bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
La maquette Tfe : analyse du mode de fonctionnement du système monétaire et financier français
Authors: Laury Béatrice
Published: March 2011

The Tfe model : analysis of the way in wich the french monetary and financial system functions,

by Béatrice Laury.

By highlighting the underlying dynamics beneath the equilibrium observed ex post between the different financial flows, the Tfe model is above all a complement to the accounting approach of the Tables of Source and Use of funds for the economy (Tfe) in the making of economic projections and in the analysis of the monetary and financial aspects of economic policy. In also showing the articulation between financial intermediation circuits and capital markets in the financing of the economy, it becomes a privileged instrument for analysing the profound changes in the French financial system today, which are reflected, for example, in the increased role of the capital markets in covering agents' borrowing needs. Without being a true model of the monetary and financial system — it is a short- term, static and parametered instrument— the Tfe model was designed above all as a means of reflection on how the financial sphere of the economy functions and how it interacts with real variables.

JEL. 310
Metropolitan government in Portugal Nunes
Authors: Nunes Silva Carlos , Pereira Margarida
Published: March 2011

Le Portugal n 'échappe pas à la volonté de coordination qui émane des plus grandes aires urbaines telles que celles de Lisbonne et de Porto. Cet article repose sur l'analyse d'entretiens au sein des assemblées métropolitaines, entités récentes dont les pouvoirs et les moyens sont faibles. Ces structures apparaissent comme inefficaces et peu à même de résoudre les problèmes qui se posent. La place de ce nouvel échelon local doit être replacée dans le débat sur la régionalisation en cours au Portugal à la fin des années 1990.
Les candidats et leurs territoires : analyse géopolitique comparative en Deux-Sèvres et en Corrèze (exemple des élections législatives de 1997)
Authors: Vieillard-Coffre Sylvie
Published: March 2011

Dans la situation particulière des élections législatives françaises de 1997 à fort enjeu national, l'analyse de l'utilisation des représentations territoriales de leur circonscription par les principaux candidats, des deux départements des Deux-Sèvres et de Corrèze, éclaire deux aspects importants de la géographie politique locale aujourd'hui. Lidée d'une permanence et d'une uniformité des représentations utilisées par les candidats, qui confine souvent à des analyses simplifiées des résultats, cache parfois une utilisation habile de ces éléments pour se représenter comme le meilleur représentant de la circonscription. De même ; ces élections révèlent l'intérêt stratégique que peut prendre une représentation territoriale récente, comme l'outil «pays » de la loi Pasqua-Hoeffel sur l'aménagement du territoire de 1995.
Dix ans d'élections européennes en Bretagne : 1989-1999
Authors: Nicolas Michel , Pierre Patrick
Published: March 2011

La Bretagne figure au nombre des trois régions, avec l'Alsace et Rhône-Alpes, à s'être très majoritairement exprimée en faveur de Maastricht. En dépit d'une forte abstention, notamment dans la consultation de 1999, les trois dernières élections au Parlement européen y dessinent une nouvelle géographie électorale, dépassant les traditionnels clivages de la gauche et de la droite.

Sur cette terre de sensibilité modérée, k vote anti européen est minoritaire et hétérogène : on y trouve aussi bien le parti communiste que l'extrême droite, Chasse pêche nature et tradition, les chevènementistes et, depuis peu, un électorat d'extrême gauche. Il recoupe logiquement les territoires ayant refusé Maastricht.

Le vote européen, pour sa part, domine largement. Représentant le courant d'origine démocrate-chrétienne et les partis de gouvernement associés à la construction européenne, il regroupe 64,2 % des suffrages exprimés.

Les multiples sensibilités qui s'affichent à l'occasion des consultations européennes traduisent bien le mouvement de recomposition politique qui se dessine au tournant du siècle.
Une approche multiscalaire des lieux hospitaliers : l'exemple du CHRU de Tours
Authors: Granier Pierre
Published: March 2011

In this document, the hospital is analysed as a geographic object functioning as a space dedicated to a set of practices. The approach intends, through the study of a medium-sized CHU, more precisely one of its sites, to privilege a micro-scale analysis showing multi-scalar combinations, and thus identifying and explaining the different space structures inside the hospital. In that aim, the conceptual method this study is based on mainly consists in a detailed analysis of the different places and territories inside the hospital. Those hospital places are first analysed as spaces allowing individual or collective practices (with the example of the emergency unit). Then in a second stage, a multi-scalar description will reveal the existence of different levels of references inside the hospital itself Those levels of references strongly structure both physical and symbolic spaces for the people who intervene in those spaces.
De la cartographie des terroirs de l'aire AOC Cahors à la proposition d'un classement de terroirs en un «premier cru» Cahors
Authors: Rouvellac E.
Published: March 2011

Between Cahors and Soturac, the vineyard of Cahors — a guaranteed vintage — is situated in the mid-Lot valley, which has silicious terraced rows on its hillsides, and on its bordering plateaux, composed of limestone of the secondary or tertiary geological eras. One of the outcomes of our research consisted in studying the possibility to award an appellation «first- class Cahors vintage» on the scale of the patch, which would boost the Cahors appellation. This section of our research enabled us to compile a database which could lead to the creation of a geographical information system.
L'immobilier à Caen : dynamiques péricentrales et mutations socio-spatiales récentes (1995-1998)
Authors: Grisoni-Niaki Jean-Claude
Published: March 2011

Les dynamiques de transformations urbaines qui se déploient intensément au cœur des villes s'étendent maintenant sur un espace géographique plus élargi en débordant au-delà des limites admises comme telles dans les années quarante! cinquante pour les plus grandes métropoles, plus tardivement pour les villes moyennes. La frange contiguë aux noyaux historiques, le péricentre, est progressivement annexée et revalorisée; elle offre les dernières opportunités foncières, ainsi qu'un cadre bâti ancien à réhabiliter.

