bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of health‐related quality of life in children with cancer
Authors: Russell Kathryn M. W. , Hudson Melissa , Long Alanna , Phipps Sean
Published: April 2006

BACKGROUND

In pediatric settings, measures of health‐related quality of life (HRQL) are often obtained by proxy, especially from parents, but the correlation between parental report and patient report has not been clearly established. In the current study, the authors examined the agreement between child and parent reports of HRQL in children with cancer (both those receiving treatment and those off treatment) and healthy controls.

METHODS

Two groups of children with cancer who differed with regard to treatment status (n = 199) and a group of healthy control children (n = 108) were assessed using a standardized measure of HRQL. Both children and parents reported on the child's HRQL using parallel forms of the Children's Health Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Significant parent‐child correlations were found for all 10 HRQL scales, and these correlations were higher in the cancer groups compared with controls. Parents in the cancer groups tended to underestimate the HRQL of their children compared with the child report, although there were no significant parent‐child mean differences in the group of patients who were off treatment and only 2 significant differences in the group of children receiving treatment. In contrast, parents in the control group tended to overestimate the HRQL of their children, and the parent‐child differences were found to be larger, achieving statistical significance on 8 of 10 scales.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents and children tend to report comparable child HRQL outcomes, and this is particularly true in oncology populations. In cases in which the child is either too young or too ill to provide a self‐report, parent‐reported HRQL can be viewed as a reliable substitute. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Introducing emergent technologies in tactical and disaster recovery networks
Authors: Caviglione Luca
Published: April 2006

This paper aims at introducing some emerging technologies and illustrating how they could be ported on both tactical and civil protection networks, allowing both functional and structural improvement. In the past years, ‘ordinary’ networking technologies have made dramatic progress in topics that were previously assumed as marginal, such as anonymity and data persistence. In this evolutionary perspective, an effort could be made to port this subset of civil technologies to more challenging networking environments. The peer‐to‐peer (p2p) networking paradigm offers interesting solutions for organizing both the application‐level interaction and the signalling/resource reservation phase, as well as the effective delivery of a service. Due to its intrinsic delocalization characteristic, it also offers a set of solutions for anonymous data exchange, and helps hiding the routing phase. In another respect, but even more consistent, zero configuration networks allow keeping up and running the infrastructure, by reducing the needs of skilled technicians or network administrators to the minimum. This technology allows performing configuration and maintenance in a semi‐automatic way, avoiding waste of time during tactical operations and preventing the occurrence of mistakes in panic situations. The paper highlights the main aspects and discusses a specific example in the deployment of application‐level service quality over an ad hoc network scenario. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The revisit of QoS routing based on non‐linear Lagrange relaxation
Authors: Feng Gang
Published: April 2006

The development of efficient quality of service (QoS) routing algorithms in a high‐speed networking or the next generation IP networking environment is a very important and at the same time very difficult task due to the need to provide divergent services with multiple QoS requirements. Recently, a heuristic algorithm H_MCOP, which is based on a non‐linear Lagrange relaxation (NLR) technique, has been proposed to resolve the contradiction between the time complexity and the quality of solution. Even though H_MCOP has demonstrated outstanding capability of finding feasible solutions to the multi‐path constrained (MCP) problem, it has not exploited the full capability that an NLR‐based technique could offer. In this paper, we propose a new NLR‐based heuristic called NLR_MCP, in which the search process is interpreted from a probability's perspective. Simulation results indicate that NLR_MCP can achieve a higher probability of finding feasible solutions than H_MCOP. We also verify that the performance improvement of a MCP heuristic has a tremendous impact on the performance of a higher level heuristic that uses a MCP heuristic as the basic step. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Understanding mechanisms of γ‐globin gene regulation to develop strategies for pharmacological fetal hemoglobin induction
Authors: Pace Betty S. , Zein Sima
Published: April 2006

The developmental regulation of γ‐globin gene expression has shaped research efforts to establish therapeutic modalities for individuals affected with sickle cell disease (SCD). Fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) synthesis is high at birth, followed by a decline to adult levels by 10 months of age. The expression of γ‐globin is controlled by a developmentally regulated transcriptional program that is recapitulated during normal erythropoiesis in the adult bone marrow. It is known that naturally occurring mutations in the γ‐gene promoters cause persistent Hb F synthesis after birth, which ameliorates symptoms in SCD by inhibiting hemoglobin S polymerization and vaso‐occlusion. Several pharmacological agents have been identified over the past 2 decades that reactivate γ‐gene transcription through different cellular systems. We will review the progress made in our understanding of molecular mechanisms that control γ‐globin expression and insights gained from Hb F–inducing agents that act through signal transduction pathways. Developmental Dynamics 235:1727–1737, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Misexpression screen for genes altering the olfactory map in Drosophila
Authors: Zhang Dongsheng , Zhou Weiguang , Yin Chong , Chen Weitao , Ozawa Rie , Ang Lay‐Hong , Anandan Lavanya , Aigaki Toshiro , Hing Huey
Published: April 2006

