bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reinterpreting a community outbreak of Salmonella entericaserotype Enteritidis in the light of molecular typing
Authors: Romani Cristina , Nicoletti PierLuigi , Buonomini Maria Ida , Nastasi Antonino , Mammina Caterina
Published: September 2007

Background

In November 2005, a large outbreak due to Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) was observed within children who had eaten their meals at 53 school cafeterias in Florence and the surrounding area. A total of 154 isolates of S. Enteritidis were recovered from human cases between November 2005 and January 2006. All strains were assigned phage type 8 (PT8) and a common XbaI pulsotype.

This paper reports the findings of a molecular epidemiological investigation performed on 124 strains of S. Enteritidis isolated in the years 2005 and 2006 in Florence and the surrounding area, including the epidemic isolates.

Methods

One hundred twenty-four human isolates of S. Enteritidis identified in the period January 2005 – December 2006 were submitted to molecular typing by single enzyme – amplified fragment length polymorphism (SE-AFLP).

Results

Molecular subtyping by SE-AFLP yielded five different profiles. In the pre-epidemic phase, type A included 78.4% of isolates, whereas only three (8.1%) belonged to type C. All isolates, but one, of the epidemic phase were indistinguishable and attributed to type C. In the post-epidemic period, a polymorphic pattern of SE-AFLP types was again recognized but type C accounted for 73.3% of the isolates during the first six months of 2006, whereas during the remaining six months type A regained the first place, including 52.0% of the isolates.

Conclusion

The epidemic event was attributed to the emergence and clonal expansion of a strain of S. Enteritidis PT8-SE-AFLP type C. Circulation of the epidemic clone was much more extensive than the surveillance and traditional laboratory data demonstrated.
Perianal eccrine adenocarcinoma
Authors: Leung Tsz-Ho , Lee Henry Hsin-Chung , Chang Shih-Chang
Published: September 2007

Background

Eccrine carcinoma is a quite rare malignant tumor that typically arises from a normal sweat gland and that features a rather high recurrence rate subsequent to simple excision. Given its rather poor response to adjuvant therapy, wide excision of the lesion with tumor-free margins may offer a reasonable chance for long-term control of this neoplasm.

Case presentation

Herein, we report on an unusual case of perianal eccrine carcinoma, initially presenting as a perianal abscess.

Conclusion

Even though eccrine carcinomas would appear to be rare, when dealing with recurrent skin tumors or recurrent perianal fistulas, the possibility of eccrine carcinoma should be considered by consulting clinicians.
Role of Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 Serine 307 Phosphorylation and Adiponectin in Adipose Tissue Insulin Resistance in Late Pregnancy
Authors: Sevillano Julio , de Castro Javier , Bocos Carlos , Herrera Emilio , Ramos M. Pilar
Published: September 2007

Insulin resistance is a hallmark of late pregnancy both in human and rat. Adipose tissue is one of the tissues that most actively contributes to this reduced insulin sensitivity. The aim of the present study was to characterize the molecular mechanisms of insulin resistance in adipose tissue at late pregnancy. To this end, we analyzed the insulin signaling cascade in lumbar adipose tissue of nonpregnant and pregnant (d 20) rats both under basal and insulin-stimulated conditions. We found that the levels of relevant signaling proteins, such as insulin receptor (IR), IR substrate-1 (IRS-1), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1, ERK1/2, and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) did not change at late pregnancy. However, insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of both IR and IRS-1 were significantly decreased, coincident with decreased IRS-1/p85 association and impaired phosphorylation of AKR mouse thymoma viral protooncogene (Akt) and ERK1/2. This impaired activation of IRS-1 occurred together with an increase of IRS-1 phosphorylation at serine 307 and a decrease in adiponectin levels. To corroborate the role of IRS-1 in adipose tissue insulin resistance during pregnancy, we treated pregnant rats with the antidiabetic drug englitazone. Englitazone improved glucose tolerance, and this pharmacological reversal of insulin resistance was paralleled by an increase of adiponectin levels in adipose tissue as well as by a reduction of IRS-1 serine phosphorylation. Furthermore, the impaired insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 in adipose tissue of pregnant animals could be restored ex vivo by treating isolated adipocytes with adiponectin. Together, our findings support a role for adiponectin and serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 in the modulation of insulin resistance in adipose tissue at late pregnancy.
Evidence for Circadian Regulation of Activating Transcription Factor 5 But Not Tyrosine Hydroxylase by the Chromaffin Cell Clock
Authors: Lemos Dario R. , Goodspeed Leela , Tonelli Luciana , Antoch Marina P. , Ojeda Sergio R. , Urbanski Henryk F.
Published: September 2007

