bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Sources of Growth in Federal Spending
Authors: O'Lessker Karl
Published: February 2004

The sharp upsurge in federal spending during the twelve years of the Reagan and Bush administrations is attributable largely—but not entirely—to the growth of outlays for entitlements. But while Reagan succeeded in cutting domestic discretionary spending by almost 10 percent, under Bush it rose by close to 18 percent. This article attempts to account for those differences and concludes by suggesting ways to slow the growth of total federal spending.
Low parasitoid success on a myrmecophilous host is maintained in the absence of ants
Authors: Sloggett John J. , Webberley K. Mary , Majerus Michael E. N.
Published: February 2004

Abstract.  1. Studies of Dinocampus coccinellae, a parasitoid of ladybird beetles, have generally shown congruence between field parasitism rates of different host species and parasitoid preference and/or host suitability in the laboratory, suggesting that host intrinsic factors rather than habitat‐related extrinsic factors are of greatest importance in determining D. coccinellae occurrence.

2. The myrmecophilous Coccinella magnifica exhibits much lower D. coccinellae prevalence in the field than most other Coccinella species: it has been suggested that this is a manifestation of enemy‐free space provided by the predatory Formica rufa group ants with which the C. magnifica occurs.

3. Coccinella magnifica collected at the same time and locality as parasitised Coccinella septempunctata were unparasitised by D. coccinellae. In the laboratory, in the absence of ants, although the parasitoid attacked C. magnifica as readily as C. septempunctata, C. magnifica was not parasitised successfully.

4. Such results are consistent with those from other ladybirds and C. magnifica does not now benefit directly from any putative D. coccinellae‐free space provided by aggressive ants. Because its close relatives exhibit high levels of D. coccinellae parasitism, C. magnifica may be useful in determining some elements important in the evolution of host protection against parasitoid attack.
Development of the solitary endoparasitoid Microplitis demolitor: host quality does not increase with host age and size
Authors: Harvey Jeffrey A. , Bezemer T. Martijn , Elzinga Jelmer A. , Strand Michael R.
Published: February 2004

Abstract.  1. Many studies examining the relationship between host size, an index of host quality, and parasitoid fitness use development time and/or adult parasitoid size as currencies of fitness, while ignoring pre‐adult mortality. Because the physiological suitability of the host may vary in different stages, sizes, or ages of hosts, a misleading picture of host quality may therefore be obtained in cases where fitness is based on only one or two developmental traits.

2. The development of the solitary koinobiont endoparasitoid Microplitis demolitor is examined in different larval age‐classes of its host the soybean looper Pseudoplusia includens. Hosts were parasitised on days 1–8 after hatching from the egg, and development time, adult body size, and mortality of the parasitoid were compared.

3. A comparison of larval growth trajectories (using dry body mass) of M. demolitor revealed that parasitoid larvae attained over twice as much body mass in old hosts than in younger hosts. Similarly, adult parasitoid size at eclosion generally increased with host size, although parasitoids developing in smaller hosts lost a much lower proportion of mass between pupation and eclosion.

4. Overall egg‐to‐adult development was most rapid in intermediate‐aged hosts, and longer in hosts at opposite ends of the age continuum. Moreover, parasitoid mortality varied non‐linearly with host stage, and was generally higher in very young and older hosts.

5. Based on these results and other empirical data for koinobionts, it is argued that fitness functions in this group of parasitoids are not simply a positive function of host size or age, but instead may be distinctly dome‐shaped, both patterns reflecting the degree of physiological and nutritional compatibility between the two organisms.
Wedged between bottom‐up and top‐down processes: aphids on tansy
Authors: Stadler Bernhard
Published: February 2004

Abstract. 1. Many species of aphids exploit a single host‐plant species and have to cope with changing environmental conditions. They often vary greatly in abundance even when feeding on the same host. In a field experiment, the bottom‐up (plant quality/patch type frequency) and top‐down (ant attendance/predation) effects on the abundance of four species of aphids feeding on tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) were tested using a full factorial design. In addition, a model was used to examine these patch characteristics for their relative effects on the population dynamics and abundance of different aphid species.

2. Aphid numbers changed significantly depending on the quality of the host plant and the presence/absence of attending ants. The obligate myrmecophile,Metopeurum fuscoviride, was abundant on high‐quality plants, while on poor quality plants or on plants without attending ants these aphids did not survive until the end of the experiment. The facultative myrmecophiles,Aphis fabaeandBrachycaudus cardui, and the unattended aphid species,Macrosiphoniella tanacetaria, all reached similar peak population densities, butM. tanacetariadid best in poor quality patches.

3. Natural enemies reduced aphid numbers, but those species feeding on high‐quality plants survived longer than those on poor‐quality plants, which existed only for a short period of time, especially when associated with ants. Losses due to migration of winged morphs and mortality caused by parasitoids were insignificant.

4. Varying the frequency of different patch types in a model indicates that different degrees of associations with ants are favoured in different environments. If the proportion of high‐quality patches in a habitat is large, obligate myrmecophiles do best. On increasing the number of poor‐quality patches, unattended species become more abundant.

