bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Carboniferous continental margin deposits in southern Tuscany, Italy: results from geological mapping of the geotopes Farma Valley and San Antonio Mine Area
Authors: Engelbrecht H. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractRelics of the Carboniferous shelf, slope and basin margin section occur as intensely tectonized slices within the middle Tertiary Monticiano‐Roccastrada metamorphic core complex in southern Tuscany. These sedimentary successions are interpreted as predominantly siliciclastic second‐order sequence stratigraphic cycles, deposited in a successor basin (Farma Basin) established near the Southern Convergence Front of the westmediterranean Hercynides. The units developed as highstand systems tracts above a downlap surface and buried pelagites of a starved, moderately deep‐water basin (Risanguigno Basin). The Risanguigno Basin was characterized by dys‐ and anoxic conditions and underwent partial tectonic inversion during the early Carboniferous. Detailed mapping has revealed that Carboniferous turbidites deposited on the slope, base of slope and Farma Basin margin are present in the eastern part of the Farma Valley and in the San Antonio Mine Area. Coeval lithologies—storm influenced deposits of the inner shelf and lower shoreface—crop out in the western part of the Farma Valley. Both units, considered to be related to storm‐triggered offshore bottom currents bypassing the outer shelf, are covered by offlapping shallow marine and littoral clastics probably of Permian age. Subsequent tectonic uplift and partial inversion of the Farma Basin resulted in subaerial exposure, erosion of the upper part of the basin fill and deposition of the terrestrial Verrucano Group (middle Triassic), which sealed these early Carboniferous to late Permian sequences considered to represent a late Palaeozoic preligurian failed rift. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HR practices perceptions, emotional exhaustion, and work outcomes: A conservation‐of‐resources theory in the Chinese context
Authors: Sun Li‐Yun , Pan Wen 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe conservation‐of‐resources theory provided the theoretical underpinning for the relationship among HR practices perceived by employees, emotional exhaustion, and work outcomes ( job satisfaction and job performance). To fully understand the underlying mechanism of the relationship, the study examined (1) the main and interactive effects of HR practices and employee age on emotional exhaustion and (2) the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between emotional exhaustion and job performance. Data were obtained from manufacturing workers in a privately owned company in the People's Republic of China. Empirical results lent strong support for the main, moderated, and mediated effects mentioned previously. However, contrary to our hypotheses the research result indicated that the relationship between low‐commitment HR practices and emotional exhaustion was stronger for older employees than for younger ones. This contrasting finding demonstrated the criticality of an organization's commitment to employees, particularly to older employees, which further supported and enriched the conservation‐of‐resources theory in the Chinese context.
Infrastructure effects on floods in the Mekong River Delta in Vietnam
Authors: Hoa Le Thi Viet , Shigeko Haruyama , Nhan Nguyen Huu , Cong Tran Thanh 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe Mekong River Delta (MRD) is one of two primary rice‐growing areas in Vietnam. Flooding in the Mekong River is a recurrent event and is not only one of the most destructive natural disasters but also a natural resource in this area. The cultivated surface soil layer in the Mekong Delta has a thickness of only about 50 cm, and is heavily polluted by acidic water infiltrating from deeper soil layers during the dry season. The annual floods carry fertile silt to farmland and fresh water to wash away the acidic water and provide the water needed to grow vast rice fields. The flood water carries with it various fish species that facilitate aquaculture development in the area. The floods also wash away polluted water and provide the whole delta with clean water.Owing to these different factors, the flooding in this area has a positive impact on agriculture and a negative impact on regional planning. Recent infrastructural changes designed to mitigate flood damage and protect crops and residents' lives make the inundation regime more complicated. To understand the role of infrastructure in the flood regime in this area as well as the mechanism of the flood regime, it is necessary to apply an integrated method of study including numerical modelling, a geographic information system (GIS), and statistical analyses. This study includes a brief presentation of the measured data analysis of flood variation trends over the 43‐year period from 1961 to 2004 and an analysis of the hydrological effects of infrastructure changes associated with human activities in the period from 1996 to 2001 based on the integrated hydraulic model known as HydroGis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Atmospheric chloride deposition in continental Spain