In mammals, adrenal medulla chromaffin cells constitute a fundamental component of the sympathetic nervous system outflow, producing most of the circulating adrenaline. We recently found that the rhesus monkey adrenal gland expresses several genes in a 24-h rhythmic pattern, including TH (the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine synthesis) and Atf5 (a transcription factor involved in apoptosis and neural cell differentiation) together with the core-clock genes. To examine whether these core-clock genes play a role in adrenal circadian function, we exposed rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells to a serum shock and found that it triggered rhythmic oscillation of the clock genes rBmal1, rPer1, rRev-erbα, and rCry1 and induced the circadian expression of Atf5 but not TH. Furthermore, we found that the CLOCK/brain and muscle Arnt-like protein-1 (BMAL1) heterodimer could regulate Atf5 expression by binding to an E-box motif and repressing activity of its promoter. The physiological relevance of this interaction was evident in Bmal1 −/− mice, in which blunted circadian rhythm of Atf5 mRNA was observed in the liver, together with significantly higher expression levels in both liver and adrenal glands. Although we found no compelling evidence for rhythmic expression of TH in chromaffin cells being regulated by an intrinsic molecular clock mechanism, the Atf5 results raise the possibility that other aspects of chromaffin cell physiology, such as cell survival and cell differentiation, may well be intrinsically regulated.
Definition of Brainstem Afferents to Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons in the Mouse Using Conditional Viral Tract Tracing
Authors: Campbell Rebecca E. , Herbison Allan E.
Published: September 2007

Brainstem monoamines have long been considered to play a role in regulating the activity of GnRH neurons, although their neuroanatomical relationship with these cells has remained unclear. Using a Cre-dependent pseudorabies virus (Ba2001) technique that permits retrograde tracing selectively from GnRH neurons in the mouse, we have examined the organization of brainstem inputs to rostral preoptic area (rPOA) GnRH neurons. Two days after injection of Ba2001 into the rPOA of adult female GnRH-Cre transgenic mice, five to nine GnRH neurons located immediately adjacent to the injection site were found to express green fluorescent protein (GFP), the marker of virus infection, with no GFP expression anywhere else in the brain. In mice killed 24 h later (3 d after injection), GFP-expressing cells were identified (in order of density) in the raphe nuclei, periaqueductal grey, locus coeruleus, nucleus tractus solitarius, and area postrema. This time course is compatible with these neurons representing primary afferent inputs to the GnRH neurons. Four and 6 d after Ba2001 injection, GFP-expressing cells were found in additional brain regions. Dual-label immunofluorescence experiments in 3-d postinjection mice demonstrated that 100% of GFP-expressing neurons in the raphe were positive for tryptophan hydroxylase, whereas 100% and approximately 50% of GFP neurons in the locus coeruleus and nucleus tractus solitarius, respectively, expressed tyrosine hydroxylase. These observations demonstrate that rPOA GnRH neurons receive direct projections from brainstem A2 and A6 noradrenergic neurons and that, surprisingly, the largest afferent input from the brainstem originates from raphe serotonin neurons in the mouse.
European testing of roofing slate
Authors: Blanchard I. G. , Sims I.
Published: September 2007

This paper evaluates the newly introduced European roofing slate standard specification and test methods (BS EN 12326), including comments on the published acceptance criteria. The standard represents a major change from the previous long-established and limited-in-scope British Standard (BS 680-2), with a change of ethos from pass/fail criteria to mainly a means of determining the minimum required thickness of the slate. The European standard overall is judged to be better suited to the modern roofing slate sector, where a wide range of products from diverse countries is now commercially available.
Performance of aluminum borate whisker reinforced cyanate ester resin
Authors: Tang Yusheng , Liang Guozheng , Zhang Zengping , Han Jing
Published: September 2007

Aluminum borate whisker (AlBw) treated with γ‐methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (KH550) and borate ester (BE4) was adopted to modify bisphenol A dicyanate/epoxy resin (BADCy/E‐51) system, in this article. The influence of coupling agent and content of whisker on reaction activity were investigated by gel time and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and the results showed that addition of whisker enhances reaction activity of BADCy/E‐51 system slightly. The dispersion of whisker in matrix and reinforcement mechanism was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results reveal that whisker treated with BE4 had better dispersing than that treated with KH550 in resin. The thermal stability, mechanical properties, and hot–wet resistance of AlBw/BADCy/E‐51 resin system were also studied. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007
Study of some properties of waste LDPE/waste butyl rubber blends using different compatibilizing agents and gamma irradiation
Authors: Maziad Nabila A. , Hassan Medhat M.
Published: September 2007

Blends of waste low‐density polyethylene with waste butyl rubber of equal quantities containing reactive compatibilizing agents, namely: maliec anhydride; glycidyle methacrylate, divinyl benzene, tetraethyleneglycoldimethacrylate and diethyleneglycoldimethacrylate were preparedand exposed to different γ‐irradiation doses up to 400 kGy. The swelling behavior in organic solvent of the gel and soluble fractions and the degree of crosslinking were investigated. The mechanical properties, namely tensile strength and elongation at break were also studied. Thermal properties using thermo gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry analysis follow analyses have been followed up to follow the change of the structure for the irradiated and nonradiated blends. Results obtained indicated improvement in physical, mechanical and thermal properties on irradiation of the prepared blends which incorporate compatibilizing agents, but with varying degrees. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007
Swelling activation energy of κ‐carrageenan in its gel state: A fluorescence study
Authors: Tarı Ö. , Pekcan Ö.
Published: September 2007