5. The results suggest that, in spite of large species specific differences in growth rates, degree of myrmecophily or life cycle features, the temporal and spatial variability in top‐down and bottom‐up forces differentially affects aphid species and allows the simultaneous exploitation of a shared host‐plant species.
Learning conditions at work: a framework to understand and assess informal learning in the workplace
Authors: Skule Sveinung
Published: February 2004

The purpose of this article is to develop a framework to understand and assess the quality of learning environments in the workplace. It is argued that indicators used to measure and assess informal learning at work, at both the national and the enterprise level, are underdeveloped. Consequently, current frameworks to measure and benchmark learning are heavily biased towards education and formal training. A new framework is developed, based on a quantitative survey representative of the private sector in Norway. The framework consists of seven learning conditions, which have significant effects on informal learning at work. Implications for further research, policy and practice are discussed.
Lack of detrimental effects of nitric oxide inhibition in bile duct‐ligated rats with hepatic encephalopathy
Authors: Chan C.‐Y. , Huang S.‐W. , Wang T.‐F. , Lu R.‐H. , Lee F.‐Y. , Chang F.‐Y. , Chu C.‐J. , Chen Y.‐C. , Chan C.‐C. , Huang H.‐C. , Lee S.‐D.
Published: February 2004

Background  The pathogenetic mechanisms of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) are not fully understood. Vasodilatation induced by nitric oxide (NO) may be involved in the development of HE. There is no comprehensive data concerning the effects of NO inhibition on HE in chronic liver disease.

Methods  Male Sprague‐Dawley rats weighing 240–270 g at the time of surgery were selected for experiments. Secondary biliary cirrhosis was induced by bile duct ligation (BDL). Counts of movements were compared between BDL rats and rats receiving a sham operation. In another series of experiments, BDL rats received either Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME, 25 mg kg−1 day−1 in tap water) or tap water (control) from the 36th to 42nd days after BDL. Besides motor activities, plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and nitrate/nitrite, liver biochemistry tests and haemodynamics were determined after treatment.

Results  Compared with the sham‐operated rats, the total, ambulatory and vertical movements were significantly decreased in the BDL rats (P ≤ 0·001). The L‐NAME group had a significantly higher mean arterial pressure than that of the control group (119·0 ± 2·5 mmHg vs. 97·3 ± 2·8 mmHg, P = 0·002). However, the counts of motor activities, plasma levels of TNF‐α and nitrate/nitrite, and serum biochemistry tests were not significantly different between the L‐NAME and control groups.

Conclusions  Bile duct ligation may induce HE evidenced by a decrease in motor activities. However, chronic L‐NAME administration did not have significantly detrimental or therapeutic effects on the severity of encephalopathy in BDL rats.
High levels of desmosines in urine and plasma of patients with pseudoxanthoma elasticum
Authors: Annovazzi L. , Viglio S. , Gheduzzi D. , Pasquali‐Ronchetti I. , Zanone C. , Cetta G. , Iadarola P.
Published: February 2004

Background  Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a rare heritable disorder caused by mutations of the ABCC6 gene, is characterized by fragmentation and mineralization of elastic fibres. We determined the extent of degradation of elastin by measuring and comparing the amount of desmosines in plasma and urine of PXE patients, healthy carriers and normal subjects.

Methods  Using capillary electrophoresis with laser‐induced fluorescence detection (CE‐LIF) we measured the amount of desmosines in the urine of 46 individuals (14 PXE patients, 17 healthy carriers and 15 controls) and in the plasma of 56 subjects (18 PXE patients, 23 healthy carriers and 15 controls). Pseudoxanthoma elasticum patients and carriers were identified by clinical, structural and molecular biology analyses.

Results  The urinary excretion of desmosines was two‐fold higher in PXE patients than in controls (P < 0·01); the values for healthy carriers were intermediate between those of PXE patients and controls. A very similar trend between patients and their relatives was observed for plasma desmosines. There was a significant correlation between the amount of the desmosines in plasma and urine. Moreover, a positive correlation was observed between urinary desmosine content and age of the patients as well as between urinary desmosine content and severity of clinical manifestations.

Conclusions  Both the urinary and plasma desmosine concentrations indicate that elastin degradation is higher in PXE patients and, to a lesser extent, in healthy carriers than in normal subjects. Data seem to indicate that the amount of elastin breakdown products correlates with the age of patients as well as with the severity of the disease.
α1 Adrenoreceptors Mediate The Stimulatory Effects of Oestrogen On Stress‐Related Hypothalamic‐Pituitary‐Adrenal Activity in The Female Rat
Authors: Viau V. , Meaney M. J.
Published: February 2004

