bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Micromechanical Mechanisms for Toughness Enhancement in β‐Modified Polypropylene
Authors: Henning Sven , Adhikari Rameshwar , Michler Georg H. , Calleja Francisco J. Baltá , Karger‐Kocsis József
Published: September 2004

Two samples of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) representing the crystalline α‐ and β‐modifications are compared with regard to their semicrystalline morphology and the resulting micromechanical mechanisms. Processes at room temperature (23°C) and at −40°C have been investigated by means of different microscopic techniques. Good results can be achieved by the application of a chemical etching technique to the deformed samples prior to scanning electron microscopy inspection. The toughness enhancement that is measured for the β‐iPP is attributed to micromechanical mechanisms initiated within the intercrystalline, amorphous phase. It is shown that the specific nanostructure (lamellar arrangement) causes significant changes in the mechanical behaviour of the materials.
Thermal Oxidation and Its Relation to Chemiluminescence from Polyolefins and Polyamides
Authors: Matisová‐Rychlá Lyda , Rychlý Jozef , Tiemblo P. , Gómez‐Elvira J.M. , Elvira M.
Published: September 2004

Chemiluminescence (CL) from oxidation of polypropylene, polyethylene and polyamide has been compared and kinetic parameters based on the simplified kinetic scheme involving both bimolecular decomposition of hydroperoxides as an initiating event and correction for the oxidation spreading were determined. Induction times of oxidation determined from the autocatalytic shape of chemiluminescence intensity‐time runs increase with an increasing initial molar mass of polypropylene within low molar masses up to 180 kDa regardless of the route of the polypropylene synthesis. The more complex chemiluminescence patterns in case of polyamides may be related with an increase of initially present defect structures including the terminal amino groups.
Salivary production in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Proulx Melisa , De Courval François P. , Wiseman Michael A. , Panisset Michel
Published: September 2004

Hypersialorrhea is a common phenomenon in Parkinson disease (PD). The objective of this study was to determine whether patients with PD had an abnormally increased production of saliva and whether the production of saliva could be associated to factors related to either the disease characteristics or to its treatment. A total of 83 patients with PD and 55 control subjects participated in this study. Because of the age difference between the two groups, comparisons were made on a ±2‐year age‐matched sample of 44 PD patients and 44 control subjects. PD patients produced significantly less saliva than control subjects. Correlations were obtained with the 83 PD patients between unstimulated salivary flow and patients characteristics. When controlling for age, sex, and Hoehn and Yahr scale, decreased production of saliva correlated significantly with the dose of levodopa and the symptoms of xerostomia. When controlling for medications, there was no relationship between the production of saliva and the evolution of the disease. This study shows that patients with PD produce less saliva than normal. Factors influencing the production of saliva include the use of levodopa and female gender. Our results may have implications for the treatment of drooling in PD. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society
Continuous subcutaneous apomorphine therapy improves dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease: A prospective study using single‐dose challenges
Authors: Katzenschlager Regina , Hughes Andrew , Evans Andrew , Manson Alice J. , Hoffman Marion , Swinn Lesley , Watt Hilary , Bhatia Kailash , Quinn Niall , Lees Andrew J.
Published: September 2004

Continuous subcutaneous (SC) infusion of the dopamine agonist apomorphine was shown in retrospective studies to improve drug‐induced dyskinesias in Parkinson's disease (PD). We prospectively assessed the antidyskinetic effect of continuous SC apomorphine therapy using subjective and objective measures, and sought to determine whether any observed dyskinesia reduction could be corroborated using single‐dose dopaminergic challenges. Twelve PD patients with on–off fluctuations and disabling dyskinesias who were scheduled to start apomorphine pump treatment underwent acute levodopa and apomorphine challenges at baseline and 6 months later. Video recordings involving motor tasks were rated blindly by two independent raters using modified AIMS and Goetz dyskinesia scales. At 6 months, mean apomorphine dose was 75.2 mg per day and the mean l‐dopa dose had been reduced by 55%. Daily off time in patients' diaries was reduced by 38% (2.4 hours). The l‐dopa challenges showed a reduction of 44% in AIMS and 40% in Goetz scores (both P < 0.01). Apomorphine challenges showed a reduction of 39% in AIMS and 36% in Goetz scores (both P < 0.01). Patients' self‐assessment scores reflected these significant changes. Dyskinesia improvement correlated with reduction in oral medication and with the final apomorphine dose (P < 0.05). This prospective study confirms marked dyskinesia reduction on continuous subcutaneous apomorphine therapy, paralleled by reduced dyskinesias during dopaminergic challenge tests. Our findings support the concept that replacement of short‐acting oral antiparkinsonian medication with continuous dopamine receptor stimulation may reverse, at least partially, the sensitization process believed to mediate the development of drug‐induced dyskinesias in PD. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society
Evidence for a disorder of locomotor timing in Huntington's disease
Authors: Bilney Belinda , Morris Meg E. , Churchyard Andrew , Chiu Edmond , Georgiou‐Karistianis Nellie
Published: September 2004

