bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Towards a professional civil service in post‐transition Romania
Authors: Lee Charlotte 
Published: July 2009

AbstractTo what degree and under what conditions can a young democracy build a competent, politically neutral public bureaucracy? A crucial component of the transition from communist party rule to democracy is the creation of a professional civil service. Success along this dimension of state‐building generates administrative capacity: non‐elected public officials ensure the implementation of reforms initiated by political leaders. In the communist party‐led regimes of Eastern Europe, forging this new administrative class from its highly politicised predecessor took place as new democracies sought to overcome historical legacies and integrate with the European Union. A case study of administrative reform in Romania during the post‐1989 period suggests the importance of external influences in forming a civil service more closely adhering to the Weberian ideal of an expert, rules‐based bureaucracy. Through analysis of survey data from a nationally representative sample of the Romanian civil servants, the public bureaucracy has professionalised insofar as educational and training credentials rather than political affiliation are significant predictors of salary levels. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermoluminescence and absorption spectra of MgO crystals irradiated by fast neutron fluxes of low intensity
Authors: Kvatchadze V. , Dekanozishvili G. , Abramishvili M. , Akhvlediani Z. , Galustashvili M. , Kalabegishvili T. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe influence of fast neutron fluxes of low intensity (106 n/cm2 s) on the thermally stimulated luminescence and optical and paramagnetic absorption spectra of nominally pure and impure MgO single crystals has been investigated. For all parameters studied by us, their polymodal dependence on the fluence was found: the effect increased at low fluences reaching the maximum, then decreased and increased again with the increase of fluence. The value of the low‐fluence maximum and the fluence at which it was reached, depended on the initial characteristics of samples.
The photoluminescence properties and reversible photoinduced spectral change of CeO2 bulk, film and nanocrystals
Authors: Mochizuki Shosuke , Fujishiro Fumito 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe photoluminescence properties of different pristine CeO2 specimens (bulk crystal, film, and nanocrystals) have been studied at different temperatures between 7 K and room temperature. The photoinduced luminescence spectral change has been observed at room temperature for the first time. The phenomenon observed in a vacuum is explained as a photoinduced associative detachment of O2 on the specimen surface, while that observed in O2 gas is explained as a photoinduced dissociative adsorption of O2 on the specimen surface. The photoreduction is accompanied both by a valence number change of cerium ions (Ce4+ → Ce3+) and by oxygen‐defect formation. Such reversible photoinduced phenomena of CeO2 can be applied to light control of the oxygen‐storage and oxygen‐release processes at metal‐oxide surfaces. A tentative result obtained at room temperature for an oxygen‐storage material (0.3)CeO2‐(0.7)ZrO2 solid solution is also described.
Diversity and seasonal variability of bacterial community structure in the river Aliakmon, Greece: Analysis by the molecular technique fish
Authors: Tirodimos Ilias , Haidich Anna‐Bettina , Dardavessis Theodore , Arvanitidou Malamatenia 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAimFluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with rRNA‐targeted oligonucleotide probes was used to investigate the phylogenetic composition of bacterial community in samples from the river Aliakmon, the longest river in Greece. Diversity of bacterial community in different habitats of the same river, as well as seasonal variation, was also examined.Methods and ResultsOligonucleotide probes specific for the domain Bacteria and five bacterial groups (high GC content, low GC content, Alpha‐, Beta‐ and Gammaproteobacteria) were used. The Gram‐positive populations were dominated by Firmicutes (low GC content), while Gammaproteobacteria showed increased abundances compared to Betaproteobacteria, although an enrichment step for samples was used, something which might had favoured the gamma subclass. Seasonal and along river variations were observed for Gram‐negative bacteria but not for Firmicutes.ConclusionsWe conclude that the changes in bacterial community composition was correlated with environmental conditions and resulted from interactions brought about by physical and biological factors. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing structure and diversity of a bacterial community in a Greek freshwater system, with the use of FISH. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The BUGS project: Evolution, critique and future directions
