bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of capsaicin on substance P expression in pulp tissue inflammation
Authors: Caviedes‐Bucheli J. , Azuero‐Holguin M. M. , Munoz H. R.
Published: December 2004

Aim  To evaluate the effect of capsaicin on substance P (SP) expression during induced inflammation in rat pulp tissue.

Methodology  Radioimmunoanalysis was used to measure SP levels in 36 mandibular molar pulps taken from six Wistar rats. Twelve samples were obtained from healthy pulps and used as negative control group. Another 12 samples were obtained after inducing inflammation with mechanical pulp exposure; these were used as the positive control group. Capsaicin was infiltrated into the inferior dental nerve in the experimental group and 12 samples were obtained after mechanical pulp exposure.

Results  The lowest SP expression was found in mechanically exposed pulps where capsaicin pretreatment had been carried out (0.028 ng mL−1), followed by healthy pulps (0.302 ng mL−1). The highest SP expression was found in mechanically exposed pulps with no capsaicin pretreatment (124 ng mL−1). The Kruskal–Wallis test showed statistically significant differences between the groups (P < 0.001).

Conclusion  Inferior dental nerve infiltration with capsaicin reduces SP expression in dental pulp tissue in rats.
Penetration of bonding resins into fibre‐reinforced composite posts: a confocal microscopic study
Authors: Mannocci F. , Sherriff M. , Watson T. F. , Vallittu P. K.
Published: December 2004

Aim  To compare the penetration of two different bonding resins applied for different contact times, on glass reinforced–reinforced composite root canal posts showing an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) or cross‐linked polymer matrix. The research hypothesis was that the bonding resins were equally able to penetrate into the IPN post whereas less penetration was evident into the cross‐linked post. In addition, the prolonged contact time of the bonding resin on the surface of post was assumed to increase the resin penetration.

Methodology  A total of 36 posts, comprising 18 IPN posts (everStick Post) and 18 cross‐linked posts (C Post Millennium) were divided into 12 groups of three posts. All posts had a diameter of 1.2 mm. Both bonding resins (Scotchbond Multi Purpose Plus and Stick Resin) were labelled with Rhodamine B for determination of the resin penetration into the post. After contact times of 1, 30 and 300 s the bonding resins were light cured for 60 s. Penetration of bonding resins into three sections of each post was measured by confocal scanning light microscope. The influences of post and type of adhesive resin on resin diffusion into the polymer matrix of the post were assessed by nonparametric methods.

Results  For C Post Millennium and for 1 s contact time, no penetration of bonding resins into the polymer matrix of posts occurred in any section of any post. For the everStick Post, penetration was always noted after 300 s contact (mean 22.8 μm) and nearly always after 30 s contact (mean 3.5 μm), with very little difference between the two adhesives. The degree of penetration into everStick Posts was invariably greater after 300 s contact than after 30 s (P < 0.001). Both sets of results were highly significantly greater than the zero penetration recorded using C Post Millennium or 1 s contact time (P < 0.001).

Conclusions  The ability of bonding resins to penetrate into everStick Post with IPN polymer matrix may give the opportunity to establish a good link between fibre‐reinforced composite posts, luting cements and composite cores.
Management of neuropathic pain following treatment for breast cancer in the absence of recurrence: A challenge for the radiation oncologist
Authors: Clubb B
Published: December 2004

This report reviews various management options for treatment‐induced neuropathic pain in breast cancer. First‐line options include tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsant drugs. Opioids should be prescribed according to published guidelines. Second‐line treatments include lignocaine, mexiletine and ketamine. Sympatholytic therapies are available to patients with features of chronic regional pain syndrome. Anti‐inflammatory agents are used for neurogenic inflammation. Surgical interventions are considered for refractory neuropathic pain. Interdisciplinary management is appropriate when persisting pain causes physical and psychosocial disabilities.
Reference ranges for bone densitometers adopted Australia‐wide: Geelong osteoporosis study
Authors: Henry MJ , Pasco JA , Pocock NA , Nicholson GC , Kotowicz MA
Published: December 2004

Bone densitometry reports a measure of fracture risk in comparison with young adults (T‐scores) and age‐matched peers (Z‐scores). To date, each manufacturer has provided its own reference range resulting in lack of uniformity. The Australia and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society and Osteoporosis Australia have recognized the need to standardize the reference range and have recommended that data generated by the Geelong Osteoporosis Study (GOS) be used Australia‐wide. The GOS recruited a random, population‐based sample of adult women and measured bone mineral density (BMD) at the proximal femur and spine using a Lunar DPX‐L. These data were used to establish reference ranges for Lunar machines and, using conversion equations, for Norland and Hologic machines. The new standardized Australian reference ranges for BMD will enable consistent diagnosis of osteoporosis and categorization of fracture risk across different types of densitometers.
Pigmented villonodular synovitis of the proximal tibiofibular joint
Authors: Ryan RS , Louis L , O'Connell JX , Munk PL
Published: December 2004

