bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measured wind speed trends on the west coast of Canada
Authors: Tuller Stanton E. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractTrends in measured wind speed are discussed for four stations on the west coast of Canada. Periods of record vary with the station. They begin in the late 1940s or the 1950s and run through to the early to mid 1990s. The most prominent feature of the time series was a decline in mean annual and winter wind speeds at Cape St James, Victoria International Airport, and Vancouver International Airport during the middle portion of the record. Declines in mean annual wind speed are matched by increases in the percentage of calms and decreases in high wind speed observations. The pressure gradient between Victoria, Vancouver and Comox, the Pacific North American index, the Pacific decadal oscillation index, and other climate elements in British Columbia and the northwestern USA show trends at roughly the same time, indicating a natural cause of the wind speed decrease. Comox Airport mean wind speeds increased, however, perhaps the result of reduced friction in the vicinity of the anemometer outweighing the decrease in the regional pressure gradient. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society
Energy and radiation balance of a central European city
Authors: Christen Andreas , Vogt Roland 
Published: August 2004

AbstractResults from an experimental network of seven energy balance stations in and around a European city are presented. The network of micrometeorological stations was part of the Basel Urban Boundary Layer Experiment (BUBBLE) carried out in the city of Basel, Switzerland. Three urban sites provided turbulent flux densities and radiation data over dense urban surfaces. Together with a suburban site and three rural reference sites, this network allowed the simultaneous comparison of urban, suburban, and rural energy balance partitioning during one month of summertime measurements. The partitioning is analysed together with long‐term data to evaluate the magnitude of the urban flux density modification, and to document characteristic values in their diurnal and yearly course. Simple empirical relations between flux densities and surface characteristics are presented. The energy balance partitioning is addressed separately for daytime and nocturnal situations. All four components of the surface radiation budget are analysed. Moreover, the vertical flux density divergences within the urban canopy layer are discussed. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society
Improving precipitation measurement
Authors: Strangeways Ian 
Published: August 2004

AbstractAlthough rainfall has been measured for centuries scientifically and in isolated brief episodes over millennia for agriculture, it is still not measured adequately even today for climatology, water resources, and other precise applications. This paper outlines the history of raingauges, their errors, and describes the field testing over 3 years of a ‘first guess’ design for an aerodynamic rain collector proposed by Folland in 1988. Although shown to have aerodynamic advantage over a standard 5″ gauge, the new rain collector was found to suffer from outsplash in heavy rain. To study this problem, and to derive general basic design rules for aerodynamic gauges, its performance was investigated in turbulent, real‐world conditions rather than in the controlled and simplified environment of a wind tunnel or mathematical model as in the past. To do this, video records were made using thread tracers to indicate the path of the wind, giving new insight into the complex flow of natural wind around and within raingauges. A new design resulted, and 2 years of field testing have shown that the new gauge has good aerodynamic and evaporative characteristics and minimal outsplash, offering the potential for improved precipitation measurement. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society
Energy balance at a cold Alpine firn saddle, Seserjoch, Monte Rosa
Authors: Suter Stephan , Hoelzle Martin , Ohmura Atsumu 
Published: August 2004

AbstractLittle knowledge exists to date on the complex interactions between the atmosphere and glaciers leading to the formation of cold firn in high‐elevation accumulation areas in the Alps. Although the occurrence of cold firn and ice together is not a widespread phenomenon in the Alps, it is of particular significance as it relates to many glaciological issues, and has a major impact on glaciers in their role as an environmental and climatic archive. The atmospheric impact on cold firn was investigated using an energy balance study at the cold, 4300 m high firn saddle of Seserjoch, Monte Rosa area (Italy and Switzerland). Measurements of short‐ and longwave radiation, wind speed and wind direction, air temperature, humidity, snow height and snow and firn temperatures were conducted between September 1998 and August 2000 under difficult meteorological conditions. A 1 year time series of energy balance measurements spanning the period of May 1999 to April 2000 is presented. The results show that net radiation and turbulent heat fluxes are major elements of the energy balance. The heat fluxes due to surface melt in summer, and re‐freezing events (re‐freezing of meltwater at the surface, or rime accretion) cannot be neglected. The magnitude of these fluxes is difficult to interpret, as these are derived indirectly from the energy balance and, hence, also include instrumental and methodological errors in the energy balance calculation. Precise high‐resolution measurements of surface temperatures in summer made it possible to identify individual surface melt events and the prevailing meteorological conditions favouring or hindering surface melt. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society
Porous‐Conductive Chitosan Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering, 1
Authors: Wan Ying , Wu Hua , Wen Dijiang 
Published: August 2004

