bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, hole mobility, and photovoltaic properties of two alternating poly[3‐(hex‐1‐enyl)thiophene‐co‐thiophene]s
Authors: Zhou Erjun , Tan Zhan'ao , He Youjun , Yang Chunhe , Li Yongfang
Published: January 2007

Two alternating poly[3‐(hex‐1‐enyl)thiophene‐co‐thiophene]s, Pa (with 77% trans‐isomer and 23% cis‐isomer) and Pb (with 100% trans‐isomer), were synthesized by the coupling of 2,5‐dibromo‐3‐hex‐1‐enyl‐thiophene to 2,5‐bis(tributylstannyl)thiophene via a Stille reaction and compared with poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐co‐thiophene) (P1) to study the effect of changing the carbon(α)–carbon(β) single bond into a carbon–carbon double bond on the properties of the polymers. From P1 to Pb and to Pa, the ultraviolet–visible absorption peaks of the polymers were slightly redshifted, and their electrochemical bandgaps decreased by 0.05–0.1 eV. X‐ray diffraction analysis indicated that Pa had a better lamellar structure than Pb. The hole mobilities of the three polymers, determined with the space‐charge‐limited current model, were 5.23 × 10−6 (P1), 2.34 × 10−4 (Pb), and 7.02 × 10−4 cm2/V s (Pa). The power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of polymer solar cells based on the three polymers were 0.87 (P1), 1.16 (Pb), and 1.70% (Pa). The increase in the hole mobility and PCE revealed the important effect of changing the carbon(α)–carbon(β) single bond into a carbon–carbon double bond on the properties of polythiophene derivatives containing 3‐alkylthiophene. The strategy used in this work enlarges the thinking to obtain novel, efficient donor polymers for optoelectronic applications. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 629–638, 2007
Detection ofcis‐vaccenic acid in palm oil by13C NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Ng Soon , Koh Heng Fui
Published: January 2007

The NMR signals of the carbonyl and olefinic carbons of the oils of some species of palm show some relatively weak peaks at characteristic positions that have not been identified previously. These peaks are most intense in the oil of the speciesElaeis oleifera. On the basis of the chemical shift data of the carbonyl and olefinic carbons of several synthetic monoenic triacylglycerols and of the packed‐column gas chromatogram of the methyl esters of the oil ofE. oleifera, the peaks in question are assigned tocis‐vaccenic acid (18∶1,[cis]‐11).13C NMR spectroscopy is an effective technique for the detection ofcis‐vaccenic acid and other monounsaturated fatty acids in vegetable oils or fats.
Phosphatidylcholine synthesis in the rat: The substrate for methylation and regulation by choline
Authors: Datko Anne H. , Aksamit Robert R. , Mudd S. Harvey
Published: January 2007

Two lines of evidence led us to reexamine the possibility that methylation of phosphoethanolamine and its partially methylated derivatives, in addition to methylation of the corresponding phosphatidyl derivatives, plays a role in mammalian phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis: (a) Results obtained by Salerno and Beeler with rat [Salerno, D. M. and Beeler, D. A. (1973)Biochim. Biophys. Acta 326, 325–338] appear to strongly support such a role for methylation of phosphobases; (b) Such reactions have recently been shown to play major roles in phosphatidylcholine synthesis by higher plants [see Datko, A. H. and Mudd, S. H. (1988)Plant Physiol. 88, 854–861 and references therein]. We found that, following coninuous labeling of rat liver with L‐[methyl‐3H]methionine for 10.4 min (intraperitoneal administration) or for 0.75 min (intraportal administration), virtually no3H was detected in methylated derivatives of phosphoethanolamine, but readily detectable amounts of3H were present in the base moiety of each methylated derivative of phosphatidylethanolamine. Thus, there was no indication that phospho‐base methylation makes a significant contribution. Studies of cultured rat hepatoma cells showed definitively for the first time in a mammalian system that choline deprivation up‐regulates the rate of flow of methyl groups originating in methionine into phosphatidylethanolamine and derivatives. Even under these conditions, methylation of phosphoethanolamine bases appeared to play a negligible role.
Separation of Triacylglycerol Species from Interesterified Oils by High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Lee Jeung Hee , Jones Kerby C. , Foglia Thomas A. , Nuñez Alberto , Lee Jong Ho , Kim Yu Mi , Vu Phuong‐Lan , Lee Ki‐Teak
Published: January 2007

Using a 1,3‐regioselective lipase as a catalyst, soybean oil and olive oil were interesterified with the short‐chain triacylglycerol tributyrin (1,2,3‐tributyrylglycerol) to produce mixtures of structured triacylglycerols (SL‐TAG). The SL‐TAG were purified by column chromatography and analyzed by both normal‐phase (silica column; NPSIL) and reversed‐phase [octadecyl silane (ODS) column] high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Individual SL‐TAG molecular species were detected by evaporative light‐scattering detection, and characterized by mass spectrometry. NPSIL HPLC successfully separated the newly synthesized SL‐TAG into two groups of TAG: one composed of one butyryl group and two long‐chain fatty acyl groups (from soybean or olive oil); the second was composed of two butyryl groups and one long‐chain fatty acyl group. The SL‐TAG species were further analyzed by reversed‐phase HPLC which gave a more detailed separation of the TAG species present in the two SL‐TAG.
For-the-record aesthetics and Robert Johnson's blues style as a product of recorded culture
Authors: ROTHENBUHLER ERIC W.
Published: January 2007

