bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical behavior of some new pyrimidine derivatives
Authors: Kiliç Hasan , Berkem Mustafa
Published: August 2005

Electrochemical reduction of two recently synthesized pyrimidine compounds 1-amino-5-benzoyil-4-phenyl-1H-pyrimidine-2-one (I), and 1-amino-5-benzoil 4-phenyl-1H-pyrimidine-2-thione (II) were investigated by cyclic volatmmetry at a hanging mercury drop electrode in aqueous methanol (36 % v/v) and in non-aqueous methanol. Aseries of cathodic peaks without the corresponding anodic peaks were observed for I. As the pH of the solution was increased some of the cathodic peaks overlapped resulting in the loss of the previously observed peaks. For II, three cathodic peaks and one anodic peak were observed in addition to those observed for I. The peak potentials shifted in the negative direction with increasing pH. This shift was measured over a large pH range (1.80 ? 12.30) to determine the pKa values of the compounds. The acidity constants related to the amino groups were 4.80 and 9.80 for I and 5.50 and 9.80 for II. Athiol-thione tautomerization was observed for II which was more pronounced in the non-aqueous methanol medium. The pK values for both protonation and deprotonation of the thiocarbonyl group were also determined. The pK values were 5.80 and 9.80 for protonation and deprotonation in aqueous methanol and 6.80 and 10.80 in non-aqueous methanol.
Thermal conductivity of pressureless sintered Si3N4 ceramics with Li-exchanged zeolite
Authors: Matovic Branko , Boskovic Snezana
Published: August 2005

The effects of temperature on the thermal conductivity of Si3N4 sintered with Li-exchanged zeolite were investigated. The highest conductivity was measured for the ceramics sintered with 10 % of additive. The complete ???-Si3N4 transformation and maximum density (> 98 % TD) were attained with the sample sintered at 1650 ?C. However, the results show that Al and O from the additive dissolve into the ?-Si3N4 structure which act as phonon scattering sites resulting in a lowering of the conductivity and a weaker temperature dependance of the conductivity.
Stereoselective free radical phenylsulfenylation of a nonactivated δ-carbon atom
Authors: Petrovic Goran , Saicic Radomir , Dosen-Micovic Ljiljana , Cekovic Zivorad
Published: August 2005

A stereoselective free radical introduction of a phenylthio group onto a nonactivated methyl group in the ?-position, adjacent to a prochiral carbon atom, was achieved by photolysis of (-)-menthyl benzenesulfenate in the presence of hexabutylditin and (1R, 3R, 4S, 8S)-9-phenylthiomenthol (4) was obtained with 91%optical purity. High stereoselectivity of the reaction was calculated (ab initio MP2/6-31G**) to be the consequence of the difference in the transition state eneregies (??G# = 5.08 kJ/mol) favouring 4 relative to (1R,3R,4S,8R)-9-phenylthiomenthol (5). The absolute configuration of a the new chiral carbon atom was confirmed by its correlation with the corresponding menthane-3,9-diol of known stereochemistry.
The effect of the particle shape and structure on the flowability of electrolytic copper powder IV: The internal structure of the powder particles
Authors: Popov Konstantin , Krstic Snezana , Pavlovic Miomir , Pavlovic Ljubica , Maksimovic Vesna
Published: August 2005

The structure of powder particleswas analysed by considering their cross sections. It was shown that the structure of powder particles of nonsieved flowing powders is sufficiently dense to produce a continuous surface, which does not allow the particles to jam and hence permits the free flow of nonsieved powder. It was also shown that the representative powder particle the elementary cell of which can be presented by a 3D-cross, describes the properties of the powder relative to its flowability well.
Molecular modelling of fentanyl analogs
Authors: Dosen-Micovic Ljiljana
Published: August 2005

Fentanyl is a highly potent and clinically widely used narcotic analgesic. A large number of its analogs have been synthesized, some of which (sufentanil and alfentanyl) are also in clinical use. Theoretical studies, in recent years, afforded a better understanding of the structure-activity relationships of this class of opiates and allowed insight into the molecular mechanism of the interactions of fentanyl analogs with their receptors. An overview of the current computational techniques for modeling fentanyl analogs, their receptors and ligand-receptor interactions is presented in this paper.
Allosteric regulation of small-molecule binding by aptimers
Authors: Stojanovic Milan
Published: August 2005

Modular aptameric sensors for oligonucleotides were constructed by combiningmolecular beacon stem-loops andmalachite green aptamers. These sensorswere designed so that oligonucleotides complementary to the stem-loop region accomplish the release of malachite green from its binding module. The oligonucleotides that bound to both loop and stem caused efficient release of the dye. While this system is not suitable for single-mismatch detection, it represents proof-of-concept for drug delivery components of autonomous therapeutic devices on a molecular scale.
Steric effects on the rate of hydrolysis by palladium(II) complexes of the C-terminal amide bond in a series of methionine-containing dipeptides AcMet-Aa
Authors: Johnson Wade , Kostic Nenad
Published: August 2005

