bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design, Synthesis and Diuretic Activity of Some Novel 2,4‐Diamino‐6‐aryl‐7‐arylaminopyrimido[4,5‐d]pyrimidin‐5‐(6H)‐ones.
Authors: Rathod Ishwarsinh , Chhabria Mahesh T. , Chaudhari Atul S. , Jani Mitesh H.
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
A Chemoselective Microwave‐Assisted One‐Pot Cross‐Stille Reaction of Benzylic Halides with 2(1H)‐Pyrazinones Using Simultaneous Cooling.
Authors: Appukkuttan Prasad , Husain Mofazzal , Gupta Rajinder K. , Parmar Virinder S. , Van der Eycken Erik
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Subtle Stereochemical and Electronic Effects in Iridium‐Catalyzed Isomerization of C‐Allyl Glycosides.
Authors: Patnam Ramesh , Juarez‐Ruiz Juan M. , Roy Rene
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Hetero Diels—Alder Cycloaddition of Indene for the Formal Synthesis of Onychnine.
Authors: Hong Bor‐Cherng , Hallur Mahanandeesha Siddappa , Liao Ju‐Hsiou
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Stereoselective Synthesis of the Cytotoxic Macrolide FD‐891.
Authors: Garcia‐Fortanet Jorge , Murga Juan , Carda Miguel , Marco J. Alberto
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Structure and Activity of Rhenium in the Re/γ‐Al2O3 Catalysts
Authors: Okal Janina , Kepinski Leszek
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
What a Difference One Electron Makes! Generating Low‐Coordinate Ti—C and V—C Multiply Bonded Frameworks Through One Electron Oxidatively Induced α‐Hydrogen Abstractions
Authors: Mindiola Daniel J. , Bailey Brad C. , Basuli Falguni
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Investigations of Pd‐Catalyzed ArX Coupling Reactions Informed by Reaction Progress Kinetic Analysis
Authors: Mathew Jinu S. , Klussmann Martin , Iwamura Hiroshi , Valera Fernando , Futran Alan , Emanuelsson Emma A. C. , Blackmond Donna G.
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Asymmetric Heterogeneous Catalysis
Authors: Heitbaum Maja , Glorius Frank , Escher Iris
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Synthesis and Properties of SMAPs: 1‐Phospha‐4‐silabicyclo[2.2.2]octane Derivatives
Authors: Ochida Atsuko , Sawamura Masaya
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Synthesis and Application of New N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Ruthenium Complexes in Catalysis: A Case Study
Authors: Delaude Lionel , Demonceau Albert , Noels Alfred F.
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Bis(allyl)‐ruthenium(IV) Complexes: Promising Precursors for Catalytic Organic Synthesis
Authors: Cadierno Victorio , Crochet Pascale , Garcia‐Garrido Sergio E. , Gimeno Jose
Published: October 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Actuation methods for applications in MR environments
Authors: Gassert Roger , Yamamoto Akio , Chapuis Dominique , Dovat Ludovic , Bleuler Hannes , Burdet Etienne
Published: October 2006

The choice of an adequate actuation method is a central issue in the development of any mechatronic device and strongly determines the dynamic performances of the system. This choice is particularly difficult for robotic systems working within a magnetic resonance (MR) environment because of the safety and compatibility constraints imposed by the high magnetic field, switching gradients, electromagnetic pulses, and sensitive measuring equipment involved. This article analyzes actuation methods for robotic systems to be used within a magnetic resonance environment, such as systems for diagnostic and interventional MRI, neuroscience studies during functional MRI, and diagnostic fMRI. In the case of functional MRI, actuation is also required during imaging, whereas current MR‐compatible interventional systems are typically moved between imaging phases. Our analysis is based on a variety of actuation principles that we have tested both for MR compatibility and for the quality of force feedback that can be realized, including hydrostatic, belt, and cable transmissions as well as electrostatic and piezoelectric actuators. The results are completed with developments of other groups. A good solution to a given application often involves a combination of several actuation principles. A synthesis of characteristics and three comparative tables aid in the choice of an adequate actuation method for a given task or application. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson 29B: 191–209, 2006.
Effects of obesity and height on prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) and percentage of free PSA levels among African‐American and Caucasian men
Authors: Fowke Jay H. , Signorello Lisa B. , Chang Sam S. , Matthews Charles E. , Buchowski Maciej S. , Cookson Michael S. , Ukoli Flora M. , Blot William J.
Published: October 2006

BACKGROUND.

Prior studies suggest that obese men have lower prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) levels than leaner men. Caucasian (CA) men also may have lower PSA levels than African‐American (AA) men, but the relevance of body size to racial disparities in PSA levels is unclear. The association between body mass index (BMI) and height on PSA and percentage of free PSA (%fPSA) was investigated within AA and CA men without a prior prostate cancer diagnosis.

METHODS.

AA (n = 150) and CA (n = 149) men of similar socioeconomic status completed an extensive in‐person interview and donated blood. PSA and %fPSA levels were compared across race, BMI, and height categories after adjusting for age and other factors.

