bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Numerical simulation of the impacts of climate warming on a permafrost mound
Authors: Buteau Sylvie , Fortier Richard , Delisle Georg , Allard Michel 
Published: April 2004

AbstractA finite‐element, one‐dimensional, heat conduction model, which takes thaw settlement into account following drainage of excess water produced by the melt of ice lenses at the permafrost boundaries, is used to assess the thermal response of a permafrost mound in Northern Québec to different scenarios of climate warming. In addition to the cryostratigraphy of the mound, the unfrozen water content, thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity of the marine sediments comprising the mound were integrated in the simulation.Warming rates from 0.03 to 0.01°C/year are predicted in the mound for a gradual linear increase in mean annual air temperature of 0.05°C/year over a 100 year period. Downward thawing occurs at the permafrost table at rates of 1–13 cm/year but there is also upward thawing from the permafrost base at rates of 2.4–5.8 cm/year. The thermal response of permafrost is not linear with time. At the end of the 100 year period, thaw settlement predicted was 1.4 m and the active layer was 3.22 m thick over a talik of 1.46 m thick. This is in comparison to an active layer of 2.14 m thick over a talik of 1.86 m if thaw settlement is not considered in the simulation. Thaw settlement, the direct result of ice melting in permafrost, brings permafrost nearer to the surface and accelerates its thawing. It should be included in any numerical simulation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stratigraphic and environmental implications of a large ice‐wedge cast at Tjæreborg, Denmark
Authors: Kolstrup Else 
Published: April 2004

AbstractExceptionally large ice‐wedge casts and composite‐wedge casts occur together with involutions (cryoturbations) in a gravel pit near Tjæreborg, western Jutland. The filling reveals distinctly different, vertically‐orientated sedimentary units, suggesting discrete events. Variations in wedge structure and infill between the different exposures suggest differences with alternating pools and drier conditions over the former wedges. In an attempt to date and correlate crack development a perusal of local glacial history is given and optically‐stimulated‐luminescence (OSL) dates are presented. A review of Saalian and early Weichselian wedge casts and deep involutions in other areas in northwest Europe is provided for correlation. It is suggested that the cracking in Tjæreborg took place during the Saale or/and early Weichselian. The existence of such old wedges shows that the present land surface has probably existed since the Saalian, leaving the ground available for cracking and infilling during succeeding periods of permafrost. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Field theory on a non‐commutative plane: a non‐perturbative study
Authors: Hofheinz F. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe 2d gauge theory on the lattice is equivalent to the twisted Eguchi–Kawai model, which we simulated at N ranging from 25 to 515. We observe a clear large N scaling for the 1‐ and 2‐point function of Wilson loops, as well as the 2‐point function of Polyakov lines. The 2‐point functions agree with a universal wave function renormalization. The large N double scaling limit corresponds to the continuum limit of non‐commutative gauge theory, so the observed large N scaling demonstrates the non‐perturbative renormalizability of this non‐commutative field theory. The area law for the Wilson loops holds at small physical area as in commutative 2d planar gauge theory, but at large areas we find an oscillating behavior instead. In that regime the phase of the Wilson loop grows linearly with the area. This agrees with the Aharonov‐Bohm effect in the presence of a constant magnetic field, identified with the inverse non‐commutativity parameter. Next we investigate the 3d λϕ4 model with two non‐commutative coordinates and explore its phase diagram. Our results agree with a conjecture by Gubser and Sondhi in d = 4, who predicted that the ordered regime splits into a uniform phase and a phase dominated by stripe patterns. We further present results for the correlators and the dispersion relation. In non‐commutative field theory the Lorentz invariance is explicitly broken, which leads to a deformation of the dispersion relation. In one loop perturbation theory this deformation involves an additional infrared divergent term. Our data agree with this perturbative result. We also confirm the recent observation by Ambjø rn and Catterall that stripes occur even in d = 2, although they imply the spontaneous breaking of the translation symmetry.
Nitroprusside stimulates mitochondrial aconitase gene expression through the cyclic adenosine 3′,5′‐monosphosphate signal transduction pathway in human prostate carcinoma cells
Authors: Juang Horng‐Heng 
Published: April 2004