A series of N-acetylated, methionine-containing dipeptides designated AcMet-Aa containing various C-terminal amino acids designated Aa are hydrolyzed in aqueous solution at 50 ?C and 0.95 < pD < 1.10 in the presence of three cis-[Pd(L)(H2O)2]2+ complexes, in which L are bidentate ligands en Me4en, and 3-OH-dtco. The reactions were monitored by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The rate constant for hydrolytic cleavage of the Met-Aa bond decreases as the steric bulk of the amino acid Aa increases. Correlations to Taft?s Es values were made. The substituents on ?-C and ?-C atoms lower the rate constant most, those on the ?-C atom lower it less, and those on the ?-C have no detectable effect. Partial selectivity for leaving amino acid Aa is attributed to differences in the volume of the side chain and to discrimination between leaving groups of similar volume but different branching patterns.
Electrochemical chlorination of some 5-unsaturated steroids
Authors: Milisavljevic Smiljka , Vukicevic Rastko
Published: August 2005

Five 5-unsaturated steroids were subjected to constant current electrolysis (50 mA) in a dichloromethane solution of tetraethylammonium chloride in an undivided electrolytic cell at room temperature, using a graphite stick as the anode and a cooper spiral as the cathode. The addition of electrochemically generated elemental chlorine onto the double bond of cholesterol derivatives (5-cholestene, cholesteryl acetate, cholesteryl benzoate and 3-chloro-5-cholstene) gave the corresponding 5?,6? -dichlorosteroids, in good yields (70?73 %). The obtained compounds (5?,6? -dichlorocholestane, 5?,6? -dichlorocholestane-3? -yl acetate, 5?,6? -dichlorocholestane-3? -yl benzoate and 3?, 5?,6? -trichlorocholestane) were characterized by physical and spectral data (IR, 1 H?NMR and 13 C?NMR). However, under the same reaction conditions, cholesterol produced amixture of products from which the expected dichloro derivative (3 ? -hydroxy- 5 ?,6 ? -dichlorocholestane) could not be isolated. This compound was prepared by alkaline hydrolysis of 5?,6?-dichlorocholestan-3? -yl acetate and 5?,6? -dichlorocholestan- 3? -yl benzoate in methanol.
Kinetics of the reaction of 5-substituted orotic acids with diazodiphenylmethane
Authors: Jovanovic Bratislav , Assaleh Fathi , Marinkovic Aleksandar
Published: August 2005

Rate konstants for the reaction of eight 5-substituted orotic acids with diazodiphenylmethane (DDM) in dimethylformamide (DMF) were determined at 30 ?C by the known spectrophotometricmethod. The determined rate constants were correlated with the equations: logk2 = ??1+??R+h logk2 = ??1+??R+??+h to detect the presence and investigate the influence of both electrical and steric substituent effects. The obtained results show that the electrical effect (the localized ? field and delocalized ? resonance) is predominant and that the steric effect, althought present, is releatively small in this reaction.
The synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of (±)-2, 3- seco-fentanyl analogues
Authors: Ivanovic Milovan , Micovic I.V. , Vuckovic Sonja , Prostran Milica , Todorovic Zoran , Ivanovic Evica , Kiricojevic Vesna , Djordjevic J.B. , Dosen-Micovic Ljiljana
Published: August 2005

An efficient, five-step synthetic approach to various acyclic 1,3-diamines has been developed and applied to the preparation of a novel class of open-chained fentanyl analogues. The acyclic derivatives 5.1?5.5 (all new compounds) were synthesized with the aim of estimating the significance of the piperidine ring for the opioid analgesic activity of anilido-piperidines. The starting ?-keto-amide 1.1, prepared by the aminolysis of methyl acetoacetate with methylphenethylamine, (93 % yield), was successively reacted with NaH and BuLi, to form the highly reactive ?,?-dienolate anion 1.1a. Regio and chemoselective ?-alkylation of the dienolate with various primary and secondary alkyl halides furnished the ?-keto-amides 1.2?1.5 (76?91 %). Reductive amination of the keto-amides 1.1?1.5 with aniline and Zn powder in acetic acid, via the enamine intermediates 2.1?2.5, afforded the ?-anilino amides 3.1?3.5 (74?85 %). After reductive deoxygenation of the tertiary amide group, using in situ generated diborane, the corresponding 1,3-diamines 4.1?4.5 were obtained (87?97 %). The synthesis of (?)-2,3-seco-fentanyls 5.1?5.5 was completed by N-acylation of the diamines 4.1?4.5 with propionyl chloride, followed by precipitation of the monooxalate salts (86?95 %). The parent compound, 2,3-seco-fentanyl 5.1, was found to be a 40 times less potent narcotic analgesic than fentanyl but still 5?6 times more active than morphine in rats, while i-Pr derivative 5.3 was inactive. Apart from the pharmacological significance, the general procedure described herein may afford various functionalized, 1,3-diamines as potential complexing agents and building blocks for the synthesis of aza-crown ethers.
Effect of MnSOD (E. coli) on the relaxation caused by sodium nitroprusside on isolated rat renal artery
Authors: Milovanovic Slobodan , Orescanin Zorana , Spasic Snezana , Miletic Srdjan , Prostran Milica , Spasic Mihajlo
Published: August 2005