RESULTS.

PSA levels decreased with increasing BMI (PSA = .72, .69, .67, .59 ng/mL for BMI 18.5 to <25, 25 to <30, 30 to <35, and ≥35, respectively; Ptrend = .18), and trends were significant among men less than age 60 years (PSA = .81, .76, .66, .59, respectively; Ptrend = .02). fPSA also significantly decreased with BMI among men <60 years (Ptrend = .04). In contrast, %fPSA was not associated with BMI. However, %fPSA increased 27% across height categories (Ptrend = .02). PSA levels were significantly lower among CA men (PSAAA = 0.87, PSACA = 0.63 ng/mL; P < .01), whereas %fPSA levels did not differ by race. Also, associations between body size and PSA or %fPSA did not significantly differ by race, and adjustment for BMI and height had no effect on the racial disparity in PSA (PSAAA = 0.87, PSACA = 0.63 ng/mL; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS.

The data suggest that race, BMI, and height are independently associated with PSA and %fPSA levels. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Effect of housing factors and surficial uranium on the spatial prediction of residential radon in Iowa
Authors: Smith Brian J. , Field R. William
Published: October 2006

Growing epidemiologic evidence suggests that residential radon is an important risk factor for lung cancer. Consequently, public health professionals have expressed interest in characterizing the spatial distribution of radon concentrations in order to identify geographic regions of high exposure. Ambient radon concentrations are a function of geologic features including soil radium content. Indoor radon concentrations can vary based on building characteristics that affect the entry of radon into the building and movement between rooms therein. We present a geostatistical hierarchical Bayesian model for radon that allows for spatial prediction based on geologic data and housing characteristics. Our model is applied to radon data from an epidemiologic study in Iowa that consist of 136 outdoor measurements and 2590 indoor measurements from 614 residential homes. Housing characteristics collected in the Iowa Study are included as predictors in the model. Geologic data in the form of county‐average surficial uranium concentrations from the USGS National Uranium Resource Evaluation project are also considered. A ‘change of support’ approach is implemented to combine the radon measurements, collected at points in space, and the uranium concentrations, averaged over counties, so that point‐source concentrations for the latter are available for the analysis. Estimates of the effect of select housing factors on radon are provided along with spatial maps of predicted radon concentrations in Iowa. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Is the loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials modulated by the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram in healthy subjects?
Authors: Uhl Idun , Gorynia Inge , Gallinat Jürgen , Mulert Christoph , Wutzler Alexander , Heinz Andreas , Juckel Georg
Published: October 2006

The loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) has been discussed as a non‐invasive in vivo marker of central serotonergic function. Evidence for this has been found in animal studies, but studies in humans provide less consistent results. In this study, the relationship between LDAEP and directly modulated central serotonergic activity in healthy subjects was investigated. In a single‐blind cross‐over design, the LDAEP of female participants (age: 24.0 ± 2.3 years) was measured under two conditions: (1) infusion of 20 mg citalopram diluted in 250 ml 0.9% saline and (2) infusion of 250 ml 0.9% saline as placebo. LDAEP was measured at five different time points before, during and up to 60 min after drug/placebo administration and dipole source analysis was performed. The increase of the central serotonin activity in response to citalopram was not accompanied by a significant change of the LDAEP compared to the placebo condition. The result underlines that the acceptance of LDAEP as a marker of central serotonergic function still needs further discussion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of risperidone on plasma catecholamine metabolites and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in patients with bipolar disorders
Authors: Yoshimura Reiji , Nakano Yuichiro , Hori Hikaru , Ikenouchi Atsuko , Ueda Nobuhisa , Nakamura Jun
Published: October 2006

A combination treatment with a mood stabilizer and an antipsychotic drug is often used in as many as 90% of subjects with acute mania. Recently, augmentation therapy with atypical antipsychotics has been investigated in both the acute and long‐term treatment of bipolar disorder with or without psychosis. In the present study, the authors investigated the efficacy of risperidone treatment for both acute manic and depressive episodes in bipolar disorder. Eighteen patients (M/F: 8/10, age: 34 ± 15 yr) who met the DSM‐IV criteria for bipolar I disorder (12 cases of manic episodes, 6 cases of depressive episodes) with risperidone treatment were evaluated regarding their clinical improvement using the Young Mania rating Scale (YMRS) and the Hamilton rating Scale for Depression (Ham‐D). Plasma concentrations of HVA and MHPG were analyzed by HPLC‐ECD and plasma brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were detected by sandwich ELISA. The mean scores of the YMRS were 22, 18, 12, 8, and 5 at time points before and 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the risperidone administration, respectively. The mean scores of the Ham‐D were 24, 25, 21, 21, and 19 at time points before and 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after the risperidone administration, respectively. The plasma levels of HVA and 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were observed to have decreased 4 weeks after risperidone administration in manic patients. The levels did not change in depressive patients. The plasma levels of BDNF were decreased in depressive patients compared with manic patients or healthy controls. However, the administration of risperidone did not alter plasma BDNF levels. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Executive functioning deficits in relation to symptoms of ADHD and/or ODD in preschool children
Authors: Thorell Lisa B. , Wåhlstedt Cecilia
Published: October 2006