Despite the identification of a number of guidance molecules, a comprehensive picture has yet to emerge to explain the precise anatomy of the olfactory map. From a misexpression screen of 1,515 P{GS} lines, we identified 23 genes that, when forcibly expressed in the olfactory receptor neurons, disrupted the stereotyped anatomy of the Drosophila antennal lobes. These genes, which have not been shown previously to control olfactory map development, encode novel proteins as well as proteins with known roles in axonal outgrowth and cytoskeletal remodeling. We analyzed Akap200, which encodes a Protein Kinase A‐binding protein. Overexpression of Akap200 resulted in fusion of the glomeruli, while its loss resulted in misshapen and ectopic glomeruli. The requirement of Akap200 validates our screen as an effective approach for recovering genes controlling glomerular map patterning. Our finding of diverse classes of genes reveals the complexity of the mechanisms that underlie olfactory map development. genesis 44:189–201, 2006. Published 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rare Earth Benzotriazolates: Coordination Polymers Incorporating Decomposition Products from Ammonia to 1,2‐Diaminobenzene in∞1[Ln(Btz)3(BtzH)] (Ln = Ce, Pr), ∞1[Ln(Btz)3{Ph(NH2)2}] (Ln = Nd, Tb, Yb), and ∞1[Ho2(Btz)6(BtzH)(NH3)]
Authors: Müller‐Buschbaum Klaus , Mokaddem Yassin
Published: April 2006

The solvent‐free melt reactions of benzotriazole (BtzH, C6H4N2NH) with rare earth metals result in three different types of benzotriazolate coordination polymers. Early 4f metals yield ∞1[Ln(Btz)3(BtzH)] [Ln = Ce (1), Pr (2)], from neodymium to ytterbium the type ∞1[Ln(Btz)3{Ph(NH2)2}] is observed [Ln = Nd (3), Tb (4), Yb (5)], whereas the late 4f metal Ho gives ∞1[Ho2(Btz)6(BtzH)(NH3)] (6). Depending on the reaction conditions and the respective rare earth element, ligand fragments originating from decomposition products are incorporated in the coordination polymers. Compounds 1–3 and 6 were obtained as single crystals and their crystal structures determined by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis, whilst 4 and 5 were obtained as powders. X‐ray powder diffraction shows the isotypic character of polymers 3, 4, and 5. The benzotriazolates contain trivalent lanthanide ions with complete nitrogen coordination. Decomposition of the ligand accompanies the formation of the coordination polymers. X‐ray analysis was combined with thermal analysis and mass spectrometry to investigate the influence of reaction temperatures on ligand decomposition. Ln‐benzotriazolates exhibit aspects of materials science such as luminescence {5D4→7FJ, J = 4–6 for ∞1[Tb(Btz)3{Ph(NH2)2}] (4)} without quenching by concentration. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Tetrahydropyran‐Amino Acids: Novel Building Blocks for Gramicidin‐Hybrid Ion Channels
Authors: Schröder Sabine , Schrey Anna K. , Knoll Andrea , Reiß Philipp , Ziemer Burkhard , Koert Ulrich
Published: April 2006

The stereoselective synthesis of a cis‐2,6‐disubstituted tetrahydropyran bearing a δ‐amino acid has been achieved starting from N‐Boc‐leucinal. The THP amino acid was incorporated into peptide sequences and the structural consequences were studied by X‐ray crystallography and NMR analysis. Single‐channel current measurements showed that the THP amino acid is a suitable substitute for positions 11 and 12 of the gramicidin ion channel. The resulting hybrid ion channel revealed Eisenman I ion selectivity and an ion‐dependence of the channel dwell time. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Preparation, Crystallographic Characterization, and Theoretical Study of C70(CF3)14
Authors: Goryunkov Alexey A. , Ignat’eva Daria V. , Tamm Nadezhda B. , Moiseeva Natalia N. , Ioffe Ilya N. , Avdoshenko Stanislav M. , Markov Vitaly Yu. , Sidorov Lev N. , Kemnitz Erhard , Troyanov Sergey I.
Published: April 2006

Five C70(CF3)14 isomers have been isolated chromatographically from the mixture produced in the ampoule reaction between C70 and CF3I at 390 °C. Molecular structures of four isomers have been determined in a single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction study. A quantum chemical survey of the theoretically possible isomers demonstrated that the structures obtained are energetically favorable but that there is probably no full thermodynamic control in the trifluoromethylation process.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Formation of Ethyl 1‐Thiomannopyranosides from 2‐O‐Chloroacetylated and 2‐O‐Levulinoylated Synthons
Authors: Adamo Roberto , Kováč Pavol
Published: April 2006