Pigmented villonodular synovitis is an uncommon proliferative disease of the synovium, which is usually monoarticular, presenting as chronic monoarthritis of the knee. To our knowledge, the case under discussion is only the second report in the English language medical literature of isolated involvement of the proximal tibiofibular joint.
SIMULATED MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD APPLIED TO NON‐GAUSSIAN AND NONLINEAR MIXED EFFECTS AND STATE–SPACE MODELS
Authors: Millar Russell B.
Published: December 2004

The paper presents an overview of maximum likelihood estimation using simulated likelihood, including the use of antithetic variables and evaluation of the simulation error of the resulting estimates. It gives a general purpose implementation of simulated maximum likelihood and uses it to re‐visit four models that have previously appeared in the published literature: a state–space model for count data; a nested random effects model for binomial data; a nonlinear growth model with crossed random effects; and a crossed random effects model for binary salamander‐mating data. In the case of the last three examples, this appears to be the first time that maximum likelihood fits of these models have been presented.
ASSESSING CONGRUENCEAMONG DISTANCE MATRICES: SINGLE‐MALT SCOTCH WHISKIES REVISITED
Authors: Legendre Pierre , Lapointe François‐Joseph
Published: December 2004

A test of congruence among distance matrices is described. It tests the hypothesis that several matrices, containing different types of variables about the same objects, are congruent with one another, so they can be used jointly in statistical analysis. Raw data tables are turned into similarity or distance matrices prior to testing; they can then be compared to data that naturally come in the form of distance matrices. The proposed test can be seen as a generalization of the Mantel test of matrix correspondence to any number of distance matrices. This paper shows that the new test has the correct rate of Type I error and good power. Power increases as the number of objects and the number of congruent data matrices increase; power is higher when the total number of matrices in the study is smaller. To illustrate the method, the proposed test is used to test the hypothesis that matrices representing different types of organoleptic variables (colour, nose, body, palate and finish) in single‐malt Scotch whiskies are congruent.
WILCOXON‐TYPE RANK‐SUM PRECEDENCE TESTS
Authors: Ng H.K.T. , Balakrishnan N.
Published: December 2004

This paper introduces Wilcoxon‐type rank‐sum precedence tests for testing the hypothesis that two life‐time distribution functions are equal. They extend the precedence life‐test first proposed by Nelson in 1963. The paper proposes three Wilcoxon‐type rank‐sum precedence test statistics—the minimal, maximal and expected rank‐sum statistics—and derives their null distributions. Critical values are presented for some combinations of sample sizes, and the exact power function is derived under the Lehmann alternative. The paper examines the power properties of the Wilcoxon‐type rank‐sum precedence tests under a location‐shift alternative through Monte Carlo simulations, and it compares the power of the precedence test, the maximal precedence test and Wilcoxon rank‐sum test (based on complete samples). Two examples are presented for illustration.
A RANDOMIZED LONGITUDINAL PLAY‐THE‐WINNER DESIGN FOR REPEATED BINARY DATA
Authors: Biswas Atanu , Dewanji Anup
Published: December 2004

In some clinical trials with two treatment arms, the patients enter the study at different times and are then allocated to one of two treatment groups. It is important for ethical reasons that there is greater probability of allocating a patient to the group that has displayed more favourable responses up to the patient's entry time. There are many adaptive designs in the literature to meet this ethical constraint, but most have a single binary response. Often the binary response is longitudinal in nature, being observed repeatedly over different monitoring times. This paper develops a randomized longitudinal play‐the‐winner design for such binary responses which meets the ethical constraint. Some performance characteristics of this design have been studied. It has been implemented in a trial of pulsed electro‐magnetic field therapy with rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Chinese animal product consumption in the 1990s
Authors: Ma Hengyun , Rae Allan , Huang Jikun , Rozelle Scott
Published: December 2004

Chinese animal product consumption behaviour was analysed for both urban and rural households using a complete regional consumption dataset that was augmented to include away‐from‐home consumption. Seven animal product expenditure share equations were estimated with an extended Almost Ideal Demand System model. The results suggest that Chinese consumers will continue to increase their consumption of animal products, but that consumption patterns have changed in the 1990s. A large percentage of household animal product expenditure is still on pork. However, the shares for aquatic and poultry products consumption will increase substantially. As a consequence, the pork expenditure share will be gradually reduced as incomes grow and diet preferences change in both urban and rural households. There are significant differences in animal product consumption preferences across regions of China. As a result, studies that omit regional dummy variables in their demand systems can produce different expenditure and price parameters. The present paper also found that many of the estimates of elasticities and marginal expenditure shares would be rather different if the data ignored consumption away from home.
Universities and Industry: Does the Lambert Code of Governance Meet the Requirements of Good Governance?
Authors: Buckland Roger
Published: December 2004

The Lambert Model Code of Governance proposes to institutionalise the dominance of governors from commercial and industrial organisations as core members of compact and effective boards controlling UK universities. It is the latest expression of a fashion for viewing university governance as an overly‐simple example of an obsolete system, where overweening and obstructive committee systems inhibit universities from achieving more significant and business‐relevant activity. In this paper university governance is analysed in terms of classic agency analysis, in the Jensen and Meckling tradition. This suggests that governance of and in the system is complex and that, although inherited structures may indeed be deficient, the prescription of the Lambert Review is profoundly flawed and would be unlikely to achieve improvement in UK universities’ competitiveness or attainment of mission.
Administrative Managers – A Critical Link
Authors: Whitchurch Celia
Published: December 2004