The present study investigated the relation between executive functioning and symptoms of Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) in children aged 4–6. A population‐based sample (n=201) was used and laboratory measures of inhibition, working memory and verbal fluency and teacher ratings of disruptive behaviour problems were collected. Both group differences and linear relations were studied and comorbidity was controlled for dimensionally. In both categorical and dimensional analyses, executive functioning was associated with symptoms of ADHD, but not with symptoms of ODD when controlling for comorbidity, and no significant interactive effects of ADHD and ODD symptoms were found. Effect sizes for significant effects were generally in the medium range. Regarding sex differences, the control for comorbid ODD symptoms appeared to affect the relation between ADHD symptoms and executive functioning somewhat more for girls compared with boys. In conclusion, poor executive functioning in preschool appears to be primarily related to symptoms of ADHD, whereas the relation to symptoms of ODD can be attributed to the large overlap between these two disruptive disorders. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antibacterial nanosized silver substituted hydroxyapatite: Synthesis and characterization
Authors: Rameshbabu N. , Sampath Kumar T.S. , Prabhakar T.G. , Sastry V.S. , Murty K.V.G.K. , Prasad Rao K.
Published: October 2006

The silver (0.5–3 at %) substituted nanosize hydroxyapatites (AgHAs) were synthesized by microwave processing. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) peaks are very broad, indicating that the AgHAs were of nanosize (30 nm). Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows needle‐like morphology of AgHA, having length 60–70 nm and width 15–20 nm. The AgHA phase was stable up to 700°C without any secondary phases. The antibacterial effect of AgHA against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was observed by spread plate method, even for low concentration of silver ions (0.5%) with 1 × 105 cells/mL of respective bacterial culture, after a 48 h incubation period. However, some colonies of E. coli were seen with a high dose of 1 × 108 cells/mL after 24 h. The zone of inhibition by disc diffusion test method was found to vary with the amount of silver in the sintered AgHA pellets, for both the bacteria, after 24 h of inoculation. Osteoblast cell attachment in varying density was noticed on AgHA samples with 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% silver substitution. However, osteoblast spreading was significantly greater on 0.5% AgHA compared to 1.0 or 1.5% substituted AgHA samples. Thus, the low amount of AgHA has a potential of minimizing the risk of bacterial contamination, without compromising the bioactivity, and is expected to display greater biological efficacy in terms of osseointegration. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
TRAIL apoptosis is enhanced by quercetin through Akt dephosphorylation
Authors: Kim Young‐Ho , Lee Yong J.
Published: October 2006

TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a promising cancer therapy that preferentially induces apoptosis in cancer cells. However, many neoplasms are resistant to TRAIL by mechanisms that are poorly understood. Here we demonstrated that human prostate cancer cells, but not normal prostate cells, are dramatically sensitized to TRAIL‐induced apoptosis and caspase activation by quercetin. Quercetin, a ubiquitous bioactive plant flavonoid, has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. We have shown that quercetin can potentiate TRAIL‐induced apoptotic death. Human prostate adenocarcinoma DU‐145 and LNCaP cells were treated with various concentrations of TRAIL (10–200 ng/ml) and/or quercetin (10–200 µM) for 4 h. Quercetin, which caused no cytotoxicity by itself, promoted TRAIL‐induced apoptosis. The TRAIL‐mediated activation of caspase, and PARP (poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase) cleavage were both enhanced by quercetin. Western blot analysis showed that combined treatment with TRAIL and quercetin did not change the levels of TRAIL receptors (death receptors DR4 and DR5, and DcR2 (decoy receptor 2)) or anti‐apoptotic proteins (FLICE‐inhibitory protein (FLIP), inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP), and Bcl‐2). However, quercetin promoted the dephosphorylation of Akt. Quercetin‐induced potent inhibition of Akt phosphorylation. Taken together, the present studies suggest that quercetin enhances TRAIL‐induced cytotoxicity by activating caspases and inhibiting phosphorylation of Akt. J. Cell. Biochem. 100: 998–1009, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Oxysterol‐induced osteoblastic differentiation of pluripotent mesenchymal cells is mediated through a PKC‐ and PKA‐dependent pathway
Authors: Richardson Jennifer A. , Amantea Christopher M. , Kianmahd Benjamin , Tetradis Sotirios , Lieberman Jay R. , Hahn Theodore J. , Parhami Farhad
Published: October 2006

