bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The PREP system of nursing interventions: A pilot test with families caring for older members
Authors: Archbold Patricia G. , Stewart Barbara J. , Miller Lois L. , Harvath Theresa A. , Greenlick Merwyn R. , van Buren Linda , Kirschling Jane M. , Valanis Barbara G. , Brody Kathleen K. , Schook Janet E. , Hagan Jane M.
Published: April 2007

The PREP system of nursing interventions, designed to increase preparedness (PR), enrichment (E), and predictability (P) in families providing care to older people, was pilot tested for acceptability and preliminary effectiveness. Eleven family units were assigned to the PREP group and 11 to a standard home health control group. The PREP group scored approximately one SD higher than the control group (p <.05) on the Care Effectiveness Scale, indicating greater preparedness, enrichment, and predictability. Further, on a rating of overall usefulness, the PREP group rated their assistance from PREP nurses (M = 9.75) as significantly higher (p <.01) than the control group rated assistance from the home health nurse or physical therapist (M = 6.57). Although not statistically significant, mean hospital costs for the PREP group ($2,775) were lower than for the control group ($6,929). Results provided support for a full intervention trial. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Longitudinal effects of unimodal and multimodal stimulation on development and interaction of healthy infants
Authors: Koniak‐Griffin Deborah , Ludington‐Hoe Susan , Verzemnieks Inese
Published: April 2007

The effects of unimodal and multimodal stimulation on mental, psychomotor, and behavioral development of healthy full‐term infants were examined longitudinally. Subjects were randomly assigned to a control group or one of three experimental conditions: daily administration of a stroking procedure, placement on a multisensory hammock during sleep periods, or a combination of the two treatments. Interventions were conducted during the first 3 months of life. Data are presented on 49 infants who were available for 24‐month follow up. The experimental conditions did not significantly affect scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Eyberg's Child Behavior Inventory, the Nursing Child Assessment Teaching Scales, or the HOME. These findings suggest that supplementary stimulation provided no benefits beyond those associated with natural caregiving and raise questions about the value of the interventions with nonrisk infants in middle‐class families. Additional studies need to be conducted with larger samples of healthy infants to test sensory stimulation protocols before they are advocated for widespread consumer use. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The stages of the prediagnostic period in chronic, life‐threatening childhood illness: A process analysis
Authors: Cohen Marsha H.
Published: April 2007

This is one of a series of articles explicating a theory of family behavior under conditions of sustained uncertainty brought about by the diagnosis of a chronic, life‐threatening illness of a child. The procedures of the grounded theory method were used to collect and analyze data. The analysis illuminated a perceptual–interpretive–behavioral process that made visible the emergence and intensification of the uncertain state during the prediagnostic period. This process, which may consist of up to three stages, most frequently began with the parents' initial awareness of the child's illness cues and terminated with the diagnostic announcement. The stages were categorized as Lay Explanatory (I), Legitimating (II), and Medical Diagnostic (III). The duration of stage III was found to be a significant factor in explaining the variation in parental response to the diagnosis. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Ergonomic analysis of working posture in nursing personnel: Example of modified ovako working analysis system application
Authors: Lee Yung‐Hui , Chiou Wen‐Ko
Published: April 2007

A postural analysis system was developed using a biomechanical approach to identify low back pain related working postures of nursing personnel. The Ovako Working Analysis System (OWAS) was modified for doing postural recording. Chaffin's biomechanical model was used to calculate the associated work stress on the I5/S1. The system was applied to examine the working postures of 64 nurses of 16 departments. The frequency distribution of the trunk showed 15.9% of the 8,629 observed postures were bending more than 15 degrees. Based on the calculated stress, 17.0% of the observed postures generated forces higher than the recommended action limit of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In addition to patient transfers, potentially health hazardous postures were identified in nursing tasks of inspection, nursing techniques, instrumentation, physical examination, taking inventory, and documentation. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Data aggregation: Criteria for psychometric evaluation
Authors: Verran Joyce A , Gerber Rose M. , Milton Doris A.
Published: April 2007

Criteria for the examination of data collected at the individual level and aggregated to the group are proposed. These four empirical criteria relate to content validity, representativeness, reliability, and validity of the aggregated scores as indicators of group phenomena. An example of the use of the criteria is provided using data from a large research project on the implementation of a professional practice model on nine nursing units. The use of the criteria proposed provide a systematic approach to the evaluation of individual data for use at the group level.
Identification and referral of hospitalized patients in need of home care
Authors: Prescott Patricia A. , Soeken Karen L. , Griggs Marcella
Published: April 2007