With the aim to prepare key glycosyl donors for the synthesis of fragments of the O‐specific polysaccharides of Vibrio cholerae O:1, 1‐O‐acetyl derivatives of perosamine bearing participating 2‐O‐chloroacetyl or 2‐O‐levulinoyl groups were treated with EtSH and BF3·Et2O. While poor stereoselectivity of the formation of ethyl 1‐thioglycosides (α:β = 3:2) was observed with 2‐O‐chloroacetylated intermediates, the same products can be obtained with good stereoselectivity (α:β = 7:1) from 2‐O‐levulinoylated intermediates. Selective regeneration of the carbonyl group from dithioketals in the presence of S,O‐acetals by treatment with AgNO3 and Ag2O in MeCN/H2O is also described. The conversion allows direct preparation of 1‐thioglycosides from carbohydrates protected with the levulinic ester group. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Optimal two‐stage genotyping designs for genome‐wide association scans
Authors: Wang Hansong , Thomas Duncan C. , Pe'er Itsik , Stram Daniel O.
Published: April 2006

The much‐anticipated fixed‐array, genome‐wide SNP genotyping technologies make large‐scale genome‐wide association scans now possible for large numbers of subjects. In this paper we reconsider the problem (Satagopan and Elston [2003] Genet Epidemiol 25:149–157) of optimizing a two‐stage genotyping design to deal with important new issues that are relevant when studies are expanded from candidate gene size to a genome‐wide scale. We investigate how the basic two‐stage genotyping approach, in which all markers are genotyped in an initial group of subjects (stage I) and only the promising markers are genotyped in additional subjects (stage II), can be used to reduce genotyping cost in a genome‐wide case‐control association study even after allowing for much higher per genotype costs using specially designed assays in stage II, compared to the fixed array of SNPs used in stage I. In addition, we consider the problem of using measured SNPs to make (imperfect) prediction of unmeasured SNPs for association tests of all SNPs (measured or unmeasured) genome wide and the utility of expanding genotyping densities in stage II in the regions where significant associations were detected in stage I. Under a set of reasonable but conservative assumptions, we derive optimal two‐stage design configurations (sample sizes and the thresholds of significance in both stages) with these optimal designs depending both on the total number of markers tested and upon the ratios of cost in stage II versus stage I. In addition we show how existing software for power and sample size calculations can be used for the purpose of designing two‐stage studies, for a wide range of assumptions about the number of markers genotyped and the costs of genotyping in each stage of the study. Genet. Epidemiol. 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Improved survival and chemotherapy response among patients with AIDS‐related non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Diamond Catherine , Taylor Thomas H , Im Theresa , Miradi Mohammed , Anton‐Culver Hoda
Published: April 2006

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) became available in the US in 1996. Using the population‐based cancer registry, we identified 233 patients with AIDS‐related systemic NHL diagnosed in San Diego or Orange County in 1994–1999, of whom 137 were diagnosed 1996–1999. We performed Kaplan‐Meier analyses to compare survival between patients who received HAART at NHL diagnosis or thereafter versus untreated patients and Cox proportional hazard models for adjusted survival. We used logistic regression to determine if concomitant HAART changed the probability of complete response to chemotherapy and the Mann–Whitney U‐test to compare the median number of chemotherapy cycles between patients who received HAART during chemotherapy versus those who did not. Among patients diagnosed with NHL in 1996–1999, 40 (29%) were taking HAART at NHL diagnosis. The median survival was three months among patients who did not receive HAART versus 16 months among HAART‐treated patients. HAART, chemotherapy, high performance status, and NHL stage < IV were associated with improved survival. Concomitant HAART, completion of ≥ 6 chemotherapy cycles, and NHL stage < IV were associated with complete response to chemotherapy. The median number of chemotherapy cycles was five among patients who received HAART concomitant with chemotherapy versus three among untreated patients. We conclude that HAART should be initiated or continued after NHL diagnosis, including during the period of chemotherapy administration. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The ultrastructure of MCF‐10A acini
Authors: Underwood Jean M. , Imbalzano Karen M. , Weaver Valerie M. , Fischer Andrew H. , Imbalzano Anthony N. , Nickerson Jeffrey A.
Published: April 2006

MCF‐10A human mammary epithelial cells cultured inside reconstituted basement membrane form acini that resemble the acinar structures of mammary lobules. This three‐dimensional culture system has been used for identifying and characterizing the signal transduction pathways controlling cell proliferation and death, and for studying their disregulation in malignant progression. We have compared the ultrastructure of MCF‐10A acini, MCF‐10A cells grown in monolayer, and the acinar structures of human breast lobules. The tissue architecture of MCF‐10A acini was formed by hemidesmosomes connected to a basement membrane and by abundant desmosomes between acinar cells. Intermediate filaments that joined into large and abundant filament bundles connected hemidesmosomes and desmosomes to sites at the nuclear surface. Fewer and thinner bundles of filaments were observed in monolayer MCF‐10A cells and even fewer in breast tissue. Tight junctions were observed between cells in breast tissue but missing in MCF‐10A acini. The cytoplasm of MCF‐10A acinar cells had a polar organization similar to that observed in breast tissue, with centrosomes and the Golgi apparatus on the apical side of the nucleus. MCF‐10A acinar nuclei had an irregular, frequently invaginated surface and had a single nucleolus. The distribution of heterochromatin was similar to that in the epithelial cells of breast tissue. The nuclei of monolayer MCF‐10A cells had multiple nucleoli, a more regular profile, and less heterochromatin. Electron microscopy has the resolution required to survey features of MCF‐10A cell and acinus architecture that may change with manipulations designed to induce malignant phenotypes. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aid, social policies and pro‐poor growth
Authors: Verschoor Arjan , Kalwij Adriaan
Published: April 2006