Authors: Alcalá F. J. , Custodio E. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe atmospheric bulk deposition rate of chloride in continental Spain was studied to get basic information in order to help in the evaluation of diffuse recharge to aquifers through an environmental chemical balance. Both new, recent data and bibliographic data have been used. Most sampling records are less than 5 years long and often only 1 year long. This means that the calculated mean yearly bulk deposition rate of chloride is quite uncertain by 30% on average, and larger than the values derived form records up to 15 years long. A map of atmospheric bulk deposition of chloride has been drawn using ordinary kriging. The mean bulk deposition rate of chloride varies from 1 to 30 g m−2 year−1 in coastal areas, with strong negative landward gradients between 0·1 and 1 g m−2 year−1 km−1. In the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, chloride deposition rates vary from 0·2 to 0·5 g m−2 year−1, with gradients around or less than 5 × 10−3 g m−2 year−1 km−1. The coefficient of variation of the mean bulk atmospheric deposition rate of chloride, for any place, ranges from 0·1 to 1. Values larger than ∼0·5 are not a good indicator of natural uncertainty for this series of data that has a skewed distribution. The map of bulk deposition rate and its error is one of the terms needed for aquifer recharge estimation by means of the chloride ion balance. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reconciling theory with observations: elements of a diagnostic approach to model evaluation
Authors: Gupta Hoshin V. , Wagener Thorsten , Liu Yuqiong 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis paper discusses the need for a well‐considered approach to reconciling environmental theory with observations that has clear and compelling diagnostic power. This need is well recognized by the scientific community in the context of the ‘Predictions in Ungaged Basins’ initiative and the National Science Foundation sponsored ‘Environmental Observatories’ initiative, among others. It is suggested that many current strategies for confronting environmental process models with observational data are inadequate in the face of the highly complex and high order models becoming central to modern environmental science, and steps are proposed towards the development of a robust and powerful ‘Theory of Evaluation’. This paper presents the concept of a diagnostic evaluation approach rooted in information theory and employing the notion of signature indices that measure theoretically relevant system process behaviours. The signature‐based approach addresses the issue of degree of system complexity resolvable by a model. Further, it can be placed in the context of Bayesian inference to facilitate uncertainty analysis, and can be readily applied to the problem of process evaluation leading to improved predictions in ungaged basins. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A spatial assessment of hydrologic alteration caused by dam construction in the middle and lower Yellow River, China
Authors: Yang Tao , Zhang Qiang , Chen Yongqin David , Tao Xin , Xu Chong‐yu , Chen Xi 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe ‘range of variability approach’ (RVA) and mapping technique are used to investigate the spatial variability of hydrologic alterations (HA) due to dam construction along the middle and lower Yellow River, China, over the past five decades. The impacts of climate variability on hydrological process have been removed during wet and dry periods and the focus is on the impacts of human activities, such as dam construction, on hydrological processes. Results indicate the following: (1) The impacts of the Sanmenxia reservoir on the hydrologic alteration are relatively slight with a mean HA value of 0·48, ranking in the last place among the four large reservoirs. (2) Xiaolangdi reservoir has significantly changed the natural flow regime downstream with mean HA value of 0·56, ranking it in first place among the large reservoirs. (3) The results of ranked median degrees of 33 hydrologic alteration indicators for 10 stations in the Yellow River show that the hydrologic alteration of Huayuankou ranks the highest among 10 stream gauges. (4) Impacts of reservoirs on hydrological processes downstream of the dams are closely associated with the regulating activities of the reservoirs. At the same time, alterations of streamflow regimes resulting from climatic changes (e.g. precipitation variability) make the situation more complicated and more hydrological observations will be necessary for further analysis. The results of the current study will be greatly beneficial to the regional water resources management and restoration of eco‐environmental systems in the middle and lower Yellow River characterized by intensified dam construction under a changing environment. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prevalence of genes for aminoglycoside‐modifying enzymes in Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates from orthopedic postsurgical and implant‐related infections
Authors: Campoccia Davide , Montanaro Lucio , Pirini Valter , Ravaioli Stefano , Arciola Carla Renata 
Published: March 2008

AbstractStaphylococcus epidermidis, a main etiologic agent of implant‐related infections, is showing increasing resistance to several antibiotic substances, among them the aminoglycosides, a class of drugs playing a relevant role in current medical protocols to prevent and treat clinical infections. Here we investigated the prevalence of aac(6′)‐Ie‐aph(2″), aph(3′)‐IIIa, and ant(4′) genes, encoding for the three forms of aminoglycoside‐modifying enzymes (AME), responsible for resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics, in 70 clinical isolates of S. epidermidis from orthopedic postsurgical and implant‐related infections. In addition, ermA and ermC, the two most common staphylococcal genes conferring antibiotic resistance to macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin B (MLSB) were included in this investigation. All isolates were characterized by automated ribotyping, so that the presence of antibiotic resistance determinants was investigated in strains exhibiting different ribopatterns. Interestingly, combinations of coexisting AME genes appeared to be typical of specific ribopatterns. The aac(6′)‐Ie‐aph(2″) gene was the most prevalent AME gene, being observed in 44% of the isolates. As far as the determinants for MLSB antibiotics are concerned, the ermC gene was observed in 33% of the isolates, while ermA was detected in a single isolate. These results provide a detailed characterization in terms of antibiotic resistance determinants of clones of S. epidermidis frequently isolated from implant orthopedic infections, providing useful indications for more effectual future strategies of infection prevention/eradication based on the incorporation of antibiotic drugs in biomaterials. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009
