bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introduction to paradoxes of creativity: managerial and organizational challenges in the cultural economy
Authors: DeFillippi Robert , Grabher Gernot , Jones Candace
Published: June 2007

This special issue explores the paradoxes caused by the challenge of managing and organizing creativity in the cultural economy. Conventional views of the individual creative artist are replaced by a view of creativity as a social process embedded within organizational and institutional contexts. The cultural economy is broadly defined in terms of breadth of industries included and depth elements of the cultural production chain. The paper next examines paradoxical practices of the special issue papers in terms of managing creative personnel and managing creative processes. Paradoxes grounded in difference, distance, globalization and identity provide a framework for reviewing each special issue paper's findings on how cultural industry participants, whether individuals, organizations or communities of participants, balance, and as often integrate, competing demands of creative and routine work. The paper concludes with recommendations for more comparative cultural industry research into the personnel, work and management practices employed for managing and organizing creative work and creative workers. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic readout on heavy metal ions based on surface self assembly
Authors: Yuan Ya‐Xian , Ling Li , Wang Xi‐Yu , Wang Mei , Gu Ren‐Ao , Yao Jian‐Lin
Published: June 2007

A new method is reported for detecting heavy metal ions by using the self assembled monolayer (SAM) technique and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The p‐mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) served as the SERS readout molecule and the modified tag to attach on the smooth gold substrate as well as the tag of nanoparticles by the SAM method. Two carboxyl groups from MBA molecules which were attached respectively to gold substrate and gold nanoparticles were linked through the heavy metal ions (Cu2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+) as bridge, and thus sandwich structure of ‘MBA modified gold substrate/heavy metal ions/MBA modified gold nanoparticles’ was built for detection. The observation of the oxidation peak of metal nanoparticles from cyclic voltammetry (CV) curve, gold nanoparticles from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and SERS signal of MBA from the sandwich structure indicated the existence of heavy metal ions. The difference in the wavenumbers of vibrational modes from MBA in the sandwich structure constructed by different could be used to identify different heavy metal ions. The assembled structure was rinsed by strong chelator of EDTA solution to remove the heavy metal ions from the sandwich structure and thus to obtain a fresh gold substrate modified with MBA for the cyclic detection. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing the costs of land degradation: a case study for the Puentes catchment, southeast Spain
Authors: Hein Lars
Published: June 2007

Whereas many studies point out the economic benefits of controlling land degradation through sustainable land management (SLM) approaches, there is often a lack of local adoption of SLM techniques. Analysis of the local impacts and costs of land degradation is critical for understanding farmers' responses to land degradation. The objective of this paper is to analyse the local costs of land degradation in the Puentes catchment in southeast Spain. This catchment has been identified as particularly vulnerable to erosion, yet farmers show a general lack of interest in applying erosion control techniques. The paper subsequently analyses land degradation processes in the Puentes catchment, the income derived from agriculture and several other ecosystem services, and the local costs of land degradation. Erosion is widespread in the catchment, comprising sheet and rill erosion as well as gulley erosion. Relatively high erosion rates are encountered in cropland. The most important source of local income is irrigated agriculture, with revenues of up to €1350/ha y−1. Dryland agriculture, hunting and herding provide additional income. The costs of erosion on cropland, calculated with a replacement method, vary from around €5/ha y−1 on slopes between five per cent and ten per cent, to around €50/ha y−1 on slopes between 30 per cent and 50 per cent. Except on the steepest slopes, these costs are relatively low for the farmers, which explains the limited application of erosion control techniques in the catchment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Novel soybean oil products for a healthier nutrition – Recent developments, market introduction and targeted commercialization
Authors: Debruyne Ignace
Published: June 2007

In recent years, several soybean varieties have been developed with healthier or more functional fatty acid lipid profile. The first of its kind was the high oleic soybean oil developed by ‘DuPont’ using biotechnology enhanced breeding technology. With the increased understanding of the biosynthesis pathways leading to specific fatty acid profiles the development of new varieties was speeded up considerably. Currently, several varieties are going into production in the U.S.A. These varieties have an oil composition, which is considerably reduced in linolenic and/or in saturated fatty acid content, or enhanced in saturated fatty acid composition. The valorisation of these novel varieties requires a full channelling or Identity Preservation throughout the production system. Major processors such as ADM, ‘Bunge’, and ‘Cargill’ have developed specific value chains to capture the extra value of these products. Marketing happens in close cooperation with the seed production site, as well as with main users from the food industry complex.
3‐O‐methylfunicone produced by penicillium pinophilum affects cell motility of breast cancer cells, downregulating αvβ5 integrin and inhibiting metalloproteinase‐9 secretion
Authors: Buommino Elisabetta , Boccellino Mariarosaria , De Filippis Anna , Petrazzuolo Marcella , Cozza Valentina , Nicoletti Rosario , Ciavatta Maria Letizia , Quagliuolo Lucio , Tufano Maria Antonietta
Published: June 2007

