bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ganglioneurocytoma Mimicking a Malignant Tumor: Case Report With a Literature Review of the MRI Appearance of Neurocytomas and Gangliogliomas
Authors: Chan Allison , McAbee Gary , Queenan Joseph , Manning Anna
Published: November 2009

A 14‐year‐old girl presented with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure after her head was squeezed at a party. MRI demonstrated a mass that was hypointense to brain on T1WI and heterogeneous in signal on PD and T2WI; compression of the ventricle, midline shift, and mild ventriculomegaly also were present. Contrast enhancement was extensive and heterogeneous, mimicking a malignant tumor. Neuropathology revealed a ganglioneurocytoma.
Change in the Chilean social model
Authors: RIESCO Manuel
Published: November 2009

Chile modernized its social model in two stages characterized by different strategies: developmentalism (1924–73) and the Washington Consensus (1973–2008). In the first stage, the State pursued both social policies of universal coverage and land reform, while also building up the country's economic and institutional infrastructure. After the 1973 military coup, some public services were dismantled and privatized, and the labour movement was suppressed. Since the end of the dictatorship in 1990, resistance to state regulation and an anti‐labour bias have persisted, albeit to a diminishing degree due to advances in democratization and, latterly, the current world economic crisis.
Persistence of an exclusionary model: Inequality and segmentation in Mexican society
Authors: BAYÓN María Cristina
Published: November 2009

Beginning in the 1980s, Mexico's social and labour policies took a neoliberal turn which exacerbated inequalities, poverty and social exclusion. The change of policy course that has occurred over the past decade has so far failed to bring about a critical review of the country's economic model and its social consequences. The role of the State has been systematically cut back; social services have been outsourced to the market; and informal family‐based social protection has gained ground. Mexico's social model has thus been reduced to a system that is almost exclusively concerned with protection for those living in extreme poverty.
Twenty‐five‐year course and outcome in anxiety and depression in the Upper Bavarian Longitudinal Community Study
Authors: Fichter M. M. , Quadflieg N. , Fischer U. C. , Kohlboeck G.
Published: November 2009

Fichter MM, Quadflieg N, Fischer UC, Kohlboeck G. Twenty‐five‐year course and outcome in anxiety and depression in the Upper Bavarian Longitudinal Community Study.

Objective:  Assessment of 25‐year course of pure and mixed anxiety and depression in a community sample.

Method:  Participants were grouped into pure anxiety, pure depression, mixed anxiety and depression, and no anxiety or depressive syndrome at baseline. Assessments consisted of a: i) baseline survey, ii) 5‐year follow‐up, iii) 25‐year follow‐up. Self‐rating scales as well as expert‐rating interviews yielded data on social and psychopathological risk factors and outcome measures.

Results:  Baseline prevalence for mixed anxiety and depressive syndrome was 8.7%. Subjects with combined anxiety and depressive syndrome were more predisposed towards later adverse mental health outcomes and reduced functionality. The transition from anxiety syndrome (pure and mixed) to depressive syndrome over the 25‐year study is more likely than the reverse. Logistic regression analysis emphasized the impact of early anxiety syndromes on later depression.

Conclusion:  Results underscore the long‐term risks of suffering from a combined anxiety and depressive syndrome.
‘Outlandish Love’: Marriage and Immigration in City Comedies
Authors: Oldenburg Scott
Published: November 2009

This article questions the orthodox reading of early English city comedies that such plays exhibit intense national or proto‐national fervor, especially articulated in terms of anti‐alien sentiment. A close examination of The Dutch Courtesan and Englishmen for My Money shows that English playgoers were keen to see their cosmopolitan city staged. Moreover, these plays suggest that when it came to European immigrants to England, status and wealth were far more important to the English than considerations of birthplace and ethnicity.
Epidermal growth factor receptor in relation to tumor development: EGFR‐targeted anticancer therapy
Authors: Okamoto Isamu
Published: November 2009

The discovery that signaling by the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a key role in tumorigenesis prompted efforts to target this receptor in anticancer therapy. Two different types of EGFR‐targeted therapeutic agents were subsequently developed: mAbs, such as cetuximab and panitumumab, which target the extracellular domain of the receptor, thereby inhibiting ligand‐dependent EGFR signal transduction; and small‐molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as gefitinib and erlotinib, which target the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain of the EGFR. Furthermore, recent clinical and laboratory studies have identified molecular markers that have the potential to improve the clinical effectiveness of EGFR‐targeted therapies. This minireview summarizes the emerging role of molecular profiling in guiding the clinical use of anti‐EGFR therapeutic agents.
A student’s guide to searching the literature using online databases
Authors: Miller Casey W. , Chabot Michelle D. , Messina Troy C.
Published: November 2009

A method is described to empower students to efficiently perform general and specific literature searches using online resources. The method was tested on undergraduate and graduate students with varying backgrounds in scientific literature. Students involved in this study showed marked improvement in their awareness of how and where to find accurate scientific information.
Positive Cross-Talk between Estrogen Receptor and NF-κB in Breast Cancer
Authors: Frasor Jonna , Weaver Aisha , Pradhan Madhumita , Dai Yang , Miller Lance D. , Lin Chin-Yo , Stanculescu Adina
Published: November 2009