Variation in challenge‐induced adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) release over the oestrous cycle occurs in response to fluctuations in circulating concentrations of oestrogen and progesterone. However, how these ovarian steroids interact to regulate the principal ACTH cosecretagogues, corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine vasopressin is not understood. Here, we measured median eminence CRH and vasopressin content in intact cycling female rats, and in ovariectomized (OVX) females steroid‐replaced in a manner that approximates the relative release patterns of oestrogen and progesterone seen over the oestrous cycle. Intact cycling females showed significantly higher median eminence CRH and vasopressin concentrations during proestrous and oestrous compared to the diestrous phase. In OVX rats, a single 10 µg injection of oestrogen failed to mimic this increase in median eminence CRH and vasopressin. However, this dose significantly elevated CRH and vasopressin content in OVX rats previously exposed to diestrous concentrations of oestrogen and progesterone. Moreover, oestrogen priming enhanced restraint‐induced depletion of CRH and vasopressin from the median eminence, but only against a background of low oestrogen and progesterone replacement. Oestrogen‐induced elevations in median eminence vasopressin (but not CRH) content were reduced by peripheral administration of the α1 adrenoreceptor antagonist prazosin. Finally, plasma ACTH concentrations following central injection of the α1 receptor agonist, phenylephrine, were significantly higher in rats during proestrous compared to diestrous. These results indicate that the stimulatory effect of oestrogen on both the expression and stress‐induced release of ACTH cosecretagogues is exerted only against a background of low oestrogen and progesterone levels, and is mediated, in part, via the α1 adrenoreceptor.
Central and Peripheral Immunoreactivity of Melanin‐Concentrating Hormone in Hypothalamic Obese and Lactating Rats
Authors: Sun G. , Tian Z. , Murata T. , Narita K. , Honda K. , Higuchi T.
Published: February 2004

Melanin‐concentrating hormone (MCH) is believed to be an important orexigenic peptide mainly localized in the lateral hypothalamic area. Its involvement in the hyperphagia induced by hypothalamic lesions and lactation remains unclear. In this study, we investigated MCH immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus using immunohistochemistry and MCH concentration in the peripheral circulation using an enzyme immunoassay in rats with a lesion in the ventromedial hypothalamus or the paraventricular nucleus, and in lactating rats. Bilateral lesions of the ventromedial or paraventricular nuclei were performed using an electrolytic method. Quantification of immunoreactivity by image analysis revealed that the number and mean staining intensity of MCH‐immunoreactive neurones in the lateral hypothalamic area and the zona incerta were significantly decreased by both types of lesions compared to sham controls, whereas circulating MCH concentration was not significantly different on day 7 postlesion. By contrast, in lactating rats on days 11–12 postpartum, the expression of MCH in the lateral hypothalamic area and the zona incerta was significantly increased compared to nonlactating controls. Circulating MCH concentration was not changed in lactating rats. These results suggest that hyperphagia induced by lactation, but not hypothalamic lesion, might be induced by excessive expression of MCH in the lateral hypothalamic area and the zona incerta.
Gender Differences in the Expression of Galanin and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide in Oestrogen‐Induced Prolactinomas of Fischer 344 Rats
Authors: Piroli G. G. , Pietranera L. , Grillo C. A. , De Nicola A. F.
Published: February 2004

We have previously described a sexual dimorphism in oestrogen‐induced anterior pituitary tumorigenesis in Fischer 344 rats, with female tumours averaging twice the size of those of males. Neonatal androgenization of female Fischer 344 rats with 100 µg of testosterone propionate reverted that effect, causing a ‘male‐like’ phenotype. The peptides galanin and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) are possible mediators of oestrogen effects on the anterior pituitary, including hyperprolactinemia and lactotroph proliferation. To further extend our previous findings, we investigated the expression of galanin and VIP in the anterior pituitary of control and oestrogenized male, female and neonatally androgenized female Fischer 344 rats. At 3 months of age, rats were deprived of their gonads and divided into control and diethylstilbestrol (DES)‐treated groups. In the anterior pituitary of control rats, galanin and VIP immunoreactive cells were absent. However, in DES‐treated rats, pituitaries from normal ovariectomized females showed higher number of galanin and VIP positive cells than pituitaries from neonatally androgenized ovariectomized females and gonadectomized males. This pattern correlated with changes in anterior pituitary weight and serum prolactin. Our study suggests that sexual differences in oestrogen‐induced pituitary tumorigenesis could be due to the differential expression of galanin and VIP. Furthermore, our data support the fact that neonatal exposure to androgens, as in normal males and androgenized females, may condition the response of the pituitary gland to oestrogens in adult life.
The zinc‐binding site of a class I aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetase is a SWIM domain that modulates amino acid binding via the tRNA acceptor arm
Authors: Banerjee Rajat , Dubois Daniel Y. , Gauthier Joelle , Lin Sheng‐Xiang , Roy Siddhartha , Lapointe Jacques
Published: February 2004

In its tRNA acceptor end binding domain, the glutamyl‐tRNA synthetase (GluRS) of Escherichia coli contains one atom of zinc that holds the extremities of a segment (Cys98‐x‐Cys100‐x24‐Cys125‐x‐His127) homologous to the Escherichia coli glutaminyl‐tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) loop where a leucine residue stabilizes the peeled‐back conformation of tRNAGln acceptor end. We report here that the GluRS zinc‐binding region belongs to the novel SWIM domain family characterized by the signature C‐x‐C‐xn‐C‐x‐H (n = 6–25), and predicted to interact with DNA or proteins. In the presence of tRNAGlu, the GluRS C100Y variant has a lower affinity for l‐glutamate than the wild‐type enzyme, with Km and Kd values increased 12‐ and 20‐fold, respectively. On the other hand, in the absence of tRNAGlu, glutamate binds with the same affinity to the C100Y variant and to wild‐type GluRS. In the context of the close structural and mechanistic similarities between GluRS and GlnRS, these results indicate that the GluRS SWIM domain modulates glutamate binding to the active site via its interaction with the tRNAGlu acceptor arm. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that ancestral GluRSs had a strong zinc‐binding site in their SWIM domain. Considering that all GluRSs require a cognate tRNA to activate glutamate, and that some of them have different or no putative zinc‐binding residues in the corresponding positions, the properties of the C100Y variant suggest that the GluRS SWIM domains evolved to position correctly the tRNA acceptor end in the active site, thereby contributing to the formation of the glutamate binding site.
Conformational changes of β‐lactoglobulin in sodium bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate reverse micelles
Authors: Andrade Suzana M. , Carvalho Teresa I. , Viseu M. Isabel , Costa Sílvia M. B.
Published: February 2004