AbstractSummary: Novel porous‐conductive chitosan scaffolds were fabricated by incorporating conductive polypyrrole (PPy) particles into a chitosan matrix and employing a phase separation technique to build pores inside the scaffolds. Conductive polypyrrole particles were prepared with a microemulsion method using FeCl3 as a dopant. The preparation conditions were optimized to obtain scaffolds with controlled pore size and porosity. The conductivity of the scaffolds was investigated using a standard four‐point probe technique. It was found that several kinds of scaffolds showed a conductivity close to 10−3 S · cm−1 with a low polypyrrole loading of around 2 wt.‐%. The main mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, breaking elongation and Young's modulus of the scaffolds, were examined both in the dry and in the hydrated states. The results indicated that a few different kinds of scaffolds exhibited the desired mechanical strength for some tissue engineering applications. The miscibility of polypyrrole and chitosan was also evaluated using a dynamic mechanical method. The presence of significant phase separation was detected in non‐porous PPy/chitosan scaffolds but enhanced miscibility in porous PPy/chitosan scaffolds was observed.Variation in conductivity of the scaffolds with polypyrrole content.imageVariation in conductivity of the scaffolds with polypyrrole content.
Photopolymerization of acrylamide initiated by the three‐component system safranine/triethanolamine/diphenyliodonium chloride: The effect of the aggregation of the salt
Authors: Gómez María L. , Montejano Hernán A. , del Valle Bohorquez María , Previtali Carlos M. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThe effects of diphenyliodonium chloride (DPI) on the polymerization of acrylamide photoinitiated by the dye safranine with triethanolamine as a coinitiator were investigated in aqueous solutions. The salt notably increased the polymerization rate. This accelerating effects increased appreciably at concentrations of DPI at which the light scattering of the solutions became important. The effects of DPI on the photophysical properties of the dye were also investigated. Although the absorption and fluorescence were scarcely affected, the triplet yield increased by 60%. However, the polymerization rate increased by a factor much higher than that of the triplet yield. The results obtained at high concentrations of the salt could be ascribed to the presence of aggregates of the hydrophobic cations. The lower limit established for the formation of the aggregates was a DPI concentration of approximately 1 × 10−3 M. Possible mechanisms for the action of the salt were examined. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4916–4920, 2004
Thermal self‐initiation of styrene in the presence of TEMPO radicals: Bulk and miniemulsion
Authors: Pan Gaofeng , Sudol E. David , Dimonie Victoria L. , El‐Aasser Mohamed S. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractIn TEMPO (2,2,6,6,‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy) controlled styrene radical polymerizations, the thermal self‐initiation reaction of styrene monomer is one of the main sources for the deviations from ideal living polymerization. However, it is also important because it continuously generates radicals to compensate for the loss of radicals caused by the termination reactions and thereby maintains a reasonable reaction rate. In this report, different initial TEMPO concentrations were used in styrene miniemulsion polymerizations without any added initiator. The consumption rate of TEMPO or radical generation rate was calculated from the length of the induction period and the increasing total number of polymer chains. It was found that there is little difference between the miniemulsions and the corresponding bulk systems in terms of the length of the induction period, which increases linearly with initial TEMPO concentration. After the induction period, the consumption rate of TEMPO or radical generation rate was reduced to a lower level, and a faster initial polymerization rate was found in the bulk system compared to the corresponding miniemulsion system. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4921–4932, 2004
Determination of tributyrin and its metabolite butyrate in Wistar rat plasma samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Authors: Su Jie , Zhang Ningning , Ho Paul C. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractA gas chromatographic (GC) method with mass spectrometric (MS) detection was developed for the determination of tributyrin and its metabolite butyrate in rat plasma. Following precipitation of plasma protein with acetonitrile, the analytes in the samples were separated on a DB‐5ms capillary column with helium as carrier gas. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), an inhibitor for serine proteases, papain and acetylcholinesterase, was found to be essential to inhibit the activity of enzyme(s) responsible for the hydrolysis of tributyrin in both rat and human blood samples. The enzyme inhibitor in 5 mM (final concentration) was added immediately into the blood samples after collection to prevent the hydrolysis. The linear concentration ranges for tributyrin and butyrate were 0.1–2.0 and 1–20 μM, respectively. The coefficients of variation for intra‐day and inter‐day assays for tributyrin were all <10%, and those for butyrate were also <10%, except for the lowest concentration (1 μM), which was less than 20%. The accuracy of all concentration determinations ranged from 96.0–110.0%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.1 μM for tributyrin and 1.0 μM for butyrate. This method could detect tributyrin and butyrate simultaneously, and represents an improvement in sensitivity for the detection of tributyrin compared with the previous gas chromatography‐flame ionization detection (GC‐FID) method. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new and sensitive on‐line liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric approach for top‐down protein analysis: the comprehensive analysis of human growth hormone in an E. coli lysate using a hybrid linear ion trap/Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer
Authors: Wu Shiaw‐Lin , Jardine Ian , Hancock William S. , Karger Barry L. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractA sensitive, integrated top‐down liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) approach, suitable for the near complete characterization of specific proteins in complex protein mixtures, such as inclusion bodies of an E. coli lysate, has been successfully developed using a hybrid linear ion trap/Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer. In particular, human growth hormone (hGH) (200 fmol) was analyzed with high sequence coverage (>95%), including the sites of disulfide linkages. The high mass accuracy and resolution of the FTICR mass spectrometer was used to reveal high charge state ions of hGH (22 kDa). The highly charged intact protein ions (such as the 17+ species) were captured and fragmented in the linear ion trap cell. The fragment ions from MS/MS spectra were then successfully analyzed in the FTICR cell in an on‐line LC/MS run. Peptide fragments from the N‐terminal and C‐terminal regions, as well as large interior fragments, were captured and identified. The results allowed the unambiguous assignment of disulfide bonds Cys53–Cys165 and Cys182–Cys189, indicative of proper folding of hGH. The disulfide bond assignments were also confirmed by analysis of the tryptic digest of a sample of hGH purified from inclusion bodies. On‐line LC/MS with the linear ion trap/FTICR yields high mass accuracy in both the MS and MS/MS modes (within 2 ppm with external calibration). The approach should prove useful in biotechnology applications to characterize correctly folded proteins, both in the early protein expression and the later processed stages, using only a single automated on‐line LC/MS top‐down method. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Product variety and firm survival in the microcomputer software industry
Authors: Cottrell Tom , Nault Barrie R. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractThis article provides an analysis of product variety and scope economies in the microcomputer software industry by using detailed firm‐level and product‐level information on firms' bundling of functionalities over application categories and computing platforms. We find that the management of product variety through the way different application categories are integrated in products and the platforms on which these products are offered can be as important as the significance of scope economies at the more aggregated firm level. Specifically, we find that there is little evidence of firm benefits from economies of scope in production, but there is substantial evidence that products benefit from economies of scope in consumption. In addition, we find that firms with products that encapsulate more application categories perform better, and those with products that cover more computing platforms perform worse. Finally, changes in product variety through new product introductions improve firm performance, but extensions to existing products hinder the performance of the firm and the product. We conclude that research in scope economies can benefit from a more detailed model of the evolution of product variety that includes data and analysis at the firm level and at the product level. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improving patients' knowledge of the fetal anomaly scan
Authors: Smith R. P. , Titmarsh S. , Overton T. G. 
Published: August 2004

