bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quaternary Coastal Evolution and Vegetation History of Northern New South Wales, Australia, Based on Dinoflagellates and Pollen
Authors: McMinn Andrew 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe Richmond River Valley of northern N.S.W. contains a late Pleistocene succession dating back to approximately 250,000 yr B.P. Dinoflagellate and spore-pollen assemblages from the lowest interval, the lower “Dungarubba Clay” of Drury (1982), indicate deposition in a restricted estuarine environment at approximately 250,000 yr. Deposition in the overlying interval, the upper “Dungarubba Clay” and “Gundurimba Clay”, at approximately 120,000 yr B.P., began in a restricted estuary, but rising sea level caused inundation and deposition in a more open, marine-dominated environment. Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages from the last interglaciation (stage 5) are interpreted by analogy with those from the morphologically similar, modern Broken Bay, N.S.W. They are indicative of an open, marine-dominated environment and imply that barrier formation in the Richmond River Valley, and possibly elsewhere in northern N.S.W., did not commence until after the initial postglacial transgression. Synchronous changes in sea level and rainforest development suggest that there was no significant time lag between climate and sea-level change.
Helminths infecting the parthenogenetic whiptail lizard Cnemidophorus nativo in a restinga habitat of Bahia State, Brazil
Authors: Menezes V.A. , Vrcibradic D. , Vicente J.J. , Dutra G.F. , Rocha C.F.D. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractA sample of 101 specimens of the unisexual whiptail lizard Cnemidophorus nativo (Squamata; Teiidae) from a coastal site in Bahia State, Brazil were examined for the presence of endoparasites. Of these, 35 (34.7%) harboured helminths. Six helminth species were recovered from C. nativo, including five nematodes (Physaloptera retusa, Physalopteroides venancioi, Subulura lacertilia, Skrjabinelazia intermedia and Parapharyngodon sp., and one cestode (Oochoristica ameivae), all representing new host records. Most lizards were infected by a single species of helminth and none by more than three. Infection rates were neither significantly influenced by host body size nor by environmental factors. The results are compared with data from studies on other whiptail species in both South and North America.
Effects of copper sulphate on in vitro encystment of the cercariae of Echinostoma caproni
Authors: Fried B. , Schneck J.L. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe effects of various concentrations of copper sulphate were studied on in vitro encystment of Echinostoma caproni in a Locke's–artificial spring water (ASW) (1:1) medium. Cercariae were killed in 10,000 mg l−1 CuSO4 in Locke's–ASW (1:1) within 24 h and extruded cystogenous material to produce an abnormal cyst wall. The ‘emergency response’ of encystment to high concentrations of copper reported for Parorchis acanthus cercariae did not occur in E. caproni. Concentrations of 1000 mg l−1 and 100 mg l−1 CuSO4 in Locke's–ASW (1:1) also killed the cercariae without encystment by 48 h. A concentration of 10 mg l−1 CuSO4 in Locke's–ASW (1:1) allowed for normal in vitro encystment within 48 h and these cysts were capable of excystation in a trypsin–bile salts medium.
The prevalence, intensity and clinical signs of urinary schistosomiasis in Imo state, Nigeria
Authors: Okoli C.G. , Iwuala M.O.E. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractUrine samples were assayed for urinary schistosomiasis in four local government areas (LGA) of Imo State, Nigeria between May 1998 and September 2000. A total of 3504 persons were sampled, with 880 (25.1%) being positive for urinary schistosomiasis, based on records of eggs ofSchistosoma haematobium. The prevalence ofS. haematobiuminfection differed in the various LGAs, with Oguta (38.9%) and Owerri-West (10.4%) showing the highest and the lowest values, respectively. Prevalence was higher in males (67.4%) than in females (32.6%) and in subjects 11–20 years of age (31.5%), while prevalence varied among different occupational groups, with farmers ranking the highest (41.6%). Visible haematuria was the predominant symptom (P<0.05). Of 880 persons positive for eggs ofS. haematobium, 452 (51.4%) had visible haematuria, followed by suprapubic pains 214 (24.3%) and painful micturition 97 (11.0%). Although 367 (10. 5%) of the sampled subjects with eggs ofS. haematobiumshowed no visible haematuria, 513 (14.6%) clearly demonstrated haematuria.
Delayed macrofilaricidal activity of diethylcarbamazine against Brugia pahangi in Mongolian jirds
Authors: Fujimaki Y. , Sithithaworn P. , Mitsui Y. , Aoki Y. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe macrofilaricidal activity of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) was confirmed in jirds infected with Brugia pahangi. Seventy jirds were inoculated subcutaneously with 100 infective larvae. At 20 weeks post-infection, the microfilaraemic jirds were divided into two groups, untreated and treated. For the treated group, 200 mg kg−1 of DEC was injected intraperitoneally for 5 consecutive days. One, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 27 weeks after the final treatment, 4–7 jirds in each group were sacrificed to measure adult worm burdens. The number of adult worms recovered from treated jirds was comparable to controls at earlier necropsy (1 and 4 weeks post-treatment). However, at late necropsy (8 weeks and later) the recovery rate of adult worms in treated jirds was significantly lower than that in untreated controls, indicating an adultcidal effect of DEC. The present study demonstrates that DEC requires 8 weeks to kill B. pahangi adult worms in jirds and that the Mongolian jird is a useful model for screening antifilarial activity.
Influence of cadmium exposure on the incidence of first intermediate host encystment by Echinoparyphium recurvatum cercariae in Lymnaea peregra
Authors: Morley N.J. , Crane M. , Lewis J.W. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe effect of cadmium exposure of the snail first intermediate host Lymnaea peregra on the incidence of encystment of Echinoparyphium recurvatum (Digenea: Echinostomatidae) cercariae without emergence from the snail was investigated. Exposure to 100 μg l−1 Cd for 72 h caused a significant increase in the incidence of first host encystment when compared to controls. In addition, autometallographic staining of E. recurvatum daughter rediae and developing cercariae showed that there was metal accumulation within their body tissues. The significance of these findings to parasite transmission in metal-polluted environments is discussed.
A quadratic approximation to the Sendov radius near the unit circle
Authors: Miller Michael 
Published: December 2004