The effect of β‐lactoglobulin encapsulation in sodium bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate reverse micelles on the environment of protein and on Trp was analysed at different water contents (ω0). CD data underlined the distortion of the β‐sheet and a less constrained tertiary structure as the ω0 increased, in agreement with a concomitant red shift and a decrease in the signal intensity obtained in steady‐state fluorescence measurements. Fluorescence lifetimes, evaluated by biexponential analysis, were τ1 = 1.28 ns and τ2 = 3.36 ns in neutral water. In reverse micelles, decay‐associated spectra indicated the occurrence of important environmental changes associated with ω0. Bimolecular fluorescence quenching by CCl4 and acrylamide was employed to analyse alterations in the accessibility of the two Trp residues in β‐lactoglobulin, induced by changes in ω0. The average bimolecular quenching constant <> was found not to depend on ω0, confirming the insolubility of this quencher in the aqueous interface, while <> increases with ω0. The drastic decrease with ω0 of kq, associated with the longest lifetime, , comparatively to the increase of , emphasizes the location of β‐lactoglobulin in the aqueous interfacial region especially at ω0≥ 10. The fact that (ω0 = 30) ≫  (water) also confirms the important conformational changes of encapsulated β‐lactoglobulin.
Expressed protein ligation
Authors: David Ralf , Richter Michael P.O. , Beck‐Sickinger Annette G.
Published: February 2004

The introduction of noncanonical amino acids and biophysical probes into peptides and proteins, and total or segmental isotopic labelling has the potential to greatly aid the determination of protein structure, function and protein–protein interactions. To obtain a peptide as large as possible by solid‐phase peptide synthesis, native chemical ligation was introduced to enable synthesis of proteins of up to 120 amino acids in length. After the discovery of inteins, with their self‐splicing properties and their application in protein synthesis, the semisynthetic methodology, expressed protein ligation, was developed to circumvent size limitation problems. Today, diverse expression vectors are available that allow the production of N‐ and C‐terminal fragments that are needed for ligation to produce large amounts and high purity protein(s) (protein α‐thioesters and peptides or proteins with N‐terminal Cys). Unfortunately, expressed protein ligation is still limited mainly by the requirement of a Cys residue. Of course, additional Cys residues can be introduced into the sequence by site directed mutagenesis or synthesis, however, those mutations may disturb protein structure and function. Recently, alternative ligation approaches have been developed that do not require Cys residues. Accordingly, it is theoretically possible to obtain each modified protein using ligation strategies.
Mouse spermine oxidase gene splice variants
Authors: Cervelli Manuela , Bellini Alessandro , Bianchi Marzia , Marcocci Lucia , Nocera Stefania , Polticelli Fabio , Federico Rodolfo , Amendola Roberto , Mariottini Paolo
Published: February 2004

Spermine oxidase (SMO) is a flavoenzyme involved in polyamine homeostasis in animal cells. The mouse spermine oxidase gene (mSMO) codes for splice variants, including the previously reported major active isoform, herein named alfa (α). In the present work, eight additional gene splicing variants were characterized. The heterologous expression and biochemical characterization of three recombinant isoforms (namely mSMOµ, ‐γ and ‐δ) revealed that only the recombinant protein mSMOµ displays biochemical characteristics similar to those of mSMOα; the other two recombinant proteins contained no detectable SMO activity. In order to investigate in greater detail, the SMO enzyme activity associated with their subcellular localization, mSMOα and ‐µ V5‐tagged proteins were transiently and stably transfected in the murine neuroblastoma cell line, N18TG2. Very interestingly, the novel active mSMOµ isoform was found to be present in both nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments, thus providing the first evidence of SMO activity in the nucleus, while a cytoplasmic localization was confirmed for the mSMOα isoform. In addition, the relative transcription levels of the gene splicing variants were evaluated by RT‐PCR analysis to verify a relationship with the SMO enzyme activity in various murine organs.
A new UV‐B absorbing mycosporine with photo protective activity from the lichenized ascomycete Collema cristatum
Authors: Torres Avital , Hochberg Malka , Pergament Inna , Smoum Reem , Niddam Valerie , Dembitsky Valery M. , Temina Marina , Dor Inka , Lev Ovadia , Srebnik Morris , Enk Claes D.
Published: February 2004