A steady‐state fluorescence technique was employed to study the swelling of κ‐carrageenan gels at various temperatures. Pyranine was used as a fluorescence probe. The fluorescence intensity of pyranine was measured during the insitu swelling process of κ‐carrageenan gels. The fluorescence intensity increased exponentially as the swelling time increased. The increase in the fluorescence intensity was modeled with the Li–Tanaka equation, from which the swelling time constants and cooperative diffusion coefficients were determined. The swelling time constants decreased and the cooperative diffusion coefficients increased as the swelling temperature was increased. The swelling activation energies were measured to be 47.05 kJ/mol. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007
Development of a chlorine‐resistant polyamide nanofiltration membrane and its field‐test results
Authors: Shintani Takuji , Matsuyama Hideto , Kurata Naoki , Ohara Tomomi
Published: September 2007

For the development of chlorine‐resistant nanofiltration membranes, a thin‐film‐composite membrane was prepared by the interfacial polymerization of N‐phenylethylenediamine and 1,3,5‐benzenetricarbonyl trichloride on a microporous polysulfone support substrate. The polymerization on the substrate surface was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared measurements, and membrane surface properties such as the roughness and ζ potential were characterized. Rejections of NaCl and isopropyl alcohol of the prepared membrane were 95 and 50%, respectively. The membrane showed much higher chlorine resistance than a commercial polyamide membrane when the membranes were immersed in an aqueous NaOCl solution. A field test was carried out with a spiral‐type membrane module. Tap water was treated by this module for more than 70 days under the condition of continuous NaOCl injection. The prepared membrane module was quite stable, and no distinguished change in the rejection and flux was recognized. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007
Designing quality walkthroughs
Authors: Sanyal Subhajit , Banerjee Subhashis , Kalra Prem K.
Published: September 2007

In this paper we present a framework for designing quality walkthroughs. Our framework aids the content creator in designing tours where one sees interesting objects for the most part of the tour. Further, the speed of the tour is controlled by what is shown. In particular we consider the designing of walkthroughs of scenes constructed by image‐based techniques where such a design framework helps to optimize on the effort needed to create the content. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Extracranial malignant rhabdoid tumors in childhood
Authors: Madigan Catherine E. , Armenian Saro H. , Malogolowkin Marcio H. , Mascarenhas Leo
Published: September 2007

BACKGROUND.

Extracranial malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) is a rare, aggressive, pediatric malignancy with a historically poor outcome. Recent efforts to intensify treatment for MRT have resulted in isolated reports of long‐term survival.

METHODS.

The authors conducted a retrospective review of consecutive patients with MRT at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles over the 20 years from 1983 to 2003.

RESULTS.

Fourteen children were diagnosed with MRT over the 20‐year study period. The median age at presentation was 22.5 months (range, 0.5–108 months). Five patients had renal primary tumors, and 9 patients had extrarenal tumors. Eleven of 14 patients had stage III or IV disease at diagnosis. Five patients (35.7%) were long‐term survivors. The time to disease progression was rapid (mean, 3.6 months). There were no recurrences or deaths beyond 10 months after diagnosis. All survivors received multimodal therapy, including both chemotherapy and surgery with or without radiation. In addition, 2 patients received high‐dose chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell rescue (HSCT) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and local tumor control. Both of those patients were long‐term survivors. There were no survivors after disease recurrence or progression.

CONCLUSIONS.

Patients with localized disease and complete surgical resection were most likely to survive long‐term. Consolidation with HSCT may benefit selected patients with advanced disease stage. International collaboration and further understanding of the biology of this disease is necessary to improve the survival of children with MRT. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Perioperative chemotherapy in patients undergoing pulmonary resection for metastatic soft‐tissue sarcoma of the extremity
Authors: Canter Robert J. , Qin Li‐Xuan , Downey Robert J. , Brennan Murray F. , Singer Samuel , Maki Robert G.
Published: September 2007

BACKGROUND.

The benefit of chemotherapy in the treatment of primary soft‐tissue sarcoma (STS) is controversial. To the authors' knowledge, few studies to date have examined the effect of chemotherapy in patients undergoing pulmonary resection for metastatic STS of the extremity.

METHODS.

Between 1990 and 2005, 1897 patients with extremity STS were treated and prospectively followed at a single institution. In all, 508 patients (27%) developed lung metastases as the first site of distant recurrence, and 138 (7%) were treated with pulmonary resection.

RESULTS.

Perioperative chemotherapy was administered to 53 patients (38%). Age at diagnosis and disease‐free interval were significantly different between patients who received perioperative chemotherapy and those who did not, whereas sex, grade, size of the primary tumor, depth, histology, number and size of lung metastases, and rate of complete resection were not. The median postmetastasis disease‐specific survival was 24 months in patients who were treated with surgery and chemotherapy compared with 33 months in patients who were treated with surgery alone (P = .19). The median postmetastasis pulmonary progression‐free survival in the 2 groups was 10 months and 11 months, respectively (P = .63). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling and propensity score analysis revealed no association between perioperative chemotherapy and disease‐specific, overall, or pulmonary progression‐free survival.