Robert Johnson (1911–1938) is the most venerated of all pre-war blues musicians; the veneration borders on hagiography. Recently published revisionist literature has constructed a sociologically realistic portrayal of a professional musician working among other musicians for a contemporary audience in a specific historical context. This has left unexplained, however, the veneration granted to his music by the audience for his records from the 1960s to today. This paper presents the case that these two bodies of fact can be connected and the one serve as an explanation for the other. As Robert Johnson learned his craft from records and radio, and polished his songs to be recorded, he effectively developed a ‘for-the-record’ aesthetic that made his music sound different to that of his Delta contemporaries and many others who used musical techniques honed in performance for an audience. Decades later, when a ‘for-the-record’ aesthetic was the taken-for-granted standard in popular musical culture, Robert Johnson's records sounded better than those of his contemporaries, and the audience from the 1960s to today has had a reason to think that he and his music were special.
Generation and release of nitrotyrosine O-sulfate by HepG2 human hepatoma cells upon SIN-1 stimulation: identification of SULT1A3 as the enzyme responsible
Authors: Yasuda Shin , Idell Steven , Liu Ming-Cheh
Published: January 2007

In addition to serving as a biomarker of oxidative/nitrative stress, elevated levels of nitrotyrosine have been shown to cause DNA damage or trigger apoptosis. Whether the body is equipped with mechanisms for protecting against the potentially harmful nitrotyrosine remains unknown. The present study was designed to investigate the possibility that sulfation serves as a pathway for the metabolism/regulation of nitrotyrosine. Using metabolic labelling, nitrotyrosine O-[35S]sulfate was found to be produced and released into the medium of HepG2 human hepatoma cells labelled with [35S]sulfate in the presence of nitrotyrosine. To identify the enzyme(s) responsible for nitrotyrosine sulfation, a systematic study of all eleven known human cytosolic SULTs (sulfotransferases) was performed. Of the 11 enzymes tested, only SULT1A3 displayed sulfating activity toward nitrotyrosine. The pH-dependence and kinetic constants of SULT1A3 with nitrotyrosine or dopamine as substrate were determined. To examine whether the sulfation of nitrotyrosine occurs in the context of cellular physiology, HepG2 cells labelled with [35S]sulfate were treated with SIN-1 (morpholinosydnonimine), a peroxynitrite generator. Increments of nitrotyrosine O-[35S]sulfate were detected in the medium of HepG2 cells treated with higher concentrations of SIN-1. To gain insight into the physiological relevance of nitrotyrosine sulfation, a time-course study was performed using [3H]tyrosine-labelled HepG2 cells treated with SIN-1. The findings confirm that the bulk of free [3H]nitrotyrosine inside the cells was present in the unconjugated form. The proportion of sulfated [3H]nitrotyrosine increased dramatically in the medium over time, implying that sulfation may play a significant role in the metabolism of free nitrotyrosine.
Atomic-layer-resolved local work functions of Pb thin films and their dependence on quantum well states
Authors: Qi Yun , Ma Xucun , Jiang Peng , Ji Shuaihua , Fu Yingshuang , Jia Jin-Feng , Xue Qi-Kun , Zhang S. B.
Published: January 2007

The thickness dependence of the local work function (LWF) and its relationship with the quantum well states (QWSs) are studied. The measured LWF shows an oscillatory behavior between adjacent layers with a period of 2 ML and, in addition, an envelope beating pattern with a period of 9 ML. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy investigations reveal that the oscillatory LWF correlates perfectly with the formation of the QWSs: the higher the occupied QWS is, the smaller the LWF is. Through the role of the LWF, this study establishes the importance of quantum size effects in thin films for surface reactions and catalysis.
Chloroplast biogenesis: The use of mutants to study the etioplast–chloroplast transition
Authors: Philippar Katrin , Geis Tina , Ilkavets Iryna , Oster Ulrike , Schwenkert Serena , Meurer Jörg , Soll Jürgen
Published: January 2007

In angiosperm plants, the etioplast–chloroplast transition is light-dependent. A key factor in this process is the protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase A (PORA), which catalyzes the light-induced reduction of protochlorophyllide to chlorophyllide. The import pathway of the precursor protein prePORA into chloroplasts was analyzed
in vivo
and
in vitro
by using homozygous loss-of-function mutants in genes coding for chlorophyllide
a
oxygenase (CAO) or for members of the outer-envelope solute-channel protein family of 16 kDa (OEP16), both of which have been implied to be key factors for the import of prePORA. Our
in vivo
analyses show that
cao
or
oep16
mutants contain a normally structured prolamellar body that contains the protochlorophyllide holochrome. Furthermore, etioplasts from
cao
and
oep16
mutants contain PORA protein as found by mass spectrometry. Our data demonstrate that both CAO and OEP16 are dispensable for chloroplast biogenesis and play no central role in the import of prePORA
in vivo
and
in vitro
as further indicated by protein import studies.
Performance of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance Risk Index in Predicting Surgical Site Infection in Australia
Authors: Friedman N. Deborah , Bull Ann L. , Russo Philip L. , Gurrin Lyle , Richards Michael
Published: January 2007

Background.

The Victorian Hospital Acquired Infection Surveillance System (VICNISS) hospital-acquired infection surveillance system was established in 2002 in Victoria, Australia, and collates surgical site infection (SSI) surveillance data from public hospitals in Australia.

Objective.

To evaluate the association between the US National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) system's risk index and SSI rates for 7 surgical procedures.

Methods.

SSI surveillance was performed with NNIS definitions and methods for surgical procedures performed between November 2002 and September 2004. Correlations were assessed using the Goodman-Kruskal γ statistic.

Results.

Data were submitted for the following numbers of procedures: appendectomy, 545; coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), 4,632; cholecystectomy, 1,001; colon surgery, 623; cesarean section, 4,857; hip arthroplasty, 3,825; and knee arthroplasty, 2,416. NNIS risk index and increasing SSI rate were moderately well correlated for appendectomy (γ = 0.55), colon surgery (γ = 0.48), and cesarean section (γ = 0.42). A fairly positive correlation was found for cholecystectomy (γ = 0.17), hip arthroplasty (γ = 0.2), and knee arthroplasty (γ = 0.16). However, for CABG surgery, a poor association was found (γ = 0.02).

Conclusions.

The NNIS risk index was positively correlated with an increasing SSI rate for all 7 procedures; the strongest correlation was found for appendectomy, cesarean section, and colon surgery, and the poorest correlation was found for CABG surgery. We believe that risk stratification with the NNIS risk index is appropriate for comparison of data for most procedures and superior to use of no risk adjustment. However, for some procedures, particularly CABG, further studies of alternative risk indexes are needed to better stratify patients.
Composition as an Act of Performance: Artifice and Expression in Purcell's Sacred Partsong Since God so tender a regard
Authors: Howard Alan
Published: January 2007

Since God so tender a regard is one of a small number of ‘domestic sacred’ pieces Purcell entered into his manuscript scorebook, London, British Library, Add. MS 30930. Its particular interest lies in its construction over a ground bass, and the range of artificial devices Purcell employs in its setting. Its background in seventeenth-century psalm settings, and its likely performance circumstances, allowed Purcell to turn these features to rhetorical advantage, with highly imaginative and individual results.
The Benign Lymphoepithelial Cyst and a Classification System for Lymphocytic Parotid Gland Enlargement in the Pediatric HIV Population
Authors: Dave Sandeep P. , Pernas Francisco G. , Roy Soham
Published: January 2007

Objectives/Hypothesis: The objectives of this study are to present a series of parotid gland benign lymphoepithelial cysts (BLEC) in HIV‐positive children and to propose a three‐tiered classification system for HIV‐associated lymphocytic parotid gland enlargement.

Study Design: The authors conducted a retrospective case series and literature review.

Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of four pediatric patients with HIV‐associated parotid gland BLEC who presented to a tertiary care university medical center.

Results: Four pediatric HIV‐positive patients (four girls; age range, 7–17 years [mean age, 12.8 years]) were diagnosed with parotid gland BLEC. Two patients presented with acute parotitis and the others presented with asymptomatic enlargement of the parotid glands. Three patients had bilateral parotid gland BLEC. The other patient demonstrated persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) of the intraparotid and cervical lymph nodes and early BLEC limited to the left parotid gland. One patient also displayed parotid gland microcalcifications and cystic changes in the adenoids, neither of which have been described previously in the setting of HIV‐associated BLEC. Computed tomography was performed on all patients, and one patient underwent fine needle aspiration to confirm the diagnosis. All patients opted for observation and antiretroviral medication therapy as long‐term treatment. Based on these findings and a review of the literature, we propose a three‐tiered classification system for lymphocytic parotid gland enlargement in the HIV population: 1) PGL, 2) benign lymphoepithelial lesions (BLEL), and 3) BLEC.

Conclusions: This series equals the largest pediatric series of HIV‐associated parotid gland BLEC in the English literature. One patient in our series also demonstrated PGL; there were no cases of BLEL. A classification system based on morphology is proposed to help resolve the confusion in terminology used to describe this entity. Most pediatric HIV‐infected patients with parotid gland BLEC can be treated with observation and antiretroviral medication therapy. For others, who are symptomatic or more concerned about their cosmetic appearance, sclerotherapy may offer a reasonable option. Radiation therapy and surgery should be reserved for select cases.
Time‐dependent clearance of mycophenolic acid in renal transplant recipients
Authors: Van Hest Reinier M. , Van Gelder Teun , Bouw René , Goggin Timothy , Gordon Robert , Mamelok Richard D. , Mathot Ron A.
Published: January 2007

Aims

Pharmacokinetic studies of the immunosuppressive compound mycophenolic acid (MPA) have shown a structural decrease in clearance (CL) over time after renal transplantation. The aim of this study was to characterize the time‐dependent CL of MPA by means of a population pharmacokinetic meta‐analysis, and to test whether it can be described by covariate effects.

Methods

One thousand eight hundred and ninety‐four MPA concentration‐time profiles from 468 renal transplant patients (range 1–9 profiles per patient) were analyzed retrospectively by nonlinear mixed effect modelling. Sampling occasions ranged from day 1–10 years after transplantation.

Results

The pharmacokinetics of MPA were described by a two‐compartment model with time‐lagged first order absorption, and a first‐order term for time‐dependent CL. The model predicted the mean CL to decrease from 35 l h−1 (CV = 44%) in the first week after transplantation to 17 l h−1 (CV = 38%) after 6 months. In a covariate model without a term for time‐dependent CL, changes during the first 6 months after transplantation in creatinine clearance from 19 to 71 ml min−1, in albumin concentration from 35 to 40 g l−1, in haemoglobin from 9.7 to 12 g dl−1 and in cyclosporin predose concentration from 225 to 100 ng ml−1 corresponded with a decrease of CL from 32 to 19 l h−1. Creatinine clearance, albumin concentration, haemoglobin and cyclosporin predose concentration explained, respectively, 19%, 12%, 4% and 3% of the within‐patient variability in MPA CL.

Conclusions

By monitoring creatinine clearance, albumin concentration, haemoglobin and cyclosporin predose concentration, changes in MPA exposure over time can be predicted. Such information can be used to optimize therapy with mycophenolate mofetil.
Characterization of a petunia acetyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of the floral volatile isoeugenol
Authors: Dexter Richard , Qualley Anthony , Kish Christine M. , Ma Choong Je , Koeduka Takao , Nagegowda Dinesh A. , Dudareva Natalia , Pichersky Eran , Clark David
Published: January 2007

Petunia flower petals emit large amounts of isoeugenol, which has been shown to be synthesized by isoeugenol synthase (PhIGS1) from an ester of coniferyl alcohol, hypothesized to be coniferyl acetate. This paper describes the identification and characterization of a novel petunia gene encoding an enzyme belonging to the BAHD acyltransferase family whose expression correlates with isoeugenol biosynthesis. RNAi suppression of this gene results in inhibition of isoeugenol biosynthesis. Biochemical characterization of the protein encoded by this gene showed that it has acetyltransferase activity and is most efficient with coniferyl alcohol among the alcohol substrates tested. Overall, these data support the conclusion that coniferyl acetate is the substrate of isoeugenol synthase.
Use of isolated infected spores to determine the sporocidal efficacy of two commercial antifungal rinses against Microsporum canis
Authors: Moriello Karen A. , Verbrugge Maria
Published: January 2007

In this study, isolated infective Microsporum canis spores were used in an in vitro test model to compare the sporocidal activity of two commercial topical antifungal rinses. The two commercial test solutions used in the study were a lime sulphur solution 97.8% (LymDyp®) and miconazole base 5.2%/chlorhexidine gluconate 5.9% mixture (Malaseb® Concentrate Rinse). Water and household bleach were used as controls. Isolated infective spores were harvested from infected hairs and 500 µL of the spore suspension was incubated with an equal volume of dilutions of lime sulphur or the miconazole/chlorhexidine gluconate combination for 5 min and 4 h followed by fungal culture. There were too many to count colonies on the water control plates. Lime sulphur was 100% sporocidal at all test dilutions at both times. Miconazole/chlorhexidine gluconate was 100% sporocidal at all but the 1 : 128 dilution after 5 min of incubation and 100% sporocidal when incubated with spores for 4 h. It is not known if the two products have similar antifungal activity against infective spores on or within hairs; however, based on the findings of this study there is good evidence to recommend either rinse as an adjuvant topical therapy in a dermatophyte treatment and control program.
In Vitro Fertilization and Development of OPU Derived Goat and Sheep Oocytes
Authors: Cox JF , Alfaro V
Published: January 2007

Contents

The recent upgrade in IVP technology seen in cattle can be adapted to embryo production in small ruminants to overcome limitations exhibited by surgical procedures on preserving the reproductive potential of donors and the efficiency of embryo production. The aim of the present study was to assess the current procedures used in cattle for the production of IVP embryos in goats and sheep based on laparoscopic‐aided ovum pick‐up (LOPU) supplied oocytes. Sexually matured goat and sheep donors were treated during the breeding season with FSH and subjected to laparoscopic‐guided follicular puncture under general anaesthesia. The collected cumulus‐oocyte complexes were matured in medium 199 and fertilized by frozen‐thawed spermatozoa using Talp medium supplemented with heparin and oestrus‐sheep serum. Cleaved ova were either cultured in sheep in vitro fertilization medium plus amino acids or transferred to sheep oviducts. Blastocyst rate, hatching rate and development rate up to term were used as markers of embryo function. The results obtained for goat and sheep involving 30 and 35 donors respectively (10 and 9 LOPU sessions) were 81.2% and 85.2% of oocyte collection rate; 88.3% and 98.6% oocyte incubation rate; 85.6% and 76.0% fertilization rate; 82.4% and 93.4% of cleavage rate; 50.0% and 61.5% IVP blastocyst rate; 42.1% and 45.5% blastocyst rate in oviducts; 73.0% and 66.7% embryo survival up to term, respectively. The results are comparable to those obtained in small ruminants and in bovines suggesting that requirements for embryo production and development are similar.
Rapid degradation of termiticides under field conditions
Authors: Horwood Martin A
Published: January 2007

Abstract  Soil testing is used by regulatory agencies to determine the adequacy of termiticide application by pest controllers. Because tests may be carried out years after treatment, an accurate knowledge of termiticide degradation rates is crucial if determinations are to be valid. Degradation of exposed residues of bifenthrin, chlorfenapyr, chlorpyrifos, fipronil and imidacloprid was investigated in a field trial conducted near Narrandera (inland New South Wales) and in Sydney. Samples of soil 75 mm deep were collected immediately after treatment and after 12 months from plots treated with termiticides to a minimum depth of 350 mm and analysed for termiticide residues. Bifenthrin and chlorfenapyr were the most persistent termiticides. Losses of chlorpyrifos exceeded 99% at both locations. Losses of fipronil and imidacloprid were 96% and 94%, respectively, at Narrandera and 67% and 50%, respectively, in Sydney. To explore the fate of chlorpyrifos, fipronil and imidacloprid in the soil profile at Narrandera, samples were collected 15 months after treatment to a depth of 450 mm, in 150 mm increments, from plots treated to a depth of 700 mm. In soil below 150 mm, chlorpyrifos and fipronil content was little changed from time of application whereas major losses of imidacloprid had occurred at all depths. These findings have implications for termite treatment regulation in Australia. Regulatory agencies have relied upon degradation rates observed in laboratory experiments to determine in situ treatment adequacy. Results of this field study suggest that termiticides can degrade more rapidly in situ than indicated by laboratory experiments.
Records of two sugarcane pests Eumetopina flavipes Muir (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) and Chilo terrenellus Pagenstecher (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from Torres Strait and far north Queensland
Authors: Grimshaw Judy F , Donaldson John F
Published: January 2007

Abstract  The State of Queensland includes islands within Torres Strait. However, Quarantine legislation separates these islands from mainland Australia, and divides them into two Quarantine zones. Details of the Torres Strait and far north Queensland distribution and damage levels of Eumetopina flavipes Muir (sugarcane leafhopper) and Chilo terrenellus Pagenstecher (sugarcane stem borer) are published here for the first time. The delphacid is a known vector of the sugarcane disease, Ramu stunt, which occurs in northern Papua New Guinea (PNG) and possibly other locations. Eumetopina flavipes has been known to occur on islands within Torres Strait and the communities near the tip of Cape York Peninsula since 1983. The disease is not known to be present in this population of the bugs. The sugarcane stem borer, C. terrenellus, has been detected on a number of occasions in sugarcane on two of the three Torres Strait islands closest to PNG (Saibai and Dauan). Its ‘appearance’ at these two sites is intermittent and damage levels are never as high as in the nearby communities in the Western Province of PNG. The majority of sugarcane plantings on Torres Strait islands are yellow and purple varieties of chewing cane (Saccharum officinarum) which is the host for all records reported here. Recent detection of Chilo crypsimetalla (Turner) on several islands in Torres Strait is reported, although this is not thought to be a pest of sugarcane.
The House of Commons Modernisation Committee: Who Needs It?
Authors: Kelso Alexandra
Published: January 2007

Modernisation has been rhetorically important for the Labour government since 1997, and it found a dedicated outlet through the House of Commons Modernisation Committee. This committee has pursued a particular type of modernisation, which this article seeks to explore. It does this by focusing on three issues. First, it examines the role of the Leader of the House of Commons in the chair of the Modernisation Committee. Second, it looks at the work of the Modernisation Committee in comparison to that of the Procedure Committee. Finally, it contextualises the discussion of modernisation with reference to the distinction between efficiency reforms and effectiveness reforms, and explores what this reveals about the complexity of executive–legislative relations at Westminster, and about the course of the modernisation debate since 1997.
Should I invest with my conscience?
Authors: Sandberg Joakim
Published: January 2007

This paper discusses the idea that investors have moral reasons to avoid investing in certain business areas based on their own moral views towards these areas. Some have referred to this as ‘conscience investing’, and it is a central part of the conception of ethical investing within the socially responsible investment (SRI) movement. The paper presents what is taken to be the main arguments for this kind of investing as they are given by those who have defended it, and discusses the plausibility of these arguments from the point of view of moral philosophy. The paper argues that focusing on the moral views of individual investors is not very fruitful – there are strong reasons to think that investors do not have moral reasons to invest ‘with their consciences’, or, to the extent that such reasons are allowed, that they are very weak compared with other sorts of moral reasons pertaining to ethical investing.
Corporate Social Responsibility in a Context of Permanent Restructuring: a case study from the Swiss metalworking sector
Authors: Bonvin Jean‐Michel
Published: January 2007

This paper analyses the impact of CSR initiatives in restructuring processes. It assesses how steps taken by company managers combine with legislative interventions and shareholders’ initiatives with a view to promoting workers’ rights. It is based on the case study of a Swiss company from the metalworking sector, Tornos, which has been for 20 years in a process of permanent restructuring. First the legal and conventional resources available in Switzerland are listed, then how Tornos mobilised these tools in its situation is analysed. The conclusion summarises the main lessons with regard to the impact of CSR in the Swiss context.
THE DISTURBANCE MODEL AND CONGESTION IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE*
Authors: BLACKSTONE ERWIN A. , BUCK ANDREW J. , HAKIM SIMON , SPIEGEL URIEL
Published: January 2007

Public security agency response to a call for emergency service is a commons good. As consumers demand more of the commons good there is increased congestion. Police services as a commons good are modeled using the uncertainty about which calls for service are bona fide. The results are that optimal alarm systems per officer rise with the officers' wage, fall with the value of avoided losses and rise with the productivity of officers. Ceteris paribus, avoided losses are greater in the community with more alarm systems. Homogeneity of the community increases the optimal number of alarms per officer. Fining ‘well‐behaved’ alarm owners more heavily increases police productivity.
Incitement to Religious Hatred: All Talk and No Substance?
Authors: Goodall Kay
Published: January 2007

The Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 has a frenetic history. It is the culmination of six attempts in Parliament in the last twelve years to make incitement to religious hatred unlawful.1 Each attempt has met with intense criticism. But now that the legislation is here, what may it achieve?
Citizen Perceptions of Risks Associated with Moving Radiological Waste
Authors: McBeth Mark K. , Oakes Ann S.
Published: January 2007

Much has been written about public support or opposition to the siting of hazardous waste facilities and more generally about concern for radioactive contamination. Much less has been written about the perceived risks of citizens’specific concerns about the transportation of radiological waste to temporary or permanent sites. This study reviews the existing literature in the area and presents new data on the subject from an Idaho survey. The new data indicates: (1) age, gender, and knowledge are the key variables predicting opposition to the transportation of such waste, (2) the primary concern among the opposing and unsure public is the planned use of trucks to move the TRU waste, and (3) respondents have high degrees of trust in officials who make decisions based on technical knowledge, are charged with the safety of transporting TRU waste, and who respond to mishaps. These attitudes need to be understood by policymakers and administrators when designing and implementing waste‐transportation programs.
WHEN TO USE AND WHEN TO AVOID MEDIATION
Authors: Bruch Carol S.
Published: January 2007

This article examines voluntary mediation and provides suggested criteria for attorneys in deciding whether or not to use mediation. The author discusses what mediation has to offer, what it takes to make it work, and important cautions for attorneys in deciding about the use of this process.
DETECTION OF SHIGELLA SONNEI IN SELECTED FOODS BY FLOW‐THROUGH IMMUNOCAPTURE FOLLOWED BY REAL‐TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION OR ISOLATION ON MACCONKEY AGAR
Authors: WARREN BENJAMIN R. , YUK HYUN‐GYUN , SCHNEIDER KEITH R.
Published: January 2007

This study compared flow‐through immunocapture (FTI), using the Pathatrix, followed by plating on MacConkey (MAC) agar (FTI‐MAC) or analysis by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (FTI‐PCR) to the Food and Drug Administration's Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Shigella culture method for the detection of Shigella sonnei on tomatoes, in potato salad and in ground beef. For tomatoes, FTI‐MAC and FTI‐PCR achieved significantly improved detection (P < 0.05) of S. sonnei over the BAM. For potato salad, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) among the three methods. For ground beef, FTI‐MAC was not significantly different (P > 0.05) than the BAM for the detection of S. sonnei; however, FTI‐PCR was superior (P < 0.05). No tomato and only one potato salad sample resulted in the isolation of background microflora by FTI‐MAC. In contrast, the analysis of ground beef by FTI‐MAC resulted in consistent isolation of background microflora with or without co‐isolation of S. sonnei.
RAPID ISOLATION AND DETECTION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 IN FRESH PRODUCE
Authors: PRENTICE NICOLE , MURRAY JOHN S. , SCOTT MICHAEL F. , COOMBS J. PHILIP , PARTON ADRIAN
Published: January 2007

This study describes a rapid method for the isolation and detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 present at low levels (0.04–0.4 cfu/g) in fresh salad produce. Following a short enrichment (5 h at 42C), samples were processed using Pathatrix, a novel recirculating immunomagnetic capture system, linked to real‐time polymerase chain reaction and/or selective agar plating. Processing of post‐enrichment sample aliquots (10 mL diluted 1:25) and the use of preblocked paramagnetic anti‐E. coli O157:H7 beads enhanced target pathogen recovery on selective agar plates in cases where a high microbial load of nontarget microflora was present. This is of particular relevance to the testing of bean sprouts. This method has the potential to provide a result within 7 h. The speed of result offers significant benefits for outbreak investigations and allows the rapid screening of salad produce for E. coli O157:H7 contamination prior to product entering the distribution chain.
Evaluation of the Merlin MICRONAUT System for Rapid Direct Susceptibility Testing of Gram-Positive Cocci and Gram-Negative Bacilli from Positive Blood Cultures
Authors: Wellinghausen Nele , Pietzcker Tim , Poppert Sven , Belak Syron , Fieser Nicole , Bartel Melanie , Essig Andreas
Published: January 2007

Bloodstream infections are life-threatening conditions which require the timely initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. We evaluated the automated Merlin MICRONAUT system for rapid direct microtiter broth antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of gram-positive cocci and gram-negative bacilli from BACTEC 9240 bottles with positive blood cultures in comparison to the standard method for the Merlin MICRONAUT system. This prospective study was conducted under routine working conditions during a 9-month period. Altogether, 504 isolates from 409 patients and 11,819 organism-antibiotic combinations were evaluated for comparison of direct and standard AST methods. For gram-negative bacilli, direct and standard AST of 110 isolates was evaluated and MIC agreement was found for 98.1% of 2,637 organism-antibiotic combinations. Category (susceptible, intermediate susceptible, resistant [SIR]) agreement was found for 99.0%, with results for 0.04% of combinations showing very major errors, those for 0.2% showing major errors, and those for 0.8% showing minor errors. For gram-positive cocci, 373 isolates were evaluated and MIC agreement was found for 95.6% of 8,951 organism-antibiotic combinations. SIR agreement was found for 98.8%, with results for 0.3% of combinations showing very major errors, those for 0.4% showing major errors, and those for 0.5% showing minor errors. Although the number of tested isolates was limited (
n
= 33), direct AST of streptococci was performed for the first time, yielding promising results with SIR agreement for 98.6% of 363 organism-antibiotic combinations. In conclusion, direct AST of gram-negative bacilli and gram-positive cocci from positive blood cultures with the MICRONAUT system is a reliable technique that allows for the omission of repeat testing of subcultured isolates. Thereby, it reduces the time to results of blood culture testing and may have a positive impact on patient care.
Cultivation-Independent Analysis of Changes in Bacterial Vaginosis Flora Following Metronidazole Treatment
Authors: Ferris Michael J. , Norori Johana , Zozaya-Hinchliffe Marcela , Martin David H.
Published: January 2007

PCR was used to survey bacterial vaginosis flora before and after metronidazole treatment. The species composition for pretreatment patients was variable.
Lactobacillus iners
was prominent in all patients posttreatment.
Atopobium vaginae
concentrations were highest for patients who failed or responded incompletely to treatment and lowest for patients who were cured.
Retrieval of Cirrus Microphysical Properties with a Suite of Algorithms for Airborne and Spaceborne Lidar, Radar, and Radiometer Data
Authors: Zhang Yuying , Mace Gerald G.
Published: January 2007

Algorithms are developed to convert data streams from multiple airborne and spaceborne remote sensors into layer-averaged cirrus bulk microphysical properties. Radiometers such as the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observe narrowband spectral radiances, and active remote sensors such as the lidar on the Cloud–Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) satellite and the millimeter radar on CloudSat will provide vertical profiles of attenuated optical backscatter and radar reflectivity. Equivalent airborne remote sensors are also routinely flown on the NASA WB-57F and ER-2 aircraft. Algorithms designed to retrieve cirrus microphysical properties from remote sensor data must be able to handle the natural variability of cirrus that can range from optically thick layers that cause lidar attenuation to tenuous layers that are not detected by the cloud radar. An approach that is adopted here is to develop an algorithm suite that has internal consistency in its formulation and assumptions. The algorithm suite is developed around a forward model of the observations and is inverted for layer-mean cloud properties using a variational technique. The theoretical uncertainty in the retrieved ice water path retrieval is 40%–50%, and the uncertainty in the layer-mean particle size retrieval ranges from 50% to 90%. Two case studies from the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers (CRYSTAL) Florida Area Cirrus Experiment (FACE) field campaign as well as ground-based cases from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) are used to show the efficacy and error characteristics of the algorithms.
India and Southeast Asia in the Age of Terror: Building Partnerships for Peace
Authors: Acharya Arabinda
Published: January 2007

With September 11, terrorism has come to dominate the security concerns of nation-states, especially in Asia, affecting both inter- and intra-regional relations significantly. Though for many Asian countries terrorism was nothing new, threats of transnational terrorism introduced new security challenges, which significantly changed the nature of domestic politics and state-society relations of the regional states and relations among them and with states in other regions. In the new dynamics, the traditional bilateral alliance systems that underpinned much of the security structure and relations in the past are found to be inadequate to deal with the challenge of transnational terrorism. There is thus a need for cooperation among the nations in the region and greater engagement with extra-regional partners through multilateral arrangements. Both India and Southeast Asia grapple with an array of security threats including those from transnational terrorism. Ironically, terrorism provides unique opportunities to both to work together. This article argues that the common desire to fight terrorism could be the imperative that would establish foundations for mutually beneficial partnerships both in their economic and security relations. India and Southeast Asia have substantial experience to deal with terrorism. Both could leverage their mutual expertise to deal with the threat decisively. Besides, economic cooperation between India and the countries in Southeast Asia has the potential to accelerate the pace of development, which in turn could help them to resolve both intra- and inter-regional tensions and to develop the quality of life.
Sculpting the Modern Muse: Auguste Clésinger's Femme piquée par un serpent
Authors: Joyce Wendy Nolan
Published: January 2007

Joyce argues that the scandal caused in 1847 by the so-called "naturalism" of Auguste Clésinger's eroticized treatment of the reclining nude with his Femme piquée par un serpent owed as much to the sculptor's experimentation with the parameters of the genre as it did to the reputation of the celebrated demimondaine, Madame Sabatier, who posed for the work. Joyce studies the figure within the context of contemporary theoretical debate, with special attention to the writing of Théophile Gautier, who praised the Femme piquée as one of the first works of sculpture to capture the spirit of modern womanhood through its bold reworking of movement and perspective.
Stendhal et l'id�al moderne
Authors: Lombardo Patrizia
Published: January 2007

The volume concludes with an essay on Stendhal, whose commentaries on antique sculpture mark a clear break with those of Chateaubriand, Mme de Staël, and the German Romantics. Like Balzac, he believes that art should reflect contemporary moral qualities, should be expressive not of physical force, but of feelings: love, suffering, tenderness, gaiety. Lombardo points out that Stendhal admired sculptors like Michelangelo and Canova, who adapted antique models for the representation of the affective life, and that his own writing style is, paradoxically, both classical in its restraint and "modern" in its expressiveness, its "feu de la saillie." (In French)
Casting Hugo into History
Authors: Nash Suzanne
Published: January 2007

David d'Angers's concept of the relationship between history and art, as it is reflected in the pediment of the Pantheon and the busts he made of Victor Hugo, and Hugo's own representations of history in his poetry and drawings point to a fundamental tension within Romanticism regarding Republican idealism. Nash reads the poems Hugo dedicated to David as a critique of the sculptor's neoclassical treatment of the status of genius and suggests that they anticipate the stylistic incoherences of Rodin's monument to Hugo at the end of the century.
Chateaubriand, ou les espaces de la sculpture
Authors: Roulin Jean-Marie
Published: January 2007

Although Chateaubriand's taste in sculpture is clearly neoclassical, Roulin argues that his thinking and writing on sculptural objects are post-revolutionary and pre-modern. For Chateaubriand the site of the statue, not its formal properties, is crucial for its full "discursive" force as a "lieu de mémoire" or "une parole d'outre-tombe." He sees sculpture as a form of writing that says "here something happened." When that something is forgotten, which is often the case, it becomes, as it will for Baudelaire, an allegory for time, for all that has been forgotten, like the imprint of a woman's bust in a lava mold at Pompeii. Chateaubriand's commentaries on sculpture are thus seen by Roulin to raise the question of the place of the writer and of enunciation in a "revolutionized" France. (In French)
Melatonin Concentration in Plasma, Pineal Gland and Duodenum of Pregnant Rats and their Fetuses after Melatonin and Phenytoin Administration
Authors: Stebelová K. , Mach M. , Herichová I. , Ujházy E. , Zeman M.
Published: January 2007

Melatonin (MEL) is involved in regulation of variety of physiological processes. Beside the pineal gland, the presence of MEL was confirmed in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), where it may exert multiple actions. We investigated the effects of a single MEL administration of 0.4, 4.0 and 40.0 μg MEL/ml of tap water on MEL levels in rat plasma, pineal gland and duodenum. In addition, we studied the effect of a prolonged administration of MEL, an anticonvulsant drug phenytoin (PHT) and a combination of MEL+PHT, on MEL concentrations in pregnant rats and their fetuses. Single MEL administration of 4.0 and 40.0 μg MEL/ml resulted in a dose-related increase of MEL concentration in the rat plasma and duodenum but in a decrease of MEL in the pineal gland. After a prolonged MEL administration, MEL levels in duodenal tissues were significantly lower in control group and group treated with PHT as compared to animals, where MEL and PHT were administered simultaneously. A significant increase in MEL concentration was recorded in the intestine of fetuses taken from mothers treated with MEL and MEL + PHT. Our results indicate a dose-related absorption of MEL from tap water to GIT tissues of pregnant rats and their fetuses, where MEL may increase the protection of the intestinal mucose.
Comparison between Laying Hen Performance in the Cage System and the Deep Litter System on a Diet Free from Animal Protein
Authors: Voslářová E. , Hanzálek Z. , Večerek V. , Straková E. , Suchý P.
Published: January 2007

Battery cage systems for housing laying hens are being replaced by alternative systems including the deep litter system. At the same time, the substitution of meat and bone meal by vegetable matter in poultry feed mixtures is sought in the nutrition of laying hens. In the experiment, we compared the performance of laying hens of the ISA BROWN hybrid in both the cage system and the deep litter system, on a diet with the meat and bone meal content replaced by vegetable feeds (based on lupin). In the first group, 36 laying hens were kept in the deep litter system; in the second group, 36 laying hens were kept in cages. Over the period of nine months, the number of eggs laid, their weight, shell quality, the clinical state of the laying hens and incidence of their mortality were monitored daily. We found that in the cage system a higher number of eggs was obtained; a lower mean egg weight (p < 0.01); a higher number of eggs per hen per day (p < 0.01); a higher egg mass weight per hen per day (p < 0.01). There was a higher number of cracked eggs of the total number of eggs laid (p < 0.01), the number of membranous eggs of the total number of eggs laid did not differ (p > 0.05), and the number of laying hens which died was lower (p < 0.05) in comparison with the deep litter system. The results of the experiment demonstrate that, with the substitution of meat and bone meal by vegetable matter in the feed mixtures for laying hens, there are differences between the performance of laying hens from the deep litter system as compared to the laying hens from the cage system. The deep litter system better meets the requirements for the welfare of laying hens; however, it provides a lower yield.
Plasma Ceruloplasmin and Fibrinogen during Enzyme Therapy of Mastitis in Dairy Cows
Authors: Bakeš J. , Illek J.
Published: January 2007

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the benefits of topical administration of proteolytic enzymes used in the symptomatic mastitis therapy. Eleven lactating cows with clinical signs of mastitis in one udder quarter at least were divided into two groups. Group Awas given an antibiotic alone - cefotaxime (250 mg, intramammary administration, 6 doses in total). Group B was given a lower dose of the same antibiotic (cefotaxime, 100 mg, intramammary administration, 5 doses in total) and a blend of enzymes in one drug form, i.e. both the dose and total number of administrations were lower in this group. Before and after the therapy, milk samples were collected and subjected to microbiological examination, and blood samples were withdrawn to determine fibrinogen and ceruloplasmin as acute phase proteins. Before the beginning of the therapy, common mastitis pathogens were detected in milk of both groups; after the end of the therapy, the test results were negative. Mean plasma concentrations of fibrinogen in Group A increased significantly from 6.0 ± 1.4 to 7.4 ± 1.1 g l-1, in Group B a non-significant decrease was observed, from 6.5 ± 0.86 g l-1 to 6.4 ± 0.9 g l-1. However, differences between the groups were significant (p < 0.05). In Group A, mean plasma ceruloplasmin concentration increased significantly from 0.9 ± 0.2 to 1.3 ± 0.18 μmol l-1, and in Group B it decreased non-significantly from 0.9 ± 0.36 to 1.1 ± 0.26 μmol l-1, and the difference between the groups was non-significant. In the present study, a favourable effect of repeated topical application of a mixture of proteolytic enzymes was demonstrated. The enzyme therapy resulted in a decreased therapeutic dose of the antibiotic, and suppressed an increase in the levels of inflammation markers under investigation.