.19 MPa for the experimental and control, respectively (p>0.5) and the permeability was (0.97±0.13)×10-15m4/N-s and (1.17±0.33)×10-15m4/N-s for the experimental and control, respectively (p>0.5). For the 52-week group, the aggregate modulus was 0.93±0.14 MPa and 1.03±0.06 MPa for the experimental and control, respectively (p>0.5) and the permeability was 2.32±0.57)×10-15m4/N-s and 2.12±0.85)×10-15m4/N-s for the experimental and control, respectively (p>0.5). This study clearly demonstrates the long-term viability of articular cartilage in entire osteochondral patellar allograft in rabbits.
TREATMENT OF A CASE WITH L5–S1 SPONDYLOPTOSIS BY THE GAINES PROCEDURE
Authors: Dinçer D. , Erdemli B. , Gürkan I.
Published: May 2003

Gaines procedure for the treatment of spondyloptosis was performed on an 18-year-old girl, a two-staged operation on the same day. In the first stage, the vertebral body of L5 along with the L4–5 and L5–S1 discs were resected by an anterior approach. In the second stage, performed through a posterior approach, the loose posterior elements, articular processes and pedicles of L5 were excised; the body of L4 was reduced onto S1 and stabilized by transpedicular instrumentation. Despite the relatively high complication rates that such procedures incur, the procedure corrected the sagittal imbalance in our case without any complications during the long four years follow-up period of the patient. A brief summary of the clinical experience, the surgical technique and a review of relevant literature are presented.
THE INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGY ON STRATEGIC ALLIANCES: AN APPLICATION OF THE UTTERBACK AND ABERNATHY MODEL OF PRODUCT AND PROCESS INNOVATION
Authors: MAURI ALFREDO J. , MCMILLAN G. STEVEN
Published: May 2003

This paper examines the influence of the innovation cycle on strategic alliances. Hypotheses based on Utterback and Abernathy's model are tested using 86 strategic alliances. The statistical results support the influence of the innovation cycle, rather than technological intensity, on determining the structure and functional emphasis of strategic alliances.
TAXONOMY OF HRM POLICIES OF KNOWLEDGE-BASED FIRMS: A RESOURCE-BASED EXPLANATION
Authors: LEE SOO-HOON
Published: May 2003

This paper argues that as firms compete in an increasingly knowledge-intensive environment in the 21st century, they will need to structure their HR processes and practices to support their internal knowledge assets. Using a resource-based view of the firm, this paper categorises HR policies into a framework that is based on the knowledge requirements and dimensions of the core capabilities of the firm. This framework explains how outsourcing, training and development, teambuilding, and research and development initiatives are mapped for different firms that have different knowledge, skills and ability, as well as tacit and explicit knowledge requirements.
THE USE OF PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT TOOLS FOR BALANCING SHORT- AND LONG-TERM NPD PERFORMANCES
Authors: KERSSENS-VAN DRONGELEN INGE C. , DE WEERD-NEDERHOF PETRA C.
Published: May 2003

In this paper, we discuss how managers can use New Product Development (NPD) assessment and regular performance measurement tools to balance short- and long-term NPD performances. Different perspectives on NPD performance are structured in an assessment profile that is applied in nine case studies. Based on these assessments, it is concluded that long-term performance, in particular, is perceived by NPD managers to be inadequate. Subsequently, the regular performance measurement procedures in place at these companies are discussed and suggestions are made as to how the case companies' NPD performance measurement systems can be more supportive in controlling and improving long-term performance.
A SYSTEMIC FRAMEWORK FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION-MAKING
Authors: VAN DER VORST RITA , GRAFÉ-BUCKENS ANNE , SHEATE WILLIAM R.
Published: May 2003

The context of sustainable development poses new challenges for traditional environmental decision-making tools, such as environmental impact assessment, environmental management system and life cycle assessment. Today these tools are expected to provide multi-disciplinary information to aid sustainability decisions, not just to inform decisions about environmental effects. This paper brings together the different perspectives of authors from EIA, EMS and clean technology/LCA to examine critically the separate tools in the context of sustainable development, and their inter-relationships, and identifies a "tool-user's dilemma": whether to use a tool as intended, to adapt it or develop something new. The paper examines the similarities of these key tools and recognises both a paradigm shift and a congruence in the way in which they have developed: from being merely tools, through being techniques to approaches. The paper concludes by suggesting an integrated framework within which the tools can continue to operate effectively, and one that helps resolve the tool-user's dilemma. Clean Technology is seen as providing a useful philosophical understanding for the operation of this outline framework.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING SCORING SYSTEMS
Authors: JONES KATHRYN , ALABASTER TONY
Published: May 2003