Given current concerns about the cost‐effectiveness of home health care, better targeting of home health services for high risk groups is viewed as one way to provide controls on both service delivery and costs. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the degree to which patients with identifiable levels of need for services were referred for home health care and if selected clinical and functional status measures are useful in distinguishing need for service. Using a convenience sample of 145 patients ready for hospital discharge, data were collected on physical function, dependency at discharge, perceived helpfulness of others, social support, readiness for self‐care, and planned adherence to treatment as well as demographic and medical variables. Using a combination of study variables, 93% of patients not in need of services could be correctly classified. In addition, patients in need of service but not referred by their physicians were found to differ significantly from patients not in need of care on all dimensions. Suggestions are offered for further research to determine if and what systematic factors influence referral decisions for home health care and which specific patient characteristics are associated with the most cost‐effective long‐term outcomes. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Preventing unplanned pregnancies among married couples: Are services for only the wife sufficient?
Authors: Zotti Marianne E. , Siegel Earl
Published: April 2007

Unplanned pregnancies among married couples in the United States remains an important problem today. The effects of predisposing factors (conceptualized according to the Luker theory of contraceptive risk taking) on use of effective contraceptive methods and on the occurrence of an unplanned pregnancy were examined among a sample of 150 white married couples who did not desire a(nother) child within 2 years. The effects of husbands' predisposing factors on both dependent variables were highly significant, either directly or through interaction with their wives. The findings demonstrate the need for continued research on wife and husband effects on reproductive behaviors and outcomes. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Behavioral symptoms in dementia: An update
Authors: Taft Lois B. , Cronin‐Stubbs Diane
Published: April 2007

A descriptive literature review was done to identify research conducted in both community and institutional settings and published from 1986 to 1993 on the correlates of behavioral symptoms associated with dementia. Critical appraisal and synthesis of the 40 studies revealed theoretical and methodological problems that tempered conclusions about the relationships between behavioral symptoms and the correlates under study. While direct relationships were found in studies in which relationships between behavioral symptoms and cognitive impairment and contextual factors were examined, contradictory results were found in studies of demographic and functional variables. Recommendations for research‐based practice are advanced, including the development and testing of alternatives to physical and chemical restraints in the care of persons with dementia. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The relationships among social support and short‐ and long‐term recovery outcomes in men with coronary heart disease
Authors: Yates Bernice C.
Published: April 2007

To determine the extent to which social support from the spouse and a health care provider (HCP) is associated with short‐ and long‐term recovery outcomes in individuals after a cardiac illness, 93 patients were interviewed 2 months (short‐term) after their event; 73 (78%) subjects responded to a follow‐up questionnaire 1 year later (long‐term). Tangible aid from the spouse was associated with better short‐term psychological recovery. Satisfaction with and more emotional support from the spouse were associated with better short‐ and long‐term psychological recovery outcomes. Greater satisfaction with HCP support was associated with patients' short‐ and long‐term physical recoveries. These results highlight the value of different sources and types of support as having differential effects on physical and psychological recovery outcomes. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effects of the situational context and interactional process on the quality of family caregiving
Authors: Phillips Linda R. , Morrison Eileen , Steffl Bea , Chae Young Mi , Cromwell Sandra L. , Russell Cynthia K.
Published: April 2007

A staged theoretical model designed to explain the quality of elder caring by family members was tested. The model posits how the situational context, interactional process, and caregiving burden perceived by the caregiver affect the quality of elder caring. The purpose was to determine the amount of variance explained by the interactional process beyond that explained by the situational context and caregiving burden. Data were collected from 209 elder‐caregiver dyads using interviews, observations, and caregiver self‐reports. The strongest predictors of caregiving burden were the caregiver's stressful negative life events (situational context) and discrepancy between past and present image of elder (interactional process). The strongest predictors of quality of elder caring were the caregiver's perception of subjective burden and a monitoring role definition on the part of the caregiver (interactional process). ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Reversal theory constructs and cigarette availability predict lapse early in smoking cessation
Authors: Cook Mary R. , Gerkovich Mary M. , O'Connell Kathleen A. , Potocky Miriam
Published: April 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of reversal theory constructs (i.e., metamotivational states) to understanding the outcome of tempting situations thatoccur in the first 6 weeks of smoking cessation. Cessation program participants (N = 68) were interviewed about tempting situations in which they either smoked or maintained abstinence. Both independent groups and repeated measures analyses indicated that metamotivational state (serious and goal‐directed vs. playful and spontaneous) and cigarette availability significantly predicted outcome. Reversal theory constructs correctly predicted outcome of the tempting episode for 70% of the subjects, while cigarette availability was an accurate predictor for 74%. Metamotivational state and cigarette availability together predicted the outcome for 89% of the subjects. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The meaning of survival: The early aftermath of a near‐death experience
Authors: Orne Roberta M.
Published: April 2007

An estimated 9 million adults in this country may have had a near‐death experience (NDE), yet little research has been focused on the early aftermath of this extraordinary phenomenon. The purpose of this interpretive study was to appropriate and make visible how patients who had an NDE during a cardiac or respiratory arrest understood and experienced this early period of survival. Gadamerian hermeneutics (1975/1990) informed and guided the study. This interpretation demonstrates that NDEs and their early aftermath can be the positive, life‐enhancing experiences that the common lore and most research tend to depict, yet they can also be unpleasant and distressing experiences fraught with emotional pain and angst. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Validation of the revised UCLA loneliness scale for adolescents
Authors: Mahon Noreen E. , Yarcheski Thomas J. , Yarcheski Adela
Published: April 2007