AbstractBACKGROUGDMitochondrial aconitase (mACON), an iron‐requiring enzyme, is a major target of nitric oxide (NO) in cells, which causes the oxidant‐mediated disruption of the [4Fe‐4S] prosthetic group of the enzyme. In this study, the effect of NO on mACON enzymatic activity and gene expression were investigated.MEHTODSThree NO generators, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), S‐nitoso‐N‐acetylpenicillamine (SNAP), and 3‐morpholinosydnonimine (SIN) were used to determine the regulation of mACON enzymatic activity by NO. The effect of SNP on mACON, which modulates citrate secretion and cellular bioenergetics in PC‐3 cells, was investigated by determining the effect of SNP on mACON gene expression using Western blot and transient gene expression assays.RESULTSSNP upregulated mACON enzymatic activity and gene expression in PC‐3 cells. However, treating cells with other NO generators, SNAP and SIN, resulted in decreased mACON enzymatic activity. The addition of ascorbic acid to the SNP treatment resulted in a decrease in mACON enzymatic activity and gene expression. Our results showed that both SNP and dibutyryl‐cAMP increased the mACON promoter activity 2‐fold while the effect was blocked by adding H‐89. Mutation of the cAMP response element (CRE) to the AGAGCT abolished the activating effects of SNP and dibutyryl‐cAMP on mACON promoter activity.CONCLUSIONSThese results establish the function of nitroprusside as a signaling molecule for mACON gene expression through the cAMP signal transduction pathway in human prostatic carcinoma cells. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Survivorship, tunneling and feeding behaviors of Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in response to 2′‐acetonaphthone‐treated sand
Authors: Ibrahim Sanaa A , Henderson Gregg , Fei Huixin , Laine Roger A 
Published: April 2004

AbstractIn laboratory tests, 2′‐acetonaphthone was incorporated into sand at different concentrations (4.16–200 mg kg−1) and evaluated for survivorship, feeding and tunneling effects on the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. 2′‐Acetonaphthone at 8.33 mg kg−1 sand significantly reduced survivorship (89–94%), tunnel area (68–91%) and food consumption (84–100%) compared with the control. Most of the dead workers were found at the release point and a few had traveled to the surface of the treated sand. Malformed workers (≤27%) with an unexpected symptom of molting failure were observed, particularly at the lowest concentration tested (4.16 mg kg−1). In choice assays, threshold concentration for significant reduction in survivorship, tunnel construction in treated sand and food consumption in the treated‐sand side was 8.33 mg kg−1 with termites collected from New Orleans, LA and 35.0 mg kg−1 for those from Lake Charles, LA. Termites actively fed and tunneled in the untreated sand, whereas 2′‐acetonaphthone at 140 mg kg−1 completely inhibited consumption of food placed on the treated sand. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Genetics of spinosad resistance in a multi‐resistant field‐selected population of Plutella xylostella
Authors: Sayyed Ali H , Omar Dzolkhifli , Wright Denis J 
Published: April 2004