Estrogen receptors (ER) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) are known to play important roles in breast cancer, but these factors are generally thought to repress each other's activity. However, we have recently found that ER and NF-κB can also act together in a positive manner to synergistically increase gene transcription. To examine the extent of cross-talk between ER and NF-κB, a microarray study was conducted in which MCF-7 breast cancer cells were treated with 17β-estradiol (E2), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), or both. Follow-up studies with an ER antagonist and NF-κB inhibitors show that cross-talk between E2 and TNFα is mediated by these two factors. We find that although transrepression between ER and NF-κB does occur, positive cross-talk is more prominent with three gene-specific patterns of regulation: (a) TNFα enhances E2 action on ∼30% of E2-upregulated genes; (b) E2 enhances TNFα activity on ∼15% of TNFα-upregulated genes; and (c) E2 + TNFα causes a more than additive upregulation of ∼60 genes. Consistent with their prosurvival roles, ER and NF-κB and their target gene, BIRC3, are involved in protecting breast cancer cells against apoptosis. Furthermore, genes positively regulated by E2 + TNFα are clinically relevant because they are enriched in luminal B breast tumors and their expression profiles can distinguish a cohort of patients with poor outcome following endocrine treatment. Taken together, our findings suggest that positive cross-talk between ER and NF-κB is more extensive than anticipated and that these factors may act together to promote survival of breast cancer cells and progression to a more aggressive phenotype. [Cancer Res 2009;69(23):8918–25]
Effects of Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients with Affective Disorders: A Pilot Study
Authors: Grassi Luigi , Sabato Silvana , Rossi Elena , Marmai Luciana , Biancosino Bruno
Published: November 2009

Background: So far, no study has tested supportive-expressive group therapy (SEGT) in cancer patients with an established psychiatric diagnosis. The aim of this 6-month follow-up study was to evaluate breast cancer patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis of affective syndromes participating in SEGT and a group of breast cancer patients with no ICD-10 diagnosis. Methods: A total of 214 patients were examined in the screening phase (T0) using the ICD-10, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Mini-Mental Adjustment-to-Cancer Scale (Mini-MAC), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Openness Scale and the Cancer Worries Inventory (CWI). Those with an ICD-10 diagnosis of affective syndromes received 16–24 sessions of SEGT (90-min sessions, once a week), while those with no ICD-10 diagnosis were followed up. A second assessment for both sam- ples took place 6 months later (T1). Results: Seventy-eight (36.4%) patients were positive for an ICD-10 diagnosis of affective syndromes at T0, while 127 (59.4%) did not meet any ICD-10 diagnosis. Among the former, 54 patients participated in the SEGT. At T1, significant differences were observed in all the dimensions of the BSI, hopelessness and anxious preoccupation subscales of the Mini-MAC, the Openness Scale and the CWI. No variable at T0 was a predictor of BSI distress as measured at T1. Among those with no ICD-10 diagnosis at T0, 8.2% were positive for affective disorders at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: This study suggested that SEGT is effective for breast cancer patients with affective disorders, and indicates the need for prospective evaluations in order to identify those who may develop psychopathology over time.
Tag Questions in Portuguese: Grammar and Intonation
Authors: Cruz-Ferreira Madalena
Published: November 2009

Portuguese (Lisbon dialect) has seven types of tags which do not share, as e.g. in English, a common structural pattern. Their structure is described in the first part of the paper, with special reference to polarity, namely, the common use of constant (negative) polarity questions, and to the setting up of ‘dummy tags’. The second part analyses the consistent use of either a falling or a rising tune only with each tag, in unmarked instances. The forms and meanings of tunes, in attitudinally marked uses are then discussed at some length. Finally, some brief remarks are made as to the use of tags in Portuguese.
Hinduizing from the Top, Indigenizing from Below: Localizing Krishna Rituals in Southern Ghana
Authors: Wuaku Albert Kafui
Published: November 2009

This essay reports on an aspect of Ghana's emerging Hindu religious experience; the localizing of the worship of Krishna, a Hindu deity and a globally circulating emblem of spirituality, in the context of the Radha-Govinda temple community in Accra, Ghana's capital. Representing the Ghanaian portion of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), this community seeks to perpetuate the Caitanyite Vaisnava heritage in this African worshipping society by implementing its policy of 'Hinduizing' local communities. Local worshippers are receptive to this new religion but do not succumb to the pressure to become Hindus in ISKCON's sense. They are resilient and invest this cultural import with local religious meanings, pressing its rituals into service as spiritual ammunition as they respond to pre-existing challenges and the new limitations that contemporary social transformations have imposed on them. The essay demonstrates how the meanings of lay practitioners who we often assume to be powerless, rather than ISKCON and its powerful local elite agents, largely shape the trajectory of the worship of Krishna in Ghana.
Origins of Church Missionary Society Accommodation to Imperial Policy: The Sierra Leone Quagmire and the Closing of the Susu Mission, 1804-17
Authors: Mouser Bruce
Published: November 2009

A series of events in 1807 changed the mission of the early Church Missionary Society in Sierra Leone from one that was designed initially and solely to spread the Christian message in the interior of West Africa to one that included service to the Colony of Sierra Leone. Before 1807, the Society had identified the Susu language as the appointed language to be used in its conversion effort, and it intended to establish an exclusively Susu Mission—in Susu Country and independent of government attachment—that would prepare a vanguard of African catechists and missionaries to carry that message in the Susu language. In 1807, however, the Society's London-based board and the missionaries then present at Sierra Leone made a strategic shift of emphasis to accept government protection and support in return for a bargain of government service, while at the same time continuing with earlier and independent goals of carrying the message of Christianity to native Africans. That choice prepared the Society and its missionaries within a decade to significantly increase the Society's role in Britain's attempt to bring civilization, commerce and Christianity to the continent, and to do it within the confines of imperial policy.
Social Life and the Dreamtime: Clues to Creation Myths as Rhetorical Devices in Tiwi Mortuary Ritual
Authors: Venbrux Eric
Published: November 2009

