bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biodistribution of the cyclotide MCoTI‐II, a cyclic disulfide‐rich peptide drug scaffold
Authors: Wang Conan K. , Stalmans Sofie , De Spiegeleer Bart , Craik David J.
Published: March 2016

Disulfide‐rich macrocyclic peptides are promising templates for drug design because of their unique topology and remarkable stability. However, little is known about their pharmacokinetics. In this study, we characterize the biodistribution in mice of Momordica cochinchinensis trypsin inhibitor‐II (MCoTI‐II), a cyclic three‐disulfide‐containing peptide that has been used in a number of studies as a drug scaffold. The distribution of MCoTI‐II was compared with that of chlorotoxin, which is a four‐disulfide‐containing peptide that has been used to develop brain tumor imaging agents; dermorphin, which is a disulfide‐less peptide; and bovine serum albumin, a large protein. Both MCoTI‐II and chlorotoxin distributed predominantly to the serum and kidneys, confirming that they are stable in serum and suggesting that they are eliminated from the blood through renal clearance. Although cell‐penetrating peptides have been reported to be able to transport across the blood–brain barrier, MCoTI‐II, which is a cell‐penetrating peptide, showed no uptake into the brain. The uptake of chlorotoxin was higher than that of MCoTI‐II but lower than that of dermorphin, which is considered to have low uptake into the brain. This study provides insight into the behavior of disulfide‐rich peptides in vivo. Copyright © 2016 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Compositional and electrical properties of line and planar defects in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films for solar cells – a review
Authors: Abou‐Ras Daniel , Schmidt Sebastian S. , Schäfer Norbert , Kavalakkatt Jaison , Rissom Thorsten , Unold Thomas , Mainz Roland , Weber Alfons , Kirchartz Thomas , Simsek Sanli Ekin , van Aken Peter A. , Ramasse Quentin M. , Kleebe Hans‐Joachim , Azulay Doron , Balberg Isaac , Millo Oded , Cojocaru‐Mirédin Oana , Barragan‐Yani Daniel , Albe Karsten , Haarstrich Jakob , Ronning Carsten
Published: March 2016

The present review gives an overview of the various reports on properties of line and planar defects in Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 thin films for high‐efficiency solar cells. We report results from various analysis techniques applied to characterize these defects at different length scales, which allow for drawing a consistent picture on structural and electronic defect properties. A key finding is atomic reconstruction detected at line and planar defects, which may be one mechanism to reduce excess charge densities and to relax deep‐defect states from midgap to shallow energy levels. On the other hand, nonradiative Shockley–Read–Hall recombination is still enhanced with respect to defect‐free grain interiors, which is correlated with substantial reduction of luminescence intensities. Comparison of the microscopic electrical properties of planar defects in Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 thin films with two‐dimensional device simulations suggest that these defects are one origin of the reduced open‐circuit voltage of the photovoltaic devices. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Polygonum aviculare L. and its active compounds, quercitrin hydrate, caffeic acid, and rutin, activate the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway and induce cutaneous wound healing
Authors: Seo Seol Hwa , Lee Soung‐Hoon , Cha Pu‐Hyeon , Kim Mi‐Yeon , Min Do Sik , Choi Kang‐Yell
Published: March 2016

Polygonum aviculare L. is a member of the Polygonaceae family of plants, which has been known for its antioxidant and anti‐obesity effects. However, the wound healing function of P. aviculare extract has not been assessed. In this study, we identified a novel property of P. aviculare extract as a Wnt/β‐catenin pathway activator based on a screen of 350 plant extracts using HEK293‐TOP cells retaining the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling reporter gene. P. aviculare extract accelerated the migration of HaCaT keratinocytes without showing significant cytotoxicity. Moreover, P. aviculare extract efficiently re‐epithelized wounds generated on mice. Additionally, ingredients of P. aviculare extract, such as quercitrin hydrate, caffeic acid, and rutin, also accelerated the motility of HaCaT keratinocytes with the activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling. Therefore, based on our findings, P. aviculare extract and its active ingredients could be potential therapeutic agents for wound healing. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Product ion isotopologue pattern: A tool to improve the reliability of elemental composition elucidations of unknown compounds in complex matrices
Authors: Kaufmann A. , Walker S. , Mol G.
Published: March 2016

Rationale

Elucidation of the elemental compositions of unknown compounds (e.g., in metabolomics) generally relies on the availability of accurate masses and isotopic ratios. This study focuses on the information provided by the abundance ratio within a product ion pair (monoisotopic versus the first isotopic peak) when isolating and fragmenting the first isotopic ion (first isotopic mass spectrum) of the precursor.

