bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radioligands for the dopamine receptor subtypes
Authors: Prante Olaf , Maschauer Simone , Banerjee Ashutosh
Published: April 2013

The actions of the predominant neurotransmitter in the brain, dopamine, are mediated by the postsynaptic dopamine receptors. The five dopamine receptor subtypes and their regulation have been associated with a large variety of psychiatric diseases. Therefore, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies using suitable and selective 18F‐labeled and 11C‐labeled dopamine receptor radioligands could provide valuable knowledge on the impact of receptor density on the pathogenesis and evolvement of neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases. This special issue subchapter provides a summary of the most important 18F‐labeled and 11C‐labeled radioligands for PET imaging of the dopamine receptor subtypes, their radiochemistry, and characteristics from in vitro and in vivo applications, considering not only the already established PET ligands but also the recently published preclinical work. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PET probes for imaging brain acetylcholinesterase
Authors: Kikuchi Tatsuya , Okamura Toshimitsu , Zhang Ming‐Rong , Irie Toshiaki
Published: April 2013

Imaging acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is valuable not only for diagnosing and understanding dementia but also for monitoring the effects of cholinesterase inhibitors used as antidementia drugs and for determining the appropriate clinical dosage of newly developed cholinesterase inhibitors. The distribution of AChE in the living brain can be imaged with two different types of radioprobes, including substrate‐type and ligand‐type probes. The substrate‐type positron emission tomography (PET) probes, N‐[11C]methylpiperidin‐4‐yl acetate ([11C]MP4A), and its propionate, [11C]MP4P, have been widely used in clinical studies of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. [11C]MP4A and [11C]MP4P have been used to demonstrate a reduction in AChE activity in the brains of dementia patients, as well as the bioavailability of AChE inhibitors, leading to the subsequent development of the widely available 18F‐labeled derivatives of MP4A. In addition, several radiolabeled cholinesterase inhibitors have been developed as PET probes for AChE mapping in the brain. Herein, we have reviewed the development of PET probes for the imaging of AChE in the brain and described the principles of measuring AChE activity in the brain using PET with substrate‐type radioprobes. A discussion of the reagents developed from substrate‐type PET probes for the specific measurement of AChE activity in vitro has also been provided.
PET radioligands targeting the brain GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor complex
Authors: Andersson Jan D. , Halldin Christer
Published: April 2013

The development of positron emission tomography radioligands for the GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor complex (GABAA receptor) labeled with 11C and 18F is examined. The review covers labeling strategies as well as brief biological evaluations of radioligands. In addition, we assess the special considerations that must be taken during a development program for radioligands targeting the GABAA receptor and explore some of the challenges that lie ahead. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The development of radiotracers for imaging sigma (σ) receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) using positron emission tomography (PET)
Authors: Banister Samuel D. , Manoli Miral , Kassiou Michael
Published: April 2013

Sigma (σ) receptors are unique mammalian proteins, distributed in the central nervous system and elsewhere, which are increasingly implicated in the pathophysiology of virtually all major central nervous system disorders. The heterogeneous but wide distribution of σ1 in the brain has prompted the development of selective radiotracers for imaging these sites using positron emission tomography (PET). To date, some 50 carbon‐11‐labelled and fluorine‐18‐labelled candidate PET radioligands targeting σ receptors have been reported. The historical development of selective σ1 receptor ligands as potential PET imaging agents, as well as the radiochemistry and application of the most recently developed examples, is described herein.
Carbon‐11 and fluorine‐18 chemistry devoted to molecular probes for imaging the brain with positron emission tomography
Authors: Dollé Frédéric
Published: April 2013

Exploration of the living human brain in real‐time and in a noninvasive way was for centuries only a dream, made, however, possible today with the remarkable development during the four last decades of powerful molecular imaging techniques, and especially positron emission tomography (PET). Molecular PET imaging relies, from a chemical point of view, on the use and preparation of a positron‐emitting radiolabelled probe or radiotracer, notably compounds incorporating one of two short‐lived radionuclides fluorine‐18 (T1/2: 109.8 min) and carbon‐11 (T1/2: 20.38 min). The growing availability and interest for the radiohalogen fluorine‐18 in radiopharmaceutical chemistry undoubtedly results from its convenient half‐life and the successful use in clinical oncology of 2‐[18F]fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐d‐glucose ([18F]FDG). The special interest of carbon‐11 is not only that carbon is present in virtually all biomolecules and drugs allowing therefore for isotopic labelling of their chemical structures but also that a given molecule could be radiolabelled at different functions or sites, permitting to explore (or to take advantage of) in vivo metabolic pathways. PET chemistry includes production of these short‐lived radioactive isotopes via nuclear transmutation reactions using a cyclotron, and is directed towards the development of rapid synthetic methods, at the trace level, for the introduction of these nuclides into a molecule, as well as the use of fast purification, analysis and formulation techniques. PET chemistry is the driving force in molecular PET imaging, and this special issue of the Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals, which is strongly chemistry and radiochemistry‐oriented, aims at illustrating, be it in part only, the state‐of‐the‐art arsenal of reactions currently available and its potential for the research and development of specific molecular probes labelled with the positron emitters carbon‐11 and fluorine‐18, with optimal imaging properties for PET exploration of the brain. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Facile synthesis of gelatin‐protected silver nanoparticles for SERS applications
Authors: Lee Changwon , Zhang* Peng
Published: April 2013