The visual arts of the Tiwi Aborigines from Bathurst and Melville Islands, Australia, have their origin in mortuary rituals that entail a re-enactment of creation myths. In mortuary ritual a script—inherited from the mythological ancestor Purakupali, who introduced death into Tiwi society and had the death rites performed for the first time—has to be followed, but the participants link the conventional ritual events with their own stories and personal experiences put in metaphorical language and action. The requirement that Tiwi singers compose entirely new songs for every occasion, and that the makers of carved and painted mortuary posts produce unique works, has its impact on how creation myths interact in narratives and in the visual arts. Their interrelatedness can be studied in a more systematic way in the performative arts by taking the actors' current social and political concerns into account.
Revelations from the Back Yard: Charles Wright and Wittgenstein
Authors: Leubner Ben
Published: November 2009

“Revelations from the Back Yard: Charles Wright and Wittgenstein” investigates what constitutes an ethical pronouncement and/or sentiment, of what, essentially, characterizes ethical discourse. Wittgenstein's controversial assertion that we cannot speak of ethics without engaging in some form of nonsense makes sense as soon as it becomes apparent that his understanding of the role of nonsense in language is far from solely pejorative. His refusal to admit that ethics can be labeled a “science” leaves us with the question of how we might then go about formulating and/or investigating ethics. Poetry, in particular a poetry like that of Charles Wright, offers a more honest avenue, an avenue which, far from trying to overcome the limits of language in regard to ethics, instead engages just those limits, recognizing in them not an obstacle to ethical formulation but an essential characteristic of it.
Long-Term Effect of Early Relationships for African American Children’s Academic and Social Development: An Examination From Kindergarten to Fifth Grade
Authors: Iruka Iheoma U. , Burchinal Margaret , Cai Karen
Published: November 2009

This study investigates the extent to which the quality of the relationships between African American children and their mothers and teachers in kindergarten predict academic and social development during elementary school years using the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. The role of prior center care and the ethnicity of the kindergarten teacher were also examined as moderators. Hierarchical linear modeling indicated that a close relationship with mothers during kindergarten predicted children’s academic skill on standardized achievement tests and mother-rated social skills, whereas a close relationship with the kindergarten teachers predicted mother- and teacher-rated social skills and teacher-rated behavior problems. Teacher ethnicity moderated the association between conflict with the kindergarten teacher and subsequent behavior problems. The possible implications of these findings for African American children’s academic and social success are discussed.
Rituximab inhibits B-cell receptor signaling
Authors: Kheirallah Samar , Caron Pierre , Gross Emilie , Quillet-Mary Anne , Bertrand-Michel Justine , Fournié Jean-Jacques , Laurent Guy , Bezombes Christine
Published: November 2009

Rituximab (RTX), a monoclonal antibody directed against the CD20 protein, is a drug commonly used in the treatment of B-cell–derived lymphoid neoplasias and of antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases. In addition to cell- and complement-mediated B-cell depletion, RTX is thought to inhibit B-cell survival and proliferation through negative regulation of canonical signaling pathways involving Akt, ERK, and mammalian target of rapamycin. However, surprisingly, although B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling has been considered critical for normal and more recently, for neoplastic B cells, the hypothesis that RTX could target BCR has never been investigated. Using follicular lymphoma cell lines as models, as well as normal B cells, we show here, for the first time, that pretreatment with RTX results in a time-dependent inhibition of the BCR-signaling cascade involving Lyn, Syk, PLCγ2, Akt, and ERK, and calcium mobilization. The inhibitory effect of RTX correlates with decrease of raft-associated cholesterol, complete inhibition of BCR relocalization into lipid raft microdomains, and down-regulation of BCR immunoglobulin expression. Thus, RTX-mediated alteration of BCR expression, dynamics, and signaling might contribute to the immunosuppressive activity of the drug.
Presenilin-1 acts via Id1 to regulate the function of muscle satellite cells in a γ-secretase-independent manner
Authors: Ono Yusuke , Gnocchi Viola F. , Zammit Peter S. , Nagatomi Ryoichi
Published: November 2009

Muscle satellite cells are the resident stem cells of adult skeletal muscle. Here, we have examined the role of the multifunctional protein presenilin-1 (PS1) in satellite cell function. PS1 acts as a crucial component of the γ-secretase complex, which is required to cleave single-pass transmembrane proteins such as Notch and amyloid-β precursor protein. PS1, however, also functions through γ-secretase-independent pathways. Activation of satellite cells was accompanied by induction of PS1, with PS1 knockdown enhancing their myogenic differentiation, but reducing their self-renewal. Transfection with siRNA against PS1 led to accelerated myogenic differentiation during muscle regeneration in vivo. Conversely, constitutive expression of PS1 resulted in the suppression of myogenic differentiation and promotion of the self-renewal phenotype. Importantly, we found that PS1 also acts independently of its role in γ-secretase activity in controlling myogenesis, which is mediated in part by Id1 (inhibitor of DNA binding 1), a negative regulator of the myogenic regulatory factor MyoD. PS1 can control Id1, which affects satellite cell fate by regulating the transcriptional activity of MyoD. Taken together, our observations show that PS1 is a key player in the choice of satellite cell fate, acting through both γ-secretase-dependent and γ-secretase-independent mechanisms.
The Invisible Violence of Celebrity Humanitarianism: Soft Images and Hard Words in the Making and Unmaking of Africa
Authors: Yrjölä Riina
Published: November 2009