Institutional responses to changes in the higher education environment have caused movements in the roles and identities of administrative managers in UK universities. These shifts have highlighted the problem for individuals of balancing traditional public service considerations of administration with institutional innovation and development. Administrative managers find themselves not only acting as independent arbiters, giving impartial advice on the basis of professional expertise, but also becoming involved in political judgements about institutional futures. They increasingly undertake an interpretive function between the various communities of the university and its external partners. As the boundaries of the university have become more permeable, administrative and academic management have inter‐digitated, and hybrid roles have developed. In undertaking increasingly complex functions, therefore, administrative managers play a critical role in linking the academic and executive arms of governance in the university.
Real-Time Epidemiology
Authors: Donnelly Christl , Ghani Azra
Published: December 2004

Fitting transmission models to outbreak data allows key epidemiological parameters to be estimated and the impact of control measures to be evaluated. Christl Donnelly and Azra Ghani describe the use of such models in the 2003 SARS epidemic in Hong Kong.
Statistical Inference using Bootstrap Confidence Intervals
Authors: Wood Michael
Published: December 2004

Bootstrap confidence intervals provide a way of quantifying the uncertainties in the inferences that can be drawn from a sample of data. The idea is to use a simulation, based on the actual data, to estimate the likely extent of sampling error. Michael Wood explains how simple bootstrapping works and explores some of its advantages.
On Wasps and Club Dinners
Authors: Spiegelhalter David
Published: December 2004

Francis Ysidro Edgeworth could be termed a Victorian gentleman polymath: born on the family's estate in Edgeworthstown, Ireland, and a trained classicist and barrister, he was capable of both working as a Lecturer in Greek and deriving in 1883 (using what we now call a Bayesian argument) “what may the earliest appearance in any form of the Student's t distribution”1. His unusual second name arose from his Catalan refugee mother, whom his father is reputed to have met on the steps of the British Museum.
A Growing Concern
Authors: Jeffers John
Published: December 2004

Having started out as a practical forester with an interest in ecology, John Jeffers found himself increasingly involved in statistics as a way of making sense of the world. His career led him ultimately to the planning and management of ecological research, and the monitoring of change in the British landscape, including the extent of fallout from the Chernobyl accident.
LIGHT SCALARS AS TETRAQUARKS OR TWO-MESON STATES FROM LARGE-Nc AND UNITARIZED CHIRAL PERTURBATION THEORY
Authors: PELÁEZ J. R.
Published: December 2004

By means of unitarized Chiral Perturbation Theory it is possible to obtain a remarkable description of meson–meson scattering amplitudes up to 1.2 GeV, and generate poles associated to scalar and vector resonances. Since Chiral Perturbation Theory is the QCD low energy effective theory, it is then possible to study its large-N c limit where [Formula: see text] states are easily identified. The vectors thus generated follow closely a [Formula: see text] behavior, whereas the light scalar poles follow the large-N c behavior expected for a dominant tetraquark or two-meson structure.
Making payment choices
Authors: Ojala Marydee
Published: December 2004

A lack of a clear rationale regarding the pricing of online information resources is one of the defining characteristics of the information industry, which has never managed to find its way towards a sensible pricing approach other than by guesswork or by observing the searching behaviour of users. A major problem in information services’ pricing is the nebulous nature of information value and the way in which the value of information changes according to time and context; a problem that is compounded by the lack of a clear approach by end users to the decision whether to use free information or pay for access to premium information sources, especially information available on the web. The situational nature of information leads many users to turn to pay per view, unaware that in many cases their organization has an enterprise-wide contract in place. End users may turn to pay for view access based on the perception that the corporate library provides a service that is inappropriate or too slow. Users also apply intuitive criteria to assessing whether information should be paid for, based on models that are not strictly applicable but which seem so at a casual glance. Major factors determining the ‘fee or free’ decision concerning the use of information services include: factors influencing non-situational business information requirements; ‘push’ versus ‘pull’ approaches to information provision; the nature of free information and why it exists; hybrid pricing of information; the influence of advertising on pricing; fee-based information that looks like free information. Concludes with a discussion of when to turn to fee-based or free information sources based on the business characteristics set out in the article.
Factory regimes and the dismantling of established labour in Asia: a review of cases from large manufacturing plants in China, South Korea and Taiwan
Authors: Nichols Theo , Cam Surhan , Chou Wen-chi Grace , Chun Soonok , Zhao Wei , Feng Tongqing
Published: December 2004

This article is about factory regimes and more particularly about changes in factory regimes in East Asia. Its point of departure is Burawoy’s early and highly influential contribution to the understanding of factory regimes (Burawoy, 1985), which has very often been associated with the idea of ‘hegemonic despotism’ and increased attempts by management at ideological control. The article seeks to go beyond this particular interpretation. Theoretically, it seeks to make explicit and in one case expand elements in Burawoy’s original work by distinguishing three aspects of labour regimes: labour control, material support and contract. It then considers three factories in China, Taiwan and South Korea in the light of this reformulation and, by paying due regard to issues related to material support and contract, and not only to control, it advances the claim that some of the most significant changes that are occurring amount in each case to the dismantling of established labour – that is, labour that is generally permanent and relatively privileged not only with respect to wages but usually also other forms of material support.
Trade union responses to workplace restructuring: exploring union orientations and actions
Authors: Bacon Nicolas , Blyton Paul
Published: December 2004