Recent evidence assigns integrins and metalloproteinases (MMPs) an important role in regulating tumor cell progression. Here, we demonstrate that 3‐O‐methylfunicone (OMF), a secondary metabolite produced by Penicillium pinophilum, affects cell proliferation and motility of breast cancer MCF‐7 cells, downregulating αvβ5 integrin, and inhibiting MMP‐9 secretion. This effect was absent when the non‐tumoral MCF‐10 cell line was used. Inhibition of cell motility was also associated to modifications in cell shape and in the distribution of tubulin fibers of OMF‐treated MCF‐7 cells. In addition, a possible effect on survivin and hTERT was also investigated. We found that OMF strongly inhibits survivin and hTERT gene expression. The results of this study indicate that OMF‐induced inhibition of cell motility may be mediated through the modulation of αvβ5 integrin and MMP‐9 secretion. In addition, the inhibition of typical markers of tumor progression such as hTERT and survivin in MCF‐7 and their inactivity towards MCF10 provide strong evidence for a potential use of OMF in anticancer therapy. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Amplitude–shape approximation as an extension of separation of variables
Authors: Parumasur N. , Singh P. , Singh V. S.
Published: June 2007

Separation of variables is a well‐known technique for solving differential equations. However, it is seldom used in practical applications since it is impossible to carry out a separation of variables in most cases. In this paper, we propose the amplitude–shape approximation (ASA) which may be considered as an extension of the separation of variables method for ordinary differential equations. The main idea of the ASA is to write the solution as a product of an amplitude function and a shape function, both depending on time, and may be viewed as an incomplete separation of variables. In fact, it will be seen that such a separation exists naturally when the method of lines is used to solve certain classes of coupled partial differential equations. We derive new conditions which may be used to solve the shape equations directly and present a numerical algorithm for solving the resulting system of ordinary differential equations for the amplitude functions. Alternatively, we propose a numerical method, similar to the well‐established exponential time differencing method, for solving the shape equations. We consider stability conditions for the specific case corresponding to the explicit Euler method. We also consider a generalization of the method for solving systems of coupled partial differential equations. Finally, we consider the simple reaction diffusion equation and a numerical example from chemical kinetics to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. The ASA results in far superior numerical results when the relative errors are compared to the separation of variables method. Furthermore, the method leads to a reduction in CPU time as compared to using the Rosenbrock semi‐implicit method for solving a stiff system of ordinary differential equations resulting from a method of lines solution of a coupled pair of partial differential equations. The present amplitude–shape method is a simplified version of previous ones due to the use of a linear approximation to the time dependence of the shape function. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
1H, 13C, 15N and 19F NMR study of acetylation products of heterocyclic thiosemicarbazones
Authors: Larina Lyudmila I. , Elokhina Valentina N. , Yaroshenko Tatyana I. , Nakhmanovich Anatolii S. , Dolgushin Gennadii V.
Published: June 2007

Novel 2‐acetylamino‐4‐acetyl‐5‐aryl(heteryl)‐1,3,4‐thiadiazolines, 2‐acetylamino‐5‐aryl(heteryl)‐1,3,4‐thiadiazoles, and some of their salts were prepared and studied by multinuclear 1H, 13C, 15N, 19F and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The acetylation of thiosemicarbazones is accompanied by ring closure to form the corresponding 1,3,4‐thiadiazolines and 1,3,4‐thiadiazoles. 15N NMR spectroscopy is a unique method for the identification of thiadiazole pyridinium salts. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Configurational assignment of carbon, silicon and germanium containing propynal oximes by means of 13C1H, 13C13C and 15N1H spin–spin coupling constants
Authors: Chernyshev Kirill A. , Krivdin Leonid B. , Larina Lyudmila I. , Konkova Tatiana V. , Demina Maria M. , Medvedeva Alevtina S.
Published: June 2007

Configurational assignment of five carbon, silicon and germanium containing propynal oximes has been carried out by means of experimental measurements and high‐level ab initio calculations of their 13C1H, 13C13C and 15N1H spin–spin coupling constants. The title compounds were shown to exist in the nonequilibrium mixture of E and Z isomers with the energy difference of less than 0.3 kcal/mol calculated at the MP2/6‐311G** level. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structure elucidation of thermal degradation products of amlodipine
Authors: Lakshmi Devi A. Siva , Srinivasa Rao Y. , Satish M. , Jyothi G. , Babu Rao K. , Omdutt T.
Published: June 2007

Thermal degradation of amlodipine base causes intramolecular reactions affording three cyclic products, referred to as AMLDEG‐I, AMLDEG‐II, and AMLDEG‐III, respectively. AMLDEG‐I is a cyclized product formed by intramolecular elimination of ammonia from amlodipine. AMLDEG‐II is a positional isomer of AMLDEG‐I. AMLDEG‐III is also intramolecular cyclisation product. The three degradation products were isolated by column chromatography and characterized by FT‐IR and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy data. The AMLDEG‐III was crystallized and its structure was solved by single crystal X‐ray diffraction (SXRD). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved DECRA processing of DOSY data: correcting for non‐uniform field gradients
Authors: Nilsson Mathias , Morris Gareth A.
Published: June 2007