In this study themolecular foundation of nitric oxide induced relaxation of arteries, with or without endothelium, of normotensive and spontanously hypertensive ratswas re-examined. With this purpose in mind, the effects of the nitric oxide donor sodium nitroprusside (NaNP), with and without manganese containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD E.C. 1.15.1.1), on rat renal artery relaxation was strudied. The results show that the relaxation effect of NaNP is two times higher in normotensive, compared to spontaneously hypertensive rats. Similar differences exist in the relaxation effects of NaNP on isolated renal arteries without endothelium, indicating that besides the difference in the function of an endothelium, concerning basal NO production in normotensive and hypertensive rats, there is a differencewith respect to NO relaxation in the smoothmuscle that is induced by hypertension. MnSOD decreased the relaxation effect of NaNP in all the examined renal arteries, more in normotensive than in hypertensive ones regardless of the presence of an endothelium. These results show that MnSOD, by modifying the chemical versatility of NO into redox active forms - nitrosonium (NO+) and nitroxyl (NO-), produces different relaxation effects in normotensive and hypertensive arteries of rats, with or without an endothelium, potentiating the role of nitroxyl induced relaxation in sponteneously hypertensive rats. The results prove the need for the synthesis of complex NO donors, as the mechanisms of artery relaxation are different due to an endothel and smooth mouscle changes in hypertensive, as compared to normotensive rats.
Electrochemistry of active chromium, part IV: Dissolution of chromium in deaerated sulfuric acid
Authors: Drazic Dragutin , Popic Jovan , Jegdic B. , Vasiljevic-Radovic D.
Published: August 2005

Chromium dissolution in aqueous sulfuric acid solutions in the pH range 0.5 ?3 was studied electrochemically by the potentiostatic or very slow potentiodynamic method, and by the analyses of the Cr ion concentrations in the electrolyte formed during the experiments. It was shown that the electrochemical anodic dissolution follows a common Tafel line with a slope of ca. 120 mVdec-1, independent of the solution pH and the hydrodynamics while the passivation potentials and passivation currents were independent on hydrodynamics but strongly dependent on the pH. In parallel with the electrochemical dissolution, a considerable "anomalous" or chemical Cr dissolution process occurs, as evidenced by the spectrophotometric analyses of the electrolytes for Cr ions after prolonged potentiostating of the electrodes at different potentials, as well as by measuring the electrode weight losses. All these results indicate the existence of a potential independent reaction of Cr dissolution occurring in parallel to the anodic dissolution process. Mechanisms for both the electrochemical and the chemical process are proposed. The consequences of these phenomena on the behavior of some practical systems where chromium or a chromium alloy (e.g., stainless steels) are used are discussed.
Synthesis, structural determination and antibacterial activity of compounds derived from vanillin and 4-aminoantipyrine
Authors: Vaghasiya Yogesh , Nair Rathish , Soni Mayur , Baluja Shipra , Shanda Sumitra
Published: August 2005

Schiff bases derived from 4-aminoantipyrine and vanillin were evaluated for their potential as antibacterial agents against some Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial strains. The antibacterial activity was studied against P. pseudoalcaligenes ATCC 17440, P. vulgaris NCTC 8313, C. freundii ATCC 10787 E. aerogenes ATCC 13048, S. subfava NCIM 2178 and B. megaterium ATCC 9885. The determination of the antibacterial activity was done using the Agar Ditsh method. The Schiff bases produced were: (1) 4-(4-hydroxy 3-methoxybenzylideneamino) -1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-pyrazol-3-one [VV1]; (2) 4-(benzylideneamino) -1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-pyrazol-3-one [VY2]); (3) 4-[(furan-3-ylmethylene) amino ]-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-pyrazol-3-one [VY3]?; (4) 4-(4-methoxybenzylideneamino) -1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-pyrazol-3-one [VY4]?; (5) 2-methoxy-4-[(4-methoxyphenylimino) methyl ]phenol [VY5]; (6) 4-[(2,4-dimethylphenylimino) methyl]-2-methoxyphenol [VY6]); (7) 2-methoxy-4-(naphthalene-1-yliminomethyl) phenol [VY7]?and (8) 4-[(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)amino]-N-(5-methylisoxazol 3-yl)benzenesulfonamide [VY8]. The antibacterial activity was evaluated in two polar solvents, DMSO and DMF. The Schiff bases derived from vanillin as the central molecule with 2,4-dimethylaniline and sulphamethoxazole as the side chain in DMSO effectively inhibited the investigated bacteria and appear to be promising antimicrobial agents.
Calculation of the thermodynamic properties of the Ga-Sb-Tl liquid alloys
Authors: Manasijevic Dragan , Zivkovic Dragana , Iwao Katayama , Zivkovic Zivan
Published: August 2005

The results of the calculation of the thermodynamic properties for liquid Ga-Sb-Tl alloys at the temperature 1073 K are presented in this paper. Initially, the most appropriate thermodynamic model for the investigated system was selected. Based on a comparison of the values calculated by different geometric models (Kohler, Muggianu, Toop, Hillert, Chou) with the existing experimental based data, asymmetric models of calculation were determined to give the best results. The asymmetric nature of the investigated ternary system was additionally confirmed by the Chou similarity coefficient concept. For these reasons, further complete thermodynamic calculations were performed according to the Hillert model in five sections of the ternary Ga-Sb-Tl system from each corner with the mole ratio of other two components being 9:1; 7:3; 5:5; 3:7 and 1:9. The obtained results include integral excess Gibbs energy dependences on composition for all the investigated sections. The calculated activity values at 1073 K for all components are given in the form of isoactivity diagrams. Comparison between the calculated and experimentally obtained gallium activities shows good agreement.
Characterization and electrocatalytic application of silver modified polypyrrole electrodes
Authors: Jovanovic Vladislava , Terzic S. , Dekanski Aleksandar
Published: August 2005

Silvermodified polypyrrole electrodes were prepared with the aim of testing them for the electro oxidation of formaldehyde in alkaline solution. The modification of polypyrrole by immersion in aqueous AgNO3 solution was studied by cyclic voltammeter and vacuum techniques (AES and XPS). The influence of time of immersion and the thickness of the polypyrrole film, prepared by electrochemical polymerization, on the modification of the polymer were examined. The results acquired from both electrochemical and spectroscopic examinations show that immersion of a polypyrrole electrode in a AgNO3 solution results in its modification with silver, which is deposited in the elemental state on the surface. The quantity of silver deposited depends not only on the immersion time but also on the thickness of the polymer film. A modified PPy/Ag electrode exhibits catalytic activity for the electro oxidation of CH2O in NaOH. In spite of the low quantity of silver, the activity of the electrode for this reaction is comparable to that of a polycrystalline silver electrode.
An investigation of influence of solvent on the degradation kinetics of carotenoids in oil extracts of Calendula officinalis
Authors: Bezbradica Dejan , Milic-Askrabic Jela , Petrovic Slobodan , Siler-Marinkovic Slavica
Published: August 2005

The stability of carotenoids was studied in marigold oil extracts prepared with following solvents: Myritol 312?, paraffin oil, almond oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, and soybean oil. The concentration of the carotenoids was determined by spectroscopic measurement at 450 nm. Degradation rate showed a first order dependence on the concentration of carotenoids with a faster first stage (which lasted 35-50 days, depending on the solvent) and a slower second stage. The highest degradation rates were observed in extracts prepared with linoleic acid rich solvents (sunflower oil, soybean oil and grape seed oil), while the lowest were found in oil with saturated fatty acids (Myritol 312?) and paraffin oil. These results confirm the connection between the degradation of carotenoids and lipid autoxidation, and suggest that the influence of the oil solvents on the stability of oil extracts of Calendula officinalis is a factor that must be considered when selecting a solvent for the production of marigold oil extracts.
Extraction of Dy(III) and Sm(III) with N,N’-dimethyl-N,N’-dioctylsuccinamide
Authors: Cui YU. , Sixiu Sun , Guoxin Sun , Zhenwei Zhang , Yexin LI.
Published: August 2005

This work was focused on the applicability of a new diamide N,N?-dimethyl- N,N?-dioctylsuccinamide (DMDOSA) employing cyclohexane as the diluent to extract Dy(III) and Sm(III) from nitric acid solutions. The extraction from HNO3 was investigated by distributionmeasurements. The stoichiometry of the predominant adducts of DMDOSA with HNO3 is 1:1 (HNO3.DMDOSA) under the studied conditions. The effect of the concentrations of nitric acid, lithium nitrate and extractant on the distribution ratio was investigated. An IR spectral study was also made of the extracted species.
An investigation of the chemical composition and acid corrosion of pedra sabão (soapstone)
Authors: de Farias
Published: August 2005

In this paper the results of a basic study of the chemical composition and structure of soapstone are reported. An investigation of the effects of aqueous sulfuric acid solutions on the physical integrity of the stone was also performed. The studied soapstone samples had a lamellar nanostructure as verified by DRX data. Furthermore, they contained isolated silanol (Si-OH) groups, as indicated by FTIR data, and the majority of the silicon atoms were bonded to OH groups, as shown by 29Si CPMAS NMR analysis. Is was also shown that a low resistance to acid attack is associated with a large amount of magnesium and/or iron in the stone.
Reactions of carbon radicals generated by 1,5-transposition of reactive centers
Authors: Cekovic Zivorad
Published: August 2005

Radical intermediates can undergo specific reactions, such as intramolecular rearrangements, i.e., the transpositions of radical centers, which are not known in classical ionic organic reactions. 1,5-Transposition of a radical center to a non-activated carbon atom are of great synthetic importance. It can be successfully applied for the introduction of different functional groups (oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, halogens) onto a carbon atom remote from the present functional group. In addition to functionalization of a remote non-activated carbon atom, the formation of new C-C bonds on the ?-carbon atom have also been achieved. 1,5-Transposition of the radical centers takes place from alkoxyl, aminyl and carbon radicals to a remote carbon atom. Relocation of the radical centers preferentially involves 1,5-transfer of a hydrogen atom, although migrations of some other groups are known. The reactions of the carbon radical generated by 1,5-relocation of the radical center are presented and their synthetic applications are reviewed.
Open-framework aluminophosphates: Synthesis, characterization and transition metal modifications
Authors: Rajic Nevenka
Published: August 2005

This review is a brief summary of open-framework aluminophosphates and their transition metal-substituted modifications. The materials exhibit structural and compositional diversity, as well as a wide range of pore openings, which are crystallographically ordered and can be tuned by an appropriate choice of synthesis conditions. The diameters of the apertures, cages and channels fall in the range of 0.4 to about 1.5 nm, which recommends aluminophosphates for a novel area of application-nanocatalysis. Isomorphous substitution of the framework elements by transition metal ions which possess redox ability creates active sites inside the aluminophosphate lattice and opens routes towards shape selective bi-functional catalysis. In order to obtain an insight into the location of the transition metal ions, different characterization techniques have to be used.
Theoretical investigation of the hyperfine structure in spatially and spin degenerate electronic states of triatomic and tetra-atomic molecules
Authors: Jerosimic Stanka , Krmar Marija , Radic-Peric Jelena , Peric Miljenko
Published: August 2005

