bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A tale of two tibias: A review of treatment options for congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia
Authors: Johnston Charles E. , Birch John G. 
Published: February 2008

Purpose Two common treatment options for congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia (CPT) are intramedullary fixation following resection/shortening of the pseudarthrosis site and reconstruction with an Ilizarov external fixator following resection. We present in detail a narrative of two cases with similar degrees of tibial dysplasia associated with NF-1 treated using these different methods and followed to completion. Methods Technical issues and details of the treatment methods from case reports are discussed in depth. The eventual profoundly different outcomes are correlated to the technical variations used. Results Treatment with the Charnley–Williams rodding method and aggressive bone grafting supplemented by rh-BMP2 resulted in a normal functioning limb at maturity, while treatment with first, an ineffective version of IM rodding, followed by two sessions of bone transport using an Ilizarov fixator failed to gain useful union and eventually resulted in amputation. Conclusions Technical details, heretofore inadequately reviewed in the literature, are crucial to the success of either of these commonly utilized treatment methods for CPT.
The evolving theory of quality management: The role of Six Sigma
Authors: Zu Xingxing , Fredendall Lawrence D. , Douglas Thomas J. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractWhile Six Sigma is increasingly implemented in industry, little academic research has been done on Six Sigma and its influence on quality management theory and application. There is a criticism that Six Sigma simply puts traditional quality management practices in a new package. To investigate this issue and the role of Six Sigma in quality management, this study reviewed both the traditional quality management and Six Sigma literatures and identified three new practices that are critical for implementing Six Sigma's concept and method in an organization. These practices are referred to as: Six Sigma role structure, Six Sigma structured improvement procedure, and Six Sigma focus on metrics. A research model and survey instrument were developed to investigate how these Six Sigma practices integrate with seven traditional quality management practices to affect quality performance and business performance. Test results based on a sample of 226 US manufacturing plants revealed that the three Six Sigma practices are distinct practices from traditional quality management practices, and that they complement the traditional quality management practices in improving performance. The implications of the findings for researchers and practitioners are discussed and further research directions are offered.
Subsidiarity in Article 3b of the Ec Treaty—Gobbledegook or Justiciable Principle?
Authors: Harrison Virginia 
Published: February 2008

In the negotiations for the Treaty on European Union,1 “subsidiarity” assumed central importance. This was the first time that the term was expressly incorporated with general effect into the Treaty.2 The principal provision3 is Article 3b, which reads:The Community shall act within the limits of the powers conferred upon it by this Treaty and of the objectives assigned to it therein.In areas which do not fall within its exclusive competence, the Community shall take action, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, only4 if and in so far as the objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore, by reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action, be better achieved by the Community.Any action by the Community shall not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the objectives of this Treaty.
The European Court of Human Rights and Religious Rights
Authors: Edge Peter W. 
Published: February 2008

Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides:1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.2. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
HEDGE FUND ASSET VALUATIONS AND THE WORK OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF SECURITIES COMMISSIONS (IOSCO)
Authors: McVea Harry 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis article seeks to explore and subsequently critique the International Organisation of Securities Commissions's (IOSCO) attempt to devise a globally recognized set of benchmarks of good practice in valuing hedge fund assets as set out in its recent Principles For the Valuation of Hedge Fund Assets (A Consultation Report, March 2007). The outcome of the IOSCO's consultation process is almost certain to have an important bearing on the future provision of hedge fund valuation services globally and, thus, is likely to be viewed with great interest by regulatory and industry bodies throughout the world.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND THE GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES: A LEGAL AND APPROPRIATE LINKAGE?
Authors: Switzer Stephanie 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis article will question the legality of measures of environmental ‘conditionality’ in the Generalized System of Preferences [GSP] of the European Community [EC].1 The GSP is a GATT/WTO2 authorized scheme which permits developed nations to grant non-reciprocal tariff preferences in favour of developing countries.3 The objectives of the GSP are primarily development-oriented in that it aims to increase the export earnings of developing countries, promote their industrialization and accelerate rates of economic growth.4 A recent case taken in the WTO examined the legal contours of the grant of tariff preferences and it is in the light of this that this article will examine the so-called ‘special incentive arrangements’ of the reformed EC GSP which offers additional tariff preferences to developing countries on the ‘condition’ that they adhere to specified standards of environmental protection.
Real Shock, Monetary Aftershock: The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and the Panic of 1907
Authors: ODELL KERRY A. , WEIDENMIER MARC D. 
Published: February 2008