L'espace péricentral à Caen fait l'objet, depuis le début des années quatre-vingt-dix, d'une reconquête massive. La multiplication d'opérations immobilières conduit à une redistribution spatiale et structurelle de l'offre en logements, même si le cœur ancien maintient tant bien que maison attractivité. Mais ce renouveau de l'immobilier, à partir du petit locatif privé, plonge la ville dans une nouvelle crise, celle de la pléthore en logements.
A field test of inverse modeling of seed dispersal
Authors: Sánchez Jose M. Contreras , Greene David F. , Quesada Mauricio
Published: March 2011

• Premise of the study: Seed dispersal distance—a key process in plant population dynamics—remains poorly understood because of the difficulty of finding a source plant so well isolated from conspecifics that seeds or seedlings can be unambiguously attributed to it. Inverse modeling (IM) of seed dispersal, a simple statistical technique for parameterizing dispersal kernels, has been widely used since 1992; surprisingly, however, this approach has never been verified in the field.

• Methods: We released from 20 nearby trees the winged seeds of a liana species, Entada polystachya, near the coast in a tropical, dry forest in Jalisco, Mexico.

• Key results: With a two‐parameter log‐normal function, we found that IM predicted both the shape and scale parameters well as long as we used the entire data set. When, however, we subsampled (thus simulating the use of transects for seedlings or an array of seed traps), the estimates of the scale and shape parameters were often more than double the real values. The problem was due to the marked anisotropy (directional bias; in this case, in the direction of the diurnal sea breeze) of the individual dispersal curves. When we randomized the direction of dispersal of individual seeds from the trees (keeping dispersal distances unchanged), predictions of parameter values were excellent.

• Conclusions: Inverse modeling must include directional parameters when dealing with areas where strong anisotropy is to be expected, e.g., for wind dispersal of seeds near coasts or pollination by any vector where a plant species is limited to a strongly linear habitat such as river banks.
Sharing Research Models: Using Software Engineering Practices for Facilitation
Authors: Solano Eric , Cantor Susanna , Cooley Philip , Wagener Diane
Published: March 2011

Increasingly, researchers are turning to computational models to understand the interplay of important variables on systems' behaviors. Although researchers may develop models that meet the needs of their investigation, application limitations—such as nonintuitive user interface features and data input specifications—may limit the sharing of these tools with other research groups. By removing these barriers, other research groups that perform related work can leverage these work products to expedite their own investigations. The use of software engineering practices can enable managed application production and shared research artifacts among multiple research groups by promoting consistent models, reducing redundant effort, encouraging rigorous peer review, and facilitating research collaborations that are supported by a common toolset. This report discusses three established software engineering practices—the iterative software development process, object-oriented methodology, and unified modeling language—and the applicability of these practices to computational model development. Our efforts to modify the MIDAS TranStat application to make it more user-friendly are presented as an example of how computational models that are based on research and developed using software engineering practices can benefit a broader audience of researchers.
Un monde d’homicides
Authors: Ouimet Marc
Published: March 2011

Cette étude vise à établir les variations du taux d’homicides entre les pays du monde et à examiner les facteurs qui y sont liés. L’analyse porte sur 167 pays pour lesquels nous disposons en 2004 d’une estimation fiable du taux d’homicides. Les données sur l’homicide proviennent de l’Organisation mondiale de la santé et les données pour les variables explicatives proviennent de sources variées. Les analyses statistiques préliminaires portent sur les caractéristiques populationnelles, économiques, environnementales, sociales, identitaires et politiques des pays. La modélisation statistique finale montre que trois grands facteurs expliquent les variations du taux d’homicides, soit le pourcentage de jeunes dans la population, le niveau de vie tel que mesuré par le PIB et le degré d’inégalité de la redistribution des revenus. En discussion sont abordés les thèmes de la composition de la population, de la situation économique et du système politique.
« Compstat » à Paris : initiative et mise en responsabilité policière
Authors: Didier Emmanuel
Published: March 2011

« Compstat » est un dispositif de management quantitatif néo-liberal qui fut inventé par le département de police de New York pendant les années 1990 et qui fut importé à Paris à par le préfet de police au début des années 2000. Grâce à une description ethnographique du fonctionnement de ce dispositif en France, l’auteur montre ici comment le recours au chiffre a réorganisé la sécurité publique et valorisé la « prise d’initiative » et la « mise en responsabilité » individuelle des agents. Il montre aussi comme ces deux expressions qui proviennent du terrain sont à entendre dans un sens plus proche de l’efficacité comptable que du droit administratif.
RT-PCR Protocols - Methods in Molecular Biology
Authors: Monti Manuela
Published: March 2011