Oxysterols form a large family of oxygenated derivatives of cholesterol that are present in circulation, and in human and animal tissues. The discovery of osteoinductive molecules that can induce the lineage‐specific differentiation of cells into osteoblastic cells and therefore enhance bone formation is crucial for better management of bone fractures and osteoporosis. We previously reported that specific oxysterols have potent osteoinductive properties and induce the osteoblastic differentiation of pluripotent mesenchymal cells. In the present report we demonstrate that the induction of osteoblastic differentiation by oxysterols is mediated through a protein kinase C (PKC)‐ and protein kinase A (PKA)‐dependent mechanism(s). Furthermore, oxysterol‐induced‐osteoblastic differentiation is marked by the prolonged DNA‐binding activity of Runx2 in M2‐10B4 bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) and C3H10T1/2 embryonic fibroblastic cells. This increased activity of Runx2 is almost completely inhibited by PKC inhibitors Bisindolylmaleimide and Rottlerin, and only minimally inhibited by PKA inihibitor H‐89. PKC‐ and PKA‐dependent mechanisms appear to also regulate other markers of osteoblastic differentiation including alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and osteocalcin mRNA expression in response to oxysterols. Finally, osteogenic oxysterols induce osteoblastic differentiation with BMP7 and BMP14 in a synergistic manner as demonstrated by the enhanced Runx2 DNA‐binding activity, ALP activity, and osteocalcin mRNA expression. Since Runx2 is an indispensable factor that regulates the differentiation of osteoblastic cells and bone formation in vitro and in vivo, its increased activity in oxysterol‐treated cells further validates the potential role of oxysterols in lineage‐specific differentiation of pluripotent mesenchymal cells and their potential therapeutic use as bone anabolic factors. J. Cell. Biochem. 100: 1131–1145, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synthesis andin vivoevaluation of [O‐methyl‐11C] 2‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)‐N‐(4‐methylbenzyl)‐N‐(1‐methyl‐ piperidin‐4‐yl)acetamide as an imaging probe for 5‐HT2Areceptors
Authors: Prabhakaran Jaya , Parsey Ramin V. , Majo Vattoly J. , Van Heertum Ronald L. , John Mann J. , Dileep Kumar J. S.
Published: October 2006

2‐(4‐Methoxyphenyl)‐N‐(4‐methylbenzyl)‐N‐(1‐methylpiperidin‐4‐yl)acetamide (AC90179,4), a highly potent and selective competitive 5‐HT2Aantagonist, was labeled by [11C]‐methylation of the corresponding desmethyl analogue5with [11C]methyl triflate. The precursor molecule5for radiolabeling was synthesized fromp‐tolylmethylamine in three steps with 46% overall yield. [11C]AC90179 was synthesized in 30 min (30 ± 5% yield, EOS) with a specific activity of 4500 ± 500 Ci/mmol and >99% chemical and radiochemical purities. Positron emission tomography studies in anesthetized baboon revealed that [11C]4Penetrates the blood–brain barrier (BBB) with a rapid influx and efflux of the tracer in all brain regions. Due to lack of tracer retention or specific binding, [11C]4cannot be used as PET ligand for imaging 5‐HT2Areceptors. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Atmospheric large‐scale dynamics during the 2004/2005 winter drought in portugal
Authors: Santos J. , Corte‐real J. , Leite S.
Published: October 2006

The unusually dry conditions during the 2004/2005 winter in Portugal led to the development of an extreme/severe drought episode throughout the country with major socioeconomic impacts. In fact, at some locations, this winter was the driest in at least the last 60 years. A K‐means classification of days into a set of five weather regimes (WRs), relevant for winter precipitation in Portugal, reveals a large prevalence of the two driest weather regimes during the 2004/2005 winter. These two regimes are basically linked to either anticyclonic circulation or easterly winds over Portugal and their prevalence explains the significant precipitation deficit. Winter precipitation variability in Portugal is indeed skillfully represented by linear models where the predictors are the frequencies of occurrence (FO) of these weather regimes. The dominance of the ‘dry phases’ of the main coupled modes between winter precipitation in Portugal and the large‐scale atmospheric circulation also supports the prevalence of the dry regimes and the corresponding lack of precipitation.

The predominance of the dry regimes can be explained by a remarkably strong enhancement of the climate‐mean North Atlantic ridge, manifested by dynamically coherent anomalies in the geopotential heights, vorticity and temperature fields over the North Atlantic. The persistence of a warm‐core asymmetrical eddy over the North Atlantic, with a nearly barotropic equivalent structure, is a manifestation of this large‐scale anomaly. The blocking of the westerlies and the consequent northward shift in the axis of maximum moisture transports over the North Atlantic was one of the most striking changes in the large‐scale atmospheric flow. Consequently, the main track of the developing baroclinic disturbances was sufficiently distant from Portugal to hamper the development of rain‐generating conditions. As these dynamical conditions are common to other reportedly dry winters, they effectively constitute a key factor for the occurrence of a precipitation deficit in Portugal. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society
Fruit size and stage of ripeness affect postharvest water loss in bell pepper fruit (Capsicum annuum L.)
Authors: Díaz‐Pérez Juan C , Muy‐Rangel María D , Mascorro Arturo G
Published: October 2006

