bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity analysis: an aid for belief-network quantification
Authors: COUPÉ VEERLE M. H. , VAN DER GAAG LINDA C. , HABBEMA J. DIK F.
Published: July 2002

When building a Bayesian belief network, usually a large number of probabilities have to be assessed by experts in the domain of application. Experience shows that experts are often reluctant to assess all probabilities required, feeling that they are unable to give assessments with a high level of accuracy. We argue that the elicitation of probabilities from experts can be supported to a large extent by iteratively performing sensitivity analyses of the belief network in the making, starting with rough, initial assessments. Since it gives insight into which probabilities require a high level of accuracy and which do not, performing a sensitivity analysis allows for focusing further elicitation efforts. We propose an elicitation procedure in which, alternately, sensitivity analyses are performed and probability assessments refined, until satisfactory behaviour of the belief network is obtained, until the costs of further elicitation outweigh the benefits of higher accuracy or until higher accuracy can no longer be attained due to lack of knowledge.
LANGUAGE APTITUDE AND SECOND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY IN
CLASSROOM LEARNERS OF DIFFERENT STARTING AGES
Authors: Harley Birgit , Hart Doug
Published: July 2002

This empirical study investigates the relationship between language aptitude components and
second language (L2) outcomes among learners whose intensive L2 exposure began at different
ages. The learners in this study are 65 11th-grade students in continuing early and late French
immersion programs. Evidence is found to support the main hypothesis that in late immersion
starting in adolescence there will be a positive relationship between L2 outcomes and an
analytical dimension of language aptitude, whereas in early immersion beginning in grade 1 a
positive relationship will hold between L2 outcomes and memory ability. A further hypothesis
that early immersion students will have higher language aptitude as a result of their early L2
exposure is not supported by the findings.
Patterns of pronoun case error
Authors: RISPOLI MATTHEW
Published: July 2002

This paper addresses the question of whether the rate and patterns
of
pronoun case error are influenced by the composition of an individual
pronoun's paradigm. Twenty-nine children, aged 2;6 to 4;0 were
audiotaped for two 1-hour sessions, interacting with their primary
caregivers engaged in free play, book reading and family album viewing.

It was found that her was overextended for she at a significantly
higher
rate than him for he and them for they,

providing evidence of a ‘double-cell’ effect that increases the incidence of error in the feminine pronoun.
It was also found that the overextension of nominative forms (e.g. he
for
him), were antagonistic to the more frequently occurring type
of
overextension, objective for nominative (e.g. him for he).
These findings
indicate that the composition of a pronoun's paradigm influenced the

patterns of pronoun case error observed.
Rearrangement of vector series. II
Authors: NASH-WILLIAMS C. St. J. A. , WHITE D. J.
Published: July 2002

Let [sum ]∞an denote the set of cluster
points of the sequence of partial sums of a series [sum ]an with terms in
ℝd. For any permutation f of the set ℕ of positive integers,
[Cscr ]f (ℝd) denotes the set of all sets
[sum ]∞af(n) arising from series
[sum ]an with terms in ℝd and sum 0.
For each f, we use the Max-Flow Min-Cut Theorem to determine all convex sets in
[Cscr ]f(ℝd) which are symmetric about a point. These sets depend only
on a parameter w(f) ∈ ℕ ∪ {0, ∞}, called the width of f.
We show that w(f), when it is a positive integer, falls far short of completely determining
[Cscr ]f(ℝd) but, for each q ∈ ℕ, we find the largest of the
sets [Cscr ]f(ℝd) arising from permutations f of width q.
We also describe the smallest of these sets when q = 1.
Lagrangian isometric immersions of a real-space-form
Mn(c) into a
complex-space-form M˜n(4c)
Authors: CHEN B.-Y. , DILLEN F. , VERSTRAELEN L. , VRANCKEN L.
Published: July 2002

It is well known that totally geodesic Lagrangian submanifolds
of a complex-space-form
M˜n(4c) of constant holomorphic

sectional curvature 4c are real-space-forms of
constant sectional curvature c. In this paper we investigate and
determine
non-totally geodesic Lagrangian isometric immersions of real-space-forms
of
constant sectional curvature c into a complex-space-form
M˜n(4c). In order to do so,

associated with each twisted product decomposition of a real-space-form
of the form
f1I1×…
×fkIk×1Nn−k(c), we introduce
a canonical 1-form,
called the twistor form of the twisted product decomposition.

