bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Congenital Stapes Ankylosis: Study of 28 Cases and Surgical Results
Authors: Albert Sebastien , Roger Gilles , Rouillon Isabelle , Chauvin Pierre , Denoyelle Francoise , Derbez Remi , Delattre Jerome , Triglia Jean‐Michel , Garabedian Erea‐Noel 
Published: July 2006

AbstractObjective: The objective of this study was to analyze functional results after stapes surgery in patients with congenital nonprogressive conductive deafness resulting from an isolated fixation of the stapes according to age and surgical procedure.Study Design: The authors conducted a retrospective case series from March 1993 to December 2003 in patients from two tertiary referral centers.Methods: Twenty‐eight patients were operated on by stapedotomy or partial stapedectomy using Teflon stapes prostheses. The median age at surgery was 14.2 years (range, 8.3–29.1 years). Main outcome measures were clinical and audiometric evaluation before and after surgery. Mean air conduction (MAC) and bone conduction (MBC) thresholds were recorded at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. The evaluation of functional outcome was based on the MAC gain, the MBC comparison, and the mean postoperative and residual air–bone gaps.Results: The median preoperative MAC was 50 dB (range, 19.0–65.0 dB) with a 35.0 dB median dB air–bone gap. With a mean follow up of 19 months, postoperative hearing improvement was statistically significant: median gain of 32.5 dB (P < .001) and median residual air–bone gap of 3.5 dB. The MBC was also statistically improved with median pre‐ and postoperative MBC of 11.5 and 6.5 dB, respectively (P < .001). Results were not dependent on the age group or type of surgery (stapedotomy or partial stapedectomy). No perceptive hearing loss was observed despite one gusher case.Conclusion: Surgical treatment of isolated congenital stapes ankylosis allows good functional results regardless of age or type of surgery.
Optimizing Electrotransfection of Mammalian Cells In Vitro
Authors: Li Shulin 
Published: July 2006

INTRODUCTIONThis protocol describes transfection of plasmid DNA into mammalian cell lines using electroporation, a process whereby external application of electric pulses induce cell membrane permeability. A number of factors can affect electrotransfection efficiency. In general, cells in suspension and small volume cells are difficult to transfect, whereas adherent cells and large volume cells are relatively easy. Regardless of cell size or phenotype, transfection efficiency increases with a high concentration of cells in a small volume. The use of plasmid DNA larger than 13 kb reduces transfection efficiency. One important variable is the choice of electroporation buffer--the appropriate buffer can increase cell transfection efficiency 50-98%. Generally, buffers with low ionic constants enhance transfection efficiency.
Secondary structure determines protein topology
Authors: Fleming Patrick J. , Gong Haipeng , Rose George D. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractUsing a test set of 13 small, compact proteins, we demonstrate that a remarkably simple protocol can capture native topology from secondary structure information alone, in the absence of long‐range interactions. It has been a long‐standing open question whether such information is sufficient to determine a protein's fold. Indeed, even the far simpler problem of reconstructing the three‐dimensional structure of a protein from its exact backbone torsion angles has remained a difficult challenge owing to the small, but cumulative, deviations from ideality in backbone planarity, which, if ignored, cause large errors in structure. As a familiar example, a small change in an elbow angle causes a large displacement at the end of your arm; the longer the arm, the larger the displacement. Here, correct secondary structure assignments (α‐helix, β‐strand, β‐turn, polyproline II, coil) were used to constrain polypeptide backbone chains devoid of side chains, and the most stable folded conformations were determined, using Monte Carlo simulation. Just three terms were used to assess stability: molecular compaction, steric exclusion, and hydrogen bonding. For nine of the 13 proteins, this protocol restricts the main chain to a surprisingly small number of energetically favorable topologies, with the native one prominent among them.
Mentoring adolescent foster youth: promoting resilience during developmental transitions
Authors: Osterling Kathy Lemon , Hines Alice M. 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTThe current exploratory study used quantitative and qualitative data from an evaluation of the ‘Advocates to Successful Transition to Independence’ programme, a mentoring programme designed to train mentors to assist older adolescent foster youth in acquiring skills and resources needed for successful transition out of foster care and into adulthood. The study was conducted in two phases over 2 years. Quantitative methods were used to describe characteristics of the older adolescent foster youth and advocates, and qualitative methods were used to describe the experiences of youth and advocates in the programme. Results suggest that the use of a mentoring programme for older adolescent foster youth represents a particularly beneficial prevention strategy that may help prevent negative outcomes as youth emancipate from the foster care system and transition into young adulthood. Implications and recommendations for developing mentoring programmes for transition‐aged youth are presented.