Authors: Lunn David , Spiegelhalter David , Thomas Andrew , Best Nicky 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBUGS is a software package for Bayesian inference using Gibbs sampling. The software has been instrumental in raising awareness of Bayesian modelling among both academic and commercial communities internationally, and has enjoyed considerable success over its 20‐year life span. Despite this, the software has a number of shortcomings and a principal aim of this paper is to provide a balanced critical appraisal, in particular highlighting how various ideas have led to unprecedented flexibility while at the same time producing negative side effects. We also present a historical overview of the BUGS project and some future perspectives. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of seismic behaviour of SMRFs with RBS connections by means of mixed‐based state‐space approach
Authors: Kildashti K. , Mirghaderi R. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractWith an intention to implement a reliable numerical implementation of the mixed‐based state‐space strategy for steel structural systems, the paper presents a thorough seismic analysis of steel moment resisting frames (SMRFs) with reduced beam section (RBS) connections. Firstly, a model of beam‐column element inclusive of material and geometric nonlinearities is efficiently utilized derived from appropriate force interpolation functions. Moreover, with the present formulation, non‐prismatic properties of RBS region can be considered without the necessity of heavy discretization of elements. Contribution of panel zone is taken into account by considering a nonlinear rotational spring as well. In addition, the extension of Wen‐Bouc model to capture material inelasticity is applied that is apparently superior to other constitutive behaviour when it leads to both a smooth hysteretic model and rather precisely well‐mannered state‐space depiction capable of conveying several hysteretic features. The state‐space approach is then employed where nodal forces balance and constitutive equations are solved simultaneously. Secondly, three‐dimensional finite element analysis is surveyed to validate proposed macro‐element model. Finally, a set of nonlinear static and transient analyses of four‐ and eight‐storey frames with and without RBS connections are fulfilled. Then, structural demand parameters used to assess the global and local response of designated frames. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Drift optimization of high‐rise buildings in earthquake zones
Authors: Al‐Ansari Mohammed , Senouci Ahmed 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThis paper presents a Drift Design Structural Model (DDSM) for the design optimization of high‐rise buildings in seismic zones. The model is formulated as a Generalized Single Degree of Freedom System subjected to equivalent static seismic loadings. The model objectives are: (a) the minimization of the structure weight; (b) the minimization of the structure top drift; and (c) the uniform distribution of the inter‐story drifts over the building height in order to minimize earthquake damage through the increase in plastic ductility. Seven high‐rise buildings were analysed in order to validate the model, to illustrate its use and to demonstrate its capabilities in structural design optimization in earthquake zones. The results obtained show that the DDSM performed well and consequently can be of practical value to structural designers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation and Electrochemistry Properties of a New Polyoxometalate‐Based Supramolecular Assembly
Authors: Han Zhangang , Gao Yuanzhe , Wang Jiye , Hu Changwen 
Published: July 2009

AbstractA polyoxometalate‐based supramolecular assembly with the formula (Hcpy)6H2[PMo12O40] (1) [cpy = 4‐(5‐chloropyridin‐2‐yl)pyridine] was prepared and characterized. Noncovalent intermolecular interactions including hydrogen bonds (N–H···O–Mo, N–H···H–N, and C–H···O–Mo), halogen (C–Cl···O–Mo), and face‐to‐face π packing coexist in crystal 1, which serves the insolubility of 1 in aqueous solution. Compound 1 was used as a solid material to fabricate a bulk‐modified carbon paste electrode by direct mixing. Electrochemistry results indicated that 1 is possessed of electrocatalytic activities toward the reduction reactions of chlorate, hydrogen peroxide, and nitrite.
Reduction of Adult Fingers Visualized on Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Chest Radiographs after Radiation Technologist and PICU Staff Radiation Safety Education
Authors: Tynan Jennifer R. , Duncan Meghan D. , Burbridge Brent E. 