Quality of bell peppers after harvest is largely influenced by water loss from the fruit. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of fruit fresh weight, size, and stage of ripeness on the rate of water loss and permeance to water vapor. Fruit diameter was correlated with fresh weight, and surface area was associated with fresh weight and diameter. Fruit surface area decreased logarithmically with increases in fruit size, with smaller fruit showing larger changes in surface area than larger fruit. Mean water loss rate for individual fruit and permeance to water vapor declined with increases in fruit size and as fruit ripeness progressed. Fruit surface area/fresh weight ratio and rate of water loss were both highest in immature fruit and showed no differences between mature green and red fruit. In mature fruit, permeance to water vapor for the skin and calyx were 29 µmol m−2 s−1 kPa−1 and 398 µmol m−2 s−1 kPa−1, respectively. About 26% of the water loss in mature fruit occurred through the calyx. There was a decline in firmness, water loss rate, and permeance to water vapor of the fruit with increasing fruit water loss during storage. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Multi‐dimensional combustion waves for Lewis number close to one
Authors: Ducrot A.
Published: October 2006

This paper is devoted to the study of multi‐dimensional travelling wave solution for a thermo‐diffusive model, describing the propagation of curved flames in an infinite cylinder. The linear dependence of the components of the reaction rate together with the existence of an ignition temperature ensure that the corresponding linearized operator does not satisfy the Fredholm property. A direct consequence is that solvability conditions for the linearized operator are not known and classical methods of nonlinear analysis cannot be directly applied. We prove in this paper existence results of such travelling waves, by first introducing a suitable re‐formulation of the equations and then by choosing suitable weighted spaces that allows us to move the essential spectrum away from zero. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two‐level preconditioning of discontinuous Galerkin approximations of second‐order elliptic equations
Authors: Dobrev Veselin A. , Lazarov Raytcho D. , Vassilevski Panayot S. , Zikatanov Ludmil T.
Published: October 2006

This paper reviews some known and proposes some new preconditioning methods for a number of discontinuous Galerkin (or DG) finite element approximations for elliptic problems of second order. Nested hierarchy of meshes is generally assumed. Our approach utilizes a general two‐level scheme, where the finite element space for the DG method is decomposed into a subspace (viewed as an auxiliary or ‘coarse’ space), plus a correction which can be handled by a standard smoothing procedure. We consider three different auxiliary subspaces, namely, piecewise linear C0‐conforming functions, piecewise linear functions that are continuous at the centroids of the edges/faces (Crouzeix‐Raviart finite elements) and piecewise constant functions over the finite elements. To support the theoretical results, we also present numerical experiments for 3‐D model problem showing uniform convergence of the constructed methods. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How children with restricted mobility perceive the accessibility and usability of their home environment
Authors: Prellwitz Maria , Skär Lisa
Published: October 2006

The purpose of this study was to describe how children with restricted mobility perceive accessibility and usability of their home environment. The investigation was carried through a descriptive questionnaire, mailed to children in northern Sweden with the diagnoses of cerebral palsy, spina bifida and muscular diseases. Eighty‐two children completed the questionnaire. The results showed that the children perceived the accessibility of the physical environment in their homes as relatively good while outside the home the environment was less accessible. In the social environment, frequency of peer contacts varied. The present study underscores the challenges of ensuring that children with restricted mobility living in the parental home are able to have an accessible and usable environment in order to perform activities. Limitations of this study included the questionnaire design. Further research should be carried out with children with restricted mobility to obtain a better understanding of how to improve their mobility in their home environment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Coping with chronic pain associated with cerebral palsy
Authors: Engel Joyce M. , Jensen Mark P. , Schwartz Lauren
Published: October 2006

Fifty‐nine adults with cerebral palsy (CP) were administered, via in‐person interviews, measures of pain intensity, pain‐related disability, and psychological functioning, in addition to a measure of pain coping (Waldron/Varni Pediatric Pain Coping Inventory; PPCI). Regression analyses indicated that the PPCI scales made a nonsignificant contribution to the prediction of pain intensity, but did make a significant contribution to the prediction of psychological functioning when controlling for pain intensity. Only the PPCI Catastrophizing subscale made a significant independent contribution to the prediction of psychological functioning, and only the PPCI Seek Social Support subscale made a significant independent contribution to the prediction of pain‐related disability. These findings support a link between coping and functioning among adults with CP, and suggest that catastrophizing responses and some aspects of support seeking may be maladaptive for coping with CP‐related pain. Limitations of the study include a correlational design, a reliance on self‐report data, and a small subject population. Experimental research is needed to determine if changes in coping lead to changes in psychological and physical functioning. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Expression of elevated levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in SARS‐CoV‐infected ACE2+ cells in SARS patients: relation to the acute lung injury and pathogenesis of SARS
Authors: He L , Ding Y , Zhang Q , Che X , He Y , Shen H , Wang H , Li Z , Zhao L , Geng J , Deng Y , Yang L , Li J , Cai J , Qiu L , Wen K , Xu X , Jiang S
Published: October 2006