A novel photo protective mycosporine was isolated from the lichenized ascomycete Collema cristatum. Biological activity was measured in terms of protection against UV‐B induced membrane destruction and pyrimidine dimer formation in cultured human keratinocytes, and prevention of UV‐B induced erythema. It was found that the pure isolated compound prevented UV‐B induced cell destruction in a dose‐dependent manner, that the compound partially prevented pyrimidine dimer formation and completely prevented UV‐B induced erythema when applied to the skin prior to irradiation.
Insight into the activation mechanism of Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase by calmodulin using fluorescence spectroscopy
Authors: Gallay Jacques , Vincent Michel , Li de la Sierra Inès M. , Munier‐Lehmann Hélène , Renouard Madalena , Sakamoto Hiroshi , Bârzu Octavian , Gilles Anne‐Marie
Published: February 2004

The interaction of the adenylate cyclase catalytic domain (AC) of the Bordetella pertussis major exotoxin with its activator calmodulin (CaM) was studied by time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy using three fluorescent groups located in different regions of AC: tryptophan residues (W69 and W242), a nucleotide analogue (3′‐anthraniloyl‐2′‐deoxyadenosine 5′‐triphosphate, Ant‐dATP) and a cysteine‐specific probe (acrylodan). CaM binding elicited large changes in the dynamics of W242, which dominates the fluorescence emission of both AC and AC–CaM, similar to that observed for isolated CaM‐binding sequences of different lengths [Bouhss, A., Vincent, M., Munier, H., Gilles, A.M., Takahashi, M., Bârzu, O., Danchin, A. & Gallay, J. (1996) Eur. J. Biochem.237, 619–628]. In contrast, Ant‐dATP remains completely immobile and inaccessible to the solvent in both the AC and AC–CaM nucleotide‐binding sites. As AC contains no cysteine residue, a single‐Cys mutant at position 75 was constructed which allowed labeling of the catalytic domain with acrylodan. Its environment is strongly apolar and rigid, and only slightly affected by CaM. The protein's hydrodynamic properties were also studied by fluorescence anisotropy decay measurements. The average Brownian rotational correlation times of AC differed significantly according to the probe used (19 ns for W242, 25 ns for Ant‐dATP, and 35 ns for acrylodan), suggesting an elongated protein shape (axial ratio of ≈ 1.9). These values increased greatly with the addition of CaM (39 ns for W242, 60–70 ns for Ant‐dATP and 56 ns for acrylodan). This suggests that (a) the orientation of the probes is altered with respect to the protein axes and (b) the protein becomes more elongated with an axial ratio of ≈ 2.4. For comparison, the hydrodynamic properties of the anthrax AC exotoxin were computed by a mathematical approach (hydropro), which uses the 3D structure [Drum, C.L., Yan, S.‐Z., Bard, J., Shen, Y.‐Q., Lu, D., Soelalman, S., Grabarek, Z., Bohm, A. & Tang, W.‐J. (2002) Nature (London)415, 396–402]. A change in axial ratio is also observed on CaM binding, but in the reverse direction from that for AC: from 1.7 to 1.3. The mechanisms of activation of the two proteins by CaM may therefore be different.
Flowering system of heterodichogamous Juglans ailanthifolia
Authors: KIMURA MEGUMI , SEIWA KENJI , SUYAMA YOSHIHISA , UENO NAOTO
Published: February 2004

To determine the sex‐expression of Juglans ailanthifolia, we monitored its flowering phenology for 3 years in two natural populations and observed the following four mating types: protogyny, protandry, female and male. In each population, the number of protogynous trees was most numerous, followed by protandrous tree. These monoecious types constituted 61–95% of the individuals at each site in each year. Observations of flowering phenology of the monoecious types showed that female and male functions were temporally segregated within individual trees and that the sexual functions of each protogynous and protandrous mating type were synchronous and reciprocal. Such a system may help to reduce selfing and promote outcrossing. Trunk size was smaller in the unisexual types than in the monoecious types. Sixty‐seven percent of trunks were oblique due to snow pressure in the unisexual types, whereas only 23% were oblique in the monoecious types. It seemed that unisexuality is a temporary trait because the changes in mating category occurred mainly from unisexual to monoecious types and inverse changes were very few.
Rescue of stranded pollen grains by secondary transfer
Authors: THOMSON JAMES D. , EISENHART KAREN S.
Published: February 2004

Secondary transfer of pollen can occur when a second pollinator remobilizes grains that had already been transferred to a flower by a previous pollinator. We used a pollen‐color dimorphism to measure components of secondary transfer by bumble bees visiting the lily Erythronium grandiflorum. Remobilization was surprisingly high, ranging from 20% of grains deposited on stigmas to 90% of grains deposited on inner tepal surfaces. Because most of the grains that are remobilized would otherwise have been stranded on non‐stigmatic surfaces, secondary transfer has the beneficial effect of returning lost grains to circulation.
Floral correlations in an andromonoecious species, Commelina communis (Commelinaceae)
Authors: USHIMARU ATUSHI , ITAGAKI TOMOYUKI , ISHII HIROSHI S.
Published: February 2004