The effect of the environment on the mechanical properties of medical grade silicones
Authors: Leslie L. J. , Jenkins M. J. , Shepherd D. E. T. , Kukureka S. N. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractSilicone spacers have been in use as replacement joints in the human hand for over 30 years. Since they were first used there has been a number of designs all of which have had problems with fracture. This may be due to a defect in the material caused during implantation, or by bony intrusions within the arthritic hand after implantation. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of the environment on the mechanical properties of medical grade silicones used for human implantation. The materials were subjected to static tensile testing after various forms of ageing. The environmental conditions included temperatures of 37 and 80°C and the environments of Ringer's solution, distilled water, and air. The environmental conditions employed resulted in reduced mechanical strength with ageing time of the silicones. This research supports the view that failure of silicone implants in the hand could be partly attributed to the effects of environmental ageing of the material. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 2008
Facial augmentation with porous polyethylene (Medpor®)—Histological evidence of intense foreign body reaction
Authors: Gosau Martin , Draenert Florian G. , Ihrler Stefan 
Published: March 2008

AbstractIn a previous study by our group evaluating the clinical use of Medpor® implants as augmentation material in the facial skeleton, we examined cases with unexpected intense foreign body reaction and focal disintegration of the implant material. The present study evaluates the histological findings in the largest series of explanted Medpor samples from human beings so far. Altogether 10 samples were harvested during revision surgery due to aesthetic contouring or due to infection. The average time from implantation to removal of the implants was 8.1 months. Paraffin embedding was employed for improved histological analysis. Chronic inflammation and foreign body giant cell reaction were seen in all cases. Intracytoplasmatic phagocytosis of disintegrated pieces of Medpor was seen as well as focal destruction of the material. From the histological point of view it is no longer justified to regard Medpor as an immunologically inert material. Nevertheless the reaction does not seem to be severe enough to compromise the stability and volume of the implant from a clinical point of view. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2008
Role and regulation of human XRCC4‐like factor/cernunnos
Authors: Dahm Kirsten 
Published: March 2008

AbstractIn mammalian cells, non‐homologous end joining (NHEJ) is the major double strand break (DSB) repair mechanism during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. It also contributes to DSB repair during the S and G2 phases. Ku heterodimer, DNA PKcs, XRCC4 and DNA Ligase IV constitute the core NHEJ machinery, which joins directly ligatable ends. XRCC4‐like factor/Cernunnos (XLF/Cer) is a recently discovered interaction partner of XRCC4. Current evidence suggests the following model for the role of XLF/Cer in NHEJ: after DSB induction, the XRCC4‐DNA Ligase IV complex promotes efficient accumulation of XLF/Cer at DNA damage sites via constitutive interaction of the XRCC4 and XLF/Cer head domains and dependent on components of the DNA PK complex. Ku alone can stabilise the association of XLF/Cer with DNA ends. XLF/Cer stimulates ligation of complementary and non‐complementary DNA ends by XRCC4‐DNA Ligase IV. This activity involves the carboxy‐terminal DNA binding region of XLF/Cer and could occur via different, non‐exclusive modes: (i) enhancement of the stability of the XRCC4‐DNA Ligase IV complex on DNA ends by XLF/Cer, (ii) modulation of the efficiency and/or specificity of DNA Ligase IV by binding of XLF/Cer to the XRCC4‐DNA Ligase IV complex, (iii) promotion of the alignment of blunt or other non‐complementary DNA ends by XLF/Cer for ligation. XLF/Cer promotes the preservation of 3′ overhangs, restricts nucleotide loss and thereby promotes accuracy of DSB joining by XRCC4‐DNA Ligase IV during NHEJ and V(D)J recombination. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 1534–1540, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Thickening of the gastric wall on transabdominal sonography: A sign of gastric cancer
Authors: Suk Ki Tae , Lim Dae Wook , Kim Moon Young , Park Dong Hun , Kim Kyu Hong , Kim Jung Min , Kim Jae Woo , Kim Hyun Soo , Kwon Sang Ok , Baik Soon Koo , Park Sung Jin 
Published: March 2008

AbstractPurpose.To determine the value of a thickened gastric wall detected during transabdominal sonography (TAS) in the diagnosis of gastric cancer.Method.This prospective study comprised 312 patients who underwent both TAS and endoscopy. Transverse TAS scanning was performed using a 3.5‐MHz curved transducer to measure gastric wall thickness in the antrum and body of the stomach. Based on endoscopic and histologic findings, we classified the patients into 3 groups: normal or benign disease (BD), early gastric cancer (EGC), and advanced gastric cancer (AGC). TAS findings were then compared.Results.The thickness of the gastric wall was 4.9 ± 1.6 mm in 262 patients with BD, 5.6 ± 2.4 mm in 21patients with EGC, and 10.3 ± 4.7 mm in 29 patients with AGC (p < 0.01). A gastric wall thickness of greater than 7 mm had a 75.0% sensitivity, 92.6% specificity, 50.0% positive predictive value, and 97.4% negative predictive value in the diagnosis of AGC.Conclusion.Although not suitable as a screening method for gastric cancer, a thickening of the gastric wall of >7 mm may be a marker for AGC. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008.