Through their actions to eliminate extreme poverty and preventable diseases in Africa, Irish musicians Robert (Bob) Geldof and Bono (Paul David Hewson) today form a visible and celebrated centre in the world of humanitarianism as political activists,' celebrity diplomats,' global Samaritans,' men who, to quote former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, rock the establishment' (TIME 13.11.2006). Their contemporary calls to make poverty history' in Africa are so widely repeated and commonsensical that questions about the exceptionality of this humanitarian action itself rarely arise. In fact, despite the increasing visibility of celebrity humanitarianism, no research on their representations and truth-claims has been done among political scientists.By broadening the concept of the political to include the low' politics of celebrities, specifically their discourses, practices, ideals and world constructions, the aim of this article is to critically examine how Bob Geldof and Bono  the two most visible and celebrated Western spokespersons acting on behalf of Africa  constitute Africa' in their representations not only as a place, but also as serving purpose in the world system.The article argues that, while Geldof and Bono do push for economic changes for Africa, the spatio-temporality of their imaginaries and interpretations on Africa elaborate a colonial imaginary by (re)producing Africa as a specifically Western project and calling. By repeating and circulating the vocabulary of humanitarianism as a moral duty in combination with the engagement in power politics, these discourses not only serve a purpose in the maintenance of hegemonic Western activity in Africa, but are also instrumental in constructing consensus for the existing world order, where the global South is, and remains, in a subordinate position to the West.
Telling Life Stories
Authors: Butler Frieda R.
Published: November 2009

A life review has been demonstrated to be highly beneficial to well or chronically ill older adults, as well as terminally ill older adults. Those living independently indicate feelings of relief and connectivity after telling their stories. Further, terminally ill patients at the end of their lives express feelings of peacefulness at being able to put pieces of their lives together in a meaningful way. It is well known that physicians and nurses have received inadequate training in how to address end-of-life issues. The life review process can be an important strategy for fostering helpful communication between health care professionals and older adults in all phases of health and illness.
The Hofmethode: Computing Semantic Similarities between E-Learning Products
Authors: Michel Oliver , Läge Damian
Published: November 2009

The key task in building useful e-learning repositories is to develop a system with an algorithm allowing users to retrieve information that corresponds to their specific requirements. To achieve this, products (or their verbal descriptions, i.e. presented in metadata) need to be compared and structured according to the results of this comparison. Such structuring is crucial insofar as there are many search results that correspond to the entered keyword. The Hofmethode is an algorithm (based on psychological considerations) to compute semantic similarities between texts and therefore offer a way to compare e-learning products. The computed similarity values are used to build semantic maps in which the products are visually arranged according to their similarities. The paper describes how the Hofmethode is implemented in the online database edulap, and how it contributes to help the user to explore the data in which he is interested.
The prevalence of Fusarium spp. colonizing seed corn stalks in southwestern Ontario, Canada
Authors: Tamburic-Ilincic L. , Schaafsma A. W.
Published: November 2009

Gibberella zeae, Fusarium verticillioides and F. subglutinans are the most important causes of Fusarium stalk rot in corn (Zea mays L.). Gibberella zeae also causes fusarium head blight in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and gibberella ear rot in corn. The objectives of this study were to investigate prevalence of Fusarium species in the stalks of seed corn over time and to investigate the influence of sampling time and internode position on Fusarium spp. and G. zeae, particularly. Fusarium subglutinans and G. zeae were the most frequently recovered species from asymptomatic host tissue and from pink discoloration on stalks, respectively. More G. zeae was isolated from the basal internode of stalks than from the higher ones closer to harvest time. Other species isolated from seed corn stalks over time included F. verticillioides, F. oxysporum, F. sporotrichioides and F. equiseti. A similar spectrum of Fusarium species was identified from corn ears and from winter wheat across southwestern Ontario. Key words: Zea mays L., Fusarium spp.
Mendel field pea
Authors: Bing Deng-Jin , Beauchesne Don , Sloan Al , Gan Yantai , Vera Cecil , McLaren Debbie , Chang Kan-Fa
Published: November 2009

Mendel, a semi-leafless and powdery mildew resistant field pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivar with green cotyledons, has high seed yielding ability, good lodging resistance, round seed shape and medium seed size. It has good seed bleaching resistance and high green color intensity. The cultivar is adapted to field pea growing regions in western Canada. Key words: Field pea, Pisum sativum, cultivar description
High‐Performance Organic Photovoltaic Devices Using a New Amorphous Molecular Material with High Hole Drift Mobility, Tris[4‐(5‐phenylthiophen‐2‐yl)phenyl]amine
Authors: Kageyama Hiroshi , Ohishi Hitoshi , Tanaka Masatake , Ohmori Yutaka , Shirota Yasuhiko
Published: November 2009