Roughly speaking, our main result
says that if the twistor form of such a twisted product decomposition of
a
simply-connected real-space-form of constant sectional curvature c

is twisted closed, then it admits a ‘unique’ adapted Lagrangian

isometric immersion into a complex-space-form
M˜n(4c). Conversely, if
L: Mn(c)→
M˜n(4c) is a non-totally geodesic

Lagrangian isometric immersion of a
real-space-form Mn(c) of
constant sectional curvature c into a complex-space-form
M˜n(4c), then
Mn(c) admits an appropriate twisted

product decomposition with twisted closed twistor form and, moreover, the
Lagrangian
immersion L is given by the corresponding adapted Lagrangian isometric

immersion of the twisted product. In this paper we also provide explicit
constructions
of adapted Lagrangian isometric immersions of some natural twisted product

decompositions of real-space-forms.
Oceanic Long-distance Navigation: Do Experienced Migrants use the Earth's Magnetic Field?
Authors: Åkesson S. , Luschi P. , Broderick A. C. , Glen F. , Godley B. J. , Papi F. , Hays G. C.
Published: July 2002

Albatrosses and sea turtles are known to perform extremely long-distance journeys between disparate feeding areas and breeding sites located on small, isolated, oceanic islands or at specific coastal sites. These oceanic journeys, performed mainly over or through apparently featureless mediums, indicate impressive navigational abilities, and the sensory mechanisms used are still largely unknown. This research used three different approaches to investigate whether bi-coordinate navigation based on magnetic field gradients is likely to explain the navigational performance of wandering albatrosses in the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans and of green turtles breeding on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. The possibility that magnetic field parameters can potentially be used in a bi-coordinate magnetic map by wandering albatrosses in their foraging area was investigated by analysing satellite telemetry data published in the literature. The possibilities for using bi-coordinate magnetic navigation varied widely between different areas of the Southern Oceans, indicating that a common mechanism, based on a bi-coordinate geomagnetic map alone, was unlikely for navigation in these areas. In the second approach, satellite telemetry was used to investigate whether Ascension Island green turtles use magnetic information for navigation during migration from their breeding island to foraging areas in Brazilian coastal waters. Disturbing magnets were applied to the heads and carapaces of the turtles, but these appeared to have little effect on their ability to navigate. The only possible effect observed was that some of the turtles with magnets attached were heading for foraging areas slightly south of the control turtles along the Brazilian coast. In the third approach, breeding female green turtles were deliberately displaced in the waters around Ascension Island to investigate which cues these turtles might use to locate and return to the island; the results suggested that cues transported by wind might be involved in the final stages of navigation.
Advanced Transport Telematics
Positioning Requirements: An
Assessment of GPS Performance in
Greater London
Authors: Ochieng W. Y. , Shardlow P. J. , Johnston Gordon
Published: July 2002

This paper presents the results of a study carried out in the Greater London area to assess
and characterise the performance of the Global Positioning System (GPS) for vehicle
positioning in urban areas. The performance assessment addresses, in varying levels of detail,
the issues of service coverage, positioning accuracy, integrity and availability of service. The
project was supported by Racal Survey Limited and is part of the wider research at Imperial
College in the area of architectural design and testing of Advanced Transport Telematics
(ATT) systems. The results highlight the shortcomings of GPS as the sole means for in-car
navigation in urban areas and details the temporal and spatial considerations to be taken
into account in the process of designing an integrated positioning system capable of meeting
navigation requirements placed on ATT systems.
Reservoir effects on downstream river channel migration
Authors: SHIELDS JR F. DOUGLAS , SIMON ANDREW , STEFFEN LYLE J.
Published: July 2002

Human occupation and development of alluvial river floodplains are adversely affected by river channel lateral migration, which may range as high as several hundred metres per year. Reservoirs that reduce the frequency and duration of high flows typically reduce lateral migration rates by factors of 3 to 6. The ecology of riverine corridors is dependent upon the processes of erosion and sedimentation, which lead to lateral migration. Multiple-objective use of floodplains adjacent to active rivers therefore requires tools for assessing the probability and magnitude of channel movements. Existing approaches for predicting river channel movement may be classified as empirical or mechanistic, and are inadequate for widespread application. The Missouri River downstream from Fort Peck Dam in Montana, a major alluvial river with flow highly perturbed by regulation, was selected for case study. Maps and aerial photographs were available before and after dam construction. This imagery was analysed by digitizing channel centrelines at successive coverages under pre-dam and post-dam conditions, and mean migration rates were computed by bend and by reach. The mean rate of channel centreline migration fell from 6.6 m yr-1 to 1.8 m yr-1 after impoundment. Bend-mean channel activity rates were only weakly correlated with variables describing channel form and geometry. Results indicate that flow regulation for flood control and hydropower production typical of the study reach had profound effects on river corridor dynamism, with implications for habitat type distribution and ecosystem integrity.
Sustainability of fishery bycatch: a process for assessing highly diverse and numerous bycatch
Authors: Stobutzki Ilona , Miller Margaret , Brewer David
Published: July 2002