The purposes of this study were to determine the dimensionality of the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale for adolescents through factor‐analytic techniques, and to provide construct validity for the instrument by testing four theoretically derived hypotheses in 333 adolescents, ages 12 to 21. Using a prior criteria, a two‐factor structure, resulting from a principal components analysis with an orthogonal rotation, best represented the dimensionality of the instrument for adolescents. The two factors demonstrated acceptable coefficient alpha reliabilities. Evidence of construct validity for the total scale was provided by three statistically significant correlations found be264tween the scale and the theoretically relevant variables of future time perspective, close friend solidarity, and dependency. Contrary to expectation, slow tempo was not appreciably related to loneliness. The results support the use of the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale in future research concerning loneliness in adolescents. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Service use by elders with heart disease
Authors: Wallace Debra C. , Lockhart Jan G. , Boyle Diane K.
Published: April 2007

The study purpose was to determine the impact of demographic, social, environmental, and health indicators on utilization of health services among elders with heart disease. Existing data from a regional Area Agency on Aging were used and the sample (N = 1,167) included vulnerable groups, men, blacks, low income, and rural residents. Services most frequently used were case management, congregate meal, home delivered meal, outreach, and recreation. Multiple linear and logistic regression indicated that race, marital status, living arrangements, payment source, residence, transportation capability, health conditions, sensory impairment, and function were predictors of service use. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Personality, appraisal, and adaptational outcomes in HIV seropositive men and women
Authors: Anderson S. Elizabeth H.
Published: April 2007

A cross‐sectional exploratory design was used to assess the relationships of personality, socioeconomic status, and appraisal with functional and emotional outcomes in 77 men and 50 women with HIV infection. Multiple regression analysis showed that, among men, socioeconomic status moderated the negative relationship between self‐esteem and disruption in usual activities. Consistent with Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theory, appraisal of HIV threat mediated the negative relationship between self‐esteem and mood disturbance for men and women, and the positive relationship between self‐esteem and purpose in life for women. Appraisal did not mediate between personality variables and disruption in usual activities or life satisfaction for men or women. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Sources of social support and conflict in hospitalized depressed women
Authors: Pitula Carol Rogers , Daugherty Steven R.
Published: April 2007

The purpose of this study was to (a) describe the number and types of social relationships of 39 women hospitalized for unipolar depression and (b) examine differences in the provision of social support and level of conflict among these types of relationships. Paired t tests were used to compare support and conflict from six types of relationships. The number and range of relationships reported were comparable to those of nondepressed women. Unexpectedly, women reported low amounts of conflict. Spouse/partners, household, and close relationships were perceived as sources of the most support. However, spouse/partner and household members also provided the most conflict, while close relationships provided the least. These close relationships play a pivotal role in the provision of social support. Furthermore, close female relationships appear to provide the benefits of support without the cost of conflict. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Experienced and inexperienced mothers' maternal competence during infancy
Authors: Mercer Ramona T. , Ferketich Sandra L.
Published: April 2007

In an exploratory study 136 experienced (multiparous) mothers and 166 inexperienced (primiparous) mothers were studied to determine differences in their self‐reported maternal role competence, and variables predicting their competence at postpartal hospitalization, 1, 4, and 8 months following birth. The two groups did not differ in their maternal role competence over the 8 months. Inexperienced mothers' competence was higher at 4 and 8 months than at early postpartum and 1 month, indicating a developmental process in maternal role achievement, but no change was observed in experienced mothers' maternal competence. From 45% to 56% of the variance in experienced mothers' maternal competence was explained over the four test periods, and from 43% to 50% among inexperienced mothers. Self‐esteem was a consistent, major predictor of maternal competence for both groups. Maternal fetal attachment, readiness for pregnancy, and pregnancy risk variables were explanatory of experienced mothers' maternal competence only. Sense of control was explanatory only of inexperienced mothers' competence at 1, 4, and 8 months. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Intensive care decisions about level of aggressiveness of care
Authors: Baggs Judith Gedney , Schmitt Madeline H.
Published: April 2007

Questionnaires were used to assess (a) the factors intensive care unit resident physicians (N = 33) and nurses (N = 57) perceived as influential in making decisions about level of aggressiveness of patient care (LAC), (b) who residents and nurses believed should be involved versus who was involved in decision making, and (c) the amount of collaboration they perceived in their practices. Questionnaires then were used to assess decision making about 314 patients. All providers agreed that patient request influenced their LAC decisions, with possibility of benefit and diagnosis ranked second and third. Although both nurses and residents believed capable patients should be making LAC decisions, providers identified attending physicians as the most common participants in decision making for specific patients. Residents were more satisfied with the decision making process than nurses, t = 2.05 (88), p =.04. There was no relationship between perceptions of nurse–resident collaboration and providers' inclusion of others in the LAC decision process. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The effect of caloric of food on energy intake and body weight in tumor‐bearing rats
Authors: Fridriksdottir Nanna , McCarthy Donna O.
Published: April 2007

