bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estimation of meat demand system in Jordan: an almost ideal demand system
Authors: Jabarin Amer S. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThis paper reports the results of the estimation of a linear approximate almost ideal demand system for Jordan meat demand using cross‐sectional data collected by the Department of Statistics in Jordan as part of the household expenditure survey. A censored regression method for the system of equation is used to analyse the meat consumption patterns. This method allows for inclusion of a large number of zero consumption for some foods. Two‐step demand system was estimated. In the first stage, Inverse Mill Ratio is estimated by using probit regression model. In the second stage, the estimated variable is included in the AIDS model to estimate food demand elasticities. The objective of this work is to provide econometric estimates of the different types of demand elasticities for meats in Jordan. To be consistent with the demand theory, the homogeneity, symmetry and adding up restrictions were satisfied in the estimated models. The estimated model was used to obtain estimates of Hicksian, Marshallian and expenditure demand elasticities for meats in Jordan. The results revealed that the demand for mutton and poultry is elastic while the demand for beef and fish is inelastic. The cross‐price elasticities indicate that poultry and beef are substitutes to mutton. The expenditure elasticities confirm that beef and mutton are luxury goods while poultry and fish are necessity goods.
Residential energy behaviour: does generation matter?
Authors: Carlsson‐Kanyama Annika , Lindén Anna‐Lisa , Eriksson Björn 
Published: April 2005

AbstractIn this study we tested the relevance of the generational hypothesis, that is, whether the era in which household members grew up matters when understanding and predicting their behaviour, on a sample of 600 Swedish households. These households participated in a survey where they answered questions about their own energy‐related residential energy behaviour. The answers were analysed for differences between age groups, between different attitudes to environmental issues, between income levels and between dwelling types. The results showed that age was as good an indicator as the other parameters. In several areas, older households had a more energy‐efficient residential behaviour than younger ones. Examples are laundry practices and indoor heat regulation. According to the generational hypothesis, this finding implies higher energy use in the future. The study also shows that there is a broad scope for improving residential energy behaviour in Swedish society by implementing changes in laundry avoiding practices, dishwashing behaviour and indoor temperature regulation.
Sanitary and phytosanitary measures in international trade: policy considerations vs. economic reasoning
Authors: Miljkovic Dragan 
Published: April 2005

AbstractSanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures are one form of non‐tariff international trade barrier with the objective of requiring consumer and intermediate goods to be safe and to provide information to protect consumers from deceptive practices. However, such barriers could severely restrict trade. The central strategy of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) SPS Agreement is to use science to distinguish between those SPS measures consistent with the Agreement and those in violation of the Agreement. SPS measures belong to what is known as trans‐science questions or questions which can be asked of science and yet which cannot be answered by science. Because of the presence of scientific uncertainty, science policies adopted by members should be identified by the WTO. WTO panels should not, however, establish scientific policies. Prohibitive measures would seem rather incompatible with the role the WTO assumed trying to promote free trade. Rather, facilitating the distribution of available information regarding SPS and food safety risk, or a lack of it, to consumers in importing countries would help them to make better informed decisions according to their own preferences and risk aversion.
Viability of Auction‐Based Revenue Management in Sequential Markets
Authors: Baker Tim , Murthy Nagesh N. 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTThe Internet is providing an opportunity to revenue management practitioners to exploit the potential of auctions as a new price distribution channel. We develop a stochastic model for a high‐level abstraction of a revenue management system (RMS) that allows us to understand the potential of incorporating auctions in revenue management in the presence of forecast errors associated with key parameters. Our abstraction is for an environment where two market segments book in sequence and revenue management approaches consider auctions in none, one, or both segments. Key insights from our robust results are (i) limited auctions are best employed closest to the final sale date, (ii) counterbalancing forecast errors associated with overall traffic intensity and the proportion of customer arrivals in a segment is more important if an auction is adopted in that segment, and (iii) it is critically important not to err on the side of overestimating market willingness to pay.
Revenue Management in Order‐Driven Production Systems
Authors: Barut Mehmet , Sridharan V. 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTThis article investigates the effectiveness of a tactical demand‐capacity management policy to guide operational decisions in order‐driven production systems. The policy is implemented via a heuristic that attempts to maximize revenue by selectively accepting or rejecting customer orders for multiple product classes when demand exceeds capacity constantly over the short term. The performance of the heuristic is evaluated in terms of its ability to generate a higher profit compared to a first‐come‐first‐served (FCFS) policy. The policies are compared over a wide range of conditions characterized by variations in both internal (firm) and external (market) factors. The heuristic, when used with a Whole Lot order‐processing approach, produces higher profit compared to FCFS when profit margins of products are substantially different from each other and demand exceeds capacity by a large amount. In other cases it is better to use the heuristic in conjunction with the Split Lot order‐processing approach.
Use of Advanced Mapping Systems to Guide Ablation in Complex Cases: Experience with Noncontact Mapping and Electroanatomic Mapping Systems
Authors: GUREVITZ OSNAT T. , GLIKSON MICHAEL , ASIRVATHAM SAMUEL , KESTER TAMMY A. , GRICE SUELLEN K. , MUNGER THOMAS M. , REA ROBERT F. , SHEN WIN‐KUANG , JAHANGIR ARSHAD , PACKER DOUGLAS L. , HAMMILL STEPHEN C. , FRIEDMAN PAUL A. 
Published: April 2005