In tropical prawn (shrimp) trawl fisheries it is daunting to assess the sustainability of bycatch species because they are diverse and there is little historical and biological information for quantitative stock assessments. We developed a process to examine the likely impact of prawn trawling on the sustainability of bycatch species and applied this to fish bycatch in the Australian Northern Prawn Fishery. The 411 fish bycatch species were ranked with respect to biological and ecological criteria that contributed to two overriding characteristics, namely first, their susceptibility to capture and mortality due to prawn trawling, and second the population's capacity to recover after depletion. The rank of each species on these two characteristics determined its relative capacity to sustain trawling, and therefore its priority for research and management. Species that were the least likely to be sustainable came from the families Apogonidae, Ariidae, Bathysauridae, Callionymidae, Congridae, Diodontidae, Labridae, Opisthognathidae, Plotosidae, Synodontidae and Tetraodontidae. These species are highly susceptible to capture by trawls, they are benthic or demersal, their primary habitat is soft sediments, and their diet may include prawns. The recovery capacity of these species is also low, with the estimated removal rate by trawling high. The species that were the most likely to be sustainable came from the families Carangidae, Clupeidae, Ephippidae, Scombridae, Sphyraenidae and Terapontidae. They are less susceptible to capture by trawls, they are generally pelagic, their primary habitat is not in trawl grounds, and they have a broad depth distribution and range in the fishery. These species also have a greater capacity to recover, as most individuals have bred before capture, and a low estimated removal rate by trawling. The final ranking of the species must be used with caution because of the assumptions made in the process. However, the process is a valuable first step towards ensuring the sustainability of the bycatch species. Because of the simplicity of the process, it can be readily used in fisheries, particularly those with diverse bycatch, to manage the sustainability of their bycatch.
Risk factors for meningococcal disease in university halls of residence
Authors: NELSON S. J. , CHARLETT A. , ORR H. J. , BARKER R. M. , NEAL K. R. , TAYLOR C. , MONK P. N. , EVANS M. R. , STUART J. M.
Published: July 2002

A retrospective ecological study was undertaken to identify social and environmental factors associated with increased incidence of meningococcal disease in university halls of residence. A standardized questionnaire was sent to UK universities and colleges of higher education outside London, for distribution to halls containing at least 50 students. Incidence rate ratios of invasive meningococcal disease were obtained for a range of social and environmental variables. Multi-variable Poisson regression analysis identified 3 factors as having a strong association: a high proportion of first year undergraduate residents (P = 0·0008), decreasing smokiness of the hall bar (P < 0·0001), and opening of hall bar before 1990 (P = 0·0001). The inverse relationship between disease incidence and smokiness of bars was an unexpected finding, and may be due to confounding factors. Universities should continue to promote awareness of meningococcal disease, encourage vaccination of first year students against serogroup C disease, and where appropriate, take measures to reduce overcrowding.
An economic analysis of varicella vaccination for health care workers
Authors: GRAY A. M. , FENN P. , WEINBERG J. , MILLER E. , McGUIRE A.
Published: July 2002

A simulation model was constructed to assess the relative costs
and

cost-effectiveness of

different screening and vaccination strategies for dealing with hospital

incidents of varicella

exposure, compared with current policies, using data from published sources

and a hospital

survey. The mean number of incidents per hospital year was 3·9,

and the mean annual cost of

managing these incidents was £5170. Vaccination of all staff would

reduce annual incidents to

2·2 at a net cost of £48900 per incident averted. Screening

all staff for previous varicella,

testing those who are uncertain or report no previous varicella, and

vaccinating those who test

negative for VZV antibodies, reduces annual incidents to 2·3 and

gives net savings of £440 per

incident averted. Sensitivity analyses do not greatly alter the ranking
of

the options. Some

form of VZV vaccination strategy for health care workers may well prove
a

cost-effective use of health care resources.
Molecular fingerprinting defines a strain of Salmonella
enterica serotype Anatum responsible for an international
outbreak associated with formula-dried milk
Authors: THRELFALL E. J. , WARD L. R. , HAMPTON M. D. , RIDLEY A. M. , ROWE B. , ROBERTS D. , GILBERT R. J. , VAN SOMEREN P. , WALL P. G. , GRIMONT P.
Published: July 2002

Molecular analyses based on plasmid profile typing and pulsed-field

gel electrophoresis have
defined a strain of Salmonella enterica serotype
Anatum associated with the consumption of a
particular brand of formula-dried milk responsible for an outbreak in late
1996/early 1997
involving 15 infants and 2 relatives in the UK, and 2 infants in France.
The study has
demonstrated the value of laboratory-based surveillance involving identification
of the outbreak
strain at the molecular level coupled with food microbiology and targeted
epidemiological
investigations, and has highlighted the importance of rapid communication
and subsequent
international collaboration through the European Union-funded Salm-Net
salmonella
surveillance network.
Experience of hepatitis A vaccination during an outbreak in a
nursery school of Tuscany, Italy
Authors: BONANNI P. , COLOMBAI R. , FRANCHI G. , LO NOSTRO A. , COMODO N. , TISCIONE E.
Published: July 2002

An outbreak of hepatitis A started in late October 1996
in a nursery school in Tuscany, Italy.
A programme of hepatitis A vaccination without the use of immunoglobulin
started at the
beginning of December 1996 and included 33 children, 21 household contacts
and 6 adults
working in the school. Overall, 11 cases occurred in children attending
the school (attack rate
27%) and 10 among their household contacts (attack rate 9%). The latter
also included
parents, and, in two cases, grandmothers. The data indicate that susceptibility
to HAV has
increased over recent decades in central Italy. Past and recent experience
shows that the usual
duration of hepatitis A epidemics in the absence of immune prophylaxis
is longer than that
described here. The use of hepatitis A vaccine probably contributed to
the early extinction of
the outbreak, because no further cases were notified in the area after
7 February 1997.
Quantifying the risks of TB infection to cattle posed by
badger excreta
Authors: HUTCHINGS M. R. , HARRIS S.
Published: July 2002