“The first record I have of it, is when I made a computer file which I usually did whenever I had an idea, that would have been on the Monday when I got back, and I called it Chain Reaction.POL, meaning polymerase. That was the identifier for it and later I called the thing the Polymerase Chain Reaction, which a lot of people thought was a dumb name for it, but it stuck, and it became PCR”. With these words the Nobel prize winner, Kary Mullis, explains how he named the PCR: one of the most important techniques ever invented and currently used in molecular biology. This book “RT-PCR Protocols” covers a wide range of aspects important for the setting of a PCR experiment for both beginners and advanced users. In my opinion the book is very well structured in three different sections. The first one describes the different technologies now available, like competitive RT-PCR, nested RT-PCR or RT-PCR for cloning. An important part regards the usage of PCR in single cell mouse embryos, stressing how important...........
Hausdorff Prime Matrices
Authors: Rhoades B. E.
Published: March 2011

In this paper we give the form of every multiplicative Hausdorff prime matrix, thus answering a long-standing open question.
Subdivisions of Simplicial Complexes Preserving the Metric Topology
Authors: Mine Kotaro , Sakai Katsuro
Published: March 2011

Let |K| be the metric polyhedron of a simplicial complex K. In this paper, we characterize a simplicial subdivision K′ of K preserving the metric topology for |K| as the one such that the set K′(0) of vertices of K′ is discrete in |K|. We also prove that two such subdivisions of K have such a common subdivision.
SIR epidemics in monogamous populations with recombination
Authors: Zanette Damián H.
Published: March 2011

We study the propagation of an SIR (susceptible--infectious--recovered) disease over an agent population which, at any instant, is fully divided into couples of agents. Couples are occasionally allowed to exchange their members. This process of couple recombination can compensate the instantaneous disconnection of the interaction pattern and thus allow for the propagation of the infection. We study the incidence of the disease as a function of its infectivity and of the recombination rate of couples, thus characterizing the interplay between the epidemic dynamics and the evolution of the population's interaction pattern. Received: 12 August 2010, Accepted: 18 February 2011; Edited by: G. C. Barker; Reviewed by: B. Blasius, ICBM, University of Oldenburg, Germany; DOI: 10.4279/PIP.030001Cite as: D. H. Zanette, Papers in Physics 3, 030001  (2011)
Origin and radiative forcing of black carbon transported to the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Kopacz M. , Mauzerall D. L. , Wang J. , Leibensperger E. M. , Henze D. K. , Singh K.
Published: March 2011

Abstract. The remote and high elevation regions of central Asia are influenced by black carbon (BC) emissions from a variety of locations. BC deposition contributes to melting of glaciers and questions exist, of both scientific and policy interest, as to the origin of the BC reaching the glaciers. We use the adjoint of the GEOS-Chem model to identify the location from which BC arriving at a variety of locations in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau originates. We then calculate its direct and snow-albedo radiative forcing. We analyze the seasonal variation in the origin of BC using an adjoint sensitivity analysis, which provides a detailed map of the location of emissions that directly contribute to black carbon concentrations at receptor locations. We find that emissions from northern India and central China contribute the majority of BC to the Himalayas, although the precise location varies with season. The Tibetan Plateau receives most BC from western and central China, as well as from India, Nepal, the Middle East, Pakistan and other countries. The magnitude of contribution from each region varies with season and receptor location. We find that sources as varied as African biomass burning and Middle Eastern fossil fuel combustion can significantly contribute to the BC reaching the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. We compute radiative forcing in the snow-covered regions and find the forcing due to the BC induced snow-albedo effect to vary from 5–15 W m−2 within the region, an order of magnitude larger than radiative forcing due to the direct effect, and with significant seasonal variation in the northern Tibetan Plateau. Radiative forcing from reduced snow albedo likely accelerates glacier melting. Our analysis may help inform mitigation efforts to slow the rate of glacial melt by identifying regions that make the largest contributions to BC deposition in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau.
The detection of post-monsoon tropospheric ozone variability over south Asia using IASI data
Authors: Barret B. , Le Flochmoen E. , Sauvage B. , Pavelin E. , Matricardi M. , Cammas J. P.
Published: March 2011

Abstract. The ozone (O3) variability over south Asia during the 2008 post-monsoon season has been assessed using measurements from the MetOP-A/IASI instrument and O3 profiles retrieved with the SOftware for a Fast Retrieval of IASI Data (SOFRID). The information content study and error analyses carried out in this paper show that IASI Level 1 data can be used to retrieve tropospheric O3 columns (surface-225 hPa) and UTLS columns (225–70 hPa) with errors smaller than 20%. Validation with global radiosonde O3 profiles obtained during a period of 6 months show the excellent agreement between IASI and radiosonde for the UTLS with correlation coefficient R > 0.91 and good agreement in the troposphere with correlation coefficient R > 0.74. For both the UTLS and the troposphere Relative Standard Deviations (RSD) are lower than 23%. The temporal variability of the vertical profile of O3 has first been observed locally near Hyderabad in central India with in situ measurements from the MOZAIC program. These measurements obtained from airborne instruments show that tropospheric O3 is steadily elevated during most of the studied period with the exception of two sharp drops following the crossing of tropical storms over India. Lagrangian simulations with the FLEXPART model indicate that elevated O3 concentrations in the middle troposphere near Hyderabad are associated with the transport of UT air-masses that have followed the Subtropical Westerly Jet (SWJ) and subsided over northern India together with boundary layer polluted air-masses transported from the Indo-gangetic plain by the north-easterly trades. Low O3 concentrations result from the uplift and westward transport of pristine air-masses from the marine boundary layer of the Bay of Bengal by tropical storms. In order to extend the analysis of tropospheric O3 variability to the whole of south Asia, we have used IASI-SOFRID O3 data. We show that IASI O3 data around Hyderabad were able to capture the fast variability revealed by MOZAIC. Furthermore, their spatio-temporal coverage demonstrates that the behaviour of tropospheric O3 observed near Hyderabad extended over most of central and south India and part of the Bay of Bengal. This result highlights the ability of the IASI sensor to capture fast changes in chemical composition related to dramatic tropical weather conditions.
Estimating seasonal variations in cloud droplet number concentration over the boreal forest from satellite observations
Authors: Janssen R. H. H. , Ganzeveld L. N. , Kabat P. , Kulmala M. , Nieminen T. , Roebeling R. A.
Published: March 2011