CONCLUSIONS.

Although it is difficult to completely control for the effects of selection bias on outcome in this highly selected cohort of patients, data from the current study suggest that systemic chemotherapy has minimal, if any, long‐term impact on the outcome of patients undergoing pulmonary resection for metastatic STS of the extremity. Cancer 2007. Published 2007 by the American Cancer Society.
Boundaries between fast‐ and slow‐scale bifurcations in parallel‐connected buck converters
Authors: Huang Yuehui , Iu Herbert H. C. , Tse Chi K.
Published: September 2007

This paper studies a system of parallel‐connected dc/dc buck converters under master–slave current sharing and proportional‐integral (PI) PWM control. Two distinct types of bifurcations can be identified. Depending on the value of the integral control time constant, the system exhibits either a slow‐scale bifurcation (Neimark–Sacker bifurcation) or a fast‐scale bifurcation (period doubling). Extensive simulations are used to capture the behaviour. Trajectories and Poincaré sections before and after these bifurcations are shown. The boundaries between these two types of bifurcations are located. In particular, the parameter spaces of the controllers for these bifurcations are totally different. A detailed analysis is performed, based on examining the Jacobian and characteristic multipliers of the describing discrete‐time map. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Open Platinum Aggregate Frameworks with Overhead Dithiolate Bridges
Authors: Chong Siew Huay , Henderson William , Hor T. S. Andy
Published: September 2007

A convenient method has been developed to bring together two discrete moieties of [Pt2(μ‐S)2(PPh3)4] to give an open Pt4 aggregate of Pt2···(spacer)···Pt2, as exemplified in the isolation of [(PPh3)4Pt2(μ‐S)(μ‐SRS)(μ‐S)Pt2(PPh3)4](PF6)2 [R = m‐CH2C6H4CH2, p‐CH2C6H4CH2, CH2C10H6CH2, and CH2(C6H4)2CH2]. The spacer is a dithiolate with an extended skeletal backbone formed from the alkylation of sulfide with a suitable dibromo‐organic compound. This synthetic methodology can tolerate a range of conformationally contrasting thiolate substituents with different chemical functionalities. Shorter or stereochemically more restrictive spacers could opt to be an intramolecular bridge over the Pt2 core, as given in [Pt2(μ‐S‐o‐CH2C6H4‐C6H4CH2S)(PPh3)4](PF6)2. A few representative complexes have been characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
[(Pyridylcarbonyl)pyridyl]triazolopyridines, Useful Ligands for the Construction of Polynuclear Coordination Compounds – Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Magnetic Properties of a Novel Tetranuclear Copper(II) Cubane
Authors: Abarca Belén , Ballesteros Rafael , Chadlaoui Mimoun , de Arellano Carmen Ramirez , Real José A.
Published: September 2007

A new tetranuclear cubane Cu4O4 complex has been synthesised from assembly of CuII ions and the polydentate ligand (pyridin‐2‐yl){6‐([1,2,3]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyridin‐3‐yl)pyridin‐2‐yl}methanone. Crystallographic analysis indicates that the Cu4O4 unit has an S4 symmetry. The magnetic properties have been analysed using the H = –2Σi,jJijSiSj spin Hamiltonian. Two distinct coupling constants, 2J1,3 = –37.4 cm–1 and 2J1,2 = –2.6 cm–1, obtained from the fitting of the experimental data have been rationalised on the basis of a density functional study of magnetostructural correlations in cubane complexes containing the Cu4O4 core. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Towards New MraY Inhibitors: A Serine Template for Uracil and 5‐Amino‐5‐deoxyribosyl Scaffolding
Authors: Le Corre Laurent , Gravier‐Pelletier Christine , Le Merrer Yves
Published: September 2007

The bacterial translocase MraY is a good target for the development of new antitbiotics as it is ubiquitous and essential for bacterial growth. The goal of this work was the synthesis of simplified analogues of naturally occurring inhibitors of this enzyme to investigate the essential character of the uridine moiety of these inhibitors with regards to biological activity. Thus, the structure of the targeted enantiomerically pure N‐(uracilylpentyl)‐β‐D‐O‐(5‐amino‐5‐deoxyribosyl)‐L‐serine retains uracil and 5‐amino‐5‐deoxyribose parts linked by a serinyl template. The synthetic strategy towards this compound relies on sequential O‐glycosylation and N‐alkylation by reductive amination of a serine derivative. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Recurrent salivary gland carcinomas treated by surgery with or without intraoperative radiation therapy
Authors: Chen Allen M. , Garcia Joaquin , Bucci M. Kara , Chan Albert S. , Kaplan Michael J. , Singer Mark I. , Phillips Theodore L.
Published: September 2007

Background.

The optimal treatment for patients with locally recurrent carcinomas of the salivary glands is unclear.

Methods.

Ninety‐nine patients underwent salvage surgery for locally recurrent salivary gland carcinomas. Eighty‐one (82%) had previously received radiation. Thirty‐seven patients (37%) received intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) to a median dose of 15 Gy (range, 12–18 Gy) at the time of salvage.