Short‐term variation in the isotopic composition of organic matter allocated from the leaves to the stem of Pinus sylvestris: effects of photosynthetic and postphotosynthetic carbon isotope fractionation
Authors: BRANDES ELKE , KODAMA NAOMI , WHITTAKER KATHERINE , WESTON CHRISTOPHER , RENNENBERG HEINZ , KEITEL CLAUDIA , ADAMS MARK A. , GESSLER ARTHUR 
Published: July 2006

AbstractWe aimed to quantify the separate effects of photosynthetic and postphotosynthetic carbon isotope discrimination on δ13C of the fast‐turn‐over carbon pool (water soluble organic carbon and CO2 emitted from heterotrophic tissues), including their diel variation, along the pathway of carbon transport from the foliage to the base of the stem.For that purpose, we determined δ13C in total and water‐soluble organic matter of the foliage plus δ13C and δ18O in phloem organic matter of twigs and at three heights along the stem of Pinus sylvestris over a nine‐day period, including four measurements per day. These data were related to meteorological and photosynthesis parameters and to the δ13C of stem‐emitted CO2.In the canopy (foliage and twigs), the δ13C of soluble organic matter varied diurnally with amplitudes of up to 1.9‰. The greatest 13C enrichment was recorded during the night/early morning, indicating a strong influence of starch storage and remobilization on the carbon isotope signatures of sugars exported from the leaves. 13C enrichment of soluble organic matter from the leaves to the twig phloem and further on to the phloem of the stem was supposed to be a result of carbon isotope fractionation associated with metabolic processes in the source and sink tissues. CO2 emitted from the stem was enriched by 2.3–5.2‰ compared with phloem organic matter. When day‐to‐day variation was addressed, water‐soluble leaf δ13C and twig phloem δ18O were strongly influenced by ci/ca and stomatal conductance (Gs), respectively.These results show that both photosynthetic and postphotosynthetic carbon isotope fractionation influence δ13C of organic matter over time, and over the length of the basipetal transport pathway. Clearly, these influences on the δ13C of respired CO2 must be considered when using the latter for partitioning of ecosystem CO2 fluxes or when the assessment of δ13C in organic matter is applied to estimate environmental effects in ci/ca.
Reconsidering null models of diversity: Do geometric constraints on species ranges necessarily cause a mid‐domain effect?
Authors: Sandel Brody S. , McKone Mark J. 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTRecent null models that place species ranges randomly within a bounded domain have produced controversial results. Many such geometric constraint models predict a peak in species richness in the centre of domains in the absence of underlying environmental gradients or interspecific interactions. We used two‐dimensional simulation models to explore different ways that species ranges could interact with the domain boundary. In the rejection model, a randomly generated range that overlaps a domain boundary is removed from the simulation. In the reshaping model, a range that overlaps the domain boundary is reshaped so that the entire range is placed within the domain. The truncation model allows potential ranges to extend across the boundary, but only that portion of the range within the domain is included in the realized range. Both rejection and reshaping models produced a drop in species richness near domain boundaries, though the effect was less pronounced in the reshaping model. Our truncation model did not produce any spatial pattern in species richness. Thus the random placement of species ranges within a bounded domain does not necessarily lead to a mid‐domain effect. Range truncation is consistent with bioclimate envelope models, which can successfully predict a species range in response to the availability of appropriate climate conditions. We argue that such flexible range sizes are more realistic than the assumption that range size is an unvarying characteristic of a species. Other range characteristics, including size and shape, can change near domain boundaries in the null models, including the truncation model. A broader consideration of range characteristics near domain boundaries could be productive.
Motility is involved in Silicibacter sp. TM1040 interaction with dinoflagellates
Authors: Miller Todd R. , Belas Robert 
Published: July 2006

Summary Silicibacter sp. TM1040, originally isolated from a culture of the dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida, senses and responds to the dinoflagellate secondary metabolite dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) by flagella‐mediated chemotaxis behaviour. In this report we show that swimming motility is important for initiating the interaction between the bacterium and dinoflagellate. Following transposon mutagenesis, three mutants defective in wild‐type swimming motility (Mot–) were identified. The defects in motility were found to be in homologues of cckA and ctrA, encoding a two‐component regulatory circuit, and in a novel gene, flaA, likely to function in flagellar export or biogenesis. Mutation of flaA or cckA results in the loss of flagella and non‐motile cells (Fla–), while CtrA– cells possess flagella, but have reduced motility due to increased cell length. All three Mot– mutants were defective in attaching to the dinoflagellate, particularly to regions that colocalized with intracellular organelles. The growth rate of the dinoflagellates was reduced in the presence of the Fla– mutants compared with Fla+ cells. These results indicate that bacterial motility is important for the Silicibacter sp. TM1040–P. piscicida interaction.