The authors have previously shown that acute lung injury (ALI) produces a wide spectrum of pathological processes in patients who die of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and that the SARS coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) nucleoprotein is detectable in the lungs, and other organs and tissues, in these patients. In the present study, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) assays were used to analyse the expression of angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), SARS‐CoV spike (S) protein, and some pro‐inflammatory cytokines (PICs) including MCP‐1, TGF‐β1, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6 in autopsy tissues from four patients who died of SARS. SARS‐CoV S protein and its RNA were only detected in ACE2+ cells in the lungs and other organs, indicating that ACE2‐expressing cells are the primary targets for SARS‐CoV infection in vivo in humans. High levels of PICs were expressed in the SARS‐CoV‐infected ACE2+ cells, but not in the uninfected cells. These results suggest that cells infected by SARS‐CoV produce elevated levels of PICs which may cause immuno‐mediated damage to the lungs and other organs, resulting in ALI and, subsequently, multi‐organ dysfunction. Therefore application of PIC antagonists may reduce the severity and mortality of SARS. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Interacting personality traits? Smoking as a test case
Authors: Glicksohn Joseph , Nahari Galit
Published: October 2006

We question whether it is profitable to look at smoking (both smoking status and the number of cigarettes smoked a day): (1) in terms of the personality traits of Extraversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism; (2) in terms of their pairwise interactions; (3) with respect, rather, to impulsivity or sensation seeking; or (4) taking into consideration both these levels of analysis. Our sample comprised 121 smokers and 111 non‐smokers (mostly students). No interactions were predictive of smoking. Both Psychoticism and impulsivity were found to be central traits—thereby providing support for the notion that it is a better strategy to look at smoking in terms of both these levels of analysis. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis, characterization, and thermal properties of dendrimer‐star, block‐comb copolymers by ring‐opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization
Authors: Yuan Weizhong , Yuan Jinying , Zhou Mi , Sui Xiaofeng
Published: October 2006

Novel and well‐defined dendrimer‐star, block‐comb polymers were successfully achieved by the combination of living ring‐opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization on the basis of a dendrimer polyester. Star‐shaped dendrimer poly(ϵ‐caprolactone)s were synthesized by the bulk polymerization of ϵ‐caprolactone with a dendrimer initiator and tin 2‐ethylhexanoate as a catalyst. The molecular weights of the dendrimer poly(ϵ‐caprolactone)s increased linearly with an increase in the monomer. The dendrimer poly(ϵ‐caprolactone)s were converted into macroinitiators via esterification with 2‐bromopropionyl bromide. The star‐block copolymer dendrimer poly(ϵ‐caprolactone)‐block‐poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) was obtained by the atom transfer radical polymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The molecular weights of these copolymers were adjusted by the variation of the monomer conversion. Then, dendrimer‐star, block‐comb copolymers were prepared with poly(L‐lactide) blocks grafted from poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) blocks by the ring‐opening polymerization of L‐lactide. The unique and well‐defined structure of these copolymers presented thermal properties that were different from those of linear poly(ϵ‐caprolactone). © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6575–6586, 2006
Reaction kinetics and microgel particle size characterization of ultraviolet‐curing unsaturated polyester acrylates
Authors: Nebioglu Ahmet , Soucek Mark D.
Published: October 2006

The free‐radical reaction kinetics and microgel formation of UV‐curing unsaturated polyester acrylates were studied in terms of the effects of internal maleic and terminal acrylate unsaturations. A triacrylate‐functional monomer, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, was used as the reactive diluent. A time‐resolved Fourier transform infrared technique was used to evaluate the consumption of double bonds and showed that internal (maleic) double bonds were involved in microgel formation at a rate similar to that of the more reactive terminal (acrylic) double bonds. Dynamic light scattering was used to measure the microgel particle size. The introduction of internal unsaturations caused smaller microgels, whereas terminal acrylate unsaturations resulted in larger particle sizes. These results were attributed to the higher tendency of the internal maleic double bonds toward intramolecular cyclization reactions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6544–6557, 2006
Genome‐wide linkage of 77 families from the African American Hereditary Prostate Cancer Study (AAHPC)
Authors: Baffoe‐Bonnie Agnes B. , Kittles Rick A. , Gillanders Elizabeth , Ou Liang , George Asha , Robbins Christiane , Ahaghotu Chiledum , Bennett James , Boykin William , Hoke Gerald , Mason Terry , Pettaway Curtis , Vijayakumar Srinivasan , Weinrich Sally , Jones Mary P. , Gildea Derek , Riedesel Erica , Albertus Julie , Moses Tracy , Lockwood Erica , Klaric Meghan , Faruque Mezbah , Royal Charmaine , Trent Jeffrey M. , Berg Kate , Collins Francis S. , Furbert‐Harris Paulette M. , Bailey‐Wilson Joan E. , Dunston Georgia M. , Powell Isaac , Carpten John D.
Published: October 2006

BACKGROUND

The African American Hereditary Prostate Cancer (AAHPC) Study was designed to recruit families with early‐onset disease fulfilling criteria of ≥4 affected.

METHODS

We present a ∼10 cM genome‐wide linkage (GWL) analysis on 77 families including 254 affected and 274 unaffected genotyped.