Results.

The 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year estimates of local control after salvage surgery were 88%, 75%, and 69%, respectively. A Cox proportional hazard model identified positive margins (0.01) and the omission of IORT (p = .001) as independent predictors of local failure. The 5‐year overall survival was 34%. Distant metastasis was the most common site of subsequent failure, occurring in 42% of patients.

Conclusions.

IORT significantly improves disease control for patients with locally recurrent carcinomas of the salivary glands. The high rate of distant metastasis emphasizes the need for effective systemic therapies. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2008
Hemochromatosis genotypes and risk of 31 disease endpoints
Authors: Ellervik Christina , Birgens Henrik , Tybjærg-Hansen Anne , Nordestgaard Bφrge G.
Published: September 2007

Hemochromatosis genotypes have been associated with liver disease, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, arthritis, porphyria cutanea tarda, stroke, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and venous disease. We performed meta-analyses including 202 studies with 66,263 cases and 226,515 controls to examine associations between hemochromatosis genotypes C282Y/C282Y, C282Y/H63D, C282Y/wild type, H63D/H63D, and H63D/wild type versus wild type/wild type and 9 overall endpoints and 22 endpoint subgroups. We also explored potential sources of heterogeneity. For liver disease, the odds ratio for C282Y/C282Y versus wild type/wild type was 3.9 (99% confidence interval: 1.9–8.1) overall, 11 (3.7–34) for hepatocellular carcinoma, 4.1 (1.2–14) for hepatitis C, and 10 (2.1–53) for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. For porphyria cutanea tarda, the odds ratios were 48 (24–95) for C282Y/C282Y, 8.1 (3.9–17) for C282Y/H63D, 3.6 (1.8–7.3) for C282Y/wild type, 3.0 (1.6–5.6) for H63D/H63D, and 1.7 (1.0–3.1) for H63D/wild type versus wild type/wild type. Finally, for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the odds ratio was 3.9 (1.2–13) for H63D/H63D versus wild type/wild type. These findings were consistent across individual studies. The hemochromatosis genotypes were not associated with risk for diabetes mellitus, heart disease, arthritis, stroke, cancer, or venous disease in the overall analyses; however, the odds ratio for C282Y/C282Y versus wild type/wild type was 3.4 (1.1–11) for diabetes mellitus among North Europeans.

Conclusion:

In aggregate, clinically ascertained cases who are homozygous for the C282Y mutation are associated with a 4–11–fold risk of liver disease, whereas all 5 hemochromatosis genotypes are associated with a 2–48–fold risk of porphyria cutanea tarda, and H63D/H63D is associated with a 4-fold risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. These results, mainly from case-control studies, cannot necessarily be extrapolated to the general population. (HEPATOLOGY 2007.)
Sacred moments: Implications on well‐being and stress
Authors: Goldstein Elisha David
Published: September 2007

This research provides a theoretical, empirical, and qualitative examination of the role of cultivating sacred moments in daily life on subjective well‐being (SWB), psychological well‐being (PWB), and stress. Seventy‐three participants were randomly assigned to two groups: (a) a 3‐week intervention group where members were instructed in cultivating sacred moments, or (b) a 3‐week control group where members were instructed in writing about daily activities. Findings indicate that the intervention was equally as effective as an adapted therapeutic writing intervention. There were significant effects over time across multiple assessments related to SWB, PWB, stress, and daily spiritual experiences after the 3‐week intervention and again 6 weeks later. Qualitative analysis complemented and enriched the findings of these results. This study introduces a new intervention into the field of clinical psychology and extends the findings of prior research. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 63: 1001–1019, 2007.
Enhancing spiritual well‐being among suicidal African American female survivors of intimate partner violence
Authors: Arnette Natalie C. , Mascaro Nathan , Santana M. Carmen , Davis Shane , Kaslow Nadine J.
Published: September 2007

Spirituality has been identified as one component of a culturally competent therapeutic intervention for African American women. The present study was designed to investigate the ability of factors, such as level of hopelessness and the use of positive religious coping strategies, to predict spiritual well‐being over time. Seventy‐four low‐income African American women were administered self‐report questionnaires measuring hopelessness, use of religious coping strategies, and two domains of spiritual well‐being. Path analysis indicated that hopelessness, existential well‐being, religious well‐being, and positive religious coping are correlated with one another. Further, lower levels of hopelessness predict increases in existential well‐being over time; higher levels of positive religious coping predict increases in religious well‐being over time. Results were consistent with the study hypotheses and highlight the need to attend to predictors of spiritual well‐being when implementing culturally relevant interventions with abused, suicidal African American women. Therapeutic strategies for reducing hopelessness and enhancing positive religious coping to improve spiritual and existential well‐being are presented; such strategies will ensure the interventions are more culturally competent. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 63: 909–924, 2007.
Introduction to the special issue on spirituality and psychotherapy
Authors: Pargament Kenneth I. , Saunders Stephen M.
Published: September 2007