Disturbances of walking have been described in people with Huntington's disease (HD), although the nature of the deficits have not yet been well defined. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether people with HD have a deficit in the regulation of footstep timing during walking. The footstep patterns of 30 people with HD and 30 matched comparisons were measured at self‐selected slow, preferred, and fast speeds. Subjects were also instructed to match their footsteps to auditory metronome cues set at 80 and 120 beats per minute. Gait speed, cadence, stride length, and double limb support as a percentage of the gait cycle were measured using a computerized foot‐switch system. People with HD demonstrated a disorder in their ability to regulate cadence, manifest as a reduced step frequency when walking at preferred speed and when required to increase their speed. For all walking conditions, people with HD had increased variability of footstep cadence. They also had difficulty synchronizing their footstep timing to an auditory cue. For all walking conditions, people with HD had reduced stride length. Thus, in HD, there is a disorder in the regulation of footstep timing, with increased variability, a restricted cadence range, difficulty synchronizing footsteps to an auditory cue and reduced stride length. The exact neural correlates of this timing disorder are yet to be determined. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society
Reply: Ecstasy and acute dystonia
Authors: O'Suilleabhain Padraig , Giller Cole
Published: September 2004

The original letter to which this reply refers was published in Movement Disorders 2004;19(12)1386–1387.
Ecstasy and acute dystonia
Authors: Cosentino Carlos
Published: September 2004

A reply to this article has been published in Movement Disorders (2004)19(12)1388–1390.
Dynamics of non‐linear wave equations
Authors: Todorova Grozdena
Published: September 2004

We present several stability/instability results for the ground‐state standing waves and high‐energy‐bound‐state standing waves for the NLKG, NLS and NLDW equations. At the end of the paper we present a number of open problems. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Existence and non‐existence of global solutions of a non‐local wave equation
Authors: Ackleh Azmy S. , Deng Keng
Published: September 2004

We study the initial value problem

where $ \|u(\cdot,t)\| = \int \nolimits ^ {\infty} _ {- \infty}\varphi(x) | u( x,t ) | {\rm{ d }} x$ with φ(x)⩾0 and $ \int \nolimits^{\infty} _ {-\infty} \varphi (x) \, {\rm{d}}x\,= 1$. We show that solutions exist globally for 0
1. We also present the growth rate at blow‐up. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inward linear perturbation can produce unbounded solutions
Authors: Ninomiya Hirokazu , Weinberger Hans F.
Published: September 2004

One may expect that if one adds a vector field which points toward the origin to the right‐hand side of a first‐order system of ordinary differential equations for which the origin is globally stable, then the origin is globally stable for the new system as well. The purpose of this note is to present an example which shows that this apparently obvious statement is, in fact, false. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Uniform blow‐up profile and boundary behaviour for a non‐local reaction–diffusion equation with critical damping
Authors: Souplet Philippe
Published: September 2004

We consider the Dirichlet problem for a non‐local reaction–diffusion equation with integral source term and local damping involving power non‐linearities. It is known from previous work that for subcritical damping, the blow‐up is global and the blow‐up profile is uniform on all compact subsets of the domain. In this paper, we address the critical case. It turns out that the blow‐up profile is still uniform. Also we compute the sharp blow‐up rate and we find that, unlike in the subcritical case, the blow‐up rate reveals the influence of the damping term.

Next, we give precise estimates of the solution in the boundary layer and show that the width of the boundary layer behaves like $\sqrt {T-t}$ as t approaches the blow‐up time T. Even in the subcritical case, this last property was known only for powers p<2. Here, we remove this restriction on p. Some other non‐local equations are also discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On creating a nonisotropic propagation environment inside a scattered field chamber
Authors: Otterskog Magnus , Madsén Kent
Published: September 2004

A traditional reverberation chamber creates a statistically isotropic test environment. Tests of communication devices may demand different environments to be able to test, for example, the influence of a diversity antenna. Here, a simple way of altering the distribution of plane waves incident on the device under test is presented. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 192–195, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20417
A multilevel fast multipole algorithm for electrically small composite structures
Authors: Chu Yun‐Hui , Chew Weng Cho
Published: September 2004

A multi‐tree scheme to apply the low‐frequency multilevel fast multipole algorithm to composite structures is presented, so that O(N) CPU time and memory usage are obtained. The convenience of “plug and play” in electromagnetic simulation is illustrated in the scenario of contact‐region modeling with an inconsistent mesh. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 202–207, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20419
A fundamental study on the improvement of indoor propagation for wireless LAN communication by an EM wave absorber
Authors: Kimura Ken‐Ichi , Hashimoto Osamu
Published: September 2004