Anorexia and weigt loss are major problems for cancer patients and are associated with increased cancer morbidity and mortality. The current clinical approach is to encourage high calorie food intake. In the present study, we used an animal model of tumor‐induced anorexia to evaluate the effect of feeding a high caloric diet on food and caloric intake and body weight of tumor‐bearing rats. Tumor‐bearing rats fed a diet containing 4.7 kcal/g reduced the amount of food they ate to equal the caloric intake of rats fed a diet containing 3.7 kcal/g. Body weight and tumor growth were not affected by the diet intervention. These data suggest that energy intake is regulated in tumor‐bearing rats as it is in healthy animals, albeit at a lower level. These data have implications for further study of the effects of nutritional supplements on food intake and nutritional status of cancer patients. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Qualitative analysis: What it is and how to begin
Authors: Sandelowski Margarete
Published: April 2007

One of the most paralyzing moments in conducting qualitative research is beginning analysis, when researchers must first look at their data in order to see what they should look for in their data. Although temporally and conceptually overlapping processes, data analysis should be distinguished from interpretation. Practical suggestions for beginning analysis include getting a sense of the whole, extracting the facts, identifying key topics or major storylines and dimensionalizing their informational content, and using frameworks to reduce data. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Healing determinants in older people with leg ulcers
Authors: Johnson Maree
Published: April 2007

A descriptive correlational design was used to identify the physiologic, therapeutic, and psychosocial determinants of leg ulcer healing in community‐residing older people with venous and venous‐arterial disease (N = 156). A regression model with healing rate as the dependent variable explained 49% of the variance. Increased pain when mobilizing, increased hours with limbs horizontal to the torso, and moderate and severe liposclerosis (hardening and induration of the skin) were associated with poorer healing rates. Higher wound status scores were associated with more rapid healing rates. Self‐efficacy beliefs and social support were not significant factors. The findings suggest the need for early detection and management of limb pain that interferes with normal mobility. Limb position and edema assessment prior to the application of compression bandages is recommended, with bandages that provide clients with high compression when ambulant and low compression when resting being potentially beneficial. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The organizational properties of the self‐concept and instability of affect
Authors: Stein Karen Farchaus
Published: April 2007

Affect instability, a core symptom of several major mental illnesses, contributes to high levels of subjective distress and impaired self‐care abilities. The findings of previous studies have shown that, in asymptomatic samples, the organizational properties of the self‐concept impact short‐term affect regulation. In this study, that work is extended to examine the association between the organizational properties of the self‐concept and instability of affect in adults with a major mental illness. Subjects were 19 adults with a major mental illness (clinical) and 10 asymptomatic adults. Zajonc's card‐sorting task was used to measure two organizational properties: (a) differentiation–the number of attributes included in the self‐concept, and (b) unity–the degree of interdependence among the attributes. An experience sampling procedure was used to obtain 50 measures of affect across a 10‐day period. The clinical group experienced more instability of negative affects than the asymptomatic group. Furthermore, the clinical group had lower differentiation and higher unity of the self‐concept than the asymptomatic controls, although both organizational properties were related to education. In the total sample, differentiation was not related to instability of affect. Unity accounted for 21% of the variance in instability of negative affect. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Fertility status and symptoms in childbearing couples
Authors: Holditch‐Davis Diane , Black Beth Perry , Sandelowski Margarete , Harris Betty Glenn , Belyea Michael
Published: April 2007

The symptoms of 58 pregnant couples–37 with a history of infertility and 21 without a history of infertility–were compared. The Symptomatology Inventory, a checklist of 42 common physical and psychological symptoms of pregnancy, was completed by each spouse from months 4 to 9 of pregnancy. For purposes of analysis, the individual symptoms were grouped into three categories: physical symptoms, negative affective symptoms, and positive affective symptoms. Although the infertile pregnant couples did not experience more symptoms than fertile couples, their pattern of reporting pregnancy‐related symptoms was quite different. In terms of both number and type of symptoms, infertile spouses' symptoms tended to be positively related. Compared to fertile couples, the infertile couples experienced symptoms globally and were more consistent in the number of symptoms reported by each spouse. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the implications of these differences for childbearing and the marital relationship. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Mexican–American cultural meanings, expressions, self‐care and dependent‐care actions associated with experiences of pain
Authors: Villarruel Antonia M.
Published: April 2007

The experience of pain within specific cultural groups has not been well studied. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to discover Mexican–American meanings, expressions, and care associated with pain. Data were obtained from 20 key and 14 general informants and analyzed using thematic and pattern analysis. Themes identified included: pain as encompassing experience of suffering; the obligation to bear pain and to endure it stoically; and the primacy of caring for others. Based on study findings, a beginning description of the cultural context is provided from which pain as experienced by Mexican–Americans can be understood and from which culturally competent nursing care can be designed. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Informal and formal support for caregivers of a demented relative: Do gender and kinship make a difference?
Authors: Cossette Sylvie , Lévesque Louise , Laurin Liane
Published: April 2007