Religion and spirituality have been topics of interest to psychologists since the inception of the field, and this special issue devoted to spirituality and psychotherapy reflects the maturation of decades of research. Psychotherapy clients would like to discuss religious or spiritual issues with therapists, but therapists feel poorly prepared to do so. This special issue hopefully represents a step towards bridging the needs of clients and the expertise of providers. The seven articles in this issue reflect the progress psychologists have made toward understanding religion and spirituality, and they represent state‐of‐the‐art attempts at integrating these dimensions into treatment. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 63: 903–907, 2007.
Laserstrahlschweißen – Trends und aktuelle Entwicklungen
Authors: Otto Andreas , Hohenstein Ralph
Published: September 2007

Das Laserstrahlschweißen hat sich in den vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnten zu einer Schlüsseltechnologie entwickelt. Das gilt insbesondere für den Fahrzeugund Anlagenbau (Abb. 1), aber auch für die Elektronikfertigung und die Feinwerktechnik. Hohe Flexibilität, hohe erreichbare Geschwindigkeiten und herausragende Schweißnahteigenschaften (bei gleichzeitig geringem Wärmeeintrag) haben zu einer Vielzahl von industriellen Anwendungen sowohl im Mikro‐ als auch im Makrobereich geführt.
Maßgeschneiderte Systeme für maßgeschneiderte Bleche
Authors: Härtl Johann , Wenk Daniel
Published: September 2007

Die Anzahl der weltweit produzierten Tailored Blanks wird dieses Jahr die 280 Mio. erreichen und nächstes Jahr weiter ansteigen auf 300 Mio. Das Wachstum im Bereich der Tailored Blanks ist eng mit dem des Automobilmarkts verbunden. Daher sind auch bei der Tailored Blank Fertigung die höchsten Wachstumsraten in den asiatischen Ländern zu verzeichnen. Insbesondere weisen Indien mit über 13 % und China mit knapp 8 % Zunahme bei der Automobilfertigung das stärkste Wachstum auf. Indien wird mit heute 1 Mio. Personenwagen/Jahr bis auf 1.4 Mio. in 2010 wachsen. In China, mit heute 1.6 Mio. produzierten Personenwagen pro Jahr wird es eine Steigerung auf über 2.6 Mio. geben (ohne Lastkraftwagen und Omnibusse). Indische, als auch chinesische Fahrzeughersteller integrieren heute schon durchschnittlich 4 verschiedene Tailored Blanks und folgen damit dem allgemeinen Trend der Europäer, Amerikaner, Japaner und Koreaner.
Resonatordesign – unterschätztes Potenzial für bessere Laser
Authors: Paschotta Rüdiger
Published: September 2007

Eigenschaften eines Lasers wie Effizienz, Strahlqualität und Justageempfindlichkeit hängen entscheidend vom Resonatordesign ab. Ein solides Verständnis der Eigenschaften von Resonatormoden und die darauf aufbauende Kunst des Resonatordesigns sind daher essenziell für die Entwicklung von Lasern verschiedenster Art.
The impact of child SSI enrollment on household outcomes
Authors: Duggan Mark G. , Kearney Melissa Schettini
Published: September 2007

We use data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to investigate the impact that child Supplemental Security Income (SSI) enrollment has on household outcomes, including poverty, household earnings, and health insurance coverage. The longitudinal nature of the SIPP allows us to control for unobserved, time‐invariant differences across households by measuring outcomes in the same household in the months leading up to and immediately following the first reporting of child SSI income. Our regression analyses demonstrate that for every $100 increase in household SSI income, total household income increases by roughly $72, reflecting some modest offset of other transfer income and conditional household earnings. Our analyses further demonstrate that child SSI enrollment is associated with a statistically significant and persistent reduction in the probability that a child lives in poverty of roughly 11 percentage points. Additional analyses suggest that program enrollment has virtually no impact on health insurance coverage because most new SSI recipients have health insurance from Medicaid or another source at the time of enrollment. © 2007 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Analysis of rubber pressure molding technique to fabricate fiber reinforced plastic components
Authors: Kar Kamal K. , Sharma S. D. , Kumar Prashant , Ramkumar J , Appaji Rao K. , Reddy K.R.N.
Published: September 2007

A rubber pressure molding technique is developed to prepare fiber reinforced plastic components having complex shaped geometry. The technique is based on the matching die set, where the die is made of hard metal like steel and the punch from flexible rubber like materials. The use of flexible rubber punch helps to intensify and uniformly redistribute pressure (both operating pressure and developed hydrostatic pressure due to the flexible rubber punch) over the surface of product. The distribution of pressure was analyzed by ANSYS over a processing pressure of 0.5 to 50 MPa. The analysis was extended to find out the optimum hardness of rubber mold, where the pressure distribution is uniform. For this, analysis was carried out for NR vulcanizates where the loading of carbon black was varied from 0 to 75 phr, with an increment of 15 phr using the strain energy density function of two‐, three‐, five‐, and nine‐parameter Mooney–Rivlin, first‐, second‐, and third‐order Ogden, Neo–Hookean, first‐, second‐, and third‐order Polynomial, Arruda–Boyce, first‐, second‐, and third‐order Yeoh and Gent. 45 phr carbon black loading in NR vulcanizate shows best result. POLYM. COMPOS., 28:637–649, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers
Study on the milling behavior of chloroprene rubber blends with ethylene–propylene–diene monomer rubber, polybutadiene rubber, and natural rubber
Authors: Fulin Chen , Lan Cen , Caihong Lei
Published: September 2007