Mixture analysis using PFG‐NMR (DOSY) data is, for many chemists, a valuable and increasingly popular technique where the NMR signals of different species are separated according to their diffusion coefficients. Where NMR signals overlap, however, it is often difficult to extract the spectra of pure components from experimental data. In such situations, it can often be helpful to use multivariate methods, which exploit all the available signal covariance, to resolve the spectra of the components of a mixture. The best‐established and by some way the quickest such method, DECRA (Direct Exponential Curve Resolution Algorithm), unfortunately requires that data conform to a pure exponential decay as a function of gradient strength squared, while experimental data typically deviate significantly from this. If this deviation is known, the performance of DECRA can be greatly improved for components with similar diffusion coefficients by adjusting the choice of gradient strengths used. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conformational exchange in pimonidazole—a hypoxia marker
Authors: Gabellieri Cristina , Eykyn Thomas R. , Leach Martin O.
Published: June 2007

Pimonidazole is one of a series of nitroimidazole compounds that is widely used as a marker for qualitative and quantitative assessment of tumour hypoxia. We have observed a novel dynamic conformational exchange process in this molecule in aqueous solution. By a combination of 1H, 13C, two‐dimensional 1H–1H EXchange SpectroscopY (EXSY) and spectral simulation, we unambiguously attribute the conformational exchange process to flipping of the six‐membered heterocyclic ring. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Force and stiffness of the pelvic floor as function of muscle length: A comparison between women with and without stress urinary incontinence
Authors: Verelst M. , Leivseth G.
Published: June 2007

Aims

To compare passive and active mechanical properties in the pelvic floor as a function of tissue length in continent and incontinent parous women.

Materials and Methods

Twenty‐four parous continent and 21 parous incontinent women were examined with an intravaginal device. Passive and active force/stiffness were measured by increasing the transverse diameter of the vagina. To allow a more accurate comparison between groups, measured forces were normalized with respect to bodyweight, that is, force/bodyweight.

Results

In both groups passive and active forces increased as a function of the increase in length of the pelvic floor tissues. No difference was found between the groups according to passive forces (P = 0.646), but active force was significantly higher (P = 0.030) in the continent group when normalized for bodyweight. There was an almost linear increase in normalized passive stiffness in the range tested. No differences were found between the groups (P = 0.855). Normalized active stiffness was significantly reduced in the incontinent group (P = 0.021).

Conclusions

This study indicates that both active force development and active stiffness in the pelvic floor tissues are significantly reduced in incontinent women, whereas the passive resting mechanical forces in the pelvic floor tissues in both groups are not different. Neurourol. Urodynam. 26:852–857, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Myo‐Inositol: a marker of reactive astrogliosis in glial tumors?
Authors: Hattingen Elke , Raab Peter , Franz Kea , Zanella Friedhelm E. , Lanfermann Heinrich , Pilatus Ulrich
Published: June 2007

In a prospective study, two‐dimensional 1H‐MRS with TE of 30 ms was performed before surgery in 56 patients with glial brain tumors. Concentrations of myo‐inositol (MI), trimethylamine (TMA) and creatine/phosphocreatine (tCr) were evaluated for the whole tumor and scaled to the normal‐appearing contralateral brain tissue. To assign changes in MI to specific tissue pathology, the normalized peak and mean concentrations of MI were correlated with TMA and tCr concentrations. TMA is accepted as a marker of proliferating tumor tissue, and tCr might be a marker of reactive astrogliosis. The mean and peak concentrations of MI and tCr correlated positively (r = 0.7), but not the concentrations of MI and TMA. The absolute concentration of MI was significantly increased in all tumor tissues (5.55 ± 2.92 mM; mean ± SD) compared with the normal‐appearing white matter (4.33 ± 1.22 mM, p = 0.005), with the highest concentrations for gliomatoses (n = 10) and grade II oligoastrocytomas (n = 3). Significant differences (P = 0.004) between low‐ and high‐grade astrocytomas were found for TMA (1.67 ± 0.32 mM and 2.65 ± 0.86 mM, respectively), but not for MI (5.92 ± 1.98 mM and 5.49 ± 3.27 mM, respectively). As increased MI and tCr concentrations were found in gliomatosis and other cerebral diseases associated with marked astrogliosis, this process may also be responsible for the observed changes in MI in other glial tumors. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A parameter‐robust numerical method for a system of reaction–diffusion equations in two dimensions
Authors: Kellogg R.B. , Madden Niall , Stynes Martin
Published: June 2007

A system of M(≥ 2) coupled singularly perturbed linear reaction–diffusion equations is considered on the unit square. Under certain hypotheses on the coupling, a maximum principle is established for the differential operator. The relationship between compatibility conditions at the corners of the square and the smoothness of the solution on the closed domain is fully described. A decomposition of the solution of the system is constructed. A finite‐difference method for the solution of the system on a Shishkin mesh is presented, and it is proved that the computed solution is second‐order accurate (up to a logarithmic factor). Numerical results are given to support this result and to investigate the effect of weaker compatibility assumptions on the data. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2007
Benzodiazepines and elderly drivers: a comparison of pharmacoepidemiological study designs
Authors: Hebert Caroline , Delaney J. A. C. , Hemmelgarn Brenda , Lévesque Linda E. , Suissa Samy
Published: June 2007

Purpose

Contradictory results were published from two studies in the late 1990s about the effects of long half‐life benzodiazepine use on the risk of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) in the elderly. The use of different study designs could explain the differences observed in these studies.

Methods

The results of an unmatched case‐control study were compared to those of a case‐crossover study using the same prescription claims database to determine whether the current use of benzodiazepines increased the risk of MVCs.