Gender and kinship were examined with regard to caregivers' use of informal and formal support and to two models of support (substitution or supplementation). Three groups of caregivers of a demented relative living at home–husbands, wives, and adult daughters–were compared on measures of both informal and formal support. The gender hypothesis deals with the similarities among caregivers of the same gender with respect to support. The kinship hypothesis refers to the similarities among caregivers having the same kinship with the carereceiver. The gender hypothesis was confirmed for informal informational support while the kinship hypothesis was supported for informal conflictual support. For most of the comparisons, the three groups of caregivers shared more similarities than differences. The interchangeability between informal and formal support seems to fall under the perspective of kinship because the daughter group is the only one where a model of supplementation was observed. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The effects of small shifts in body weight on blood flow and interface pressure
Authors: Oertwich P. Ann , Kindschuh Alice M. , Bergstrom Nancy
Published: April 2007

The purpose of this study was to (a) determine whether small shifts in body weight change pressure and blood flow under a bony prominence, and (b) identify the magnitude of change in blood flow and pressure under a bony prominence over time. Blood flow and interface pressure in two positions (lateral oblique/supine) with two small shifts in each position (thigh/rib cage) were evaluated over time in 50 nursing home residents. There was a significant decrease in interface pressure under the trochanter through the small shifts intervention,F= 5.36,p< .01. There was a significant decrease in interface pressure,F= 3.90,p< .05, and a significant increase in blood flow,F= 4.85,p< .05, under the sacrum through the small shifts intervention. Blood flow and interface pressure did not change significantly over time. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Efficacy of Parent Training for Promoting Positive Parent—Toddler Relationships
Authors: Gross Deborah , Fogg Louis , Tucker Sharon
Published: April 2007

The effectiveness of a parent training program for promoting positive parent‐child relationships was examined among families of 2‐year‐olds. Forty‐six mothers and fathers and their toddlers were assigned to either an intervention or comparison group. Intervention group parents participated in a 10‐week program that focused on principles for effectively interacting with their toddlers. Parents completed measures of parenting self‐efficacy, depression, stress, and perceptions of their toddler's behaviors and were videotaped playing with their toddlers preintervention, postintervention, and 3 months following the intervention. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed that the parent training program led to significant increases in maternal self‐efficacy, decreases in maternal stress, and improvements in the quality of mother‐toddler interactions. No significant effects were found among fathers. Explanations for obtaining different outcomes for mothers and fathers are discussed and directions for future research are recommended. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Adjustment of women and their husbands to recurrent breast cancer
Authors: Northouse Laurel L. , Laten Diane , Reddy Paula
Published: April 2007

The psychosocial adjustment of women with recurrent breast cancer (N = 81) and their husbands (N = 74) were compared to determine if they report different levels of adjustment, support, symptom distress, hopelessness, and uncertainty. Women with recurrent breast cancer reported more emotional distress than their husbands, but both had a similar number of psycho‐social role problems. Women and husbands differed in the amount of support and uncertainty they reported but not in the levels of symptom distress or hopelessness they perceived. Women, in contrast to their husbands, expressed more surprise that their cancer recurred and found the recurrent phase of illness more distressing than the initial diagnosis. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Quantitative structural characterization of polymer–clay nanocomposites and discussion of an “ideal” microstructure, leading to the highest mechanical reinforcement
Authors: Masenelli‐Varlot K. , Vigier G. , Vermogen A. , Gauthier C. , Cavaillé J. Y.
Published: April 2007

Montmorillonite and other lamellar materials are very promising for reinforcing semicrystalline thermoplastics, especially if exfoliation is achieved. To understand the macroscopic properties of polymers filled with lamellar materials, it is unavoidable to characterize their structures. Parameters have to be determined such as the clay dispersion state, the orientations of the clay and of the polymer crystalline lamellae, and the interactions between the clay and the polymer matrix. Beyond the over‐simple description as “intercalated” or “exfoliated” structures, we propose a multiscale characterization of the state of exfoliation of the clay platelets based on the analysis of Optical Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy images. The results have been confirmed by Small Angle X‐Ray Scattering, which also gives pieces of information regarding the orientation of the clay platelets and of the polymer crystalline lamellae. Lastly, we propose the use of Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) as an indirect technique to probe the filler/matrix interfacial adhesion strength. In the light of these characterizations, we discuss a structure which is thought to lead to the highest reinforcement below and above Tg. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1243–1251, 2007
Mesenchymal progenitor cells in adult human dental pulp and their ability to form bone when transplanted into immunocompromised mice
Authors: Otaki Sayuri , Ueshima Shigeru , Shiraishi Kohei , Sugiyama Kazuo , Hamada Suguru , Yorimoto Masatomo , Matsuo Osamu
Published: April 2007

The technique of tissue engineering is developing for the restoration of lost tissues. This new technique requires cells that fabricate tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow have been used as the cell source for this technique; however, dental pulp cells have recently been shown to possess stem‐cell‐like properties.