In this article we identify four distinct types of union responses to workplace restructuring on the basis of different combinations of ideological orientations and actions in collective bargaining. Four union branches are described, each making one of these different types of response when required to negotiate the introduction of teamworking in two steel plants. We report a wide variation in the subsequent outcomes from teamworking for management and workers in each department according to union response. However, no single type of response optimized all types of outcomes, suggesting union strategies involve important and purposeful trade-offs in outcomes.
Does the ‘organizing model’ represent a credible union renewal strategy?
Authors: de Turberville Simon R.
Published: December 2004

The organizing model of union renewal is a significant influence for many UK unions. This article recognizes that a focus on the organizing model has made it a useful rhetorical device that has reminded individuals of their shared material interests and helped to generate collective efforts amongst diverse interest groups. That being said, a critical examination calls the rationales for adopting the organizing model, and the concepts that underpin it, into question, and suggests that it represents an inadequate solution to problems generated by the diverse identities of unions operating in different contexts. The conclusion calls into question the extent to which the organizing model can maintain its analytical and practical value to the union-renewal debate.
Workplace resistance in an Irish call centre: slammin’, scammin’ smokin’ an’ leavin’
Authors: Mulholland Kate
Published: December 2004

This article examines workplace conflict in an Irish call centre. It criticizes managerial and post-structural accounts of resistance for failing to see that workplace conflict continues to be located in structural issues, such as the employment relationship, making pay, productivity and work intensification the source of conflict. In adopting Martinez Lucio and Stewart’s (1997) notion of the collective worker, the article will show that in subordinated work conditions, workers engage in a recipe of informal collective practices that are organically borne out of their daily work experiences.
Water Sorption of Interpenetrating Polymer Network Hydrogels Composed of Poly(Ethylene Oxide) and Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)
Authors: Kim Seon Jeong , Lee Chang Kee , Kim In Young , Kim Sun I. , Kim Nan Gyun
Published: December 2004

Anomalous water sorption behavior has been observed in interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogels composed of poly (ethylene oxide) and poly (methyl methacrylate). The water sorption of IPN hydrogels was investigated gravimetrically by dynamic vapor sorption at a relative humidity of 95%, and the collective diffusion coefficients determined at 25, 35 and 45° C. With increasing temperature the vapor sorption behavior, was affected more by the density of the water vapor than by the hydrophilic properties of the IPN hydrogels. The apparent activation energy was independent on the composition of the IPN hydrogels, with a value of 1.31∼1.90 kJ mol -1. However; the equilibrium water content was dependent on the temperature, decreasing as the temperature increased. The IPN hydrogels exhibited a relatively high equilibrium water contents, in the range 13∼68%.
Synthesis and Properties of New Aromatic Polyamides and Polyimides based on 1,4-Bis[N-(4-aminobenzoyl)-N-phenyl]phenylenediamine
Authors: Hsiao Sheng-Huei , Liou Guey-Sheng
Published: December 2004

A new N-phenylated amide (N-phenylamide) unit-containing aromatic diamine, 1,4-bis[N-(4-aminobenzoyl)-N-phenyl]phenylenediamine, was prepared by the condensation of NŃ-diphenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine with 4-nitrobenzoyl chloride, followed by catalytic reduction. Two series of aromatic poly(N-phenylamide-imide)s and poly(N-phenylamide-amide)s with inherent viscosities of 0.25-0.42 and 0.25-0.54 dL g-1 were prepared by a conventional two-stage method and the direct phosphorylation polycondensation, respectively, from the diamine with various aromatic dianhydrides and aromatic dicarboxylic acids. Some polymers based on rigid dianhydrides and diacids were semi-crystalline and insoluble in organic solvents. The other polymers were amorphous and organosoluble and could afford freestanding or tough films via solution casting. These polyimides and polyamides had glass transition temperatures in the range of 248-267 and 177-198°C, respectively. Decomposition temperatures of the polyimides for 10% weight loss all occurred above 470°C in both nitrogen and air atmospheres.
Cyclic Polyimides - A Comparison of Synthetic Methods
Authors: Kricheldorf Hans R. , Schwarz Gert , Fan Shu-Ching
Published: December 2004

Two different aliphatic anhydrides and three aromatic diamines were selected to prepare polyimides soluble in chloroform and dichloromethane. Five synthetic methods were compared: polycondensation with triphenylphosphate (Higashi method), polycondensation in hot m-cresol and in hot 1,2-dichlorobenzene, polycondensation in bulk or in solution in the presence of acetic anhydride and polycondensation in ionic liquids. The highest molecular weights were obtained in m-cresol and in NN'-bis(n-propyl)imidazolium bromide. The matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectra revealed that the fraction of cyclic polyimides increased with the molecular weight of the entire sample. The identification of high molar mass cycles (detected up to 12 000 Da) was limited by the mass spectrometry, not by the chemical course of the polycondensations.
Morphological Characterization and Mechanical Behavior of Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)-modified Epoxy Matrices
Authors: Jimeno Amaya , Kortaberria Galder , Larrañaga Maider , Gabilondo Nagore , Mondragon Inaki
Published: December 2004

