bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Urbanised Generation Unhinged: Port Harcourt Igbos and Christianity in Ifeanyichukwu Ndubuisi Chikezie Aniebo's the Journey Within
Authors: Hale Frederick
Published: November 2007

This is a discussion of Aniebo's differentiated portrayal in The journey within of urbanised characters in the southern Nigerian city of Port Harcourt who have come under the influence of Christianity but have reacted in varying ways to the promise and challenge of this new religion. A close reading of Aniebo's work warns against simplistic explanations of Igbo religious change and simplistic generalisations about the spiritual state of city-dwelling Igbos in a rapidly urbanising society where to a great extent by the 1940s traditional beliefs and practices had lost their grasp on young adults but by no means completely disappeared from their minds. The novel demonstrates the predicament of Igbos caught in a Westernising world, coping with divided spiritual loyalties, ethical dilemmas made more perplexing by the conflicting demands of modernising society whose values often diverged from those of male-dominated Igbo villages, and participation in an economy which on the surface appears to offer opportunity but keeps them in a state of squalor.
Ibo Spirituality and Marriage Customs On the Eve of Nigerian Independence: the Testimony of Onuora Nzekwu's Wand of Noble Wood
Authors: Hale Frederick A.
Published: November 2007

For many years scholars of African religion have appreciated the potential insights that imaginative literature can provide into religious beliefs and practices in rapidly transforming societies, not least with regard to the confrontation of indigenous religions and missionary Christianity. Generally ignored, however, has been the fiction of Onuora Nzekwu, a talented Ibo novelist who during the 1960s was hailed as one founder of Nigerian letters but who stood in the shadow of Chinua Achebe and a handful of other contemporary literary giants. The present article is a study of enduring commitment to Ibo spiritual and marital traditions and the critique of Roman Catholic missionary endeavours in Nzekwu's first novel, Wand of Noble Wood (1961). It is argued that in this pioneering treatment of these recurrent themes in African literature of that decade, Nzekwu vividly highlighted the quandary in which quasi-Westernised Nigerians found themselves as they sought to come to grips with the confluence of colonial and indigenous values and folkways on the eve of national independence in 1960. Nzekwu did not speak for all Ibo intellectuals of his generation; his portrayal of the weakness of Ibo commitment to the Roman Catholic Church is squarely contradicted by other literary observers, such as T Obinkaram Echewa.
Body, Character and the Problem of Femaleness in Early Christian Discourse
Authors: Braun Willi
Published: November 2007

Exaggerating in the direction of truth so as to provoke historiographical thought, this article claims that formative Christianity was wholly an androcentric project. Oft-cited women-friendly texts (Luke, Galatians, Gospel of Thomas) are not exceptions to early Christian masculinised gender ideology. The article locates early Christian commitment to a piety of 'andreia' (manliness) within the similar hegemonic Graeco-Roman gender ideology. It concludes with some reflections on the effects ofa hegemonic ideology and raises questions on the possibility of emancipatory agency.
Euthanasia and/or the End of Medical Care
Authors: Michell Lincoln
Published: November 2007

The aim of this article is to develop a concept of euthanasia which is appropriate to the South African context. A brief survey of the Western debate is outlined, beginning with James Rachels' conceptual analysis of active and passive euthanasia. T. D. Sullivan's reaction to Rachels, as well as later contributions to the debate, are examined. The concept of euthanasia presupposed by this tradition is regarded as conceptually and morally restrictive, and an African worldview is then explored in the interest of an alternative conception. The latter view effects a conceptual shift, from a focus on explanation (versus justification) of the event of death, towards an approach of caring acceptance of responsibility during the process of dying in its entirety. The development of a revised and broader concept of euthanasia is facilitated in terms of a concurrence between the African perspective and the Christian approach to death and dying.
Experiences of Exclusion: a Study Conducted Among Catholic Women in the Johannesburg Diocese1
Authors: Kretzschmar Louise , Ralphs Mary Ryan
Published: November 2007

Much has been written to critique the Catholic church's position on the ordination of women based on arguments from scripture and tradition. However, there has been little local research on how South African women experience the consequences of this exclusion from ministry. In this article Ralphs and Kretzschmar set out, from an ethical and feminist theological position, to show the effects of this exclusion both on women and on the church. Through a study of the literature and interviews with 60 Catholic women from the diocese of Johannesburg, they attempt to explain what lies behind the Catholic church's position on women, and to describe it's negative consequences. The authors conclude that whilst many women are aware of the negative effects of exclusion, they are unable to name the structural forces which reinforce this exclusion, and that theological and pedagogical processes are required to shape a different consciousness among women.
Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in association with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis: Views over hidden possibilities
Authors: Shankar Esaki Muthu , Vignesh Ramachandran , Murugavel Kailapuri G , Balakrishnan Pachamuthu , Sekar Ramalingam , Lloyd Charmaine AC , Solomon Suniti , Kumarasamy Nagalingeswaran
Published: November 2007