Define

S
(
n
,
β
)

S(n,\beta )

to be the set of complex polynomials of degree

n
≥
2

n\ge 2

with all roots in the unit disk and at least one root at

β
\beta

. For a polynomial

P
P

, define

|

P

|

β

|P|_\beta

to be the distance between

β
\beta

and the closest root of the derivative

P
′

P’

. Finally, define

r
n

(
β
)
=
sup
{

|

P

|

β

:
P
∈
S
(
n
,
β
)
}

r_n(\beta )=\sup \{ |P|_\beta : P \in S(n,\beta ) \}

. In this notation, a conjecture of Bl. Sendov claims that

r
n

(
β
)
≤
1

r_n(\beta )\le 1

. In this paper we investigate Sendov’s conjecture near the unit circle, by computing constants

C
1

C_1

and

C
2

C_2

(depending only on

n
n

) such that

r
n

(
β
)
∼
1
+

C
1

(
1
−

|

β

|

)
+

C
2

(
1
−

|

β

|

)
2

r_n(\beta )\sim 1+C_1(1-|\beta |)+C_2(1-|\beta |)^2

for

|

β

|

|\beta |

near

1
1

. We also consider some consequences of this approximation, including a hint of where one might look for a counterexample to Sendov’s conjecture.
Projected products of polygons
Authors: Ziegler Günter 
Published: December 2004

It is an open problem to characterize the cone of

f
f

-vectors of

4
4

-dimensional convex polytopes. The question whether the “fatness” of the

f
f

-vector of a

4
4

-polytope can be arbitrarily large is a key problem in this context. Here we construct a

2
2

-parameter family of

4
4

-dimensional polytopes

π
(

P
n

2
r

)

\pi (P^{2r}_n)

with extreme combinatorial structure. In this family, the “fatness” of the

f
f

-vector gets arbitrarily close to

9
9

; an analogous invariant of the flag vector, the “complexity,” gets arbitrarily close to

16
16

.

The polytopes are obtained from suitable deformed products of even polygons by a projection to

R

4

\mathbb {R}^4

.
Metabolic pathway analysis web service (Pathway Hunter Tool at CUBIC)
Authors: Rahman S. A. , Advani P. , Schunk R. , Schrader R. , Schomburg Dietmar 
Published: December 2004