The sizes of various floral organs of andromonoecious Commelina communis were measured to test the hypothesis that size correlations among floral organs are regulated by natural selection. Size correlations among six floral organs in both perfect flowers and staminate flowers with sterile pistils were compared. The stigma‐long stamen anther (L‐anther) correlation for perfect flowers was the strongest of all C. communis floral correlations, whereas this correlation was weak in staminate flowers. This suggests that the position of fertile stigmas may have evolved to maximize receipt from pollinators of pollen grains from L‐anthers of the same height in perfect flowers.
Words and Deeds, Stasis and Change: New Directions in Florentine Devotion Around 1500
Authors: Eckstein Nicholas A.
Published: February 2004

Members of Renaissance Italian confraternities spoke an official language that emphasized stability and permanence rather than change, a fact which can obscure the precise relationship between the culture of organized lay devotion and events in society as a whole. Examining four miraculous cults that achieved prominence in Florence around 1500, this essay argues that, far from their being static or conservative organizations, confraternities exemplify major changes transforming Florentine society at this time. The representations of class, wealth, gender, and age that emerge from the analysis help to problematize and complicate developments that otherwise appear as overly simplified, teleological trends.
Showing the Poor a Good Time: Caring for Body and Spirit in Bologna's Civic Charities
Authors: Terpstra Nicholas
Published: February 2004

As poor relief in Christian Europe was being reformed through the sixteenth century, tensions emerged between a traditional charitable culture that allowed for occasional festivity, and the newer charitable culture that emphasized discipline, restraint, and efficiency. An undated document relating to a dispute that broke out in the main civic welfare agency of Bologna (Opera Pia dei Poveri Mendicanti) shows that gender and class were key dimensions of these two cultures, and underscores that the two should not be seen as sequential but as co‐existing and competing. This study examines the dispute and proposes a dating for the document in the 1590s.
Lay‐Religious Associations, Urban Identities, and Urban Space in Eighteenth‐Century Milan
Authors: Garrioch David
Published: February 2004

Religious life was integral to the social and political organization of eighteenth‐century Milan. The composition and character of lay‐religious activities reflect not only official hierarchies within the city but also unofficial bonds and identities, such as those of neighbourhood. They reveal the multiple identities of neighbourhood, parish, trade and family, but equally the tensions between collective forms of piety and the new religious values and aesthetic adopted by the Milanese elites during the late Enlightenment.
The Public Face of Post‐Tridentine Italian Confraternities
Authors: Black Christopher F.
Published: February 2004

Catholic reforming policies and Council of Trent rules encouraged and expanded the more public roles and responsibilities of lay confraternities, changing the nature of some old brotherhoods, and promoting new ones. The public images became more important for members, the wider church institutions including associated religious orders, and the public. This article considers some significant aspects of the “public face”: processions, Forty Hour devotions, philanthropy. Confraternities contributed to the theatricality of post‐tridentine, “baroque” religion in cities like Bologna, Naples and most especially Rome, where the Spanish national confraternity played a spectacular role.
Cointegration Theory, Equilibrium and Disequilibrium Economics
Authors: Abadir Karim Maher
Published: February 2004

Two variables are said to be cointegrated when they move closely together over time, after proper scaling. Cointegration was taken to be the statistical expression of the notion of equilibrium in economics. But is it still possible to talk of cointegration when ‘disequilibrium’ economics prevail? We argue that it is, and that the duality is strongest between cointegration theory and economic theories of non‐clearing markets. By setting up a simple generic non‐parametric model, it is shown that Clower's dual decision hypothesis is a more direct and natural expression of the notion of cointegration than long‐run equilibrium is. With sticky prices, quantities (e.g. consumption and income) move together more closely than they would otherwise. As a by‐product, the model gives rise to (and justifies from an economics standpoint) a recent statistical approach to modelling economic time series. An observational equivalence between two econometric models is also presented.
Corporate Retentions and Consumers’ Expenditure
Authors: Sumner Michael
Published: February 2004

Corporate retained profits have well‐determined effects on both total and non‐durable consumers’ expenditure, with coefficients which do not differ significantly from those on disposable income in a standard consumption function; the effects also appear in a life‐cycle model which excludes disposable income. Retentions convey no useful information about future values of the other arguments of either consumption function. The implications of an alternative explanatory hypothesis, of a discrepancy between the principles and practice of national accounting, are not rejected.
Change Makers? Women's Microenterprises in a Bolivian City
Authors: Eversole Robyn
Published: February 2004

If entrepreneurs are society's innovators, what is the role of businesspeople in poor countries — particularly, the ‘micro’ businesspeople that make up the majority? What hope for decreasing poverty and improving livelihoods do microbusinesses offer? In particular, what is the role of women microentrepreneurs, whose incomes have been understood to contribute a great deal to the well‐being of poor households? This paper is based on case studies collected in the late 1990s in Sucre, Bolivia, a context in which many women are the owners of independent microenterprises. Women in Sucre control a range of microenterprises in the commerce, production and service sectors and are recognized as businesspeople by their spouses, families and people in their community. Under such conditions of ‘empowered’ business ownership, what is the potential of these businesses to decrease poverty? The study explores the business experiences of women microentrepreneurs, their priorities, entrepreneurial abilities and the obstacles they face. It suggests the kinds of business activities which women in Sucre are most likely to undertake and the income levels which these activities generally attract. Finally, it indicates that, while women in Sucre can control resources and take advantage of opportunities as businesswomen, other constraints mean that most women's businesses have only a limited ability to decrease poverty. ‘Microenterprise development’ alone is insufficient to address the complex relationships affecting how these women and their households access resources.
Social Movement, Action and Change: The Influence of Women's Movements on City Government in Mumbai and London
Authors: Barry Jim , Honour Trudie , Palnitkar Sneha
Published: February 2004