Gut immune components are severely compromised among persons with AIDS, which allows increased translocation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the systemic circulation. These microbial LPS are reportedly increased in chronically HIV-infected individuals and findings have correlated convincingly with measures of immune activation. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is an adverse consequence of the restoration of pathogen-specific immune responses in a subset of HIV-infected subjects with underlying latent infections during the initial months of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). Whether IRIS is the result of a response to a high antigen burden, an excessive response by the recovering immune system, exacerbated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines or a lack of immune regulation due to inability to produce regulatory cytokines remains to be determined. We theorize that those who develop IRIS have a high burden of proinflammatory cytokines produced also in response to systemic bacterial LPS that nonspecifically act on latent mycobacterial antigens. We also hypothesize that subjects that do not develop IRIS could have developed either tolerance (anergy) to persistent LPS/tubercle antigens or could have normal FOXP3+ gene and that those with defective FOXP3+ gene or those with enormous plasma LPS could be vulnerable to IRIS. The measure of microbial LPS, anti-LPS antibodies and nonspecific plasma cytokines in subjects on HAART shall predict the role of these components in IRIS.
Appraisals of Anomalous Experiences Interview (AANEX): a
multidimensional measure of psychological responses to anomalies associated
with psychosis
Authors: Brett C. M. C. , Peters E. P. , Johns L. C. , Tabraham P. , Valmaggia L. R. , Mcguire P. K.
Published: November 2007

Background

Cognitive models of psychosis suggest that whether anomalous experiences
lead to clinically relevant psychotic symptoms depends on how they are
appraised, the context in which they occur and the individual's emotional
response

Aims

To develop and validate a semi-structured interview (the Appraisals of
Anomalous Experiences Interview; AANEX) to assess (a) anomalous
experiences and (b) appraisal, contextual and response variables

Method

Following initial piloting, construct validity was tested via
cross-sectional comparison of data from clinical and non-clinical samples
with anomalous experiences. Interrater reliability was also assessed

Results

Scores from AANEX measuring appraisals, responses and social support
differentiated the clinical and nonclinical groups. Interrater
reliability was satisfactory for 65 of the 71 items. Six items were
subsequently amended

Conclusions

The AANEX is avalid multidimensional instrument that provides a detailed
assessment of psychotic-like experiences and subjective variables
relevant to the development of a need for clinical care
Basic symptoms in early psychotic and depressive
disorders
Authors: Schultze-Lutter Frauke , Ruhrmann Stephan , Picker Heinz , Von Reventlow Heinrich Graf , Brockhaus-Dumke Anke , Klosterkötter Joachim
Published: November 2007

Background

Depression is a frequent condition in early psychosis. Therefore, early
detection instruments should distinguish depression from beginning
psychosis

Aims

To examine whether basic symptoms, i.e. subtle subjective deficits,
differ between participants suffering from a potential prodrome
(n = 146), first-episode schizophrenia
(n= 153) and non-psychotic depression
(n = 115)

Method

Basic symptoms were assessed with the Schizophrenia Proneness
Instrument

Results

The prodrome and schizophrenia groups did not differ in level of basic
symptoms but both had higher levels than the depression group. DSM – IV
depression was frequent in those suffering from a potential prodrome
(38%) and first-episode schizophrenia (21%). In both groups, participants
with and without depression did not differ in basic symptoms. In
multivariate analyses, consideration of current depression generally
facilitated correct group classification, except for participants
suffering from both a potential prodrome and depression

Conclusions

Cognitive basic symptoms distinguished well between all three groups.
However, identification of persons suffering from a potential prodrome
might be enhanced by considering current affective status
Turning behaviour depends on frictional damping in the fruit flyDrosophila
Authors: Hesselberg Thomas , Lehmann Fritz-Olaf
Published: November 2007

Turning behaviour in the fruit fly Drosophila depends on several factors including not only feedback from sensory organs and muscular control of wing motion, but also the mass moments of inertia and the frictional damping coefficient of the rotating body. In the present study we evaluate the significance of body friction for yaw turning and thus the limits of visually mediated flight control in Drosophila, by scoring tethered flies flying in a flight simulator on their ability to visually compensate a bias on a moving object and a visual background panorama at different simulated frictional dampings. We estimated the fly's natural damping coefficient from a numerical aerodynamic model based on both friction on the body and the flapping wings during saccadic turning. The model predicts a coefficient of 54×10–12 Nm s, which is more than 100-times larger than the value estimated from a previous study on the body alone. Our estimate suggests that friction plays a larger role for yaw turning in Drosophila than moments of inertia. The simulator experiments showed that visual performance of the fruit fly collapses near the physical conditions estimated for freely flying animals, which is consistent with the suggested role of the halteres for flight stabilization. However, kinematic analyses indicate that the measured loss of flight control might be due predominantly to the limited fine control in the fly's steering muscles below a threshold of 1–2° stroke amplitude, rather than resulting from the limits of visual motion detection by the fly's compound eyes. We discuss the impact of these results and suggest that the elevated frictional coefficient permits freely flying fruit flies to passively terminate rotational body movements without producing counter-torque during the second half of the saccadic turning manoeuvre.
Parasites, proteomics and performance: effects of gregarine gut parasites on dragonfly flight muscle composition and function
Authors: Schilder Rudolf J. , Marden James H.
Published: November 2007