Recent literature reports that foreign aid contributes to economic growth when economic policies are good. This paper claims that aid can contribute not just to growth but also to pro‐poor growth, through increasing the responsiveness of social indicators to economic growth. The empirical evidence we present is in favour of this claim, suggesting that both aid itself and a recipient government's budget share allocated to social services tend to increase the (absolute) size of the income elasticity of poverty and infant mortality, and that, moreover, aid tends to increase this budget share. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Radical cation formation in characterization of novel C3‐symmetric disks and their precursors by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Lou Xianwen , van den Hout Kelly P. , van Houtem Michel H. C. J. , van Dongen Joost L. J. , Vekemans Jef A. J. M. , Meijer E. W.
Published: April 2006

Four C3‐symmetrical tris(dipeptide) disks and their precursors were characterized using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS). The C3‐symmetrical disks were based on a benzene‐1,3,5‐triscarboxamide core extended by oligopeptides with trialkoxyanilide tails. The results indicate that MALDI TOF MS is a powerful and straightforward analytical technique for characterizing C3‐symmetrical disks and their precursors. Clear (pseudo)‐molecular ion peaks could readily be identified. It is remarkable that strong radical ion signals were observed for all the compounds, including the anilines that were expected to be protonated prior to laser irradiation using acidic MALDI matrixes. Possible mechanisms for radical ion formation were investigated with the employment of radical scavengers, with various matrixes and with direct laser desorption/ionization (LDI). Most likely the radicals are formed by losing one electron from the aniline nitrogen and stabilized by conjugation through the phenyl ring. It appears that direct photo/thermal ionization of analytes is an important route for the radical ion formation of the compounds with trialkoxy aniline/anilide groups. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Immuno‐Raman microspectroscopy: In situ detection of antigens in tissue specimens by surface‐enhanced Raman scattering
Authors: Schlücker S. , Küstner B. , Punge A. , Bonfig R. , Marx A. , Ströbel P.
Published: April 2006

We demonstrate the first realization of immuno‐Raman microspectroscopy, a novel methodology in immunohistochemistry. The in situ detection of antigens in tissue specimens is achieved by surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from aromatic Raman labels covalently linked to the corresponding antibody. As an example of applications of this new Raman technique, we present the localization of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) in epithelial tissue from patients with prostate carcinoma (PCA). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of germination and dehulling on functional properties of legume flours
Authors: Ghavidel Reihaneh Ahmadzadeh , Prakash Jamuna
Published: April 2006

The functional properties of flours derived from selected legumes were studied before and after dehulling of the germinated seeds. Ungerminated seeds were used as the control. The chosen legumes were green gram (Phaseolus aureus), cowpea (Vigna catjang), lentil (Lens culinaris) and bengal gram (Cicer arietinum). Dehulled samples had a higher protein solubility compared with germinated and control samples. The bulk densities of germinated and dehulled legume flours were lower compared to control. Germination increased water absorption capacities of legume flours from 1226, 1285, 974 and 1362 g kg−1 to 1481, 1433, 1448 and 1517 g kg−1 in green gram, cowpea, lentil and bengal gram, respectively. Fat absorption capacities increased in germinated samples (1130, 1242, 920 and 837 g kg−1) as against 900, 993, 857 and 788 g kg−1 at ambient conditions for green gram, cowpea, lentil and bengal gram, respectively. On dehulling, the fat absorption capacities of samples were reduced and the differences were statistically significant. The emulsification capacities of control samples ranged from 55 to 193 ml oil emulsified per gram of sample. On germination and dehulling, the emulsification capacities, activities and stabilities of samples increased significantly. There were increases in foaming capacities and reduction in foam stabilities of all the samples investigated on germination and dehulling. Thus, the study indicated that germination and dehulling improved the functional properties of legumes. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Supplementing fresh pasture with maize, lotus, sulla and pasture silages for dairy cows in summer
Authors: Woodward Sharon L , Chaves Alexandre V , Waghorn Garry C , Brookes Ian M , Burke Jennifer L
Published: April 2006

A trial was conducted to compare benefits obtained from feeding four types of silage. There were two silages that contained condensed tannins (CT)—lotus (Lotus corniculatus) and sulla (Hedysarum coronarium)—maize silage or traditional ryegrass pasture silage, all fed at 5 kg dry matter (DM) cow−1 day−1 with restricted pasture (RP). Cows on the RP (control) treatment and those fed the silage treatments were offered an allowance of 25 kg pasture DM cow−1 day−1, while the full pasture (FP) cows were offered 50 kg pasture DM cow−1 day−1. Silage supplementation increased both DM intake and milk yield compared with cows given RP only. Cows on the lotus silage supplement and the FP treatment had significantly higher milk production than the other silage supplemented cows (P < 0.001). For cows given lotus silage, the high milk yield was probably due to a combination of the higher nutritive value of the silage and possibly to the protein‐sparing effects of the lotus condensed tannins because the total DM intake of cows fed the lotus silage was the same as that of cows given the pasture and maize silages (P > 0.25). The high milk yield of the FP treatment was mainly a result of the cows having a higher intake of pasture than cows on all the other treatments. This study demonstrated the potential benefit of silage supplementation, particularly with lotus silage, for increased milksolids yield in summer when low pasture growth rates and quality may otherwise limit production. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Immunoaffinity carrier prepared by immobilization of antibody via Co3+‐chelate
Authors: Zatloukalová Eva , Kucerová Zdenka
Published: April 2006