The viscoelastic properties of the blends of chloroprene rubber (CR) with ethylene–propylene–diene monomer rubber (EPDM), polybutadiene rubber (BR), and natural rubber (NR) at different temperature were studied using rubber processing analyzer (RPA). Mooney viscosities of compounds were measured and tight milling and sheeting appearance were observed on a two‐roll mill. The results showed that Mooney viscosities and the elastic modulus of the blends decreased with the increase of the temperature from 60 to 100°C. And the decreasing trends of pure CR, pure NR, and CR/NR blend compounds were more prominent than that of pure EPDM, pure BR, CR/EPDM, and CR/BR blend compounds. For CR/EPDM blend compounds, the decreasing trend became slower with the increase of EPDM ratio in the blend. Compared with pure CR, pure NR and CR/NR blend compounds, pure EPDM, pure BR compounds, and the blend compounds of CR/EPDM and CR/BR showed less sensibility to temperature and they were less sticky to the metal surface of rolls and could be kept in elastic state at higher temperature, easy to be milled up and sheeted. At the same blend ratio and temperature, the property of tight milling of the blends decreased in the sequence of CR/EPDM, CR/BR, and CR/NR. With the increase of EPDM, BR, or NR ratio in CR blends, its property of tight milling was improved. POLYM. COMPOS., 28:667–673, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers
Operational performance metrics for mars exploration rovers
Authors: Tunstel Edward
Published: September 2007

The concept of operational performance metrics and associated measurement issues is explored for deployed robotic systems. The focus is on performance of mobility and robotic arm autonomy exercised on the NASA Mars Exploration Rovers surface mission. This planetary rover mission has been underway for nearly 3 years since January 2004 using two rovers performing separate missions. The autonomy functions of surface navigation, short‐distance approach to surface science targets, and robotic placement of armmounted instruments on science targets are considered. Operational metrics that measure performance of these functions relative to system requirements are advocated. Specific metrics are defined and computed using telemetry from the rovers' multiyear operations on Mars and applied to rate performance during their respective missions. An existing methodology is applied to compute metrics with respect to required performance and to aggregate multiple metrics into a composite performance score for each rover. The formulation is augmented to accommodate importance weights that add flexibility in use of the metrics by different potential endusers, e.g., sponsors, program managers, systems engineers, and technologists. A brief example illustrates the application and effect of importance weights on overall rover performance scores. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Long‐term study of a portable field robot in urban terrain
Authors: Lundberg Carl , Christensen Henrik I. , Reinhold Roger
Published: September 2007

The armed forces have a considerable amount of experience in using robots for bomb removal and mine clearing. Emerging technology also enables the targeting of other applications. To evaluate if real deployment of new technology is justified, tactical advantages gained have to be compared to drawbacks imposed. Evaluation calls for realistic tests which in turn require methods dictating how to deploy the new features. The present study has had two objectives: first, to gain a comprehensive view of a potential user of man‐portable robots; second, to embed a robot system with users for assessment of present technology in real deployment. In this project we investigated an army company specialized in urban operations performing their tasks with the support of the iRobot Packbot Scout. The robot was integrated and deployed as an ordinary piece of equipment which required modifying and retraining a number of standard behaviors. The reported results were acquired through a long‐term test ranging over a period of six months. This paper focuses on the characteristics of the users and their current ways of operation; how the robot was implemented and deployed. Additionally, this paper describes benefits and drawbacks from the users' perspective. A number of limitations in current robot technology are also identified. The findings show that the military relies on precise and thoroughly trained actions that can be executed with a minimum of ambiguity. To make use of robots, new behavioral schemes, which call for tactical optimization over several years, are needed. The most common application during the trials was reconnaissance inside buildings with uncertain enemy presence when time was not critical. Deploying the robot took more time than completing the task by traditional means, but in return kept the soldiers out of harm's way and enabled them to decrease weapon deployment. The range of the radio link, limited video feedback, and the bulky operator control unit were the features constraining the system's overall performance the most. On the other hand, did properties of the system, such as ruggedness, size, weight, terrain ability, and endurance, prove to match the application. The users were of the opinion that robots such as the Packbot Scout would be a valuable standard feature in urban intervention. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multi‐objective exploration and search for autonomous rescue robots
Authors: Calisi Daniele , Farinelli Alessandro , Iocchi Luca , Nardi Daniele
Published: September 2007