Gelatin‐protected silver nanoparticles have been synthesized by a one‐pot, green method for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) applications using gelatin as the reducing and stabilizing agent. The gelatin protection on silver nanoparticle surface helps improve its stability greatly and water dispersibility, while retaining high SERS activity of silver nanoparticles. The gelatin‐protected silver nanoparticles showed SERS signals as low as 100 nM of the typical Raman reporter molecules, RuBPY and R6G and 10 μM of other molecules of interest, melamine and folic acid. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Li type oscillation theorem for delay dynamic equations
Authors: Karpuz B.
Published: April 2013

In this paper, we give a new sufficient condition for oscillation of first‐order delay dynamic equations on time scales, which generalize the main results of the papers [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 124 (1996), no. 12, 3729–3737] by Li and [Comput. Math. Appl. 37 (1999), no. 7, 11–20] by Tang and Yu. To emphasize the significance of the new result, an example for which all the results fail is also given on a nonstandard time scale. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gestational weight loss and perinatal outcomes in overweight and obese women subsequent to diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus
Authors: Yee Lynn M. , Cheng Yvonne W. , Inturrisi Maribeth , Caughey Aaron B.
Published: April 2013

Objective

To investigate whether gestational weight loss (GWL) after the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in overweight and obese women is associated with improved perinatal outcomes. Obesity and GDM are risk factors for adverse perinatal outcomes, but few studies have investigated weight loss during pregnancy in women with these comorbidities.

Design and Methods

Retrospective cohort study of 26,205 overweight and obese gestational diabetic women enrolled in the California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program. Women with GWL during program enrollment were compared to those with weight gain. Perinatal outcomes were assessed using chi‐square test and multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

About 5.2% of women experienced GWL. GWL was associated with decreased odds of macrosomia (aOR 0.63, 95% CI 0.52‐0.77), NICU admission (aOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.27‐0.95), and cesarean delivery (aOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68‐0.97). Odds of SGA status (aOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.32‐2.17) and preterm delivery <34 weeks (aOR 1.71, 95% CI 1.23‐2.37) were increased.

Conclusions

In overweight and obese women with GDM, third trimester weight loss is associated with some improved maternal and neonatal outcomes, although this effect is lessened by increased odds of SGA status and preterm delivery. Further research on weight loss and interventions to improve adherence to weight guidelines in this population is recommended.
Circulating endocannabinoids in insulin sensitive vs. Insulin resistant obese postmenopausal women. A MONET group study
Authors: Abdulnour Joseph , Yasari Siham , Rabasa‐Lhoret Rémi , Faraj May. , Petrosino Stefania , Piscitelli Fabiana , Prud' homme Denis , Di Marzo Vincenzo
Published: April 2013

Objective

To measure the circulating levels of endocannabinoids and related molecules at fasting, after acute hyperinsulinemia and after weight loss in insulin sensitive vs. insulin resistant obese postmenopausal women.

Design and Methods

The sample consisted of 30 obese postmenopausal women (age: 58.9 ± 5.2 yrs; BMI: 32.9 ± 3.6 kg/m2). Subjects underwent a 3‐hour hyperinsulinaemic‐euglycaemic clamp (HEC) (glucose disposal rate (M‐value): 10.7 ± 3.3 mg min−1 kg−1 FFM) and 6‐month weight loss intervention. Participants were classified as insulin sensitive obese (ISO) or insulin resistant obese (IRO) based on a predefined cutoff. Plasma levels of the endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA), 2‐arachidonoylglycerol (2‐AG), and of the AEA‐related compounds, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and oleoylethanolamide (OEA), were measured by liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry.

Results

IRO presented higher levels of 2‐AG (P < 0.05) independently of the HEC and weight loss, whereas the HEC had an independent inhibitory effect on AEA, PEA, and OEA levels (P < 0.05) in both groups. Furthermore, there was an independent stimulatory effect of weight loss only on PEA levels in both groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

This study is the first to show that higher circulating levels of the endocannabinoid 2‐AG are found in IRO compared to ISO postmenopausal women, and that weight loss is associated with an increase in PEA, a PPAR‐α ligand.
Dasatinib inhibits mammary tumour development in a genetically engineered mouse model
Authors: Karim Saadia A , Creedon Helen , Patel Hitesh , Carragher Neil O , Morton Jennifer P , Muller William J , Evans Thomas RJ , Gusterson Barry , Sansom Owen J , Brunton Valerie G
Published: April 2013