AbstractObjectivesTo determine the level of patient knowledge regarding the 20‐week screening ultrasound examination, which is performed on over 95% of women in our unit, and to ascertain whether the use of targeted education could improve patient knowledge and expectations, to determine from where patients obtained information on the scan and to ascertain whether patients felt they had chosen to undergo the scan.MethodsAn anonymous questionnaire was issued to all patients attending for their 20‐week scan over a 3‐week period in July 2002 (n = 220). There were nine questions, focusing on maternal choice, information and knowledge. As a result of the information obtained, we undertook a program of education for hospital and community medical and midwifery staff. A printed information sheet given to the patients at the time of booking their 20‐week scan was introduced. We then issued the questionnaire for another 3‐week period in July 2003 (n = 171).ResultsAs a result of our education program, there was a significant increase in the number of women answering various knowledge‐based questions correctly about the 20‐week scan, in those using the written information provided as a source of information (P < 0.0001), and in those who felt they had been involved in the decision to have the scan (P = 0.003).ConclusionsPatients need to be better informed about the 20‐week scan, and choose whether or not to have it. Health professionals are pivotal in this process. While written information helps to reinforce the information given, alone it has only a small effect. Copyright © 2004 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Construction and characterization of a DNA library from mouse chromosomes 19 purified by flow cytometry
Authors: Baron Bruno , Métézeau Philippe , Kiefer‐Gachelin Hélène , Goldberg Michel E. 
Published: August 2004