“Exploration and search” is a typical task for autonomous robots performing in rescue missions, specifically addressing the problem of exploring the environment and at the same time searching for interesting features within the environment. In this paper, we model this problem as a multi‐objective exploration and search problem and present a prototype system, featuring a strategic level, which can be used to adapt the task of exploration and search to specific rescue missions. Specifically, we make use of high‐level representation of the robot plans through a Petri Net formalism that allows representing in a coherent framework decisions, loops, interrupts due to unexpected events or action failures, concurrent actions, and action synchronization. While autonomous exploration has been investigated in the past, we specifically focus on the problem of searching interesting features in the environment during the map building process. We discuss performance evaluation of exploration and search strategies for rescue robots, by using an effective performance metric, and present evaluation of our system through a set of experiments. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sequential Multitrack Nonlinear Ex vivo Imaging of Esophageal Stroma Based on Backscattered Second‐harmonic Generation and Two‐photon Autofluorescence
Authors: Zhuo Shuangmu , Chen Jianxin , Jiang Xingshan , Luo Tianshu , Chen Rong , Xie Shusen , Zou Qilian
Published: September 2007

We demonstrate the technique of subsequent multitrack nonlinear imaging based on backscattered second‐harmonic generation (B‐SHG) and two‐photon autofluorescence (TPA) to obtain large‐area, high‐contrast, submicron‐resolution image ex vivo of esophageal stroma. Our findings show that this technique is effective in improving the B‐SHG/TPA image contrast. It was found that the method can quantitatively obtain microscopic structural and biochemical information on stroma. Our work suggests that the technique has the potential to provide accurate and comprehensive information in determining the physiological and pathological states of the esophagus. SCANNING 29: 219‐224, 2007. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Wind response characteristics for habitability of tall buildings in Japan
Authors: Kim Y. C. , Kanda J.
Published: September 2007

As of 2005 in Japan, the number of tall buildings may have exceeded 2000. As building heights increase, lateral wind forces increase relative to lateral earthquake forces and become dominant. Serviceability criteria have also become an important issue in the design of tall buildings. Using information available from summarized design documents, response accelerations have been estimated using the equations prescribed in the Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ), and the response accelerations compared with the guideline values for habitability to building vibration also prescribed in AIJ. For buildings with damping devices, a threefold increase in damping ratio was obtained from results of field measurements and full‐scale experiments. Acceleration ratios were calculated and plotted for various sectional shapes, frequency ratios and side ratios. Lastly, comparison is made between across‐wind accelerations with wind applied to the short side of the building and along‐wind accelerations with wind applied to the long side. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An alternative approach for assessing eccentricities in asymmetric multistory buildings. 2. Inelastic systems
Authors: Georgoussis George K.
Published: September 2007

The approximate method, presented in the companion paper, for assessing modal eccentricities of elastic multistory buildings with simple eccentricity is extended in systems composed by elastoplastic resisting bents. Following the technique of the aforementioned paper for computing modal properties of such buildings by means of an equivalent single‐story system composed of elastic elements, modal capacity curves of these systems may also be drawn when the resisting elements are defined by a bilinear force–displacement (characteristic) curve. The procedure for constructing element‐characteristic curves is based on the methodology presented by the author in an earlier paper, and modal capacity curves of the equivalent single‐story system may be drawn by performing a non‐linear pushover analysis using the inertia force eccentricity of each mode of this system. Therefore, base shears and their eccentricities for the first two modes of vibration of multistory inelastic buildings can be determined as in real one‐story non‐linear systems. The method is illustrated in a 10‐story partial symmetric building, having along the direction of the ground motion three identical, inelastic, coupled wall bents. The structure is analyzed for a strong ground motion, equal to 1·5 × El Centro earthquake excitation, and the results are compared with those obtained from a step‐by‐step non‐linear time history analysis of the discrete member model. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance of polycapillary x‐ray lens for x‐ray sources with various spot sizes
Authors: Sun Tianxi , Liu Zhiguo , Ding Xunliang
Published: September 2007

The performance of a polycapillary x‐ray lens (PCXRL) is related to the spot size of the x‐ray source. The transmission efficiency of the PCXRL decreases generally with the increase of the x‐ray source spot size. Both the output focal spot size of a focusing PCXRL and the divergence of a parallel PCXRL increase with increasing source spot size. A large source spot size results in more ‘escape halo’, which affects the measured transmission efficiency and the measured output focal spot size. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Maintaining competence: a holistic view of continuous professional development
Authors: Bolderston Amanda
Published: September 2007

Continuous professional development (CPD) is regarded as an essential component of working life for radiation therapists and is increasingly being used by professional associations to ’prove’ the competence of their members. In the past, CPD activities have primarily been viewed as an individual responsibility, and have focused on maintaining a professional knowledge base and, subsequently, hands-on competency through didactic learning. However, there are drawbacks associated with this model; and concentrating on only one facet of learning ignores other theoretical areas of knowledge acquisition. This article explores several areas of social and organisational theories of learning including social networks, communities of practice, learning organisations, knowledge management, knowledge translation and research utilisation. It is concluded that maintenance of competence after graduation is multilayered and should be viewed in a holistic manner to incorporate some of the relevant elements of the concepts discussed. This article also offers some suggestions for the individual wanting to maximise their educational opportunities beyond traditional models of CPD.