We earlier demonstrated that dental pulp cells proliferate and produce an extracellular matrix that subsequently becomes mineralized in vitro. We now report that such dental pulp cells (first to eighth passage) produced bone instead of dentin when those cells were implanted into subcutaneous sites in immunocompromised mice with HA/TCP powder as their carrier. This evidence shows that dental pulp cells are the common progenitors of odontoblasts and osteoblasts, or dental pulp cells are mesenchymal stem cells themselves.

It is expected that dental pulp cells can be a useful candidate cell source for tissue engineering, and contain the potential of new therapeutic approaches for the restoration of damaged or diseased tissue.
Ser‐10 phosphorylated histone H3 is involved in cytokinesis as a chromosomal passenger
Authors: Song Liping , Li Dengwen , Liu Ruming , Zhou Hao , Chen Jiatong , Huang Xitai
Published: April 2007

Ser‐10 phosphorylation of histone H3 is revealed to be relative to chromosome condensation at prophase during mitosis. In this report, we demonstrate using immunofluorescence microscopy that the subcellular distribution of the Ser‐10 phosphorylated histone H3 was similar to that characteristic of chromosomal passenger proteins during the terminal stages of cytokinesis. Co‐immunoprecipitation indicates that the Ser‐10 phosphorylated histone H3 is associated with the aurora B, and both of the proteins were compacted into a complex with special ternary structure located in the centre of the midbody. When the level of the Ser‐10 phosphorylated histone H3 was reduced by RNA interference, the cells formed an aberrant midbody and could not complete cytokinesis successfully. This evidence suggests that Ser‐10 phosphorylated histone H3 is a chromosomal passenger protein and plays a crucial role in cytokinesis.
Functionalization of Baylis - Hillman Bromides with Symmetric and Asymmetric Bifunctional Aromatics
Authors: Zulykama Yusuf , Perumal Paramasivan T.
Published: April 2007

Nucleophilic substitution products of Baylis–Hillman adducts are valuable synthons. In an attempt to improve the functionality of Baylis–Hillman adducts we report the regio- and chemo-selective fuctionalization of Baylis–Hillman bromides with symmetric and asymmetric bifunctional aromatics.
Poly(2-methoxyaniline-5-sulfonic Acid) - Surfactant Complexes and Their Redox and Solvatochromic Behaviour
Authors: Moulton Simon E. , Pornputtkul Yingpit , Kane-Maguire Leon A. P. , Wallace Gordon G.
Published: April 2007

Novel stoichiometric (1:1) complexes between the anionic conducting polymer poly(2-methoxyaniline-5-sulfonic acid) (PMAS) and a range of cationic ammonium surfactants have been prepared and characterized. The supramolecular PMAS–surfactant complexes are stable in chloroform and ethanol solutions, in which the PMAS moiety adopts an ‘extended coil’ conformation. Thin films of the complexes can be cast onto indium tin oxide-coated glass from these solutions. The application of an appropriate applied potential leads to redox switching of the PMAS from the emeraldine salt form to its pernigraniline and leucoemeraldine oxidation states. Immersion of the PMAS–surfactant films in 1.0 M NaOH causes the PMAS moiety to undergo conversion into a ‘compact coil’ conformation rather than alkaline de-doping to the emeraldine base form. When the PMAS–surfactant complexes are dissolved in polar organic solvents such as N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methylpyrrolidinone, and acetone, they undergo marked solvatochromism, which is interpreted in terms of rearrangement of the PMAS polymer chains from an ‘extended coil’ to a ‘compact coil’ conformation.
Calix[4]arenes Used as a New Type of Chain Extender in the Preparation of Polyurethanes
Authors: Zheng Qin , Gong Shuling , Dong Haiqing , Chen Yuanyin
Published: April 2007

A series of polyether– or polyester–polyurethanes based on tetrahydrofuran–propylene oxide copolyether diol (PTMG/PPG) or poly(ethylene terephthalate) diol (PET), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and three kinds of chain extenders including two calix[4]arene derivatives and 3,3´-dichloro-4,4´-diaminodiphenylmethane (MOCA) were synthesized in toluene. The thermal stability and mechanical properties of solvent-type polyurethanes were investigated. Incorporation of calixarenes into polyurethane backbones improved the thermal properties of the polyurethane as a result of the residual phenol hydroxy groups of the calix[4]arene units. Compared with polyurethane chain-extended by MOCA, the polyurethanes with calix[4]arene derivatives had higher elongation at break, lower elastic modulus, and lower yield strength, as a result of the larger steric cubage of calix[4]arene units and relatively large free volume of the polymer.
Systemic lupus erythematosus-associated defects in the inhibitory receptor FcγRIIb reduce susceptibility to malaria
Authors: Clatworthy Menna R. , Willcocks Lisa , Urban Britta , Langhorne Jean , Williams Tom N. , Peshu Norbert , Watkins Nicholas A. , Floto R. Andres , Smith Kenneth G. C.
Published: April 2007