Indoor propagation is conducted in an experimental room, in order to estimate the setting absorber for an improved wireless LAN communication environment. Comparison of well reflected environment, replacing of one side wall to the developed absorber makes the average delay profile half, and further replacing of ceiling makes that 1/4. Simulation using the ray‐tracing method is also performed to confirm the effectiveness. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 226–228, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20425
Power coupling between two step‐index multimode fibers of different numerical apertures with an angular misalignment
Authors: Gao Cheng , Farrell Gerald
Published: September 2004

The coupling efficiency between two step‐index multimode fibers of different numerical apertures with an angular misalignment is calculated. The theory is presented using radiometry and geometrical optics. The limit case of the calculation is consistent with a previously published result. Applications include power launching between two types of fibers with different numerical apertures, for example, silica fiber and plastic optical fiber (POF) with an angular misalignment. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 231–234, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20427
A robust approach for derivation of new class of closed‐form Green's functions for microstrip structures
Authors: Kim E. J. , Lee Y. S. , Ko J. H. , Cho Y. K.
Published: September 2004

Based upon three‐level approximation and the steepest descent path (SDP) method, we consider a robust approach for the derivation of a new class of closed‐form Green's functions for microstrip structures. Some numerical results are presented for the validation of the present method. It is observed that this method can provide a more accurate evaluation of the spatial Green's functions than the previous method, even without the advance investigation of the spectral functions, over a wide frequency range. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 235–238, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20428
Experimental study of a top‐loaded cylindrical monopole antenna with a truncated‐conical ground plane
Authors: Liu Yung‐Tao , Su Che‐Wei , Wong Kin‐Lu , Tang Chia‐Lun
Published: September 2004

This paper presents an experimental study of a low‐profile, top‐loaded cylindrical monopole antenna with a truncated‐conical ground plane. The cylindrical monopole antenna has omnidirectional radiation and is suitable for WLAN access‐point application. By varying the dimensions of the truncated‐conical ground plane, the maximum radiation direction and 3‐dB beamwidth of the monopole's omnidirectional radiation pattern can be effectively controlled, thus making it possible to achieve an optimized radiation coverage area for various practical applications. The experimental results for operating in the 2.4‐GHz WLAN band are presented and discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 245–247, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20432
Improvement of the coding performance of SSFBG en/decoder by apodization technique
Authors: Wang Xu , Nishiki Akihiko , Kitayama Ken‐Ichi
Published: September 2004

The conflict between the good coding performance and high reflectivity of the superstructure fiber Bragg grating (SSFBG) en/decoder for coherent optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) is analyzed in this paper. Apodization along grating length is proposed for solving this problem for the first time. By using a simple feedback‐searching procedure, an apodization profile for a 15‐chip SSFBG is successfully generated and high reflectivity and a high P/W ratio are exhibited simultaneously. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 247–250, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20433
Design of wide‐band band‐pass filters using discrete‐time domain techniques
Authors: Tsai Lin‐Chuan , Chen Kuo‐Lung , Hsue Ching‐Wen
Published: September 2004

A transmission‐line configuration consisting of equal‐length two‐section open stubs, serial lines, and short stubs is employed to emulate the Z‐domain transfer function of a wideband band‐pass filter. Both mitering and slots are used to reduce the discontinuity effect caused by the abrupt changes of characteristic impedances of transmission lines. A wideband filter is realized in the form of microstrip lines and its frequency responses are measured to validate this novel method. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 264–266, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20438
Efficient evaluation of nonredundant moment of method matrix elements for electrically large objects
Authors: See Kye Yak , Liu Zhihong
Published: September 2004

A computationally efficient technique is developed to precompute nonredundant elements for moment‐method matrix. This technique reduces the solution time of moment of method (MoM) analysis by 20% to 40%, especially for modelling objects the size of several wavelengths. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 266–268, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20439
Comments on “Direct Extraction Technique for a Small‐Signal MOSFET Equivalent Circuit with Substrate Parameters”
Authors: Torres‐Torres Reydezel
Published: September 2004

© 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 268, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20440
Response to comments on “A Direct Extraction Technique for a Small‐Signal MOSFET Equivalent Circuit with Substrate Parameters”
Authors: Lee Seonghearn
Published: September 2004

© 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 269, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20441
Conformational insights into furo‐ and thieno[2,3‐b]indolines derived from coupling constants and molecular modeling
Authors: Morales‐Ríos Martha S. , Santos‐Sánchez Norma F. , Pérez‐Rojas Nadia A. , Joseph‐Nathan Pedro
Published: September 2004