In previous work, we found that dragonflies infected with gregarine gut parasites have reduced muscle power output, loss of lipid oxidation in their flight muscles, and a suite of symptoms similar to mammalian metabolic syndrome. Here, we test the hypothesis that changes in muscle protein composition underlie the observed changes in contractile performance. We found that gregarine infection was associated with a 10-fold average reduction in abundance of a ∼155 kDa fragment of muscle myosin heavy chain (MHC;∼206 kDa intact size). Insect MHC gene sequences contain evolutionarily conserved amino acid motifs predicted for calpain cleavage, and we found that calpain digestion of purified dragonfly MHC produced a peptide of ∼155 kDa. Thus, gut parasites in dragonflies are associated with what appears to be a reduction in proteolytic degradation of MHC. MHC155 abundance showed a strong negative relationship to muscle power output in healthy dragonflies but either no relationship or a weakly positive relationship in infected dragonflies. Troponin T (TnT) protein isoform profiles were not significantly different between healthy and infected dragonflies but whereas TnT isoform profile was correlated with power output in healthy dragonflies, there was no such correlation in infected dragonflies. Multivariate analyses of power output based on MHC155 abundance and a principal component of TnT protein isoform abundances explained 98% of the variation in muscle power output in healthy dragonflies but only 29% when data from healthy and infected dragonflies were pooled. These results indicate that important, yet largely unexplored, functional relationships exist between (pathways regulating)myofibrillar protein expression and (post-translational) protein processing. Moreover, infection by protozoan parasites of the midgut is associated with changes in muscle protein composition (i.e. across body compartments) that,either alone or in combination with other unmeasured changes, alter muscle contractile performance.
Perceptions of Neonatal Pain
Authors: de Cássia Xavier Balda Rita , Guinsburg Ruth
Published: November 2007

For adults to consider whether pain treatment is indicated for a newborn, they must recognize and interpret the signals given by the neonate who is facing a painful stimulus. It is by means of these signals, such as facial expressions, body movements, crying, and level of consciousness, that neonates establish interpersonal communication via their pain “language.” However, the acquisition of knowledge and the training of health-care professionals about pain assessment are not sufficient for appropriate pain evaluation in newborns. Any attempt to evaluate a painful event should take into consideration that the recognition of pain in the preverbal infant is subjective and, therefore, subject to multiple factors that can influence the observer's perception and assessment. Because personal, professional, and socioeconomic characteristics of the adults responsible for neonatal care, along with characteristics of the observed patients, influence the capacity of caregivers to interpret nonverbal communication of pain expressed by the neonate, the systematic use of validated pain assessment tools are important to make the perceptions of neonatal pain more homogeneous among health professionals.
Weight Loss in Overweight Mexican American Children: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Johnston Craig A. , Tyler Chermaine , McFarlin Brian K. , Poston Walker S.C. , Haddock C. Keith , Reeves Rebecca , Foreyt John P.
Published: November 2007

OBJECTIVES. Childhood overweight has increased significantly in the past 20 years, with the highest rates noted among Mexican Americans. Although this minority group is in significant need of intervention, few programs have demonstrated actual decreases in weight. In this study we evaluated an intensive healthy lifestyle program designed to result in weight reduction for overweight Mexican American children. We hypothesized that children randomly assigned to an intensive intervention would significantly reduce their standardized BMI when compared with children randomly assigned to a self-help condition.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. A total of 60 children (33 boys; 55%) between the ages of 10 and 14 years at or above the 85th percentile for BMI were randomly assigned to a 6-month intensive-intervention or self-help condition.

RESULTS. Children in the intensive-intervention condition significantly reduced their standardized BMI when compared with the children in the self-help condition. The change in standardized BMI was significantly different at both 3 and 6 months, with intensive-intervention participants showing greater decreases in weight.

CONCLUSIONS. Overall, the results were promising, suggesting that an intensive, individualized intervention may be an effective means for promoting weight loss in overweight Mexican American children.
Propofol Sedation: Intensivists' Experience With 7304 Cases in a Children's Hospital
Authors: Vespasiano Michael , Finkelstein Marsha , Kurachek Stephen
Published: November 2007

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to determine the safety profile of propofol as a deep-sedation agent in a primarily outpatient program consisting of pediatric critical care physicians and specifically trained nurses with oversight provided by anesthesiology. One hypothesis was investigated: adverse events and/or airway interventions are more likely to occur in children with an abnormal airway score.

METHODS. A 36-month dual-site prospective, observational, clinical study was conducted in a single center with interchangeable providers operating within the guidelines of a single sedation program. A total of 7304 propofol sedations for 4464 unique patients who ranged in age from 1 month to 21 years were studied; >97% of the children were >1 year of age.

