bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GreenLight laser prostatectomy: a safe and effective treatment for bladder outlet obstruction by prostate cancer
Authors: Liberale Fabiola , Muir Gordon Hugh , Walsh Killian , Krishnamoorthy Rajbabu
Published: November 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Although looked on as standard of care there is little published data on the use of “channel TURP” . Those case series that have been published show significant morbidity (in particular stress incontinence) and relatively long hospitalization compared to standard TURP. The use of vaprorising lasers in this patient group has not been addressed.

GreenLight laser is a safe and efficacious treatment for bladder outflow obstruction in men with prostate cancer. Hospitalization is minimal (most were day cases) which we feel is important in men who are often in their last few months. We had no serious complications apart from a few patients with stress incontinence. The stress incontinence rate was dramatically lower than that reported in previous reported series of channel TURP – we are not however able to offer any obvious explanation for that finding.

OBJECTIVE

To present our experience on photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) in a cohort of men with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) by prostate cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 2003 to 2008 we identified 43 patients with prostate cancer treated with PVP.

The patients’ hospital records were comprehensively reviewed to obtain preoperative, intra‐operative and postoperative data.

Inclusion criteria were patients with BOO or urinary retention with a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

RESULTS

Mean operating time was 42 min, mean post‐operative hospital stay was 9.6 h. 32 out of 43 patients were discharged home within 24 h. Twelve patients (28%) did not need post‐operative catheter. Mean and median catheter times were 22 and 21.5 h respectively.

Complications were mild: 1 patient needed bladder irrigation, 3 failed initial TWOC, 1 had early stress incontinence. Three had clot retention.

At 3 months post‐operatively, 41 of 42 evaluable patients were voiding without a catheter. The mean peak flow rate had increased by 80% and a mean residual volume decreased of 49%.

Four patients underwent a second laser treatment. Three had developed further retention between 7 and 23 months post‐operatively and did not want further surgery. The local failure rate at a mean follow up of 22 months was 7 of 39 patients (18%).

CONCLUSION

The present study is the first on PVP applied to patients with prostate cancer.

It is shown that, for patients with CaP bothered by LUTS or retention, GreenLight laser prostatectomy is very safe and gives excellent relief from symptoms, with a good improvement in peak flow rate.
Building social capital for inclusive education: insights from Zanzibar
Authors: McConkey Roy , Mariga Lilian
Published: November 2010

The concept of social capital provided a helpful framework in which to describe the development of a pilot programme to promote inclusive education within Zanzibar. This had involved 20 schools and was supported by an international donor working through a local non‐governmental organisation in partnership with the Ministry of Education. Evaluative interviews were conducted with over 30 stakeholders as part of a video production describing the programme. Thematic content analysis identified four main themes that underpinned the programme's success, namely: parents, local communities, community‐based rehabilitation and health services, and schools. Within each theme, there were various examples of the three processes posited for building social capital: bonding, bridging and linking. By contrast, some of these themes and processes have been less emphasised in more affluent countries, where greater reliance has been placed on financial capital to fund additional resources within schools and educational systems. As this approach becomes no longer sustainable, greater attention will need to be paid to the creation of social capital in attaining more inclusive schools.
Dielectric and Ferroelectric Characterization of Ba0.95Tm0.05TiO3 Ceramics Derived from Sol to Gel
Authors: Cernea Marin , Vasile Bogdan S. , Ganea Paul , Radu Roxana , Mihalache Valentina , Husanu Adrian
Published: November 2010

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) has been doped in situ with 5 mol% thulium by a sol–gel method. The as‐prepared gel powder consists of nanosized grains (20–30 nm) and crystallizes on the cubic BaTiO3 lattice, at 700°C. Ba0.95Tm0.05TiO3 ceramics derived from this powder have tetragonal perovskite structure and contain a small amount of Tm2Ti2O7 pyrochlore phase. These ceramics exhibit dielectric constants of 4282–3240 and dielectric loss (tan δ) of 0.1077–0.0161 at Curie temperature Tc=132°C and at 10 Hz–100 kHz, respectively. For a drive voltage of 400 V, the hysteresis loop recorded at the frequency of 100 Hz shows a remnant polarization (Pr) value of 76 μC/cm2 and a coercive field (Ec) of 124 V and for 1 kHz a remnant polarization (Pr) value of 58 μC/cm2 and a coercive field (Ec) of 116 V.
Synthesis, Structural, and Electrical Properties of Ca‐Modified Ba2TiSi2O8 Ceramics
Authors: Barbar Shiv Kumar , Roy M.
Published: November 2010

Polycrystalline ceramic samples of calcium (Ca2+)‐doped barium titanium silicate mineral (fresnoite) of general formula Ba2−XCaXTiSi2O8, have been prepared by a standard solid‐state reaction method using high‐purity oxides and carbonates. The formation of the single‐phase compound and its structural parameters were investigated by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) followed by Rietveld refinement and scanning electron microscopic techniques. A better agreement between the observed and calculated XRD patterns was obtained by performing the Rietveld refinement with a structural model using the noncentrosymmetric space group P4bm. A better agreement between observed and calculated d‐values also show that the lattice parameters calculated using the Rietveld refinement analysis are better than that of the earlier report so far. The activation energies of the compounds were calculated by measuring their dc electrical conductivities. The activation energy obtained for the pure compound is very high (4.74 eV), which decreases with the increase of doping concentrations. The frequency and temperature‐dependent dielectric behavior of the compound has been studied. The results are discussed in detail.
Dolpopa and Gyaltsab Debate Tathāgatagarbha: Two Distinct Interpretations of Buddha‐Nature in Tibet
Authors: Wangchuk Tsering
Published: November 2010

Buddhists have discussed the concept of enlightenment since the time of the Buddha, but the notion that all sentient beings have buddha‐nature is found in Mahāyāna Buddhism. For the Mahāyāna thinkers, one of the crucial questions at the center of how all beings can achieve enlightenment is this apparent paradox: frailty, ignorance, and delusions presumably exist concomitantly with buddha‐nature in all sentient beings. This article provides a brief survey of the textual history of the buddha‐nature literature followed by an in‐depth discussion of buddha‐nature in the terms set out by two influential Tibetan thinkers, Dolpopa and Gyaltsab; the debate between these thinkers is set in relation to extant discourses of Buddhist ontology, epistemology, and enlightenment within the Tibetan Buddhist scholastic tradition.
Expert‐Built and Collaboratively Constructed Lexical Semantic Resources
Authors: Gurevych Iryna , Wolf Elisabeth
Published: November 2010

Knowledge about words, their meanings, and their relations to other words contained in lexical semantic resources is of particular interest for the automatic processing of human language. In the last decades, expert‐built lexical semantic resources such as WordNet have been utilized in a vast number of natural language processing (NLP) tasks. Recently, collaboratively constructed resources such as the online encyclopedia Wikipedia with its exceptional scale and Wiktionary, a combination of dictionary and thesaurus, have been discovered as valuable substitutes for expert‐built resources. In this study, we first introduce diverse types of lexical semantic resources with respect to their content and structure. We identify the differences between expert‐built and collaboratively constructed resources and compare WordNet, Wiktionary, and Wikipedia. We provide a comprehensive overview of the lexical semantic knowledge therein and discuss their assets and drawbacks. Finally, we review work on orchestrating different resources in order to combine their strengths and explore their use in major NLP applications.
Traces or Copies, or Both – Part II: Introducing Further Considerations
Authors: Takahashi Shoichi
Published: November 2010

In Part II of this two‐part article, we first discuss some proposals that have been advanced to explain the characterization of movement properties that we arrived at by exploring the reconstruction and ellipsis facts in Part I of the article: A’‐movement obligatory leaves behind a copy of a moved element, but A‐movement only optionally does. We also explore three topics that raise various types of issues that provide further insights into the development of the theory of movement: processes of manipulating copies, properties of non‐DP category movement, and phonological manifestations of movement dependencies.
Social Movement Theory Today: Toward a Theory of Action?
Authors: Jasper James M.
Published: November 2010

Grand theories of social movements, relating them to History or Society, are being dismantled and reevaluated. In their place approaches are emerging that offer a cultural and emotional theory of action, allowing analysts to build from the micro‐level to the macro‐level in a more empirical way rather than deductively from the top down. Social movements are composed of individuals and their interactions. Rational‐choice approaches recognize this, but their version of the calculating individual is too abstract to be realistic or helpful. Pragmatism, feminism, and related traditions are encouraging a rethinking of collective action.
Immigrants’ Perceptions of the Police
Authors: Wu Yuning
Published: November 2010

Despite a fast growing immigrant population and the recent intensive debate over immigration law enforcement, research on police‐immigrant relations in general and immigrants’ perceptions of the police in particular remains limited. This article comprehensively reviews existing literature on immigrants’ perceptions of the police. It starts with the value and timeliness of studying immigrants’ attitudes and expectations of the police in today’s multi‐racial, multi‐cultural society. Then the article summarizes findings regarding how immigrants perceive the police and what factors shape their perceptions. Evidence about the effects of both universal factors and factors unique to immigrants on their perceptions of the police is presented. The article concludes with a brief discussion of future research.
Siblings and Spouses in the Context of Culture
Authors: Nuckolls Charles W. , Krishnayya M. V.
Published: November 2010

In South India, siblings are more important than spouses, and the question of marital quality turns on the nature of the relationship between brothers and sisters. Here we examine the implications of a “sociocentric” perspective that does not privilege, in the way Western “egocentric” systems usually do, measures of individual happiness and satisfaction. Instead, the emphasis is on maintaining the solidarity of larger kinship structures, which, in South India, center on clans united by cross‐cousin marriage—that is, marriage of a (male) ego either to his mother's brother's daughter or his father's sister's daughter. The quality of these structures, in turn, depends on the relationship between brothers and sisters, and we therefore conclude that siblings, not spouses, are the social center of gravity in this region.
Drug-use patterns in an intensive care unit of a hospital in Iran: an observational prospective study
Authors: Tavallaee Mahkam , Fahimi Fanak , Kiani Shirin
Published: November 2010

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate drug-use patterns, investigate the factors influencing patient outcome, and determine the cost of drugs utilized in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods

In an observational prospective study, drug prescriptions for 113 patients admitted to the ICU of a hospital in Iran were recorded. The cost of drugs in ICU and the entire hospital was also calculated. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were used to present the results.

Key findings

The mean age of patients was 50.3 years (SD = 20.4). The average ICU stay was 6 days. The mean length of stay was significantly lower in surgical patients compared to medical patients (odds ratio (OR) = 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.84–0.97). Mortality rate was significantly higher among medical patients (OR = 10.5, 95% CI 3.7–29.8). There was a significant positive association between the total number of prescribed drugs or antibiotics received by patients and mortality. Patients received an average of 8.2 drugs at admission, 10.1 drugs during the first 24 h and an average of 14.6 drugs over their entire stay at the ICU. Among drug groups, antibiotics and sedatives were most ordered drugs in ICU.

Conclusions

Antibiotics are responsible for the majority of ICU drug costs. Appropriate selection of antibiotics in terms of type, dose and duration of therapy could tremendously reduce the expenses in hospitals without negatively influencing the quality of healthcare.
Practice and attitudes regarding the management of childhood diarrhoea among pharmacies in Thailand
Authors: Saengcharoen Woranuch , Lerkiatbundit Sanguan
Published: November 2010

Objectives

To compare practice behaviour and attitudes of pharmacy personnel in the management of childhood diarrhoea between type I (requiring a pharmacist to be on duty) and type II (pharmacist not required) pharmacies, between those surveyed in 2008 and in 2001, and between new-generation (graduation ≤10 years) and old-generation (graduation >10 years) pharmacists.

Methods

The setting was 115 pharmacies in a city in the south of Thailand. The study was separated into two phases: a simulated client method to evaluate history taking, drug dispensing and advice giving among pharmacy personnel and a questionnaire to measure attitudes and factors affecting diarrhoea treatment.

Key findings

In the simulated client method study, questions asked and advice given by the providers (the pharmacists or non-pharmacists responding to the simulated clients), especially in type II pharmacies, were insufficient. Only 5.2% of pharmacies correctly dispensed for a child with viral diarrhoea, using oral rehydration salts (ORS) alone. Appropriate ORS dispensing of providers was not affected by shop type, survey time or peer generation. However, 52.2% of providers inappropriately dispensed antibiotics for such illness. In the questionnaire study, 108 completed surveys were obtained (a response rate of 93.9%). The providers working in 2008 more strongly agreed that ORS was effective, safe, used by health professionals and requested by patients, relative to those in 2001 (P < 0.05). No potential factor influencing the actual ORS dispensing was identified. Nevertheless, antibiotic dispensing was affected by beliefs in producing recovery and high profit.

Conclusions

Practice and attitudes of pharmacy personnel were inappropriate in the management of childhood diarrhoea. Revision of the pharmacy curriculum did not result in improvement of practice as seen by the similarity of practice patterns among the 2001 and 2008 samples. Improvement of knowledge and practice behaviour among providers in pharmacies is needed.
Spontaneous Epiglottic Hematoma Secondary to Supratherapeutic Anticoagulation
Authors: Koch Cody A. , Olsen Steven M. , Saleh Amy M. , Orvidas Laura J.
Published: November 2010

Hemorrhage into the soft tissues of the airway represents a potentially life-threatening complication of long-term anticoagulation. We report the case of a chronically anticoagulated 37-year-old male who developed a spontaneous hematoma of the epiglottis secondary to a supra-therapeutic INR. Epiglottic hematoma should be considered in the differential of any anticoagulated patient presenting with upper airway compromise. The airway should be secured in a controlled fashion, and the coagulopathy should be rapidly corrected.
Antibacterial Activity of the Extracts Obtained from Rosmarinus officinalis, Origanum majorana, and Trigonella foenum-graecum on Highly Drug-Resistant Gram Negative Bacilli
Authors: Abdel-Massih Roula , Abdou Elias , Baydoun Elias , Daoud Ziad
Published: November 2010

Our aim was to determine the antimicrobial activity of three selected plants (Rosmarinus officinalis, Origanum majorana, and Trigonella foenum-graecum) against Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL)—producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae—
and to identify the specific plant fraction responsible for the antimicrobial activity. The plants were extracted with ethanol to yield the crude extract which was further subfractionated by different solvents to obtain the petroleum ether, the dichloromethane, the ethyl acetate, and the aqueous fractions. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations (MBC) were determined using broth microdilution. The MICs ranged between 1.25 and 80 . The majority of these microorganisms were inhibited by 80 and 40  of the crude extracts. The petroleum ether fraction of Origanum majorana significantly inhibited 94% of the tested strains. Ethyl acetate extracts of all selected plants exhibited relatively low MICs and could be therefore described as strong antibacterial.
Penile Fracture with Associated Urethral Rupture
Authors: Boncher Nicholas A. , Vricella Gino J. , Jankowski Jason T. , Ponsky Lee E. , Cherullo Edward E.
Published: November 2010

Penile fracture of the erect penis is an uncommon but emergent urological trauma. Potential outcomes include erectile dysfunction, penile curvature, and urethral injury. Treatment is emergent surgical repair. We present the case of a 42-year-old man with a penile fracture complicated by a urethral rupture and subsequent repair. A discussion of the key aspects of this condition is presented.
Biphasic Effect of Phyllanthus emblica L. Extract on NSAID‐InducedUlcer: An Antioxidative Trail Weaved with Immunomodulatory Effect
Authors: Chatterjee Ananya , Chattopadhyay Subrata , Bandyopadhyay Sandip K.
Published: November 2010

Amla (Phyllanthus emblica L.), apart from its food value, can be used as a gastroprotective agent in non steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID)‐induced gastropathy. It has been suggested that the antioxidative property of amla is the key to its therapeutic effect. Hence, on the basis of in vitro antioxidative potential, the ethanolic extract of amla (eAE) was selected for in vivo study in NSAID‐induced ulcer. Intriguingly, eAE showed biphasic activity in ulcerated mice, with healing effect observed at 60 mg/kg and an adverse effect at 120 mg/kg.The dose‐dependent study revealed that switching from anti‐oxidant to pro‐oxidant shift and immunomodulatory property could be the major cause for its biphasic effect, as evident from the total antioxidant status, thiol concentration, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl content followed by mucin content, PGE2 synthesis and cytokine status. Further, Buthionine sulfoxamine (BSO) pretreatment established the potential impact of antioxidative property in the healing action of eAE. However, eAE efficiently reduced pro‐inflammatory cytokine (TNF‐α and IL‐1β) levels and appreciably upregulate anti‐inflammatory cytokine (IL‐10) concentration. In conclusion, gastric ulcer healing induced by eAE was driven in a dose‐specific manner through the harmonization of the antioxidative property and modulation of anti‐inflammatory cytokine level.
Characterization and In Vitro Skin Permeation of Meloxicam-Loaded Liposomes versus Transfersomes
Authors: Duangjit Sureewan , Opanasopit Praneet , Rojanarata Theerasak , Ngawhirunpat Tanasait
Published: November 2010

The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate the potential use of liposome and transfersome vesicles in the transdermal drug delivery of meloxicam (MX). MX-loaded vesicles were prepared and evaluated for particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency (%EE), loading efficiency, stability, and in vitro skin permeation. The vesicles were spherical in structure, 90 to 140 nm in size, and negatively charged ( to  mV). The %EE of MX in the vesicles ranged from 40 to 70%. Transfersomes provided a significantly higher skin permeation of MX compared to liposomes. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that the application of transfersomes significantly disrupted the stratum corneum lipid. Our research suggests that MX-loaded transfersomes can be potentially used as a transdermal drug delivery system.
Effect of Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding on Metabolic Syndrome and Its Risk Factors in Morbidly Obese Adolescents
Authors: Conroy Rushika , Lee Eun-Ju , Jean Amy , Oberfield Sharon E. , Sopher Aviva , Kiefer Krystina , Raker Courtney , McMahon Donald J. , Zitsman Jeffrey L. , Fennoy Ilene
Published: November 2010

We examined the effect of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) on weight loss, inflammatory markers, and components of the Metabolic Syndrome (MeS) in morbidly obese adolescents and determined if those with MeS lose less weight post-LAGB than those without. Data from 14–18 yr adolescents were obtained at baseline, 6 and 12 months following LAGB. Significant weight loss and improvements in MeS components were observed 6 months and one year following LAGB. The incidence of MeS declined 56.8% after 6 months and 69.6% after 12 months. There was no significant difference in amount of weight lost post-LAGB between those with and without MeS at either timepoint. Correlations between change in weight parameters and components of MeS in those with and without MeS at baseline were examined and found to vary by diagnostic category. LAGB is effective for short-term improvement in weight, inflammatory markers, and components of MeS in morbidly obese adolescents.
Quantitative In vivo Imaging of the Effects of Inhibiting Integrin Signaling via Src and FAK on Cancer Cell Movement: Effects on E-cadherin Dynamics
Authors: Canel Marta , Serrels Alan , Miller Derek , Timpson Paul , Serrels Bryan , Frame Margaret C. , Brunton Valerie G.
Published: November 2010

Most cancer-related deaths are due to the development of metastatic disease, and several new molecularly targeted agents in clinical development have the potential to prevent disease progression. However, it remains difficult to assess the efficacy of antimetastatic agents in the clinical setting, and an increased understanding of how such agents work at different stages of the metastatic cascade is important in guiding their clinical use. We used optical window chambers combined with photobleaching, photoactivation, and photoswitching to quantitatively measure (a) tumor cell movement and proliferation by tracking small groups of cells in the context of the whole tumor, and (b) E-cadherin molecular dynamics in vivo following perturbation of integrin signaling by inhibiting focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Src. We show that inhibition of Src and FAK suppresses E-cadherin–dependent collective cell movement in a complex three-dimensional tumor environment, and modulates cell-cell adhesion strength and endocytosis in vitro. This shows a novel role for integrin signaling in the regulation of E-cadherin internalization, which is linked to regulation of collective cancer cell movement. This work highlights the power of fluorescent, direct, in vivo imaging approaches in the preclinical evaluation of chemotherapeutic agents, and shows that inhibition of the Src/FAK signaling axis may provide a strategy to prevent tumor cell spread by deregulating E-cadherin–mediated cell-cell adhesions. Cancer Res; 70(22); 9413–22. ©2010 AACR.
Deubiquitinase Inhibition by Small-Molecule WP1130 Triggers Aggresome Formation and Tumor Cell Apoptosis
Authors: Kapuria Vaibhav , Peterson Luke F. , Fang Dexing , Bornmann William G. , Talpaz Moshe , Donato Nicholas J.
Published: November 2010

Recent evidence suggests that several deubiquitinases (DUB) are overexpressed or activated in tumor cells and many contribute to the transformed phenotype. Agents with DUB inhibitory activity may therefore have therapeutic value. In this study, we describe the mechanism of action of WP1130, a small molecule derived from a compound with Janus-activated kinase 2 (JAK2) kinase inhibitory activity. WP1130 induces rapid accumulation of polyubiquitinated (K48/K63-linked) proteins into juxtanuclear aggresomes, without affecting 20S proteasome activity. WP1130 acts as a partly selective DUB inhibitor, directly inhibiting DUB activity of USP9x, USP5, USP14, and UCH37, which are known to regulate survival protein stability and 26S proteasome function. WP1130-mediated inhibition of tumor-activated DUBs results in downregulation of antiapoptotic and upregulation of proapoptotic proteins, such as MCL-1 and p53. Our results show that chemical modification of a previously described JAK2 inhibitor results in the unexpected discovery of a novel DUB inhibitor with a unique antitumor mechanism. Cancer Res; 70(22); 9265–76. ©2010 AACR.
Human RecQL4 Helicase Plays Critical Roles in Prostate Carcinogenesis
Authors: Su Yanrong , Meador Jarah A. , Calaf Gloria M. , De-Santis Luca Proietti , Zhao Yongliang , Bohr Vilhelm A. , Balajee Adayabalam S.
Published: November 2010

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-associated deaths among men in the western countries. Here, we report that human RecQL4 helicase, which is implicated in the pathogenesis of a subset of cancer-prone Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, is highly elevated in metastatic prostate cancer cell lines. Increased RecQL4 expression was also detected in human prostate tumor tissues as a function of tumor grade with the highest expression level in metastatic tumor samples, suggesting that RecQL4 may be a potential prognostic factor for advanced stage of prostate cancer. Transient and stable suppression of RecQL4 by small interfering RNA and short hairpin RNA vectors drastically reduced the growth and survival of metastatic prostate cancer cells, indicating that RecQL4 is a prosurvival factor for prostate cancer cells. RecQL4 suppression led to increased poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) synthesis and RecQL4-suppressed prostate cancer cells underwent an extensive apoptotic death in a PARP-1–dependent manner. Most notably, RecQL4 knockdown in metastatic prostate cancer cells drastically reduced their cell invasiveness in vitro and tumorigenicity in vivo, showing that RecQL4 is essential for prostate cancer promotion. Observation of a direct interaction of retinoblastoma (Rb) and E2F1 proteins with RecQL4 promoter suggests that Rb-E2F1 pathway may regulate RecQL4 expression. Collectively, our study shows that RecQL4 is an essential factor for prostate carcinogenesis. Cancer Res; 70(22); 9207–17. ©2010 AACR.
Local Preservation, National Demolition, International Publication: theTa'rikh Mandinkafrom Bijinica.1800(?)–2007
Authors: Goldstein-Sabbah Sasha , Jansen Jan
Published: November 2010

TheTa:rikh Mandinkafrom Bijini has been published in a classical format (as a monograph in Brill'sAfrican Sources for African History Series), but the publishing process of this book was rather extraordinary. This note on the publication serves as an instructive (and encouraging) account for all who work on the documentation and publication of African historical sources. Our “Bijini Experience” illustrates how literate and script-loving persons (academics and publishers alike) can tackle a source in which the oral and the written havealwaysbeen blurred.
Mapping the Malagueta Coast: a History of the Lower Guinea Coast, 1460–1510 through Portuguese Maps and Accounts
Authors: Massing Andreas
Published: November 2010

The Malagueta Coast can serve as a classic example of a region which was integrated into the world economy as a result of world demand for its resources—spices and labor in the fifteenth/sixteenth centuries, and again in the nineteenth century palm oil, cocos fiber, and labor—and has sunk into oblivion once the demand ceased. It is similar with Liberia's rubber and iron ore industry of the twentieth century. I had wanted to write this paper, which reconstructs the discovery and commercial exploitation of the coast through a systematic analysis of published maps and reports, ever since I walked and paddled along this coast in 1968. Furthermore I intend to review the discovery of the coast in the perspective of overall Portuguese policy and politics (interior and foreign). Last, but not least, this is to help students of Liberian and West African history with a review of the early sources—among which maps are by far the most abundant.

The Portuguese legacy to Africa is enshrined in coastal toponymy until today. Avelino Teixeira da Mota in his “Topónimos de origem portuguesa” focused on Portuguese names still surviving in the nineteenth century, but I will focus here on contemporary fifteenth- and sixteenth-century nomenclature and what it might reveal about the African discoveries. The Portuguese initially were attracted by gold at the Rio d'Ouro (later Spanish Sahara), then slaves, and eventually malagueta—a substitute for Indian pepper—commodities known on the Lisbon market and which served to name the coasts: malagueta, marfim, ouro, esclavos. Diogo Gomes was the first to actually see Malagueta on the Gambia in 1445, but the malagueta coast was not discovered until after Henry's the Navigator's death in 1460.
Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property
Authors: Brody Baruch A.
Published: November 2010

Biotechnological inventions are sometimes based upon the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities about the beneficial properties of plants and animals. Some institutions have adopted the uniqueness of traditional knowledge approach, which maintains that the indigenous communities have sui generis rights to a share of the profits from these inventions. Others have adopted the protection of inventive steps approach, which maintains that the inventors are entitled to the full profits from the invention if it involves a non-obvious and novel inventive step. The article analyzes this debate at the Convention on Biological Diversity, at the World Intellectual Property Organization, and at the World Trade Organization. It concludes that the adherents of the uniqueness of traditional knowledge approach have not justified their claims.
The Effect of Amlodipine Alone and in Combination with Atenolol on Bowel Habit in Patients with Hypertension: An Observation
Authors: Saha Lekha , Shekhar Gautam Chander
Published: November 2010

The prevalence of hypertension increases with advancing age. The management of hypertension especially in the elderly has its own limitations. Verapamil is not recommended in the elderly on account of high incidences of troublesome constipation. Amlodipine has become very popular with the cardiologists and general physicians. Survey of literature has not yielded any citation where the troublesome effect of amlodipine on the gastrointestinal tract has been reported. In an experimental study on isolated rabbit intestine we have demonstrated that amlodipine dose-dependently inhibit the spontaneous activity of the intestinal tract. With this background the present observational study was planned. A total of 100 hypertensive patients were included in the present study. Fifty patients were on amlodipine alone and 50 patients on combination of amlodipine and atenolol. The main parameter analyzed was the frequency and consistency of stool before and after intake of drug. The relative risk (RR) of developing constipation was 4.00 with 95% CI 0.8930 to 17.917 in amlodipine alone group. From this study it can be concluded that the relative risk of developing constipation is 4 times more in patients who are taking amlodipine alone as compared to those patients who are on combination of amlodipine and atenolol.
Numerical simulation of the Marangoni effect on transient mass transfer from single moving deformable drops
Authors: Wang Jianfeng , Wang Zhihui , Lu Ping , Yang Chao , Mao Zai‐Sha
Published: November 2010

A level set approach was adopted in numerical simulation of interphase mass transfer from a deformable drop moving in a continuous immiscible liquid, and the simulation results on Marangoni effect were presented with respect to three experimental runs in the methyl isobutyl ketone–acetic acid–water system. Experiments showed that when the solute concentration was sufficiently high, the Marangoni effect would occur with the interphase mass transfer enhanced. Numerical results indicated that the mass‐transfer coefficient with Marangoni effect was larger than that without Marangoni effect and stronger Marangoni effect made the drop deform more easily. The predictions were qualitatively in accord with the experimental data. Numerical simulation revealed well the transient flow structure of Marangoni effect. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Effect of filler surface treatment on mechanical properties and thermal properties of single and hybrid filler–filled PP composites
Authors: Nurdina A. K. , Mariatti M. , Samayamutthirian P.
Published: November 2010

The influence of two types of surface treatments (aminosilane and Lica‐12) on the mechanical and thermal properties of polypropylene (PP) filled with single and hybrid filler (silica and mica) was studied. An improvement in tensile properties and impact strength was found for both treatments compared to those of untreated composites. However, the filler with silane coupling agent showed better improvement compared to the filler with Lica‐12 coupling agent. This was due to better adhesion between filler and matrix. Thermal analysis indicates that surface treatments increased the nucleating ability of filler, but decreased the coefficient of thermal expansion of PP composites. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Oriented distribution structure, interaction, and performance of thermoplastic polyurethane/selective hindered amine hybrids
Authors: Zhao Xiuying , Xiao Daling , Wu Sizhu , Feng Yiping , Zhang Liqun , Wang Weimin
Published: November 2010

By employing the melt blending method, selective hindered amines were oriented to disperse in the hard phase of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The microstructure and performance of organic hybrids consisting of TPU and poly‐[(1‐hydroxyethyl ‐2,2,6,6‐ tetramethyl‐ 4‐hydroxyl piperidine)]‐glycolsuccinate (GW‐622) and poly‐{[6‐(1,1,3,3‐tetramethylbutyl) ‐imino]‐[1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4‐ dimethyl] [2‐(2,2,6,6‐ tetramethyl piperidinyl)‐ imino]‐cyclohexane‐[4‐(2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl piperidinyl)‐imino]} (GW‐944) were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electric microscopy (SEM), and tensile measurement. The neat TPU matrix displayed only one glass transition peak in the DMA curve, whereas the TPU/GW‐622 hybrids exhibited two overlapping loss peaks, and the TPU/GW‐944 hybrids demonstrated two separated relaxation peaks. The second excited relaxation peak of the hybrids was attributed to the oriented distribution of hindered amine in TPU and strong intermolecular interactions between the hindered amine and the hard segments of TPU. The complex and interesting evolution in structure and properties of the hybrids with hindered amine incorporation was interpreted. The loss peak areas (TA) of the hybrids increased greatly, and the high temperature damping properties was expected to improve. This kind of novel hybrid presented a promising future as high performance damping material. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Total Synthesis of (−)‐Salinosporamide A
Authors: Kaiya Yuji , Hasegawa Jun‐ichi , Momose Takayuki , Sato Takaaki , Chida Noritaka
Published: November 2010

A detailed description of our second‐generation total synthesis of salinosporamide A is presented. Three contiguous stereocenters in the γ‐lactam structure seen in the natural product were established by stereoselective functionalization of a D‐arabinose scaffold, including an Overman rearrangement to generate a highly congested tetrasubstituted carbon center. One of the definitive reactions in the synthesis was a Lewis acid mediated skeletal rearrangement of a pyranose structure, which enabled the practical conversion of the carbohydrate scaffold to the γ‐lactam structure embedded in salinosporamide A. The use of a benzyl ester as a protective group for a sterically hindered carboxylic acid led to a one‐pot global deprotection at the end of the synthesis.
The augmented semi‐Markov system and its asymptotic behaviour
Authors: Dimitriou V. A. , Tsantas N.
Published: November 2010

This paper suggests a generalized semi‐Markov model for manpower planning, which could be adopted in cases of unavailability of candidates with the desired qualifications/experience, as well as in cases where an organization provides training opportunities to its personnel. In this context, we incorporate training classes into the framework of a non‐homogeneous semi‐Markov system and we introduce an additional, external semi‐Markov system providing the former with potential recruits. For the model above, referred to as the Augmented Semi‐Markov System, we derive the equations that reflect the expected number of persons in each grade and we also investigate its limiting population structure. An illustrative example is provided. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ingenieurwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen an der Hagia Sophia in Istanbul — Teil 1: Das Konstruktionsgefüge
Authors: Duppel Christoph
Published: November 2010

Die Hagia Sophia in Istanbul ist eines der baugeschichtlich wichtigsten und ingenieurmäßig bemerkenswertesten Bauwerke der letzten 1500 Jahre.

Aufgrund restauratorischer Sicherungsarbeiten und der damit verbundenen Einrüstung der Hauptkuppel war in den letzten Jahren die einmalige Gelegenheit gegeben, den geometrischen und materiellen Irregularitäten und Diskontinuitäten, die aus mehreren Teileinstürzen und Wiederaufbauten herrühren, mit Hilfe zerstörungsfreier geophysikalischer Untersuchungsverfahren nachzugehen. Damit konnte der heutige Bestand und Zustand der aus Ziegeln gemauerten Hauptkuppel und der aus Naturstein errichteten vier Hauptpfeiler intensiv erkundet werden.

Die erlangten neuen Kenntnisse zum Konstruktionsgefüge erlaubten einerseits die Entwicklung differenzierter Berechnungsmodelle, mit deren Hilfe eine Aussage zum Lastfluss, den Spannungszuständen und dem Stabilitätsverhalten der Hagia Sophia möglich wurde und bieten andererseits Grundlage, um die Frage der Erdbebengefährdung mit einer der historischen Bedeutung des Gebäudes entsprechenden Zuverlässigkeit zu beantworten.

Im vorliegenden ersten Teil des Berichtes zum DFG‐Projekt “Ingenieurwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen an der Hauptkuppel und den Hauptpfeilern der Hagia Sophia in Istanbul“ [1] wird über die Erkundungen am Bauwerk berichtet. Der im nächsten Heft erscheinende zweite Teil wird dann die Folgerungen, die sich daraus für das Tragverhalten und Tragvermögen des Gebäudes ergeben, zum Inhalt haben.

Engineering Studies on the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul — Part 1: The Structural Characteristics. The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul is one of the most significant and remarkable buildings of the past 1500 years, both from an architectural history and an engineering point of view.

Due to restoration work and the related scaffolding of the main dome, the past years have provided a unique opportunity to investigate the geometrical and material irregularities and discontinuities resulting from several partial collapses and rebuilding, by using nondestructive geophysical analytical methods. They allowed a thorough exploration of the present substance and condition of the main dome’s brick masonry and of the four main pillars built from natural stone.

The new findings regarding the structural characteristics allowed, on the one hand, developing differentiated calculation models by means of which statements on load flow, stress states and stability behavior of the Hagia Sophia became possible and on the other, provided a basis for answering the question about the earthquake risks with a reliability corresponding to the historical significance of the building.

The first part of the report on the DFG project “Engineering Studies on the Main Dome and Main Pillars of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul” describes the explorations of the building. The second part, which will appear in the next issue, will present the conclusions resulting for the structural behavior and structural capacity of the building.
Carbon dioxide‐based copolymers: Environmental benefits of PPC, an industrially viable catalyst
Authors: Qin Yusheng , Wang Xianhong
Published: November 2010

Carbon dioxide‐based copolymers utilize the green house gas CO2 and can be applied in research and industry. Here we focus on industrially viable CO2‐based catalysts in China and beyond. Poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC), an alternating copolymer of CO2 and propylene oxide, is one of the emerging low‐cost biodegradable plastics. We describe the thermal and mechanical performances of as‐polymerized PPC, where amorphous state, low glass transition temperature, and biodegradability are the three main properties. We also describe modification of the PPC, the so‐called toughening and strengthening at high temperature, and plasticizing at low temperature, including incorporation of a third monomer unit by chemical terpolymerization, and introduction of special intermolecular interactions or crystallizable components by physical blending. The fast development in catalyst design and performance improvement for PPC has created new chances for industry. In particular, high molecular weight PPC from rare earth ternary catalyst is becoming an economically viable biodegradable plastic with tens of thousands of tons produced per year, providing a new solution to overcome the problem of high cost in biodegradable plastics.
Selective dehydration of bio‐ethanol to ethylene catalyzed by lanthanum‐phosphorous‐modified HZSM‐5: Influence of the fusel
Authors: Hu Yaochi , Zhan Nina , Dou Chang , Huang He , Han Yuwang , Yu Dinghua , Hu Yi
Published: November 2010

Bio‐ethanol dehydration to ethylene is an attractive alternative to oil‐based ethylene. The influence of fusel, main byproducts in the fermentation process of bio‐ethanol production, on the bio‐ethanol dehydration should not be ignored. We studied the catalytic dehydration of bio‐ethanol to ethylene over parent and modified HZSM‐5 at 250°C, with weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) equal to 2.0/h. The influences of a series of fusel, such as isopropanol, isobutanol and isopentanol, on the ethanol dehydration over the catalysts were investigated. The 0.5%La‐2%PHZSM‐5 catalyst exhibited higher ethanol conversion (100%), ethylene selectivity (99%), and especially enhanced stability (more than 70 h) than the parent and other modified HZSM‐5. We demonstrated that the introduction of lanthanum and phosphorous to HZSM‐5 could weaken the negative influence of fusel on the formation of ethylene. The physicochemical properties of the catalysts were characterized by ammonia temperature‐programmed desorption (NH3‐TPD), nitrogen adsorption and thermogravimetry (TG)/differential thermogravimetry (DTG)/differential thermal analysis (DTA) (TG/DTG/DTA) techniques. The results indicated that the introduction of lanthanum and phosphorous to HZSM‐5 could inhibit the formation of coking during the ethanol dehydration to ethylene in the presence of fusel. The development of an efficient catalyst is one of the key technologies for the industrialization of bio‐ethylene.
Lipase hydration state in the gas phase: Sorption isotherm measurements and inverse gas chromatography
Authors: Marton Zsuzsanna , Chaput Ludovic , Pierre Guillaume , Graber Marianne
Published: November 2010

The adsorption of water and substrate on immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B was studied by performing adsorption isotherm measurements and using inverse gas chromatography (IGC). Water adsorption isotherm of the immobilized enzyme showed singular profile absorption incompatible with the Brunauer‐Emmet‐Teller model, probably due to the hydrophobic nature of the support, leading to very low interactions with water. IGC allowed determining the evolution with water thermodynamic activity (aW) of both dispersive surface energies and acidity and basicity constants of immobilized enzyme. These results showed that water molecules progressively covered immobilized enzyme, when increasing aW, leading to a saturation of polar groups above aW 0.1 and full coverage of the surface above aW 0.25. IGC also enabled relevant experiments to investigate the behavior of substrates under aW that they will experience, in a competitive situation with water. Results indicated that substrates had to displace water molecules in order to adsorb on the enzyme from aW values ranging from 0.1 to 0.2, depending on the substrate. As the conditions used for these adsorption studies resemble the ones of the continuous enzymatic solid/gas reactor, in which activity and selectivity of the lipase were extensively studied, it was possible to link adsorption results with particular effects of water on enzyme properties.
Analytical procedures for the determination of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant citalopram and its metabolites
Authors: Unceta Nora , Goicolea M. Aranzazu , Barrio Ramón J.
Published: November 2010

The antidepressant citalopram (CIT) is a potent and highly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) which has been introduced in therapy as a racemic drug. CIT has been used to treat central nervous system affective disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsessive‐compulsive disorders, various phobias, borderline personality disorders, bipolar disorders as well as indications wherein inhibition of serotonin reuptake is desired. CIT is demethylated to demethylcitalopram (DCIT) and didemethylcitalopram (DDCIT), which retain considerable activity as SSRIs. Therefore, in recent years, the monitoring of the levels of these analytes in biological fluids for toxicological and therapeutic purposes has been a target worthy of interest. In addition, the differences in activity between CIT enantiomers established the need to assess its behaviour in the field of pharmacological research. It is also necessary to develop analytical methodologies that make it possible to determine the levels of enantiomer concentrations. This review includes most of the published analytical methods for achiral assay of racemic CIT and its metabolites based on high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with UV, fluorescence and mass spectrometry detectors, capillary electrophoresis and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detectors among others. With regard to the monitoring of enantiomers of CIT and of its metabolites, stereoselective methods based on chiral chromatographic columns, chiral additives in mobile phases and on the derivatization with a chiral reagent are also collected. In addition, different procedures of extraction are mentioned as well as liquid–liquid extraction, solid‐phase extraction, solid‐phase microextraction, automated online extraction or liquid‐phase microextraction in different biological and environmental samples. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.