Scoring systems are increasingly being used to rate, rank and benchmark corporate environmental reports. This paper outlines the four basic levels of measurement or scales utilised in scoring systems highlighting the rules of scaling and statistical application. The scoring systems created by seven groups of analysts and researchers are described and assessed for their methodological approaches. The research shows that the axioms of the scales are rarely obeyed, thus creating skewed and misleading results. The implications of utilising such scoring system to rate, rank and benchmark companies can have repercussions on the type of publicity that companies receive, and they must be better understood and executed in order that companies can deal with the consequences more readily.
DECISION-MAKING ON BIOTECHNOLOGY: DEVELOPING NEW PRINCIPLES FOR REGULATION
Authors: HILL JULIE
Published: May 2003

Biotechnology, specifically genetic modification, offers potential benefits to mankind, but also raises major social, environmental, health and ethical concerns. This paper deals with the agricultural applications of genetic technology, in particular, the potential environmental impacts of those applications. It considers the current underpinning principles of regulation in the United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) and examines the problems for present decision-making processes, including disputes over risk assessment methodology, the handling of uncertainty, and lack of trust in official processes. The paper proposes a new set of underpinning principles for the decision-making process in the UK, and concludes that the UK should exercise leadership within the EU to ensure that these new principles are adopted across Europe.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND MANAGEMENT IN ASIA: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
Authors: ATKINSON NICOLA
Published: May 2003

As Asian countries enter the twenty-first century, they face a litany of environmental problems which are particularly reflected in the poor quality of urban settlements and diminishing natural resources. Many commentators look to the failure of regulation to explain these problems. In response, efforts are currently being made to strengthen existing regulatory structures in a number of countries throughout Asia. In the meantime, there is a growing consensus in the West that traditional "command and control" mechanisms are not necessarily the most effective means of resolving environmental problems. Alternative instruments such as enviromental assessment, environmental audits and management systems may be used more strategically to prevent pollution at source and to ensure that the polluter pays. This article considers the brief history of the use of these instruments in Asia to date and then considers what lessons might be drawn from the experience of other countries in respect to both the "command and control" and the more "strategic" forms of regulation as a basis for more fundamental reform. In conclusion, the paper considers the implications of education and training in Asia.
DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES FOR PROJECTS REQUIRING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT: CASE STUDIES IN SIX EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
Authors: DRESNER SIMON , GILBERT NIGEL
Published: May 2003

Interviews with participants in the decision-making processes for major installations in six western European countries reveal criticism of the procedures from all sides. In particular, environmental impact assessments were criticised for their lack of independence from the proposer, failure to assess alternatives to the proposal adequately, incomprehensibility to lay-people and failure to consider social factors. There was also criticism of general lack of public involvement in the decision-making process. Consideration of these criticisms lends support to calls for revision of the European directives on environmental impact assessment and their implementation in national laws.
LEGAL PROBLEMS IN DANISH EIA — THE OERESUND CASE
Authors: KJELLERUP ULF
Published: May 2003

The court case concerning the establishment of a combined fixed-link between Copenhagen — the capital of Denmark — and Malmö (city) in Sweden has been pending in the Danish courts since early 1993. In December 1998, the Supreme Court in Denmark closed the case by deciding that the litigant, Greenpeace Denmark, was not supported in view that the parliamentary adoption of the project in 1991 was in conflict with the EC EIA Directive. The case was disappointing in failing to draw a line in the sand regarding legal requirements being met by all decision-makers in the nation, even the parliament. The article discusses the various legal requirements that may be extracted from the ambiguous wording of the exemption Article 1(5) in the EIA Directive and compares them to the realities of the decision-making procedures.
EMS AS A MAINSTREAM BUSINESS TOOL: PERSPECTIVES FROM HONG KONG
Authors: COPELAND ANNE M. , LE CLUE SOPHIE
Published: May 2003

The proliferation of global trade and commerce provides both challenges and opportunities for addressing transboundary pollution and furthering global sustainability. In addition to international policy instruments and legislation, standardised approaches to environmental management can improve environmental performance and reduce the escalating levels of pollution that are being experienced worldwide, and particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