In April 1906 the San Francisco earthquake and fire caused damage equal to more than 1 percent of GNP. Although the real effect of this shock was localized, it had an international financial impact: large amounts of gold flowed into the country in autumn 1906 as foreign insurers paid claims on their San Francisco policies out of home funds. This outflow prompted the Bank of England to discriminate against American finance bills and, along with other European central banks, to raise interest rates. These policies pushed the United States into recession and set the stage for the Panic of 1907.San Francisco's $200,000,000 “ash heap” involves complications which will be felt on all financial markets for many months to come [and] the payment of losses sustained … represents a financial undertaking of far-reaching magnitude….The Financial Times [London], 6 July 1906
“In the Power of God Christ”: Greek inscriptional evidence for the anti-Arian theology of Ethiopia's first Christian king
Authors: Black Stephanie L 
Published: February 2008

AbstractFour fourth-century ad inscriptions of Ezana, first Christian king of Aksum (Ethiopia), are surveyed, with special attention to Ezana's only known post-conversion inscription, written in Greek. Greek syntax and terminology in Ezana's inscription point to an anti-Arian Christology which may be associated with Frumentius, first bishop of Aksum, and his connection with Athanasius of Alexandria. The inscription's trinitarian formula “the power of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit” is structured in such a way as to assert the identity of the three members of the Trinity. The phrase “in the power of God Christ” further equates Christ with God. This christological language stands in contrast to the Arian imperial policy of the time, and is historically significant in light of Constantius's attempt to force Frumentius's recall to Alexandria. This inscription serves as the first internal documentary evidence for an anti-Arian Christology in the earliest developments of Ethiopian Christianity.
On order and conflict: International Relations and the ‘communicative turn’
Authors: ALBERT MATHIAS , KESSLER OLIVER , STETTER STEPHAN 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis article begins from the observation that while communication is a widely used catch-phrase in current IR theorising, the very concept of ‘communication’ is still mainly treated in terms of simple sender-receiver models which do not sufficiently elaborate how the insights of the ‘communicative turn’ can be made fruitful for IR theorising. The argument is developed in three steps. First – particularly drawing on the work of Karl W. Deutsch – we identify those pockets in IR theory, namely conflict studies and theories of ‘communicative action’, in which ‘communication’ plays a considerable theoretical role. Second, it is claimed that placing ‘communication’ at the centre of any theory of IR requires taking full account of the theoretical consequences of the ‘linguistic turn’. To develop this argument requires an examination of the often implicit notion of ‘communication’ in contemporary uses of speech act theory and symbolic interactionism in current IR theory. Such a move necessarily leads to the diagnosis that all social systems and orders of exchange, including international relations, are communicatively constituted. Finally, such a view enables a reconfiguration of the central problems of ‘order’ and ‘conflict’ in IR theory in an innovative fashion: while the problem of order can be restated not as the problem of establishing regularities and patterns but as a problem of disconnecting communications, the problem of conflict can be restated not as a problem of a disruption of communication but as a problem of continuing conflict communication.
Global communication and political culture in the semi-periphery: the rise of the Globo corporation
Authors: WILKIN PETER 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis article will offer a description and explanation of the rise of the Brazilian media corporation Globo by situating it in the context of the periphery and semi-periphery of the World System and the globalisation of communication. In particular it focuses upon the changing role that Globo has played in the construction of an elite-led political culture in Brazil that has moved through phases of authoritarian and democratic government. The article sets out an historical account of the emergence of Globo from being a regional media organisation in the periphery of the world system to a global broadcaster in the semi-periphery. It moves through three phases: First, 1925–1964, the colonial legacy and Brazil in the periphery; second, 1964–1985, a period of transition and conservative modernisation, into the semi-periphery; and finally, 1985 onwards, the age of globalisation.
Aetiological factors and perception of anaemia in Tunisian women of reproductive age
Authors: Ati Jalila El , Lefèvre Pierre , Béji Chiraz , Ben Rayana Chiheb , Gaigi Sadok , Delpeuch Francis 
Published: February 2008

AbstractObjectivesTo identify aetiological factors in anaemia and to explore knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards anaemia.DesignTwo cross-sectional surveys and sixteen focus group discussions.SettingThe two regions with the highest prevalence of anaemia in Tunisia, Greater Tunis (GT) and the South West (SW).SubjectsTwo representative samples of 687 (GT) and 729 (SW) women of reproductive age; 108 women were included in focus group discussions.ResultsAmong anaemic women, 63·4 % in the GT region and 80·2 % in the SW displayed iron deficiency (ID). Genetic haemoglobinopathies accounted for 10·0 % and 3·6 % of the cases of anaemia in the two regions, respectively. After adjustment for confounders, the major factors for iron-deficiency anaemia were low dietary Fe intake (OR = 5·0, 95 % CI 3·0, 8·4), drinking tea after eating (OR = 3·4, 95 % CI 2·0, 5·7) and pica (OR = 2·1, 95 % CI 1·1, 3·9). Most of the women related anaemia to the following causes: malnutrition, lack of hygiene, and their heavy workload and responsibilities in the household. Many women connected anaemia with hypotension. Few established a relationship between ID and anaemia. They had confidence in their doctor for treatment, but many complained they were not given sufficient information. Low dietary Fe intake, inappropriate food practices and inadequate perceptions contribute to the aetiology of anaemia in women.ConclusionsThese results point out to the need for a strategy combining food fortification, Fe supplementation for pregnant women, nutritional education for the general public and at-risk specific target groups, and training of health professionals.
ParCrys: a Parzen window density estimation approach to protein crystallization propensity prediction
Authors: Overton Ian M. , Padovani Gianandrea , Girolami Mark A. , Barton Geoffrey J. 
Published: February 2008