The extent to which conformational preferences of fused heterocyclic five‐membered rings change with the nature of the heteroatom (O and S) was investigated in furo‐ (1, 2) and thieno[2,3‐b]indolines (3, 4) by the combined use of 1H NMR spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In contrast to the behavior observed for pyrroloindolines, the furo‐ and thienoindolines exist in solution in only one conformer, with structures in the 2E–2T3 (1,2) and 2T3–E (3,4) North/West region of the pseudorotational wheel, and with pseudorotation phase angles (P) of 315.8, 311.6, 337.2 and 331.6°, respectively. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A1,3‐strain mediated epimerization of 2e,3e,5e,6e‐tetraarylpiperidin‐4‐one oximes
Authors: Srinivasan M. , Perumal S. , Selvaraj S.
Published: September 2004

A series of tri‐ and tetraarylpiperidin‐4‐one oximes were synthesized from 2e,3e,6e‐tri‐ and 2e,3e,5e,6e‐tetraarylpiperidin‐4‐ones, respectively. In the case of the latter compounds, oximation is accompanied by epimerization at C‐5 to avoid the A1,3‐strain between the oxime OH group and the 5e‐aryl ring of the initially formed oxime resulting in 2e,3e,5a,6e‐tetraarylpiperidin‐4‐one oximes. 1H, 13C and 2D NMR spectroscopic data were employed to characterize and investigate the stereochemistry of these compounds. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Plasticity of nonneuronal brain tissue: Roles in developmental disorders
Authors: Dong Willie K. , Greenough William T.
Published: September 2004

Neuronal and nonneuronal plasticity are both affected by environmental and experiential factors. Remodeling of existing neurons induced by such factors has been observed throughout the brain, and includes alterations in dendritic field dimensions, synaptogenesis, and synaptic morphology. The brain loci affected by these plastic neuronal changes are dependent on the type of experience and learning. Increased neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus is a well‐documented response to environmental complexity (“enrichment”) and learning. Exposure to challenging experiences and learning opportunities also alters existing glial cells (i.e., astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), and up‐regulates gliogenesis, in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Such glial plasticity often parallels neuronal remodeling in both time and place, and this enhanced morphological synergism may be important for optimizing the functional interaction between glial cells and neurons. Aberrant structural plasticity of nonneuronal elements is a contributing factor, as is aberrant neuron plasticity, to neurological and developmental disorders such as epilepsy, autism, and mental retardation (i.e., fragile X syndrome). Some of these nonneuronal pathologies include abnormal cerebral and cerebellar white matter and myelin‐related proteins in autism; abnormal myelin basic protein in fragile X syndrome (FXS); and abnormal astrocytes in autism, FXS, and epilepsy. A number of recent studies demonstrate the possibility of using environmental and experiential intervention to reduce or ameliorate some of the neuronal and nonneuronal abnormalities, as well as behavioral deficits, present in these neurological and developmental disorders. MRDD Research Reviews 2004;10:85–90. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Environmental complexity and central nervous system development and function
Authors: Lewis Mark H.
Published: September 2004

Environmental restriction or deprivation early in development can induce social, cognitive, affective, and motor abnormalities similar to those associated with autism. Conversely, rearing animals in larger, more complex environments results in enhanced brain structure and function, including increased brain weight, dendritic branching, neurogenesis, gene expression, and improved learning and memory. Moreover, in animal models of CNS insult (e.g., gene deletion), a more complex environment has attenuated or prevented the sequelae of the insult. Of relevance is the prevention of seizures and attenuation of their neuropathological sequelae as a consequence of exposure to a more complex environment. Relatively little attention, however, has been given to the issue of sensitive periods associated with such effects, the relative importance of social versus inanimate stimulation, or the unique contribution of exercise. Our studies have examined the effects of environmental complexity on the development of the restricted, repetitive behavior commonly observed in individuals with autism. In this model, a more complex environment substantially attenuates the development of the spontaneous and persistent stereotypies observed in deer mice reared in standard laboratory cages. Our findings support a sensitive period for such effects and suggest that early enrichment may have persistent neuroprotective effects after the animal is returned to a standard cage environment. Attenuation or prevention of repetitive behavior by environmental complexity was associated with increased neuronal metabolic activity, increased dendritic spine density, and elevated neurotrophin (BDNF) levels in brain regions that are part of cortical–basal ganglia circuitry. These effects were not observed in limbic areas such as the hippocampus. MRDD Research Reviews 2004;10:91–95. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of soil consolidation by vertical drains with double porosity model
Authors: Wang Xu‐Sheng , Jiao Jiu Jimmy
Published: September 2004

The soil around a drain well is traditionally divided into smeared zone and undisturbed zone with constant hydraulic conductivity. In reality, hydraulic conductivity of the soil changes continuously and it may not be always appropriate to approximate its distribution with two zones. In this study, the horizontal hydraulic conductivity of the soil is described by an arbitrary function of radial distance. The horizontal flow under equal strain condition is analysed for a soil–drain system with a circular or regular polygonal boundary. It is found that the horizontal flow can be generally characterized with a linear equation in which the flow rate of water through soil–drain interface is proportional to the difference between the average excess pore pressure in the soil and the excess pore pressure in the drain well. The water exchange between the drain and the soil is analogous to that between fractures and matrix in a double porosity system, a popular conceptual model of fracture rocks. On the basis of this characterization, a simplified approach to analyse soil–drain systems is developed with one‐dimensional double porosity model (DPM). Analytical solutions for both fully and partially penetrating drains are derived. The solution for partially penetrating drains is compared with both numerical and approximate analytical results in literature. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A re‐investigation of the low Reynolds number uniform flow past a porous spherical shell
Authors: Hsu H. J. , Huang L. H. , Hsieh P. C.
Published: September 2004

This work reinvestigates the flow field of a uniform flow past a porous spherical shell based on Song and Huang's (2000) theory of laminar poroelastic media flow with proper boundary conditions. The analytical solution of this study not only indicates viscous effects inside the porous spherical shell, but it also preserves the continuities of tangential velocity and shear stress at the interfaces. The result reveals that as the porosity approaches unity, the flow is entirely comprised of the incident stream; as the porosity approaches zero, the well‐known Stokes' solution of a uniform flow past a sphere with low Reynolds number is obtained. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pelvic floor muscle function in continent and stress urinary incontinent women using dynamometric measurements
Authors: Morin Mélanie , Bourbonnais D. , Gravel D. , Dumoulin C. , Lemieux M.‐C.
Published: September 2004

Aims

To compare the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function in continent and stress urinary incontinent women using dynamometric measurements.

Methods

Thirty continent women and 59 women suffering from stress urinary incontinence (SUI), aged between 21 and 44 and parous, participated in the study. An instrumented speculum was used to assess the static parameters of the PFM: (1) passive force at 19 and 24 mm of vaginal aperture (antero‐posterior diameter), (2) maximal strength in a self‐paced effort at both apertures, (3) rate of force development and number of contractions during a protocol of rapidly repeated 15‐sec contractions, and lastly (4) absolute endurance recorded over a 90‐sec period during a sustained maximal contraction. The parameters described in the two latter conditions were assessed at the aperture of 19 mm. Analyses of covariance were used to control the confounding variables of age and parity when comparing the PFM function in the continent and incontinent women.

Results

The continent women demonstrated higher passive force at both openings and a higher absolute endurance as compared to the incontinent women (P ≤ 0.01). In the protocol of rapidly repeated contractions, the rate of force development and number of contractions were both lower in the incontinent subjects (P ≤ 0.01). The differences between the two groups for maximal strength at the 19‐ and 24‐mm apertures did not reach the statistically significant level.

Conclusions

The PFM function is impaired in incontinent women. The assessment of PFM should not be restricted to maximal strength. Other parameters that discriminate between continent and incontinent women need to be added to the PFM assessment in both clinical and research settings. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Force–length relationship in the pelvic floor muscles under transverse vaginal distension: A method study in healthy women
Authors: Verelst M. , Leivseth G.
Published: September 2004

Aims

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between changes in the diameter of the urogenital hiatus and force developed in pelvic floor musculature. In addition, we wanted to examine the reliability of the method that measures force development in the pelvic floor in the transverse direction of the urogenital hiatus.

Materials and Methods

Passive and total force in the pelvic floor was measured with an intra‐vaginal device in 20 healthy parous volunteers. The measurements were done with a consecutively increasing diameter in the transverse plane of the urogenital hiatus. The procedure was repeated with a few days interval.

Results

The measurements show an increase in force with an increasing device‐diameter. The results are reliable at all the diameters tested, estimated by the within‐subject day‐to‐day variability which was non‐significant. The 40 mm diameter device is most favourable, estimated by Bland Altman plots of the test–retest measurements.

Conclusions

Force development in pelvic floor muscles increased as a function of vaginal diameter when measured in the frontal plane. The measurements were reliable at all the different diameters chosen. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Correlation between lower urinary tract symptoms and urethral function in benign prostatic hyperplasia
Authors: Nakai Hideo , Yamanishi Tomonori , Yasuda Kousaku , Kitahara Satoshi , Suzuki Tsuneki
Published: September 2004

Aim

To examine the potential correlation between urethral function and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Methods

Thirty‐one patients with clinical BPH, who were confirmed to have benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) of 20 ml or more, were enrolled into the study. A mark‐sheet questionnaire was used for obtaining the LUTS history. Multichannel pressure‐flow urodynamic studies were performed and external urethral sphincter pressure (PEUS), intravesical pressure (PVES), and bladder neck pressure (PBN) were recorded both at maximum cystometric capacity and during voiding with 5‐microtip transducers, for the purpose of detecting BPE‐specific urodynamic findings at different levels within the urethra.

Results

There was a positive correlation between hesitancy and detrusor bladder neck dyssynergia (DBND) (P = 0.0011) and between incomplete emptying and low PBN at maximum cystometric capacity (P = 0.0425). The hesitancy proved to have no correlation with bladder neck opening time (TBNO).

Conclusion

Urodynamic evaluation of urethral function was beneficial for attributing LUTS to clinical BPH. Among various parameters, DBND was the most specific to clinical BPH, suggesting it to be a situation where a steep rise in PBN or prostatic urethral pressure remains greater than the increasing PVES, resulting in sustained difficulty in opening the bladder neck and subsequently the subjective sensation of hesitancy. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Decoupling of automatic control systems in a continuous‐wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer for biomedical applications
Authors: Hirata Hiroshi , Watanabe Hiroyuki , Kumada Masaharu , Itoh Kouichi , Fujii Hirotada
Published: September 2004

This article describes a systematic approach to decoupling automatic tuning control (ATC) and automatic matching control (AMC) systems in continuous‐wave (CW) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for animal experiments. This technique enables us to improve the stability of CW‐EPR spectroscopy even if the animal is moving during the data acquisition of EPR spectra. The control systems are formulated to allow the behavior of interference between them to be investigated, since they are generally coupled due to the characteristics of the microwave resonator. The stability of the entire control system in a 1.1 GHz CW‐EPR spectrometer is evaluated with the generalized Nyquist stability criterion. We compare the EPR spectra of a triarylmethyl (TAM) radical that is dosed in anesthetized mice in terms of the signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) to test the precompensator for decoupling the ATC and AMC systems. The experimental findings suggest that the present technique is useful for improving the SNR of EPR spectra in animal experiments. The SNR of the measured EPR spectra was improved by about 50% with the precompensator. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dominance‐related changes in spatial memory are associated with changes in hippocampal cell proliferation rates in mountain chickadees
Authors: Pravosudov Vladimir V. , Omanska Alicja
Published: September 2004

It is well established that spatial memory is dependent on the hippocampus in both mammals and birds. As memory capacity can fluctuate on a temporal basis, it is important to understand the mechanisms mediating such changes. It is known that early memory‐dependent experiences in young animals result in hippocampal enlargement and in increased neurogenesis, including cell proliferation and neuron survival. It is less clear, however, whether temporal changes in spatial memory are also associated with changes in hippocampal anatomy and cell proliferation in fully grown and experienced adult animals. In a previous study, we experimentally demonstrated that socially subordinate mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli) showed inferior spatial memory performance compared to their dominant group mates, in the absence of significant differences in baseline corticosterone levels. Here we investigated whether these differences in memory between dominant and subordinate birds were associated with changes in the hippocampus. Following memory tests, chickadees were injected with 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine to label dividing cells and sacrificed 2 days after the injections. We found no significant differences in volume or the total number of neurons in the hippocampal formation between dominant and subordinate chickadees, but subordinate birds had significantly lower cell proliferation rates in the ventricular zone adjacent to both the hippocampus and mesopallium compared to the dominants. Individuals, which performed better on spatial memory tests tended to have higher levels of cell proliferation. These results suggest that social status can affect cell proliferation rates in the ventricular zone and support the hypothesis that neurogenesis might be involved in memory function in adult animals. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol, 2005
Early social environment interferes with the development of NADPH–diaphorase‐reactive neurons in the rodent orbital prefrontal cortex
Authors: Poeggel G. , Nowicki L. , Braun K.
Published: September 2004

The influence of early parental deprivation on the development of NADPH–diaphorase–(NO‐synthase) reactive neuron numbers in subregions of the orbital prefrontal cortex (ventrolateral orbital, lateral orbital, and agranular insular cortex) was quantitatively investigated in the precocious lagomorph Octodon degus. Forty‐five‐day‐old degus from three groups were compared: (1) repeated parental separation: degus that were repeatedly separated from their parents during the first three postnatal weeks and thereafter raised in undisturbed social conditions; (2) chronic isolation: degus that were raised under undisturbed social conditions until postnatal day 21, and then were reared in chronic social isolation; and (3) control: degus that were reared undisturbed in their families. Compared to the control animals the ventrolateral orbital prefrontal cortex and agranular insular cortex of the two deprived groups displayed significantly decreased density of NADPH–diaphorase‐reactive neurons (down to 62% in the ventrolateral orbital prefrontal cortex of males, 70% in the agranular insular cortex, and in the lateral orbital prefrontal cortex 80% in both genders). These results confirm that early changes of social environment interferes with the development of limbic circuits, which might determine normal or pathological behaviors in later life. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol, 2005
Developmentally regulated expression of c‐Fos and c‐Jun in the brainstem auditory nuclei of Gallus domesticus is modified by prenatal auditory enrichment
Authors: Alladi Phalguni Anand , Roy Tarashankar , Singh Neeta , Wadhwa Shashi
Published: September 2004