Abstract
Motivation: Pathway Hunter Tool (PHT), is a fast, robust and user-friendly tool to analyse the shortest paths in metabolic pathways. The user can perform shortest path analysis for one or more organisms or can build virtual organisms (networks) using enzymes. Using PHT, the user can also calculate the average shortest path (Jungnickel, 2002 Graphs, Network and Algorithm. Springer-Verlag, Berlin), average alternate path and the top 10 hubs in the metabolic network. The comparative study of metabolic connectivity and observing the cross talk between metabolic pathways among various sequenced genomes is possible.
Results: A new algorithm for finding the biochemically valid connectivity between metabolites in a metabolic network was developed and implemented. A predefined manual assignment of side metabolites (like ATP, ADP, water, CO2 etc.) and main metabolites is not necessary as the new concept uses chemical structure information (global and local similarity) between metabolites for identification of the shortest path.
Availability: PHT is accessible at http://www.pht.uni-koeln.de
Contact: d.schomburg@uni-koeln.de
MapLinker: a software tool that aids physical map-linked whole genome shotgun assembly
Authors: Xu Jian , Gordon Jeffrey I. 
Published: December 2004

Abstract
Summary: MapLinker is an analysis tool, as well as a browsing interface, that facilitates integration of whole genome sequence assembly with a clone-based physical map. Using the locations of sequence markers on the physical map, MapLinker generates a tentative sequence map of the genome that serves to verify the map and to guide genome-wide finishing.
Availability: MapLinker is freely available at http://gordonlab.wustl.edu/MapLinker
Contact: jgordon@molecool.wustl.edu, jxu@watson.wustl.edu
Quantile smoothing of array CGH data
Authors: Eilers Paul H. C. , de Menezes Renée X. 
Published: December 2004