A new amorphous molecular material, tris[4‐(5‐phenylthiophen‐2‐yl)phenyl]amine (TPTPA), is synthesized and characterized. TPTPA forms a stable amorphous glass with a glass‐transition temperature of 83 °C when the melt sample is cooled. It also forms amorphous thin films by a thermal deposition technique. TPTPA exhibits a hole drift mobility of 1.0 × 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1 at an electric field of 1.0 × 105 V cm−1 and at 293 K, as determined by the time‐of‐flight method, which is of the highest level among those of amorphous molecular materials. pn‐Heterojunction organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) using TPTPA as an electron donor and C60 or C70 as an electron acceptor exhibit high performance with fill factors of 0.66∼0.71 and power conversion efficiencies of 1.7∼2.2% under air‐mass (AM) 1.5G illumination at an intensity of 100 mW cm−2, which are of the highest level ever reported for OPVs using amorphous molecular materials.
Reusable Gold(I) Catalysts with Unique Regioselectivity for Intermolecular Hydroamination of Alkynes
Authors: Leyva Antonio , Corma Avelino
Published: November 2009

Two gold(I) phosphine complexes bearing the low‐coordinating bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imidate ligand, namely AuSPhosNTf2 and AuPPh3NTf2, are active catalysts for the regioselective intermolecular hydroamination of both internal and terminal alkynes under mild reaction conditions. The catalysts show a regioselectivity based on electronic rather than steric factors, which allow the preferential synthesis of regioisomers opposite to those described previously. This subtle chemo‐ and regioselectivity depends on the catalyst, substrates and reaction conditions employed, and allows one to perform new tandem reactions. These gold(I) complexes operate under free‐solvent conditions, without exclusion of air, without addition of acidic promoters and can be quantitatively recovered and reused by simple precipitation in hexane.
Expanded Heterogeneous Suzuki–Miyaura Coupling Reactions of Aryl and Heteroaryl Chlorides under Mild Conditions
Authors: Lee Dong‐Hwan , Choi Minkee , Yu Byung‐Woo , Ryoo Ryong , Taher Abu , Hossain Shahin , Jin Myung‐Jong
Published: November 2009

A mesoporous LTA zeolite (MP‐LTA)‐supported palladium catalyst was developed for the highly efficient Suzuki–Miyaura reaction of aryl and heteroaryl chlorides. The couplings of various aryl chlorides with arylboronic acids in aqueous ethanol were efficiently achieved in the presence of 1.0 mol% of the catalyst. Furthermore, the scope of this catalyst was extended to the coupling of heteroaryl chlorides. Regardless of the substituents, all of the coupling reactions were very clean and highly efficient under mild heating. It shows that our catalyst is one of the most powerful heterogeneous catalysts for the coupling of a wide range of aryl and heteroaryl chlorides. The catalyst could be repetitively used at least 10 times without a significant loss of its catalytic activity. Compared to mesoporous SBA‐15 and MCM‐41 materials, the MP‐LTA support proved to be very stable and robust to prevent degradation upon reuse.
Highly Enantioselective Michael Addition of α‐Substituted Cyano Ketones to β,γ‐Unsaturated α‐Keto Esters using Bifunctional Thiourea‐Tertiary Amine Catalysts: An Easy Access to Chiral Dihydropyrans
Authors: Zhao Sheng‐Li , Zheng Chang‐Wu , Wang Hai‐Feng , Zhao Gang
Published: November 2009

An asymmetric Michael addition of α‐substituted cyano ketones to β,γ‐unsaturated α‐keto esters to form chiral dihydropyrans catalyzed by a series of α‐amino acid‐derived thiourea‐tertiary amines is presented. A novel tyrosine‐derived thiourea catalyst was identified as the optimal catalyst providing the desired product in 91–95% yields and with 90–96% ee at a low catalyst loading of 2.0 mol%. The utility of the reaction was exemplified by facile conversion of the dihydropyran product into pharmaceutically useful dihydropyridine.
Intramolecular Photochemical Cross‐Coupling Reactions of 3‐Acyl‐2‐haloindoles and 2‐Chloropyrrole‐3‐carbaldehydes with Substituted Benzenes
Authors: Lu Shen‐Ci , Zhang Xi‐Xia , Shi Zong‐Jun , Ren Yu‐Wei , Li Bing , Zhang Wei
Published: November 2009

Highly efficient syntheses of indolo[2,1‐a]isoquinolines, indolo[2,1‐a][2]benzazepines, pyrrolo[2,1‐a]isoquinolines and pyrrolo[1,2‐a]benzazepines in excellent yields have been achieved by the intramolecular photochemical cross‐coupling reactions of 3‐acyl‐2‐halo‐N‐(ω‐arylalkyl)indoles and 2‐chloro‐N‐(ω‐arylalkyl)pyrrole‐3‐carbaldehydes in acetone. A new heterocyclic ring system – pyrrolo[1,2‐d][1,4]benzoxazepine – has also been constructed for the first time in this work by the photocyclization of 2‐chloro‐N‐(2‐phenoxyethyl)pyrrole‐3‐carbaldehyde.
Effect of Long Chain Fatty Acids on Organocatalytic Aqueous Direct Aldol Reactions
Authors: Mase Nobuyuki , Noshiro Naoyasu , Mokuya Asuka , Takabe Kunihiko
Published: November 2009