Despite strong circumstantial evidence to suggest that the main
route of TB transmission from
badgers to cattle is via contaminated badger excreta, it is unclear whether
the associated risks
are high enough to account for the prevalence of the disease in south-west
England. To decide
whether this was a viable route of transmission, cattle contact with badger
excreta was
investigated using a deterministic approach to quantify the risks to cattle
posed by badger
excreta. Levels of investigative and grazing contacts between cattle and
badger urine and faeces
could each account for the disease prevalence in south-west England. An
infection probability
of 3·7×10−4
per bite from pasture contaminated with badger urine infected with
Mycobacterium bovis could account for the prevalence of TB in
cattle in south-west England.
Infection probabilities of 6·9×10−7
per investigation and 1·1×10−7 per bite from
badger latrines
could each account for the prevalence of TB in cattle in the south-west.
When considering only
the high risk areas of south-west England these bounds fell by a factor
of eight. However,
badger excreta may still constitute a high level of risk to cattle. The
levels of cattle contact
with badger excreta are far higher than previously thought, suggesting
that it is the probability
of infection per given contact with infected badger excreta which has the
greater influence on
the probability of transmission and not the level of contact. The infection
probability per cattle
contact with infected badger excreta is in all likelihood extremely low.
DNA restriction patterns produced by pulsed-field gel
electrophoresis in Moraxella catarrhalis isolated from
different geographical areas
Authors: MARTINEZ G. , AHMED K. , ZHENG C. H. , WATANABE K. , OISHI K. , NAGATAKE T.
Published: July 2002

Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of the genomic DNA of Moraxella catarrhalis was
done in 172 strains isolated from sputum of patients with respiratory infections in Nagasaki
(130 strains), Europe (14 strains), Thailand (6 strains), Uganda (3 strains), Bangladesh (5
strains) and Kuwait (14 strains). Restriction endonuclease with SmaI generated 4–16 DNA
fragments ranging from 1000 kb to 24·25 kb and was classified into 31 major groups. It was
found that there were wide variations of DNA restriction patterns of strains isolated from the
same and different geographical areas. DNA restriction patterns of strains isolated in Nagasaki
during the last 12 years showed dynamic changes of the predominant strains in each time
period. We conclude from this study that PFGE is a suitable method to document interstrain
variation in M. catarrhalis.
Size and shape changes in the skull accompanying speciation of South American spiny rats (Rodentia: Proechimys spp.)†
Authors: Corti Marco , Aguilera Marisol , Capanna Ernesto
Published: July 2002

Size and shape changes in the skull of South American spiny rats Proechimys spp. were investigated using geometric morphometrics. Six species were studied (P. guairae, P. poliopus, P. trinitatis, P. canicollis, P. mincae and Proechimys sp.) using 12 populations from Venezuela and Colombia. Proechimys poliopus, P. guairae and Proechimys sp. have undergone recent speciation coupled with chromosomal rearrangements. The separate analysis of size and shape showed that the only sexually dimorphic character is size; P. mincae is the smallest species and Proechimys sp. the largest. The populations are all recognizable by their shape, and populations of the same species share a common kind of shape modification. The prevalent non‐uniform nature of morphological change in the skull shows how the various structures, such as those involved with audition, feeding and olfaction, are modified differently among species. Consequently, the modification of these different structures over a long time could reflect a progressive diversification of the microniche of each species.
Implications of limb bone scaling, curvature and eccentricity in mammals and non‐avian dinosaurs
Authors: Carrano Matthew T.
Published: July 2002

Current theories of locomotor biomechanics are based largely on observations of extant terrestrial mammals. However, extant mammals are limited with respect to certain aspects of terrestrial locomotion, and this constraint has confounded interpretations of limb design in this group. Dinosaurs include a wide array of large and small bipeds, record several transitions between bipedalism and quadrupedalism, and show a unique covariation of cursoriality and body size. Thus, the wider applications of biomechanical theories may be tested by applying them to the limb bones of dinosaurs. A broad examination of hindlimb and forelimb bone scaling patterns in dinosaurs and mammals reveals several general similarities that provide insight into the general constraints acting on terrestrial locomotion, particularly in animals with parasagittally oriented limbs. Most limb bones scale with negative allometry in these two groups, and larger taxa tend to scale more negatively than smaller forms. However, the strongly negative scaling of large mammals is mostly restricted to ungulates, whose unusually short femora may be the result of constraints of cursoriality at large body sizes. Bipedal and quadrupedal dinosaurs scale very similarly, with most differences apparently resulting from size rather than posture. Bone curvature tends to decrease with increasing body size, while femoral midshaft eccentricity tends to increase. Femoral midshaft eccentricity is explained as a general adaptation to mediolateral bending on parasagittal limb bones. These trends are more pronounced in dinosaurs than mammals; additional morphological constraints present in the dinosaurian hindlimb may contribute to this distinction.
The status of Nathusius' pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii Keyserling & Blasius, 1839) in the British Isles
Authors: Russ J. M. , Hutson A. M. , Montgomery W. I. , Racey P. A. , Speakman J. R.
Published: July 2002

