bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Process Reengineering and Innovation of Remaking Soapsuds
Authors: Verbič Andreja , Kern Tomaž , Vuk Drago
Published: October 2009

Process Reengineering and Innovation of Remaking Soapsuds

This article uses a business process renovation method to address an environmental protection problem. The presented case, studied in factories which remake crude vegetable oil (soapsuds remake), focuses on reengineering one of the business processes which is classified as an obligatory process. This process has to be performed to comply with the requirements of the existing ecology legislation. Therefore, it is reasonable to take a radical approach - business process reengineering. Soapsuds with oil remnants are a secondary product in the vegetable oil refining process. According to the legislation, secondary products as waste are not acceptable for the environment. Soapsuds remake as it is currently carried out produces technical fatty acids and, as a side product, calcium sulphate. Calcium sulphate is listed as special waste; therefore it must be deposited in a special waste landfill site. In the course of searching for a solution to this ecological problem, a new idea came up, namely that soapsuds are taken to the biogas plant. At the biogas plant, they can be decomposed into biogas, which is then used to generate electric energy, for heating or to supplement municipal gas. Thus, the reengineering of the process is upgraded into process innovation and environmental innovation. Using data obtained from the available literature, we managed to prove that process reengineering, which is simultaneously process innovation and ecological innovation, can be applied in practice. Side products resulting from the anaerobic digestion of soapsuds in the biogas plant comply better with the requirements of the Slovenian ecological legislation than those occurring in the process used up to now.
SHRIMP U-Th-Pb zircon dating of the granitoid massifs in the Malé Karpaty Mountains (Western Carpathians): evidence of Meso-Hercynian successive S- to I-type granitic magmatism
Authors: Kohút Milan , Uher Pavel , Putiš Marián , Ondrejka Martin , Sergeev Sergey , Larionov Alexander , Paderin Ilya
Published: October 2009

SHRIMP U-Th-Pb zircon dating of the granitoid massifs in the Malé Karpaty Mountains (Western Carpathians): evidence of Meso-Hercynian successive S- to I-type granitic magmatism

Representative granitic rock samples from the Malé Karpaty Mountains of the Western Carpathians (Slovakia) were dated by the SHRIMP U-Th-Pb isotope method on zircons. Oscillatory zoned zircons revealed concordant Mississippian magmatic ages: 355±5 Ma in Bratislava granodiorite, and 347±4 Ma in Modra tonalite. The results document nearly synchronous, successive Meso-Hercynian plutonic events from S-type to I-type granites. The Neo-Proterozoic inherited zircon cores (590±13 Ma) were identified in the Bratislava S-type granitic rocks whereas scarce Paleo-Proterozoic inherited zircons (1984±36 Ma) were detected within the Modra I-type tonalites.
Lithofacies and age data of Jurassic foreslope and basin sediments of Rudabánya Hills (NE Hungary) and their tectonic interpretation
Authors: Kövér Szilvia , Haas János , Ozsvárt Péter , Görög Ágnes , Götz Annette , Józsa Sándor
Published: October 2009

Lithofacies and age data of Jurassic foreslope and basin sediments of Rudabánya Hills (NE Hungary) and their tectonic interpretation

Jurassic sedimentary rocks of the Telekesvölgy Complex (Bódva Series), Telekesoldal Complex (Telekesoldal Nappe) and the Csipkés Hill olistostrome in Rudabánya Hills (NE Hungary) were sampled for microfacies studies and interpretation of the depositional environments. The Telekesvölgy Complex is made up of reddish to greenish marl, occasionally containing limestone olistoliths — gradually progresses from the Norian Hallstatt Limestone of the Bódva Series — then grey marl, which may correspond to the latest Triassic Zlambach Formation. This variegated marl progresses into grey marl and calcareous marl, containing crinoid fragments. It may be interpreted as a hemipelagic facies, relatively close to submarine highs. Bajocian to Lower Bathonian black shales, rich in radiolarians and sponge spicules representing typical deep pelagic facies, are also assigned to the Telekesvölgy Complex. The Telekesoldal Complex represents a mélange-like subduction-related complex that consists of black shales, sandstone turbidites and olistostrome beds, and deposited by gravity mass flows. A relatively deep marine basin in the proximity of a submarine slope is likely to be the depositional environment of this unit. The clasts of the olistostromes are predominantly Middle to Upper Triassic pelagic limestones, rhyolite and basalt. Subduction related nappe stacking of the ocean margin during the Middle to Late Jurassic may have created suitable conditions for this sedimentation pattern. Bajocian-Callovian age of the complex was proved by the revision of the radiolarian fauna and new palynological data, the first from the Jurassic of the Aggtelek-Rudabánya Hills. The Csipkés Hill olistostrome consists of carbonate turbidite beds containing Jurassic platform derived foraminiferal and olistostrome horizons with Middle-Upper Triassic limestone clasts of red Hallstatt facies.
Eocene-Oligocene sedimentation in the external areas of the Moldavide Basin (Marginal Folds Nappe, Eastern Carpathians, Romania): sedimentological, paleontological and petrographic approaches
Authors: Miclăuş Crina , Loiacono Francesco , Puglisi Diego , Baciu Dorin
Published: October 2009