In an organocatalyzed, aqueous direct aldol reaction, the addition of a long chain fatty acid (1 mol%) such as stearic acid or erucic acid improved the aldol product yield and the enantioselectivity with low catalyst loading (1 mol%). The small particle size of the emulsion (less than 1 μm) was a key to the enhanced reactivity as shown by dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses.
Facile Synthesis of Polycyclic Fluorene Derivatives via a Palladium‐Catalyzed Coupling, Propargyl‐Allenyl Isomerization and Schmittel Cyclization Sequence
Authors: Shen Ruwei , Chen Linzhu , Huang Xian
Published: November 2009

A stepwise process involving Sonogashira coupling, propargyl‐allenyl isomerization and Schmittel cyclization has been realized, leading to an efficient synthesis of polycyclic fluorene derivatives from readily available starting materials. The reaction features the formation of three new carbon‐carbon bonds to construct the benzene unit together with an efficient assembly of three or four rings in a single operative step.
Gold Catalysis: Anellated Heterocycles and Dependency of the Reaction Pathway on the Tether Length
Authors: Hashmi A. Stephen K. , Pankajakshan Sreekumar , Rudolph Matthias , Enns Elisabeth , Bander Thomas , Rominger Frank , Frey Wolfgang
Published: November 2009

A series of furan‐yne substrates with an arylalkynylamide substructure were prepared and subjected to catalytic amounts of phosphanegold(I) complexes. With two carbon atoms in the tether between the arylalkynylamide and the furan subunits, the formation of benzoanellated heterocycles was observed, a number of interesting heterocyclic framworks could be accessed in this way. With three carbon atoms in the tether, the outcome was quite different, cyclopentadiene derivatives anellated to tetrahydropyridine rings were isolated. The two different pathways suggested are supported by calculations regarding the selectivity‐determining step.
Prediction of flammability characteristics of pure hydrocarbons from molecular structures
Authors: Pan Yong , Jiang Juncheng , Ding Xiaoye , Wang Rui , Jiang Jiajia
Published: November 2009

A quantitative structure‐property relationship study is performed to develop mathematical models for predicting the flammability characteristics of pure hydrocarbons. The molecular structures of the compounds are numerically represented by various kinds of molecular descriptors. Genetic algorithm based multiple linear regression is used to select most statistically effective descriptors on the flash point, the autoignition temperature, and the lower and upper flammability limits of hydrocarbons, respectively. The resulted models are four multilinear equations. These models are very simple and can predict the flash point, the autoignition temperature, and the lower and upper flammability limits for the test set with average absolute errors of 5.41 K, 28.00 K, 0.044 vol %, and 0.503 vol %, respectively. The models are further compared with other published method and are shown to be more superior. The proposed method can be used to predict the flammability characteristics of hydrocarbons from the knowledge of only the molecular structures. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
DFT Study on Tautomerism of Dihydro‐2H‐1,5‐benzodiazepin‐2‐ones and Dihydro‐2H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine‐2‐thiones
Authors: Okovytyy Sergiy I. , Sviatenko Liudmyla K. , Gaponov Alexandr A. , Kasyan Liliya I. , Tarabara Igor N. , Leszczynski Jerzy
Published: November 2009

DFT calculations were performed to study the tautomeric rearrangements in the isolated, monoethanol‐ and diethanol‐solvated, and dimeric forms of 4‐methyl‐1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐1,5‐benzodiazepin‐2‐one and 4‐methyl‐1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine‐2‐thione. Molecular geometries of the tautomers and transition state structures were optimized at the B3LYP/6‐31G(d) and B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) levels of theory. The long‐range solvent effects on the geometrical and energy parameters of tautomerization were also analyzed by use of the PCM model. The calculated relative Gibbs free energies were used to estimate the equilibrium constants. It was shown that the keto forms are more stable than the enol tautomers both in the gas phase and in solution. The activation energies of tautomerization increase in the following order: lactim–lactam, keto–enol, and imine–enamine transformations. Proton transfer in the solvated complexes and dimers is virtually effortless in relation to that in the isolated tautomers. The bulk of solvent does not substantially affect either the activation energies or the equilibrium constants. The differences between the tautomerism in 4‐methyl‐1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐1,5‐benzodiazepin‐2‐one and in 4‐methyl‐1,3‐dihydro‐2H‐1,5‐benzodiazepine‐2‐thione are discussed.
Cyclopentadienyl‐Free Rare‐Earth Metal Amides [{(CH2SiMe2){(2,6‐iPr2C6H3)N}2}Ln{N(SiMe3)2}(THF)] as Highly Efficient Versatile Catalysts for C–C and C–N Bond Formation
Authors: Wu Yunjun , Wang Shaowu , Zhang Lijun , Yang Gaosheng , Zhu Xiancui , Zhou Zhihong , Zhu Hong , Wu Shihong
Published: November 2009

Efficient methods have been developed for the direct synthesis of amides from aldehydes and a straightforward route to propiolamidines using cyclopentadienyl‐free rare‐earth metal amides [{(CH2SiMe2){(2,6‐iPr2C6H3)N}2}Ln{N(SiMe3)2}(THF)] [Ln = Yb (1), Y (2), Dy (3), Sm (4), Nd (5)] as versatile catalysts. The results indicate that in the direct synthesis of amides from aldehydes the catalysts have the activity order 2 > 1  3  4  5. These methods have the advantage of easy preparation of the catalysts, low catalyst loading, high conversion of substrates to products, mild reaction conditions, and compatibility with a wide range of substrates.
Synthesis of Novel Substituted Phenanthrenes and Polycyclic Heteroarenes by Pd‐Catalyzed, Direct, Intramolecular Arylation/Heteroarylation
Authors: Yadav Ashok K. , Ila Hiriyakkanavar , Junjappa Hiriyakkanavar
Published: November 2009