Abstract. Seasonal variations in cloud droplet number concentration (NCD) in low-level stratiform clouds over the boreal forest are estimated from MODIS observations of cloud optical and microphysical properties, using a sub-adiabatic cloud model to interpret vertical profiles of cloud properties. An uncertainty analysis of the cloud model is included to reveal the main sensitivities of the cloud model. We compared the seasonal cycle in NCD obtained using 9 years of satellite data, to surface concentrations of potential cloud activating aerosols, measured at the SMEAR II station at Hyytiälä in Finland. The results show that NCD and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations have no clear correlation at seasonal time scale. The fraction of aerosols that actually activate as cloud droplet decreases sharply with increasing aerosol concentrations. Furthermore, information on the stability of the atmosphere shows that low NCD is linked to stable atmospheric conditions. Combining these findings leads to the conclusion that cloud droplet activation for the studied clouds over the boreal forest is limited by convection. Our results suggest that it is important to take the strength of convection into account when studying the influence of aerosols from the boreal forest on cloud formation, although they do not rule out the possibility that aerosols from the boreal forest affect other types of clouds with a closer coupling to the surface.
Evaluation of ULF electromagnetic phenomena associated with the 2000 Izu Islands earthquake swarm by wavelet transform analysis
Authors: Han P. , Hattori K. , Huang Q. , Hirano T. , Ishiguro Y. , Yoshino C. , Febriani F.
Published: March 2011

Abstract. There have been many reports on ULF electromagnetic phenomena associated with the 2000 Izu Islands earthquake swarm. In this study, seismo-magnetic anomalies are presented by examining energy variations of signatures at the periods around 100 s. Geomagnetic data observed at three stations in Izu Peninsula from 1 January 2000 to 30 April 2001 have been analyzed and wavelet transform has been performed. In order to indentify anomalous changes from ionosphere disturbances, Kakioka station has been chosen as a reference station, and the similar data analysis has been performed. The results suggest that the unusual energy enhancement of the Z component, which only appears in Izu Peninsula from late June until early November 2000, might possibly be one of electromagnetic phenomena associated with the 2000 Izu Islands earthquake swarm.
North Atlantic atmospheric regimes and winter extremes in the Iberian peninsula
Authors: OrtizBeviá M. J. , SánchezGómez E. , Alvarez-García F. J.
Published: March 2011

Abstract. In this study, we assess the relationships between North Atlantic scale atmospheric regimes and extremes of precipitation and minimum temperature in the Iberian peninsula for an extended (DJFM) winter season. As found in previous studies, large scale atmospheric regimes are well represented in climate simulations while the extreme atmospheric variability is not. The relationship between some of these atmospheric regimes and the probability of occurrence of extreme values in simulations of present day climatic variability is validated here with daily observations at 68 meteorological stations all over the Iberian peninsula. Therefore, the possible changes in the probability of occurrence of winter extremes of minimum temperature and precipitation are obtained by projecting the changes in the probability of occurrence of the winter atmospheric regimes. The trends in the frequency of the observed large scale patterns give an indication of what can be expected in the next decades. For the long term (in a century), the changes are obtained directly from the comparison of the frequencies of the atmospheric regimes in the scenario simulations with those of the historical period. The projections obtained in this way are tested for consistency with the results obtained by comparing the changes in the extremes threshold values in the scenario with those of the historical simulations. The results point to a future with less precipitation extreme events and less minimum temperature extreme events in winter in the westerly central part of the Iberian peninsula.
Poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole‐benzothiadiazole) with Ambipolarity Approaching 100% Equivalency
Authors: Cho Shinuk , Lee Junghoon , Tong Minghong , Seo Jung Hwa , Yang Changduk
Published: March 2011

As a characteristic feature of conventional conjugated polymers, it has been generally agreed that conjugated polymers exhibit either high hole transport property (p‐type) or high electron transport property (n‐type). Although ambipolar properties have been demonstrated from specially designed conjugated polymers, only a few examples have exhibited ambipolar transport properties under limited conditions. Furthermore, there is, as yet, no example with ‘equivalent’ hole and electron transport properties. We describe the realization of an equivalent ambipolar organic field‐effect transistor (FET) by using a single‐component visible–near infrared absorbing diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)‐benzothiadiazole (BTZ) copolymer, namely poly[3,6‐dithiene‐2‐yl‐2,5‐di(2‐decyltetradecyl)‐pyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole‐1,4‐dione‐5’,5’’‐diyl‐alt‐benzo‐2,1, 3‐thiadiazol‐4,7‐diyl] (PDTDPP‐alt‐BTZ). PDTDPP‐alt‐BTZ shows not only ideally balanced charge carrier mobilities for both electrons (▴e = 0.09 cm2V−1s−1) and holes (▴h = 0.1 cm2V−1s−1) but also its inverter constructed with the combination of two identical ambipolar FETs exhibits a gain of ∼35 that is much higher than usually obtained values for unipolar logic.
Tubular multi‐bilayer polysaccharide biofilms on ultra‐thin cellulose fibers
Authors: Ding Bin , Du Jian , Hsieh You‐Lo
Published: March 2011

Multiple bilayered polysaccharide biofilms have been assembled by electrostatic layer‐by‐layer (LBL), alternating deposition of cationic chitosan (CS, Mv = 405 kDa) and anionic dextran sulfate (DXS, Mw = 500 kDa) onto ultra‐fine cellulose (CELL) and partially hydrolyzed cellulose acetate fibers with diameters ranging from 350 to 410 nm. While the surfaces of partially hydrolyzed (degrees of substitution of 1.14 or 0.2) and CELL fibers were equally hydrophilic, higher surface charges on the more hydrolyzed fibers afford thicker bilayers. The elestrostatic interactions between CS and DXS were enhanced by the presence of NaCl in the dipping and rinsing solutions to allow uniform deposition of sequential polysaccharide bilayers. At 0.25M NaCl, each CS/DXS bilayer averaged 6.4 to 9.0 nm thick with the total thickness of the five bilayer (CS/DXS)5 varied from 64 to 77 nm. The CS/DXS bilayers exhibited much reduced BET surface area and pore volume indicating that these polysaccharides were much more densely packed on the fully hydrolyzed CELL fibers. The findings proofed the concept that long chain polysaccharide electrolytes can be self‐assembled as nanometer scale tubular bilayers on ultra‐fine cellulose fibers to afford wholly polysaccharidic fibrous architecture. The electrolytic nature, chemical reactivity, and structural versatility of these ultra‐high specific surface polysaccharides are advantageous and can be further tuned to serve biological functions and for biomedical applications. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Electrical response of polypyrrole films doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid to acetone vapor
Authors: Campos M.
Published: March 2011

Measurements of current‐voltage curves at room temperature, in nitrogen and nitrogen‐acetone atmospheres have clearly demonstrated the rectifying behavior of the Al/PPy‐DBSA/Au structure. For this structure, the values of 0.82 eV and 2.31, for the barrier height and ideality factor, respectively, have been obtained in nitrogen atmosphere, while at concentration of 120 ppm of acetone, the corresponding values were 0.74 eV and 2.07. The barrier height value obtained from I–V characteristic is lower than the barrier height value obtained from C‐V measurements. The discrepancy can be due to the existence of an interfacial oxide layer between the semiconductor and Schottky contact metal. The density distribution curves of the interface states vary in the range (0.55–EV) to (0.84–EV) for pure nitrogen, and (0.45–EV) to (0.60–EV) in atmosphere with acetone. The interface state density has an exponential rise with bias from the midgap towards the top of the valence band of the PPy‐DBSA. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Nanocomposites derived from cellulose acetate and highly branched alkoxysilane
Authors: Aparecida da Silva Cristiane , Maria Favaro Márcia , Pagotto Yoshida Inez Valéria , do Carmo Gonçalves Maria
Published: March 2011

Highly branched alkoxysilane (HB) units were prepared in situ via a Michael‐type reaction between pentaerythrithol triacrylate and aminopropyltriethoxysilane. These units were used as an inorganic component for the modification of cellulose acetate (CA) films using the sol–gel process. The thermal and dynamic‐mechanical behaviors, the morphology, and the dimensional stability of the modified CA films were analyzed. The siloxane‐modified CA films showed thermal stability similar to pure CA, but the residue content at 900°C increased with the addition of HB units. The morphology of these films was characterized by siloxane nanodomains dispersed in the CA matrix, with good interfacial adhesion between the phases. Moreover, the CA/siloxane nanocomposite films showed improved dimensional stability in comparison with CA, i.e., in the presence of HB, the dimensional change was reduced to around 50% of the value observed for pure CA. Finally, a complex dynamic‐mechanical behavior was obtained for the nanocomposite films, as a consequence of the heterogeneous morphology. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
An environmentally compatible synthesis of polyesters derived from 5‐(2‐phthalimidoethanesulfonamido) isophthalic acid as a novel diacid monomer
Authors: Karimi Zarchi Mohammad Ali , Tayefi Mohammad , Tirgir Farhang , Sabzalian Mohammad R.
Published: March 2011