Recognition of mother's voice by human neonates and behavioral responses of birds and animals to sounds experienced prenatally emphasize the role of sensory inputs in auditory system development. Spontaneous and experience driven neural activity influence the neural circuits' refinement in developing brain. However, cellular mechanisms endowing plasticity for such structural refinement during critical developmental periods are less understood. Sensory stimulation induces fluctuating expression of transcription factors (TFs) of Fos, Jun, and Krox families in the related brain nuclei to activate genes to synthesize proteins such as those needed for cytoskeletal structures, ion channels, and regeneration. To understand the cellular mechanism of response to prenatal auditory stimulation, we studied the expression of c‐Fos and c‐Jun in brainstem auditory nuclei, nucleus magnocellularis, and nucleus laminaris of the domestic chick. The chick brainstems, five each of E8 (embryonic day 8), E12, E16, E20, and posthatch day 1 were processed for immunohistochemistry as well as Western blotting and quantified using image analysis systems. In controls, c‐Fos and c‐Jun expression in both the nuclei was developmentally up‐regulated. Reduced c‐Fos expression and increase in c‐Jun was temporarily observed between E12–16. In the stimulated groups, c‐Fos expression was elevated while c‐Jun showed a reduction matched to controls. This diametrically opposing pattern of c‐Fos and c‐Jun expression in response to stimulation is indicative of cell survival. Thus the expression of TFs in the auditory nuclei shows a relationship beyond a simple stimulation‐activity‐expression. While developmental signals control the expression of TFs, extra sensory stimulation modulates their expression to possibly support neuronal survival and enhance synthesis of other proteins. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol, 2005
Understanding the signaling and transmission of visceral nociceptive events
Authors: Cervero Fernando , Laird Jennifer M.A.
Published: September 2004

Visceral pain can be considered as part of the defense reactions of the body against harmful stimuli, particularly of those that impinge on the mucosal lining of hollow organs. It is a problem of considerable clinical relevance, and its neurobiological mechanisms differ from those of somatic nociceptive or neuropathic pain. Much progress had been made in recent years in the understanding of the functional properties of the visceral nociceptors that trigger pain states, their molecular mechanisms of activation and sensitization and on their central actions. Some molecular targets have been identified as key players in the activation and sensitization of visceral nociceptors, notably ASICs, TTX‐resistant Na channels and the TRPV1 receptor. Some nonneural elements of visceral organs, such as the urothelium have been shown to play active roles in the transduction of visceral sensory events by mechanisms involving ATP release by the urothelial cells. Certain well‐known neurotransmitters, such as the tachykinin family of neuropeptides, likely play an important role in the peripheral and central activation of visceral nociceptive afferents and in the generation of visceral hyperalgesia. This article reviews current evidence on the mechanisms of activation and sensitization of visceral nociceptive afferents and on their role in the triggering and maintenance of clinically relevant visceral pain states. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 61: 45–54, 2004
Plasticity of pain signaling: Role of neurotrophic factors exemplified by acid‐induced pain
Authors: McMahon Stephen B. , Jones Nicholas G.
Published: September 2004

Acute noxious stimuli activate a specialized neuronal detection system that generates sensations of pain and, generally, adaptive behavioral responses. More persistent noxious stimuli notably those associated with some chronic injuries and disease states not only activate the pain‐signaling system but also dramatically alter its properties so that weak stimuli produce pain. These hyperalgesic states arise from at least two distinct broad classes of mechanisms. These are peripheral and central sensitization associated with increased responsiveness of peripheral nociceptor terminals and dorsal horn neurons, respectively. Here we review the key features of these sensitized states and discuss the role of one neurotrophic factor, nerve growth factor, as a peripheral mediator of sensitization and of another factor, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, as a mediator of central sensitization. We use as a specific example the pain induced by acid stimuli. We review the neurobiology of such pain states, and discuss how acid stimuli both initiate sensitization and how the neuronal processing of acid stimuli is subject to sensitization. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 61: 72–87, 2004
A C1 finite element for flexural and torsional analysis of rectangular piezoelectric laminated/sandwich composite beams
Authors: Ganapathi M. , Patel B. P. , Touratier M.
Published: September 2004