The phase-separation behavior and mechanical properties-morphology relationships of a bifunctional epoxy resin cured with an aromatic diaminic hardener and modified with several quantities of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN) were investigated by thermal and microscopic analysis and by other techniques. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that all cured epoxy/SAN blends presented a two-phase structure, each composition giving a different morphology. The influence of cure temperature on phase separation and gelation was studied by solvent extraction and optical microscopy (OM). Flexural and compression behavior as well as fracture toughness results are presented as a function of the amount of copolymer. The toughening effect of adding SAN is greatly dependent on morphological features of the blends. The activation volume for plastic deformation, Vs has been calculated from stress-strain compression curves for both unmodified and 10 wt% SAN-modified epoxy mixtures.
Caprolactam-Laurolactam (Nylon 6/12) Copolymers: Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Rusu Gheorghe , Rusu Elena
Published: December 2004

The paper present the synthesis of a series of nylons as constituent polymers of parts obtained by rotational molding via activated anionic copolymerization of caprolactam with laurolactam. The initial mold temperature (initial polymerization temperature) was kept constant at 160° for all experiments. The initial laurolactamn content influence was investigated in terms of nylon yield, viscosity, density, melting temperature, degree of crystallinity, water absorption, impact strength and flexural modulus. The characteristics of copolymers were compared with those of the polyamide 6. From X-ray diffraction patterns and FT JR spectra it was found that the obtained polyamides are predominantly in the α-form.
Synthesis of Polyamide Dendrimers bearing Multiple Hydrogen Bonding Parts on the Periphery
Authors: Kouketsu Takayuki , Yokomachi Kazutoshi , Kakimoto Masa-Aki , Jikei Mitsutoshi
Published: December 2004

A series of polyamide dendrimers (GO-G2) having carboxy1 groups on the periphery were prepared by the divergent method. The reaction of G 18NH2 dendrimer with glutaric acid anhydride gave polyamide dendrimer (Gi-8COOH). The structure of polyamide dendrimers were confirmed by IR, 1H, 13C NMR, MALDI-TOF mass, and elemental analysis. Poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) was prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization of 4-vinylpyridine. A hydrogen bonded GI-8COOH/P4VP 1/8 (molar ratio) complex was prepared by mixing GIA8COOH with P4VP in methanol, followed by removing the solvent. IR spectrum of Gl-8COOH/P4VP 1/8 complex showed the characteristic absorptions at 2550 and 1950 cm-1 due to the hydrogen bonding. A glass transition temperature (Tg) of GI-8COOH/P4VP 1/8 complex was observed at 177°C by DSC measurement, whereas the Tg values of G 1-8COOH and P4VP were at 147 and 138°C, respectively.
Early experience of the contribution of an information specialist within a primary healthcare team
Authors: Wilson Diane , Bateman Hilarie , Bailey Peter
Published: December 2004

This article describes the early experience of an Information Officer appointed within a newly formed primary health care team in the new township of Cambourne, west of Cambridge. The post was jointly defined and funded through a partnership between Cambridgeshire Libraries, the Primary Care Trust and Monkfield Medical Practice. The article describes the establishment of the post, its positioning within the core clinical team and some of the activities undertaken, including the use of information prescriptions. Significant issues highlighted include the diversity of routes to information which emerged, the importance of information to NHS policy on patient choice and the role of the Information Officer as an accessible source of information on healthy lifestyles.
High-Fidelity Micromechanical Modeling of Continuously Reinforced Elastic Multiphase Materials Undergoing Finite Deformations
Authors: Aboudi Jacob , Pindera Marek-Jerzy
Published: December 2004

The purpose of this communication is twofold. First, we demonstrate the predictive capability of a recently extended micromechanics model known as the high-fidelity generalized method of cells, originally developed for unidirectionally reinforced periodic multiphase materials characterized by elastic or elasto-plastic phases undergoing infinitesimal deformation. The recent extension incorporates finite-deformation capabilities to enable modeling of heterogeneous materials such as fiber-reinforced rubbers or certain types of biological tissues characterized by potential-based, nonlinear elastic phases. The model's capability to accurately estimate both the homogenized nonlinear elastic response and the local stress fields in the individual phases is demonstrated by comparison with an exact elasticity solution for a porous composite with four different types of the matrix material under axisyrmnetric loading, and a finite-element analysis of a repeating unit cell representative of a unidirectionally reinforced periodic composite subjected to transverse loading. Second, we demonstrate the micromechanics model's utility as a subroutine in a structural analysis setting by implementing it into a specialized lamination theory framework in the absence of bending. Examples of the nonlinear response of families of [±θ]s lay-ups under biaxial inplane loading are provided, demonstrating how the developed model can be used either to validate or to construct macroscopic constitutive laws for materials, such as certain biological tissues, characterized by multi-directional reinforcement.
Embedding Evaluation in the Swiss Federal Administration
Authors: Widmer Thomas , Neuenschwander Peter
Published: December 2004