A novel route to substituted phenanthrenes and polycyclic heteroarenes by direct, Pd‐catalyzed, intramolecular arylation/heteroarylation of 2‐(2‐bromoaryl/heteroaryl)‐3‐(aryl/heteroaryl)‐3‐(methylthio)acrylonitriles has been reported.
Coloring plane graphs with independent crossings
Authors: Král' Daniel , Stacho Ladislav
Published: November 2009

We show that every plane graph with maximum face size four in which all faces of size four are vertex‐disjoint is cyclically 5‐colorable. This answers a question of Albertson whether graphs drawn in the plane with all crossings independent are 5‐colorable. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 64: 184–205, 2010
The geometry oft‐spreads ink‐walk‐regular graphs
Authors: Dalfó C. , Fiol M. A. , Garriga E.
Published: November 2009

A graph is walk‐regular if the number of closed walks of length ℓ rooted at a given vertex is a constant through all the vertices for all ℓ. For a walk‐regular graphGwithd+1 different eigenvalues and spectrally maximum diameterD=d, we study the geometry of itsd‐spreads, that is, the sets of vertices which are mutually at distanced. When these vertices are projected onto an eigenspace of its adjacency matrix, we show that they form a simplex (or tetrahedron in a three‐dimensional case) and we compute its parameters. Moreover, the results are generalized to the case ofk‐walk‐regular graphs, a family which includes both walk‐regular and distance‐regular graphs, and theirt‐spreads or vertices at distancetfrom each other. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 64:312–322, 2010
Phonon properties of nanosized bismuth layered ferroelectric material—Bi2WO6
Authors: Ma̧czka M. , Macalik L. , Hermanowicz K. , Kȩpiński L. , Tomaszewski P.
Published: November 2009

Nanosized Bi2WO6 was synthesized by a mild hydrothermal crystallization process. This method allowed obtaining plate‐like crystallites of very small thickness (down to 3 nm). The effect of particle size on the structure and properties of Bi2WO6 was studied by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy, and Raman and infrared spectroscopies. It has been shown that the orthorhombic distortion decreases with decreasing particle size, but the structure of the smallest crystallites is still orthorhombic. Raman studies have also revealed a very strong intensity decrease for those modes that appear mainly for incident and scattered light polarized perpendicular to the layers. This behavior has been attributed to a decrease in the orthorhombic distortion and a plate‐like shape of the nanocrystallites. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Peptide‐Functionalized Thermo‐Sensitive Hydrogels for Sustained Drug Delivery
Authors: Xun Wei , Wu De‐Qun , Li Ze‐Yong , Wang Hui‐Yuan , Huang Fu‐Wei , Cheng Si‐Xue , Zhang Xian‐Zheng , Zhuo Ren‐Xi
Published: November 2009

In this study, a KRGDKK (Lys‐Arg‐Gly‐Asp‐Lys‐Lys) peptide with a RGD sequence is utilized as a functional group to synthesize a novel thermo‐sensitive hydrogel. The KRGDKK peptide prepared by a solid phase synthesis approach is coupled to the ends of a poly[(ε‐caprolactone)‐co‐lactide]‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐poly[(ε‐caprolactone)‐co‐lactide] (PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA) triblock copolymer to obtain peptide‐PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA‐peptide. The self‐assembly behavior of both PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA and peptide‐PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA‐peptide copolymers in aqueous solution is investigated, and hydrogels prepared from PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA and peptide‐PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA‐peptide are also prepared. An in vitro cell viability study demonstrated that the peptide‐PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA‐peptide hydrogels do not exhibit an apparent cytotoxicity, which suggests that the hydrogels have promising potential as injectable drug‐delivery systems. Furthermore, compared with the PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA hydrogels, the peptide‐PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA‐peptide hydrogels display improved mechanical properties because of hydrogen bonding between the amino groups of KRGDKK. An in vitro drug release study showed that the peptide‐PCLA‐PEG‐PCLA‐peptide hydrogels exhibit outstanding controlled release properties and the release of the drug could be sustained for more than a month without initial burst.

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Decidability and Specker sequences in intuitionistic mathematics
Authors: Ardeshir Mohammad , Ramezanian Rasoul
Published: November 2009

A bounded monotone sequence of reals without a limit is called a Specker sequence. In Russian constructive analysis, Church's Thesis permits the existence of a Specker sequence. In intuitionistic mathematics, Brouwer's Continuity Principle implies it is false that every bounded monotone sequence of real numbers has a limit. We claim that the existence of Specker sequences crucially depends on the properties of intuitionistic decidable sets. We propose a schema (which we call ED) about intuitionistic decidability that asserts “there exists an intuitionistic enumerable set that is not intuitionistic decidable” and show that the existence of a Specker sequence is equivalent to ED. We show that ED is consistent with some certain well known axioms of intuitionistic analysis as Weak Continuity Principle, bar induction, and Kripke Schema. Thus, the assumption of the existence of a Specker sequence is conceivable in intuitionistic analysis. We will also introduce the notion of double Specker sequence and study the existence of them (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Non‐isolated quasi‐degrees
Authors: Batyrshin Ilnur I.
Published: November 2009