There are now 91 records of individual Nathusius' pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii examined ‘in the hand’ in the U.K., and bat detector records from a further 36 localities in Britain and Ireland. These records are distributed throughout all months of the year with clear peaks in spring and autumn suggesting migratory movements into and out of the British Isles in autumn and spring, respectively. Three maternity colonies have been located and the species must now also be regarded as a resident breeding species in Britain and Ireland.
Reproduction and postnatal development in the bush Karoo rat Otomys unisulcatus (Muridae, Otomyinae)
Authors: Pillay N.
Published: July 2002

Reproduction and postnatal development of the southern African bush Karoo rat Otomys unisulcatus was studied in the laboratory. Fifty‐one litters were obtained from 17 pairs, with a mean litter size of 2.09, reproductive effort of 0.58 and gestation period of 37 days. Neonates weighed 6.1–9.6 g and were semi‐precocial. Weaning began as early as 8 days of age, and the age at first reproduction was 6 weeks in males and 5 weeks in females. Compared to its congeners, O. unisulcatus has small litters of semi‐precocial young which undergo rapid postnatal development, and contrary to expectations displays several K‐selected reproductive characteristics. The reproductive biology and postnatal development of the bush Karoo appears to reflect a compromise between exploiting sporadically abundant resources and the occupation of stick lodges, which may provide a favourable microclimate to buffer the harsh external climate.
Integrating competence and psychopathology: Pathways toward a comprehensive science of
adaptation in development
Authors: MASTEN ANN S. , CURTIS W. JOHN
Published: July 2002

This paper examines the conceptual and empirical connections between competence and
psychopathology, two historically rich traditions for the study of adaptation in development, and
what might be gained from their integration. Historical roots of these two traditions are reviewed,
then overlaps in their definition are considered, with a focus on the ways in which judgments
about competence enter into the nosology of mental disorders. DSM-IV is analyzed from the
perspective of competence, and the debate about “harmful dysfunction” in
defining mental disorder is discussed in relation to competence. Different models explaining the
empirical associations of competence and psychopathology are delineated, and illustrative
empirical evidence is provided. Potential explanations include confounded concepts and
methods, symptoms undermining the effectiveness of adaptation in the environment, failures in
age-salient developmental tasks leading to emotional and behavioral problems, transactional
influences, shared vulnerability or risk factors producing both kinds of difficulties, and more
complex models. The potential benefits of integrating competence and psychopathology as two
major approaches to adaptation are discussed in regard to theory, classification of mental
disorder, research, and intervention.
Changes in womens' roles: Impact on and social policy implications for the mental

health of women and children
Authors: AUBE JENNIFER , FLEURY JOSEE , SMETANA JUDITH
Published: July 2002

In recent years, womens' roles have changed dramatically, prompting researchers to

examine the impact of these changes on the development of women and children. In this article,

we examine three major changes that women have experienced over the past several decades:

increased participation in the paid labor force, changes in domestic labor and child-care patterns,

and increased numbers of female-headed single-parent families. For each, we first describe the

nature of the changes that have occurred over the last 50 years. We then review research

concerning the effects of these changes on the development of women and children. Finally, we

discuss the implications for social policy that stem from this research. It is broadly concluded that

research informed by a developmental–contextual perspective may contribute importantly

to the development of social policies focused on promoting the well-being of women and children.
Neurodevelopmental abnormalities in schizophrenia: Insights from neuropathology
Authors: ARNOLD STEVEN E.
Published: July 2002

Growing epidemiological, genetic, and clinical neurobiological evidence indicates that
abnormalities in brain development play determining roles in the pathobiology of schizophrenia.
Neuropathological research has made significant progress in delineating cellular and molecular
abnormalities in schizophrenia that have relevance to neurodevelopment. This paper reviews the
neurodevelopmental processes of neurogenesis, neuronal migration, differentiation,
synaptogenesis, neuron and synaptic pruning, and myelination and the reported neuropathological
findings in schizophrenia that may be a consequence of disturbances in these processes. While
many neuropathological findings in schizophrenia are controversial or await confirmation,
reported abnormalities in neuron density, number and morphology, cytoarchitecture, dendritic
arbors and spines, synapse-related proteins, and the well-established absence of gliosis or any
other evidence of neurodegeneration or neural injury all provide support for the
neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia.
Ethnicity, substance use, and development: Exemplars for exploring group differences and
similarities
Authors: BARRERA MANUEL , CASTRO FELIPE G. , BIGLAN ANTHONY
Published: July 2002

Epidemiological research shows some ethnic-group differences in the prevalence of
substance use. This approach does not address the question of whether there are ethnic-group
differences in the models that are needed to understand the development of substance use. For
this question we need to understand the relations between psychological constructs and their
trajectories over time. In this paper we describe some approaches to studying ethnic-group
differences in the predictors of substance use that illustrate probing for mediators, multisample
analyses of structural models, and an experimental trial of a preventive intervention. Our studies
found some ethnic-group differences in the structure of constructs and the relations between
variables, but many similarities. The challenge for researchers is using appropriate research
methods for studying ethnicity, uncovering the basis for ethnic-group differences when they
occur, knowing when statistical differences are meaningful, and acknowledging when
developmental models are comparable.
Innovative language learning: achieving the vision
Authors: CHAPPELLE CAROL A.
Published: July 2002