Src family kinase activity is elevated in a number of human cancers including breast cancer. This increased activity has been associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. Src inhibitors are currently in clinical development with a number of trials currently assessing their activity in breast cancer. However, the results to date have been disappointing and a further evaluation of the preclinical effects of Src inhibitors is required to help establish whether these agents will be useful in the treatment of breast cancer. In this study we investigate the effects of dasatinib, which is a potent inhibitor of Src family kinases, on the initiation and development of breast cancer in a genetically engineered model of the disease. The mouse model utilized is driven by expression of activated ErbB‐2 under the transcriptional control of its endogenous promoter coupled with conditional loss of Pten under the control of Cre recombinase expressed by the BLG promoter. We show that daily oral administration of dasatinib delays tumour onset and increases overall survival but does not inhibit the proliferation of established tumours. The striking difference between the dasatinib‐treated group of tumours and the vehicle controls was the prominent squamous metaplasia that was seen in six out of 11 dasatinib‐treated tumours. This was accompanied by a dramatic up‐regulation of both E‐cadherin and β‐catenin and down‐regulation of ErbB‐2 in the dasatinib‐treated tumours. Dasatinib also inhibited both the migration and the invasion of tumour‐derived cell lines in vitro. Together these data support the argument that benefits of Src inhibitors may predominate in early or even pre‐invasive disease. Copyright © 2013 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Association between first‐trimester maternal serum pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A and obstetric complications
Authors: D'Antonio Francesco , Rijo Claudia , Thilaganathan Basky , Akolekar Ranjit , Khalil Asma , Papageourgiou Aris , Bhide Amar
Published: April 2013

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between maternal serum pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A) in the first trimester of pregnancy and the development of preeclampsia (PE), early PE, small‐for‐gestational age (SGA) fetus and preterm delivery (PD).

Method

This is a retrospective study of 12 355 pregnant women that delivered between 2008 and 2011. We define the first, third and fifth percentiles of maternal serum PAPP‐A multiples of the median (MoM). The primary outcome measures were the occurrence of PE, early PE (PE requiring delivery before 34 weeks), SGA fetus (birth weight < 5th centile) and PD. The Mann–Whitney U‐test and chi‐squared test were used to analyze continuous and dichotomous variables, respectively.

Results

Maternal serum PAPP‐A was significantly lower in women with PE, early PE, SGA fetus and PD (0.91, 0.74, 0.80 and 0.84 MoM, respectively) than in the study population (0.99 MoM) (p < 0.05). The lower the MoM percentile of PAPP‐A, the higher are the odds ratio (OR) to develop PE, early PE, SGA fetus and PD.

Conclusions

Maternal serum PAPP‐A levels are lower in women who develop preeclampsia, those with SGA fetus and those who deliver preterm. However, on its own, maternal serum PAPP‐A performs poorly (OR for PE between 1.76 and 2.41 with the lower percentile of PAPP‐A) as a screening test for these conditions. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increased nuchal translucency and pregnancy outcome: a retrospective study of 1063 consecutive singleton pregnancies in a single referral institution
Authors: Äyräs Outi , Tikkanen Minna , Eronen Marianne , Paavonen Jorma , Stefanovic Vedran
Published: April 2013

Objectives

The goals of this study are to assess pregnancy outcome with increased nuchal translucency (NT) and to determine the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome in relation to the degree of increased NT.

Methods

All singleton pregnancies with increased NT at the first screening ultrasound examination referred to the Department of Fetal Medicine at the Helsinki University Central Hospital during 2002 to 2007 were included. Pregnancy outcomes and short‐term outcomes of the newborns were recorded and analyzed.

Results

Of the 1063 pregnancies, karyotype was normal in 834 (78%). The majority, 611 (73%), of euploid fetuses was in the lowest NT group (95th percentile – 3.4 mm). Percentage of favorable outcome decreased from 92% in the lowest NT group (95th percentile – 3.4 mm) to 18% in the highest NT group (≥6.5 mm). Structural defects or genetic disorders were observed in 74 (9%) of cases with normal karyotype, of which 43 (58%) resulted in live birth, 25 (34%) in termination of pregnancy, and 6 (8%) in miscarriage or perinatal death.

Conclusions

Even minimal (95th percentile – 3.4 mm) increase in NT thickness is associated with adverse pregnancy outcome also in euploid fetuses. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self‐esteem and other‐esteem in college students with borderline and avoidant personality disorder features: An experimental vignette study
Authors: Bowles David P. , Armitage Chris J. , Drabble Jennifer , Meyer Björn
Published: April 2013

An experimental study investigated self‐esteem and other‐esteem responses to either fully supportive or less supportive interpersonal feedback in college students with avoidant and borderline personality disorder features (APD and BPD respectively). Disturbances in self‐esteem and in evaluations of others are central to definitions of both APD and BPD, but the extent to which such interpersonal appraisals are responsive to contextual features, such as evaluative feedback from others, is not yet clear. In theory, we would expect that individuals with pronounced PD features would show more inflexible and more negative self‐evaluations and others‐ evaluations than those without PD features. In this study with 169 undergraduates, APD but not BPD features were associated with other‐contingent state self‐esteem and other‐esteem. A significant interaction indicated that highly avoidant respondents felt particularly negatively about themselves and their close others in situations that conveyed subtle criticism but not in situations signalling unequivocal support. This suggests that their self‐esteem and other‐esteem, rather than being rigidly negative, are instead highly contingent upon interpersonal feedback. Such context contingency has implications for the trait‐like description of diagnostic characteristics within current taxonomies and is in line with contemporary dynamic models of personality structure and process. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Poly (N‐isopropylacrylamide) microgel‐based assemblies
Authors: Hu Liang , Sarker Avijeet K. , Islam Molla R. , Li Xue , Lu Zhenzhen , Serpe Michael J.
Published: April 2013