In Hong Kong, 35 organisations have been certified to the ISO 14001 international environmental management system (EMS) standard, joining over 5000 more worldwide. While this trend is encouraging, Hong Kong's experience demonstrates that significant barriers exist for EMS to become a mainstream tool for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

As is it unlikely that certification will become mandatory at the international level, additional effort is therefore required to overcome these barriers, such as raising the awareness of all stakeholders to the benefits of the EMS and facilitating access to the necessary financial and technological assistance.
ENVIRONMENTAL ACCOUNTING AND WELFARE
Authors: LINTOTT JOHN
Published: May 2003

Recent years have seen attempts to design and implement environmental accounts for a number of countries, in response to perceived inadequacies in the existing national income accounts. This has led to much discussion of the feasibility and desirability of different approaches. This paper discusses three key issues: what use is envisaged for environmental accounts? What type of development are they intended to promote? And what view of consumption do they incorporate? The paper concludes that there is a strong case for developing environmental accounts in physical units as a tool of analysis, but that the case for developing accounts in money terms, on the other hand, largely with the aim of arriving at a "Green National Income", is quite weak. If the objective is to monitor progress towards sustainable welfare, the development of a set of social and environmental indicators would be preferable.
COMMUNITY-BASED TRADING MECHANISMS TO REDUCE POLLUTING AIR EMISSIONS AND ADDRESS GLOBAL WARMING
Authors: MOSS STEVEN J.
Published: May 2003

Policy makers are turning to market-based mechanisms to engender innovative ways of reducing polluting air emissions. As with any emerging market, environmental policies must be carefully crafted so that the institutions and incentives needed to form working markets are developed. Attention must be paid to creating avenues for communities and other "non-moneyed" or unorganised interests to be involved in the new market processes. This paper proposes a strategy to create sustainable, community-based methods to reduce polluting air emissions within the context of market-based incentive programs. By enabling communities to effectively participate in environmental solutions, they will truly be able to "think globally, act locally".
STRUCTURING LONG-TERM DECISIONS
Authors: ATHERTON ELIZABETH , FRENCH SIMON
Published: May 2003

The public is demanding more democratic decision making processes that take into account their opinions and views. In order to make large societal decision making processes inclusive, it is necessary to find a way of communicating the issues involved in a decision without becoming swamped with the technical aspects. Many of the societal decisions that have to be made, e.g., about the greenhouse effect and radiation, have very long-term impacts, which make them even more complex.

One of the more controversial issues in evaluating long-term impacts is the choice of discount rate, or indeed whether discounting is appropriate. When the decision is societal and there are many stakeholders, the debate about the discount rate can become very heated. Using exponential discounting focuses attention on the discount rate and does not help stakeholders explore their opinions and beliefs. Atherton and French (1998) suggested an alternative methodology based upon a time-era structuring of attributes. By dividing time into distinct eras and weighting these rather than applying one discount rate over the whole lifetime of the project, a seemingly more transparent way of dealing with time preferences was developed.

To further investigate the acceptability of the methodology to a broad range of people, an interactive World Wide Web page was set up. The page was not context specific and talked about an undefined project, not a particular decision situation. The subjects were asked to define the time eras themselves and to weight them. They were then asked to indicate what had motivated their weights and finally they were asked how their weights would change if the issues changed.

Most subjects found the ideas easy to comprehend and commented positively about the experiment. Seventy-five per cent of the subjects divided time into increasing intervals in line with the suggestions made in Atherton and French (1998). Sixty-five per cent of them had decreasing time era weights, but their weights decreased more slowly than those prescribed by constant discounting. This paper describes the results of the experiment, indicating the implications they may have for societal decision making.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL DECISION MAKING: EXAMINING THE AARHUS CONVENTION
Authors: PALERM JUAN R.
Published: May 2003