Eocene-Oligocene sedimentation in the external areas of the Moldavide Basin (Marginal Folds Nappe, Eastern Carpathians, Romania): sedimentological, paleontological and petrographic approaches

The Marginal Folds Nappe is one of the most external tectonic units of the Moldavide Nappe System (Eastern Carpathians), formed by Cretaceous to Tertiary flysch and molasse deposits, piled up during the Miocene closure of the East Carpathian Flysch basin, cropping out in several tectonic half-windows, the Bistriţa half-window being one of them. The deposits of this tectonic unit were accumulated in anoxic-oxic-anoxic conditions, in a forebulge depozone (sensuDeCelles & Giles 1996), and consist of a pelitic background sporadically interrupted by coarse-grained events. During the Late Eocene the sedimentation registered a transition from calcareous (Doamna Limestones) to pelitic (Bisericani Beds) grading to Globigerina Marls at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary, and upward during the Oligocene in deposits rich in organic matter (Lower Menilites, Bituminous Marls, Lower and Upper Dysodilic Shales) with coarsegrained interlayers. Seven facies associations were recognized, and interpreted as depositional systems of shallow to deeper water on a ramp-type margin. Two mixed depositional systems of turbidite-like facies association separated by a thick pelitic interval (Bituminous Marls) have been recognized. They were supplied by a "green schists" source area of Central Dobrogea type. The petrography of the sandstone beds shows an excellent compositional uniformity (quartzarenite-like rocks), probably representing a first cycle detritus derived from low rank metamorphic sources, connected with the forebulge relief developed on such a basement. The sedimentation was controlled mainly by different subsidence of blocks created by extensional tectonic affecting the ramp-type margin of the forebulge depozone.
Taxonomic revision and new species/subspecies of Middle-Late Miocene (Bessarabian) miliolids of the Family Hauerinidae Schwager from Georgia — Eastern Paratethys
Authors: Maisuradze Lamara , Koiava Kakhaber , Spezzaferri Silvia
Published: October 2009

Taxonomic revision and new species/subspecies of Middle-Late Miocene (Bessarabian) miliolids of the Family Hauerinidae Schwager from Georgia — Eastern Paratethys

Three new miliolid taxa from Bessarabian sediments from Georgia (Eastern Paratethys) are described following the classification of Łuczkowska (1972), which has never been used before by ex-Soviet micropaleontologists. They are:Varidentella luczkowskae; Varidentella reussi(Bogdanowicz) subsp.costulata; andAffinetrina voloshinovae(Bogdanowicz) subsp.eldarica.This classification takes into account the morphology of the aperture and the shape and size of teeth as criteria to distinguish the species. This study contributes important criteria which will help to unify the taxonomical inconsistencies between the Eastern, Central and Western Paratethyan miliolids.
Mineral stability of Fe-rich bentonite in the Mock-Up-CZ experiment
Authors: Stríček Igor , Šucha Vladimír , Uhlík Peter , Madejová Jana , Galko Igor
Published: October 2009

Mineral stability of Fe-rich bentonite in the Mock-Up-CZ experiment

Bentonite is a basic component of most concepts of multibarrier systems in underground radioactive waste repositories. It is important to determine the bentonite stability under the conditions close to the future real situation. The paper brings the detailed mineral and structural analyses of smectites from the bentonitic material exposed to the long term Mock-Up-CZ experiment. The compacted barrier blocks and residual filling contained 85 % of bentonite from the Rokle deposit, 10 % of quartz sand and 5 % of graphite. They were exposed to temperatures of up to 90 °C for almost 4 years. Quantitative mineral analyses, crystal size distributions, FTIR spectra, as well as cation exchange capacity and layer charge density show high mineral stability of the Rokle bentonite under the conditions of Mock-Up-CZ experiment. Small changes in the crystal sizes and slight change in the layer charge as a consequence of the experimental alteration could be linked to the hydration and the variation of the geochemical environment of the experiment.
Spinal Manipulative Therapy Has an Immediate Effect on Thermal Pain Sensitivity in People With Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Bialosky Joel E. , Bishop Mark D. , Robinson Michael E. , Zeppieri Giorgio , George Steven Z.
Published: October 2009

Background

Current evidence suggests that spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is effective in the treatment of people with low back pain (LBP); however, the corresponding mechanisms are unknown. Hypoalgesia is associated with SMT and is suggestive of specific mechanisms.

Objective

The primary purpose of this study was to assess the immediate effects of SMT on thermal pain perception in people with LBP. A secondary purpose was to determine whether the resulting hypoalgesia was a local effect and whether psychological influences were associated with changes in pain perception.

Design

This study was a randomized controlled trial.

Setting

A sample of convenience was recruited from community and outpatient clinics.

Participants

Thirty-six people (10 men, 26 women) currently experiencing LBP participated in the study. The average age of the participants was 32.39 (SD=12.63) years, and the average duration of LBP was 221.79 (SD=365.37) weeks.

Intervention and Measurements

Baseline demographic and psychological measurements were obtained, followed by quantitative sensory testing to assess temporal summation and Aδ fiber–mediated pain perception. Next, participants were randomly assigned to ride a stationary bicycle, perform low back extension exercises, or receive SMT. Finally, the same quantitative sensory testing protocol was reassessed to determine the immediate effects of each intervention on thermal pain sensitivity.