Scholars have long addressed the question of how to improve the usefulness of evaluation in the public sector. This article describes the role of evaluation within the Swiss Federation in order to investigate the conditions of evaluation use. The article is based on an examination of several offices in the federal administration. Evaluation within the Swiss federal administration shows great variety among the different units with regard to both the general understanding and the implementation of evaluation. These provide good examples for studying the relationship of purpose, utilization and institutional design in evaluation. Furthermore, decisions are often taken in the absence of basic considerations regarding the purpose or utility of the evaluation, and this substantially affects the subsequent institutional design of the evaluation. The authors recommend a clearer functional differentiation between different forms of evaluations as means for improving the evaluation measures currently used in and by the Swiss federal administration.
Serum antioxidant levels in Yusho victims over 30 years after the accidental poisoning of polychlorinated biphenyls in Nagasaki, Japan
Authors: Shimizu Kazuhiro , Ogawa Fumihide , Watanabe Masahisa , Kondo Takahito , Katayama Ichiro
Published: December 2004

Over 30 years have passed since the accidental polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) poisoning in Japan and yet high concentrations of PCB are still detected in the serum of the victims. PCB produces superoxide and thus victims of PCB poisoning are in a persistent state of oxidative stress. To examine the antioxidative state, we measured the serum concentrations of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Mn-SOD in 38 victims and 20 age-matched control subjects. The mean serum concentration of Cu, Zn-SOD was significantly lower and that of Mn-SOD higher than those of the control. Such an antioxidative state is indicative of an imbalance of Redox regulation mechanism. Persistence of imbalance could result in serious ailments in the future.
Quantification of particles of lethal mercury in mouse viscera: high-resolution study of mercury in cells and tissues
Authors: Cunha Elisabete M , Cherdwongcharoensuk D , Águas Artur P
Published: December 2004

To investigate the early visceral distribution of mercury (Hg), we have intraperitoneally injected a lethal dose of HgCl2 that killed BALB/c mice within 2-4 min. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray microanalysis (SEM-XRM) was used to detect and quantify Hg in situ in different organs. The highest density of Hg was seen in the liver (60.99 ±24.9 Hg particles per mm2 of tissue); this density was three and six times higher than those of renal or splenic Hg, respectively. Hg was scarce in the lungs and absent in the brain. Considering the relative weights of mouse viscera, our quantitative data show that the liver captured 89% of the visceral Hg; the kidneys captured 8.5% and the spleen just 1.7%. SEM-XRM revealed that most of the visceral Hg was associated with resident macrophages, a few Hg dots being detected on the surface of erythrocytes. We conclude that: (i) most intraperitoneally injected Hg was captured by liver Kupffer cells within minutes of injection; (ii) a 10-fold lower density of Hg particles was observed in the kidneys, and a 50-fold lower deposition of Hg was found in the spleen; (iii) SEM-XRM is an adequate method to quantify microparticles of Hg in tissues and cells.
The effects of methidathion on liver: role of vitamins E and C
Authors: Gokalp Osman , Gulle Kanat , Sulak Osman , Cicek Ekrem , Altuntas Irfan
Published: December 2004

Methidathion (MD) is one of the most widely used organophosphate insecticides (OPIs) for public health programmes and agricultural purposes. However it causes side effects such as liver disorders. We examined the ameliorating effects of a combination of vitamins E and C against MD induced liver toxicity in rats. MD was given orally with a single dose of 8 mg/kg body weight at 0 h. Vitamin E and vitamin C were injected 30 min after the treatment of MD at doses of 150 mg/kg body weight i.m. and 200 mg/kg body weight i.p., respectively. Liver tissue samples were taken 24 h after the MD administration. In MD treated group, some histopathological changes like infiltration with mono-nuclear cells at parenchymal tissue, sinusoidal dilatation, focal necrotic areas, granular degeneration and picnotic nuclei in the hepatocytes were observed. The severity of these lesions was reduced by administration of vitamins. It is concluded that MD caused liver damage and single-dose treatment with a combination therapy of vitamins E and C after the administration of MD can reduce the toxic effects of MD on liver tissue of rats.
Application of Quick Environment Exposure Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI©) for Japanese population: study of reliability and validity of the questionnaire
Authors: Hojo Sachiko , Kumano Hiroaki , Yoshino Hiroshi , Kakuta Kazuhiko , Ishikawa Satoshi
Published: December 2004

A standardized questionnaire has not been established for screening or diagnostic assessment of patients with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) in Japan. In the US, Miller and Prihoda (1999a, b) developed a questionnaire that could be used internationally, the Quick Environment Exposure Sensitivity Inventory (QEESI©), to assist researchers and clinicians in evaluating patients and populations for chemical sensitivity. The Japanese version of QEESI©was subsequently translated by Ishikawa and Miyata (1999). The present study was performed to investigate the reliability and validity of QEESI©(Japanese version) for research purposes and for evaluation of patients with MCS in Japan.