AbstractResistance to the bacteria‐derived insecticides spinosad (Conserve), abamectin (Vertimec), Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki (Btk) (Dipel), B thuringiensis var aizawai (Bta) (Xentari), B thuringiensis crystal endotoxins Cry1Ac and Cry1Ca, and to the synthetic insecticide fipronil was estimated in a freshly‐collected field population (CH1 strain) of Plutella xylostella (L) from the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Laboratory bioassays at G1 indicated significant levels of resistance to spinosad, abamectin, Cry1Ac, Btk, Cry1Ca, fipronil and Bta when compared with a laboratory insecticide‐susceptible population. Logit regression analysis of F1 reciprocal crosses indicated that resistance to spinosad in the CH1 population was inherited as a co‐dominant trait. At the highest dose of spinosad tested, resistance was close to completely recessive, while at the lowest dose it was incompletely dominant. A direct test of monogenic inheritance based on a back‐cross of F1 progeny with CH1 suggested that resistance to spinosad was controlled by a single locus. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Pesticide residues on the external surfaces of field‐crop sprayers: environmental impact
Authors: Ramwell Carmel T , Johnson Paul D , Boxall Alistair BA , Rimmer Duncan A 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThere is increased awareness of the need to clean the external surfaces of sprayers, but the extent to which the washings may impact on the environment is not known. Quantification of the levels of external residues on sprayers could give an indication of the potential environmental impact of sprayer cleaning. The presence of azoxystrobin, carbendazim, chlorothalonil, cyanazine, cypermethrin, epoxiconazole, flusilazole, isoproturon, kresoxim‐methyl, metazachlor, pendimethalin, pirimicarb and tebuconazole on thirteen sprayers, sampled on two occasions was investigated. Composite samples were taken from the boom, nozzles and spray tank (delivery system) and the mudguard, cab door, rear window and windscreen (tractor body). Despite being subject to some form of cleaning, pesticides were detected on all sprayers. Residues were found at higher quantities and with greater frequency on the nozzles and booms, but the mean dose on the spray tank was equal to that on the mudguard (7.2 mg m−2). Isoproturon, pendimethalin, metazachlor, chlorothalonil and azoxystrobin were all detected above 1000 mg m−2 on the delivery system, whereas on the tractor body the highest concentrations were between 100 and 1000 mg m−2 (isoproturon, pendimethalin, chlorothalonil and carbendazim). On the whole, azoxystrobin was detected on the least number of occasions. However, there was great variation within and between compounds and sampling sites. Generally sprayers were not cleaned frequently or efficiently, enabling residues to accumulate on the external surfaces where they can remain for years. The findings here indicate that the quantity of these residues may be sufficient to be harmful to aquatic organisms should the residues enter a watercourse. In addition, if all the residues were removed by cleaning in the field and the washings catchment area was 15 m2 or less, overdosing could occur. Further work is required to assess whether a more frequent cleaning regime would reduce the overall environmental impact of cleaning sprayers. Implications for potential occupational exposure are considered elsewhere. Copyright © British Crown copyright 2004. Reproduced with the permission of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
Assessing the use of δ13C natural abundance in separation of root and microbial respiration in a Danish beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest
Authors: Formánek Pavel , Ambus Per 
Published: April 2004

AbstractOur understanding of forest biosphere–atmosphere interactions is fundamental for predicting forest ecosystem responses to climatic changes. Currently, however, our knowledge is incomplete partly due to inability to separate the major components of soil CO2 effluxes, viz. root respiration, microbial decomposition of soil organic matter and microbial decomposition of litter material. In this study we examined whether the δ13C characteristics of solid organic matter and respired CO2 from different soil‐C components and root respiration in a Danish beech forest were useful to provide information on the root respiration contribution to total CO2 effluxes. The δ13C isotopic analyses of CO2 were performed using a FinniganMAT DeltaPLUS isotope‐ratio mass spectrometer coupled in continuous flow mode to a trace gas preparation‐concentration unit (PreCon). Gas samples in 2‐mL crimp seal vials were analysed in a fully automatic mode with an experimental standard error ±0.11‰. We observed that the CO2 derived from root‐free mineral soil horizons (A, BW) was more enriched in 13C (δ13C range −21.6 to −21.2‰) compared with CO2 derived from root‐free humus layers (δ13C range −23.6 to −23.4‰). The CO2 evolved from root respiration in isolated young beech plants revealed a value intermediate between those for the soil humus and mineral horizons, δ13Croot = −22.2‰, but was associated with great variability (SE ± 1.0‰) due to plant‐specific differences. δ13C of CO2 from in situ below‐ground respiration averaged −22.8‰, intermediate between the values for the humus layer and root respiration, but variability was great (SE ± 0.4‰) due to pronounced spatial patterns. Overall, we were unable to statistically separate the CO2 of root respiration vs. soil organic matter decomposition based solely on δ13C signatures, yet the trend in the data suggests that root respiration contributed ∼43% to total respiration. The vertical gradient in δ13C, however, might be a useful tool in partitioning respiration in different soil layers. The experiment also showed an unexpected 13C‐enrichment of CO2 (>3.5‰) compared with the total‐C signatures in the individual soil‐C components. This may suggest that analyses of bulk samples are not representative for the C‐pools actively undergoing decomposition. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Isotopic (13C) analysis of dissolved organic carbon in stream water using an elemental analyzer coupled to a stable isotope ratio mass spectrometer
Authors: Gandhi H. , Wiegner T. N. , Ostrom P. H. , Kaplan L. A. , Ostrom N. E. 
Published: April 2004