Results

Hypoalgesia to Aδ fiber–mediated pain perception was not observed. Group-dependent hypoalgesia of temporal summation specific to the lumbar innervated region was observed. Pair-wise comparisons indicated significant hypoalgesia in participants who received SMT, but not in those who rode a stationary bicycle or performed low back extension exercises. Psychological factors did not significantly correlate with changes in temporal summation in participants who received SMT.

Limitations

Only immediate effects of SMT were measured, so the authors are unable to comment on whether the inhibition of temporal summation is a lasting effect. Furthermore, the authors are unable to comment on the relationship between their findings and changes in clinical pain.

Conclusions

Inhibition of Aδ fiber–mediated pain perception was similar for all groups. However, inhibition of temporal summation was observed only in participants receiving SMT, suggesting a modulation of dorsal horn excitability that was observed primarily in the lumbar innervated area.
Serum Alpha-fetoprotein in Rabbits Experimentally Infected with Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus
Authors: Chen Sheng-Yi , Shien Jui-Hung , Ooi Hong Kean
Published: October 2009

To investigate the change in serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and its correlation with liver enzymes in hepatitis caused by rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), 15-week-old rabbits were experimentally infected with a Taiwan field isolate of the virus. After RHDV inoculation, it was observed that serum AFP increased significantly (p = 0.0082) together with significant elevation in serum aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Rabbits that died tended to have high AFP values prior to death, the mean value being 4.22 ± 1.61 ng/ml (n = 6). By correlation analysis, AFP significantly correlated more strongly to ALP than γ-GT, but non-significantly with AST and ALT. This is the first report of serum AFP elevation being associated with RHDV infection. Thus, measurement of serum AFP might be a useful complementary index for RHDV infectivity and prognosis.
Pity, or the Providence of the Body in Richardson's Clarissa
Authors: Loewen-Schmidt Chad
Published: October 2009

Beginning in the late seventeenth century, pity, which traditionally had been seen as a morally suspect rhetorical effect, is embraced as an authenticating vehicle of social consensus and political critique. This essay examines pity's mediatory instrumentality, the historical rationale for its rise in the eighteenth century, and the corresponding ways in which its new sociopolitical status inspires formal innovation and alternative visions of ethical communion in Clarissa. Anxious about change but eager to develop a vision of human nature and social coherence antithetical to the Hobbesean version, its proponents conceived of pity as a natural reflex, an embodied yet sanctified impulse capable of transforming fictional suffering and readerly experience into a medium of solidarity. By transferring to the affects the ethical-spiritual authority and the aesthetic function conventionally afforded to the will, reason, and their equivalent literary conventions—poetic justice, Horatian decorum, and the unified plot—in Clarissa, I argue, Samuel Richardson seeks to make pity a dynamic engine of social, literary-formal, and religious reformation.
Translating Sympathy by the Letter: Henry Mackenzie, Sophie de Condorcet, and Adam Smith
Authors: Britton Jeanne
Published: October 2009

Henry Mackenzie's Julia de Roubigné and Sophie de Condorcet's French translation and informal critique of Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments revise Smith's sympathy through formal manipulations of epistolary address and perspective. In the preface to Mackenzie's novel, translation serves as a figure for disavowing authorship and collides with an instance of dialogue transformed into soliloquy. I identify this transformation as the novel's defining practice of epistolarity and argue that Julia de Roubigné specifies the impact that Smith's theory of sympathy has on the history of the novel. A similar epistolary practice shapes Condorcet's Lettres sur la sympathie, and her translation challenges both the figurative nature and familial basis of Smith's version of sympathy. Mackenzie's novel and Condorcet's works of translation and philosophy signal the specifically formal aspects of the broad cultural revision, in Britain and France, of Smith's theory of sympathy.
“I Will Unfold A Tale—!”: Narrative, Epistemology, and Caleb Williams
Authors: Anderson Emily R.
Published: October 2009

From beginning to end, Caleb Williams interrogates the construction of narrative, thereby raising a central problem of empiricism: are the stories we tell about the world true? Evaluating William Godwin's novel in terms of its complex relationship to genre situates its critique of narrative squarely in the middle of contemporaneous philosophical debates. The novel is in conversation with an empiricist philosophy that would value coherent narratives above all else. These narratives, the novel suggests, are not only artificial but also epistemologically dangerous. Ultimately, they encourage us to accept what is reasonable at the expense of what may be true. According to the novel, it is not merely true that narrative is an ineffective mechanism for explaining the world, but that the very debate over Enlightenment questions is unstable.
Virological and immunological responses to efavirenz or boosted lopinavir as first-line therapy for patients with HIV
Authors: Young Jim , Bucher Heiner C , Guenthard Huldrych F , Rickenbach Martin , Fux Christoph A , Hirschel Bernard , Cavassini Matthias , Vernazza Pietro , Bernasconi Enos , Battegay Manuel ,   the Swiss HIV Cohort Study
Published: October 2009

Background

Efavirenz and lopinavir boosted with ritonavir are both recommended as first-line therapies for patients with HIV when combined with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. It is uncertain which therapy is more effective for patients starting therapy with an advanced infection.