Polygenic autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, functionally important genetic polymorphisms conferring susceptibility to SLE have been identified, but the evolutionary pressures driving their retention in the gene pool remain elusive. A defunctioning, SLE-associated polymorphism of the inhibitory receptor FcγRIIb is found at an increased frequency in African and Asian populations, broadly corresponding to areas where malaria is endemic. Here, we show that FcγRIIb-deficient mice have increased clearance of malarial parasites (Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi) and develop less severe disease.In vitro, the human lupus associated FcγRIIb polymorphism enhances phagocytosis ofPlasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. These results demonstrate that FcγRIIb is important in controlling the immune response to malarial parasites and suggests that the higher frequency of human FcγRIIb polymorphisms predisposing to SLE in Asians and Africans may be maintained because these variants reduce susceptibility to malaria.
A delicate balance of complexation vs. activation of alkanes interacting with [Re(Cp)(CO)(PF3)] studied with NMR and time-resolved IR spectroscopy
Authors: Ball Graham E. , Brookes Christopher M. , Cowan Alexander J. , Darwish Tamim A. , George Michael W. , Kawanami Hajime K. , Portius Peter , Rourke Jonathan P.
Published: April 2007

The organometallic alkane complexes Re(Cp)(CO)(PF3)(alkane) and Re(Cp)(CO)2(alkane) have been detected after the photolysis of Re(Cp)(CO)2(PF3) in alkane solvent. NMR and time-resolved IR experiments reveal that the species produced by the interaction ofn-pentane with [Re(Cp)(CO)(PF3)] are an equilibrium mixture of Re(Cp)(CO)(PF3)(pentane) and Re(Cp)(CO)(PF3)(pentyl)H. The interaction of cyclopentane with [Re(Cp)(CO)(PF3)] most likely results in a similar equilibrium between cyclopentyl hydride and cyclopentane complexes. An increasing proportion of alkane complex is observed on going fromn-pentane to cyclopentane to cyclohexane, where only a small amount, if any, of the cyclohexyl hydride form is present. In general, when [Re(Cp)(CO)(PF3)] reacts with alkanes, the products display a higher degree of oxidative cleavage in comparison with [Re(Cp)(CO)2], which favors alkane complexation without activation. Species with the formula Re(Cp)(CO)(PF3)(alkane) have higher thermal stability and lower reactivity toward CO than the analogous Re(Cp)(CO)2(alkane) complexes.
Expert Opinion, Agency Characteristics, and Agency Preferences
Authors: Clinton Joshua D. , Lewis David E.
Published: April 2007

The study of bureaucracies and their relationship to political actors is central to understanding the policy process in the United States. Studying this aspect of American politics is difficult because theories of agency behavior, effectiveness, and control often require measures of administrative agencies' policy preferences, and appropriate measures are hard to find for a broad spectrum of agencies. We propose a method for measuring agency preferences based upon an expert survey of agency preferences for 82 executive agencies in existence between 1988 and 2005. We use a multirater item response model to provide a principled structure for combining subjective ratings based on scholarly and journalistic expertise with objective data on agency characteristics. We compare the resulting agency preference estimates and standard errors to existing alternative measures, discussing both the advantages and limitations of the method.
Comprehensive Transcriptome Profiling in Tomato Reveals a Role for Glycosyltransferase in Mi-Mediated Nematode Resistance
Authors: Schaff Jennifer E. , Nielsen Dahlia M. , Smith Chris P. , Scholl Elizabeth H. , Bird David McK.
Published: April 2007

Root-knot nematode (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.) is a major crop pathogen worldwide. Effective resistance exists for a few plant species, including that conditioned by Mi in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). We interrogated the root transcriptome of the resistant (Mi+) and susceptible (Mi–) cultivars ‘Motelle’ and ‘Moneymaker,’ respectively, during a time-course infection by the Mi-susceptible RKN species Meloidogyne incognita and the Mi-resistant species Meloidogyne hapla. In the absence of RKN infection, only a single significantly regulated gene, encoding a glycosyltransferase, was detected. However, RKN infection influenced the expression of broad suites of genes; more than half of the probes on the array identified differential gene regulation between infected and uninfected root tissue at some stage of RKN infection. We discovered 217 genes regulated during the time of RKN infection corresponding to establishment of feeding sites, and 58 genes that exhibited differential regulation in resistant roots compared to uninfected roots, including the glycosyltransferase. Using virus-induced gene silencing to silence the expression of this gene restored susceptibility to M. incognita in ‘Motelle,’ indicating that this gene is necessary for resistance to RKN. Collectively, our data provide a picture of global gene expression changes in roots during compatible and incompatible associations with RKN, and point to candidates for further investigation.
Flavone Synthases from Medicago truncatula Are Flavanone-2-Hydroxylases and Are Important for Nodulation
Authors: Zhang Juan , Subramanian Senthil , Zhang Yansheng , Yu Oliver
Published: April 2007