Published: July 2009

Purpose A recent publication from our centre revealed a disturbing finding of a significant incidence of adult fingers seen on the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) chest radiographs. This is inappropriate occupational exposure to diagnostic radiation. We hypothesized that the incidence of adult fingers on PICU chest radiographs would decline after radiation safety educational seminars were given to the medical radiation technologists and PICU staff. Methods The present study's objectives were addressed by using a pretest-posttest design. Two cross-sectional PICU chest radiograph samples, taken before and after the administration of radiation safety education for our medical radiation technologists and PICU staff, were compared by using a χ2 test. Results There was a 61.2% and 76.9% reduction in extraneous adult fingers, directly exposed to the x-ray beam and those seen in the coned regions of the film, respectively, on PICU chest radiographs (66.7% reduction overall). This reduction was statistically significant (χ2 = 20.613, P < .001). Conclusions Limiting unnecessary occupational radiation exposure is a critical issue in radiology. There was a statistically and clinically significant association between radiation safety education and the decreased number of adult fingers seen on PICU chest radiographs. This study provides preliminary evidence in favour of the benefit of radiation safety seminars.
Mild cerebral hypoxia–ischemia produces a sub‐acute transient inflammatory response that is less selective and prolonged after a substantial insult
Authors: Qiao Min , Meng Shuzhen , Foniok Tadeusz , Tuor Ursula I. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractCerebral ischemia initiates various injurious processes including neuroinflammatory responses such as activation of microglia and increases in cytokine and nitric oxide release. Evidence primarily from in vitro studies, indicates that neuroinflammatory effects can be either beneficial or harmful, possibly related to stimulus strength. We investigated using in vivo models, the effect of a mild or substantial cerebral hypoxia–ischemia on: cerebral microglial/macrophage activation (ED1), pro‐inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor‐alpha), nitrosative stress (nitrotyrosine) and permanent brain damage. A mild insult produced a transient (1–2 days post) increase in activated microglia/macrophages within subcortical white and not gray matter but transiently increased cytokine or nitrotyrosine expression in cortex and not white matter. There was also prolonged scattered cell death in cortex and white matter over weeks along with loss of myelin/axons and cortical atrophy at 4 weeks post‐insult. In contrast, a substantial insult produced white and gray matter necrosis, cyst formation and atrophy, along with increases in tumor necrosis factor and nitrotyrosine staining within both white and gray matter starting at 1–2 days post‐insult. Microglial/macrophage staining was increased starting at 1‐week post a substantial insult and remained elevated for weeks thereafter.Thus, a transient neuroinflammatory response occurs following a mild insult whereas prolonged scattered cell death occurs for weeks, particularly in white matter. Insult severity also affects the progression of the neuroinflammatory response, which is prolonged after a substantial insult. Effective therapy will need to be customized for insult severity and timing; and, monitoring the injury processes with imaging or biomarkers may help guide treatment.
Lipid analysis of a ground sloth coprolite
Authors: Gill Fiona L. , Crump Matthew P. , Schouten Remmert , Bull Ian D. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractCoprolites can provide detailed information about the nutritional habits and digestive processes of the animals that produced them and may also yield information about the palaeoenvironment in which the animal existed. To test the utility of the lipid biomarker approach to coprolite analysis, lipids were extracted from a coprolite of the Pleistocene ground slothNothrotheriops shastensis. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry results revealed a dominant spiroketal sapogenin component identified, using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, as epismilagenin. The dominance of epismilagenin is probably due to ingestion ofYuccaspp. andAgavespp., which is consistent with previous studies on the diet of this species.
Geodesy? What's That? My Personal Involvement in the Age‐Old Quest for the Size and Shape of the Earth
Authors: Morrison Foster 
Published: July 2009

Imagine a story about a stay‐at‐home mother who, anticipating the departure of her children for college, takes a job at a government agency and by dint of hard work and persistence becomes a world‐renowned scientist. This might sound improbable, but it happens to be the true story of Irene K. Fischer, a geodesist and AGU Fellow. How it happened and the way it did is a fascinating and complex story.In 1952, Fischer started working at the U.S. Army Map Service (AMS) in Brookmont, Md. (now part of Bethesda), at a time when computers were large, expensive, and feeble compared with the cheapest desktop personal computers available today. Much computing was still done on slow and noisy mechanical calculators. Artificial satellites, space probes, global positioning systems, and the like were science fiction fantasies.