A method for the immobilization of antibodies to inert matrix represents an important factor that affects results of immunoaffinity chromatography. Binding antibodies to immobilized metal ions is an example of oriented immobilization that avoids a random coupling of a protein. Preparation of a stable immunoaffinity sorbent using immobilized metal ions was described. Antibodies were bound to chelated Co3+ ions that were prepared by oxidation of Co2+‐iminodiacetic acid agarose using hydrogen peroxide. The formation of a stable complex of the antibody with immobilized Co3+ ions was proved. Antibodies bound by this way were not released with solutions of 50 mM EDTA, 6 M urea, 3 M NaCl, 20% v/v dioxane, 0.1 M imidazole and buffers of pH 2.5 and pH 11.0. If needed, antibody could be released from the carrier by the reduction of Co3+ ions with a reducing agent (e. g. dithiotreitol or 2‐mercaptoethanol). Antibody released from the carrier could be then replaced by another antibody. The method described in this paper was used for the immobilization of polyclonal rabbit anti‐ovalbumin antibody or egg yolk antibody (IgY) produced in chicken. In a model experiment, immobilized polyclonal rabbit antibodies were used for the separation of ovalbumin from egg white and conditions of chromatography were described.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Degradable Aliphatic Polyester that Contains Monomeric Lactate Sequences
Authors: Xiao Congming , He Yueying , Jin Hongmei
Published: April 2006

Summary: A novel degradable aliphatic polyester that contains monomeric lactate sequences is synthesized via melt‐polycondensation of ethylene glycol lactate diol (EGLD) with succinic anhydride without the use of catalyst. The structure of the EGLD precursor and the polyester are verified with FT‐IR and 1H NMR spectra. Gel permeation chromatography reveals that the weight‐average molecular weight of the polyester is 5.5 × 104 with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 1.7. Differential scanning calorimetry profiles reveal that the polyester is a semicrystalline polymer with a glass transition temperature of −12 °C and melting temperature of 101 °C. The weight loss percentage of the polyester after immersing for 208 d in active sludge is 2.7%, which suggests degradation has occurred.

The synthesis route of the polyester synthesized here (see inset for structure).

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The synthesis route of the polyester synthesized here (see inset for structure).
Macromonomer Purification Strategy for Well‐Defined Polymer Amphiphiles Incorporating Poly(ethylene glycol) Monomethacrylate
Authors: Taniguchi Ikuo , Kuhlman William A. , Griffith Linda G. , Mayes Anne M.
Published: April 2006

Summary: Commercial hydroxy‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylates (PEG‐MAs) contain poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate, which leads to unfavorable gel formation on polymerization. Here, hydroxy‐terminated PEG‐MA is readily isolated using a dimethylsilyl resin chlorinated with 1,3‐dichloro‐5,5‐dimethylhydantoin. Solution polymerization of the isolated PEG‐MA by free radical routes gives a high‐molecular‐weight amphiphilic graft copolymer without cross‐linking. The resulting polymer is stable for long periods in ambient conditions with preservation of the hydroxy end groups of PEG.

Commercial hydroxy‐terminated PEG‐MA can be separated readily and completely from PEG dimethacrylate contaminant with chlorinated dimethylsilyl resin.

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Commercial hydroxy‐terminated PEG‐MA can be separated readily and completely from PEG dimethacrylate contaminant with chlorinated dimethylsilyl resin.
Synthesis of Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles in Non‐Aqueous Emulsions
Authors: Müller Kevin , Klapper Markus , Müllen Klaus
Published: April 2006

Summary: A novel non‐aqueous emulsion system, consisting of cyclohexane as the continuous and acetonitrile as the dispersed phase, is described. Stabilization of the system can be achieved by using polyisoprene‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) copolymers as emulsifiers. The suitability of this system for performing water‐sensitive, catalytic, and oxidative polymerizations and polycondensations is demonstrated by the synthesis of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(thiophene‐3‐yl‐acetic acid), and polyacetylene. In all cases spherical nanoparticles with diameters as small as 23 nm can be obtained.