AbstractA technique for measurement of the stable isotope composition of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in stream water, using an elemental analyzer (EA) coupled to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS), is described. Stream water samples were concentrated by rotary evaporation, acidified to remove dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and dried in silver cups prior to analysis. Precision was evaluated with standards (alanine and humic acid), and with stream water samples with varying 13C enrichment. Standards and samples were also prepared in sealed quartz tubes for high‐temperature combustion (HTC) and analyzed by dual inlet for comparison. The δ13C values of natural abundance standards and samples measured by the two techniques differed by ≤0.3‰. Isotopically enriched stream water samples analyzed using the EA and HTC methods had comparable δ13C and atom % values (differed by ≤6%). Expensive quartz vessels and the extensive time required for sample lyophilization, combustion and cryogenic separation of combustion products before isotopic analysis for the HTC method are eliminated with the EA method. Overall, the EA method is simpler, faster, and more economical than the HTC method, and it can be used for 13C‐enriched as well as natural abundance samples. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Online learning of a simple perceptron learning with margin
Authors: Hara Kazuyuki , Okada Masato 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe authors analyze the dynamics of online learning in a simple perceptron using a Gardner‐style margin. The proposed method matches the perceptron rules for a margin of κ = 0 and the Hebb rules when κ → ∞. The results of analysis show that the generalization error is smaller than that of the perceptron rules and the Hebb rules during initial learning even though the proposed method is in between these two sets of learning rules. In addition, the authors show that the generalization error for the proposed method matches that of the perceptron rules in terms of asymptotic characteristics. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 35(7): 98–105, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10473
Feature extraction of finger vein patterns based on iterative line tracking and its application to personal identification
Authors: Miura Naoto , Nagasaka Akio , Miyatake Takafumi 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThe research group of which the authors are members has proposed a scheme based on finger vein patterns as a scheme of biometric identification utilizing biological information. Since the finger vein images taken to obtain finger vein patterns are obtained by irradiating the fingers with infrared rays, fluctuations in brightness due to variations in the light power or the thickness of the finger occur. This paper proposes a scheme for extracting global finger vein patterns by iteratively tracking local lines from various positions to robustly extract finger vein patterns from such unclear images. The proposed scheme is robust against brightness fluctuations as compared with the conventional feature extraction schemes and the results of evaluating the proposed scheme by applying it to a personal identification system showed an effective error rate of 0.145%. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 35(7): 61–71, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10596
A robust method for recognition of monetary amount printed by checkwriter
Authors: Koga Masashi , Mine Ryuji , Yasue Tsukasa , Sako Hiroshi , Fujisawa Hiromichi 
Published: April 2004

AbstractWe propose a new method to recognize monetary amounts printed by checkwriters. We applied a character segmentation method robust to noise and a bottom‐up parsing for postprocessing. In the proposed method, the input image is segmented both horizontally and vertically in the presegmentation step. A context‐free grammar describes the linguistic constraints in the monetary amounts. We devised a new bottom‐up parsing technique that interprets the results of character classification. We tested the validity of the new method using 1314 images. The correct ratio was 72.7%, which is 8.4 points higher than that of the conventional method. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 35(7): 49–60, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10616
Gradual probabilistic DFA learning with caching for conversational agents
Authors: Okamoto Masayuki 
Published: April 2004