Results

There were 5579 cases and 12 911 controls identified between the years 1990 and 1993 in the province of Quebec, Canada. The case‐control approach demonstrated an increased rate of injurious MVC associated with the current use of long‐acting benzodiazepines [odds ratio (OR) 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.12–1.88]. The case‐crossover approach applied to all cases did not show any association [OR 0.99; 95%CI: 0.83–1.19]. However, among the cases restricted to subjects with four or less prescriptions filled in the previous year, corresponding more to transient exposures, the OR was elevated [OR 1.53; 95%CI: 1.08–2.16].

Conclusions

Differences in study design and analysis may explain some of the discrepancies in previous results. Both study designs provide evidence that long‐acting benzodiazepines appear to be associated with an increased risk of MVC. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sugars‐grafted aliphatic biodegradable poly(L‐lactide‐co‐carbonate)s by click reaction and their specific interaction with lectin molecules
Authors: Lu Changhai , Shi Quan , Chen Xuesi , Lu Tiancheng , Xie Zhigang , Hu Xiuli , Ma Jia , Jing Xiabin
Published: June 2007

A novel biodegradable aliphatic poly(L‐lactide‐co‐carbonate) bearing pendant acetylene groups was successfully prepared by ring‐opening copolymerization of L‐lactide (LA) with 5‐methyl‐5‐propargyloxycarbonyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐2‐one (PC) in the presence of benzyl alcohol as initiator with ZnEt2 as catalyst in bulk at 100 °C and subsequently used for grafting 2‐azidoethyl β‐D‐glucopyranoside and 2‐azidoethyl β‐lactoside by the typical “click reaction,” that is Cu(I)‐catalyzed cycloaddition of azide and alkyne. The density of acetylene groups in the copolymer can be tailored by the molar ratio of PC to LA during the copolymerization. The aliphatic copolymers grafted with sugars showed low cytotoxicity to L929 cells, improved hydrophilic properties and specific recognition and binding ability with lectins, that is Concanavalin A (Con A) and Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA). Therefore, this kind of sugar‐grafted copolymer could be a good candidate in variety of biomedical applications. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3204 –3217, 2007
Blood compatibility of fluorodiol‐containing polyurethanes
Authors: Lin Y. H. , Chou N. K. , Chang C. H. , Wang S. S. , Chu S. H. , Hsieh K. H.
Published: June 2007

A number of fluorodiol‐containing polyurethanes were synthesized from the fluorodiols 1H,1H,12H,12H‐perfluoro‐1,12‐dodecanediol (PFDDOL) and 2,2,3,3,‐tetrafluoro‐1,4‐butanediol (TF) and characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The effect of the fluorine content on the physical and surface properties of the polymers and on their blood compatibility was investigated. A higher content of fluorine atoms exposed on the surface results in a lower surface energy, a lower relative index of platelet adhesion, and a lower fibrinogen/albumin adsorption ratio (F/A ratio). The polyurethane containing a 50% molar ratio of PFDDOL and TF as the chain extender exhibited the lowest surface energy and superior blood compatibility (RIPA value, 0.06; F/A ratio, 0.672). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3231–3242, 2007
Ethoxylated rapeseed oil derivatives as non‐ionic adjuvants for glyphosate
Authors: Gauvrit Christian , Müller Thomas , Milius Alain , Trouvé Gérard
Published: June 2007

In a study aimed at finding environmentally benign adjuvants for glyphosate, ethoxylates of rapeseed oil and of methylated rapeseed oil were synthesized, with ethylene oxide (EO) content up to 40 and 8 respectively. They had less influence on spray retention by barley shoots than ethoxylated (15 EO) tallow amine (ETA). At 10 g L−1, ethoxylated rapeseed oil with 30 or 40 EO and ethoxylated methylated rapeseed oil with 6 or 8 EO promoted glyphosate uptake by barley leaves to a greater extent than ETA at the same concentration. However, uptake rates were similar when the concentration was lowered to 2.8 and 3.1 g L−1 for rapeseed oil derivatives and ETA respectively. In the case of ethoxylated methylated rapeseed oil with 8 EO (MeOil‐8), glyphosate uptake increased when MeOil‐8 concentration was raised from 5 to 10 g L−1. In bioassays under controlled conditions, ethoxylated rapeseed oil with 40 EO (Oil‐40) and MeOil‐8 were slightly less effective than ETA in favouring the efficacy of glyphosate on barley. The same was found on ryegrass. However, both rapeseed oil derivatives compared well with glyphosate formulants such as ethoxylated diethylamine and alkyl ethoxy phosphate. In one field experiment, the efficacy of glyphosate in the presence of Oil‐40, MeOil‐8 or ETA was comparable with that of a commercial formulation. In another trial, MeOil‐8 was as effective as ETA, but Oil‐40 performed less well. It is concluded that ethoxylates of rapeseed oil and of methylated rapeseed oil are a promising chemistry for glyphosate adjuvants, provided that their ethylene oxide content is high. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of thymoquinone (volatile oil of black cumin) on rheumatoid arthritis in rat models
Authors: Tekeoglu Ibrahim , Dogan Ali , Ediz Levent , Budancamanak Mustafa , Demirel Adnan
Published: June 2007