Workshop on Marine Research Drilling: Cold‐Water Carbonate Reservoir Systems in Deep Environments (COCARDE): A Pilot Industry‐Academia Partnership in Marine Research Drilling; Fribourg, Switzerland, 21–24 January 2009
Authors: Spezzaferri Silvia 
Published: July 2009

Cold‐water carbonate mounds supporting cold‐water coral ecosystems, often dominated by Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata, are widespread along the Atlantic margins from Norway to Mauritania. During the past 10 years, the scientific community has accumulated new insights on their occurrence and development and identified their potential role in reservoir formation, thus establishing a framework for collaboration with the hydrocarbon industry.A Magellan workshop, sponsored by the European Science Foundation (ESF; http://www.esf.org/), was held in Switzerland in January. The workshop gathered 35 scientists from 10 European and two extra‐European countries (Canada and Morocco), representing 20 research teams, including members of two Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) proposals. Some of the participants were also involved with two ESF European Collaborative Research (EUROCORES) projects [Microbial Diversity and Functionality in Cold‐Water Coral Reef Ecosystems (MiCROSYSTEMS) and Mid‐Latitude Carbonate Systems: Complete Sequences From Cold‐Water Coral Carbonate Mounds in the Northeast Atlantic (CARBONATE)], and the European Union Framework Program 6 integrated project Hotspot Ecosystem Research on the Margins of European Seas (HERMES).
Visuospatial Working Memory Deficits and Visual Pursuit Impairments are Not Directly Related in Schizophrenia
Authors: Cocchi Luca , Bosisio Francesca , Carter Olivia , Wood Stephen J. , Berchtold André , Conus Philippe , Orita Alina , Debbané Martin , Schenk Françoise 
Published: July 2009

Objective: Patients with schizophrenia show deficits in visuospatial working memory and visual pursuit processes. It is currently unclear, however, whether both impairments are related to a common neuropathological origin. The purpose of the present study was therefore to examine the possible relations between the encoding and the discrimination of dynamic visuospatial stimuli in schizophrenia. Method: Sixteen outpatients with schizophrenia and 16 control subjects were asked to encode complex disc displacements presented on a screen. After a delay, participants had to identify the previously presented disc trajectory from a choice of six static linear paths, among which were five incorrect paths. The precision of visual pursuit eye movements during the initial presentation of the dynamic stimulus was assessed. The fixations and scanning time in definite regions of the six paths presented during the discrimination phase were investigated. Results: In comparison with controls, patients showed poorer task performance, reduced pursuit accuracy during incorrect trials and less time scanning the correct stimulus or the incorrect paths approximating its global structure. Patients also spent less time scanning the leftmost portion of the correct path even when making a correct choice. The accuracy of visual pursuit and head movements, however, was not correlated with task performance. Conclusions: The present study provides direct support for the hypothesis that active integration of visuospatial information within working memory is deficient in schizophrenia. In contrast, a general impairment of oculomotor mechanisms involved in smooth pursuit did not appear to be directly related to lower visuospatial working memory performance in schizophrenia.