A total of 498 subjects were recruited from the general population of Miyagi prefecture, Japan. The factor structure in QEESI©was analyzed with 40 items on four subscales except for the items in ‘Masking’ using principal components analysis with Promax rotation. The results showed that 30 items on three subscales, ‘Chemical Inhalant Intolerances,’ ‘Symptom Severity,’ and ‘Life Impact’ except for ‘Other Intolerances’ were consistent with those reported for the US population by Miller and Prihoda (1999a). Cronbach’s a reliability coefficient ranged between 0.87 and 0.94 indicating high internal consistency in the 30 items on three subscales.

Next, we compared the mean scores on three subscales of QEESI©in two groups: 131 self-reported MCS group who were new outpatients at the Environmental Medical Center in Kitasato Institute Hospital, and 131 members of the general population (controls) who were matched for both gender and age with the self-reported MCS group. Mean scores on each subscale for the self-reported MCS group were significantly greater than those for controls (PB < 0.001). Mean scores on all of the 30 items on three subscales for the self-reported MCS group were also significantly greater than for the controls (PB < 0.001). These findings indicated that the 30 items on three subscales in QEESI©can be used for surveys and for diagnostic assessment of patients with MCS as well as for comparative studies between patients in Japan and in other countries.
Study of nitrate complex formation with trivalent Pm, Eu, Am and Cm using a solvent extraction technique
Authors: Andersson Sofie , Ekberg C. , Liljenzin J-O. , Nilsson M. , Skarnemark G.
Published: December 2004

The separation of actinides and lanthanides is an important question in the treatment of spent nuclear fuel in the transmutation concept. To find an efficient and well functioning separation process it is necessary to study the chemistry of the elements in the two groups in different aqueous media. The stability constants of the nitrate complex formation with Pm, Eu, Am and Cm were determined using solvent extraction. The extraction was studied using the synergistic system of 2,6-bis-(benzoxazolyl)-4-dodecyloxylpyridine and 2-bromodecanoic acid in tert-butyl benzene. As the nitrate ion concentration in the aqueous phase was increased, a decrease in separation between actinides and lanthanides was seen owing to complex formation between the different elements and the nitrate ions.
Reduction kinetics of Np(VI) byn-butyraldehyde in tributyl phosphate diluted withn-dodecane
Authors: Ban Yasutoshi , Asakura Toshihide , Morita Yasuji
Published: December 2004

The reduction kinetics of Np(VI) byn-butyraldehyde in 30% TBP solution diluted withn-dodecane were analyzed by spectrophotometry. Based on the results of bothn-butyraldehyde and nitric acid concentration dependences on the Np(VI) reduction reaction, the rate equation was obtained as –d[Np(VI)]/dt=k[n-C3H7CHO]0.8[HNO3]–2.0[Np(VI)]twherek=(1.0±0.2)× 10–3M1.2min–1at 294±1 K. The activation energy of the reaction was 76±5 kJ/mol.
Stability constants of uranium(IV)-α-isosaccharinic acid and gluconic acid complexes
Authors: Warwick Peter , Evans Nick , Hall Tony , Vines Sarah
Published: December 2004

Conditional and pH independent stability constants have been determined for U(IV) α-isosaccharinic acid (ISA) and gluconic acid (Gl) complexes, under anaerobic and carbonate-free conditions, from pH 3 to 14. The constants are needed for nuclear waste repository performance assessment purposes. The constants were obtained by developing an approach based on the solubility product of amorphous UO2·2H2O. The derived pH independent log β values for U(OH)4ISA and U(OH)4Gl were 49±2 and 50±1 respectively.
Uranium kernel formation via internal gelation
Authors: Hunt Rodney D. , Collins Jack L.
Published: December 2004

In the 1970s and 1980s, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conducted numerous studies on the fabrication of nuclear fuel particles using the internal gelation process. These amorphous kernels were prone to flaking or breaking when gases tried to escape from the kernels during calcination and sintering. These earlier kernels would not meet today´s proposed specifications for reactor fuel. In the interim, the internal gelation process has been used to create hydrous metal oxide microspheres for the treatment of nuclear waste. With the renewed interest in advanced nuclear fuel by the DOE, the lessons learned from the nuclear waste studies were recently applied to the fabrication of uranium kernels, which will become tri-isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles. These process improvements included equipment modifications, small changes to the feed formulations, and a new temperature profile for the calcination and sintering. The modifications to the laboratory-scale equipment and its operation as well as small changes to the feed composition increased the product yield from 60% to 80%–99%. The new kernels were substantially less glassy, and no evidence of flaking was found. Finally, key process parameters were identified, and their effects on the uranium microspheres and kernels are discussed.
INAA methodology using low power reactor for the characterization of IAEA-433; Coastal marine sediment as a potential reference material
Authors: Waheed S. , Rahman A. , Daud M. , Zaidi Jamshed H. , Ahmad S.
Published: December 2004