RESULTS. The following adverse reactions were identified, and a descriptive statistical analysis of the data were performed: mild oxygen desaturation (85%–90%), 1.73%; serious oxygen desaturation (<85%), 2.9%; laryngospasm, 0.27%; regurgitation without aspiration, 0.05%; regurgitation with aspiration, 0.01%; bronchospasm, 0.15%; and hypotension, 31.4%. Interventions required included oral airway, 0.96%; nasal trumpet, 1.57%; rescue breaths for >1 minute, 0.37%; intubation, 0.03%; volume requirement of >40 mL/kg per hour, 0.11%; sedation-induced ward or PICU admission, 0.04%; cardiac arrest medications, 0%; and aborted sedation or procedure, 0%. We devised an airway score to identify at-risk patients. Patients with an abnormal airway score were significantly more likely to: have oxygen desaturation (13.1% vs 4.3%); require an oral airway (5.9% vs 0.8%); and require a nasal trumpet (13.9% vs 1.2%).

CONCLUSIONS. Propofol has an acceptable safety profile for deep sedation when used in the context of a program with critical care physicians, specifically trained nurses, and anesthesiology oversight. A preprocedure airway score can assist in identifying patients who may require airway interventions.
Fasting Nonesterified Fatty Acid Profiles in Childhood and Their Relationship With Adiposity, Insulin Sensitivity, and Lipid Levels
Authors: Sabin Matthew A. , De Hora Mark , Holly Jeff M.P. , Hunt Linda P. , Ford Anna L. , Williams Simon R. , Baker Julien S. , Retallick Christopher J. , Crowne Elizabeth C. , Shield Julian P.H.
Published: November 2007

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to examine the major constituent of nonesterified fatty acids in children with respect to auxologic parameters, insulin sensitivity, and lipid levels, because nonesterified fatty acid levels are elevated in obesity and are important in the development of comorbidities.

METHODS. Fasting blood samples were obtained from 73 children (43 girls; 49 obese; median [range] age: 11.4 [0.9–17.6] years). Concentrations of the major circulating nonesterified fatty acids (myristate, palmitate, oleate, stearate, and arachidate) were determined by gas chromatography mass spectrometry, alongside measurement of insulin, adiponectin, and lipid profiles.

RESULTS. The sum of all nonesterified fatty acids was significantly higher in obese versus normal-weight children, although gender (but not age or puberty) was an important determinant, with the difference remaining significant only in boys. Overall, obese children had higher concentrations of myristate, palmitate, and oleate but not stearate or arachidate. Age was an important determinant of myristate and arachidate, whereas gender proved more important for palmitate and stearate. Fasting insulin concentrations were not associated with either total nonesterified fatty acid concentrations or any of the individual nonesterified fatty acids, although a positive correlation was found between adiponectin and total nonesterified fatty acid concentrations that was independent of obesity status and that seemed mediated by changes in palmitate and stearate. Serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (but not high-density lipoprotein) levels seemed to correlate positively with circulating concentrations of palmitate, oleate, and stearate, whereas serum triacylglycerols correlated with myristate, palmitate, and oleate concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS. Nonesterified fatty acid concentrations are elevated in obese children, primarily as a result of increases in myristate, palmitate, and oleate. Independent effects of nonesterified fatty acids on circulating adiponectin levels and lipid parameters were observed, although we found no relationship between nonesterified fatty acid concentrations and the insulin resistance identified with obesity.
Patient Safety in the Pediatric Emergency Care Setting
Authors:   Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Published: November 2007

This Policy Statement was reaffirmed June 2011, July 2014, and August 2018.

Patient safety is a priority for all health care professionals, including those who work in emergency care. Unique aspects of pediatric care may increase the risk of medical error and harm to patients, especially in the emergency care setting. Although errors can happen despite the best human efforts, given the right set of circumstances, health care professionals must work proactively to improve safety in the pediatric emergency care system. Specific recommendations to improve pediatric patient safety in the emergency department are provided in this policy statement.
Perceived Threats of Female Infidelity, Male Proprietariness, and Violence in College Dating Couples
Authors: Cousins Alita J. , Gangestad Steven W.
Published: November 2007

According to evolutionary theory, men faced the adaptive problem of keeping their partners sexually faithful. In the current study, men’s perception that their partners are interested in other men was hypothesized to be associated with more controlling behaviors in romantic relationships. Of the two dimensions of mating tactics, controlling and attentive behaviors, physically aggressive men were expected to be especially controlling, but not attentive. Using structural equation modeling with 116 college dating couples, women who reported greater interest in other men were perceived by their partners to do so and these men also exhibited more controlling behaviors, which were associated with physical aggression. Men’s perception of women’s interest in others was a more important predictor of male violence than women’s actual interest in other men. The link between women’s control tactics and their use of physical violence differed from men.
Evaluation of Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Serum Levels of High‐Sensitivity C‐Reactive Protein in Chronic Periodontitis Patients With or Without Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Tüter Gülay , Kurtis Bülent , Serdar Muhittin
Published: November 2007

Background: Most studies have evaluated serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels in chronic periodontitis (CP) patients, and a few investigations have examined gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) CRP levels. The aims of this study were to determine GCF and serum levels of high‐sensitivity CRP (HsCRP) in CP patients with or without coronary artery disease (CAD) and to investigate the relationship between the GCF and serum HsCRP levels in CP patients with and without CAD.