We show that non‐isolated from below 2‐c.e. Q ‐degrees are dense in the structure of c.e. Q ‐degrees. We construct a 2‐c.e. Q ‐degree, which can't be isolated from below not only by c.e. Q ‐degrees, but by any Q ‐degree. We also prove that below any c.e. Q ‐degree there is a 2‐c.e. Q ‐degree, which is non‐isolated from below and from above (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Some results in BL ‐algebras
Authors: Saeid Arsham Borumand , Motamed Somayeh
Published: November 2009

We define the set of double complemented elements in BL‐algebras and state and prove some theorems which determines properties of these sets. We introduce the notion of an almost top element and study the properties of these elements (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Definable group extensions in semi‐bounded o‐minimal structures
Authors: Edmundo Mário J. , Eleftheriou Pantelis E.
Published: November 2009

In this note we show: Let R = 〈R, <, +, 0, …〉 be a semi‐bounded (respectively, linear) o‐minimal expansion of an ordered group, and G a group definable in R of linear dimension m ([2]). Then G is a definable extension of a bounded (respectively, definably compact) definable group B by 〈Rm, +〉 (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Transfer to Polymer and Long‐Chain Branching in PLP–SEC of Acrylates
Authors: Castignolles Patrice
Published: November 2009

Pulsed laser polymerization (PLP) combined with size exclusion chromatography (SEC) is the method of choice for determining propagation rate coefficients. The influence of the long‐chain branching in PLP–SEC is investigated using multiple‐detection SEC and a recently developed method to detect long‐chain branching [P. Castignolles, R. Grab, M. Parkinson, M. Wilhelm, M. Gaborieau, Polymer 2009, 50, 2373.] While little or no long‐chain branching is detected in poly(n‐butyl acrylate), the error in relevant molecular weights of poly(2‐ethylhexyl acrylate) is large (30–100%) due to long‐chain branching. Possible variations of propagation rate coefficient with alkyl groups in alkyl acrylates or with the solvent have to be reconsidered.

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Cross‐Linked Multilayers of Poly(vinyl amine) as a Single Component and Their Interaction with Proteins
Authors: Dragan Ecaterina S. , Bucatariu Florin
Published: November 2009

Novel multilayer thin films that consist solely of cross‐linked single component layers are generated by a selective cross‐linking of the poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) layers in [PVAm/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)]n thin films constructed either on silica particles or silicon wafers, followed by the removal of PAA. The surface topography of the (PVAm)n multilayer thin films, before and after the adsorption of human serum albumin (HSA), has been studied by atomic force microscopy on the freeze‐dried films. The decrease of the average roughness of the film after the adsorption of HSA showed the protein was adsorbed into the (PVAm)n film making these films potential reservoirs for proteins.

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Curing studies of epoxy resin by 4,4′‐diaminoazobenzene as curing agent reinforced with nanosilica and nanoclay particles along with impact resistance and thermal evaluation
Authors: Barghamadi Mohamad
Published: November 2009

The effects of nanosilica (NS) and nanoclay (NC) particles as catalyst on the mechanism and kinetic parameters of cure reaction of DGEBA/4,4′‐diaminoazobenzene (DAAB) systems were studied. The kinetics parameters were obtained from nonisothermal differential scanning calorimeter data using the Kissinger, Ozawa, and isoconversional equations. The exothermic peak was shifted toward lower temperatures in DGEBA/DAAB/nanoparticle (NP) systems with increasing amount of the NP. However, the existence of NS and NC particles with hydroxyl groups in the structure in the mixture of DGEBA/DAAB catalyzes the cure reaction and increases the rate constant. The activation energy of cure reaction of DGEBA/DAAB systems, obtained from three methods, was in good agreement and showed a decrease when NPs were present in the mixture. The morphology of nanocomposite and dispersion of NPs in the composites was also observed using scanning electron microscopy. The impact resistance and thermogravimetric analysis of cured epoxy systems were also reported. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1465–1473, 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Detection of a related difference in efficacy of azadirachtin treatments for the control of whiteflies on Gerbera jamesonii by testing for interactions in generalised linear models
Authors: Menke Sebastian , Gerhard Daniel
Published: November 2009

BACKGROUND: Within a project cluster, systemical effects of two neem treatments (Neem Azal™ U and Neem Pellet) on the number of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westw.) in Gerbera jamesonii Flori Line Maxi were investigated. In order to minimise adverse ecological effects of a product, a new plant protection product can be declared as superior to a reference if it shows the same or a higher effect at a lower dosage.

RESULTS: Based on a negative binomial model, the efficacy of the two treatments is compared by applying a user‐defined interaction contrast in a multiple‐contrast test framework. The corresponding calculation of simultaneous confidence intervals for the ratio of model parameters provides conclusions about statistical significance and biological relevance. The validity of the approach is shown by a small simulation study. As a result of the experiment, besides a significant difference between two negative control treatments, no significant difference between the efficiency of the two neem treatments (Neem Azal™ U and Neem Pellet) could be detected.

CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous confidence intervals for linear combinations of parameters of generalised linear models provide a useful way to compare the efficiency of two plant protection products. The results for the azadirachtin experiment indicate that large differences between any application effects of either Neem Azal™ U or Neem Pellet cannot be expected. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry