bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SWOT analysis & privatization in Croatia
Authors: Druzic Ivo , Gel Tomislav
Published: October 2006

Legal framework for privatization in Croatia was based on two key laws: the Transformation Act of 1991, and the Privatization Act of 1993, amended in 1996. Early start of privatization process in 1990s in Croatia was marked by the transformation of socially-owned companies into stock holding companies or limited liability companies. The first step (1991-1993) of this process of almost 2700 companies which entered privatization was their evaluation and transformation into private ownership entities. The second step (1994- 1997) consisted of privatization of CPF portfolio. The portfolios change constantly, not only as a result of privatization but also because companies themselves change, as does their position in the market. The third step (1998) in the privatization process was voucher privatization. Privatization of large infrastructure and utility companies designated as public enterprises began in 1999 (Croatian Telecom) and INA in 2002 (public enterprises are privatized on the basis of separate laws). Attempts to discuss privatization in Croatia in terms of SWOT analysis have been motivated by the stark difference among Croatian professional economists in an appraisal of Croatia's performance during the transition process in general and of the privatization process in particular. Therefore we considered the elements of SWOT analysis to be an acceptable way to delve into the confusing world of bickering arguments on the state and perspective of the Croatia's privatization process. In this paper we have tried to provide an impartial approach by employing two criteria i.e. strength and weaknesses in judging the events and results of the privatization process in Croatia. Strength of the overall privatization process can be mostly ascribed to the institutional swiftness on micro as well as on macro level. On the micro level 80% of the companies were formally privatized in the first two years despite unfavorable external conditions comprising the economic consequences of war. On the macro level it took approximately three years to restructure and downsize CPF majority ownership in 2700 companies to majority ownership in just 70 companies. Overall weakness of the restructuring process is concentrated in a painfully slow emergence of sound business activity in market environment. The economic inefficiency of this model is reflected in the substitution of modern entrepreneurial capitalism, which was hoped for with retrograde rent seeking capitalism, typical of early capitalism in its transition from a feudal to an industrial environment two centuries ago. Instead of efficiency and development, it is characterized by the drain of liquid capital through inflated debts, false reserves and falsified claims and the tunneling of constant capital through "soft" loans into tax havens outside the country. Therefore, the solution is not to deal with the consequences, which are evident in various affairs that are treated as individual deviations of the more or less good model of privatization. The problem lies in the model itself.
Rents in property rights creation and implementation
Authors: Zarkovic Jelena
Published: October 2006

The institution of property rights is increasingly being recognized as an essential building block of an economically prosperous society. The question that remains unanswered however, is how do we develop effective property rights institutions? The literature dealing with the development of property rights tends to be, in general, overly optimistic since there is a tendency to view the design of property rights institutions as optimizing decisions to economize on transaction costs and to facilitate new economic activities. On the other hand, since property rights define the distribution of wealth and political power in a society changes in property rights structures are likely to be influenced by more than pure efficiency considerations. Therefore, in order to achieve a balanced analysis of the evolution of property rights institutions our article introduces the state in the whole process. Following the propositions of the interest group theory of government we show an important relationship between rent seeking and state involvement in property rights creation. The state with a coercive power to establish and enforce property rights can also use that power, through the process of economic regulation, to redistribute property rights to politically influential interest groups. Herein lies the state failure in property rights creation.
Praxeology and the firm: a contribution to the Austrian redefinition of the economic organization problem
Authors: Jankovic Ivan
Published: October 2006

The aim of this paper is to syntetize theory of entrepreneurship of the Austrian School of economics with the contractual theory of the firm. Transaction cost theory of Ronald Coase and his followers holds that the firm is the organization with dominant component of ordering, while market is defined by competition and rivalry. But, market also includes interdependency and cooperation, such as in the case of cartel. Therefore non-competitive forms of economic coordination are not specificity for the firm, and can be observed in the open market as well. Agency theory rejects the notion of the firm as a hierarchy, and it is based on completeness of knowledge and contract. Theory of entrepreneurship and monetary calculation of Austrian School enables us to integrate contractual theory into the theoretical setting characterized by uncertainty, information asymmetry and positive transaction costs.
Crystallization of isotactic polypropylene: the effect of fiber surface
Authors: Bogoeva-Gaceva Gordana , Grozdanov Anita
Published: October 2006

Different quantitative approaches enabling the determination of the basic parameters of polymer crystallization were applied to characterize the isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization of homo- and MAH-modified PP in the presence of glass and carbon fibers. Depending on the type of surface treatment and the surface morphology, the fibers were shown to exhibit different nucleation effects, which further influenced the course of the crystallization process. The results obtained by DSC and POM were evaluated using the induction time approach, interfacial energy parameters method, as well as the method for determination of the work of heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation in polymer systems with additives.
Vanadium(III)chloride complexes of 1,2-bis-(5-H/methyl/chloro/nitro- 1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-1,2-ethanediols
Authors: Tavman Aydin
Published: October 2006

The complexes of 1,2-bis-(5-H/methyl/chloro/nitro-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-1,2-ethanediols (L1-L4) with VCl3 were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses molar conductivity, FTIR and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The ligands act as bidentate coordinating through both of the hydroxyl group oxygen atoms in the complexes. The ionic and diamagnetic complexes have the empirical formula [V(L)2]Cl 3. The [V(L4)2]Cl 3 complex has two isomeric structures according to the 1H-NMR spectral data.
Corrosion potential of 304 stainless steel in sulfuric acid
Authors: Jegdic Bore , Drazic Dragutin , Popic Jovan
Published: October 2006

The potentiodynamic study of the electrochemical behavior of austenitic 304 stainless steel in deaerated aqueous sulfuric acid of pH 1 revealed that the steel achieved a stable corrosion potential of ca. - 0.350 V (SCE) independent of whether the electrode had previously been cathodically "activated" or anodically passivated. It was also shown that the experimentally observed anodic peak was not the usually obtained anodic passivation peak, as is the case with a number of metal, but an artifact due to the anodic oxidation of hydrogen absorbed during the previously employed cathodic polarization and hydrogen evolution, intended to activate the initially passive surface, or even hydrogen absorbed on the open circuit potential. It was shown that this potential establishes and electrochemical corrosion potential of the Wagner-Traud type due to the evolution of cathodic hydrogen on a passivated steel surface and anodic metal dissolution through the passive layer. It was impossible to activate 304 stainless steel in sulfuric acid of pH 1 by cathodic polarization, and the usually observed anodic peak obtained under these conditions should not be considered as an active metal dissolution process and a passivation anodic peak, but rather as an artifact due to the electrochemical oxidation of the in the steel absorbed hydrogen.
Extraction of 137Cs from cetraria islandica lichen with water
Authors: Cuculovic Ana , Veselinovic Dragan , Miljanic Scepan
Published: October 2006

Extraction of 137Cs sorbed in samples of C. islandica using distilled water was investigated. An equation desrcribing the reduction of the 137Cs content in a dry lichen sample by the number of water volumes used for successive extractions was defined. The possibilities of the existence of two different types of 137Cs sorption in the lichen was established.
Synthesis of new 3-(2-aminothiazol-4-yl)-4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one derivatives
Authors: Sukdolak S. , Vukovic N. , Solujic S. , Milosev M. , Manojlovic N. , Krstic Lj.
Published: October 2006

Aminothiazole derivatives of 4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one were prepared by the Hantzsch reaction1 using 3-(2-bromoacetyl)-4-hydroxy-2H-chromen-2-one and thiourea derivatives. Starting compound for this synthesis 3-(2-bromoacetyl)-4-hydroxy- 2H-chromen-2-one (1) was prepared previously.2 Also, for this synthesis we used thiourea derivatives (2a-j) as compounds which possess groups with biological activity. Reactions are carried out in refluxing ethanol for a period of 30 - 45 min. Final products (3a-j) are obtained in a high yield. Chemical structure of the obtained compounds was confirmed by elemental and structural analysis (IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy).
New evidence of transient complex oscillations in a closed, well-stirred belousov-zhabotinsky system
Authors: Kolar-Anic Ljiljana , Blagojevic Slavica , Pejic Natasa , Begovic Nebojsa , Blagojevic Stevan , Anic Slobodan
Published: October 2006

Some new experimental evidence of complex irregular oscillations in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction realized in a batch reactor is presented. The results were obtained under relatively low cerium and malonic acid concentrations. One-dimensional maps were used for general discussion, and particularly, for the influence of noise on the evolution of the oscillations.
Reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography of some angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and their active metabolites
Authors: Odovic Jadranka , Stojimirovic Biljana , Aleksic Mirjana , Milojkovic-Opsenica Dusanka , Tesic Zivoslav
Published: October 2006

The chromatographic behaviour of some ACE inhibitors and their active metabolites was examined under conditions of reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography on RP-18 silica using water-methanol, water-ethanol and water-acetone as binary solvent systems. The relationship between the R M values and the concentration of organic modifier in the mobile phases was linear. It was found that an increase in the content of the organicmodifier in the employed solvent systems led to a decrease of the R M values, i.e., of the retention. Also, the more hydrophobic compounds had a longer retention. Based on regression analysis of the plots, the lipophilicity parameters R M 0 and c 0 were calculated. The chromatographically obtained lipophilicity parameters were correlated with the calculated log P values.
Influence of decyl glucoside on the electrodeposition of tin
Authors: Charrouf Mohamed , Bakkali Said , Cherkaoui Mohammed , Amrani Mahassin
Published: October 2006

The aim of the present study was to improve an electrochemical deposition bath for tin coating an acidic sulphate medium by addition of decyl glucoside. The effects of this additve on the deposition kinetics were examined by electrochemical methods, namely voltammetry and galvanostatic tin-layer formation, while scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis allowed the determination of the morphological and structural modifications resulting from the addition of this new surface active agent. The presence of the examined additive induced an increase of the activation energy and of the overvoltage of the reduction of stannous ions. From the morphological point of view, a marked decrease in the grain size of the deposit was achieved in the presence of the additive. The preferential crystal growth axes was also changed from Sn (200) without additive to Sn (112) with the additive.
Influence of the preparation conditions on the synthesis, structure and thermal properties of LaSrCo1-xMnxO4
Authors: Zhong H. , Zeng X.R.
Published: October 2006

A series of LaSrCo1-xMnxO4 (x=0.1, 0.3, 0.5) mixed oxides with a perovskite-type structure were successfully synthesized at fairly low temperatures in air by the decompositon of amorphous citric and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid complexes. The obtained mixed oxides were characterized by means of XRD, BET, DTA, DTG, XPS analyses. The results show that the precursor can be completely decomposed into oxide at temperatures below 500?C. The decomposed species equisisted of LaSrCo1-xMnxO4 mixed oxides and formed a perovskite-type structure after calcination at 650?C for 6h. The influence of the calcination temperature on the particle size, the microstrain density and the specific surface area was much more significant than that of the calcination time. The intensity of the characteristic peak of Co2+ decresed with increasing manganese content in the LaSrCo1-xMnxO4 (x=0.1, 0.3, 0.5) mixed oxides. The binding energies of Mn 2p3/2 in the mixed oxides reveal that themanganese wasmainly in the Mn3+ state, which indicates that the influence of the calcination temperature and Mn content on the binding energies of Mn 2p3/2 was very weak.
Nanofabrication of planar split ring resonators for negative refractive index metamaterials in the infrared range
Authors: Jaksic Zoran , Vasiljevic-Radovic Dana , Maksimovic Milan , Sarajlic Milija , Djuric Zoran
Published: October 2006

Experimental nanofabrication of planar structures for one-dimensional metamaterials designed to achieve a negative effective refractive index in the mid-infrared range (5-10 micrometers) was performed. Double split ring and complementary double split ring resonators (SRR and CSRR) with square and circular geometries, were chosen to be fabricated since these are the basic building blocks to achieve a negative effective dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability. Scanning probe nanolithography with z-scanner movement was used to fabricate straight-line and curvilinear segments with a line width of 80-120 nm. The geometries were delineated in 20 nm thin silver layers sputter-deposited on a positive photoresist substrate spin-coated on polished single crystal silicon wafers, as well as on polycarbonate slabs. The morphology of the structures was characterized by atomic force microscopy. The feature repeatibility was 60-150 nm, depending on the process conditions and the feature complexity. The nanolithographic groove depth in different samples ranged from 4 nm to 80 nm.
Academic Cheating in Austria, Portugal, Romania and Spain: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Teixeira Aurora A.C. , Rocha Maria Fátima
Published: October 2006

The empirical evaluation of academic cheating has been almost exclusively focused on the US context. Little is known about cheating in European universities. This article aims to contribute further evidence on this highly relevant phenomenon afflicting higher education throughout Europe. Based on a large sample of undergraduate students of Economics and Management in Austria, Portugal, Romania and Spain, the authors estimated an econometric model and controlled for a variety of factors most likely to influence the probability of cheating (e.g. student characteristics, location, grades). It was found that (1) the likelihood of copying increases when the expected benefit from copying is positive; (2) in copying-favourable environments, the students' propensity to copy tends to be higher; (3) the greater and more serious the perceived sanctions, the fewer the incentives students have to perpetrate dishonest behaviours; (4) in schools where ‘codes of honour’ exist, the propensity to copy among students is lower; and (5) the propensity to copy seems to be influenced by the countries' education systems and social factors – for instance, Portuguese students are less prone to fraudulent behaviour, whereas Spanish students are more likely to cheat than their Austrian counterparts; no significant difference was found between Austrian and Romanian students.
Higher Education in Israel at a Crossroads: The Effect of Regional Colleges on the Map of Higher Education in Israel
Authors: Davidovitch Nitza , Iram Yaacov
Published: October 2006

A historical review of institutions of higher education in Israel reveals far-reaching changes in all aspects of higher education since the first university was established in Mandatory Palestine in 1925, the most salient of these being the increasing demand for higher education in recent decades. This study attempts to determine whether the present system of higher education in Israel is progressing toward a binary system, characterized by a clear division of labor between universities and colleges directed toward different target populations, or whether development is oriented toward a converging system, with the various academic institutions growing more similar to one another. The findings of the study, based on a survey of students at two distinct institutions, confirm that a similar model operates in both types of higher education institutions, according to which students' sense of academic success is the product of a student-centric learning process. In this process, organizational attributes, including orientation, experience and social and academic climates, interplay with student demographic and psychosocial attributes, including self-efficacy, to produce students' sense of academic success.
QuantitativeEMtechniques
Authors: Lucocq John M.
Published: October 2006

This article reviews current methods for quantification from profiles of biological structures displayed on thin sections in electron microscopy. These methods use appropriate sampling combined with design‐based approaches to estimate the number and sizes of cellular structures or compartments and also to quantify particulate immunolabelling of molecular components.
Glycosylation and hepatacellular carcinoma
Authors: Mehta Anand
Published: October 2006

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the 5
th
most common cancer, but the 3
rd
leading cause of cancer death, in the world, with more than 500,000 fatalities annually. The major etiology of HCC/liver cancer in people is hepatitis B virus (HBV), followed by hepatitis C virus infection (HCV), although non‐viral causes also play a role in a minority of cases. Changes in N‐linked glycosylation are known to occur during the development of cancer. For example, increased branching of oligosaccharides has been associated with metastasis and has been correlated to tumor progression in human cancers of the breast, colon and melanomas. Changes in glycosylation have also been associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The most notable change is an increase in the level of core alpha 1,6 linked fucosylation of AFP. In HCC and in tesiticular cancer, the glycosylation of AFP shifts from a simple biantennary glycan to an alpha 1,6 linked core fucosylated biantennary glycan. Although the molecular mechanism of increased fucosylation in HCC is not clear, it known that the increase is not restricted to AFP. Results from several groups have indicated that other liver derived glycoproteins such as alpha 1 acid glycoprotein, and alpha 1 anti‐trypsin also become fucosylated with the development of HCC and a recent study has proposed that these glycoforms may be valuable biomarkers of HCC. However, a comprehensive comparative analysis of all the fucosylated glycoproteins in HCC patients has not been performed. This type of study has been limited due to the absence of a suitable technology to allow the examination of large pools of unknown proteins. With the advent of sensitive glycan analysis and proteomic technologies, the ability to comprehensively identify all the fucosylated proteins in patients with HCC and to identify those proteins for the development of diagnostic markers is now a possibility.
The
PRINTS
protein fingerprint database: functional and evolutionary applications
Authors: Attwood Teresa K. , Mitchell Alexander L. , Gaulton Anna , Moulton Georgina , Tabernero Lydia
Published: October 2006

The PRINTS database is a compendium of protein fingerprints used to assign uncharacterized sequences to known families and hence to infer tentative functions. Fingerprints are groups of conserved sequence motifs that together provide diagnostic family signatures – the diagnostic potency of fingerprints derives both from the mutual context afforded by matching motif neighbours (a feature that cannot be exploited by single‐motif approaches), and from the hierarchical nature of the family analysis, which highlights the often‐subtle differences that constitute the functional determinants between closely‐related families and their subfamilies. In addition to its use as a signature resource, and the development of an automatic supplement, prePRINTS, we describe here other features that distinguish PRINTS from, and render it complementary to, related protein family databases; we also outline its application to investigations of evolutionary relationships and functional site predictions in complex gene families, such as ion channels, G protein‐coupled receptors and phosphatases.
PANTHER
: Protein families and subfamilies modeled on the divergence of function
Authors: Thomas Paul D.
Published: October 2006

Protein Analysis Through Evolutionary Relationships PANTHER is a resource that defines a molecular taxonomy of proteins, and relates this taxonomy to computational representations of function, spanning molecular functions, biological processes, and biochemical pathways. In this way, PANTHER provides an infrastructure for exploring the relationships between protein sequence evolution and evolution of function at both the molecular and pathway levels. Proteins are grouped into families, and the relationships between sequences in each family are represented as a phylogenetic tree. The trees are constructed using sequence conservation‐based distances that may reflect the functional constraints, over evolutionary time, on proteins of the same or similar functions. The current version of PANTHER contains calculated trees for over 5000 protein families, spanning over 80% of the protein‐coding genes in mammalian genomes and their known relatives from all kingdoms of life. Expert biologists have divided these families into over 30 000 subfamilies (clades), where each subfamily comprises proteins that share a distinct function. Subfamilies therefore represent the functional divergence (or “cooption”) events that occurred during the family's evolutionary history. Each subfamily is associated, when possible, with ontology terms that describe the functions of its constituent proteins and, increasingly, with components in biochemical pathways. In addition, the sequences in each family and subfamily are represented as a statistical amino acid “signature”, allowing classification of new sequences, and exploration of the relationships between protein sequence and function. PANTHER is freely available at
http://www.pantherdb.org
, where users can submit protein sequences for classifications, search, and browse the classifications and trees, and employ computational tools to analyze their own data, such as gene expression data and genetic mutation data, in the context of protein families and functions.
An IMM algorithm with federated information mode‐matched filters for AGV
Authors: Kim Yong‐Shik , Hong Keum‐Shik
Published: October 2006

In this paper, a tracking algorithm for autonomous navigation of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) is presented. The developed navigation algorithm is an interacting multiple‐model (IMM) algorithm used to detect other AGVs using fused information from multiple sensors. In order to detect other AGVs, two kinematic models were derived: A constant‐velocity model for linear motion, and a constant‐speed turn model for curvilinear motion. In the constant‐speed turn model, a nonlinear information filter (IF) is used in place of the extended Kalman filter (KF). Being equivalent to the KF algebraically, the IF is extended toN‐sensor distributed dynamic systems. The model‐matched filter used in multi‐sensor environments takes the form of a federated nonlinear IF. In multi‐sensor environments, the information‐based filter is easier to decentralize, initialize, and fuse than a KF‐based filter. In this paper, the structural features and information‐sharing principle of the federated IF are discussed. The performance of the suggested algorithm using a Monte Carlo simulation is evaluated under the three navigation patterns. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dendritic Gels—Many Arms Make Light Work
Authors: Smith D. K.
Published: October 2006

Dendrimers and dendrons are a unique class of molecular‐scale building blocks for the construction of nanostructured materials. This article provides an accessible overview of the ways in which the unique architectural feature of molecular‐scale branching can endow gel‐phase materials with tunability and a high density of functionality. This makes these structures ideal for the construction of multiply crosslinked covalent gels, and also for the self‐assembly of multiply bound non‐covalent (supramolecular) gels. The unique properties and potential applications of these types of material are discussed.
Quality Counts
Authors: Flanagan D. , Wylie L.
Published: October 2006

Quality of information: As another exciting year in materials science draws to a conclusion, this Editorial surveys the topics making an impact and the advances the journal has made in maintaining our commitment to bringing our readers the very best in materials research.
Biomass gasification in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor: Experiments and modeling
Authors: Radmanesh Ramin , Chaouki Jamal , Guy Christophe
Published: October 2006

A model is presented for the gasification of beech wood particles in a bubbling fluidized bed gasifier (BFBG). The model encompasses the hydrodynamics of the solid and gas phases as well as the different reaction kinetics. It also accounts for the freeboard where additional homogeneous reactions take place. The influential impact of the pyrolysis step on the final composition of produced fuel gas was demonstrated by applying two different kinetic models for pyrolysis. Model results are compared with the experimental work of this study and other published results on wood gasification in BFBG. Effects of equivalence ratio (ER), steam to biomass ratio (SB), bed temperature, feed location, and mass transfer between the countercurrent regions (Kw) on the gas composition of product fuel gas are studied. The model shows good agreement with the experimental results. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Characterization of a novel deletion causing (δβ)0‐thalassemia in a Thai family
Authors: Svasti Saovaros , Paksua Surachate , Nuchprayoon Issarang , Winichagoon Pranee , Fucharoen Suthat
Published: October 2006

A novel deletion of the human β‐globin gene cluster associated with the increased level of fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) in adult life has been demonstrated in a Thai family. A Thai girl who was mistakenly diagnosed as β‐thalassemia/HbE is found to be the compound heterozygote of this mutation and Hb E. The heterozygous father had mild hypochromic and microcytic red blood cells and a high level of Hb F (23.2%). Polymorphic restriction sites in the β‐globin gene cluster identified the homozygous alleles, which localized the deletion region between the ψβ‐globin and the 3′ β‐globin genes. DNA polymerase that can amplify a long DNA template was employed to examine DNA fragment encompassing this deletion. A 11.3 kilobases (kb) of DNA deletion, beginning ∼3.1 kb 5′ to the δ‐globin gene and end in the intron 2 of the β‐globin gene was detected. DNA analysis revealed that this is a case of (δβ)0‐thalassemia with a novel mutation, which can lead to a mild form of β‐thalassemia upon interaction with Hb E. Am. J. Hematol., 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Management of cancer‐associated thrombotic microangiopathy: What is the right approach?
Authors: Werner Theresa L. , Agarwal Neeraj , Carney Heather M. , Rodgers George M.
Published: October 2006

A 49‐year‐old Caucasian woman presented with features suggestive of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). She did not respond to treatment with repeated plasma exchange and corticosteroids. A bone marrow biopsy revealed presence of metastatic carcinoma. A limited autopsy revealed presence of breast cancer with rib metastases. Though severe deficiency of von Willebrand factor‐cleaving protease was initially proposed as a key pathogenetic factor for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, subsequent studies involving patients with cancer‐associated TMA did not find as severe a deficiency of von Willebrand factor‐cleaving protease as is seen in idiopathic cases of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Here we address one approach of management of these patients with cancer‐associated TMA. Am. J. Hematol., 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Post‐appendectomy thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: A case report and review of the literature
Authors: Robertson Mandy D. , Zumberg Marc
Published: October 2006

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a syndrome characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia with varying degrees of renal dysfunction, neurologic signs and symptoms, and fever. Evidence has supported that a large proportion of cases of acquired TTP are due to the accumulation of ultralarge von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimers due to an acquired deficiency in the vWF cleaving protease, ADAMTS‐13. TTP is rare in the post‐surgical setting but is best described after cardiothoracic and vascular surgeries. We present a case of postoperative TTP first presenting with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia 9 days after emergent appendectomy for a ruptured appendix. ADAMTS‐13 and factor H levels returned normal and an ADAMTS‐13 inhibitor was not identified. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of postoperative TTP after an appendectomy and the first report with correlative ADAMTS‐13 data. Plasma exchange with fresh frozen plasma followed by cryopoor plasma, along with steroids resulted in eventual remission of TTP in our patient. Early postoperative diagnosis and aggressive management with consideration of initiation of plasma exchange is imperative to decrease the morbidity and morality associated with TTP. Am. J. Hematol., 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mutation screen of the GAD2 gene and association study of alcoholism in three populations
Authors: Lappalainen Jaakko , Krupitsky Evgeny , Kranzler Henry R. , Luo Xingguang , Remizov Mikhail , Pchelina Sofia , Taraskina Anastaisa , Zvartau Edwin , Räsanen Pirkko , Makikyro Taru , Somberg Lucia K. , Krystal John H. , Stein Murray B. , Gelernter Joel
Published: October 2006

Synaptic actions of γ‐amino butyric acid (GABA) have been implicated in many facets of ethanol's effects and risk for alcoholism. We examined whether variation in glutamate decarboxylase‐2 (GAD2), a gene encoding for a major enzyme in the synthesis of GABA, contributes to risk of alcohol dependence (AD). We screened GAD2 for sequence variants using dHPLC in a population of 96 individuals. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including four rare non‐synonymous polymorphisms, were identified. Thirteen SNPs located in the GAD2 gene were genotyped in a sample of 113 Russian males with AD and 100 Russian male controls. These analyses revealed a modest association between the functional GAD2 −243 A > G SNP (rs2236418) and AD (allele P = 0.038, genotype P = 0.008). An additional sample of 138 Russian males with AD were genotyped for the GAD2 −243 A > G. These analyses supported an association of this polymorphism with AD (combined sample allele P = 0.038, genotype P = 0.0009). We extended these findings to additional populations: a sample of 538 college students assessed using the AUDIT and a sample of European–American (EA) AD subjects (n = 235) and controls (n = 310). Analyses in these populations did not support a role for GAD2 in alcoholism. In summary, the results of an extensive search for an association of GAD2 with AD suggest that variation in GAD2 is not a major risk factor for AD in EAs. The functional promoter GAD2 −243 A > G variant may influence risk for AD in some populations, or its role may be limited to susceptibility to severe AD. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Schizotypal dimensions: An intermediate phenotype associated with the COMT high activity allele
Authors: Schürhoff Franck , Szöke Andrei , Chevalier Fabien , Roy Isabelle , Méary Alexandre , Bellivier Frank , Giros Bruno , Leboyer Marion
Published: October 2006

Background: Although catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) has long been suggested to be implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, association studies have generated discrepant results concerning the involvement of the COMT gene in schizophrenia. As several studies have suggested that schizotypal traits might be genetically related to schizophrenia, increased statistical power to detect gene effects could be obtained by using dimensional personality traits in unaffected relatives. Methods: We tested the hypothesis that the functional Val158Met COMT polymorphism might contribute to the variance of self‐reported schizotypal scores in a sample of 106 unaffected subjects, composed of controls (N = 57), first‐degree relatives of schizophrenic (N = 27) and of bipolar (N = 22) probands. We also looked for specific associations between COMT polymorphisms and the three dimensions of schizotypy (positive, negative, disorganized) assessed by the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). Results: We found that self‐reported SPQ scores are related to COMT genotype (P = 0.01), with individuals homozygous for the high activity allele having the highest scores. This association is primarily due to specific associations with the positive (P = 0.001) and negative (P = 0.04) dimensions. Conclusions: Our data support the hypothesis that the functional COMT polymorphism could be involved in different psychotic dimensions. This confirms that studying specific schizotypal dimensions can help to identify the genes involved in the pathogenesis of psychosis. Copyright © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company
Ketoreduction in Mycolactone Biosynthesis: Insight into Substrate Specificity and Stereocontrol from Studies of Discrete Ketoreductase Domains in vitro
Authors: Bali Shilpa , Weissman Kira J.
Published: October 2006

Mycolactone, a polyketide toxin responsible for the extensive tissue destruction seen in Buruli ulcer, is assembled on a modular polyketide synthase (PKS). Despite operating on structurally different intermediates during synthesis, many of the ketoreductase (KR) domains of the mycolactone (MLS) PKS have identical sequences. This suggests that these enzymes might exhibit an unusually high level of substrate promiscuity. However, we show here that when recombinant mycolactone KR domains are tested with a range of surrogate substrates, their specificity closely matches that of KR domains derived from other PKS systems. In addition, our findings reinforce the role of substrate tethering for achieving stereochemical control in modular PKSs by affecting the delicate energetics of ketoreduction.
Synthesis and Characterization of Oligodeoxynucleotides Containing Naphthyridine:Imidazopyridopyrimidine Base Pairs at their Sticky Ends. Application as Thermally Stabilized Decoy Molecules
Authors: Hikishima Sadao , Minakawa Noriaki , Kuramoto Kazuyuki , Ogata Shintaro , Matsuda Akira
Published: October 2006

We describe the synthesis and properties of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing 1,8‐naphthyridine C‐nucleoside (Na‐NO) and imidazo[5′,4′:4,5]pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine nucleoside (Im‐ON) at the termini. The modified ODNs were more resistant (6 to 40 times) than natural DNA to snake venom phosphodiesterase (SVPD). Although incorporation of one pair each of Na‐NO:Im‐ON on the sticky ends of the duplex was insufficient for thermal stabilization (+2.5 °C per pair relative to the G:C pair), the duplex containing two consecutive Na‐NO:Im‐ON pairs at its sticky ends was markedly stabilized thermally. The stabilizing effect of the incorporation of additional Na‐NO:Im‐ON pairs is estimated to be +7.8 °C per pair. Application as thermally stabilized decoy molecules to NF‐κB (p50) was also demonstrated. The DNA duplexes containing the Na‐NO:Im‐ON pairs (ODN I:ODN II and ODN III:ODN IV) acted as competitors to the natural NF‐κB‐binding duplex (ODN V: ODN VI), and the calculated IC50 values of ODN I:ODN II and ODN III:ODN IV were 20.1±13.3 and 10.9±4.8 nM, respectively, greater than that of ODN V:ODN VI.
Nanostructured Thermosensitive Polymers with Radical Scavenging Ability
Authors: Zhou Guangchang , Harruna Issifu I. , Zhou Weilie L. , Aicher Wilhelm K. , Geckeler Kurt E.
Published: October 2006

The thermosensitive [60]fullerene end‐capped poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) was successfully synthesized by the reaction of C60 with dithiobenzoate‐terminated poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide), which was prepared by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) polymerization in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN). Its structure was determined by FTIR, UV/Vis, and carbon and proton NMR spectroscopy as well as by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The novel fullerenated polymer retained the thermosensitivity of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide). Moreover, it is soluble in water and most of the common organic solvents. Interestingly, it was able to form nanoparticle clusters in methanol and exhibited significant radical scavenging ability in cell viability and metabolic activity tests with fibroblasts and NOR‐3 radicals.
The N‐soliton of the focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation for N large
Authors: Lyng Gregory D. , Miller Peter D.
Published: October 2006

We present a detailed analysis of the solution of the focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation with initial condition ψ(x, 0) = N sech(x) in the limit N → ∞. We begin by presenting new and more accurate numerical reconstructions of the N‐soliton by inverse scattering (numerical linear algebra) for N = 5, 10, 20, and 40. We then recast the inverse‐scattering problem as a Riemann‐Hilbert problem and provide a rigorous asymptotic analysis of this problem in the large‐N limit. For those (x, t) where results have been obtained by other authors, we improve the error estimates from O(N−1/3) to O(N−1). We also analyze the Fourier power spectrum in this regime and relate the results to the optical phenomenon of supercontinuum generation. We then study the N‐soliton for values of (x, t) where analysis has not been carried out before, and we uncover new phenomena. The main discovery of this paper is the mathematical mechanism for a secondary caustic (phase transition), which turns out to differ from the mechanism that generates the primary caustic. The mechanism for the generation of the secondary caustic depends essentially on the discrete nature of the spectrum of the N‐soliton. Moreover, these results evidently cannot be recovered from an analysis of an ostensibly similar “condensed‐pole” Riemann‐Hilbert problem. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
CCLRC Portal infrastructure to support research facilities
Authors: Akram Asif , Chohan Dharmesh , Meredith David , Allan Rob
Published: October 2006

The emergence of portal technology is providing benefits in developing portlet interfaces to applications to meet the current and future requirements of CCLRC facilities support. Portlets can be reused by different projects, e.g. the high‐profile Integrative Biology project (with the University of Oxford), and in different Java Specification Request 168 Portlet Specification (JSR 168) compliant portal frameworks. Deployment and maintenance of applications developed as portlets becomes easier and manageable. A community process is already beginning and many portal frameworks come with free‐to‐use useful portlets. As rendering is carried out in the framework, applications can be easily accessible and internationalized. Portlets are compatible with J2EE, thus providing additional capabilities required in the service‐oriented architecture (SOA). We also describe how Web service gateways can be used to provide many of the functionalities encapsulated in a portal server in a way to support Grid applications. Portals used as a rich client can allow users to customize or personalize their user interfaces and even their workflow and application access. CCLRC facilities will be able to leverage the work so far carried out on the National Grid Service (NGS) and e‐HTPX portals, as they are fully functional and have received detailed user feedback. This demonstrates the usefulness of providing advanced capabilities for e‐Research and having the associated business logic in a SOA loosely coupled from the presentation layer for an Integrated e‐Science Environment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HPC‐Europa single point of access as a framework for building science gateways
Authors: Oleksiak Ariel , Tullo Alisdair , Graham Paul , Kuczyński Tomasz , Nabrzyski Jarek , Szejnfeld Dawid , Sloan Terry
Published: October 2006