Methods

We estimated the relative effect of these two therapies on rates of virological and immunological failure within the Swiss HIV Cohort Study and considered whether estimates depended on the CD4+ T-cell count when starting therapy. We defined virological failure as either an incomplete virological response or viral rebound after viral suppression and immunological failure as failure to achieve an expected CD4+ T-cell increase calculated from EuroSIDA statistics.

Results

Patients starting efavirenz ( n=660) and lopinavir ( n=541) were followed for a median of 4.5 and 3.1 years, respectively. Virological failure was less likely for patients on efavirenz, with the adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.63 (0.50–0.78) then multiplied by a factor of 1.00 (0.90–1.12) for each 100 cells/mm3 decrease in CD4+ T-cell count below the mean when starting therapy. Immunological failure was also less likely for patients on efavirenz, with the adjusted hazard ratio of 0.68 (0.51–0.91) then multiplied by a factor of 1.29 (1.14–1.46) for each 100 cells/ mm3 decrease in CD4+ T-cell count below the mean when starting therapy.

Conclusions

Virological failure is less likely with efavirenz regardless of the CD4+ T-cell count when starting therapy. Immunological failure is also less likely with efavirenz; however, this advantage disappears if patients start therapy with a low CD4+ T-cell count.
Combined effect of C-reactive protein and stavudine on adipogenesis
Authors: Stankov Metodi V , Schmidt Reinhold E , Behrens Georg MN
Published: October 2009

Introduction

Subcutaneous fat wasting in HIV therapy is primarily associated with the use of stavudine (d4T) and zidovudine (AZT). We hypothesized that C-reactive protein (CRP) might have an additive effect on nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)-mediated peripheral fat loss.

Methods

3T3-F442A cells were exposed to AZT (6 μM), d4T (3 μM) and/or CRP (0.5 μg/ml) during differentiation. Differentiation was assessed by real-time PCR measurement of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)α, by quantification of triglyceride accumulation and by determination of adiponectin expression and secretion. In addition, parameters of lipid accumulation, lipolysis, cell viability and apoptosis were examined.

Results

When preadipocytes were induced to differentiate in the presence of only AZT, d4T or CRP, only AZT significantly impaired adipogenic differentiation. When combined, d4T+CRP also led to reduced triacylglycerol accumulation, an effect not explained by CRP-induced apoptosis or cell death, but instead confirmed by reduced PPARγ and C/EBPα expression and decreased expression of factors involved in lipogenesis, such as fatty acid synthase and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase. We observed further reduction in adiponectin expression and secretion when adipocytes were differentiated in the presence of AZT or d4T together with CRP. Addition of rosiglitazone (1 μM) had no effect on reduced adipogenesis, but partially rescued the effects of d4T and d4T+CRP on adiponectin production.

Conclusions

We conclude that CRP at levels circulating in patients with HIV infection might promote the anti-adipogenic potential of d4T, a cooperative effect that could account for the in vivo observed variability in the development of lipoatrophy.
Telbivudine in the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis B: Experience in HIV Type-1-Infected Patients Naive for Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Milazzo Laura , Caramma Ilaria , Lai Alessia , Violin Michela , De Maddalena Chiara , Cesari Miriam , Galli Massimo , Balotta Claudia
Published: October 2009

Background

Telbivudine is a potent inhibitor of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication without anti-HIV type-1 (HIV-1) activity demonstrated in vitro; however, very few clinical data on HIV-1-infected patients are available at present. Because it represents a therapeutic option in HIV-1-HBV-coinfected patients who do not require antiretroviral therapy, we strictly monitored three HIV-1-HBV-coinfected patients treated with telbivudine monotherapy for chronic hepatitis B.

Methods

We performed molecular analysis of HBV DNA and of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and protease RNA and DNA sequences in three HIV-1-HBV-coinfected patients treated with telbivudine monotherapy.

Results

Despite a transient and deep reduction of HIV-1 RNA, observed in two of the three patients studied, no genotypic resistance mutations were detected on both HIV-1 and HBV viruses.

Conclusions

Telbivudine therapy for 24 weeks showed a potent anti-HBV activity in HIV-1-positive, hepatitis B e antigen-positive patients with high HBV viraemia. No direct anti-HIV-1 activity of telbivudine was demonstrated and no genotypic resistance mutations to anti-HIV-1 drugs was found; however, the transient but deep reduction of HIV RNA, after telbivudine introduction, deserves further investigation and a strict monitoring of HIV-1 viraemia in HIV-1-infected patients on treatment with this drug.
Trends in Medical Care Expenditures of US Adults with Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Conditions 1997 to 2005
Authors: CISTERNAS MIRIAM G. , MURPHY LOUISE B. , YELIN EDWARD H. , FOREMAN AIMEE J. , PASTA DAVID J. , HELMICK CHARLES G.
Published: October 2009

Objective.

To examine trends in annual medical expenditures from 1997 to 2005 among adults with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions (denoted Arthritis group).

Methods.

We analyzed annual medical expenditures (2005 US dollars) among adults with Arthritis using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a nationally representative survey of the US civilian, noninstitutionalized population. Expenditures were stratified by Arthritis and comorbidity status.

Results.

The Arthritis population increased by 22% (36.8 to 44.9 million) during this period, attributable entirely to the subpopulation with at least one comorbid condition (31.8 to 40.3 million). The overall, inflation-adjusted annual mean medical expenditures for adults with Arthritis increased from $6,848 in 1997 to $7,854 in 2005. In 1997, inpatient care was the most expensive component of overall expenditures (mean $2,702), but beginning in 2001, mean inpatient and ambulatory expenditures were almost identical. Mean prescription expenditures increased nearly every year, almost doubling from $970 in 1997 to $1,811 in 2005. Aggregate total expenditures for the Arthritis population increased markedly during this period, from $252.0 to $353.0 billion (+40%). Most of this increase was attributable to the population increase in the Arthritis and comorbid condition subgroup.

Conclusion.

Mean annual ambulatory and prescription expenditures for adults with Arthritis increased far above the rate of medical inflation, offsetting a relative decline in inpatient expenditures. Increases in overall mean and aggregate total expenditures are attributable to the increasing number of adults with Arthritis and at least one comorbid chronic condition. Projected increases in this population suggest that these expenditures will continue to rise.
Work Disability in Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: HUDSON MARIE , STEELE RUSSELL , LU YING , THOMBS BRETT D. , BARON MURRAY
Published: October 2009

Objective.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystem disease associated with significant morbidity and increased mortality. Little is known about work disability in SSc. We undertook this study to determine the prevalence and demographic and clinical correlates of work disability in a large cohort of patients with SSc.

Methods.

Cross-sectional, multicenter study of patients from the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group Registry. Patients were assessed with detailed clinical histories, medical examinations, and self-administered questionnaires. The primary outcome was self-reported work disability. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between selected demographic and clinical variables and work disability.

Results.

Of the 643 patients available for this study, 133 (21%) reported that they were work disabled. Work disability in SSc was common, even in people with short disease duration, and increased steadily with increasing disease duration: among those who were ≤ 65 years and who reported being either disabled or working, 28.0% and 44.8% of patients with disease duration of < 2 and 10–15 years, respectively, reported that they were work-disabled. The significant correlates of work disability included co-morbidities, disease duration, diffuse disease, disease severity, pain, fatigue, and physical function.

Conclusion.

Work disability is prevalent, occurs early, and is associated with markers of disease severity and functional status. Further research is needed to identify other, potentially modifiable, risk factors for work disability in SSc.
Pulmonary Nodulosis and Aseptic Granulomatous Lung Disease Occurring in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Receiving Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Blocking Agent: A Case Series
Authors: TOUSSIROT ERIC , BERTHELOT JEAN MARIE , PERTUISET EDOUARD , BOUVARD BÉATRICE , GAUDIN PHILIPPE , WENDLING DANIEL , le NOACH JOSÉ , LOHSE ANNE , LECUYER EMMANUELLE , CRI Le
Published: October 2009

Objective.

To describe cases of development of pulmonary nodulosis or aseptic granulomatous lung disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) therapy.

Methods.

A call for observation of such cases was sent to members of the French “Club Rhumatismes et Inflammation.” The cases had to occur after introduction of TNF-α-blocking therapy.

Results.

Eleven cases were examined: 6 patients were treated with etanercept, 2 with infliximab, and 3 with adalimumab. Pulmonary nodular lesions were observed after a mean treatment period of 23.3 ± 15.3 months. Clinical symptoms were observed in 5 cases. Radiographs or computed tomography of the chest showed single or multiple nodular lesions in 10 cases and hilar adenopathies in 1 case. Biopsy of the nodular chest lesions or mediastinal lymphadenopathies were performed in 8 patients, and revealed typical rheumatoid nodules in 4 cases and noncaseating granulomatous lesions in 4 cases. Mycobacterial or opportunistic infections were excluded for all cases. Outcome was favorable for all the patients, with either discontinuation or maintenance of anti-TNF-α treatment.

Conclusion.

Aseptic pulmonary nodular inflammation corresponding to rheumatoid nodules or noncaseating granulomatous inflammation can occur during anti-TNF-α therapy for RA, mainly etanercept. The mechanism explaining such a reaction is not clear but certainly includes different processes. These cases of pulmonary nodular inflammation generally have a benign course and do not systematically require withdrawal of treatment.
Expression and Function of the C-Class Chemokine Lymphotactin (XCL1) in Wegener’s Granulomatosis
Authors: BLASCHKE SABINE , BRANDT PHILIP , WESSELS JOHANNES T. , MÜLLER GERHARD A.
Published: October 2009

Objective.

In Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG), vasculitic lesions are characterized by prominent infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and T cells, but underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain to be defined. We analyzed the expression and functional role of the C-class chemokine lymphotactin, XCL1, in WG.

Methods.

Sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained from 16 patients with WG and healthy controls. Serum XCL1 concentrations were measured by ELISA. PBMC were subjected to flow cytometry for activation markers and immunophenotype of XCL1+ T cells. Renal biopsies were analyzed by double-label immunohistochemistry.In vitrostimulation of PMN with XCL1 was performed to study its function.

Results.