After reviewing the development of public participation in environmental decision making, empirical/theoretical principles for public participation are proposed, based on Habermas's theory of communicative action. These principles are used to assess the Aarhus convention (AC), as well as the implications of the AC for the interpretation of EIA directive 85/337/EEC (amended by directive 97/11/EC) and the proposed directive on SEA.The results show that the AC falls short of the proposed principles in four fundamental aspects: (1) its need to ensure the participation of cognitively and lingually non-competent actors; (2) the need to have a two-way communication process; (3) the need to ensure normative and subjective claims are adequately recognised; and (4) the need to establish conflict management procedures. As well, the results show that the AC will set stricter standards for the interpretation of the public participation provisions in both the EIA directive and the proposed SEA directive.
MORE THAN LOCAL IMPACTS: AGGREGATE QUARRYING IN THE NATIONAL PARKS OF ENGLAND AND WALES
Authors: WESTON JOE , GLASSON JOHN , WILSON ELIZABETH , CHADWICK ANDREW
Published: May 2003

Aggregate quarrying plays an important role in the local economy of the UK's national parks, providing local jobs and expenditure on local services. There are also adverse local impacts from traffic, dust, noise and blasting. However, it is the status of the parks as crucial features of the nation's landscape capital that increases the significance of localised landscape impacts to a level which outweighs any benefits that quarrying provides. This article is based upon commissioned research into the impact of quarrying on the national parks and assesses those impacts against the functions of the parks as nationally important designated landscapes.
THE STANDARDISATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE UK WATER INDUSTRY?
Authors: HOPKINSON PETER , SAMMUT ANTHONY , WHITAKER MICHAEL
Published: May 2003

The ability to utilise corporate environmental reports to benchmark environmental performance requires the development and inclusion of standardised environmental performance indicators. Most systems for benchmarking corporate environmental reports are measures of environmental activities rather than performance. The UK Water Industry has considerable experience in measuring and reporting standardised environmental performance indicators to the regulator and publishing corporate environmental reports. An analysis of corporate environmental reports shows that the inclusion of industry standardised environmental performance indicators is patchy and inconsistent. Moreover, slight differences in units of measurement make comparisons very difficult. A new set of standardised environmental performance indicators developed by the water industry itself, shows similar findings when compared against corporate environmental reports. At the current time corporate environmental reports cannot be used to benchmark performance. There is no reason why corporate environmental reports could not be adjusted to include the two sets of standardised environmental performance indicators examined. In their absence there seems to be little purpose in benchmarking corporate environmental reports.
MATERIALS ACCOUNTING AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN MUNICIPALITIES
Authors: BURSTRÖM FREDRIK
Published: May 2003

For municipalities to fulfil their role in a nation's work for a healthy environment, and ultimately for sustainability, there is a need for better information about the pressures society puts on the environment, as well as about the underlying causes of these pressures. At present, information about society's pressure on the environment is most often provided by inventories of emissions of different pollutants. In this paper, which takes its point of departure in Sweden, it is argued that such an approach is too narrow. Regional material flow analysis (MFA) is presented as an alternative to emissions inventories. The paper ends with a thorough discussion on the role of materials accounting (incorporating MFA) in municipal environmental management. It is suggested that an early application of this "tool" can promote a change of environmental management towards regional materials management, as a means for reaching sustainability, and further into regional environmental management.
REGULATING RISK: OVERSIGHT OF MICROBIAL PRODUCTS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY UNDER THE U.S. TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT
Authors: EFROYMSON REBECCA A.
Published: May 2003

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is the legislation used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate releases of genetically engineered microorganisms. The rule defining the scope of the notification requirements for releases of microbial products of biotechnology was published in April 1997. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had some latitude regarding the extent to which various categories of microorganisms would be regulated, but the agency was constrained by requirements of TSCA and an interagency agreement about how to regulate products of biotechnology. This paper investigates the extent to which the scope of oversight is based on risk. A risk-based rule is defined as one where the reporting requirements are based on potential for exposure or expected adverse effects. The evolution of the rule is described, and risk-based components are discussed. In conclusion, the scope of oversight of microbial releases is determined to be based on risk to the extent that legislation and institutional constraints permit.
EIA AND LONG-TERM EVALUATION IN THE LICENSING PROCESS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL IN SLOVENIA
Authors: KONTIC BRANKO , KROSS BURTON C. , STEGNAR PETER
Published: May 2003