An ancient African radiation of corvoid birds (Aves: Passeriformes) detected by mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data
Authors: Fuchs Jérôme , Fjeldså Jon , Pasquet Eric 
Published: July 2006

The Malaconotidae, Platysteiridae and Vangidae represent an African and Malagasy assemblage of closely related corvoid taxa with distinctive morphology. Their relationships with their putative Asian closest relatives, and thus their biogeographic history, have not hitherto been thoroughly evaluated. We present evidence that the African and Malagasy groups originated through a single African colonization event c. 37.7 ± 4.6 Myr BP. Three main groups that differ in their foraging behaviour diverged c. 35.8 ± 4.5 Myr BP, suggesting that an African radiation occurred around that time. Several disperal events out of Africa to Madagascar (Vangidae) and Indo‐Malaya (Philentoma, Hemipus and Tephrodornis) took place about 28.9 ± 4.0 Myr BP (Oligocene), a period when faunistic exchanges between Eurasia and Africa seem to have been common. Our estimation of the colonization of Madagascar by the Vangidae is 28.9 ± 4.0 Myr BP, in congruence with the estimated colonization of Madagascar by several African vertebrate groups (carnivorous mammals, snakes, sylvioid passerines, treefrogs, turtles).
On the Theory of Optimal Regional Development Based on an Exhaustible Resource
Authors: HOWE CHARLES W. 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTExtensive literatures exist on both regional development and the optimum use of nonrenewable resources over time, but the two have not been melded to consider the effect of combining the optimization of resource exploitation with optimization of population growth and infrastructure investment. A model incorporating these dimensions of regional growth is analyzed using control theory to characterize the optimal time paths of the source‐related investment, resource use, and infrastructure investment. An example of nonrenewable groundwater use in the Colorado High Plains region is analyzed to show the shortcomings of existing regulatory schemes.
Considerations in Extending Shift‐Share Analysis: Note
Authors: HAYNES KINGSLEY E. , MACHUNDA ZACHARY B. 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTOne of the limitations to the widespread use of the Esteban‐Marquillas shift‐share extension has been the Stokes (1974) proof of the lack of regional additivity of the Esteban‐Marquillas competitive components. Since the Arcelus extension (1984) of the traditional shift‐share decomposition is a continuation of the logical framework by Esteban‐Marquillas (1972), the Stokes criticism would at first appear to have equal relevance to this new work. This note demonstrates that the relationship between the rate of growth of the larger region and the rates of growth of its constituent subregions is ignored in the Stokes criticism and in the subsequent critique by Beaudry and Martin (1979). By explicitly incorporating the relationship between the rate of growth of the larger region and the rates of growth of the constituent subregions, we also demonstrate that the recent shift‐share extensions by Esteban‐Marquillas and Arcelus share with the classical shift‐share decomposition the desirable additive properties under regional disaggregation of the data.
Effects of Transfers on Remote Regional Economies: The Transfer Economy in Rural Alaska
Authors: KNAPP GUNNAR , HUSKEY LEE 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTIn this paper we examine the effects of transfers on the economies of remote regions. A model which describes the consequences of different types of transfers on settlement patterns is developed. The growth of the transfer economy in rural Alaska and its effect on population and income is reviewed. We find that transfer programs in remote regions may have consequences far broader than their original intent. While the programs may improve the standard of living for regional residents, they may also lead to inefficient settlement patterns, increasing dependence on transfers, and a higher cost of eventual adjustment.
American Fertility and Industrial Restructuring: A Possible Link
Authors: ETTLINGER NANCY 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTDespite the fact that economic and demographic factors conventionally are considered to be integrally related, researchers have overlooked recent changes in the structure of the American economy that may have affected fertility in the United States. This article seeks to raise questions and explores the possibility that recent processes of industrial restructuring have created new employment patterns and socioeconomic conditions which have influenced American fertility positively. Specifically, conditions of underemployment and unemployment, generated by the service and manufacturing sectors, may be conducive to increased fertility.
The Arts and Employment: A Case Study of the Stratford Festival
Authors: MITCHELL CLARE J. A. , WALL GEOFFREY 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the impact of the Stratford Festival on employment within the community of Stratford, Ontario. The specific objective is to calculate the number of “secondary” jobs created in Stratford per “primary” job generated at the festival. This is achieved in three stages. First, primary employment is calculated from information provided by theatre personnel. Second, secondary employment is assessed from information collected in a survey of local business proprietors. Third, a festival‐employment multiplier is derived. This reveals the number of secondary jobs created in the community per job at the festival. Results indicate that 1.6 jobs result in Stratford for every job generated at the theatre. This finding provides evidence that cultural organizations contribute positively to the economic climate of a community. The economic consequences of cultural events constitute an important argument for their continued support.