The present paper reviews the results of ab initio studies on the magnetic hyperfine structure in spectra of spatially and spin degenerate electronic states of triatomic and tetra-atomic molecules. The main goal of the present paper is to show that such theoretical investigations can be used to reliably reproduce, explain and predict the results of the corresponding measurements.
Comparative study of the active sites in zeolites by different probe molecules
Authors: Dondur Vera , Rakic Vesna , Damjanovic Ljiljana , Auroux Aline
Published: August 2005

This review summarizes some of the recently published results concerning the acid sites in the zeolites ZSM-5 and Y studied by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and adsorption calorimetry using different probe molecules NH3, CO, N2O and n-hexane. For the first time it has been shown that the acid sites in hydrated zeolites are accessible for n-hexane adsorption.
Global and local optimality conditions in set‐valued optimization problems
Authors: Durea M.
Published: July 2005

We consider both global and local conditions for optimization
problems governed by set‐valued maps. For global conditions, we
present a comparative study and then we impose the weaker ones to
obtain optimality conditions. Therefore, we introduce some local
conditions and we prove that these conditions are useful (mainly)
in the study of Borwein proper minima for the considered problems.
Some generalized difference sequence spaces of invariant meansdefined by Orlicz functions
Authors: Bataineh Ahmad H. A. , Azar Laith E.
Published: July 2005

We define the sequence spaces , , and which are defined by combining the concepts of Orlicz functions, invariant means,
and lacunary convergence. We also study some inclusion relations and linearity properties of the above‐mentioned spaces. These are generalizations of those defined and studied by
Savaş and Rhoades in 2002 and some others before.
Transitive Courant algebroids
Authors: Vaisman Izu
Published: July 2005

We express any Courant algebroid bracket by means of a metric
connection, and construct a Courant algebroid structure on any orthogonal, Whitney sum E ⊕ C where E is a given Courant algebroid and C is a flat, pseudo‐Euclidean vector bundle. Then, we establish the general expression of the bracket of a transitive Courant algebroid, that is, a Courant algebroid with a surjective anchor, and describe a class of transitive Courant algebroids which are Whitney sums of a Courant subalgebroid with neutral metric and Courant‐like bracket and a pseudo‐Euclidean vector bundle with a flat, metric connection. In particular, this class contains all the transitive Courant algebroids of minimal rank; for these, the flat term mentioned above is zero. The results extend to regular Courant algebroids, that is, Courant algebroids with a constant rank anchor. The paper ends with miscellaneous remarks and an appendix on Dirac linear spaces.
Magneto‐viscoelastic plane waves in rotating media in thegeneralized thermoelasticity II
Authors: Choudhuri S. K. Roy , Banerjee (Chattopadhyay) Manidipa
Published: July 2005

A study is made of the propagation of time‐harmonic magneto‐thermoviscoelastic plane waves in a homogeneous electrically conducting viscoelastic medium of Kelvin‐Voigt type permeated by a primary uniform external magnetic field when the entire medium rotates with a uniform angular velocity. The generalized thermoelasticity theory of type II (Green and Naghdi model) is used to study the propagation of waves. A more general dispersion equation for coupled waves is derived to ascertain the effects of rotation, finite thermal wave speed of GN theory, viscoelastic parameters and the external magnetic field on the phase velocity, the attenuation coefficient, and the specific energy loss of the waves. Limiting cases for low and high frequencies are also studied. In absence of rotation, external magnetic field, and
viscoelasticity, the general dispersion equation reduces to the dispersion equation for coupled thermal dilatational waves in generalized thermoelasticity II (GN model), not considered before. It reveals that the coupled thermal dilatational waves in generalized thermoelasticity II are unattenuated and nondispersive in contrast to the thermoelastic
waves in classical coupled thermoelasticity (Chadwick (1960)) which suffer both attenuation and dispersion.
Engendering Heroism: Ming-Qing Women's Song Lyrics to the Tune Man Jiang Hong
Authors: Li Xiaorong
Published: July 2005

The heroic lyric had long been a masculine symbolic space linked with the male social world of career and achievement. However, the participation of a critical mass of Ming-Qing women lyricists, whose gendered consciousness played a role in their textual production, complicated the issue. This paper examines how women crossed gender boundaries to appropriate masculine poetics, particularly within the dimension of the heroic lyric to the tune Man jiang hong, to voice their reflections on larger historical circumstances as well as women's gender roles in their society.
How Civil War Was Avoided in France
Authors: Dogan Mattei
Published: July 2005

At At the end of May 1968 France has found herself on the brink of a civil war. The role of key characters is observed as in a Greek tragedy. The crisis started in a flamable social contexteture – a significant part of the population have been persistently manifesting deep mistrust of the rulers, the same faces again and again without responding to the aspirations of many social categories. A survey conducted immediately after the crisis by the author gives the voice to the silent majority and shows what could have been the behavoir of the masses in the eventuality of a popular uprising or of a military intervention. The recourse to elections has mobilized passive masses and appears retrospectively as the miraculous solution to avoid a civil war by hushing the active minorities.
Political Mistrust in Latin America
Authors: Power Timothy , Jamison Giselle
Published: July 2005

The paper deals with contexts, causes and consequences of mistrust in politicians in today's Latin America's. The weak support for democracy across the entire continent is generated as much by mistrust of politicians as of institutions. Citizens are increasingly willing to separate their evaluations of incumbents from their evaluation of democracy as a regime type. Incumbents have repeatedly modified constitutional arrangements to suit their own interests. The analysis is based on sources such as the Latinobarometro (17 countries from 1995-2003), the World Values Surveys (7 countries in 1995), the Hewlett/Tulane study (Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico in 1998), the Informe Iberoamericano, and Transparency International.
Political Scandals An Analytical Framework
Authors: Neckel Sighard
Published: July 2005

Scandals may seem to be unique events, and thus not comparable to each other. But closer analysis shows that scandals raise basic questions of power and legitimacy, and can play a role in clarifying the normative bases of mass-elite interaction and political rule in society. Scandals are a form of conflict, first visible in their present form in the bourgeois state; their origins and course of development depend upon both the normative commitments made by public figures and the consciousness and perceptions of the population at large. Bourdieu's theory of "delegation" is particularly useful for illuminating the dynamics of scandal, and their implications for political legitimacy.
Nigeria: Trust Your Patron, not the Institutions
Authors: Daloz Jean-Pascal
Published: July 2005

In Nigeria, trust and mistrust remain a permanent and sensitive issue. This obviously concerns elite-population relationships or rather – when considering the personalized and particularistic aspects of political life- between patrons and their dependants. This issue of trust is also crucial when it comes to relations among "Big Men" leading factions cutting across communities. Emphasizing the lack of confidence in the institutions and the difficult question of reliance within informal clientelistic networks, this article proposes interpretations based on the study of socio-political relations in a long-term perspective.
Political Mistrust in Southeast Asia
Authors: Case William
Published: July 2005

Politics in Southeast Asia are often characterised by power abuses and corrupt practices, ramshackle political institutions, economic shocks, social inequities, and a steady erosion of cultural deference. In these conditions, mass-level mistrust of political leaders and institutions might be expected to surge. However, patterns of mistrust turn out to be more complex. Where political leaders are abusive and corrupt, while doing little to ease the declining fortunes of social forces, mistrust does indeed grow pervasive, even threatening political stability. But in other cases, political leaders, even though abusive, have ably mitigated mistrust, shifting mass-level grievances onto rival elites or social segments, deploying populist programs, or mobilising nationalist resentments, thereby perpetuating their standings. Analysis focuses on a number of contemporary leaderships in Southeast Asia that have produced variable amounts of mass-level mistrust, including those of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.
Forecast Comparisons
Authors: Barrell Ray , Kirby Simon , Metz Robert
Published: July 2005

This paper compares the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) forecasts for output, inflation and key public sector finance variables against the corresponding forecasts from HM Treasury (HMT), the Bank of England (Bank) and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). We find that NIESR outperforms, on average, other major bodies in its forecasts for output and in particular inflation where simple scores are used. It also performs well on the forecasting of the government current budget surplus but not public sector net borrowing. Statistical estimates of accuracy provide a less clear picture but their reliability is blighted by the small sample size.
The Superior Educational Attainments of Pupils in Religious Foundation Schools in England
Authors: Prais S. J.
Published: July 2005

Pupils of religious foundation schools in England show superior educational performance over general (Local Education Authority) schools, the advantage having been estimated in previous studies at learning about a tenth faster for the average pupil by the age of leaving primary schooling (age 11+). In this study access to individual pupils' scores at SAT tests shows that the advantage of religious foundation schools is particularly great for lower-attaining pupils, with only the lowest tenth of those in religious schools attaining the scores of the lowest third in general schools.
Clinical and parasitological aspects of onchocercal skin diseases in Nigeria
Authors: Dozie Ikechukwu N S , Onwuliri Celestine O E , Nwoke Bertram E B , Onwuliri Viola A
Published: July 2005

An assessment of onchocercal skin disease (OSD) conducted in 38 rural communities in the Imo River Basin, Nigeria, between March 1999 and September 2000, showed that depigmentation (DPM) was the most prevalent lesion in persons with skin microfilariae (mf) (26.3%), followed by chronic papular onchodermatitis (CPOD) (18.1%) and acute papular onchodermatitis (APOD) (15.5%). There was no significant difference ( P>0.05) in sex-related prevalence of OSD. While CPOD, lichenified onchodermatitis (LOD) and DPM were more prevalent in subjects over 30 years old, APOD was associated more with those aged less than 30 years. OSD occurred with concomitant itching in nearly 50% of subjects. The geometric mean intensity of infection was 13 mf/mg per skin snip.
Improving medicine usage through patient information leaflets in India
Authors: Gupta Usha , Sharma Sangeeta , Sheth Prafull D , Jha Jeevan , Chaudhury Ranjit Roy
Published: July 2005

The impact of patient information leaflets (PILs) was measured in an outpatient department of a large tertiary care public health facility in India. Patients were allocated to control (114) or intervention group (118). Patients in the intervention group received PILs.