Objective: This report describes our experience with noncontact mapping and electroanatomic mapping in complex ablations, which are defined as ablations done after failure of conventional ablation.
Material and Methods: Patients were included (N = 68; 49% with structural heart disease) in whom previous ablation failed and in whom a second procedure was done with advanced mapping. Non‐contact mapping was used in 17 patients, electroanatomic mapping in 36, and both noncontact and electroanatomic mapping in 15. Arrhythmias included focal atrial tachycardia (n = 16), reentrant atrial tachycardia (n = 14), right ventricular outflow tachycardia (n = 10), post‐myocardial infarction ventricular tachycardia (n = 9), and others (n = 19).
Results: Acute success at the second ablation was achieved in 79% of patients. At 20 ± 9 months after the procedure, 69% of these patients reported having significantly fewer symptoms than before the second ablation, and 51% were free of symptoms. Only 16% were using antiarrhythmic medications. Complications included a small pericardial effusion in two patients, hypotension in one patient, and a femoral pseudoaneurysm in another.
Conclusions: Advanced mapping is a useful and safe adjunct for catheter ablation after ablation has failed in patients with complex substrate.
Outcome of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Selected Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs)
Authors: GIMBEL J. ROD , KANAL EMANUEL , SCHWARTZ KERRY M. , WILKOFF BRUCE L. 
Published: April 2005

Objective: To determine if simple strategies used to safely scan pacemaker patients could be applied to implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), patients undergoing MRI allowing ICD patients to undergo MRI as well.
Interventions: Screening, reprogramming, and monitoring strategies were used to facilitate MRI.
Results: Seven patients underwent eight MRI scans at 1.5 T. Post‐MRI, all devices demonstrated no change in pacing, sensing, impedances, charge times, or battery status. The patient undergoing a lumbar spine scan experienced a “power‐on‐reset” of his ICD without permanent impairment of his device.
Conclusion: Scanning of ICD patients might be performed if appropriate reprogramming and monitoring is implemented.
Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Chitosan‐Binding Protein from Non‐Heading Chinese Cabbage Leaves
Authors: CHEN Hui‐Ping , XU Lang‐Lai 
Published: April 2005