AbstractThis paper proposes a method of reducing the cost of gradually constructing task‐oriented conversational agents with FSMs by collecting example dialogues. Probabilistic‐DFA learning algorithms with the state merging method are available for the FSM‐based dialogue model. However, these algorithms must learn the whole model again as often as the example data increase.We proposed a learning technique which decreases the recomputation cost by caching the history of the state merging process. Simulation and actual use of a conversational agent with 110 tour‐guide dialogues showed that the method which recomputes only compatibility‐changed states reduced the total compatibility‐checking cost by 33.0% without significantly changing the quality of learned models. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 35(7): 24–32, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10653
Comparisons of genetic algorithms for timetabling problems
Authors: Ueda Hiroaki , Ouchi Daisuke , Takahashi Kenichi , Miyahara Tetsuhiro 
Published: April 2004

AbstractWe compare genetic algorithms (GA) that solve timetabling problems for universities. Here, we define a timetabling problem as that of finding both a class schedule and room allocation that do not conflict with any constraints. We have already proposed the TGA, which evolves two kinds of genotypes, one related to class scheduling, the other related to room allocation. However, TGA has not been applied to many kinds of problems and it has not been compared with other methods. Here, we present four kinds of genetic algorithms, TGA, STGA, SGA, and SGA2. TGA and STGA use the two kinds of genotypes mentioned above. TGA evolves these genotypes alternately, while STGA evolves those sequentially. SGA and SGA2 are based on the simple GA that uses one genotype. SGA evolves a population to find feasible class scheduling and room allocation, while SGA2 evolves a population to find only a feasible class schedule for which feasible room allocation is possible. These algorithms are implemented and we apply these methods to several timetabling problems generated by an automatic timetabling problem generator. We also implement two methods, SA and TS; experiments by those methods have been performed, where SA is a method based on simulated annealing and TS is a method based on Tabu search. The experimental results show that SGA2 finds feasible solutions for almost all problems, and TGA finds feasible solutions when the average number of subjects per class is high. In addition, STGA finds a feasible solution when the problem has many classes, and SA finds feasible solutions when the number of classes is small and it has many constraints and requests. 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 35(7): 1–12, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10682
Foreign investment in Russia and China: A long way to go, but reason for optimism
Authors: Clark Eugene 
Published: April 2004

AbstractD. LeBaron, with D. Carpenter. 2002. Mao, Marx, and the Market: Capitalist Adventures in Russia and
China. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 303 pages; ISBN:
0‐471‐15315‐X.B. Granville & P. Oppenheimer (Eds.). 2001. Russia's Post‐Communist
Economy. Oxford, England: University Press. 538 pages; ISBN
0‐19‐829525‐1.H. Fung & K.H. Zhang (Eds.). 2002. Financial Markets and Foreign Direct Investment in
Greater China. New York: M.E. Sharpe, Inc. 302 pages; ISBN:
0‐7656‐0804‐9.
Reducing friction by chemically modifying the surface of extrasynovial tendon grafts
Authors: Sun Yu‐Long , Yang Chao , Amadio Peter C. , Zhao Chunfeng , Zobitz Mark E. , An Kai‐Nan 
Published: April 2004

AbstractIn this study we evaluated methods to reduce the friction of an extrasynovial tendon under a pulley in vitro. The surface of canine peroneus longus (PL) tendons was modified with gelatin and/or hyaluronic acid (HA) under different conditions. The gliding resistance between treated or control tendons and the canine digital flexor pulley was measured during 500 cycles of simulated flexion/extension. After 500 cycles, the gliding resistance of normal PL tendon increased 10‐fold (p < 0.05), while the gliding resistance of tendons coated with carbodiimide derivatized gelatin (cd‐gelatin) or carbodiimide derivatized gelatin/HA (cd‐gelatin–HA) did not increase significantly. The PL tendon treated with cd‐gelatin–HA had a similar friction response during the repetitive motion as the intrasynovial flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon. Scanning electron microscopy after 500 cycles of motion showed that the tendon surface in the group treated with cd‐gelatin–HA appeared smoother than tendons in the other groups. © 2004 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.