A biologically active diacid monomer, 5‐(2‐phthalimidoethanesulfonamido) isophthalic acid (6), based on taurine, was easily prepared in three steps. Also a series of novel biologically active polyesters (PE)s were synthesized by the reaction of this monomer with several aromatic diols by step growth polymerization using tosyl chloride (TsCl)/dimethylformamide (DMF)/pyridine (Py) system as a condensing agent. The resulting new polymers were obtained in good to high yields with moderate inherent viscosities. All of the PEs were characterized by FTIR and some of them were also characterized by 1H‐NMR and elemental analyses methods. The thermal stability of PEs was evaluated with thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry techniques under a nitrogen atmosphere and it was found that they have moderate stability. Wheat seedlings were normally grown in the presence of 6 and it's derived PEs in soil. Also the high dehydrogenase activities in treated soils with obtained compounds showed biodegradability of polymers under soil burial in natural environments. It can be concluded that the synthesized compounds derived from taurine are possibly biologically active and environmentally nontoxic for soil microorganisms. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
The Face of Strigorhysis: Implications of Another Tarsier‐like, Large‐Eyed Eocene North American Tarsiiform Primate
Authors: Rosenberger Alfred L.
Published: March 2011

The hypothesis that hypertrophic eyeballs were widespread among Eocene tarsiiform primates can be tested by qualitatively examining an integrated set of anatomical features involving the middle face, palate, and orbital floor that are also manifest in Tarsius. The North American anaptomorphine Strigorhysis, restudied via micro‐CT, is presented as an example, one of about nine fossil tarsiiforms (FTs) with moderately to enormously enlarged eyes—some possibly tarsier‐sized. The eyeballs of Strigorhysis likely were ectopic and comparable in relative size to the smallest‐bodied living tarsier, T. pumulis. These fossils, constituting approximately one‐third of the Eocene tarsiiform adaptive radiation and possibly others still known essentially from dental remains, appear to form a monophyletic group that includes Tarsius. Small‐eyed genera usually classified as omomyids, such as Teilhardina and Rooneyia, are not part of this clade. Although the precise affinities of Tarsius cannot yet be established, the widespread presence of meticulously similar orbital and facial morphology among the fossils suggest it is an ancestral condition—derived for haplorhines—shared by them and not multiply evolved via parallelism or convergence. Consequently, the rarer, tarsier‐like postcranial characters found only among European microchoerines, which all exhibit degrees of orbital hypertrophy, should be revisited as potential Tarsius synapomorphies. The overwhelming evidence from the skull and from phylogenetics makes it a vanishingly small possibility that Tarsius is more closely relate to anthropoids than to a subset of FTs. Anat Rec, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of Habitat Light Intensity on Mammalian Eye Shape
Authors: Veilleux Carrie C. , Lewis Rebecca J.
Published: March 2011

Many aspects of mammalian visual anatomy vary with activity pattern, reflecting the divergent selective pressures imposed by low light and high light visual environments. However, ambient light intensity can also differ substantially between and within habitats due to differences in foliage density. We explored the effects of interhabitat and intrahabitat variation in light intensity on mammalian visual anatomy. Data on relative cornea size, activity pattern, and habitat type were collected from the literature for 209 terrestrial mammal species. In general, mammalian relative cornea size significantly varied by habitat type. In within‐order and across‐mammal analyses, diurnal and cathemeral mammals from forested habitats exhibited relatively larger corneas than species from more open habitats, reflecting an adaptation to increase visual sensitivity in forest species. However, in all analyses, we found no habitat‐type effect in nocturnal species, suggesting that nocturnal mammals may experience selection to maximize visual sensitivity across all habitats. We also examined whether vertical strata usage affected relative cornea size in anthropoid primates. In most analyses, species occupying lower levels of forests and woodlands did not exhibit relatively larger corneas than species utilizing higher levels. Thus, unlike differences in intensity between habitat types, differences in light intensity between vertical forest strata do not appear to exert a strong selective pressure on visual morphology. These results suggest that terrestrial mammal visual systems reflect specializations for habitat variation in light intensity, and that habitat type as well as activity pattern have influenced mammalian visual evolution. Anat Rec, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Chiral Bis(oxazoline) Ruthenium Complexes with Bipyridyl‐Type N‐Heteroaromatics: Comparative Stereochemical and Photochemical Characterization of their Λ‐ and Δ‐Diastereomeric Geminate Isomers
Authors: Onishi Masayoshi , Tashiro Yoko , Arikawa Yasuhiro , Nagaoka Junko , Umakoshi Keisuke , Sunada Yusuke , Nozaki Koichi
Published: March 2011

Diastereomeric geminate pairs of chiral bis(2‐oxazoline) ruthenium complexes with bipyridyl‐type N‐heteroaromatics, Λ‐ and Δ‐[Ru(L‐L)2(iPr‐biox)]2+ (iPr‐biox=(4S,4′S)‐4,4′‐diisopropyl‐2,2′‐bis(2‐oxazoline); L‐L=2,2′‐bipyridyl (bpy) for 1 Λ and 1 Δ, 4,4′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridyl (dmbpy) for 2 Λ and 2 Δ, and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) for 3 Λ and 3 Δ), were separated as BF4 and PF6 salts and were subjected to the comparative studies of their stereochemical and photochemical characterization. DFT calculations of 1 Λ and 1 Δ electronic configurations for the lowest triplet excited state revealed that their MO‐149 (HOMO) and MO‐150 (lower SOMO) characters are interchanged between them and that the phosphorescence‐emissive states are an admixture of a Ru‐to‐biox charge‐transfer state and an intraligand excited state within the iPr‐biox. Furthermore, photoluminescence properties of the two Λ,Δ‐diastereomeric series are discussed with reference to [Ru(bpy)3]2+.
Stabilization of triple‐helical structures of collagen peptides containing a Hyp‐Thr‐Gly, Hyp‐Val‐Gly, or Hyp‐Ser‐Gly sequence
Authors: Okuyama Kenji , Miyama Keita , Morimoto Tatsuya , Masakiyo Kouichi , Mizuno Kazunori , Bächinger Hans Peter
Published: March 2011