Flow cytometry demonstrated coexpression of the activation markers CD25, CD69, and HLA-DR in a significantly higher proportion of T cells in WG patients in comparison to controls. XCL1 was found to be mainly expressed in CD4+CD28− T cells in WG patients. In renal biopsies, the presence of XCL1 was only detected within interstitial CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Functional studies demonstrated a significant enhancement of IL-8 production in isolated PMN afterin vitrostimulation with XCL1. There were no significant differences in XCL1 serum concentrations between WG patients and controls (p = 0.88).

Conclusion.

Our data indicated increased expression of XCL1 in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in WG. Considering its function as a lymphocyte-specific chemoattractant, XCL1 might be a key modulator of T cell recruitment in WG. Functional studies further suggest that XCL1 may support vascular inflammation by induction of release of interleukin 8 in PMN.
Copper(II) Triflate as a Source of Triflic Acid: Effective, Green Catalysis of Hydroalkoxylation Reactions
Authors: Tschan Mathieu J.‐L. , Thomas Christophe M. , Strub Henri , Carpentier Jean‐François
Published: October 2009

The hydroalkoxylation of dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) and norbornene (NB) with 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) for the synthesis of industrially relevant monomers has been investigated with various metal‐based Lewis acids and strong Brønsted acids. In the absence of other additives, copper(II) triflate is the most efficient catalyst system. Kinetics, electron spin resonance (ESR), catalyst poisoning and cross experiments indicate that triflic acid (TfOH) is the true active catalyst in these reactions. This in situ generation of TfOH occurs via reduction of Cu(OTf)2 by the olefin reagent (DCPD, NB). The copper ions present in the reaction mixture act as radical polymerization retardants, preventing polymerization of HEMA (which is observed with most other metal salts and strong Brønsted acids investigated), thus improving the selectivity and yield (up to 95%) for the desired products. These observations have led to the development of a highly effective green process, using bulk reagents (no solvent) and a cheap, metal‐free catalyst system, based on TfOH and a phenolic radical inhibitor (2,5‐di‐tert‐butylhydroxytoluene, BHT).
Intramolecular Palladium‐Catalyzed Direct Arylation vs. Heck Reactions: Synthesis of Pyrroloisoquinolines and Isoindoles
Authors: Lage Sergio , Martínez‐Estíbalez Unai , Sotomayor Nuria , Lete Esther
Published: October 2009

The competition between CH activation and Heck reactions has been studied on 2‐alkenyl‐substituted o‐iodobenzylpyrroles. The reaction can be switched from the alkene to the pyrrole nucleus by choosing the adequate catalytic system, regardless of the nature of the substituent on the alkene, obtaining excellent yields of pyrrolo[1,2‐b]isoquinolines or pyrrolo[2,1‐a]isoindoles.
Increased Efficacies of an Individual Catalytic Site in Clustered Multivalent Dendritic Catalysts
Authors: Jayamurugan Govindasamy , Jayaraman Narayanaswamy
Published: October 2009

In the studies reported so far on dendrimer‐mediated catalysis, the efficacies of the catalytic units were studied and compared primarily across the generations. In order to identify the efficacy of an individual catalytic unit with respect to the number of such units present within a given generation, a series of catalysts were prepared within a generation. Dendrimers incorporated with phosphine‐metal complexes were chosen for the study and as many as 11 catalysts within three generations were synthesized. The CC bond‐forming reactions, namely, the Heck and the Suzuki coupling reactions, were then selected to study the catalytic efficiencies of the series of partially and fully phosphine‐metal complex functionalized dendrimers. The efficacies of the formation of cinnamate and biphenyl, catalyzed by the dendritic catalysts, were compared. The comparative analyses show that an individual catalytic site is far more effective in its catalytic activity when presented in multiple numbers, i.e., in a multivalent dendritic system, than as a single unit within the same generation, i.e., in a monovalent dendritic system. The study identifies the beneficial effects of the multivalent presentation of the catalytic moieties, both within and across the dendrimer generations.
Advancement of Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis via utilization of supercritical fluid reaction media
Authors: Elbashir Nimir O. , Bukur Dragomir B. , Durham Ed , Roberts Christopher B.
Published: October 2009

The Fischer Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) reaction has been studied and for nearly a century for the production of fuels and chemicals from nonpetroleum sources. Research and utilization have occurred in both gas phase (fixed bed) and liquid phase (slurry bed) operation. The use of supercritical fluids as the reaction media for FTS (SCF‐FTS) now has a 20‐year history. Although a great deal of progress in SCF‐FTS has been made on the lab scale, this process has yet to be expanded to pilot or industrial scale. This article reviews the research activities involving supercritical FTS and published in open literature from 1989 to 2008. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
A multi‐objective optimization approach to polygeneration energy systems design
Authors: Liu Pei , Pistikopoulos Efstratios N. , Li Zheng
Published: October 2009

Polygeneration, typically involving co‐production of methanol and electricity, is a promising energy conversion technology which provides opportunities for high energy utilization efficiency and low/zero emissions. The optimal design of such a complex, large‐scale and highly nonlinear process system poses significant challenges. In this article, we present a multiobjective optimization model for the optimal design of a methanol/electricity polygeneration plant. Economic and environmental criteria are simultaneously optimized over a superstructure capturing a number of possible combinations of technologies and types of equipment. Aggregated models are considered, including a detailed methanol synthesis step with chemical kinetics and phase equilibrium considerations. The resulting model is formulated as a non‐convex mixed‐integer nonlinear programming problem. Global optimization and parallel computation techniques are employed to generate an optimal Pareto frontier. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
Survey: Difficult arbitration E‐discovery process questions suggest increasingly complex future problems on costs, scope
Authors: Rothman Deborah , Brewer Thomas J.
Published: October 2009