Many studies have been carried out in recent years on the pharmacological effects of Nigella sativa seeds that have uncovered their antiinflammatory and immunological effects. The objective of this study was to explore the antiinflammatory effects of thymoquinone on arthritis in rat models. Rats with arthritis induced by Freund's incomplete adjuvant were assigned to five groups: group 1: controls 0.9% NaCl (n = 7); group 2: 2.5 mg/kg thymoquinone (n = 7); group 3: 5 mg/kg thymoquinone (n = 7); group 4: Bacilli Chalmette Guerin (BCG) 6 × 105 CFU (n = 7); group 5: methotrexate 0.3 mg/kg (n = 7). Signs of inflammation on the claw and radiological signs were searched for and TNF‐alpha and IL‐1beta were measured. The results of the control and other groups were compared. As a result, thymoquinone, confirmed clinically and radiologically, suppressed adjuvant‐induced arthritis in rats. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Withania somnifera inhibits NF‐κB and AP‐1 transcription factors in human peripheral blood and synovial fluid mononuclear cells
Authors: Singh Divya , Aggarwal Amita , Maurya Rakesh , Naik Sita
Published: June 2007

Withania somnifera (WS) is an important herb with known antiinflammatory activity. Its molecular mechanism of action has not been investigated. The effect of a WS crude ethanol extract was studied on peripheral blood mononuclear cells of normal individuals and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and synovial fluid mononuclear cells of RA patients in vitro. The WS extract significantly suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced production of proinflammatory cytokines TNF‐α, IL‐1β and IL‐12p40 in normal individuals and RA patients, but had no effect on IL‐6 production at the protein and transcript level. WS also suppressed LPS activated nitric oxide production in the mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7. The extract inhibited nuclear translocation of the transcription factors NF‐κB and AP‐1 and phosphorylation of IκBα in normal and RA patients' mononuclear cells. HPLC analysis of the crude extract showed the presence of withaferin A and pure withaferin A also inhibited NF‐κB translocation.

The study demonstrated that the WS crude ethanol extract suppressed the production of proinflammatory molecules in vitro. This activity is partly through the inhibition of transcription factors NF‐κB and AP‐1 by the constituent withanolide. The role of additional constituents needs to be studied. Studies on the mechanism of action of the extract may yield potentially useful compounds for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring QSAR for the Inhibitory Activity of a Large Set of Aromatic/Heterocyclic Sulfonamides toward Four Different Isoenzymes of Carbonic Anhydrase
Authors: Hemmateenejad Bahram , Miri Ramin , Jafarpour Mehrnaz , Tabarzad Maryam , Shamsipur Mojtaba
Published: June 2007

The Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) inhibitory activities of a large number of sulfonamide derivatives toward CA isoenzyme types I, II, IV, and IX were collected and then subjected to QSAR analyses. The dataset used consisted of 343 sulfonamide derivatives with 200 calculated descriptors. For each type of isoenzyme, a separate QSAR model was obtained using multiple linear regression analysis with stepwise selection of variables. The generalization, stability, and predictivity of the models were evaluated by leave‐many‐out cross‐validation, using an external test set and chance correlation. All the obtained models represented high statistical quality and prediction ability with q2 and $\rm{ R_{\rm{P}}^{\rm{2}} }$ greater than 0.80. The relative errors of prediction were lower than 5%. By the developed models, the ligand–receptor interactions involved in the binding of sulfonamides to different CA isoenzymes were discussed. For all types of isoenzymes, the topological indices represented significant impacts on the ligand–enzyme interactions. It was found that, for CAI, the acid–base properties play a significant role whereas for CAII the coulombic interactions are controlling factors. In addition, number of thiol functional groups exhibited significant negative effect on the binding of sulfonamides to CAII. For CAIV, the hydrogen bonding interactions were detected as a major factor. Finally, for the binding of sulfonamides to CAIX, the lipophilicity, and acid–base properties were selected as highly influential parameters.
Physicochemical Properties/Descriptors Governing the Solubility and Partitioning of Chemicals in Water–Solvent–Gas Systems. Vapor Pressure and Concentration of Chemicals Above Saturated Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Raevsky Oleg A. , Raevskaja Olga E. , Schaper Klaus‐J.
Published: June 2007

Vapor Pressure (VP) and concentration of chemicals above saturated aqueous solutions (Cair), interconnected by Henry's law, are important properties with significant effects on the transport and partitioning of chemicals among environmental compartments. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to calculate them from the chemical structure. Published data of 460 diverse chemicals (29 gases at 298 K, 368 liquids, 63 solids) on VP, solubility in water (Sw), partitioning of chemicals in the system water–air (gas) (Lwg) were used to construct QSPRs for VP and Cair on the basis of HYBOT physicochemical descriptors. The correlations of log VP and log Cair in the framework of the usual regression model provided unsatisfactory results but helped to recognize the main factors influencing the investigated properties: the volume‐related term expressed by the molecular polarizability α, H‐bond acceptor factor (ΣCa), and H‐bond donor factor (ΣCd). They all, not unexpectedly, contribute negatively to log VP and log Cair. An alternative approach based on combination of the similarity concept and a regression model with the same physicochemical descriptors essentially improved statistics. Using nearest neighbors (structurally related compounds with high Tanimoto similarity coefficient) and simultaneously aiming at small differences in α, ΣCa, and ΣCd as compared with corresponding data of compounds‐of‐interest the results of prediction of VP and Cair were excellent with standard deviations close to the error of experimental determination for liquid and solid chemicals.
Research on dengue and dengue‐like illness in East Asia and the Western Pacific during the First Half of the 20th century
Authors: Kuno Goro
Published: June 2007