Abstract: To know the mechanism of ammonia assimilation in non‐heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestrish L. ssp. chinensis (L.) Makino) leaves regulated by chitosan (CTS), a CTS‐binding protein was isolated from non‐heading Chinese cabbage leaves using the chitosan affinity chromatography approach and this CTS‐binding protein was partially characterized. The profile of the 53.1 kDa purified protein on sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was compared with the native molecular weight of 106.5 kDa, which indicated that the purified protein was a dimer with identical subunits. After isoelectric focusing, a band was obtained at pH 8.25. The agglutination test and periodic acid‐Schiff staining further revealed that the protein was a glycoprotein with lectin activity. Moreover, the purified protein contained 17.4% (w/w) neutral carbohydrate and 82.56% (w/w) protein. The comparison of this protein and the 67 kDa CTS‐binding protein isolated previously from Rubus culture tissue exhibited some differences in characterization. According to results of peptide mass fingerprinting analysis, the protein purified in the present study does not show any similarity with any protein in the protein data bank. Thus, it was deduced that the protein purified in the present study is a novel CTS‐binding protein.(Managing editor: Li‐Hui ZHAO)
Isolation and Expression Pattern Analysis of Two Ferritin Genes in Tobacco
Authors: JIANG Ting‐Bo 
Published: April 2005

Abstract: For understanding of the ferritin gene expression pattern and the mechanism of iron homeostasis in tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum, L.) plants, two full‐length ferritin cDNAs, NtFer1, and NtFer2, were isolated from tobacco seedlings and characterized. These cDNAs are 1 214 and 1 125 bp nucleotides and encode 251 and 259 amino acid residues, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences showed that two tobacco ferritins share the same characteristics as the plant ferritins from Arabidopsis, soybean, and maize. Southern blotting analysis indicated that both NtFer1, and NtFer2, were probably multicopy genes in the tobacco genome. Northern blotting analysis indicated that iron loading of tobacco plantlets increased the ferritin mRNA abundance and that NtFer1, expression was higher and more sensitive to iron than NtFer2 expression. Furthermore, NtFer1, was expressed in both leaves and roots, whereas NtFer2, was expressed mainly in leaves.(Managing editor: Li‐Hui ZHAO)
WHY BANKS HAVE A FUTURE: TOWARD A NEW THEORY OF COMMERCIAL BANKING
Authors: Rajan Raghuram G. 
Published: April 2005

According to some observers, the commercial bank–an institution that conducts the twin activities of accepting deposits payable on demand and originating loans–has outlived its usefulness and is in a state of terminal decline. The broad statistical evidence for this contention, however, is somewhat mixed. While some studies suggest that the role of banks in the United States is declining, others suggest that banks are simply using new vehicles to offer their services and that their role has not diminished at all.This article takes a different approach to analyzing the future of banks by examining the economic rationale for their past existence and exploring the extent to which this rationale can be expected to hold up in the future. The author begins by explaining why the two core banking activities–taking in deposits payable on demand and originating non‐marketable loans–are performed by the same institutions. The explanation turns on the recognition that both activities essentially require the institution to come up with cash on short notice–that is, to provide liquidity. Scale economies in providing liquidity explain why both activities are provided by the same entity.Deregulation and innovation have increased competition in the financial services industry, which has forced banks to concentrate on the essentials of liquidity provision. This is why the outward nature of banks' activities has changed (for example, banks today often sell instead of holding loans, and provide back‐up lines for commercial paper instead of originating loans), though not their underlying economic rationale (particularly the credit evaluation and monitoring involved in “relationship” banking).Beneath the surface reality of dramatic changes in financial products and services, the fundamental banking business of liquidity provision is alive and well. Moreover, in the course of performing their traditional activities, banks have acquired competencies that enable them to perform a variety of other financial and nonfinancial activities that deregulation and innovation have opened up to them. As part of their evaluation of these nontraditional activities, bankers must ensure that their organizational structures, controls, and compensation policies are appropriate for the new environment of deregulation and technological change.
A NEW MODEL FOR ESTIMATING RISK PREMIUMS (ALONG WITH SOME EVIDENCE OF THEIR DECLINE)
Authors: Booth Laurence 
Published: April 2005

This article uses the Gordon growth model with a novel method for forecasting dividend growth rates to estimate the equity cost and associated risk premium for a sample of Canadian telecommunications companies. The results suggest that the Telco risk premium has declined significantly since the early 1980s. Moreover, this decline is accentuated when measured over long Canada yields, rather than over similarly taxed, longterm preferred yields.The findings of this study also suggest that the inverse relationship between utility risk premium and market interest rates reported by studies of U.S. utilities does not hold in Canada. If anything, the Telco risk premium has tended to vary directly with the level of market interest rates, with risk premium falling along with the general decline in rates. The main reason for these results seems to be the significant increase in interest rate risk, which has caused the long Canada yield to be a very poor proxy for the longterm, riskfree rate.One practical implication of this finding is that companies that estimate equity costs as a premium over longterm government bond yields are probably seriously overestimating the cost.
Prospective Evaluation of a Whole-Blood Test Using
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
-Specific Antigens ESAT-6 and CFP-10 for Diagnosis of Active Tuberculosis
Authors: Ravn Pernille , Munk Martin E. , Andersen Åse B. , Lundgren Bettina , Lundgren Jens D. , Nielsen Lars N. , Kok-Jensen Axel , Andersen Peter , Weldingh Karin 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

A new immunodiagnostic test based on the
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
-specific antigens CFP-10/ESAT-6(QFT-RD1) has been launched as an aid in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis (TB) infection (LTBI). The aim of this study was to evaluate this test for the diagnosis of active TB. Eighty-two patients with suspicion of TB and 39 healthy BCG-vaccinated persons were enrolled. Forty-eight had active TB, 25 did not, and 9 were excluded. Sensitivity and specificity of the test for active TB were evaluated in a prospective blinded manner in patients suspected of TB. The sensitivity of the QFT-RD1 was 85% (40/48; confidence interval [CI], 75 to 96), and it was higher than the sensitivity of microscopy, 42% (20/48; CI, 27 to 56;
P
= 0.001), and culture, 59% (27/46; CI, 44 to 73;
P
= 0.009). Of patients with extrapulmonary TB, 92% (12/13) were QFT-RD1 positive, whereas only 31% (4/13) were positive by microscopy and 42% (5/12) by culture (
P
< 0.05), and 87% (13/15) of those who were negative by both microscopy and culture were QFT-RD1 positive. By combining microscopy and culture with the QFT-RD1 test, sensitivity increased to 96% (CI, 90 to 102). Ten of 25 (40%) non-TB patients were QFT-RD1 positive, resulting in a specificity of 60%. However, 80% (8/10) of these had risk-factors for TB, indicating latent infection in this group. In healthy controls, only 3% (1/39) were QFT-RD1 positive. In conclusion, the QFT-RD1 test is sensitive for diagnosis of TB, especially in patients with negative microscopy and culture. The accuracy of the QFT-RD1 test will vary with the prevalence of LTBI. We suggest that the QFT-RD1 test could be a very useful supplementary tool for the diagnosis of TB.
Persisting Humoral Antiviral Immunity within the Japanese Population after the Discontinuation in 1976 of Routine Smallpox Vaccinations
Authors: Hatakeyama Shuji , Moriya Kyoji , Saijo Masayuki , Morisawa Yuji , Kurane Ichiro , Koike Kazuhiko , Kimura Satoshi , Morikawa Shigeru 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACT

Concerns have arisen recently about the possible use of smallpox for a bioterrorism attack. Routine smallpox vaccination was discontinued in Japan in 1976; however, it is uncertain exactly how long vaccination-induced immunity lasts. We sought to evaluate the seroprevalence and intensity of anti-smallpox immunity among representatives of the present Japanese population. The subjects included 876 individuals who were born between 1937 and 1982. Vaccinia virus-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and 152 of 876 samples were also tested for the presence of neutralizing antibodies. Of the subjects who were born before 1962, between 1962 and 1968, and between 1969 and 1975, 98.6, 98.6, and 66.0%, respectively, still retained the vaccinia virus-specific IgG with ELISA values for optical density at 405 nm (OD
405
) of ≥0.10. The corresponding figures for retained IgGs with OD
405
values of ≥0.30 were 91.0, 90.3, and 58.2%, respectively. Neutralizing antibodies were also maintained. The sera with OD
405
values of ≥0.30 showed 89% sensitivity and a 93% positive predictive value for detection of neutralizing antibodies (≥4). Thus, approximately 80% of persons born before 1969 and 50% of those born between 1969 and 1975 were also found to have maintained neutralizing antibodies against smallpox. A considerable proportion of the previous vaccinated individuals still retain significant levels of antiviral immunity. This long-lasting immunity may provide some protective benefits in the case of reemergence of smallpox, and the disease may not spread as widely and fatally as generally expected.
Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Quantitation of Substance P Receptor (NK-1R) mRNA
Authors: Lai Jian-Ping , Douglas Steven D. , Wang Yan-Jian , Ho Wen-Zhe 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTThe substance P (SP)-preferring receptor, neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R), has an important role in inflammation, immune regulation, and viral infection. We applied a newly developed real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assay to quantify NK-1R mRNA in human neuronal cell line (NT-2N), a human B-cell line (IM9), monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM), peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), and human astroglioma cells (U87 MG). The NK-1R real-time RT-PCR assay has a sensitivity of 100 mRNA copies, with a dynamic range of detection between 102and 107copies of NK-1R gene transcripts per reaction. This assay is highly reproducible, with an intraassay coefficient variation of threshold cycle (Ct) of less than 1.9%. The NK-1R real-time RT-PCR is highly sensitive for quantitative determination of NK-1R mRNA in human immune cells (MDM and PBL) that express low levels of NK-1R mRNA. In addition, the assay has the ability to accurately quantitate the dynamic changes in NK-1R mRNA expression in interleukin-1β-stimulated U87 MG. These data indicate that the NK-1R real-time RT-PCR has potential for a wide application in investigation of NK-1R expression at the mRNA level under physiological and pathological conditions in both the central nervous system and the immune system.
Development and Evaluation of a Western Blot Kit for Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis
Authors: Sulahian Annie , Garin Yves Jean François , Izri Arezki , Verret Caroline , Delaunay Pascal , van Gool Tom , Derouin Francis 
Published: April 2005

ABSTRACTWe evaluated the performance of Western blot (WB) analysis using commercially available antigen strips and compared the results with those of indirect hemagglutination (IHA) and indirect immunofluorescence (IFAT) for the serodiagnosis of human schistosomiasis. The antigen preparation was a crude extract ofSchistosoma mansoni. The WB profile characteristics of schistosomiasis were characterized by comparing the results for 58 serum samples from patients with parasitologically provenS. mansoni(n= 12) andS. haematobium(n= 46) infections and 37 individuals with probable cases of schistosomiasis but with only positive serology results. The specificity of WB analysis was assessed by testing 12 serum samples from healthy subjects, 67 serum samples from patients with other proven helminthic and protozoan infections, and 16 serum samples from patients with autoantibodies. Six immunodominant bands (65, 70, 80, 95, 110, and 120 kDa) were revealed with sera from patients with schistosomiasis. The presence of three or more bands in the range 65 to 120 kDa, with the exception of the 100-kDa band, was considered diagnostic forSchistosomainfection and had a specificity of 100% in our series. In patients with proven schistosomiasis, the sensitivity of WB analysis was 84.5%, whereas those of IFAT and IHA were 65.5 and 72.9%, respectively. For serologically proven cases, the sensitivity of WB analysis was 97.3%. The overall sensitivity and specificity for both groups of patients were 89.5 and 100%, respectively, with positive and negative predictive values of 100 and 91.3%, respectively. We conclude that WB analysis is a useful technique for the immunological diagnosis of schistosomiasis.
"The Other ΛoΓoΣ" at the End of Heb. 4:13
Authors: Smillie Gene 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThe final usage of ı λóγoζ in Heb. 4:12-13, at the very end of the pericope, appears to be closely related to the better-known first occurrence of the term at the beginning of it. Many translations of the phrase πρòζ öv ημîv ı λóγoζ do not reflect this continuity of subject matter between the two instances of ı λóγoζ. While some translators opt for the commercial idiom, "to whom we must give account," study of that idiom throughout the NT shows that it is untenable. The second "word" is one of response, by the hearer, to the first word.