The second of two parts on the lessons learned from a survey of arbitrators about E‐discovery issues, by Deborah Rothman, of Los Angeles, and Thomas J. Brewer, of Seattle.
Thankful for unanswered prayers? Unconscionability ‘equilibrium’
Authors: Philbin Donald R.
Published: October 2009

Is the U.S. Supreme Court putting the effectiveness of arbitration processes at risk by declining to rule on unconscionability? Donald R. Philbin Jr., of San Antonio, sorts out the effects of the Court's arbitration jurisprudence‐and avoidance.
Morphological characteristics of on‐farm water storages and their similarity to natural water bodies in the Border Rivers Catchment, Australia
Authors: Lutton Susan , Sheldon Fran , Bunn Stuart E.
Published: October 2009

Natural wetlands throughout the world are under threat from water resource development required to support an ever increasing population. In the Border Rivers Catchment in Queensland, Australia, a large irrigation industry and highly variable flow regime have necessitated the building of large on‐farm water storages. With the decline in number and size of natural wetlands, the presence of these storages on the floodplain has raised the question of their suitability as alternative habitat for aquatic fauna. This paper explores the variety of water storage types in the Border Rivers Catchment and how their morphology compares with that of natural wetlands — in particular, factors likely to influence aquatic biodiversity.

Storages and natural wetlands formed two distinct groups based on morphology. Storages tended to be large, deep structures with a more regular shape while natural wetlands were irregular and shallow with large perimeters. Although there was a degree of variability amongst the storage sites, a large proportion fell into one group and were considered ‘typical storages’. Typical storages contained tailwater and had the following characteristics: situated 3 km from the source river, 10 years old, embankment height of 5 m, area of 400 000 m2, perimeter of 2.5 km and capacity of 1 700 000 m3.

Due to their uniform structure we believe that most on‐farm storages are unlikely to support as diverse or abundant an aquatic population as natural wetlands. The presence of tailwater and associated chemicals is also likely to reduce the aquatic biodiversity of storages compared with natural wetlands. While they may be unsuitable as replacement wetlands, given their numbers they could provide significant aquatic habitat across the landscape, if managed effectively. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of nitrate nitrogen pollution on Central European unionid bivalves revealed by distributional data and acute toxicity testing
Authors: Douda Karel
Published: October 2009

Studies from Central Europe have shown a relationship between the impaired population status of threatened freshwater mussel species and elevated nitrate nitrogen (N−NO) concentrations in running waters.

Causal mechanisms, however, remain unknown, and no experimental data or comprehensive studies involving more species are available, which causes uncertainty in prioritizing conservation actions.

This study uses both descriptive and experimental approaches to identify the effects of nitrates on freshwater mussels and demonstrates the need for integrating different research methods for development of conservation strategies for threatened species.

Spatial co‐occurrence of five native freshwater mussel species (Anodonta anatina, Pseudanodonta complanata, Unio pictorum, Unio tumidus, Unio crassus) and N−NO concentrations were examined in a 7th‐order river catchment (Lužnice River, Czech Republic) with anthropogenically‐induced increasing N−NO levels and declining populations of these species during the 20th century.

Acute toxicity of N−NO was then estimated for artificially reared juveniles of A. anatina and U. crassus using both lethal and sublethal test endpoints.

Results showed that the probability of occurrence of all species was significantly reduced in reaches with elevated N−NO levels.

In contrast, the results of toxicity testing revealed that the juvenile stages of the two tested species were less sensitive to N−NO than most previously tested freshwater macroinvertebrates. The detected 96‐h median lethal N−NO concentrations were two orders of magnitude higher than the limits derived from distributional data.

Despite the probable absence of a direct negative effect of N−NO on freshwater mussel populations, N−NO has potential to be used as an effective indicator of biotope conditions. Identification of causal mechanisms responsible for the observed relationship between unionids and N−NO will require further research. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transforming Growth Factor‐β Suppressed Id‐1 Expression in a smad3‐Dependent Manner in LoVo Cells
Authors: Song Hongjiang , Guo Baoliang , Zhang Jianguo , Song Chunfang
Published: October 2009