The technologies demonstrated at the InSTIL and EUROCALL 2000
conferences were very inspiring. They gave participants the sense that the
technologies of their wildest imaginations are at last materializing, particularly
in long awaited advances in speech technologies. Some challenges, however,
remain ahead as attempts are made to put these technologies to use in CALL.
Past experience demonstrates for example that software designed for recognition
of a proficient speaker’s language is different than that required for
learner language. It is also evident that while language use may be critical for
language acquisition, language use does not necessarily indicate language
acquisition. These points were made by Marty, who was working with speech software
for French teaching a few years before the current excitement:

...[W]e should keep in mind that the present research and development is aimed only at
producing speech easily understandable by natives (e.g., English for native
speakers of English) and that the potential markets are industrial (e.g.,
replacing visual indicators or visual alarms with audio warnings) and in home
products (especially toys). Until our needs for improved FL instruction are
better understood, it is not likely that those devices will have the voice
quality we need. (Marty, 1981:52).

If Marty had attended the InSTIL and EUROCALL conferences in 2000, no doubt
he would have been very, very impressed. Even though plenty of work remains,
we do seem to have very good voice quality in speech synthesis. The question today
is how can we best use these emerging technologies, and so Marty’s suggestion
that we must better understand our needs in foreign language teaching remains very
relevant. What are the needs for foreign language teaching in the 21st century? The
papers at EUROCALL 2000 as well as other work in technology, business, and language
teaching suggest that we should be prepared for change in the coming years, but
what kind of change? The turn of the century seems an appropriate time to examine
some of the speculation on the future of language teaching in general, as well
as how technology fits into that future. This paper considers these general
questions, and then suggests ways in which links might be made between work
in second language acquisition (SLA) and CALL in order to put technologies
to use for L2 teaching.
Independence and aging
Authors: Cordingley L , Webb C
Published: July 2002

The maintenance of independence by older people is seen as a priority by health and social services, and by people themselves. This review explores the constructs of independence and dependence in relation to aging, and considers the ways that discourses surrounding these topics affect our thinking about growing older.
The Subjunctive in Guernsey Norman French
Authors: Jones Mari C.
Published: July 2002

Despite the fact that a French (Norman) dialect has been spoken on Guernsey for over a thousand years, very little work has been done on this variety. This paper begins to redress that balance by investigating the position of the subjunctive mood in spoken and written Guernsey Norman French. As well as considering the vitality of the present and imperfect subjunctive and documenting their usage in so-called ‘grammar book’ contexts, the mood's morphology is examined, revealing in some cases survival of forms found in the medieval Norman dialect. Furthermore, it is found that the conditional tense may replace the subjunctive in certain contexts and possible reasons for this are also examined.
Meiosis-associated calcium waves in ascidian oocytes are correlated with the position of the male centrosome
Authors: Wilding Martin , Marino Marcella , Monfrecola Vincenzo , Dale Brian
Published: July 2002

We have used confocal microscopy to measure calcium waves and examine the distribution of tubulin in oocytes of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis during meiosis. We show that the fertilisation calcium wave in these oocytes originates in the vegetal pole. The sperm penetration site and female meiotic apparatus are found at opposite poles of the oocyte at fertilisation, confirming that C. intestinalis sperm enter in the vegetal pole of the oocyte. Following fertilisation, ascidian oocytes are characterised by repetitive calcium waves. Meiosis I-associated waves originate at the vegetal pole of the oocyte, and travel towards the animal pole. In contrast, the calcium waves during meiosis II initiate at the oocyte equator, and cross the oocyte cytoplasm perpendicular to the point of emission of the polar body. Immunolocalisation of tubulin during meiosis II reveals that the male centrosome is also located between animal and vegetal poles prior to initiation of the meiosis II-associated calcium waves, suggesting that the male centrosome influences the origin of these calcium transients. Ascidians are also characterised by an increase in sensitivity to intracellular calcium release after fertilisation. We show that this is not simply an effect of oocyte activation. The data strongly suggest a role for the male centrosome in controlling the mechanism and localisation of post-fertilisation intracellular calcium waves.
Immunological characterisation of the acrosomal filament in the marine shrimp Sicyonia ingentis
Authors: Baldwin John D. , Griffin Fred J. , Clark Wallis H.
Published: July 2002

During sperm/egg interaction, the sperm of Sicyonia ingentis undergoes a unique biphasic acrosome reaction. After acrosomal vesicle exocytosis, the sperm generates an acrosomal filament, over a period of 4-6 min, that is approximately 10 μm in length. Neither actin filaments nor normal microtubules have been demonstrated at the ultrastructural level of this unusual filament. Using a battery of cytoskeleton-directed antibodies the biochemical nature of this filament has been investigated. Antibodies to actin and tubulin do not label the subacrosome or acrosomal filament, but do recognise actin and tubulin in other shrimp tissues. Antibodies to tau, MAP2, and neurofilament medium and heavy subunits were all localised to the subacrosomal region of the sperm. It is interesting, however, that only the two clones of neurofilament monoclonal antibodies recognised the acrosomal filament. Electrophoretic and Western blot analysis in conjunction with amino acid sequencing revealed that the proteins localised to the acrosomal filament are of a unique sequence and may represent a new type of protein of centrosomal origin.
MACHINE DREAMS: THE CULTURE OF TECHNOLOGY
Authors: Sussman Herbert
Published: July 2002