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Film Growth and Surface Roughness with Effective Fluctuating Covalent Bonds in Evaporating Aqueous Solution of Reactive Hydrophobic and Polar Groups: A Computer Simulation Model
Authors: Yang Shihai , Seyfarth Adam , Bateman Samuel P. , Pandey Ras B.
Published: April 2006

Summary: A computer simulation model is proposed to study film growth and surface roughness in aqueous (A) solution of hydrophobic (H) and hydrophilic (P) groups on a simple three dimensional lattice of size $L_x \times L_y \times L_z$ with an adsorbing substrate. Each group is represented by a particle with appropriate characteristics occupying a unit cube (i.e., eight sites). The Metropolis algorithm is used to move each particle stochastically. The aqueous constituents are allowed to evaporate while the concentration of H and P is constant. Reactions proceed from the substrate and bonded particles can hop within a fluctuating bond length. The film thickness ($h$) and its interface width ($W$) are examined for hardcore and interacting particles for a range of temperature ($T$). Simulation data show a rapid increase in $h$ and $W$ followed by its non‐monotonic growth and decay before reaching steady‐state and near equilibrium ($h_{\rm s}, W_{\rm s}$) in asymptotic time step limit. The growth can be described by power laws, e.g., $h \propto t^{\gamma}, W \propto t^{\beta}$ with a typical value of $\gamma \approx 2, \beta \approx 1$ in initial time regime followed by $\gamma \approx 1.5, \beta \approx 0.8$ at $T = 0.5$. For hardcore system, the equilibrium film thickness ($h_{\rm s}$) and surface roughness ($w_{\rm s}$) seem to scale linearly with the temperature, i.e., $h_{\rm s} = 6.206 + 0.302 T, W_{\rm s} = 1\,255 + 0.425 T$ at low $T$ and $h_{\rm s} = 6.54 + 0.198 T, W_{\rm s} = 1.808 + 0.202 T$ at higher $T$. For interacting functional groups in contrast, the long time (unsaturated) film thickness and surface roughness, $h_{\rm s}$ and $W_{\rm s}$ decay rapidly followed by a slow increase on raising the temperature.

Growth of the average film thickness at a temperature $T=5$.

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Growth of the average film thickness at a temperature $T=5$.
Mathematical Modeling of Atom‐Transfer Radical Polymerization Using Bifunctional Initiators
Authors: Al‐Harthi Mamdouh , Soares João B. P. , Simon Leonardo C.
Published: April 2006

Summary: Bifunctional initiators can produce polymers with higher molecular weight at higher initiator concentrations than monofunctional initiators. In this study, we developed a mathematical model for ATRP with bifunctional initiators. The most important reactions in ATRP were included in the model. The method of moments was used to predict monomer conversion, average molecular weights and polydispersity index as a function of polymerization time in batch reactors. The model was used to understand the mechanism of ATRP and to quantify how polymerization conditions affect monomer conversion and polymer properties by examining the effect of several rate constants (activation, deactivation, propagation and chain termination) and of catalyst and initiator concentration on polymerization kinetics and polymer properties. When compared to monofunctional initiators, bifunctional initiators not only produce polymers with higher molecular weight averages at higher polymerization rates, but also control their molecular weight distributions more effectively.

Effect of initial catalyst concentration on polydispersity index as a function of time.

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Effect of initial catalyst concentration on polydispersity index as a function of time.
Correlations and Fluctuations of Charged Colloids as Determined by Anomalous Small‐Angle X‐Ray Scattering
Authors: Jusufi Arben , Ballauff Matthias
Published: April 2006

Summary: We performed molecular dynamics simulation of a charged colloidal particle with explicit counterions. Our work provides a direct comparison between simulations and ASAXS‐experiments, offering insight into the counterion distribution of charged colloidal suspensions. We give a detailed constitution of the appearing scattering terms with their physical meaning. It is shown that the cross‐correlation between a macroion and its counterions gives the meanfield approximation of the counterion density even if the counterion system is highly fluctuating. Furthermore, it is shown that cross‐correlations can be negative due to oscillations of the density amplitudes of the macroion and counterions and, therefore, must be distinguished from other scattering contributions. These oscillations become more pronounced if the counterions exhibit a fixed shape and if the size of the macroion and that of the counterion system are different.

Simulation sanpshot of a charged colloid (big central sphere) with counterions (small spheres).

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Simulation sanpshot of a charged colloid (big central sphere) with counterions (small spheres).
An absolute approximation algorithm for scheduling unrelated machines
Authors: Shchepin Evgeny , Vakhania Nodari
Published: April 2006

Non‐preemptive scheduling of n independent jobs on m unrelated machines so as to minimize the maximal job completion time is considered. A polynomial algorithm with the worst‐case absolute error of min{(1 − 1/m)pmax, p} is presented, where pmax is the largest job processing time and p is the mth element from the non‐increasing list of job processing times. This is better than the earlier known best absolute error of pmax. The algorithm is based on the rounding of acyclic multiprocessor distributions. An O(nm2) algorithm for the construction of an acyclic multiprocessor distribution is also presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006
Replicated batch means for steady‐state simulations
Authors: Argon Nilay Tanık , Andradóttir Sigrún
Published: April 2006

This paper studies a new steady‐state simulation output analysis method called replicated batch means in which a small number of replications are conducted and the observations in these replications are grouped into batches. This paper also introduces and compares methods for selecting the initial state of each replication.