Methods: Thirty CP patients with angiographically proven CAD, 20 CP patients, and 17 healthy individuals were included in the study. Clinical parameters were recorded, and serum and GCF samples were collected. The level of HsCRP in GCF was assayed by a high‐sensitivity enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The HsCRP level was assayed in the plasma on a nephelometer.

Results: The serum HsCRP levels were significantly higher in CP patients with or without CAD than in the control group, and there was a correlation between serum HsCRP levels and clinical parameters and between serum HsCRP levels and GCF volume. There was no statistically significant difference in GCF HsCRP levels between the groups. There was no correlation between GCF HsCRP levels and clinical parameters, GCF volume, or serum HsCRP levels.

Conclusions: Patients with CP and CP + CAD had statistically significant elevations in serum HsCRP levels compared to healthy subjects. However, HsCRP levels of GCF did not differ from those of the control and CP groups or the control and CP + CAD groups. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between GCF CRP levels and periodontal diseases.
Epidemiological Characterization of Individuals With Newly Reported HIV Infection: South Carolina, 2004–2005
Authors: Ogbuanu Ikechukwu U. , Torres Myriam E. , Kettinger Lynda , Albrecht Helmut , Duffus Wayne A.
Published: November 2007

Objectives. We used statewide data to assess HIV disease stage at initial diagnosis and laboratory indications for initiating antiretroviral therapy among South Carolina residents with newly diagnosed HIV infection.

Methods. Initial CD4+ counts and viral loads among individuals diagnosed with HIV between May 2004 and April 2005 were categorized according to current staging and treatment guidelines.

Results. Of 759 individuals who had a CD4+ count reported, 34% and 56% had counts of 200 cells/mm3 or below and 350 cells/mm3 or below, respectively. CD4+ counts of 200 cells/mm3 or below were significantly associated with male gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36, 3.16), age above 29 years (AOR = 2.45; 95% CI = 1.51, 3.96), and hospital-reported patients (AOR = 2.17; 95% CI = 1.41, 3.36). The same characteristics were significant risk factors for elevated viral loads.

Conclusions. At least in South Carolina, HIV diagnoses are delayed in a significant percentage of patients. New testing strategies need to be implemented to encourage earlier HIV diagnoses, and future studies should evaluate the effects of expanded routine testing on earlier detection.
Autonomy, Paternalism, and Justice: Ethical Priorities in Public Health
Authors: Buchanan David R.
Published: November 2007

With attention to the field of public health ethics growing, significant time has been devoted to identifying a sound ethical justification for paternalistic interventions that override individual autonomy to prevent people from adopting unhealthy behaviors.

Efforts focused on specifying the conditions that warrant paternalism, however, are largely misplaced. On empirical and ethical grounds, public health should seek instead to expand individual autonomy to improve population health. To promote autonomy, the field should redirect current efforts toward clarifying principles of justice.

Although public health’s most highly visible stance is associated with an egalitarian conception of “social justice,” it is imperative that public health professionals address gaping divisions in public understandings of justice. I present recommendations for initiating this process.
Enhanced separation of water quality parameters in the DAF (Dissolved Air Flotation) system using ozone
Authors: Lee Byoung-Ho , Song Won-Chul , Kim Hye-Young , Kim Jeong-Hyeon
Published: November 2007

Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) has been used in water and wastewater treatment because it has an excellent separation capability. It was found that the separation capability of the DAF system could be even more enhanced by ozone. Ozone was applied as a substitute for air in the DAF system, so that the system was named as the DOF (Dissolved Ozone Flotation) system. Ozone not only enhances coagulation as is well known, but also provides larger micro-bubble volume because the solubility of ozone in water is much higher than that of air. Ozone enhanced the separation rate of SS by 13.6%, and turbidity by 21% in the DOF system compared to the DAF system. T-P was also removed 7.7% more in the DOF system. 41.5% of color and 7.4% of CODCr were enhanced in their removal rate. Coliform and heterotrophic bacteria were removed 54% and 57.3% more in the DOF system. Separation capability of the DOF system was greatly enhanced for most of the water quality parameters because ozone provides strong oxidation power with large volume of micro-bubbles.
The role of F A1:Ag+ defects in laser light generation and coadsorption of CO and halogen atoms at the KCl and KBr surface sites. First principles calculations
Authors: Abdelrazik Safaa , Shalabi Ahmed
Published: November 2007

FA1:Ag+ color center at the low coordination (100) and (110) surface sites of KCl and KBr thin films play an important role in providing tunable laser oscillation and adsorbatesubstrate interactions. Double-well potentials at this site are investigated using ab initio molecular electronic structure calculations. The calculated Stokes shifted (optical transition bands), opticaloptical conversion efficiencies, the probability of orientational destruction, exciton (energy) transfer and Glasner-Tompkins empirical rule suggest that laser light generation is sensitive to (i) the lattice anion, (ii) the coordination number of surface ions, and (iii) the choice of the basis set centered on the anion vacancy. The adsorbate-substrate interactions were found to be dependent on the electronegativity of the adatom and on the lattice anion. Optimised geometries and the coadsorption of CO and (F, Cl, Br, I) on KCl and KBr (100) crystals are presented. Calculated chemisorption energies for CO on the (halogen atom/defect free sites of KCl and KBr (100) crystals) showed that the coadsorption of halogen atom tends to block other adsorbate-substrate interactions at the nearest neighbour sites. Thus if halogen atom coverage increases, the CO prefers to be adsorbed on the K+ site of the KCl and KBr (100) surfaces and on KBr relative to KCl.
Local Stone (A Fragment)
Authors: Martin Reinhold
Published: November 2007