THE VICTORIANS LOVED MACHINERY. One example, to serve for many, is Mayhew’s description of reduced admission days at the Great Exhibition:
Toward solving the inferential problem in laterality research:
Effects of increased reliability on the validity of the
dichotic listening right-ear advantage
Authors: HISCOCK MERRILL , COLE LYNNE C. , BENTHALL JAMES G. , CARLSON VICTORIA L. , RICKETTS JEANNIE M.
Published: July 2002

As noted by Satz, the prevalence of lateralized
language in the general population is underestimated substantially
by the proportion of people who show the typical asymmetry
on a laterality task. In a series of two dichotic listening
experiments with a total of 171 right-handers and 170 left-handers,
we tested the hypothesis that increased reliability of
measurement will lead to increased classification accuracy.
Experiment 1 showed that neither the frequency nor magnitude
of the right-ear advantage (REA) for fused rhyming words
increased as the number of trials increased from 120 to
480. Ear-difference scores were highly reliable (r
= .85), even when based on 120 trials. Experiment 2, which
involved lists of dichotic word pairs, yielded similar
results. Even though retest reliability of the ear-difference
score for 132 word pairs was only .45, neither the incidence
nor strength of the REA increased significantly when the
number of pairs was increased to 528. The results indicate
that the poor classification accuracy of dichotic listening
tasks cannot be attributed to unreliability. (JINS,
2000, 6, 539–547.)
Cognitive speed in nondemented Parkinson's disease
Authors: SMITH MARCIA C. , GOLDMAN WILLIAM P. , JANER KEVIN W. , BATY JACK D. , MORRIS JOHN C.
Published: July 2002

Studies of speed of cognitive processing in Parkinson's
disease (PD) have yielded mixed results. This may relate
in part to a differential effect on cognitive speed by
the type of information to be processed. In the present
study, we compared medication fasted, nondemented individuals
with mild idiopathic PD (N = 26) with age-matched
controls (N = 12) on a test requiring easy and
hard same–different discriminations for verbal, quantitative,
and spatial information, as well as on a traditional memory
scanning paradigm. A voice-activated relay rather than
a key press was used to eliminate the need for limb and
finger movements. Simple reaction time and movement time
were also measured in a task requiring subjects to move
a hand held stylus to a designated target. The PD group
performed as fast as the control group across all tasks
except movement time. Thus, in our paradigm, the presence
of PD alone does not predict cognitive slowing in the presence
of motor slowing. (JINS, 1998, 4, 584–592.)
Alterations in the dynamics of semantic activation in Alzheimer's
disease: Evidence for the Gain/Decay hypothesis of a disorder
of semantic memory
Authors: MILBERG WILLIAM , McGLINCHEY-BERROTH REGINA , DUNCAN KAREN M. , HIGGINS JULIE A.
Published: July 2002

While it has been commonly assumed that a deficit
in semantic memory underlies many of the clinical and cognitive
features of early Alzheimer's disease (AD), there
has been little agreement on what constitutes a proper
theoretical description of this impaired system. Currently,
most theories of this disorder fall into two categories:
those that posit degraded semantic representations, and
those that posit impaired retrieval operations with relatively
intact semantic representations. It is argued that each
position has both empirical and logical disadvantages that
have prevented the development of a consensus on how to
describe the pathology of semantic memory in AD. In this
paper we present the details and supportive evidence for
an alternative account of the semantic memory deficit of
AD: the Gain/Decay hypothesis. The core claim of the Gain/Decay
hypothesis is that a reduction in the time constant of
spreading activation in AD produces dynamic changes in
the availability of semantic representations that depend
on the time frame in which this information must be accessed.
The implications of this hypothesis for a range of experimental
and clinical phenomena are discussed, as are possible biological
correlates of the hypothesized alterations in the modulation
of activation. (JINS, 1999, 5, 641–658.)
The implications of Cape Sable seaside sparrow demography for Everglades restoration
Authors: Lockwood Julie L. , Fenn Katherine H. , Caudill Jeffery M. , Okines David , Bass Oron L. , Duncan Jeffery R. , Pimm Stuart L.
Published: July 2002