This article reports on a research investigation into gender and local government in Mumbai in India and London in England. In both these cities female representation at the political level stands at around one third, achieved in London slowly in recent years and in Mumbai more rapidly through the adoption of a quota, or seat reservation system, implemented in 1992. In considering the experience of the women concerned it is argued that their presence and aspirations have been influenced through the networks of their respective women's movements, operating through civil society and the local state. In considering the ways in which they organize and manage the duties of office and their gendered identities, as well as in their focus on the most disadvantaged in their communities and in their dealings with others, the part played by social movements in influencing change is examined.
The Consequences for Women in the Academic Profession of the Widespread Use of Fixed Term Contracts
Authors: Bryson Colin
Published: February 2004

Women have been disadvantaged within the academic profession due to its gendered nature. Some commentators have alleged that temporary contracts may create opportunities for women and that women exhibit a stronger preference for such contracts than men. Over recent years, there has been a sharp rise in the proportion of academic staff employed on fixed term contracts in UK universities. This article examines whether the consequence of this has been to create a bridge for women, leading into and upwards within the profession, or a trap. Drawing on new empirical evidence gathered from academic staff, the conclusions are that segregation is decreasing slowly, but not because of fixed term contracts, and that fixed term contracts create traps and profound disadvantages for both sexes. Women are slightly disadvantaged by forms of patronage that operate to permit some fixed term staff to gain more secure posts. Moreover, relative to men, these professional women neither gain nor perceive any comparative benefits from fixed term contracts as opposed to open‐ended contracts.
Early stages of L2 inner speech development: what verbal reports suggest1
Authors: De Guerrero María C.M.
Published: February 2004

The main purpose of this study was to explore the early stages of L2 inner speech development. A secondary aim was to test the effectiveness of the diary and stimulated recall techniques in the elucidation of L2 inner speech phenomena. Over a period of four months, 16 beginning ESL college students kept diaries on the inner speech they had experienced in their L2 during class and outside the classroom. The stimulated recall technique was used to encourage clarification and expansion of diary entries. Four main types of reported L2 inner speech were found. From the most frequent to the least frequent, these categories were (1) concurrent processing of language being heard or read, (2) recall of language heard, read, or used previously, (3) preparation before writing or speaking, and (4) silent verbalization of thoughts for private purposes. Results suggest that, at the early stages of development, inner speech in the L2 is characterized by deliberate and spontaneous attempts to internalize external social L2 speech. It is hypothesized that such inner speech activity is necessary for the eventual development of the L2 as a tool for thought. Notwithstanding the elusive and covert nature of inner speech, the diary – complemented by the stimulated recall technique – proved to be a rich source of insights into the nature of inner speech activity in the L2.
The “private function” of gesture in second language speaking activity: a study of motion verbs and gesturing in English and Spanish
Authors: Negueruela Eduardo , Lantolf James P. , Jordan Stefanie Rehn , Gelabert Jaime
Published: February 2004

This article examines Slobin's concept of thinking for speaking (TFS) in the gesture/speech interface of advanced L2 speakers of English and Spanish. The focus is on the use of motion verbs in the respective languages. English, a satellite‐framed language, encodes manner of motion in the verb and indicates path of motion on satellite phrases (e.g. The frog leaped out of the boy's pocket). Spanish, a verb‐framed language, encodes path, and only rarely manner of motion, in the verb. If manner is encoded at all, it is done either through lexical phrases (e.g. Tarzan saltó de liana a liana‘Tarzan jumped from vine to vine’) or gesture. Using McNeill's notion of growth point, the study suggests that L2 speakers, even at advanced levels, have difficulties manifesting L2 TFS patterns and continue to rely on the patterns internalized in their L1. Shifting from an L1 to an L2 TFS is particularly vexing for the L1 English speakers, because their L1 is richly endowed with manner verbs, while Spanish, their L2, is not. Spanish L1 speakers in L2 English, on the other hand, can rely on the English equivalents of basic manner verbs in Spanish. The analysis also suggests the need for reconsidering how manner verbs are categorized.
Secondary ion mass spectrometry backside analysis of barrier layers for copper diffusion
Authors: Gu C. , Pivovarov A. , Garcia R. , Stevie F. , Griffis D. , Moran J. , Kulig L. , Richards J. F.
Published: February 2004