At a time when a wide range of building materials is available around the world, the decision to use locally sourced stone in India often extends beyond the pragmatic. As Reinhold Martin explains, a particular choice of stone can potentially set off a complex string of associations with geopolitical connotations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Good Natured Stuff
Authors: Spiller Neil
Published: November 2007

Neil Spiller ruminates on nature and what ‘the odd naughty leaf’ has contributed to art and architecture over the years ‐ culminating in evolutionary design and parametrical modelling today. He flags up the work of two of the most ‘talented young bucks’ in the field ‐ Dennis Dollens and Cloud 9. But how realistic is it for us to really expect biomimicry to influence how and what we build? Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gods are in the Details: The Ambika Temple at Jagat
Authors: Hardy Adam
Published: November 2007

Adam Hardy is the author of a significant new book, The Temple Architecture of India. Here he describes the Ambika Temple at Jagat in Rajasthan, and suggests the lessons that contemporary architects might learn from this ancient structure. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predictors of prognosis in patients with olfactory disturbance
Authors: London Brian , Nabet Behnam , Fisher Andrew R. , White Brigitte , Sammel Mary D. , Doty Richard L.
Published: November 2007

Objective

Although olfaction is often compromised by such factors as head trauma, viruses, and toxic agents, the olfactory epithelium and sectors of the olfactory bulb have the potential for regeneration. This study assessed the degree to which olfactory function changes over time in patients presenting to a university‐based smell and taste center with complaints of olfactory dysfunction and the influences of etiology (eg, head trauma, upper respiratory infection), sex, age, smoking behavior, degree of initial dysfunction, and other factors on such change.

Methods

Well‐validated odor identification tests were administered to 542 patients on 2 occasions separated from one another by 3 months to 24 years. Multivariable regression and χ2 analyses assessed the influences of the variables on the longitudinal changes in olfactory test scores.

Results

On average, smell test scores improved modestly over time. Patient age, severity of initial olfactory loss, and the duration of dysfunction at first testing were significant predictors of the amount of the change. Etiology, sex, time between the two test administrations, and initial smoking behavior were not significant predictors. The percentage of anosmic and microsmic patients exhibiting statistically significant change in function was 56.72 and 42.86%, respectively. However, only 11.31% of anosmic and 23.31% of microsmic patients regained normal age‐related function over time.

Interpretation

Some recovery can be expected in a significant number of patients who experience smell loss. The amount of recovery depends on the degree of initial loss, age, and the duration of loss. Etiology, per se, is not a significant determinant of prognosis, in contrast with what is commonly believed. Ann Neurol 2007
Pharmacokinetics of selected chiral flavonoids: hesperetin, naringenin and eriodictyol in rats and their content in fruit juices
Authors: Yáñez Jaime A. , Remsberg Connie M. , Miranda Nicole D. , Vega‐Villa Karina R. , Andrews Preston K. , Davies Neal M.
Published: November 2007

The majority of pharmacokinetic studies of individual flavonoids or after ingestion of foodstuffs have overlooked the chirality of some of these xenobiotics. In order to characterize for the first time the stereoselective pharmacokinetics of three flavonoids, hesperetin, naringenin and eriodictyol were intravenously administered (20 mg/kg) to male Sprague‐Dawley rats, and their stereospecific content was assessed in various fruit juices. Concentrations in serum, urine and fruit juices were characterized via HPLC and verified by LC/MS. Short half‐lives (3–7 h) in serum were observed, while a better estimation of half‐life (12–48 h) and the other pharmacokinetic parameters was observed using urinary data. The three flavonoids are predominantly excreted via non‐renal routes (fe values of 3–7%), and undergo rapid and extensive phase II metabolism. The (2S)‐epimers of the flavonoid glycosides and the S(−)‐enantiomers of the aglycones were predominant and in some instances the organic fruit juices had higher concentrations than the conventional fruit juices. This study reports for the first time the stereospecific pharmacokinetics of three chiral flavonoids and their stereospecific content in fruit juices. It also reports for the first time the stereospecific pharmacokinetics of flavonoids employing urine as a more reliable biological matrix. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural basis for the binding of high affinity phosphopeptides to Stat3
Authors: McMurray John S.
Published: November 2007