As a major requirement for adopting a well-defined quality system for our instrumental neutron activation analysis laboratory regular participation in the IAEA intercomparison exercises is carried out in routine. IAEA marine sediment (IAEA-433) as a proposed reference material has been studied and thirty elements have been determined employing appropriate irradiation, cooling and counting protocols using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique. Employing the same protocols on IAEA SL-1 and IAEA 405 certified reference materials the method has been validated and our values show good agreement with the certified values predicting good accuracy. Miniature neutron source research reactor has been utilized for this work. The results for the IAEA-433 present good precision of less than 5% for Mn, Hf, Sm, Th, Al and Fe whereas for Rb, Tb, V, Se, Ga, Sn and Zn results are with comparatively poor precision ranging 10%–13%.
Enantiomerically Pure [1, 2‐Diamino‐1‐(4‐fluorophenyl)butane]platinum(II) Complexes: Synthesis and Antitumor Activity against MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB 231 Breast Cancer and LnCaP/FGC Prostate Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Dullin Anja , Dufrasne Francois , Gelbcke Michael , Gust Ronald
Published: December 2004

Enantiomerically pure 1, 2‐diamino‐1‐(4‐fluorophenyl)butanes were synthesized by stereoselective procedures. The enantiomeric purity was determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy after derivatization with (1R)‐myrtenal. For the coordination to platinum, the diamines were reacted with K2PtI4. Reaction with Ag2SO4 yielded the respective sulfatoplatinum(II) complexes, which were converted into the dichloroplatinum(II) complexes by treatment with 2 N HCl. The influence of the configuration and the kind of leaving group on the antitumor activity was studied on the MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB 231 breast cancer cell lines, as well as on the LnCaP/FGC prostate cancer cell line. It was demonstrated that the dichloroplatinum(II) complexes were more active than the respective diiodoplatinum(II) derivatives. Conversion into the sulfatoplatinum(II) complexes further enhanced the antiproliferative effects. The configuration determined the antitumor effects, dependent on the cell line used: MCF‐7: (R, R) > (S, S) > (R, S) > (S, R); MDA‐MB 231: (S, S) > (R, R) > (R, S) = (S, R); LnCaP/FGC: (S, S) > (R, R) > (R, S) > (S, R).
The cranio‐orbital foramen, the groove on the lateral wall of the human orbit, and the orbital branch of the middle meningeal artery
Authors: Erturk M. , Kayalioglu G. , Govsa F. , Varol T. , Ozgur T.
Published: December 2004

The cranio‐orbital foramen, a foramen in the lateral wall of the orbit, contains an anastomosis between the anterior branch of the middle meningeal artery and the lacrimal artery. Previous workers have speculated that the groove starting either from the cranio‐orbital foramen or the lateral extremity of the superior orbital fissure contains the anastomotic artery. We investigated the cranio‐orbital foramen and the groove on the lateral wall of the orbit in a series of 170 dried adult human skulls, and the course of the orbital branch of the middle meningeal artery in 74 specimens from 37 cadavers. We observed the cranio‐orbital foramen in 141 skulls (82.9%). It was unilateral in 55 (32.4%) and bilateral in 86 (50.6%) skulls. The groove on the lateral wall of the human orbit was observed in 122 skulls (71.8%). It was unilateral in 40 (23.5%) and bilateral in 82 (48.2%). The groove on the lateral wall of the orbit started from the cranio‐orbital foramen in 20 skulls (11.8%). The orbital branch of the middle meningeal artery was found in 48 cadaveric specimens (64.9%): 32 (43.2%) passed through the cranio‐orbital foramen and 12 (16.2%) passed through the superior orbital fissure. In four specimens (5.4%), orbital branches of the middle meningeal artery passed through both the superior orbital fissure and the cranio‐orbital foramen. The anatomy of the cranio‐orbital foramen and the course of the orbital branch should be well known by surgeons reconstructing the anterior base of the skull, the orbit after orbital base surgery, and during excision of meningiomas. Clin. Anat. 18:10–14, 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recent advances in capillary separations for proteomics
Authors: Cooper Jonathan W. , Wang Yueju , Lee Cheng S.
Published: December 2004

The sequencing of several organisms' genomes, including the human's one, has opened the way for the so‐called postgenomic era, which is now routinely coined as “proteomics”. The most basic task in proteomics remains the detection and identification of proteins from a biological sample, and the most traditional way to achieve this goal consists of protein separations performed by two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2‐D PAGE). Still, the 2‐D PAGE‐mass spectrometry (MS) approach remains lacking in proteome coverage (for proteins having extreme isoelectric points or molecular masses as well as for membrane proteins), dynamic range, sensitivity, and throughput. Consequently, considerable efforts have been devoted to the development of non‐gel‐based proteome separation technologies in an effort to alleviate the shortcomings in 2‐D PAGE while reserving the ability to resolve complex protein and peptide mixtures prior to MS analysis. This review focuses on the most recent advances in capillary‐based separation techniques, including capillary liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and capillary electrokinetic chromatography, and combinations of multiples of these mechanisms, along with the coupling of these techniques to MS. Developments in capillary separations capable of providing extremely high resolving power and selective analyte enrichment are particularly highlighted for their roles within the broader context of a state‐of‐the‐art integrated proteome effort. Miniaturized and integrated multidimensional peptide/protein separations using microfluidics are further summarized for their potential applications in high‐throughput protein profiling toward biomarker discovery and clinical diagnosis.