Internet Treatment for Social Phobia Reduces Comorbidity
Authors: Titov Nickolai , Gibson Matthew , Andrews Gavin , McEvoy Peter 
Published: July 2009

Objective: Social phobia can be treated by brief Internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Most people with social phobia, however, meet criteria for another mental disorder; this comorbidity is associated with significant disability, and cases of comorbidity may be more difficult to treat. The present study examined the impact of the Shyness programme, an Internet-based treatment programme for social phobia, on comorbid symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Method: Data from three randomized controlled trials using the Shyness programme to treat social phobia were reanalysed. The 211 subjects, all of whom met DSM-IV criteria for social phobia, were divided into four groups: (i) social phobia only; (ii) social phobia with elevated symptoms of depression; (iii) social phobia with elevated symptoms of generalized anxiety; and (iv) social phobia with elevated symptoms of both generalized anxiety and depression. The improvement in social phobia, depression and anxiety following Internet-based treatment for social phobia was measured. Results: Improvement in social phobia was seen in all groups, whether comorbid or not. Significant improvements in comorbid symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety occurred even though the treatment was focused on the social phobia. Conclusions: Brief Internet-based CBT can reduce both the target disorder as well as comorbid symptoms. These findings are consistent with evidence that unified or transdiagnostic programmes may reduce the severity of comorbid disorders and symptoms, indicating an important direction for future research.
A new method for revealing correlated mutations under the structural and functional constraints in proteins
Authors: Lee Byung-Chul , Kim Dongsup 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Motivation: Diverse studies have shown that correlated mutation (CM) is an important molecular evolutionary process alongside conservation. However, attempts to find the residue pairs that co-evolve under the structural and/or functional constraints are complicated by the fact that a large portion of covariance signals found in multiple sequence alignments arise from correlations due to common ancestry and stochastic noise.
Results: Assuming that the background noise can be estimated from the coevolutionary relationships among residues, we propose a new measure for background noise called the normalized coevolutionary pattern similarity (NCPS) score. By subtracting NCPS scores from raw CM scores and combining the results with an entropy factor, we show that these new scores effectively reduce the background noise. To test the effectiveness of this method in detecting residue pairs coevolving under the structural constraints, two independent test sets were performed, showing that this new method performs better than the most accurate method currently available. In addition, we also applied our method to double mutant cycle experiments and protein–protein interactions. Although more rigorous tests are required, we obtained promising results that our method tended to explain those data better than other methods. These results suggest that the new noise-reduced CM scores developed in this study can be a valuable tool for the study of correlated mutations under the structural and/or functional constraints in proteins.
Contact: kds@kaist.ac.kr
Availability: http://pbil.kaist.ac.kr
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Activated cell survival cascade protects cardiomyocytes from cell death in Tako‐Tsubo cardiomyopathy
Authors: Nef Holger M. , Möllmann Helge , Hilpert Pirmin , Troidl Christian , Voss Sandra , Rolf Andreas , Behrens Christopher B. , Weber Michael , Hamm Christian W. , Elsässer Albrecht 
Published: July 2009

AimsTako‐Tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is characterized by rapid regeneration of contractile dysfunction. From recent studies it is known that excessive catecholamine levels due to emotional or physical stress might play a central role. After sympathetic activation, the PIK3/AKT pathway is a key regulator of many cellular responses, including cytoprotective effects. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether the PIK3/AKT pathway plays a pivotal role in TTC.Methods and resultsA total of 16 consecutive patients diagnosed with TTC were studied. Left ventricular biopsies were taken during the acute phase and after functional recovery. Specimens were examined by quantitative RT–PCR and western blotting. Representative genes of the PI3K/AKT pathway (PIK3‐R1, PTEN, GSK3β, mTOR, PP2A, eIF4E) were compared with left ventricular controls from non‐transplanted healthy hearts. PI3K expression was increased during the acute phase and after functional recovery. AKT protein levels were unaltered, but phosphorylation significantly increased during the acute phase. Both PTEN (PI3K antagonist) and PP2 (unspecific phosphatase) were down‐regulated. Phosphorylation of the PI3K/AKT downstream target mTOR was increased, while expression of both GSK3 isoforms was decreased. The Bax/Bcl2 ratio was increased in the acute and recovery phases.ConclusionPI3K/AKT signalling is activated in TTC. This activated cell survival cascade might protect cardiomyocytes from cell death and also contribute to rapid regeneration in TTC.