Thermally responsive poly (N‐isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm)‐based hydrogel particles (microgels) have been extensively studied over past few decades. We, and others, have found that assemblies of these microgels exhibit unique properties that make them useful such as nonfouling surface coatings, drug release/delivery vehicles, and sensors. In this submission, we review our efforts to develop novel water remediation systems and optical devices from pNIPAm‐based microgels. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3004–3020
Influence of the Morphology of Lysozyme‐Shelled Microparticles on the Cellular Association, Uptake, and Degradation in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma Cells
Authors: Cavalieri Francesca , Colone Marisa , Stringaro Annarita , Tortora Mariarosaria , Calcabrini Annarica , Zhou Meifang , Ashokkumar Muthupandian
Published: April 2013

The ultrasound‐assisted self‐assembly and cross‐linking of lysozyme at the water–air and water–perfluorohexane interfaces are shown to produce lysozyme‐shelled hollow microbubbles (LSMBs) and microcapsules (LSMC), respectively. The arrangement of lysozyme at the air–liquid or oil–liquid interfaces is accompanied by changes in the bioactivity and conformational state of the protein. The interaction of LSMB and LSMC with human breast adenocarcinoma cells (SKBR3) is studied. LSMB and LSMC are phagocyted by cells within 2 h without exerting a cytotoxic activity. The cellular internalization kinetics of LSMB and LSMC and the effects on cell cycle are evaluated using flow cytometry. Evidence for the internalization of microparticles and degradation within the cell are also monitored by confocal and scanning electron microscopic analyses. The integrity of cell membrane and cell cycle is not affected by LSMBs and LSMCs uptake. These studies show that the positively charged LSMB and LSMC are not cytotoxic and can be readily internalized and degraded by the SKBR3 cells. LSMBs and LSMCs show a different uptake kinetics and intracellular degradation pattern due to differences in the arrangement of the protein at the air–liquid or oil–liquid interfaces.
Investigation of an explosion in a gasoline purification plant
Authors: Skjold Trygve , van Wingerden Kees
Published: April 2013

An explosion in an atmospheric storage tank initiated additional tank explosions and a pool fire at a tank facility in Norway. The tank farm had been operated as a purification plant for a petroleum product called coker gasoline. The process entailed extraction of malodorous sulfur containing components, in particular thiols (mercaptans). After several tanker loads of coker gasoline had been treated with a solution of sodium hydroxide and water, the efficiency of the sweetening process declined as precipitated waste accumulated in the tanks and the alkaline solution became increasingly saturated with impurities. The approach adopted for handling the accumulated waste included the addition of hydrochloric acid to neutralize the spent caustic. The explosion occurred when about 80% of the scheduled amount of acid had been added to the solution in the tank. There were no fatalities in the accident, but at least two people received medical treatment for injuries sustained during the course of events. The investigation concluded that the accident was caused by a chemical explosion in the tank. Several factors point toward thiols as the predominant constituents in the fuel–air mixture, but vapors from other volatile substances may also have played a decisive role. The ignition source was most likely a hot surface, resulting from adsorption of volatile organic compounds on activated carbon in the air filter and subsequent self‐heating and glowing combustion in the carbon bed. The article summarizes the main results from the accident investigation and lists various measures that can be taken to prevent similar accidents in the future. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 32: 268–276, 2013
Management of change—enabler or inhibitor?
Authors: Kelly Brian D.
Published: April 2013

Management of change (MOC) is one of the more fundamental elements of process safety management (PSM) and one which is common to all PSM frameworks. It is also an activity that breeds frustration and difficulty in many organizations, and this may impede its effectiveness. To address, this concern it is necessary to fully understand the purpose and benefits of MOC, and the efforts required to make it work. This article highlights some of the principal barriers to an effective MOC initiative and suggests ways to streamline it so that it provides optimum benefit. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2013
Indicators of Recovery, Indications for Policy
Authors: Weil Frederick
Published: April 2013

Daniel Aldrich has written a masterful book with Building Resilience: Social Capital in Post‐Disaster Recovery. In this comment on the book, I discuss some of the challenges he faced and tried to overcome in finding and using indicators of social capital and disaster recovery. Having recently completed a very large data collection effort myself in post‐Katrina New Orleans, I describe some of the tasks that face researchers. I also highlight some of the requirements of combining survey with spatial and government data. Then I discuss some of the policy issues in recovery. I share Aldrich's skepticism of top‐down approaches, though of course they are a necessary component, and describe some ways they may be unhelpful or even counterproductive. When community members work together effectively, they can sometimes even bend the curve of resources required for recovery.
Beyond Social Capital: Social Justice in Recovery and Resilience
Authors: Williamson Thad
Published: April 2013