The primary indicators [mean±standard deviation (SD)] improved significantly in the intervention group compared with the control group (15.7±7.3 versus 12.2±5.4). A three-fold ( P<0.01) increase in the awareness of the supplementary scores was observed in the intervention group (9.5±5.2 versus 3.3±2.7) compared with the control group (3.5±2.8 versus 3.5±2.8). Confounding variables, viz. age, sex, literacy level, did not influence the patients' knowledge. When the number of drugs prescribed increased, the patient's knowledge decreased significantly ( P<0.0001). PILs provided to the patients by the pharmacist significantly improved knowledge about medication, and improved compliance at home.
Attitudes of traditional healers towards Western medicine in rural Cameroon
Authors: Heinzerling Lucie M
Published: July 2005

A range of AIDS prevention programmes suggested that cooperation between traditional healers and the biomedical primary health-care system would benefit patients. To assess the knowledge and attitudes of traditional healers in Cameroon towards Western medicine and evaluate their willingness to cooperate with the district health-care system, a qualitative study was undertaken. In this study, 16 randomly chosen traditional healers in Kumba, Cameroon, were interviewed. Western medicine was well accepted for certain indications and referral of patients to health-care centres was frequently practised. All healers stated that they wished to cooperate more extensively with the district primary health-care system and to obtain more biomedical knowledge. Closer cooperation between traditional healers and the district primary health-care system is possible. The frequent occurrence of illiteracy must be considered when designing health education for traditional healers.
Primary amenorrhoea: three cases from a semi-rural Namibian hospital
Authors: van Dillen Jeroen , van der Honing Anouk
Published: July 2005

We discuss the diagnostic process of three patients presenting with primary amenorrhoea in Onandjokwe Lutheran Hospital in Northern Namibia. This semirural district hospital also serves as a referral hospital and has both ultrasound and laparoscopy possibilities.
Changing patterns of Kaposi's sarcoma in Nigerians
Authors: Mohammed A Z , Nwana E J C , Manasseh A N
Published: July 2005

This is a five-year retrospective study of 32 histologically diagnosed cases of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) who had undergone HIV antibody testing at the Jos University Teaching Hospital: 13 cases (40%) were HIV-negative. Multiple lesions were more common in HIV-positive cases and affected unusual sites such as the face, oropharynx, conjuctiva, vulva and rectum in addition to the limbs and trunk, which were more frequently involved in HIV-negative cases. This pattern of KS seen in Nigerian patients shows similarities with other African countries which have been affected by the HIV epidemic.
Prolapsed intervertebral disc with sciatica: the role of common peroneal nerve block
Authors: Sangwan S S , Mittal Rajeev , Kundu Z S , Siwach R C , Aggarwal Soneet , Garg R K
Published: July 2005

A total of 210 patients of Lumbar disc prolapse with sciatica were given common peroneal block by infiltrating 2% xylocaine around the common peroneal nerve 3 cm below the head of fibula on the affected side. After receiving the block the pain decreased on from grade 2.99±0.46 to 0.91±0.99, and straight leg raising increased from 32.1±12.55 to 59.66±12.11 degrees. The method, as an outpatient procedure, has been found to be simple and useful in the patients of sciatica with prolapsed lumbar intervertebral disc potentially appropriate for a low-resource setting.
Oral health-care workers and HIV infection control practices in Nigeria
Authors: Ogunbodede E O , Folayan M O , Adedigba M A
Published: July 2005

The first case of HIV infection was reported in Nigeria in1986. Since then, the prevalence has risen from less than 0.1% in 1987 to 5.8% in 2002, and an estimated 3.6 million Nigerians now live with HIV/AIDS. More than 40 oral manifestations of HIV infection have been recorded and between 70% and 90% of persons with HIV infection will have at least one oral manifestation at sometime during the course of their disease. Oral health-care workers (OHCWS) are expected to play active roles in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. In this study, a one-day workshop was organized for 64 oral health workers in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, focusing on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS, the oral manifestations, control and prevention of HIV in a dental environment, oral care of the infected patient and the ethical, legal and social aspects of HIV/AIDS. Participants' knowledge and practices of infection control were assessed with an infection control checklist administered pre- and post-workshop. Sixty (90.8%) respondents believed that HIV/AIDS was not yet a problem in Nigeria, and 58 (90.6%) believed that drugs have been developed which can cure HIV infection and AIDS. The men complied more with waste disposal regulations than women ( P=0.010). Twenty-nine of 58 (50.0%) did not discard gloves which were torn, cut or punctured. Seven (12.1%) did not change gloves between patients' treatment. Conscious efforts should be made to train OHCWS on all aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention and care. It must never be assumed that adequate information will be acquired through tangential sources.
Safe abortion: a woman's right
Authors: Sangala Vanessa
Published: July 2005

Complications of induced abortion sadly remain significant causes of maternal mortality and morbidity around the world, but only in countries that do not provide access to safe abortion services. This article presents a brief account of how high maternal mortality from induced abortion became history in the UK and the dire consequences to women's health that unsafe abortion still has in many countries of the world. It gives a brief overview of the methods available to evacuate the uterus, with particular reference to manual vacuum aspiration. The status of the law in different countries is discussed, together with the need for health professionals to interpret repressive laws in ways that enables them to care for women who seek their help. Safe abortion services are cost effective, essential services for women. Men are part and parcel of the reason women resort to terminating a pregnancy, and, together with the countless children whose lives are dependent on a healthy caring mother, are also beneficiaries of safe abortion services. There can be no excuse for continuing to deny these services to so many women around the world.
Medical interns knowledge of TB in Pakistan
Authors: Khan J A , Zahid S , Khan R , Hussain S F , Rizvi N , Rab A , Javed A , Ahmad A , Ait-Khaled N , Enarson D A
Published: July 2005

Of 460 interns from five Pakistani teaching hospitals surveyed, only 22% correctly identified the estimated number of new TB cases in Pakistan. The majority (96%) knew that droplet infection was the usual mode of transmission. Only 38% considered sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli as the best test for diagnosis of pulmonary TB and 43.5% for follow-up during TB treatment. The recommended four-drug anti-TB regimen was prescribed by 56.5% in the initiation phase and the recommended two-drug combination in the continuation phase by 52%. Most interns (82%) were unable to identify a single component of directly observed treatment short course (DOTS) strategy.