Dengue has become an enormous medical problem worldwide since the end of the World War II (WWII). Despite a voluminous amount of research conducted worldwide for many years to elucidate the mechanism of the development of the two severe forms of dengue (dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS)), to develop effective vaccines and to design reliable disease control and prevention strategies, the goals of achieving these objectives are not in sight yet. For such a medical research that requires a multi‐directional approach to resolve a variety of research questions, sometimes it is necessary to step back and re‐examine historically how the current status of the expanding global problems and sudden emergence of severe forms of dengue have evolved in the first place. To examine the history of dengue epidemiology, it is first necessary to put in perspective all relevant documents, including a large number of nearly forgotten, old Japanese publications regarding dengue outbreaks and allied background information in East Asia and the Western Pacific that were documented before the emergence of the haemorrhagic disease outbreaks in the 1950s there. The compiled data in this review, thus, fill in for the first time many blanks in the early epidemiologic history of dengue in this part of the world. Besides the data for epidemiologists, virologic data, clinical studies of haemorrhagic manifestation, significance in military medicine and entomologic investigations covered in this review should be useful for the current researchers investigating any of those subjects. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparing odds ratios measuring improvement or deterioration across repeated exposure or treatment sessions
Authors: Ohman Strickland Pamela A. , Lu Shou‐En
Published: June 2007

Unbiased estimating equations are used to estimate and compare the odds ratios representing the odds of heightened anxiety following acute exposures relative to baseline in a cross‐over study examining indoor air contaminants. Although estimating equations are used in the creation of the estimates and standard errors, inference is conditional on subject. The proposed method produces estimates that are less biased and computationally simpler than pseudo‐likelihood. In addition, specification of the form of the random‐effects distributions is not required. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The SAEM algorithm for group comparison tests in longitudinal data analysis based on non‐linear mixed‐effects model
Authors: Samson Adeline , Lavielle Marc , Mentré France
Published: June 2007

Non‐linear mixed‐effects models (NLMEMs) are used to improve information gathering from longitudinal studies and are applied to treatment evaluation in disease‐evolution studies, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The estimation of parameters and the statistical tests are critical issues in NLMEMs since the likelihood and the Fisher information matrix have no closed form. An alternative method to numerical integrations, in which convergence is slow, and to methods based on linearization, in which asymptotic convergence has not been proved, is the Stochastic Approximation Expectation‐Maximization (SAEM) algorithm. For the Wald test and the likelihood ratio test, we propose estimating the Fisher information matrix by stochastic approximation and the likelihood by importance sampling. We evaluate these SAEM‐based tests in a simulation study in the context of HIV viral load decrease after initiation of an antiretroviral treatment. The results from this simulation illustrate the theoretical convergence properties of SAEM. We also propose a method based on the SAEM algorithm to compute the minimum sample size required to perform a Wald test of a given power for a covariate effect in NLMEMs. Lastly, we illustrate these tests on the evaluation of the effect of ritonavir on the indinavir pharmacokinetics in HIV patients and compare the results with those obtained using the adaptative Gaussian quadrature method implemented in the SAS procedure NLMIXED. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increased nuchal translucency thickness and normal karyotype: time for parental reassurance
Authors: Bilardo C. M. , Müller M. A. , Pajkrt E. , Clur S. A. , van Zalen M. M. , Bijlsma E. K.
Published: June 2007

Objectives

To study the outcome of pregnancy in chromosomally normal fetuses with increased nuchal translucency thickness (NT), with respect to fetal loss, structural defects and genetic syndromes with developmental delay, and to provide information that would be helpful for parental counseling on the residual risk of adverse outcome when ultrasound findings are normal.

Methods

We reviewed the outcome of all pregnancies presenting at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam with increased NT between January 1994 and March 2005. Fetal karyotyping and two‐step ultrasound investigation at 13–18 and 20–24 weeks' gestation were offered in all cases. Particular attention was paid to the relationship between normal karyotype, ultrasound findings at the 20–24‐week scan and subsequent pregnancy outcome. An adverse outcome was defined as miscarriage, intrauterine death, termination of pregnancy at parental request or the finding of one or more structural defects or genetic disorders.

Results

A total of 675 fetuses with increased NT, known karyotype and known pregnancy outcome was analyzed. A chromosomal anomaly was detected in 224 (33%) fetuses. In 451 (67%) fetuses, the karyotype was normal. The overall incidence of an adverse pregnancy outcome in this group was 19% and, when analyzed according to the initial degree of increase in NT, the likelihood of an adverse outcome increased with increasing NT, ranging from 8% to 80%. 425 fetuses underwent a detailed second‐trimester ultrasound scan. Anomalies were detected, at the time of ultrasound or after birth, in 54 (13%) of these fetuses (17 isolated cardiac defects, 14 other structural defects and 23 genetic disorders). An adverse pregnancy outcome was recorded in 4% of cases in which there were normal findings at the 20‐week scan. Seven of these cases were classified as ‘potentially amenable’ to ultrasound detection. With exclusion of these cases, the chance of a healthy baby, if the 20‐week scan was completely normal, was 98%. Genetic syndromes with dysmorphic features and neurodevelopmental delay occurred in seven (1.6%) of the fetuses with normal karyotype. In three of these pregnancies, non‐specific suspicious ultrasound findings (nuchal edema, mild pyelectasis, pericardial effusion) were observed at the mid‐trimester scan and in two others, subtle cardiac defects were detected after delivery. In the remaining two cases (0.5%) the mid‐trimester scan was completely normal and no structural defects were observed after delivery.