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) is constitutively active in a number of cancers where it participates in aberrant transcription of prosurvival, cell cycling, and angiogenesis genes. Since Stat3 initiates its signaling activity through binding of its SH2 domain to phosphotyrosine residues on cell surface receptors, inhibitors targeting this region of the protein are potential chemotherapeutic agents. To date, no NMR or X‐ray crystallographic structures of high‐affinity phosphopeptides complexed with the Stat3 SH2 domain are available to aid in the development of peptidomimetic antagonists. Examination of the crystal structures of several STAT proteins and the complex of Stat1 with Ac‐pTyr‐Asp‐Lys‐Pro‐His‐NH2 led to a hypothesis that the specificity determinant for Stat3, glutamine at position pY+3 in pTyr‐Xxx‐Xxx‐Gln sequences, resides in a unique pocket on the protein surface at the juncture of the third strand of the central β‐sheet and a unique, STAT specific α‐helix. Docking of Ac‐pTyr‐Leu‐Pro‐Gln‐NHBn to the SH2 domain of Stat3 using molecular modeling showed that the Gln binds tightly in this pocket and participates in a network of hydrogen bonds. Novel interactions between the peptide main chain and the protein were also discovered. Phosphopeptide structure‐affinity studies using unnatural amino acids and glutamine derivatives provide evidence for the peptide‐protein interactions revealed by the model and lend support to the binding hypothesis. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 90: 69–79, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Catalytic Promiscuity in the α/β‐Hydrolase Superfamily: Hydroxamic Acid Formation, CC Bond Formation, Ester and Thioester Hydrolysis in the CC Hydrolase Family
Authors: Li Chen , Hassler Melanie , Bugg Timothy D. H.
Published: November 2007

The haloperoxidase family of α/β‐hydrolases contains enzymes of several different catalytic activities, including esterases, CC hydrolases and cofactor‐independent haloperoxidases (perhydrolases), but the molecular basis of this catalytic promiscuity is not fully understood. The CC hydrolase enzyme MhpC from E. coli is shown to possess esterase and thioesterase activity, and the ability to activate hydroxylamine as a nucleophile to form hydroxamic acid products. The ratio of these activities was examined for nine site‐directed mutant enzymes that contained mutations at nonessential residues in the enzyme active site. Higher levels of esterase and thioesterase activity were found in mutants Phe173Gly and Trp264Gly; this might be due to increased amounts of space in the active site. Higher levels of hydroxamic acid formation activity were found in mutant Asn109His—a mutation found in many haloperoxidase enzymes. Wild‐type and mutant MhpC enzymes were also capable of CC bond formation in organic solvents, and the highest activity was observed in nonpolar solvents. The results provide experimental support for the catalytic promiscuity shown in this family of enzymes, and indicate that differences in catalytic function can be introduced by point mutations.
“Click” Dendrimers: Synthesis, Redox Sensing of Pd(OAc)2, and Remarkable Catalytic Hydrogenation Activity of Precise Pd Nanoparticles Stabilized by 1,2,3‐Triazole‐Containing Dendrimers
Authors: Ornelas Cátia , Aranzaes Jaime Ruiz , Salmon Lionel , Astruc Didier
Published: November 2007

“Click” dendrimers containing 1,2,3‐triazolyl ligands that coordinate to PdII(OAc)2 have been synthesized in view of catalytic applications. Five of these dendrimers contain ferrocenyl termini directly attached to the triazole ligand in order to monitor the number of PdII that are introduced into the dendrimers by cyclic voltammetry. Reduction of the PdII–triazole dendrimers by using NaBH4 or methanol yields Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) that are stabilized either by several dendrimers (G0, DSN) or by encapsulation inside a dendrimer (G1 and G2: DEN), as confirmed by TEM. Relative to PAMAM–DENs (PAMAM=poly(amidoamine)), the “click” DSNs and DENs show a remarkable efficiency and stability for olefin hydrogenation under ambient conditions of various substrates. The influence of the reductant of PdII bound to the dendrimers is dramatic, reduction with methanol leading to much higher catalytic activity than reduction with NaBH4. The most active NPs are shown to be those derived from dendrimer G1, and variation of its termini groups (ferrocenyl, alkyl, phenyl) allowed us to clearly delineate, optimize, and rationalize the role of the dendrimer frameworks on the catalytic efficiencies. Finally, hydrogenation of various substrates catalyzed by these PdNPs shows remarkable selectivity features.
D‐SAP: A New, Noncytotoxic, and Fully Protease Resistant Cell‐Penetrating Peptide
Authors: Pujals Sílvia , Fernández‐Carneado Jimena , Ludevid M. Dolors , Giralt Ernest
Published: November 2007

Protease resistant cell‐penetrating peptides (CPPs) are promising carriers for drugs unable to cross the cell membrane. As these CPPs are stable in vivo for much longer periods of time compared to other classes of therapeutic peptides, noncytotoxicity is a property sine qua non for their pharmacological development. Described herein is a fully protease resistant CPP that is noncytotoxic at concentrations up to 1 mM. Proteolytic stability was obtained by chiral inversion of the residues of a known self‐assembling CPP—from all L‐amino acids to all D‐amino acids—and then assessed against trypsin and human serum. Circular dichroism studies confirmed the enantiomeric structure of the analogue, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies indicated that the new inverso analogue retains the ability of the original peptide to self‐assemble. The results of uptake experiments indicate that the protease‐stable (that is, D‐amino acid) analogue of the peptide is internalised by cells to the same extent as the protease‐susceptible (that is, L‐amino acid) parent peptide. Also reported herein are the results of studies on the cellular internalisation mechanism of the all‐D analogue, which reveal the steps followed by the peptide upon its entry into the cell.
A prospective randomized trial of thalidomide with topotecan compared with topotecan alone in women with recurrent epithelial ovarian carcinoma
Authors: Downs Levi S. , Judson Patricia L. , Argenta Peter A. , Ghebre Rahel , Geller Melissa A. , Bliss Robin L. , Boente Matthew P. , Nahhas William A. , Abu‐Ghazaleh Samir Z. , Chen M. Dwight , Carson Linda F.
Published: November 2007

BACKGROUND.