Abstract
Motivation: Plots of array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) data often show special patterns: stretches of constant level (copy number) with sharp jumps between them. There can also be much noise. Classic smoothing algorithms do not work well, because they introduce too much rounding. To remedy this, we introduce a fast and effective smoothing algorithm based on penalized quantile regression. It can compute arbitrary quantile curves, but we concentrate on the median to show the trend and the lower and upper quartile curves showing the spread of the data. Two-fold cross-validation is used for optimizing the weight of the penalties.
Results: Simulated data and a published dataset are used to show the capabilities of the method to detect the segments of changed copy numbers in array CGH data.
Availability: Software for R and Matlab is available.
Contact: p.eilers@lumc.nl
Unemployment in Europe: A Comparative Analysis of Regional Disparities in Germany, Italy and the UK
Authors: Taylor Jim , Bradley Steve 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARYThis paper investigates spatial disparities in unemployment in three Member States of the EU. It attempts to identify the factors responsible for the persistence of regional unemployment disparities in Germany, Italy and the UK during 1984‐94. The empirical results indicate that a substantial proportion of the variation in unemployment rates between NUTS2 level regions can be explained by regional disparities in three key variables: unit labour costs, the industry mix and employment density. The findings are consistent with the view that regional unemployment disparities are explained primarily by regional disparities in economic competitiveness.ZUSAMMENFASSUNODieser Artikel untersucht die räumlichen Unterschiede in der Höhe der Arbeitslosigkeit in drei Mitgliedsstaaten der EU. Er basiert auf dem Versuch, die Faktoren zu bestimmen, die im Zeitraum zwischen 1984 und 1994 für die Persistenz von regionalen Unterschieden der Höhe der Arbeitslosigkeit in Deutschland, Italien und Grossbritannien verantwortlich waren. Die empirischen Ergeb‐nisse zeigen, dass ein wesentlicher Teil der Unterschiede in der Höhe der Arbeitslosigkeit zwischen NUTS2 Regionen durch eine regional unterschiedliche Ausprägung von drei wichtigen Variablen erklärt werden kann: Lohnstückkosten, Wirtschaftsstruktur und Zahl der Arbeitsplätze pro Quadratkilometer. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen die Ansicht, dass die regional unterschiedlich hohe Arbeitslosigkeit hauptsächlich durch Unterschiede der regionalen Wettbewerbsfähigkeit zu cr‐klüren ist.RÉSUMÉCe document examine les disparités géographiques du ch&#x006f;&#x030c;mage dans trois États membres de l'Union Européenne. Nous essayerons d'identifier les facteurs responsables de la persistance des disparités en ch&#x006f;&#x030c;mage régional en Ailemagne, en Italie el au Royaume‐Uni pendant la période 1984‐94. Les résultats empiriques indiquent qu'une proportion importante de la variation du taux de ch&#x006f;&#x030c;mage entre les régions de la catégorie NUTS2 peut s'expliquer par des disparités régionales en trois variables prépondérantes: le cou&#x030c;t unitaire d'emploi, la structure industrielle et la densité d'emploi. Les résultats coïncident avec l'avis que les disparités du ch&#x006f;&#x030c;mage régional s'expliquent surtout par les disparités régionales en compétitivitééconomique.
Life‐Cycle Happiness in a Discounted Utility Model
Authors: Shmanske Stephen 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARYA discrete time, discounted utility model with a finite horizon is analyzed. Utility is separable and additive in the natural logarithms of the choice variables, consumption and leisure, and an exogenous ‘memory' series. Happiness is defined as the discounted value of the utility over the remaining lifespan. Simulations of the model show how happiness grows as the high consumption years get closer, peaks, then declines in later life as the remaining lifespan shortens, even though year by year utility may continue to rise. Simulations also show how the peak year for happiness depends on the subjective, personal discount rate, the rate of wage growth, the effect of a liquidity constraint, the effect of memories, and other parameters in the model. The model also illustrates those aspects of the life cycle characterized by the ‘slackers’, the ‘mid‐life crisis’, and the ‘golden years’.ZUSAMMENFASSUNGEin diskretes, abdiskontiertes Nutzenmodell mit einem endlichen Zeithorizont wird analysiert. Nutzen wird als zerlegbar und additiv in den natürlichen Logarithmen der Wahlvanablen Konsum und Freizeit und in den exogenen Zeitreihen für ‘Erinnerungen’ angenommen. Gluck ist definiert als abdiskontierter Wert des Nutzens der verbleibenden Lebenszeit. Simulationen zeigen, wie das Glück bei der Annäherung an die Jahre erhöhten Konsums ansteigt, einen Hohepunkt erreicht, um dann in der verbleibenden Lebenszeit wieder abzunehmen, obwohl der Nutzen Jahr fur Jahr weiterhin zunehmen kann. Die Simulationen zeigen auch, wie der Höhepunkt des Glücks vom persönlichen Diskontsatz, der Zuwachsrate des Einkommens, Liquiditatsbeschrankungen, Erinnerungen und anderen Parametern abhangt. Das Modell veranschaulicht aber auch jene Aspekte der Lebenszeit, die üblicherweise als ‘Slackers’, ‘Mid‐life Crisis' und ‘Goldene Jahre’ bezeichnet werdenRÉSUMÉAnalyse d'un modèle d'utilité d'escompte à temps discret et à horizon limité. L'utilité est séparable et additive dans les logarithmes naturels des variables de choix, la consomption et les loisirs, et une série exogène de ‘mémoire’. On définit le bonheur comme la valeur d'escompte de l'utilité pendant la durée de la vie qui reste. Des simulations du modèle montrent comment le bonheur s'augmente au fur et à mesure que les année de grande consomption s'approchent, atteint son comble, puis baisse dans la dernière partie de la vie pendant que la durée de la vie qui reste se réduit, quoique, année par année, l'utilité puisse continuer à s'augmenter. Les simulations montrent aussi comment l'année du point culminant de bonheur dépend du taux d'escompte subjectif et personnel, du taux d'augmentation de salaire, de l'effet d'une contrainte de liquidité, de l'effet des souvenirs, et d'autres paramètres du modèle. Le modèle illustre aussi les aspects du cycle de vie caractérisés par les fainéants, la crise de ‘mid‐life’ et les années ‘dorées’.
Review article: diagnosis and investigation of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease in Japanese patients
Authors: Kusano M. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryGastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) encompasses a wide range of disorders defined by either reflux‐related symptoms or by complications of gastro‐oesophageal reflux. The most characteristic GERD symptoms are heartburn and acid regurgitation. Patients with these symptoms are in most cases easily identifiable and diagnosis is made on the basis of symptoms alone. For patients with a decreased frequency of heartburn, diagnosis is more difficult, and endoscopy is the single best test for diagnosis of GERD. A major difference between the West and Asia is the frequency of endoscopic investigation. In Japan, the earlier high prevalence of stomach cancers resulted in the increased use of endoscopy as an investigational tool for dyspeptic symptoms and today endoscopy continues to be widely available as a diagnostic tool. However, the overall sensitivity of endoscopy for the diagnosis of GERD is less than 50% since not all patients will have oesophagitis at the time of endoscopy. Ambulatory pH monitoring is therefore a frequently used diagnostic tool as it allows correlation between reflux events and symptoms, and is especially useful in patients with atypical or extraoesophageal symptoms. Oesophageal manometry is also an excellent test to evaluate oesophageal function and to measure sphincter pressure and while it may not provide an unequivocal diagnosis of GERD it is a useful tool with which to evaluate oesophageal function.
Review article: treatment for gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease – lifestyle advice and medication
Authors: Kinoshita Y. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryManagement of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is aimed at reducing oesophageal acid exposure to achieve symptom relief. Therapy has traditionally included advice to the patient on diet and lifestyle management. Recent evidence suggests, however, that some specific dietary modifications may be applicable to the Japanese patient. For example, ingestion of Japanese sweet cakes or rice cakes should be avoided by the Japanese patient with GERD as these foods may provoke heartburn. Pharmacological therapy is, however, usually also required for effective symptom relief. While antacids and histamine H2‐receptor antagonists have a role in treating mild GERD, effective relief of many cases of oesophagitis is usually only achieved by using proton‐pump inhibitors such as lansoprazole, omeprazole and rabeprazole. In the Japanese population, variation in the genetic polymorphism of CYP2C19 (a cytochrome P450 isoenzyme) leads to considerable inter‐individual unpredictability in the activity of lansoprazole and omeprazole due to inter‐individual differences in the extent to which these agents are metabolized. Consequently, rabeprazole, which does not undergo hepatic biotransformation by CYP2C19, offers significant advantages over the other PPIs as a result of its more predictable activity. This, coupled with its more rapid onset of action, leads to a more efficient and less variable acid‐suppressing effect.
Review article: the patient with gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease – lifestyle advice and medication
Authors: Holtmann G. , Adam B. , Liebregts T. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryGastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a highly prevalent disorder in all Western countries. Interestingly, prevalence rates appear to be increasing in these countries, with a remarkable increase of GERD‐related lethal and nonlethal complications. However, these complications are rare on a global scale. This review aims to summarize the current concepts of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that need to be considered whilst caring for patients with these disorders. GERD is defined by the augmented exposure of oesophageal mucosa to acidic content, and is associated with specific symptoms or mucosal lesions. A number of factors may contribute to the manifestation of GERD. Although recent studies emphasize the role of genetic factors, there are many other risk factors that play a pivotal role in the development of GERD and GERD complications. Some nutritional factors are believed to aggravate acidic reflux either by delaying gastric emptying or diminishing the pressure of the lower oesophageal sphincters. Patients are often advised to sleep with their heads elevated, but this advice is not easy to follow and has not been proven effective with regard to long‐term outcome. Other lifestyle modifications include changes to the patient's diet, which are important but not frequently sufficient. Thus, medication is usually necessary for symptom control. Proton pump inhibitors are now mainstream treatment for the reduction of acid secretion in patients with severe manifestations and 4‐week healing rates are approaching 90%.
HISTOACRYL BLUE VERSUS SUTURED LEFT COLONIC ANASTOMOSIS: EXPERIMENTAL STUDY
Authors: Ozmen M. Mahir , Ozalp Necdet , Zulfikaroglu Baris , Abbasoglu Latif , Kacar Ayper , Seckin Selda , Koc Mahmut 
Published: December 2004