The single‐crystal structures of three collagen‐like host–guest peptides, (Pro‐Pro‐Gly)4‐Hyp‐Yaa‐Gly‐(Pro‐Pro‐Gly)4 [Yaa = Thr, Val, Ser; Hyp = (4R)‐4‐hydroxyproline] were analyzed at atomic resolution. These peptides adopted a 7/2‐helical structure similar to that of the (Pro‐Pro‐Gly)9 peptide. The stability of these triple helices showed a similar tendency to that observed in Ac‐(Gly‐Hyp‐Yaa)10‐NH2 (Yaa = Thr, Val, Ser) peptides. On the basis of their detailed structures, the differences in the triple‐helical stabilities of the peptides containing a Hyp‐Thr‐Gly, Hyp‐Val‐Gly, or Hyp‐Ser‐Gly sequence were explained in terms of van der Waals interactions and dipole–dipole interaction between the Hyp residue in the X position and the Yaa residue in the Y position involved in the Hyp(X):Yaa(Y) stacking pair. This idea also explains the inability of Ac‐(Gly‐Hyp‐alloThr)10‐NH2 and Ac‐(Gly‐Hyp‐Ala)10‐NH2 peptides to form triple helices. In the Hyp(X):Thr(Y), Hyp(X):Val(Y), and Hyp(X):Ser(Y) stacking pairs, the proline ring of the Hyp residues adopts an up‐puckering conformation, in agreement with the residual preference of Hyp, but in disagreement with the positional preference of X in the Gly‐Xaa‐Yaa sequence. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 95: 628–640, 2011.
Experimental comparison of mesenteric vessel sealing and thermal damage between one bipolar and two ultrasonic shears devices
Authors: Noble E J , Smart N J , Challand C , Sleigh K , Oriolowo A , Hosie K B
Published: March 2011

Background

Several instruments are available for open and laparoscopic dissection, including electrothermal bipolar vessel sealers and ultrasonically coagulating shears. The vessel sealing ability of three devices in colorectal specimens was compared in an experimental study.

Methods

Surgical specimens from patients scheduled for elective open or laparoscopic colorectal resection were allocated to one of the three devices. After removal of the surgical specimen, up to eight mesenteric vessels were dissected ex vivo and sealed using the allocated instrument. The vessel seal was tested for the maximum pressure at which it leaked and then assessed by a pathologist for depth of thermal tissue damage.

Results

A total of 93 vessels from 18 patients were assessed ex vivo (LOTUS™n = 33; Harmonic Ace®n = 30; LigaSure™n = 30), a median of 6 (range 1–8) vessels per surgical specimen with a mean(s.d.) diameter of 1·06(0·70) mm and wall thickness of 0·29(0·19) mm. Mean(s.d.) bursting pressures were 1170(440), 1470(670) and 1510(740) mmHg with LOTUS™, Harmonic Ace® and LigaSure™ respectively. ANCOVA showed no difference in bursting pressure between the instruments (P = 0·058). The depth of thermal damage was significantly greater with LigaSure™ (3·37(1·44) mm) than with LOTUS™ (2·18(0·99) mm; P < 0·001) or Harmonic Ace® (1·95(0·92) mm; P < 0·001).

Conclusion

All three instruments were equally good at sealing blood vessels, with bursting pressures well above physiological blood pressure levels. Registration number: NCT01121614 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov).
Identification of isomeric spin adducts of Leu–Tyr and Tyr–Leu free radicals using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Domingues Pedro , Fonseca Conceição , Reis Ana , Domingues M. Rosário M.
Published: March 2011

Free radical species are generally short‐lived due to their high reactivity and thus direct measurement and identification are often impossible. In this study we used a spin trap, 5,5‐dimethyl‐1‐pyrroline‐N‐oxide (DMPO), to trap radical intermediates formed during the oxidation of isomeric dipeptides tyrosine–leucine (Tyr–Leu) and leucine–tyrosine (Leu–Tyr), induced by the hydroxyl radical. To investigate the influence of the amino acid position in the peptide chain on the oxidation and free radical generation, the spin adducts were characterized using LC‐MS and MSn. We detected carbon and oxygen DMPO adducts and adducts bearing two DMPO, which were analyzed by MSn. Both alkoxyl and peroxyl radicals were identified. Radical intermediates were localized in Tyr during oxidation of Tyr–Leu, while radicals were identified in Leu and Tyr during oxidation of Leu–Tyr. DMPO adducts of acyl radical species formed from cleavage of the peptide backbone, promoted by the alkoxyl radical in α carbon of the N‐terminal amino acid were observed. The results show that the amino acid position has an influence in the oxidation process, at least on small peptides, and that the α carbon of the N‐terminal amino acid is more vulnerable to the attack of the electrophilic hydroxyl radical. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Why do solution additives suppress the heat‐induced inactivation of proteins? Inhibition of chemical modifications
Authors: Tomita Shunsuke , Shiraki Kentaro
Published: March 2011