Thalidomide is an antiangiogenic agent with immune modulating potential. The objective of this study was to determine response rates among women who were treated for recurrent ovarian cancer using topotecan with or without thalidomide.

METHODS.

Women were enrolled in this multicenter, prospective, randomized phase 2 trial between April 2001 and July 2005. Eligible patients had recurrent epithelial ovarian carcinoma with measurable disease or elevated CA 125 values. Patients had received prior platinum‐based chemotherapy. Treatment arms received topotecan at a dose of 1.25 mg/m2 on Days 1 through 5 of a 21‐day cycle with or without thalidomide starting at a dose of 200 mg per day and then increasing the dose as tolerated. Toxicity was graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria. The chi‐square test was used to assess differences in response and toxicity, and the log‐rank test was used to compare Kaplan‐Meier survival curves.

RESULTS.

The analysis included 69 women (39 women in the control arm and 30 women in the thalidomide arm). Known prognostic factors, including platinum sensitivity, were represented equally in each arm. The median thalidomide dose was 200 mg per day. The overall response rate in the control arm was 21% (complete response [CR] rate, 18%; partial response [PR] rate, 3%) compared with 47% in the thalidomide arm (CR rate, 30%; PR rate, 17%) (P = .03). The median progression‐free survival for the control arm was 4 months compared with 6 months in the thalidomide arm (P = .02). The median overall survival was 15 months in the control arm and 19 months in the thalidomide arm (P = .67). Toxicities were similar between groups.

CONCLUSIONS.

The addition of thalidomide to topotecan for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer appears to improve response rates, and the authors believe that it warrants study through larger phase 3 trials. Cancer 2008. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Polyoxomolybdate‐Stabilized Ru0 Nanoparticles Deposited on Mesoporous Silica as Catalysts for Aromatic Hydrogenation
Authors: Boujday Souhir , Blanchard Juliette , Villanneau Richard , Krafft Jean‐Marc , Geantet Christophe , Louis Catherine , Breysse Michèle , Proust Anna
Published: November 2007

We use polyoxometalates as precursors for the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts. In the starting molecular precursor [{Ru(C6Me6)}2Mo5O18{Ru(C6Me6)(H2O)}], three ruthenium arene fragments are supported on a formally lacunary Lindqvist‐type polyoxomolybdate. This species was introduced by incipient wetness impregnation into the porosity of a SBA‐15‐type mesoporous silica. The evolution of the system under reducing atmosphere is followed by several methods, such as temperature‐programmed reduction (TPR), Raman, and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The results indicate that the polyoxometalate structure is retained after grafting on silica and allows the stabilization of Ru0 nanoparticles after reduction. The resulting system exhibits interesting catalytic activity in benzene hydrogenation.
Chemical Transformations of Mono‐ and Bis(buta‐1,3‐dien‐1‐yl)porphyrins: A New Synthetic Approach to Mono‐ and Dibenzoporphyrins
Authors: Silva Ana M. G. , de Oliveira Kleber T. , Faustino Maria A. F. , Neves Maria G. P. M. S. , Tomé Augusto C. , Silva Artur M. S. , Cavaleiro José A. S. , Brandão Paula , Felix Vítor
Published: November 2007

β‐Butadienyl‐ and β,β′‐dibutadienylporphyrins were prepared by the Wittig reaction of β‐formyl‐ and β,β′‐diformyl‐meso‐tetraphenylporphyrins with allylic phosphorus ylide. Subsequent treatment of β‐butadienylporphyrin with dienophiles afforded the corresponding Diels–Alder adducts. In the absence of dienophiles, β‐butadienylporphyrin underwent electrocyclization, followed by oxidation, to give monobenzoporphyrin in good yield. Similarly, adjacent and opposite dibenzoporphyrins were successfully synthesized from adjacent and opposite β,β′‐dibutadienylporphyrins, respectively. This is the first report of electrocyclization of β‐butadienylporphyrins. The structures of mono‐ and dibenzoporphyrin nickel complexes, as well as of a Diels–Alder adduct, were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction; a strong distortion from the planarity of the porphyrin core was observed. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008)
Infusing evaluative thinking as process use: The case of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Authors: Carden Fred , Earl Sarah
Published: November 2007

This chapter presents a case report of Canada's International Development Research Centre's success in revamping its project reporting system. The new process has transformed the organization's culture and deepened evaluative capacity, thus promoting accountability for the management of public funds and the ability to learn and improve.