Abstract
The ability to rank proteins by their likely success in crystallization is useful in current Structural Biology efforts and in particular in high-throughput Structural Genomics initiatives. We present ParCrys, a Parzen Window approach to estimate a protein's propensity to produce diffraction-quality crystals. The Protein Data Bank (PDB) provided training data whilst the databases TargetDB and PepcDB were used to define feature selection data as well as test data independent of feature selection and training. ParCrys outperforms the OB-Score, SECRET and CRYSTALP on the data examined, with accuracy and Matthews correlation coefficient values of 79.1% and 0.582, respectively (74.0% and 0.227, respectively, on data with a ‘real-world’ ratio of positive:negative examples). ParCrys predictions and associated data are available from www.compbio.dundee.ac.uk/parcrys.
Contact: geoff@compbio.dundee.ac.uk
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Group velocity of wave propagation in carbon nanotubes
Authors: Wang Lifeng , Guo Wanlin , Hu Haiyan 
Published: February 2008

The group velocities of longitudinal and flexural wave propagations in single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes are studied in the frame of continuum mechanics. The dispersion relations between the group velocity and the wavenumber for flexural and longitudinal waves, described by a beam model and a cylindrical shell model, are established for both single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The effect of microstructures in carbon nanotubes on the wave dispersion is revealed through the non-local elastic models of a beam and a cylindrical shell, including the second-order gradient of strain and a parameter of microstructure. It is shown that the microstructures in the carbon nanotubes play an important role in the dispersion of both longitudinal and flexural waves. In addition, the non-local elastic models predict that the cut-off wavenumber of the dispersion relation between the group velocity and the wavenumber is approximately 2×10
10
m
−1
for the longitudinal and flexural wave propagations in both single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. This may explain why the direct molecular dynamics simulation cannot give a proper dispersion relation between the phase velocity and the wavenumber when the wavenumber approaches approximately 2×10
10
m
−1
, much lower than the cut-off wavenumber for the dispersion relation between the phase velocity and the wavenumber predicted by continuum mechanics.
The fate of assimilated carbon during drought: impacts on respiration in Amazon rainforests
Authors: Meir P , Metcalfe D.B , Costa A.C.L , Fisher R.A 
Published: February 2008

Interannual variations in CO
2
exchange across Amazonia, as deduced from atmospheric inversions, correlate with El Niño occurrence. They are thought to result from changes in net ecosystem exchange and fire incidence that are both related to drought intensity. Alterations to net ecosystem production (NEP) are caused by changes in gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (
R
eco
). Here, we analyse observations of the components of
R
eco
(leaves, live and dead woody tissue, and soil) to provide first estimates of changes in
R
eco
during short-term (seasonal to interannual) moisture limitation. Although photosynthesis declines if moisture availability is limiting, leaf dark respiration is generally maintained, potentially acclimating upwards in the longer term. If leaf area is lost, then short-term canopy-scale respiratory effluxes from wood and leaves are likely to decline. Using a moderate short-term drying scenario where soil moisture limitation leads to a loss of 0.5 m
2
m
−2
yr
−1
in leaf area index, we estimate a reduction in respiratory CO
2
efflux from leaves and live woody tissue of 1.0 (±0.4) t C ha
−1
yr
−1
. Necromass decomposition declines during drought, but mortality increases; the median mortality increase following a strong El Niño is 1.1% (
n
=46 tropical rainforest plots) and yields an estimated net short-term increase in necromass CO
2
efflux of 0.13–0.18 t C ha
−1
yr
−1
. Soil respiration is strongly sensitive to moisture limitation over the short term, but not to associated temperature increases. This effect is underestimated in many models but can lead to estimated reductions in CO
2
efflux of 2.0 (±0.5) t C ha
−1
yr
−1
. Thus, the majority of short-term respiratory responses to drought point to a decline in
R
eco
, an outcome that contradicts recent regional-scale modelling of NEP. NEP varies with both GPP and
R
eco
but robust moisture response functions are clearly needed to improve quantification of the role of
R
eco
in influencing regional-scale CO
2
emissions from Amazonia.
Towards quantifying uncertainty in predictions of Amazon ‘dieback’
Authors: Huntingford Chris , Fisher Rosie A , Mercado Lina , Booth Ben B.B , Sitch Stephen , Harris Phil P , Cox Peter M , Jones Chris D , Betts Richard A , Malhi Yadvinder , Harris Glen R , Collins Mat , Moorcroft Paul 
Published: February 2008