Thermoinactivation of proteins is prevented by several kinds of solution additives such as chaotropes, amino acids, amino acid derivatives, and polyamines. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of action of the various additives that prevent thermoinactivation of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A and hen egg white lysozyme. The thermoinactivation of both proteins in the presence of additives showed clear correlations with deamidation and β‐elimination of the proteins. Thus, experimental evidences indicated that the effects of additives on thermoinactivation of proteins are highly due to the suppression of chemical modifications. To our surprise, not only the suppressive effect of the additives on heat‐induced inactivation but also that on the chemical modification of proteins is remarkably similar by comparison of two unrelated proteins. This finding indicates the generality of the effects of additives on heat‐induced chemical modification of proteins. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011
A novel synthesis of iminodiacetic acid: Biocatalysis by whole Alcaligenes faecalis ZJB‐09133 cells from iminodiacetonitrile
Authors: Liu Zhi‐Qiang , Li Fei‐Fei , Cheng Feng , Zhang Tao , You Zhong‐Yu , Xu Jian‐Miao , Xue Ya‐Ping , Zheng Yu‐Guo , Shen Yin‐Chu
Published: March 2011

Iminodiacetic acid (IDA) has been widely used as an important intermediate in the fine chemical industry. In this study, a novel synthesis route of IDA from iminodiacetonitrile by whole microorganisms was investigated. A strain with the capability of producing nitrilase, ZJB‐09133, was isolated and identified, and later named Alcaligenes faecalis ZJB‐09133. In addition, the detailed biocatalysis of iminodiacetonitrile to produce IDA using ZJB‐09133 was investigated. The results showed that the conversion reached 65.3% in Na2HPO4‐NaH2PO4 buffer of pH 8.0 under the following conditions: cells in the amount of 0.075‐g DCW/L, 1.5% substrate, conversion time of 8 h, and a reaction temperature of 35°C. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the production of IDA using a biocatalysis method has been reported. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011
Integrated use of ultra scale‐down and financial modeling to identify optimal conditions for the precipitation and centrifugal recovery of milk proteins
Authors: Chhatre Sunil , Pampel Lars , Titchener‐Hooker Nigel J.
Published: March 2011

This article investigates the integrated application of ultra scale‐down (USD) techniques and economic modeling as a means for identifying optimal bioprocess operating conditions. The benefits of the approach are illustrated for the recovery of lactoperoxidase (LPO) from bovine milk. In the process, milk is skimmed to deplete its lipid content, before being subjected to low pH incubation with acetic acid in order to precipitate the primary impurity (casein). Following removal of the solids by disk stack centrifugation, pH adjustment and filtration, cation exchange chromatography is used as a positive mode column step to bind the LPO before it is polished and freeze dried. An economic model of this process was used to identify where greatest product loss occurs and hence where the largest opportunity cost was being incurred. Scale‐down analysis was used to characterize the influence of the critical steps, identified as precipitation and centrifugation, upon LPO recovery. A mathematical model was used to relate the centrifuge feed flowrate and discharge interval to the supernatant yield, and it was shown that increasing the centrifugal solids residence time achieved superior solids de‐watering and so higher product yield, although this also increased the overall processing time. To resolve this conflict, scale‐down data were used again in conjunction with an economic model to determine the most suitable conditions that maximized annual profit and minimized operating costs. The results demonstrate the power of combining USD data with models of economic and process performance in order to establish the best overall operating strategies for biopharmaceutical manufacture. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011
Mechanistic Study of the Pd/TOMPP‐Catalyzed Telomerization of 1,3‐Butadiene with Biomass‐Based Alcohols: On the Reversibility of Phosphine Alkylation
Authors: Hausoul Peter J. C. , Parvulescu Andrei N. , Lutz Martin , Spek Anthony L. , Bruijnincx Pieter C. A. , Klein Gebbink Robertus J. M. , Weckhuysen Bert M.
Published: March 2011

Liquid‐chromatography electrospray‐ionisation mass spectrometry (LC‐ESI‐MS) studies on reaction mixtures of the telomerization of 1,3‐butadiene with biomass‐based polyols revealed that the TOMPP (TOMPP=tris(2‐methoxyphenyl)phosphine) ligand is converted towards the corresponding (2,7‐octadienyl)phosphonium species during catalysis. The extent of ligand alkylation is substrate dependent and was identified as the primary cause of deactivation for carbohydrate substrates with anomeric hydroxyl groups. Coordination studies of the phosphonium cation with [Pd(dba)2] (dba=dibenzylideneacetone) gave insight into the alkylation mechanism and showed that the formation of the phosphonium cation is fully reversible. The reaction yields the key cationic intermediate [Pd(1,2,3,7,8‐η5‐octa‐2,7‐dien‐1‐yl)(TOMPP)]+, which, in the presence of the iodide anion, results in the formation of [Pd(1,2,3‐η3‐octa‐2,7‐dien‐1‐yl)(I)(TOMPP)]. Both complexes were fully characterized by various techniques including single crystal X‐ray crystallography. Based on these results, an extension to the Pd/TOMPP‐catalyzed telomerization mechanism was formulated to include the 2,7‐octadienylphosphonium cation as a ligand reservoir. Catalytic tests show that the use of [Pd(dba)2] as precatalyst improves the telomerization of glucose and xylose.