Background:  Cyanoacrylates have been advocated as a protective seal in colonic anastomosis to prevent leakage. In order to assess the effects of n‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate on left colonic anastomosis it was compared to the sutured anastomosis in the rat.Methods:  Forty male Wistar albino rats were divided into two groups of 20 each. On days 3 and 7, 10 animals in each goup were killed. The comparisons between n‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate and sutured groups were made with respect to outcome measures including anastomotic leakage, anastomotic stricture, peritonitis and wound infections, and adhesion formation, anastomotic bursting pressure, histological appearance of the anastomotic area.Results:  Although the adhesion formation was significantly more extensive in the n‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate group on day 3 (P < 0.001), there was no significant difference between the groups on day 7. The more inflammatory reaction also occurred in the n‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate group. The mean ± SD anastomotic bursting pressure was significantly higher in the suture group than in the n‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate group (63 ± 14 mmHg vs 43 ± 8 mmHg) on day 3. The bursting pressure was also found to be higher on day 7 in the suture group (187 ± 26 mmHg vs 49 ± 12 mmHg, P < 0.0001). The suture group had a significantly higher bursting pressure on day 7 compared to day 3 (P < 0.05).Conclusions:  Left colonic anastomosis with n‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate in rats does not improve the healing process; on the contrary, it has a negative influence during the first week. As a consequence, the routine use of n‐butyl‐2‐cyanoacrylate in colonic anastomosis in the clinical situation does not appear to be justifiable.