Conclusion

After exclusion of chromosomal anomalies, one out of five fetuses with increased NT has an adverse pregnancy outcome. The chance of an uneventful pregnancy outcome depends on the initial degree of increase in NT. However, if the detailed ultrasound examination at around 20 weeks is normal, a favorable outcome can be expected with confidence, irrespective of initially increased NT. Copyright © 2007 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dietary fat composition and tocopherol requirement: III. Quantitative studies on the relationship between dietary linoleate and vitamin E
Authors: Alfin‐Slater Roslyn B. , Shimma Yaichiro , Hansen Herbert , Wells Penelope , Aftergood Lilla , Melnick Daniel
Published: June 2007

The present study has involved biologically titrating linoleate vs. vitamin E using the male rat as the indicator. In the first of the titration studies, the dietary tocopherol level was held constant, while in the second study the linoleate intake was held constant. The investigation was conducted with male rats since these have a much higher linoleate requirement than females. By first depleting such animals of their stores of essential fatty acids by feeding a fat‐free diet from weaning, a sensitive test organism was provided. These animals have an immediate need for linoleate during the repletion periods. If an imbalance between linoleate and vitamin E content existed in any of the dietary regimens, such an imbalance would have been more likely noted in test animals actively metabolizing the ingested linoleate. Based upon various nutritional and biochemical indices, the amount of tocopherol ordinarily included in the basic diets fed to our rats, 0.01% as dl‐alphatocopheryl acetate, was adequate even when the diet provided up to 5% linoleate; an amount corresponding to ca. 12% of the total calories and providing a ratio of linoleate to the tocopherol of ca. 500:1. In the reverse biological titration with all test diets now providing the constant level of 5% linoleate, ratios of linoleate to vitamin E were satisfactory even in a ratio of as much as 2500:1 (or 0.4 mg gram of vitamin E per polyunsaturated fatty acid). The control animals continued on the fat‐free diet indicated that there is a need for added tocopherols even in the absence of linoleate according to a number of biochemical indices. Based upon a number of accepted bioanalytical approaches, the minimum requirement for linoleate by the fat‐depleted male rat was found to be between 100–200 mg/day or ca. 1–2% of the caloric intake. Although the fatty acid composition of tissue lipid fractions is markedly affected by the amount of linoleate in the diet, dietary tocopherol supplements have little effect on these values.
Chromatographic analysis of mixtures of mono‐, di‐, and tristearin containing mineral oil
Authors: Ravin Louis J. , Meyer Robert J. , Higuchi Takeru
Published: June 2007

A procedure for the quantitative separation and determination of mono‐, di‐, and tristearin by elution chromatography is presented. The individual components are found to be absorbed on silica gel in the following order: mono‐, di‐, and triglycerides. By using a solvent system of suitable polarity, it is possible completely to separate individual components of a mixture from one another. Satisfactory separation of the stearin mixture is obtained by using 100% isopropyl ether, followed by a solution of 70% ethyl ether in isooctane. This latter solvent system is then followed by a solution of 20% ethanol in isopropyl ether. This chromatographic method compares favorably with the chemical method of analysis of glyceride mixtures.
The destruction of gossypol in cottonseed oil soapstock by a heat treatment
Authors: Pominski Joseph , Pack Frank C.
Published: June 2007

Summary and Conclusions

Successful operation of the apparatus, as described in this paper, was conducted at rates of feed that ranged from 1.89 to 5.51 Ibs. per hour. The data show that cottonseed oil soapstock can be heat‐treated continuously on a pilot‐plant scale so that both the free and total gossypol content, as measured by thep‐anisidine method (2,3), are reduced to values as low as 0.003%. In the work reported, the heat transfer medium was oil, heated electrically. Commercially a direct, gas‐fired, heat exchanger would be more practical. These experiments indicate that additional work on a larger or plant scale is justified, provided, of course, that the marketing economics involved are favorable.
Analysis of corn oil for total tocopherols
Authors: Hivon Katharine J. , Quackenbush F. W.
Published: June 2007

A method has been developed to overcome difficulties in the analysis of corn oil for tocopherol. The poor recovery of tocopherol added to corn oil prior to the Parker‐McFarlane treatment does not occur with the present method, and the absorbance drift which occurs when crude corn oil reacts with iron and dipyridyl is largely eliminated.

The intefering substance responsible for the drift did not distill appreciably in a molecular still at 170°C., and attempts to remove it from the oil by selective adsorption or solvent extraction were unsuccessful. It was extractable with dilute potassium hydroxide from a hexane solution of the oil and could be transferred from the alkaline extract to benzene. If the alkaline extract were acidified and then shaken with benzene, a much larger amount of the substance could be transferred. Extracts containing the substance showed strong absorption at wave‐lengths between 290 and 315 millimicrons.