Simulations with the Hadley Centre general circulation model (HadCM3), including carbon cycle model and forced by a ‘business-as-usual’ emissions scenario, predict a rapid loss of Amazonian rainforest from the middle of this century onwards. The robustness of this projection to both uncertainty in physical climate drivers and the formulation of the land surface scheme is investigated. We analyse how the modelled vegetation cover in Amazonia responds to (i) uncertainty in the parameters specified in the atmosphere component of HadCM3 and their associated influence on predicted surface climate. We then enhance the land surface description and (ii) implement a multilayer canopy light interception model and compare with the simple ‘big-leaf’ approach used in the original simulations. Finally, (iii) we investigate the effect of changing the method of simulating vegetation dynamics from an area-based model (TRIFFID) to a more complex size- and age-structured approximation of an individual-based model (ecosystem demography).
We find that the loss of Amazonian rainforest is robust across the climate uncertainty explored by perturbed physics simulations covering a wide range of global climate sensitivity. The introduction of the refined light interception model leads to an increase in simulated gross plant carbon uptake for the present day, but, with altered respiration, the net effect is a decrease in net primary productivity. However, this does not significantly affect the carbon loss from vegetation and soil as a consequence of future simulated depletion in soil moisture; the Amazon forest is still lost. The introduction of the more sophisticated dynamic vegetation model reduces but does not halt the rate of forest dieback. The potential for human-induced climate change to trigger the loss of Amazon rainforest appears robust within the context of the uncertainties explored in this paper. Some further uncertainties should be explored, particularly with respect to the representation of rooting depth.
TheArabidopsisPhosphatidylinositol Phosphate 5-Kinase PIP5K3 Is a Key Regulator of Root Hair Tip Growth
Authors: Kusano Hiroaki , Testerink Christa , Vermeer Joop E.M. , Tsuge Tomohiko , Shimada Hiroaki , Oka Atsuhiro , Munnik Teun , Aoyama Takashi 
Published: February 2008

AbstractPhosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PtdIns(4,5)P2] functions as a site-specific signal on membranes to promote cytoskeletal reorganization and membrane trafficking. Localization of PtdIns(4,5)P2 to apices of growing root hairs and pollen tubes suggests that it plays an important role in tip growth. However, its regulation and mode of action remain unclear. We found that Arabidopsis thaliana PIP5K3 (for Phosphatidylinositol Phosphate 5-Kinase 3) encodes a phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase, a key enzyme producing PtdIns(4,5)P2, that is preferentially expressed in growing root hairs. T-DNA insertion mutations that substantially reduced the expression of PIP5K3 caused significantly shorter root hairs than in the wild type. By contrast, overexpression caused longer root hairs and multiple protruding sites on a single trichoblast. A yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) fusion of PIP5K3, driven by the PIP5K3 promoter, complemented the short-root-hair phenotype. PIP5K3-YFP localized to the plasma membrane and cytoplasmic space of elongating root hair apices, to growing root hair bulges, and, notably, to sites about to form root hair bulges. The signal was greatest in rapidly growing root hairs and quickly disappeared when elongation ceased. These results provide evidence that PIP5K3 is involved in localizing PtdIns(4,5)P2 to the elongating root hair apex and is a key regulator of the machinery that initiates and promotes root hair tip growth.
Nigerian library staff and their perceptions of health risks posed by using computer‐based systems in university libraries
Authors: Osahon Uwaifo Stephen 
Published: February 2008

PurposeThe paper seeks to examine the health risks faced when using computer‐based systems by library staff in Nigerian libraries.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses a survey research approach to carry out this investigation.FindingsThe investigation reveals that the perceived health risk does not predict perceived ease of use of computer‐based libraries. Even though a wide range of health hazards were identified in the libraries, the level of availability of ergonomic programmes to tackle them was low.Practical implicationsIn general, librarians, university authorities, IT policy formulators and systems administrators should find this paper useful, as it educates them about the fact that perceived health risk does not significantly deter people from using information systems. This is due to the enormous benefits arising from the use of IT when compared with the manual systems.Originality/valueThe study offers new insights in the area of IT use by librarians in Nigerian universities. That the study found that prevailing health risks do not significantly deter people from using information systems means that it differs from other studies.