The discussion is about the validity of long-term environmental impact assessment (EIA) and its role in the licensing process for radioactive waste disposal in Slovenia. Owing to uncertainties associated with long-term evaluations an alternative approach is suggested for site selection for the repository. The idea behind the new approach is to integrate environmental planning with the optimisation of land-use as a basis for identifying the best site for the repository. This approach is to complement or, eventually, substitute the existing strictly regulatory concept relying upon criteria compliance tied with the performance assessment of the disposal system. It is expected that the new approach will more effectively build confidence among professionals and the public toward siting of radioactive waste disposal. The new approach suggests not to use dose and risk as individual numerical indicators for deciding about acceptability of the proposed disposal system, since they may vary greatly given the large uncertainties connected to future societal characteristics and human exposures. Instead, a concept of reasonable assurance together with the evaluation of interests and potentials for future land-use in the particular environment is suggested.
ASSESSING THE ASSESSMENTS: BRITISH PLANNING AUTHORITIES AND THE REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENTS
Authors: KREUSER PHILIPPA , HAMMERSLEY RICHARD
Published: May 2003

For environment assessments to provide a positive contribution to official decision making in planning, the resulting environmental statement (ES) needs to exhibit such qualities as veracity, completeness and understandability; therefore the planning authority should "review" the ES to establish whether this is indeed the case and then move on to utilising the information contained therein. This research surveyed a sample of British local planning authorities to discover how they "assess the assessments" and use the information supplied. The literature suggests that planners use the "statutory consultation" system to achieve many aspects of a review, and therefore, a sample of consultees was asked about their treatment of ESs. From the surveys, it is clear that planners do in fact place great reliance on the consultees to review, verify and summarise at least parts of ESs. However there is some mismatch between the expectations of consultee review on the part of planners against the objectives of the consultees themselves. This then throws into question how useful the information is in the actual decision making processes. The paper goes on to examine the alternatives available for reviews and proposes the development of an independent review body which can ensure that ESs are "fit for purpose".
THE PROJECT CYCLE AND THE ROLE OF EIA AND EMS
Authors: RIDGWAY BRONWYN
Published: May 2003

This paper examines the potential interrelationships between the environmental impact assessment (EIA) and environmental management systems (EMS) process. It begins by looking at the project cycle and the role of EIA in the planning and design phase. The links between the initial environmental review phase of environmental management systems and the EIA report recommendations is examined and it is noted that the format of EIA reports does not readily assist the development of an EMS.

The paper finds that the recommendations from an EIA could be structured and summarised to make them more accessible and that certifying the EMS could become a means of ensuring their implementation.
LINKING PROJECT APPRAISAL AND DEVELOPMENT: THE PERFORMANCE OF EIA IN LARGE-SCALE MINING PROJECTS
Authors: MCKILLOP JEANIE , BROWN A. L.
Published: May 2003

The use of environmental impact assessment (EIA) to address the environmental and social impacts of mining is common. At Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea, and Century mine in northern Australia, EIA failed to protect the biophysical and social environment of the mines. A detailed historical analysis was conducted to determine the chronology of the development of these projects, all internal and external decision making, and the reasons for this failure. This analysis showed that EIA was poorly timed and poorly integrated with the early phases of the mine developments. Environmental assessment expenditure and activity were concentrated in the development phase of the project and could not address impacts resulting from the earlier exploration and evaluation phases. Approval processes, such as permits and licences, that did occur in the early phases of the life of the mines, had very limited components of environmental appraisal or control. The primacy of development schedules, and the lack of communication between actors in the development of these large-scale projects, prohibited effective assessment and produced EIAs that were in many ways unrelated to the real environmental information needs of the project. In such large-scale projects it is essential to link EIA (and other approval/appraisal hoops) to environmental issues and decisions which occur throughout the continuum of mine development.
COMPARING STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
Authors: NOOTEBOOM SIBOUT , WIERINGA KEIMPE
Published: May 2003

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) aims to assess the environmental effects of proposed policies, plans and programmes (PPPs), governing sectoral activities such as transport, agriculture, industry and tourism. Integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) aims to assess the environmental effects of societal activities and government policy, not in respect to a particular proposed PPP, but in general. The thesis of this paper is that, in particular at the national and international level, SEA and IEA are instruments with complementary roles in the policy making process. A truly pro-active approach requires application of IEA next to SEA. They can also strengthen one another by making use of the same assessment tools. The paper makes use of the experiences of European practitioners of SEA and IEA. It makes no explicit reference to the general theory of planning and policy making, but the experiences and ideas are considered to be of use to practioners as well as policy makers and academics. The paper first describes the context of SEA and IEA — mainly in Europe — and then compares them on key characteristics. This leads to a discussion of the relationship between the two, possibilities for improvement and conclusions.