Summary—In spite of the constant development concerning physical mapping of eukaryotic genomes, the mouse chromosome 19 remains poorly characterized. In order to improve the possibilities for studying this chromosome, we have constructed a chromosome‐specific EcoRI DNA fragment library from mouse chromosomes 19 sorted by flow cytometry. The resulting library contains about 3 × 104 recombinant clones. The identified inserts range in size from about 0.2–10 kb, with a 4 kb average size and with no observable redundancy. The purity of the library has been analyzed by flow‐blot. For that purpose, chromosomes from 2 cell lines, 1 with a normal karyotype and 1 with translocated chromosome 19, were sorted on nylon filters and hybridized with 9 clones of the library. Results show that 5 clones out of the 9 clearly originate from sorted chromosomes 19 and 3 and are likely to be derived from its DNA, thus indicating that the library of chromosome 19 is of high purity.
Tendon collagen fibrillogenesis is a multistep assembly process as revealed by quick‐freezing and freeze‐substitution
Authors: Mallein‐Gérin Frédéric , Garrone Robert 
Published: August 2004

Summary—The ultrastructure of chick embryo tendons has been examined after quick‐freezing by liquid helium and freeze‐substitution. Several stages of collagen assemblies were observed: intracellular packing of SLS‐like aggregates surrounded by membrane containing areas with a clathrin coat; fine non cross‐striated filaments connecting the cell membrane at 1 pole of the cells and collagen fibrils; tufts of filaments directly linked to collagen fibrils. This study reveals that some stages are more constant and abundant than supposed (the intracellular SLS‐like aggregates) and that other extracellular assemblies that were hypothesized but usually badly preserved by conventional electron microscopy are clearly captured by the method.
Effects of cerulenin, an inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis on reconstitution of the dental basement membrane
Authors: Goldberg Michel , Lecolle Sylvie , Lesot Hervé , Ruch Jean‐Victor 
Published: August 2004

Summary—When trypsin‐dissociated enamel organs and dental papillae were recombined in the presence of cerulenin — an antibiotic which is a potent inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis — the newly synthesized basement membrane seemed defective in a dose‐dependent manner. The three‐dimensional relationship between the basement membrane components and the plasma membrane appears to be regulated in part by lipids.
Location of Drosophila C virus target organs in Drosophila host population by an immunofluorescence technique
Authors: Lautié‐Harivel Nicole , Thomas‐Orillard Michèle 
Published: August 2004