More specifically, we show that confidence intervals constructed by the replicated batch means method are valid for large batch sizes and derive expressions for the expected values and variances of the steady‐state mean and variance estimators for stationary processes and large sample sizes. We then use these expressions, analytical examples, and numerical experiments to compare the replicated batch means method with the standard batch means and multiple replications methods. The numerical results, which are obtained from an AR(1) process and a small, nearly‐decomposable Markov chain, show that the multiple replications method often gives confidence intervals with poorer coverage than the standard and replicated batch means methods and that the replicated batch means method, implemented with good choices of initialization method and number of replications, provides confidence interval coverages that range from being comparable with to being noticeably better than coverages obtained by the standard batch means method. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006
National integrity systems in small Pacific Island states
Authors: Larmour Peter , Barcham Manuhuia
Published: April 2006

Studies of ‘national integrity systems’ are part of the new international concern with corruption and its prevention. Alan Doig and Stephanie McIvor coordinated studies of 18 countries, and reflected on their method in Public Administration and Development (2003). This article compares their conclusions with an overview of a subsequent study of 12 small island states in the South Pacific using the same method. Though the sample was not chosen with scale in mind, smallness might explain some of the similarities between the Pacific Island cases, particularly the risks associated with offshore financial centres, trust funds and investments. Their relative size and weakness has also made them targets for direct intervention by Australian police and officials to rebuild anti‐corruption institutions. The article goes on to show how the evidence from the Pacific Island cases raises questions about some of the standard proposals for anti‐corruption reform: stronger parties, an ICAC, civil society coalitions and greater accountability and transparency. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Beyond ‘best practice’ and ‘basics first’ in adopting performance budgeting reform
Authors: Andrews Matthew
Published: April 2006

Performance‐based reforms pose a challenge for governments, especially in developing countries. In the 1990s a ‘best practice’ approach characterises such reform, as likely to fail and to introduce risk and instability into governance processes. An intuitive ‘basics first’ approach was suggested instead, whereby governments foster performance‐based reforms through first developing ‘budget basics’. The current article analyses experience in seven cases of performance‐based reform to examine whether evidence exists to validate this approach. It advises that reformers move beyond ‘best practice’ and ‘basics first’ and design models and reforms around ‘other factors’ influencing progress. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perils of religion: need for spirituality in the public sphere
Authors: Collins Paul , Kakabadse Nada K.
Published: April 2006

On both sides of the Atlantic, there is increased professional concern over roles in international public sector management—whether those of the policy makers, administrators or consultants. Growing numbers across many sectors feel an unprecedented crisis of identity and integrity. In international development, institutions often find themselves subordinated to the military in ever increasing conflict situations (the ‘development‐security complex’). Locally, the global tendency is for public administration to be ‘re‐engineered’ on the basis of so‐called ‘market’ values (the ‘New Public Administration’). Private sector management models are, nevertheless, hardly exemplary. Corporate greed and scandals proliferate in a world featuring increasing poverty extremes, resurgence of old or advent in new diseases (e.g. HIV/Aids), environmental degradation and racism. This article takes, as its starting point, the fact that the workplace has become an insecure and alienating environment. In pursuing the relationship between spirituality and religion, the article next distinguishes between, the dogmatic, institutionalised and potentially dangerous characteristics of many religions and the more intuitively contemplative character of spirituality with its stress on awareness of self, impact on others and feeling of universal connectedness. Bearing in mind the often extremism as well as variety of religions (as distinct from spirituality), the second section examines the interrelationship between the two. A number of models are advanced concerning relationships between belief, belonging, salvation and ritual. It is argued that attention needs to be given to the inner side of religion, which requires individuals to embark on a spiritual journey through contemplation and reflection, rather than the more visible side of religion expressed in ritual. In sum, spiritual dialogue is offered as a way forward and as a mechanism for building spiritual community through engagement. The final part of the article focuses on a trans‐Atlantic spiritual engagement initiative. Faith‐based discussion groups have been formed amongst business executives and professionals in USA (the Woodstock Business Conference promoted out of Georgetown University) and more recently in the City of London at the St Paul's Cathedral Institute (the Paternoster Pilot Group). These aim to develop more meaningful work orientation: rediscovery of higher purpose and its relevance to restoration of ethical business and public service values, as well as better integration of personal and social domains. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Beyond the ivory tower: from business aims to policy making
Authors: Tudway Richard , Pascal Ana‐Maria
Published: April 2006

This article explores the provenance of some of those deepest heart‐felt anxieties of modern times—and offers a practical response. There is a pervasive sense of angst in OECD countries about where we are headed. Somehow the values, public and private, we once thought we all stood for are compromised. The democratic process looks tired and shop‐soiled. This backdrop plays upon deeper existential fears. Do we have any real control over our individual or collective destinies? The effect is morally and spiritually debilitating. This is, in brief, the core of the Argument from the first section. It is followed in section two by a presentation of the Facts that support this rather uninviting scenario. After looking at how things are shaping up on the socio‐economic and political fronts, one provisional conclusion is that values and beliefs, along with policies and institutions, are in a state of poor repair. Section three on Findings adds to the sense of existential woe. It does so by exploring the real or imagined psychological disjunction which is common in the today's work‐place and everyday living. The alienation and the loss of direction that affects the wellbeing and even the balance of otherwise normal people is striking. We are left with unanswered questions at many different levels. Why are the prospects of progress in dealing positively and constructively with these problems so uncertain? Is there any all‐in‐one solution, or are we simply to address each symptom as it comes along, and disregard the wider context? Section four of the paper tries to provide a holistic Prognosis of the situation, seen from an all‐level encompassing perspective. It does so in the belief we cannot meaningfully begin to address specific symptoms outside the context of the wider whole. It concludes with a few simple, in some ways ageless aspirations of mankind, whose aim is to equate what we say with what we do. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The heart (and soul?) of international development: the role of faith in global poverty reduction
Authors: Orrnert Anna
Published: April 2006