Alkali treatment of the oil and subsequent adsorption on diatomacous earth reduced the content of interfering constituents to permit analyses for total tocopherol by the Emmerie‐Engel method. By using this method, it was found that the oil from different corn inbreds and crosses varied over a six‐fold range in tocopherol content.
The chemistry of lauric acid‐diethanolamine condensation products
Authors: Kroll Harry , Nadeau Herbert
Published: June 2007

The reaction of lauric acid with diethanolamine in the presence of excess alkylolamine results initially in the formation of N,N′‐bis(2‐hydroxyethyl)lauramide. This compound is responsible for the surface‐active properties of the alkanolamides. Under the conditions of the reaction the amide undergoes a thermal rearrangement to the lauroyl ester of diethanolamine, which in turn is converted to the dilauroyl amido ester of diethanolamine. The excess diethanolamine converts both amino ester and amido ester to N,N′‐bis(2‐hydroxyethyl)lauramide.
Urethane foams from animal fats: VII. Reaction of epoxidized tallow with trimethylolpropane and TMP‐HBr
Authors: Bilyk A. , Monroe H. A. , Saggese E. J. , Wrigley A. N.
Published: June 2007

Polyols of higher hydroxyl content than previously obtained from tallow were prepared for use in urethane foams. Epoxidized tallow was caused to react with trimethylolpropane with catalysis by p‐toluenesulfonic acid (2%). Reaction at 120 C in toluene gave best results. Alcoholysis occurred both at oxirane and at glyceride linkages, the latter reaction conferring hydroxyl functionality even on nonepoxidized glyceride units. Hydroxyl content of polyol products increased with the functional ratio of the reaction mixture, that is, the molar ratio of OH available from trimethylolpropane to oxirane plus ester from tallow. To provide fire retardant polyols, epoxidized tallow was caused to react with trimethylolpropane and gaseous HBr, best at 80 C in benzene. Examined by thin layer chromatography, the polyols showed polarities in the range of mono‐and diglycerides.
Urethane foams from animal fats: VIII. Properties of foams from epoxidized tallow trimethylolpropane polyols
Authors: Saggese E. J. , Zubillaga M. , Bilyk A. , Riser G. R. , Wrigley A. N.
Published: June 2007

Polyols made by reacting trimethylolpropane with epoxidized tallow were converted to urethane foams by reaction with a polymethylene polyphenylisocyanate in the presence of fluorotrichloromethane. Adjusted with triisopropanolamine or an oxypropylated triamine to hydroxyl equivalent of either 100 or 120, the polyols yielded rigid foams of density 1.5–2.0 lb/ft3, open cell content 15–19%, and compressive strength 34–49 psi. These values were superior to those of similar foams from hydrated epoxidized tallow. Polyols made from epoxidized tallow‐trimethylolpropane‐HBr and adjusted to equivalent wt of 100 and 120 by triisopropanolamine gave foams whose small‐scale flammability test samples burned less than 20% of their length. At hydroxyl equivalent 100, foams had density 1.6–1.8, open cell content 20–21%, and compressive strength 34–39 psi; in flammability tests burned <20% of length. The present foams were stronger than those made earlier from solvent‐purified hydroxybrominated tallow. Formulation with half the normal amount of freon gave foams of higher compressive strength but lower flame resistance.
A method to determine the monoglyceride content in fats and oils
Authors: Halvarson Hans , Qvist Olof
Published: June 2007

A methodology was worked out to analyze monoglycerides present in fats and oils in low levels (<0.5%). The monoglycerides are enriched by acetonitrile extraction and further evaluated either by gas liquid chromatography or by a combination of thin layer chromatography‐gas liquid chromatography. Results are presented showing the selectivity, yield, and reproducibility of the isolation step and the efficiency of the thin layer chromatography fractionation. Examples also are given demonstrating some possible applications of the proposed method.
Extraction of lipids from cottonseed tissue: V. Ultrastructural effects of extraction with hexane‐acetic acid
Authors: Jacks T. J. , Yatsu L. Y. , Hensarling T. P.
Published: June 2007

Cottonseed tissue was extracted with acidified hexane (hexane containing 2–25% acetic acid, v/v) and then examined with an electron microscope. In all cases, the contents of the oil‐rich spherosomes were emptied and cytoplasm remained intact after lipid extraction. However, membranous elements of the cytoplasm appeared diffuse and disorganized. The possible effect of this disorganization of membranes in accounting for the greater amount of lipid extracted by acidified hexane than by hexane is discussed.
Diffusivities of hydrogen and glyceryl trioleate in cottonseed oil at elevated temperature
Authors: Andersson K. , Hell M. , Löwendahl L. , Schöőn N.
Published: June 2007

The diffusivities of hydrogen and glyceryl trioleate in cottonseed oil were determined at different iodine values. The diffusivity of hydrogen was shown to be ca. 100 times as great as that of the glyceryl trioleate. The diffusivities were shown to be dependent upon the iodine values. This influence could be explained, at least in the case of the glyceryl trioleate diffusion, by the difference of the viscosity of the oil. A separate determination of the solubility of hydrogen in the oil was a necessary part of the diffusivity determination.