Summary—Using the immunofluorescence technique we attempted to locate, in the Drosophila host, Drosophila C virus (DCV) target organs after injection of adult flies. Two kinds of organs were infected: those which play a role in reproductive function, including the fat body and follicular cells, and others, including thoracic muscle fibers, tracheal cells, and the digestive tract. These organs correspond to those found in previous tests. Fat body proteins of a DCV‐free host population seemed to cross‐react with antivirus C antibody. This immune response depended on the origin of the host population. It is known that, when DCV is ingested from the first larval instar, it may have beneficial effects upon host development and reproduction. As DCV has a narrow host spectrum, it is suggested that it is well adapted to its natural host. Hypotheses are proposed to explain how the host resists viral infection and may in fact benefit from such an infection.
Sequence analysis of cell cycle control (cdc2) protein kinases among protein serine/threonine kinases
Authors: Guerrucci Marie‐Anne , Soldano Henri , Bellé Robert 
Published: August 2004

Summary—Among protein serine/threonine kinases, the CDC2 proteins are both well characterized as protein serine/threonine kinases and are functionally involved in the control of cell division. Protein serine/threonine kinase sequences were analysed using Fourier transform of the coded sequences. Characteristic code/frequency pairs were extracted from a set of well defined protein serine/threonine kinases. The characteristic frequencies 0.179, 0.250 and 0.408 distinguished protein serine/threonine kinases from proteins which did not have the biological activity. Pertinent patterns in the sequence, responsible for the code/frequency pairs detection were searched and found to be correlated with the putative catalytic domain of the proteins.Protein serine/threonine kinases involved in cell division control, CDC2 protein kinases, were compared to the other protein serine/threonine kinases. Specific code/frequency pairs were extracted from the sequences and could be related to the function or regulation of the kinases in cell division. Two CDC2 related proteins CDC2(Mm) from mice and CDC2(Gg) from chicken were shown to fit well with the CDC2 proteins, whereas KIN28, PHO85 and PSKJ3, which skare sequence homology but not functional activity with the CDC2 proteins, were clearly excluded from the CDC2 proteins by the characteristic code/frequency pairs. Pertinent patterns in the CDC2 proteins were analysed and mapped on the CDC2 related protein sequences. Four patterns were correlated with the code/frequency detection and therefore, could be associated to the regulation of the CDC2‐related proteins.
Low tumorigenicity of canine cells transformed by the human cytomegalovirus
Authors: Yelle Jocelyn , Lussier Gilles , Pramatarova Albena , Hamelin Claude 
Published: August 2004

Summary—Dog embryo kidney cells transformed by the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) were obtained after non‐permissive infection or transfection with viral DNA digested by restriction endonuclease EcoR I. The transformed cells, growing rapidly and showing an unlimited division potential, could use medium with only 2% serum for growth, contained nuclear virus antigens, and formed small colonies (< 0.2 mm) in agarose. From 40 mice inoculated with transformed canine cells, only one eventually developed a tumor. Results indicate that dog cells are immortalized but not tumorigenically transformed by the human cytomegalovirus.
Intermitochondrial junctions in a subpopulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy subjects*
Authors: Richard Stéphane , Masse Jean‐Marc , Guichard Josette , Breton‐Gorius Jeannine 
Published: August 2004

Summary—This paper reports the observation of intermitochondrial junctions (IMJ) with a periodicity of 15.4 ± 0.65 nm in peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy subjects. The percentage of IMJ‐containing cells appears constant (about 10% of examined lymphocytes) and is independent of the delay of fixation. Immunogold staining reveals that lymphocytes with IMJ exhibit a T‐phenotype. IMJ have been reported in other types of tissues but, to our knowledge, have not been previously described in the blood cell. The signification of these structures is discussed.