The Cape Sable seaside sparrow is a Federally listed endangered species endemic to south Florida's Everglades. It nests near the ground in seasonally dry prairies. Consequently, the timing and depth of seasonal water flows determine its fate. With water management plans the central focus of Everglades' restoration schemes, the demography of this bird becomes central to hydrologic planning. In order to understand how its demography influences restoration options, we calculated survivorship, fecundity and dispersal within three of the sparrow's six populations. Nearly 40% of adult sparrows die from year to year. Sparrows can produce up to four broods per breeding season, and typically produce two (March to August). Females lay an average of three eggs per nest, two of which usually hatch. The success of these nests varies among populations such that nests in population E are more than four times as likely to fledge young as nests within population A. Nest success within population B is 26% early in the breeding season, but drops to 9% after the onset of summer rains in early June. Nests are built 16 to 21 cm from the soil surface making them vulnerable to water depths that exceed these values. Based on observations of marked individuals, sparrows generally remain within a 1 km area centred on their breeding grounds. We have never observed immigration between populations. A simple demographic model demonstrates that breeding success and duration appear to constrain sparrow population growth more than other demographic parameters. Maintaining suitable breeding conditions restricts water management options to those that will restore hydrological conditions to their original patterns.
Magnetochronostratigraphic Data From Three Sediment Cores Recovered From the SE Pacific, Off Patagonia, Chile
Authors: Nowaczyk Norbert R. , Liu Jiabo , Hagemann Julia , Lamy Frank , Harada Naomi , Nagashima Kana , Iwasaki Shinya , Murayama Masafumi , Lange Carina B. , Arz Helge W.
Published: February 2025

Three long sediment cores recovered from the SE Pacific were subjected to a comprehensive magnetostratigraphic investigation. According to the partly preliminary age models obtained, the cores reach 48, 140, and 482 ka back in time, respectively. At two sites (PC02 and PC03 at ∼46°S) sedimentation rates are highly variable, ranging from about 2 to 100 cmka−1, whereas sedimentation rates are significantly lower at the southernmost site (PC04, ∼51°S), ranging from about 1 to 20 cmka−1. All three cores provide evidence for the Laschamps geomagnetic excursion at 41 ka. However, the excursion was recorded during times of low sedimentation rates and thus, only little detail on geomagnetic field variability could be obtained. Nevertheless, the excursion is documented in inclination and declination, thus as a full reversal, and is associated with a deep low in relative paleointensity. At site PC04, the Iceland Basin excursion (∼195 ka) was also recorded as a short almost reversed phase, followed by an apparently long phase of non‐dipolar directions, all associated with a deep low in paleointensity. This is interpreted as the result of variable sedimentation rates not resolved by the preliminary age model of the core. A directional anomaly coinciding with a deep low in paleointensity at around 220 ka is interpreted as the Pringle Falls excursion. Besides these findings, no evidence for further excursions could be found in the studied cores.
A Low Ionosphere Occultation Observation Method Based on Differential Weight Separation
Authors: Zhong Jialiang , Han Sijia , Wang Caiyun , Guo Wei
Published: February 2025

Radio occultation observation has garnered significant attention owing to its low‐cost, all‐weather, and global coverage feature. However, traditional occultation inversion methods lead to error accumulation due to assumptions that are not entirely suitable in the real ionospheric environment, resulting in poor performance in the low ionosphere (D, E layers). In this article, we propose a new method for inverting the electron density in low ionosphere using high‐precision 50 Hz occultation data. This method can eliminate the fixed constant term of 50 Hz data and obtain a sharper weighting function through epoch differencing. The inversion results have a good consistency with the results of the ionosonde, with a correlation coefficient of 0.92 and a determination coefficient of 0.85. In addition, the new method can retrieve local details of electron density profiles and capture sporadic E layer (Es), providing support for the study of Es layer morphology and structure.
Between-center variability in the outcome of VLBW infants is not affected by socioeconomic deprivation
Authors: Nador Csaba , Valek Andrea , Juhasz Attila , Nagy Csilla , Bodrogi Eszter , Szabo Miklos , Jermendy Agnes
Published: February 2025

Background

While outcomes of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants have improved significantly in high-income countries over recent decades, data from Central-Eastern Europe are lacking. The study aimed to evaluate trends in VLBW infant outcomes and hypothesized that a variability exists in the performance of NICUs in Hungary.

Methods

This was a population-based cohort study of VLBW infants, conducted between 2014–2016 (Epoch 1); and between 2019–2021 (Epoch 2) involving all Level III NICUs in Hungary. The primary composite outcome was death or any of the five major morbidities. Adjustments were made for case-mix and hospital-level factors, and the impact of deprivation, a composite index of socioeconomic status, was assessed.

Results

The composite outcome decreased from 39.1% in Epoch 1 (n = 3438) to 34.3% in Epoch 2 (n = 3084) (p < 0.001). Mortality rate reduced significantly by 1.7% (p = 0.028). The rate of late-onset sepsis dropped by 4.8% (p < 0.001). The adjusted odds of adverse composite outcome decreased 5% yearly (aOR 0.95 (95% C.I. 0.92–0.97)). There was a significant between-center variability in the composite outcome, but it showed no correlation with the deprivation.

Conclusions

Composite outcome trends improved over time, but substantial variability persists among NICUs which cannot be explained by patient characteristics, patient volume, or deprivation.

Impact statement

Our study presents the first comprehensive, population-based analysis of VLBW infant outcomes in the Central-Eastern European region.

Composite outcome trends of death and the five major morbidities have shown significant improvement over the past decade among VLBW infants in Hungary.

A substantial variability exists between the performance of level III NICUs, independent of case-mix and patient volume.

The odds of adverse outcome in VLBW infants is not correlated with deprivation, a municipal level metric of socioeconomic status.