This work deals with the development of a new C1 finite element for analysing the bending and torsional behaviour of rectangular piezoelectric laminated/sandwich composite beams. The formulation includes transverse shear, warping due to torsion, and elastic–electric coupling effects. It also accounts for the inter‐layer continuity condition at the interfaces between layers, and the boundary conditions at the upper and lower surfaces of the beam. The shear strain is represented by a cosine function of a higher order in nature and thus avoiding shear correction factors. The warping function obtained from a three‐dimensional elasticity solution is incorporated in the present model. An exact integration is employed in evaluating various energy terms due to the application of field consistency approach while interpolating the transverse shear and torsional strains. The variation of the electric potential through the thickness is taken care of in the formulation based on the observation of three‐dimensional solution. The performance of the laminated piezoelectric element is tested comparing with analytical results as well as with the reference solutions evaluated using three‐dimensional finite element procedure. A detailed study is conducted to highlight the influence of length‐to‐thickness ratio on the displacements, stresses and electric potential field of piezoelectric laminated beam structures subjected to flexural and torsional loadings. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Arbitrary discontinuities in space–time finite elements by level sets and X‐FEM
Authors: Chessa Jack , Belytschko Ted
Published: September 2004

An enriched finite element method with arbitrary discontinuities in space–time is presented. The discontinuities are treated by the extended finite element method (X‐FEM), which uses a local partition of unity enrichment to introduce discontinuities along a moving hyper‐surface which is described by level sets. A space–time weak form for conservation laws is developed where the Rankine–Hugoniot jump conditions are natural conditions of the weak form. The method is illustrated in the solution of first order hyperbolic equations and applied to linear first order wave and non‐linear Burgers' equations. By capturing the discontinuity in time as well as space, results are improved over capturing the discontinuity in space alone and the method is remarkably accurate. Implications to standard semi‐discretization X‐FEM formulations are also discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Joining forces, fortunes, and futures: Restructuring and adaptation in nonprofit hospice organizations
Authors: Pietroburgo Julie , Wernet Stephen P.
Published: September 2004

Nonprofit organizations operate in tumultuous times characterized by constrained funding, increased competition, and greater demand for social services. Existing bases of intangible and tangible assets often are insufficient to fulfill service missions. These organizations appear to be responding by joining forces and restructuring to better accommodate diminished resources. Relatively little is known about the reorganization strategies being employed.

The study described in this chapter examined the phenomenon of organizational restructuring among nonprofit hospice organizations. In particular, it identified the factors that propel nonprofits to pursue restructuring as a strategic solution, the elements that impede such restructuring efforts, and how organizations that pursue and implement restructuring differ from those that do not. The study found that an organization's relative placement along a continuum of political and economic strength is determinative in the outcome of its restructuring efforts. Those that take affirmative steps operate from a position of economic strength and exhibit independence in governance and decision making; those that do not are impeded by internal political factors.
Philanthrophy and democracy
Authors: Bothwell Robert O.
Published: September 2004

Foundations and Public Policy: The Mask of Pluralism, by Joan Roelofs. Albany, N.Y., State University of New York Press, 2003. 269 pp., $29.95 paper.
Efficacy of an in‐home nursing intervention following short‐stay breast cancer surgery
Authors: Wyatt Gwen K. , Donze Laurie Friedman , Beckrow Kathryn Christensen
Published: September 2004

This randomized controlled trial (n = 240) was designed to test the efficacy of a sub‐acute home nursing intervention following short‐stay surgery for breast cancer. Intervention participants received the in‐home nursing protocol, whereas non‐intervention participants received agency nursing care or no nursing care. Data, collected via questionnaire, telephone interview, and chart audit, included surgical recovery/self‐care knowledge, functional status, anxiety, quality of life (QOL), and health service utilization. There were no significant group differences on postoperative functional status, anxiety, QOL, further surgeries, or complications. Intervention participants were more likely to receive instruction on surgical self‐care (p ≤ .001) and report improved social/family QOL (p ≤ .05), with fewer home visits (p ≤ .001). These findings suggest that a targeted nursing protocol may, at reasonable cost, improve QOL and enhance health‐related knowledge. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 27:322–331, 2004
Helping at the bedside: Spouses' preferences for helping critically ill patients
Authors: Eldredge Deborah
Published: September 2004

Spouses of patients in intensive care units (ICU) need to be close and helpful to ill partners. According to adult attachment theory, emotional responses may be related to preferences for closeness and helpfulness, and according to control theory optimism also may influence spouses' emotional responses. Spouses' goals and helping behaviors were assessed in 88 spouses of ICU patients. Using a repeated‐measures design, the relationships of closeness, helpfulness, and optimism to emotional outcomes were assessed. Preferences for closeness and helpfulness were strongly related, and together with optimism, predicted spouses' mood at some point of the illness trajectory. Spouses who were over‐involved with partners' care requirements were at greater risk for emotional distress. Results suggest that closeness and helpfulness are integrated concepts, and that attachment dimensions of a relationship and optimism are useful for understanding spouses' emotional responses to critical illness. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 27:307–321, 2004