With prognosis bleak in most countries for meeting the MDGs by 2015, development approaches are being scrutinised in an effort to identify gaps and opportunities in policy and practice. Can faith fill some of the current gaps or will it merely get in the way of the (mainly secular) development agenda? This article reviews four books on the subject and focuses on their underlying themes: the linkages between faith and development and how faith‐based communities can make a positive contribution to the reduction of global poverty. Despite growing acknowledgement by the secular development community that issues of faith may be more relevant than previously recognised, many of the tensions that have polarised the faith and development worlds for so long still abound. These books highlight that a just world should not merely be considered a singular aim of both the development and faith communities, but needs to be understood as a shared aim. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Coping with diabetes project, Hackney Diabetes Centre
Authors: Jesson A‐M , Kara P , Sanal E , Cos L
Published: April 2006

The City and Hackney Primary Care Trust area has one of the most diverse populations in the UK. It has a very diverse ethnic mix and many community languages. ‘Coping with Diabetes’ is a Neighbourhood Renewal Fund (NRF) funded project based at the Hackney Diabetes Centre which aims to empower and educate people with diabetes and at risk of diabetes from ethnic minority and vulnerable groups.

The project has implemented many group education sessions, has been present at health fairs, and has produced an audio CD, patient held records, educational leaflets and a website to enable not just the project workers, but the whole Primary Care Trust to reach out to communities who are at risk of diabetes and to people with diabetes who do not have English as a first language. The project has so far been running for six months and over 1000 people have been screened for diabetes, over 30 educational groups have been run, an audio CD in Turkish has been produced and 800 copies have been distributed to GPs and patients. Patient held records for 7500 patients are being printed, a website has been produced and a script for a DVD is currently being designed.

Hackney Diabetes Centre is making real in‐roads into meeting targets 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Diabetes National Service Framework, in a diverse and hard to reach population. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SCTL-MUS: A Formal Methodology for Software Development of Distributed Systems. A Case Study
Authors: Pazos Arias José J. , Duque Jorge García
Published: April 2006

This paper introduces an iterative model for the software development process of distributed systems. It is based on dealing with the system evolution and maintenance activities as similar stages of the system development. In order to formalise this model, a multi-valued causal temporal logic, referred to as Simple Causal Temporal Logic (SCTL), is defined for the acquisition and specification of the functional requirements. A Model of Unspecified States (MUS) is also defined with a double goal: firstly, to show the fundamental aspects of system behaviour, which has been specified through a set of SCTL requirements; and, secondly, to verify the consistency and completeness of the specified requirements.

The combination of SCTL and MUS allows obtaining the specification of the initial architecture of the system formally. Besides, the design decisions are stored with the goal of making the evolution and maintenance tasks easier. The translation between MUS and a constructive formal description technique (LOTOS) is automatic from the definition of architectural operators.
Non-Archimedean integrals and stringy Euler numbers of log-terminal pairs
Authors: Batyrev Victor V.
Published: April 2006

Using non-Archimedian integration over spaces of arcs of algebraic varieties, we define stringy Euler numbers associated with arbitrary Kawamata log-terminal pairs. There is a natural Kawamata log-terminal pair corresponding to an algebraic variety V having a regular action of a finite group G. In this situation we show that the stringy Euler number of this pair coincides with the physicists' orbifold Euler number defined by the Dixon-Harvey-Vafa-Witten formula. As an application, we prove a conjecture of Miles Reid on the Euler numbers of crepant desingularizations of Gorenstein quotient singularities.
Hamiltonian loops from the ergodic point of view
Authors: Polterovich Leonid
Published: April 2006

Let G be the group of Hamiltonian diffeomorphisms of a closed symplectic manifold Y. A loop h:S1MG is called strictly ergodic if for some irrational number ! the associated skew product map T:S12YMS12Y defined by T(t,y)=(t+!,h(t)y) is strictly ergodic. In the present paper we address the following question. Which elements of the fundamental group of G can be represented by strictly ergodic loops? We prove existence of contractible strictly ergodic loops for a wide class of symplectic manifolds (for instance for simply connected ones). Further, we find a restriction on the homotopy classes of smooth strictly ergodic loops in the framework of Hofer's bi-invariant geometry on G. Namely, we prove that their asymptotic Hofer's norm must vanish. This result provides a link between ergodic theory and symplectic topology.