Focusing on the case of post‐Katrina New Orleans, this essay argues that the framework of social capital used by Daniel Aldrich in Building Resilience needs to be supplemented by an explicit account of social justice. Policymakers must recognize the ways in which social capital can exacerbate deep social inequalities that impact residents' vulnerability to disasters. Concern with strengthening social capital should be matched by concern with rectifying severe inequalities.
Biodegradable Polysilsesquioxane Nanoparticles as Efficient Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Vivero‐Escoto Juan L. , Rieter William J. , Lau Honam , Huxford‐Phillips Rachel C. , Lin Wenbin
Published: April 2013

Polysilsesquioxane (PSQ) nanoparticles are crosslinked homopolymers formed by condensation of functionalized trialkoxysilanes, and provide an interesting platform for developing biologically and biomedically relevant nanomaterials. In this work, the design and synthesis of biodegradable PSQ particles with extremely high payloads of paramagnetic Gd(III) centers is explored, for use as efficient contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two new bis(trialkoxysilyl) derivatives of Gd(III) diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (Gd‐DTPA) containing disulfide linkages are synthesized and used to form biodegradable Gd‐PSQ particles by base‐catalyzed condensation reactions in reverse microemulsions. The Gd‐PSQ particles, PSQ‐1 and PSQ‐2, carry 53.8 wt% and 49.3 wt% of Gd‐DTPA derivatives, respectively. In addition, the surface carboxy groups on the PSQ‐2 particles can be modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and the anisamide (AA) ligand to enhance biocompatibility and cell uptake, respectively. The Gd‐PSQ particles are readily degradable to release the constituent Gd(III) chelates in the presence of endogenous reducing agents such as cysteine and glutathione. The MR relaxivities of the Gd‐PSQ particles are determined using a 3T MR scanner, with r1 values ranging from 5.9 to 17.8 mMs−1 on a per‐Gd basis. Finally, the high sensitivity of the Gd‐PSQ particles as T1‐weighted MR contrast agents is demonstrated with in vitro MR imaging of human lung and pancreatic cancer cells. The enhanced efficiency of the anisamide‐functionalized PSQ‐2 particles as a contrast agent is corroborated by both confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging and ICP‐MS analysis of Gd content in vitro.
Science identity trajectories of latecomers to science in college
Authors: Jackson Phoebe A. , Seiler Gale
Published: April 2013

This study introduces a new group of students to the postsecondary science agenda: latecomers to science. Latecomers, who enter postsecondary science through alternative routes because they are missing prerequisites, are less likely to graduate than traditional science students. Challenges to latecomers' persistence are explored through two questions: (1) What trends in science identity trajectories are latecomers to science able to construct during their first year in a college science program? (2) How are latecomers' identity trajectories constrained by or improvised with the cultural models and associated resources available in the figured world of a college science program? These questions are investigated through an analysis of educational activities, reflective writings, and interviews of nine latecomers. We view identification as analogous to velocity and demonstrate how recurring forces exerted by figured worlds and cultural models within them create patterns of acceleration towards or away from science, thus supporting or hindering persistence as identity trajectories gain or lose momentum. Findings show that latecomers' persistence was greatly constrained by two cultural models from the science program: good science students follow a paradigmatic sequence of courses and consistently earn good grades. Occasionally, latecomers improvised to resist these constraints. We illustrate our findings through three cases exemplifying inbound, outbound, and peripheral trends, offering a method of representing trajectories that may lead to new understandings of persistence. We also suggest implications for better supporting latecomers and connect this research to recent developments in the theoretical and methodological use of identity trajectories in understanding access to science. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 50: 826–857, 2013
Fluorochemical concentration and distribution analysis using portable XRF instrument in carpet industry
Authors: Gullayanon Rutchanee , Michaels Thomas E. , Rudat Martin A.
Published: April 2013

This article introduces the use of a portable X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument as a non‐destructive tool to rapidly determine fluorochemical concentration on carpet fibers. Most portable XRF instruments are not capable of detecting the primary element in fluorochemicals, fluorine (F) directly. However, fluorochemicals may be combined with chemical taggants, which are measurable. When properly calibrated, the taggant concentrations are a proxy for the F level on carpet fibers, which in turn represents fluorochemical concentration. Results in this research showed that an accuracy of 150 ± 50 ppm of F can be achieved using a portable XRF instrument. This level and accuracy range is specified by manufacturers as an acceptable fluorochemical concentration on carpet fibers. Therefore, a portable XRF instrument can be used in place of the certified chemical burn test, thereby reducing the response time to obtain test results from hours for the chemical burn test to less than 5 min when using the portable XRF technology. This online measurement system for fluorochemical concentration can also be used as a practical means of determining fluorochemical distribution profiles across carpet samples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigation of distribution and oxidation state of copper in soil‐inhabiting nematodes by means of synchrotron radiation
Authors: Sávoly Zoltán , Pepponi Giancarlo , Nagy Péter István , Streli Christina , Buzanich Günter , Chinea‐Cano Ernesto , Záray Gyula
Published: April 2013