Poverty and Income Transfer Policy at the State Level
Authors: PLOTNICK ROBERT D. 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTThis note presents a method for developing data on poverty at the state level and applies it to produce estimates of state poverty for the mid‐1980s. The findings are based on four alternative measures of poverty: the official one, pretransfer poverty, prewelfare poverty and pre‐state‐transfer poverty, a new measure especially useful for analyzing the impact of state transfer policies on poverty. The data are reported and then used to compare the antipoverty impact of states’income support policies.
Business Survival in Rural America: A Three‐State Study
Authors: BUSS TERRY F. , LIN XIANNUAN 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTMany economists expect that new business survival rates in rural areas ought to be low because of inherent disadvantages of rural economies (e.g. small markets). What little evidence there is in support of this expectation is based on data which is biased toward rural areas. Using unemployment insurance tax records (ES202) for Arkansas, Maine, and North Dakota, the authors calculate and analyze new firm survival rates. Results show that new business survival rates are as high in rural areas as they are in urban areas. Further, survival rates in different industrial sectors are comparable, even when level of urbanization is taken into account. The authors conclude that economists may be overstating the inviability of rural in relation to urban economies.
State Fiscal Responses to Federal Government Grants
Authors: STOTSKY JANET G. 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the effect of federal government grants on state fiscal decisions. The study presents a disaggregated analysis of state government that allows for the precise measurement of important fiscal effects. State government is modeled as maximizing a social welfare function defined over government expenditures and taxes. The positive theory of grant response is tested and confirmed. The results indicate that matching grants stimulate government expenditures more than nonmatching grants. The results also suggest that federal grant cutbacks will lead to reductions in state expenditures for all key programs but that the composition of this change will depend on the nature of the federal cutbacks.
Interregional Trade in Producer Services: Review and Synthesis
Authors: HARRINGTON JAMES W. , MACPHERSON ALAN D. , LOMBARD JOHN R. 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTThis paper reviews some of the past decade's studies of producer or intermediate‐services exports from local regions. After a discussion of conceptual and methodological problems and inconsistencies, we present these studies according to the three basic methodologies: surveys, location quotients, and input‐output. Overall, our sense is that these studies support limited but important conclusions: (1) If intermediate services are defined broadly, certain of these activities have as their major function interregional or international transfer or trade. By nature, these distributive services have widespread clients, and benefit from locations with substantial physical and communications infrastructure. (2) Among most business‐and financial‐service activities, most offices are established to serve a local region, but may derive some revenues from beyond this expected zone. (3) The exceptions—the activities and establishments that derive much of their revenue beyond such “normal” zones—are particularly specialized, particularly large, or parts of multiregional enterprises. (4) Such firms tend to locate in larger or more specialized urban places, probably because of the labor force, the corporate connections, and the rapid dissemination of ideas, contacts, and information within and among the largest metropolitan areas. These conclusions lead to some general policy recommendations.
The Spatial Structure of Large U. S. Law Firms
Authors: WARF BARNEY , WIJE CHAND 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTLarge law firms exert a disproportionate influence over the structure and practice of the legal profession. The spatial structure of these corporations, including the distribution of headquarters and branch offices and their interlinkages, is poorly understood. This paper explores the geography of domestic employment among the largest U. S. 500 law firms using linkage analysis. It highlights the concentration of such firms in large cities and the particular importance of New York and Washington, D. C. In the international arena, U. S. law firms are highly influential. The paper examines the spatial distribution of overseas employment by large U. S. law firms and utilizes input‐output analysis to explore the domestic employment impacts of foreign legal services exports.
Regional Impacts of Foreign Trade in China, 1984–1989
Authors: FAN C. CINDY 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTAn issue of heated debate in China is whether the current economic reforms would lead to greater regional inequalities. In this paper one aspect of the reforms, the open‐door policy, is put into focus. Specifically, the analysis investigates how the effect of foreign trade on economic development differs across regions, and whether these regional variations have changed from 1984 to 1989. Based upon the expansion method, models that resolve both the spatial and temporal variations of a relationship are constructed and estimated. The results indicate that foreign trade benefits core provinces and major industrial regions more than other parts of China, but that these differences have diminished in 1989. These findings may be interpreted as evidence of some diffusion of growth from more developed to less developed regions. On the other hand, regional linkages and the mechanisms of diffusion are not well understood and they deserve more attention and research.
Interstate Differences in State and Local Revenues
Authors: IZRAELI ODED 
Published: July 2006

ABSTRACTThe focus of this study is the examination of the interstate differences in per capita state and local revenues. On one side free competition among states is supposed to keep the interstate differences in per capita state and local revenues at a minimum level. On the other side, the interstate differences in variables like income and taste of consumers, natural conditions (like climate), state's size (scale effect), and others may explain the existing interstate differences in per capita state and local revenues. The empirical results indicate that we successfully explained over 90 percent of the variance in per capita state and local revenues. Additional empirical results reveal that the federal government distributes money among states in a discriminate fashion based on region and size.