TGF‐β plays an important role in regulating cell differentiation and proliferation in human cancers such as colorectal cancer. Id‐1 has been identified as a marker in colorectal cancer progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of TGF‐β in regulating Id‐1 in LoVo cells. siRNA was used to silence smad2, smad3, and p38 MAPK gene expression in Lovo cells. Interference efficiency and the role of TGF‐β on Id‐1 expression were analyzed using a luciferase reporter assay, RT‐PCR, and Western blotting. Cell viability was determined using the MTT assay. In this study, we demonstrated that TGF‐β1 downregulated Id‐1 protein expression in LoVo cells. Smad2 and smad3 siRNA inhibited TGF‐β1‐induced 4×SBE luciferase reporter activity. p38 MAPK siRNA inhibited TGF‐β1‐induced 3×AP‐1 luciferase reporter activity. However, the suppression of Id‐1 by TGF‐β1 was recovered by smad3 siRNA but not smad2 or p38 MAPK siRNA. Moreover, TGF‐β1 stimulated cellular proliferation and p21Waf1 protein expression, which might be mediated by suppressing Id‐1 expression. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that TGF‐β1 suppressed Id‐1 expression in a smad3‐dependent manner in LoVo cells using RNAi technology. These results provide new insight into the mechanisms of TGF‐β function in colorectal cancer cells. Anat Rec, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The assessment of human regional drug absorption of free acid and sodium salt forms of Acipimox, in healthy volunteers, to direct modified release formulation strategy
Authors: Menon Rajeev , Cefali Eugenio , Wilding Ian , Wray Heather , Connor Alyson
Published: October 2009

Acipimox is an analog of nicotinic acid and is indicated for the treatment of dyslipidemia. It is also believed to improve glucose control by enhancing insulin sensitivity. The purpose of this study was to direct modified release (MR) formulation strategy by comparing the bioavailability of two forms of acipimox (free acid and sodium salt) from the distal small bowel (DSB) and colon with an immediate release formulation. Two parallel groups of healthy volunteers completed an open label, non‐randomized, three‐way crossover study. The rate and extent of acipimox absorption was highest following administration of the immediate release capsules, and was not influenced by the form of the drug administered. Following administration to the DSB, the relative bioavailability was approximately 52% and 30% for the salt form and free acid form, respectively. Following administration to the colon, the extent of absorption was further reduced. The data indicate that bioavailability from the DSB was limited by the solubility of the drug coupled with an absorption window, whilst absorption from the colon was limited by permeability. The study provided detailed information to support and guide the formulation strategy for a MR form of acipimox, which may improve the treatment of adult patients with type II diabetes and dyslipidemia. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimized Fmoc solid‐phase synthesis of Thymosin α1 by side‐chain anchoring onto a PEG resin
Authors: García‐Ramos Yésica , Giraud Matthieu , Tulla‐Puche Judit , Albericio Fernando
Published: October 2009

Thymosin α1 is a 28‐amino acid acetylated peptide used for the treatment of hepatitis B and C. This peptide has a difficult sequence because of the presence of consecutive β‐branched amino acids and shows a tendency to form β‐sheet structures, partly as a result of the many protecting groups required to assemble the peptide (up to 20 side‐chain protecting groups). Consequently, its synthesis has been generally achieved by convergent solution chemistry. Here we report a straightforward stepwise solid‐phase synthesis on a polyethylene glycol solid‐support that enables the scaling‐up of this key therapeutic peptide. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 92: 565–572, 2009.

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
On the mechanism of SDS‐induced protein denaturation
Authors: Bhuyan Abani K.
Published: October 2009

To understand the mechanism of ionic detergent‐induced protein denaturation, this study examines the action of sodium dodecyl sulfate on ferrocytochrome c conformation under neutral and strongly alkaline conditions. Equilibrium and stopped‐flow kinetic results consistently suggest that tertiary structure unfolding in the submicellar and chain expansion in the micellar range of SDS concentrations are the two major and discrete events in the perturbation of protein structure. The nature of interaction between the detergent and the protein is predominantly hydrophobic in the submicellar and exclusively hydrophobic at micellar levels of SDS concentration. The observation that SDS also interacts with a highly denatured and negatively charged form of ferrocytochrome c suggests that the interaction is independent of structure, conformation, and ionization state of the protein. The expansion of the protein chain at micellar concentration of SDS is driven by coulombic repulsion between the protein‐bound micelles, and the micelles and anionic amino acid side chains. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 93: 186–199, 2010.

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
Essentialism and attribution of monstrosity in racist discourse: Right‐wing internet postings about Africans and Jews
Authors: Holtz Peter , Wagner Wolfgang
Published: October 2009

We investigated a total of 4997 postings on an extreme right‐wing Internet discussion board with regard to the groups and themes mentioned. The most frequently mentioned target groups were Africans, Jews, Muslims, Poles, and Turks; the most prominent themes and contexts were conspiracy, criminality, exploitation, threats to German identity, infiltration, mind control and harassment, procreation, rape, and sex. We analysed in detail postings about Africans/Blacks and Jews, that is target groups that were the most clearly connected to particular themes. The analysis reveals that extreme right‐wing discourse essentializes the target groups of Jews and Africans/Blacks and ascribes them immutable group‐specific attributes that effectively make them ‘natural kinds’. The group of Jews appears as a kind of their own with super‐human powers and influence. Africans and Blacks are despised, firstly because their essential characteristics prohibit them to be categorically mixed with Germans (i.e. to become German by nationality) due to their incompatible essence, and secondly when they procreate with Whites. Such procreation produces ‘bastards’ that are met with disgust. We argue that essentialist thinking about social and ethnic groups explains a good part of their rejection by right‐wing followers. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ChemInform Abstract: High Temperature Powder Diffraction and Solid State DFT Study of β‐Cryolite (Na3AlF6).
Authors: Smrcok L'. , Kucharik M. , Tovar M. , Zizak I.
Published: October 2009

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.