Free‐living nematodes provide a good tool for environmental monitoring, because the nematode community structure is an appropriate bio‐indicator. Soil‐inhabiting species can be used for the characterization of soil functioning and heavy‐metal pollution. To investigate the uptake and distribution of copper in the soil‐inhabiting nematodes Xiphinema vuittenezi, starved animals were kept in CuSO4 and Cu(NO3)2 solutions with a concentration of 1 mmol/dm3 for 24 h. The treatment with CuSO4 was also carried out at higher concentration (0.5 mol/dm3) for 1 h. The nematodes were mounted onto polyimide tape, and after a 2‐min‐long freezing in liquid nitrogen, they were lyophilized for 72 h. The suitability of the sample preparation method was studied by the scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam techniques. Elemental maps were recorded with two different lateral resolutions (8 µm ∗ 8 µm and 2 µm ∗ 2 µm). Elevated copper and sulfur content was found along the stylet. The oxidation state of copper was studied by X‐ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. The spectra of solid standards and copper–amino acid complexes in aqueous solution were obtained as well. The oxidation state of copper within the nematodes was found to be +2 in all cases. The X‐ray absorption near edge structure spectra of nematodes treated with different copper compounds showed high similarity, however, the spectrum of untreated animals indicated a different chemical environment of copper. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Political instability and economic growth: Evidence from two decades of transition in CEE
Authors: Gurgul Henryk , Lach Łukasz
Published: April 2013

This paper examines the nexus between political instability and economic growth in 10 CEE countries in transition in the period 1990–2009. Our results support the contention that political instability defined as a propensity for government change had a negative impact on growth. On the other hand, there was no causality in the opposite direction. A sensitivity analysis based on the application of a few hundred different variants of the initial econometric model confirmed the abovementioned findings only in the case where major government changes were applied to the definition of political instability.
Lunch energy density and the metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Menegotto Giovana , Moraes Silva Flávia , de Azevedo Mirela Jobim , de Almeida Jussara Carnevale
Published: April 2013

The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible associations between dietary energy density (ED) and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with type 2 diabetes. In the present case–control study, the dietary ED of 125 patients with type 2 diabetes (seventy-eight with (cases) the MetS and forty-seven without (controls) the MetS; mean age 62·0 (sd9·4) years, mean diabetes duration 12·5 (sd8·4) years and mean glycated Hb 7·2 (sd1·3) %) was assessed by weighed diet records. The MetS was defined according to the 2009 Joint Interim Statement and ED by the amount of energy (kJ) in a given weight of food. Data are expressed as means (standard deviations) or medians (interquartile ranges). Patients with the MetS reported lower intakes of total energy and fibre, and a higher total food amount than the controls; the total ED did not differ, but the cases had a higher ED at lunch (mean 6·3 (sd1·3)v. 5·9 (sd0·8) kJ/g;P= 0·017). In this meal, patients with the MetS had lower intakes of beans (median 0·7 (interquartile range 0·4–1·1)v. 1·1 (interquartile range 0·6–1·6) g/kg;P= 0·020), vegetables (median 1·2 (interquartile range 0·6–1·7)v. 1·4 (interquartile range 1·0–2·0) g/kg;P= 0·046) and total meat (median 1·3 (interquartile range 1·0–1·6)v. 1·4 (interquartile range 1·2–1·8) g/kg;P= 0·034) than patients without the MetS. The associations between lunch ED (kJ/g) and food groups (g/kg) were confirmed for vegetables (r− 0·584;P< 0·001), fruits (r− 0·233;P= 0·070), beans (r− 0·189;P= 0·037) and oils (r0·323;P< 0·001). In a multivariate logistic regression model, a high lunch ED was associated with the MetS (OR 6·89, 95 % CI 1·35, 35·15;P =0·020) after adjusting for confounders. In conclusion, a high ED at lunch increased the odds of the presence of the MetS in patients with type 2 diabetes. Beans and vegetables may be the major contributors to this association and their consumption might be considered to decrease ED.
Authorship in Transition: Enthusiasts and Malcontents on Press Freedoms, an Expanding Literary Market, and Vienna's Reading Public
Authors: Morrison Heather
Published: April 2013

Joseph Richter, a prolific writer of the Viennese Enlightenment, published a satirical dictionary in 1782 called theABC Book for Big Children. Here, under the heading “men of letters” (Gelehrte), he wrote, “Emperor Augustus brought them to his table. Among the great nobility of our time, they eat out on the steps.” This criticism of insufficient patronage, marginalization, and loss of status seemed to come at an odd time. By 1781, the current Emperor and Habsburg monarch, Joseph II, freed censorship to the extent that Richter's satire could be published; writers sought to live from their works; and Vienna sustained a vibrant intellectual scene among the booksellers, coffee shops, and Freemason lodges. Yet Richter's lamentation reveals a complex reaction to the transition to a more modern, participatory, and even democratic knowledge culture.
TWO ALLUSIONS TO TERENCE,EUNUCHUS579 IN JEROME
Authors: Cain Andrew
Published: April 2013