Our study reflects poor awareness of and low compliance to the World Health Organization/National Tuberculosis Programme guidelines among interns. For effective control of TB, immediate action to improve undergraduate and continuing medical education is essential, with special emphasis on national guidelines.
The problems of indeterminate HIV results in blood transfusion services in Nigeria
Authors: Elemuwa C O , Bassey B E , Olaleye D O
Published: July 2005

Five hundred sera samples were collected from individuals whose age range was 16-40 years, analysed using Murex 1 and 2 and Capillus HIV kit (Cambridge Biotechnology, Cambdrige, UK), and confirmed with Western Blot technique (Biorad). Of these, 186 (37.2%) were repeatedly reactive, 90 (48.4%) were confirmed positive, 55 (29.6%) indeterminate (20 [10.7%] from blood donors) and 44 (22.0%) were negative. The data reveal a significant correlation between indeterminate results and confirmed positive sera ( P<0.05). This demonstrates the high incidence of indeterminate HIV results encountered in blood transfusion services.
Mortality of tetanus at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
Authors: Ojini F I , Danesi M A
Published: July 2005

Records of 349 tetanus patients, aged 10 years and above, admitted to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, between 1990 and 1999 were reviewed. The male:female ratio was 1.98:1, and the ages were between 10 and 88 years, with a mean age of 29.8 years.

The overall case fatality rate (CFR) of tetanus was 36.96% (33.19% for men and 44.44% for women). The CFR is similar to that previously reported in the hospital, but higher than that reported from Europe and North America. The lowest CFR was in the 10-19-year age group, and there was a trend towards increasing CFR with increasing age.

Tetanus patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) had a significantly higher CFR than those in the medical wards.

Unlike in developed countries, where management of tetanus in ICU has resulted in a decrease in CFR, the CFR of tetanus at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital has not significantly reduced over the years.
Quality surgical care for rural dwellers: the visiting option
Authors: Mungadi I A
Published: July 2005

Although the majority of Africans live in rural areas, the existing surgical infrastructure and expertise are concentrated in urban centres. Many rural dwellers dislike visiting urban hospitals due to poverty, ignorance, fear, distance or unpleasant city experience.

Trained personnel are unwilling to work in rural areas because of poor infrastructure and lack of incentive. The best means of bringing surgical care to rural dwellers is yet to be determined. We explored the visiting surgeon option.

For three days every 4-6 weeks, a general surgeon visited a rural health centre in the Maiyama Local Government area of Kebbi State, Nigeria, and operated on selected surgical cases. In total, 111 patients had 125 surgical procedures during 18 visits (January 2001-May 2003). These represented 66.7% of all surgical cases seen during the visits. There were 22 (17.6%) paediatric surgical, 90 (72%) general surgical and 13 (10.4%) obstetric and gynaecological (O&G) cases. Fourteen (11.2%) procedures were performed as emergencies. The most common operation was inguinal herniorraphy, which constituted 36% of cases. The morbidity rate was 1.6% with no operative mortality.

Easily treatable but potentially fatal surgical conditions are common among poor, rural dwellers. A visiting service can offer this population sustainable, cheap, good-quality care in a friendly environment.
Lateral sinus thrombosis in neurocysticercosis
Authors: Prasad Rajniti , Singh Rupa , Joshi Bharatdeo
Published: July 2005

Cysticercosis is a frequent parasitic infection in developing countries including Nepal and is related to poverty, ignorance and pig-rearing practices at home in the community. A variety of structural involvements such as brain parenchyma, cerebellum, ventricular system, brain stem, meninges, subarachnoid space, spinal cord and orbit have been reported, but cysticercus involving the lateral sinus causing thrombosis is extremely rare.
Blood loss at fibroids surgery: myomectomy versus total abdominal hysterectomy
Authors: Olayemi O , Adekanle D A , Aimakhu C O , Adeniji A O , Udoh E S , Ogunowo T O
Published: July 2005

Two hundred and fifty patients with uterine fibroids were reviewed to compare operative outcomes and blood loss.
Tuberculous meningitis in Turkish children: an evaluation of 38 cases
Authors: Ertekin V , Alp H , Altinkaynak S , Selimogğlu M A
Published: July 2005

Thirty-eight cases of tuberculous meningitis in children were studied. Mortality was 28.9%; most of these presented with stage III disease.

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) still ranks as one of the most important communicable diseases in terms of morbidity and mortality. It is universally fatal if not treated and has high morbidity and mortality, if not recognized early. According to WHO's data, 1.3 million new TB cases under 15 year olds were reported. In Turkey, the TB prevalence is 0.4 %. According to data from the Turkish Ministry of Health, the number of admissions to hospitals dropped from 108 per 100,000 in 1971 to 51 per 10,000 in 1988.

Early diagnosis and treatment of TBM are essential in order to prevent late sequelas and death. The diagnosis of TBM may be delayed because many patients initially have vague, seemingly minor, signs and symptoms.

In this study, the clinical and laboratory findings of 38 patients with the diagnosis of TBM in our hospital were reviewed, retrospectively, during the past five years. Our purpose was to stress the importance of TBM as a public health problem in Turkey, particularly in the Eastern of Turkey.