Cyclic AMP concentration and protein kinase A (PKA) gene expression at different developmental stages of the polychaete Hydroides elegans
Authors: Li Hong‐Lei , Song Lin‐Sheng , Qian Pei‐Yuan 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3‐isobutyl‐1‐methylxanthine (IBMX) showed inductive effect on larval settlement of the polychaete Hydroides elegans. It has been suggested that IBMX triggers larval settlement by elevating the cellular adenosine 3′,5′‐cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) level in this species. To test this hypothesis, we first examined cAMP‐level changes in both the competent (CL) and attached larvae (AL) and then characterized the cAMP‐dependent protein kinase in H. elegans, which is the major mediator of cAMP action. Tissue extracts of the larvae were assayed for cAMP by enzyme immunoassay; the results showed that IBMX increased cAMP production up to approximately two‐folds in the CL. However, there was no significant difference in the cAMP concentration between the CL and AL that were not treated with IBMX. The catalytic subunit of protein kinase A gene from H. elegans (designated HePKAc) was cloned, and its expression in different developmental stages of H. elegans was examined using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The gene expression level in the pre‐competent trochophore larvae was the lowest, increased in the CL, reached the highest in the larvae undergoing normal and IBMX‐induced metamorphosis, and then decreased in the adult stage. In situ hybridization results showed that HePKAc expressed mainly around eye regions and along body fragments of the CL and AL. Our results indicated that the IBMX‐induced cAMP changes and the cAMP‐dependent protein kinase gene may mediate larval development and settlement of H. elegans. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 310B:417–427, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Introduction: European Union Development Aid Policy—the challenge of implementation
Authors: J. H. Dearden Stephen 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis paper provides an introduction to a series of articles that review the EU's engagement with a number of regional groupings of developing countries. It provides the context for the following studies by reviewing the response that the European Commission has made to the demands for increased effectiveness in its administration of the EU's collective aid policy and its evolving role in achieving coordination, complementarity and coherence across EU development policy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Better aid, less ownership: multi‐annual programming and the EU's development strategies in Africa
Authors: Carbone Maurizio 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis paper explores the changing aid relationship between the European Union (EU) and Africa since the early 2000s, emphasising the existence of a paradox: on the one hand, the EU has been preoccupied with improving the quality of its aid; on the other hand, it has failed to fully take into account the voice of the recipients in the design of the Country Strategy Papers (CSPs). The failure to promote local ownership is due to the excessive preoccupation of the European Commission with showing that it is able to commit and spend money quickly and to the new emphasis on ensuring increased coordination and complementarity with the Member States, which results in a reduced space for negotiations with recipient countries. More controversial are the conclusions on the EU's contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Implications of antiinflammatory properties of the anticonvulsant drug levetiracetam in astrocytes
Authors: Haghikia Aiden , Ladage Kerstin , Hinkerohe Daniel , Vollmar Patrick , Heupel Katharina , Dermietzel Rolf , Faustmann Pedro M. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThere is accumulating evidence that epileptic activity is accompanied by inflammatory processes. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of levetiracetam (Keppra), an anticonvulsant drug with decisive antiepileptic features, with regard to its putative antiinflammatory potential. We previously established an in vitro cell culture model to mimic inflammatory conditions: Primary astrocytic cultures of newborn rats were cocultured with 30% (M30) microglial cells. Alternatively, cocultures containing 5% microglia (M5) were incubated with the proinflammatory mediator, the cytokine interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent bacterial activator of the immune system. For the M30 cocultures, we observed reduced expression of connexin 43 (Cx43), the predominant gap junction protein. Impaired functional dye coupling and depolarized membrane resting potential (MRP) were monitored in M30 cocultures as well as in M5 cocultures treated with IL‐1β and LPS. We could show that the Cx43 expression, the coupling property, and the membrane resting potential on which we focused our inflammatory coculture model were normalized to noninflammatory level under treatment with levetiracetam (Keppra). Cumulatively, our results provide evidence for antiinflammatory properties of levetiracetam in seizure treatment. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.