During the Late Roman Empire Terence was the most revered and the most quoted classical Latin poet after Virgil. Among authors both pagan and Christian, none (to judge, of course, by the surviving written record) made as frequent or as creative literary use of his comedies as Jerome, one of the most accomplished polymaths in all of Latin antiquity. In his estimation Terence ranked, alongside Homer, Menander and Virgil, as one of the greatest of all poets. Jerome had an encyclopedic knowledge of Terence's dramatic corpus and quoted or appropriated phraseology from all six of his comedies. A significant number of these reminiscences have already been identified, but others await discovery. The purpose of the present study is to make a further contribution to this particular branch of HieronymianQuellenforschungby adducing and analysing two hitherto unrecognized allusions in Jerome's correspondence to Terence'sEunuchus, apparently one of the biggest blockbusters in the history of the Roman stage.
FRONTINUS' CAMEO ROLE IN TACITUS'AGRICOLA
Authors: König Alice
Published: April 2013

Frontinus appears only once in Tacitus'Agricola, at a moment in the text where Tacitus is filling in some background, sketching a rough history of the Roman occupation of Britain up to the time when Agricola took over as governor of the province. His appearance is brief, and the momentum of the whole section makes it tempting to see him as a mere footnote in the tale of Agricola's life and career. I will argue, however, that Frontinus' role in the text is more significant than that. Indeed, it is my contention that he is closely bound up with – and helps Tacitus and his readers to explore – one of the text's most pressing concerns: namely senatorial conduct, status and identity, in Domitianic and post-Domitianic Rome.
TWO CONJECTURES IN HORACE: ODES 1.16.8 AND 1.35.25
Authors: Kovacs David
Published: April 2013

Most of the above text is straightforward. Horace is explaining that wrath – the reader may think at this stage either of Horace's own wrath expressed in the scurrilous iambi mentioned in 2–3 or that of the woman he addresses – resembles various other things. Thus in 5a wrath's effect is compared to that of the Magna Mater on her priests, the Galli (they were driven so far from their senses that they castrated themselves), and in 5b–6 to that of Apollo on the Pythia (the god interfered with her personality so that she could utter his prophecies). In 7a Dionysus’ effect on his maenads provides the analogy (one thinks of Agave and her sisters, who dismembered Pentheus under the delusion that he was a lion). These are good comparisons to the ruinous effects of anger.
EPINICIAN VARIATIONS: MUSIC AND TEXT IN PINDAR,PYTHIANS2 AND 12
Authors: Phillips Tom
Published: April 2013

The importance of music for epinician, as for all other types of choral performance in Archaic and Classical Greece, has long been recognized, but the exiguousness of the evidence for the compositional principles behind such music, and for what these poems actually sounded like in performance, has limited scholarly enquiries. Examination of Pindar's texts themselves for evidence of his musical practices was for a long time dominated by extensive and often inconclusive debate about the relations between metres and modes. More recently scholars have begun to explore Pindar's relations to contemporary developments in musical performance, and in doing so have opened up new questions about how music affected audiences as aesthetically and culturally significant in its own right, and how it interacted with the language of the text. This article will investigate the performance scenarios of two of Pindar's epinicians, arguing that in each case the poems contain indications of specific musical accompaniments, and use these scenarios as a starting point for engaging with wider interpretative questions. The self-referential dimension of these compositions will be of particular importance; I shall argue that Pindar deployed a type of musical intertextuality, in which his compositions draw on pre-existing melodic structures, utilizing their cultural associations for the purposes of his own pieces, a process crucial to the dynamics of performance of the poems concerned. By doing so I shall attempt to reach a better understanding of the roles played by music in epinician performance and of Pindar's place in relation to the musical culture in which he worked.
SOME FRAGMENTS OF REPUBLICAN DRAMA FROM NONIUS MARCELLUS' SOURCES 26, 27 AND 28
Authors: Welsh Jarrett T.
Published: April 2013

In a paper in an earlier issue of this journal I endeavoured to show that Nonius Marcellus’ three glossarial sources known as ‘Gloss. iii’, ‘Alph. Verb’ and ‘Alph. Adverb’ (lists 26, 27 and 28 in W.M. Lindsay's analysis of Nonius’ sources) were compiled by a lexicographer who paid attention to both metre and sense when excerpting works of Republican poetry. That compiler always excerpted quotations of poetry such that they consisted of, or began or ended with, a metrically complete verse. That method has produced quotations of high quality that are, on several counts, considerably more transparent and more reliable than those preserved by less diligent sources.
Is Blu-tack as effective at attenuating sound as over-the-counter ear plugs?
Authors: Watson G J , Trainor G , Camilleri A E
Published: April 2013

Objective:

To demonstrate that Blu-tack is equally effective at attenuating sound as over-the-counter ear plugs.

Methods:

Nineteen healthy volunteers had their hearing thresholds assessed before and after the insertion of over-the-counter ear plugs. The results were compared with hearing thresholds following the insertion of Blu-tack. Thresholds were tested at: 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 kHz. The differences were compared, and p values of less than 0.02 were regarded as significant. Using a visual analogue scale, volunteers were asked to assess the comfort and ease of insertion of the ear plugs and Blu-tack, and their peace of mind whilst using the ear plugs and Blu-tack.