RESULTS

Linkage analysis revealed three chromosomal regions with GENEHUNTER multipoint HLOD scores ≥1.3 for all 77 families at 11q22, 17p11, and Xq21. One family yielded genome‐wide significant evidence of linkage (LOD = 3.5) to the 17p11 region with seven other families ≥2.3 in this region. Twenty‐nine families with no‐male‐to‐male (MM) transmission gave a peak HLOD of 1.62 (α = 0.33) at the Xq21 locus. Two novel peaks ≥0.91 for the 16 families with ‘>6 affected’ occurred at 2p21 and 22q12.

CONCLUSIONS

These chromosomal regions in the genome warrant further follow‐up based on the hypothesis of multiple susceptibility genes with modest effects, or several major genes segregating in small subsets of families. Prostate 67:22–31, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Experimental Indications of a BCS Behaviour in Superconducting Diamond
Authors: Sacépé B. , Chapelier C. , Marcenat C. , Kačmarčik J. , Klein T. , Omnès F. , Bustarret E.
Published: October 2006

This special issue of physica status solidi which was guest‐edited by Satoshi Koizumi (National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan), Christoph E. Nebel (Diamond Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan), and Milos Nesladek (CEA‐LIST, Gif sur Yvette, France) presents 10 Review Articles covering different areas of CVD Diamond research.

The cover picture was taken from the article by Sacépé et al. [1]. The authors present a scanning tunneling spectroscopy study of superconducting single‐crystalline heavily boron‐doped diamond providing an experimental evidence for BCS behaviour. When a perpendicular magnetic field is applied to a superconducting boron‐doped diamond film, vortices penetrate the sample, each carrying one quantum flux. In their centre, the superconductivity is washed out on a length scale equal to the superconducting coherence length ξs. The figures show the electronic Density of States (DOS) measured with a scanning tunnelling microscope at 50 mK along a line crossing the centre of a such a vortex. Outside the vortex core which extends between the two arrows, the DOS presents a gap at the Fermi level (V = 0) and two coherence peaks characteristic of a superconducting DOS. The measured DOS inside the vortex core reveals in addition numerous localized resonances, at positions pointed out by the black arrows on the two‐dimensional view. For clean superconductors, quasi‐particles are expected to form localized states inside the vortex cores at energies close to the Fermi level. Here, although boron‐doped diamond films are in the dirty limit, localized resonances are still visible but at non zero energies inside the superconducting gap.
Delay‐dependent fault estimation for uncertain time‐delay nonlinear systems: an LMI approach
Authors: Kiong Nguang Sing , Shi Peng , Ding Steven
Published: October 2006

This paper deals with the problem of robust fault estimation for uncertain time‐delay Takagi–Sugeno (TS) fuzzy models. The aim of this study is to design a delay‐dependent fault estimator ensuring a prescribed ℋ︁∞performance level for the fault estimation error, irrespective of the uncertainties and the time delays. Sufficient conditions for the existence of a robust fault estimator are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Membership functions' (MFs) characteristics are incorporated into the fault estimator design to reduce the conservativeness of neglecting these characteristics. Finally, a numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design techniques. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human Rights, Constitutionalism and the World Trade Organization: Challenges for World Trade Organization Jurisprudence and Civil Society
Authors: PETERSMANN ERNST-ULRICH
Published: October 2006

Governments perceive UN human rights conventions and the law of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as separate legal regimes. WTO jurisprudence, by contrast, interprets WTO rules as parts of international law and may soon be confronted with legal claims that WTO obligations are to be construed with due regard to the human rights obligations of WTO members. The diverse constitutional traditions of WTO members, and their political opposition to linking WTO law to human rights, make it unlikely that WTO members will respond to the UN proposals for a ‘human rights approach to trade’ by adopting a WTO Declaration clarifying that WTO rules are flexible enough to be interpreted and applied in conformity with the human rights obligations of WTO members (section 1). Following the invitation by WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy to form ‘cosmopolitan constituencies’ in support of global public goods (like a rules-based world trading system), this article makes concrete proposals for the initiative by the International Law Association (ILA) to elaborate an ILA Declaration clarifying the complex interrelationships between trade law, human rights and WTO jurisprudence (section 2). As many human rights arguments presented in trade disputes in the EC Court and in the European Court of Human Rights could likewise be raised in WTO dispute settlement proceedings, the article examines whether the ‘constitutional methodologies’ applied by European courts offer lessons for further ‘constitutionalizing’ trade governance in the WTO in conformity with the human rights obligations of all WTO members.
Zur Beurteilung der Qualität von Tests: Resümee und Neubeginn
Authors: Kersting Martin
Published: October 2006