Flavones are important copigments found in the flowers of many higher plants and play a variety of roles in plant adaptation to stress. In Medicago species, flavones also act as signal molecules during symbiotic interaction with the diazotropic bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti. They are the most potent nod gene inducers found in root exudates. However, flavone synthase II (FNS II), the key enzyme responsible for flavone biosynthesis, has not been characterized in Medicago species. We cloned two FNS II genes from Medicago truncatula using known FNS II sequences from other species and named them MtFNSII-1 and MtFNSII-2. Functional assays in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) suggested that the catalytic mechanisms of both cytochrome P450 monooxygenases were similar to the other known legume FNS II from licorice (Glycyrrhiza echinata). MtFNSII converted flavanones to 2-hydroxyflavanones instead of flavones whereas FNS II from the nonlegume Gerbera hybrida, converted flavanones to flavones directly. The two MtFNSII genes had distinct tissue-specific expression patterns. MtFNSII-1 was highly expressed in roots and seeds whereas MtFNSII-2 was highly expressed in flowers and siliques. In addition, MtFNSII-2 was inducible by S. meliloti and methyl jasmonate treatment, whereas MtFNSII-1 was not. Histochemical staining of transgenic hairy roots carrying the promoter-reporter constructs indicated that the MtFNSII-2 induction was tissue specific, mostly localized to vascular tissues and root hairs. RNA interference-mediated suppression of MtFNSII genes resulted in flavone depleted roots and led to significantly reduced nodulation when inoculated with S. meliloti. Our results provide genetic evidence supporting that flavones are important for nodulation in M. truncatula.
tie-dyed1Functions Non-Cell Autonomously to Control Carbohydrate Accumulation in Maize Leaves
Authors: Baker R. Frank , Braun David M.
Published: April 2007

The tie-dyed1 (tdy1) mutant of maize (Zea mays) produces chlorotic, anthocyanin-accumulating regions in leaves due to the hyperaccumulation of carbohydrates. Based on the nonclonal pattern, we propose that the accumulation of sucrose (Suc) or another sugar induces the tdy1 phenotype. The boundaries of regions expressing the tdy1 phenotype frequently occur at lateral veins. This suggests that lateral veins act to limit the expansion of tdy1 phenotypic regions by transporting Suc out of the tissue. Double mutant studies between tdy1 and chloroplast-impaired mutants demonstrate that functional chloroplasts are needed to generate the Suc that induces the tdy1 phenotype. However, we also found that albino cells can express the tdy1 phenotype and overaccumulate Suc imported from neighboring green tissues. To characterize the site and mode of action of Tdy1, we performed a clonal mosaic analysis. In the transverse dimension, we localized the function of Tdy1 to the innermost leaf layer. Additionally, we determined that if this layer lacks Tdy1, Suc can accumulate, move into adjacent genetically wild-type layers, and induce tdy1 phenotypic expression. In the lateral dimension, we observed that a tdy1 phenotypic region did not reach the mosaic sector boundary, suggesting that wild-type Tdy1 acts non-cell autonomously and exerts a short-range compensatory effect on neighboring mutant tissue. A model proposing that Tdy1 functions in the vasculature to sense high concentrations of sugar, up-regulate Suc transport into veins, and promote tissue differentiation and function is discussed.
Maize Y9 Encodes a Product Essential for 15-cis-ζ-Carotene Isomerization
Authors: Li Faqiang , Murillo Christina , Wurtzel Eleanore T.
Published: April 2007

Carotenoids are a diverse group of pigments found in plants, fungi, and bacteria. They serve essential functions in plants and provide health benefits for humans and animals. In plants, it was thought that conversion of the C40 carotenoid backbone, 15-cis-phytoene, to all-trans-lycopene, the geometrical isomer required by downstream enzymes, required two desaturases (phytoene desaturase and ζ-carotene desaturase [ZDS]) plus a carotene isomerase (CRTISO), in addition to light-mediated photoisomerization of the 15-cis-double bond; bacteria employ only a single enzyme, CRTI. Characterization of the maize (Zea mays) pale yellow9 (y9) locus has brought to light a new isomerase required in plant carotenoid biosynthesis. We report that maize Y9 encodes a factor required for isomerase activity upstream of CRTISO, which we term Z-ISO, an activity that catalyzes the cis- to trans-conversion of the 15-cis-bond in 9,15,9′-tri-cis-ζ-carotene, the product of phytoene desaturase, to form 9,9′-di-cis-ζ-carotene, the substrate of ZDS. We show that recessive y9 alleles condition accumulation of 9,15,9′-tri-cis-ζ-carotene in dark tissues, such as roots and etiolated leaves, in contrast to accumulation of 9,9′-di-cis-ζ-carotene in a ZDS mutant, viviparous9. We also identify a locus in Euglena gracilis, which is similarly required for Z-ISO activity. These data, taken together with the geometrical isomer substrate requirement of ZDS in evolutionarily distant plants, suggest that Z-ISO activity is not unique to maize, but will be found in all higher plants. Further analysis of this new gene-controlled step is critical to understanding regulation of this essential biosynthetic pathway.