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) backside analyses have been performed on a Cu/TaN/Ta/SiO2/Si structure to determine barrier effectiveness for Cu diffusion. Sample backside access to the barrier layers was obtained by removal of the Si substrate using a polishing method that maintains parallelism between the sample surface and the polished back side by monitoring changes in facets at the four corners of the specimen. Determination of the Si thickness remaining during the polishing process was improved through the use of optical interference measurements using a narrow band pass optical filter. Samples having slopes with respect to the original surface less than 6 nm over 60 μm have been obtained. A difference in polishing rate between SiO2 and Si was exploited to obtain this parallelism. For SIMS analyses, the presence of a SiO2 layer required electron gun charge neutralization for the O2+ 0.5 keV impact energy analysis. SIMS analyses show the ability to distinguish all layers and to monitor copper through the barrier material. With the high depth resolution conditions used, SIMS analyses were able to provide detailed elemental distribution information such as the presence of nitrogen at specific interfaces.
Carrier illumination for characterization of ultrashallow doping profiles
Authors: Clarysse T. , Lindsay R. , Vandervorst W. , Budiarto E. , Borden P.
Published: February 2004

The Carrier Illumination™ (CI) method is an optical technique for nondestructive in-line monitoring of postanneal junction depth, preanneal preamorphization implant depth, and dose. This work intends to extend the use of the CI measurements from a relatively process specific quantitative measurement towards a more universal quantitative analysis of junction depth, profile abruptness, and implant dose. For that purpose the predictive capabilities of the present physical models with respect to the quantitative dependence of the CI signal on the applied generation power is investigated for a wide variety of samples, including bulk material, highly abrupt chemical vapor deposition grown (B) structures, and implanted ultrashallow junctions (B, BF2, As). In general, the CI signal may arise from a combination of three components: a primary one originating from the reflection of the probe laser beam from the dopant profile depth corresponding with the injected excess carrier level, in some cases, from reflection from near-surface carriers, and in other cases, from residual damage within the doped region.
Dopant profiling in ultrathin silicon-on-insulator layers
Authors: Bennett J. , Tichy R. S.
Published: February 2004

Low-energy B, BF2, and As implants into 20 nm, 50 nm, and 150 nm Si layers on silicon-on-insulator wafers were investigated. Before annealing, a pileup of the B and As was observed at the Si/buried oxide interface in samples where the implant range and straggle approached the Si layer thickness. The absence of B10 from the interface, along with the presence of the pileup in profiles obtained from the back side of the samples, indicates that the pileup is implant induced. The pileup is believed to be due to the blockage of the open channels in the single-crystal Si by the amorphous SiO2 at the interface. In samples pre-amphorized with Ge the pileup is not observed. Examples of representative profiles will be presented along with a discussion of the methods used to reduce or eliminate several secondary ion mass spectrometry artifacts.
Ultra-shallow depth profiling with secondary ion mass spectrometry
Authors: Tomita M. , Hongo C. , Suzuki M. , Takenaka M. , Murakoshi A.
Published: February 2004

Estimation methods for ultra-shallow profiling with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) were investigated. The depth and concentration of ultra-shallow profiles were calibrated using multi-delta-doped samples and bulk-doped samples. Boron profiles, whose implantation energy is 200 eV or less, were measured by backside SIMS analysis in order to minimize the atomic mixing effect. This analysis enabled accurate junction depth measurements for even 200 eV boron implanted samples when the primary oxygen ion energy was 500 eV or less, but the sample preparation time was relatively long. SIMS depth resolution functions were then extracted from surface-side and backside (true) profiles in order to deconvolute degraded surface-side profiles. This deconvolution analysis of SIMS (surface-side) profiles, using the depth resolution functions, provided profiles of similar quality to those obtained by backside SIMS analysis and was a relatively quick process.
Two-dimensional characterization of carrier concentration in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors with the use of scanning tunneling microscopy
Authors: Fukutome Hidenobu , Arimoto Hiroshi , Hasegawa Shigehiko , Nakashima Hisao
Published: February 2004

An evaluation technique for two-dimensional (2D) carrier profiles in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) is presented that is based on the use of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). First, the procedure of STM-based carrier profiling method is presented. Sample preparation that enables accurate carrier measurements is described. It is shown that STM has both the spatial resolution and sensitivity of tunneling current to carrier concentration enough to evaluate the carrier profile in an aggressively scaled device. The conversion method from obtained images into carrier profiles is described. Next, the STM-based technique is used to evaluate two-dimensional carrier profiles in the extension regions of 70 nm n-MOSFETs. The dependence of 2D carrier profiles in the extension regions where arsenic is implanted at an energy of 3 keV on the implantation dose and annealing temperature is investigated. STM is a powerful tool for the efficient development of scaled Si devices.
What happens in the annealing of carbon nitride thin films?
Authors: Xu Wentao , Fujimoto Toshiyuki , Wang Li , Ohchi Tadayuki , Kojima Isao
Published: February 2004

Carbon nitride (CNx) thin films about 35 nm thick, prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures, were annealed at 800 °C for 40 min in a vacuum. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and grazing incidence x-ray reflectivity were used to investigate the annealing effects on the composition and structure of the CNx films. An atomic force microscope equipped with a diamond tip was used to measure the hardness of the thin films. Obvious changes in the film thickness and hardness were observed. The thickness of the films prepared at room temperature and 800 °C decreased by 1.2 nm and increased by 3.9 nm, respectively, after annealing, but the thickness of the film prepared at 300 °C did not change. The film hardness dropped from more than 30 GPa to almost half after the thermal treatment. However, the nitrogen concentration and density of the films only decreased slightly. These results can be explained by the desorption of volatile phases and the graphitization process occurred during annealing.