One of the goals of the HPC‐Europa project is to provide users with a single point of access (SPA) to the resources of HPC centers in Europe. To this end, the HPC‐Europa portal is being built to provide transparent, uniform, flexible and intuitive user access to HPC‐Europa resources. This portal will hide the underlying complexity and heterogeneity of these resources and the services that provide access to them. Since the computational environment of HPC‐Europa is strongly heterogeneous, even in terms of the deployed Grid middleware, we need a mechanism that maps a uniform graphical user interface to the functionality provided by services available in the institutions belonging to the HPC‐Europa consortium. In addition, accounting information has to be stored and provided on demand for both limiting resource usage and charging purposes in the HPC‐Europa infrastructure. The important goal of the SPA is also to provide the means to support user access to specific applications. This should make access to Grid infrastructures easier for end‐users. Both mechanisms (generic and application‐specific interfaces), along with additional tools, will combine to provide flexible and efficient software for building science gateways for researchers in various domains. In this paper, we describe the architecture of the SPA, which is based on the GridSphere portal framework. We present a mechanism for enabling end‐users to transparently access services available in the HPC‐Europa environment. The uniform job submission interface that uses this mechanism and is based on the Job Specification Description Language (JSDL) is presented. The mechanism supporting development of application‐specific user interfaces is also described. Finally, we discuss relevant issues and interoperability problems connected with the development of the SPA, in particular those concerning job submission, security and accounting. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A component‐based nuclear power plant simulator kernel
Authors: Díaz Manuel , Garrido Daniel , Romero Sergio , Rubio Bartolomé , Soler Enrique , Troya José M.
Published: October 2006

This paper presents a nuclear power plant simulator kernel based on the high‐performance computing‐oriented Common Component Architecture (CCA). The approach takes advantage of both the component‐based software development and the efficient execution of parallel simulation models. The use of components improves the software life cycle and facilitates the development, maintenance and evolution of the simulator kernel, which can be adapted to different execution scenarios. Data dependencies among simulation models are resolved automatically by means of a novel algorithm, releasing the programmer from this tedious task and, as a result, making the development process easier. This work introduces the main features of the simulator kernel, describing concepts and the model on which it is based. Some preliminary results are shown that anticipate the feasibility and suitability of the proposal. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A AAAA model to support science gateways with community accounts
Authors: Welch Von , Barlow Jim , Basney James , Marcusiu Doru , Wilkins‐Diehr Nancy
Published: October 2006

Science gateways have emerged as a concept for allowing large numbers of users in communities to easily access high‐performance computing resources which previously required a steep learning curve to utilize. In order to reduce the complexity of managing access for these communities, which can often be large and dynamic, the concept of community accounts is being considered. This paper proposes a security model for community accounts, organized by the four As of security: Authentication, Authorization, Auditing and Accounting. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Neutron Science TeraGrid Gateway: a TeraGrid science gateway to support the Spallation Neutron Source
Authors: Cobb John W. , Geist Al , Kohl James A. , Miller Stephen D. , Peterson Peter F. , Pike Gregory G. , Reuter Michael A. , Swain Tom , Vazhkudai Sudharshan S. , Vijayakumar Nithya N.
Published: October 2006

The National Science Foundation's Extensible Terascale Facility (ETF), or TeraGrid (http://www.teragrid.org/), is entering its operational phase. An example of an ETF science gateway effort is the Neutron Science TeraGrid Gateway (NSTG). The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) resource provider effort (ORNL‐RP) now in operation is bridging the gap between a large‐scale experimental community and the TeraGrid as a large‐scale national cyberinfrastructure. Of particular importance here is the collaboration with the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at ORNL. The U.S. Department of Energy's SNS (http://www.sns.gov/) at ORNL will be commissioned in the spring of 2006 as the world's brightest source of neutrons. Neutron science users can run experiments, generate datasets, perform data reduction, analysis, visualize results, collaborate with remotes users, and archive long‐term data in repositories with curation services. The ORNL‐RP and the SNS data analysis group have spent 18 months developing and exploring user requirements, including the creation of prototypical services such as a facility portal, data, and application execution services. We describe results from these efforts and discuss implications for science gateway creation. Finally, we show incorporation into implementation planning for the NSTG and SNS architectures. The plan is for a primarily portal‐based user interaction supported by a service‐oriented architecture for functional implementation. Published in 2006 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Towards an architecture for component‐oriented parallel programming
Authors: Carvalho Junior F. H. , Lins R. D. , Corrêa R. C. , Araújo G. A.
Published: October 2006

The # component model was proposed to meet the growing demands of new complex applications of science and engineering that require productive and efficient use of high‐performance computing architectures. This paper presents the principles, intuition, and theories underlying the # component model, and the design of an architecture for programming frameworks that comply to the # component model. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.