Zusammenfassung. Mit der steigenden Einsatzhäufigkeit und Akzeptanz von Tests steigt im deutschsprachigen Raum auch der Bedarf nach Informationen über und Beurteilungen von Tests. Das diesbezügliche Angebot kann weder quantitativ noch qualitativ überzeugen und bleibt hinter den in anderen Ländern erreichten Standards zurück. Der Artikel stellt anhand ausgewählter internationaler Beispiele (COTAN, EFPA) verschiedene Testinformations- und Beurteilungssysteme vor und diskutiert deren Vor- und Nachteile. Abschließend wird das neue, dreistufige System zur Information über und zur Beurteilung von Tests des Testkuratoriums dargestellt, bei dem die DIN 33430 Berücksichtigung findet. Auch die Gestaltung der notwendigen Institutionalisierung der Systemanwendung und -kontrolle wird skizziert.
Variation of Zr/Rb ratios in the Chinese loess deposits during the past 1.8 Myr and its implication for the change of East Asian monsoon intensity
Authors: Liu Lianwen , Chen Jun , Ji Junfeng , Chen Yang , Balsam William
Published: October 2006

Most of our knowledge concerning the evolution of the East Asian monsoon (EAM) comes from the Chinese loess‐paleosol sequence. Variations in the EAM, as recorded in loess, are highly correlated to the marine δ18O record and show a strong 100 kyr cyclicity during the past 800 kyr. This conclusion is based on both weathering and pedogenesis intensity changes as well as grain size variation in loess‐paleosol sequences which usually serves as a proxy for winter monsoon variation. However, grain size distributions are subject to modification by pedogenic processes. In this paper we used the Zr/Rb ratio from the Lingtai section on the Loess Plateau in central China to trace variations in the East Asian winter monsoon for the past 1.8 Myr. Long‐term Zr/Rb variations in the Lingtai section exhibit a similar amplitude and frequency to those of mean grain size in bulk samples over the past 1.8 Myr. Comparing the Zr/Rb record and mean grain size record between L1 and L9 shows that a good linear relationship exists in the glacial age loess samples, whereas paleosol samples usually deviate from the linear relationship because of intense pedogenesis during the relatively warm and humid interglacial intervals. Our results indicate that the Zr/Rb ratio reflects the original eolian grain size and may serve as a proxy for the strength of the East Asian winter monsoon. In the Lingtai section over the past 1.8 Myr, the Zr/Rb ratio record displays a very strong 41 kyr obliquity periodicity from 1.8–1.2 Myr B.P., implying that variations of the winter monsoon during this interval are controlled by high‐latitude climate. However, during the past 0.8 Myr the Zr/Rb ratio exhibits a stronger precession cycle influence, suggesting a possible low‐latitude control on the East Asian monsoon regime during this interval.
Shrinking ponds in subarctic Alaska based on 1950–2002 remotely sensed images
Authors: Riordan Brian , Verbyla David , McGuire A. David
Published: October 2006

Over the past 50 years, Alaska has experienced a warming climate with longer growing seasons, increased potential evapotranspiration, and permafrost warming. Research from the Seward Peninsula and Kenai Peninsula has demonstrated a substantial landscape‐level trend in the reduction of surface water and number of closed‐basin ponds. We investigated whether this drying trend occurred at nine other regions throughout Alaska. One study region was from the Arctic Coastal Plain where deep permafrost occurs continuously across the landscape. The other eight study regions were from the boreal forest regions where discontinuous permafrost occurs. Mean annual precipitation across the study regions ranged from 100 to over 700 mm yr−1. We used remotely sensed imagery from the 1950s to 2002 to inventory over 10,000 closed‐basin ponds from at least three periods from this time span. We found a reduction in the area and number of shallow, closed‐basin ponds for all boreal regions. In contrast, the Arctic Coastal Plain region had negligible change in the area of closed‐basin ponds. Since the 1950s, surface water area of closed‐basin ponds included in this analysis decreased by 31 to 4 percent, and the total number of closed‐basin ponds surveyed within each study region decreased from 54 to 5 percent. There was a significant increasing trend in annual mean temperature and potential evapotranspiration since the 1950s for all study regions. There was no significant trend in annual precipitation during the same period. The regional trend of shrinking ponds may be due to increased drainage as permafrost warms, or increased evapotranspiration during a warmer and extended growing season.
Large‐scale drainage capture and surface uplift in eastern Tibet–SW China before 24 Ma inferred from sediments of the Hanoi Basin, Vietnam
Authors: Clift Peter D. , Blusztajn Jerzy , Nguyen Anh Duc
Published: October 2006

Current models of drainage evolution suggest that the non‐dendritic patterns seen in rivers in SE Asia reflect progressive capture of headwaters away from the Red River during and as a result of surface uplift of Eastern Asia. Mass balancing of eroded and deposited rock volumes demonstrates that the Red River catchment must have been much larger in the past. In addition, the Nd isotope composition of sediments from the Hanoi Basin, Vietnam, interpreted as paleo‐Red River sediments, shows rapid change during the Oligocene, before ∼24 Ma. We interpret this change to reflect large‐scale drainage capture away from the Red River, possibly involving loss of the middle Yangtze River. Reorganization was triggered by regional tilting of the region towards the east. This study constrains initial surface uplift in eastern Tibet and southwestern China to be no later than 24 Ma, well before major surface uplift and gorge incision after 13 Ma.