Results:

Blu-tack was less effective at attenuating sound at low frequencies, but was as effective as over-the-counter ear plugs at attenuating sound above 3 kHz. Blu-tack was significantly more comfortable to wear (p = 0.006). There was no difference in terms of ease of insertion and peace of mind.

Conclusion:

Blu-tack can be regarded as a comfortable alternative to over-the-counter ear plugs for the attenuation of everyday sound.
Converse effect of flooding on intertidal macrobenthic assemblages in the Guadiana estuary
Authors: Conde Anxo , Calvário José , Sprung Martin , Novais Júlio M. , Domínguez Jorge
Published: April 2013

The effects of winter flooding on the intertidal macrobenthic assemblages in the Guadiana estuary were studied by analysing several ecological parameters (abundance, biomass, species richness, diversity, degree of dominance of annelids and deposit-feeders species and number of predator species) as well as changes in the composition of the assemblages. Significant and systematic differences were found in the values of the ecological parameters, especially between winter and summer. We found a significant interaction between the factors ‘time’ and ‘site’, attributable to changes in abundance and composition of the assemblages. The assemblages showed a predominance of some opportunist species in most of the estuary after the flooding, suggesting that these species benefited from the new environmental conditions. Conversely, the assemblages in the mouth of the estuary were severely affected as was shown by the negative changes in biomass, species richness and diversity. These converse responses of the intertidal estuarine assemblages represent effects of flooding different from both catastrophic and negative effects on macrofaunal assemblages.
Syntheses and crystal structures of Li(Ta0.89Ti0.11)O2.945and (Li0.977Eu0.023)(Ta0.89Ti0.11)O2.968
Authors: Uchida Tomohiro , Suehiro Shiho , Asaka Toru , Nakano Hiromi , Fukuda Koichiro
Published: April 2013

Crystal structures of Li(Ta0.89Ti0.11)O2.945and (Li0.977Eu0.023)(Ta0.89Ti0.11)O2.968were investigated by laboratory X-ray powder diffraction. Both title compounds were trigonal with space groupR3candZ = 6. The hexagonal unit-cell dimensions werea = 0.514 82 9(2) nm,c = 1.377 61 2(4) nm, andV = 0.316 21 6(2) nm3for the former compound anda = 0.517 71 2(2) nm,c = 1.373 50 0(6) nm, andV = 0.318 81 2(3) nm3for the latter. The initial structural models, being isostructural with LiTaO3, were refined by the Rietveld method. The maximum-entropy method-based pattern fitting (MPF) method was subsequently used to confirm the validity of the structural models, in which conventional structure bias caused by assuming intensity partitioning was minimized. Atomic arrangements of the final structural models were in excellent agreement with the three-dimensional electron-density distributions determined by MPF.
Prevalence ofAnaplasma phagocytophiluminfection in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations from Transylvania, Romania
Authors: KISS T. , CADAR D. , KRUPACI F. A. , BORDEANU A. D. , SPÎNU M.
Published: April 2013

Between 2007–2008 and 2010–2012, 870 organ samples were collected from wild boars in 16 Transylvanian counties.Anaplasma phagocytophilumDNA was identified using a nested PCR protocol that amplifies a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. Prevalence was compared between sampling periods and counties using Fisher's exact test. In total, 39 (4·48%) samples tested positive, with significantly higher values recorded in the second period, caused by an increased infection rate in boars from Sibiu county. Positive cases tended to concentrate in the central part of the country. During the second sampling period,A. phagocytophilumwas detected in two additional counties, suggesting a spatial spreading of the pathogen. The results confirm that Transylvanian wild boars are naturally infected withA. phagocytophilum, thus raising awarness concerning a potential zoonotic cycle. This is the first study to evaluate spatial and temporal variations ofA. phagocytophilumdistribution in wild boar populations from Transylvania.
Human cases of Sindbis fever in South Africa, 2006–2010
Authors: STORM N. , WEYER J. , MARKOTTER W. , KEMP A. , LEMAN P.A. , DERMAUX-MSIMANG V. , NEL L. H. , PAWESKA J. T.
Published: April 2013

Sindbis virus (SINV), the prototype positive-sense RNA alphavirus, causes febrile arthritis and is present throughout Afro-Eurasia. Little is known of the epidemiology of Sindbis fever due to insufficient surveillance in most endemic countries. The epidemiological features of Sindbis fever in humans in South Africa are described here based on a retrospective study of suspected arbovirus cases submitted for laboratory investigation from 2006 to 2010. Cases were detected annually mostly during the late summer/early autumn months and an increase in cases was noted for 2010, coinciding with an outbreak of Rift Valley fever. Cases were reported most often from the central plateau of South Africa and involved mostly males. No severe or fatal cases were reported and cases were associated with febrile arthralgia as commonly reported for SINV infection. Further surveillance is required to reveal the true extent of the morbidity of Sindbis fever in South Africa.