Methods

This process relies on the capability of the quadrupole within the Q Orbitrap instrument to isolate a very narrow mass window. Selecting only the first isotopic peak (first isotopic mass spectrum) leads to the observation of a unique product ion pair. The lighter ion within such an isotopologue pair is monoisotopic, while the heavier ion contains a single carbon isotope. The observed abundance ratio is governed by the percentage of carbon atoms lost during the fragmentation and can be described by a hypergeometric distribution.

Results

The observed carbon isotopologue abundance ratio (product ion isotopologue pattern) gives reliable information regarding the percentage of carbon atoms lost in the fragmentation process. It therefore facilitates the elucidation of the involved precursor and product ions. Unlike conventional isotopic abundances, the product ion isotopologue pattern is hardly affected by isobaric interferences. Furthermore, the appearance of these pairs greatly aids in cleaning up a ‘matrix‐contaminated’ product ion spectrum.

Conclusions

The product ion isotopologue pattern is a valuable tool for structural elucidation. It increases confidence in results and permits structural elucidations for heavier ions. This tool is also very useful in elucidating the elemental composition of product ions. Such information is highly valued in the field of multi‐residue analysis, where the accurate mass of product ions is required for the confirmation process. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Single analyzer precursor scans using an ion trap
Authors: Snyder Dalton T. , Pulliam Christopher J. , Cooks R. Graham
Published: March 2016

Rationale

Precursor ion and neutral loss scans are general survey methods of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) used for detecting structurally related compounds. Until now they have been performed in multiple analyzer instruments, e.g. triple quadrupoles and hybrid MS/MS instruments. Implementation of precursor ion scans in single mass analyzers would be advantageous in reducing instrument complexity.

Methods

Adoption of secular frequency scanning as a method of mass‐selective excitation is shown to enable precursor scans in a single ion trap in a miniature mass spectrometer. A small supplementary alternating current (ac) signal is swept in frequency so as to cause mass‐selective excitation of trapped ions. Simultaneously, a higher fixed amplitude ac signal is applied at the fixed secular frequency of a product ion, ejecting the mass‐selected product ion and providing temporal data corresponding to a precursor ion spectrum.

Results

Precursor scanning in a single ion trap is demonstrated using a mixture of three illicit drugs: cocaine, 3,4‐methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Acquisition of the spectra as a function of the frequency of the product ejection waveform demonstrates that the signals acquired represent precursor ion scans.

Conclusions

Secular frequency scanning is a nonconventional method of mass scanning that in combination with product ion ejection enables precursor scans in single ion traps. This phenomenon is demonstrated here for a miniature linear ion trap, but the concepts described also apply to quadrupole mass filters. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measuring 210Pb by accelerator mass spectrometry: a study of isobaric interferences of 204,205,208Pb and 210Pb
Authors: Sookdeo A. , Cornett R. J. , Zhao X.‐L. , Charles C. R. J. , Kieser W. E.
Published: March 2016

Rationale

The measurement of 210Pb provides an assessment of the risk an individual faces of developing lung cancer as a result of their exposure to radon and radon decay products. Existing radiometric techniques are not sensitive enough to detect 210Pb in many exposures. This report describes the further development of a method of measuring 210Pb using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS).

Methods

204,205,208,210Pb measurements were performed by AMS. Samples were prepared from stock solutions of 204Pb, 205Pb, 208Pb and 210Pb and measured by making PbF3− ions at the IsoTrace AMS facility using a SIMS‐type Cs+ sputter source. Potential interferences in Pb3+ isotope measurement and the overall efficiency of Pb beam production were determined experimentally.

Results

204Pb and 205Pb suffer from molecular and atomic isobaric interferences that cannot be removed without sacrificing the efficiency of 210Pb measurements whereas 208Pb suffers from no interferences. The abundance sensitivity of 210Pb/208Pb was 1.3 × 10−12. Keeping the 210Pb/208Pb spike below this level resulted in a detection limit of 4.4 mBq of 210Pb using the IsoTrace AMS facility.

Conclusions

This study identified key interferences in the measurement of PbF3− → Pb3+ ions and demonstrated a new AMS method to measure 210Pb. This new AMS technique is about five times more sensitive than gamma and beta spectroscopy measurements of 210Pb and the measurement time is much shorter. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Applicability of gas chromatography/quadrupole‐Orbitrap mass spectrometry in support of pharmaceutical research and development
Authors: Baldwin Stephen , Bristow Tony , Ray Andrew , Rome Karen , Sanderson Natalie , Sims Martin , Cojocariu Cristian , Silcock Paul
Published: March 2016

Rationale

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is a fundamental tool used to identify impurities throughout the active pharmaceutical ingredients development process. The coupling of Orbitrap mass spectrometry with GC marks an exciting advance in capability for GC/MS, offering a significant step change in resolving power, mass accuracy, sensitivity and linear range.

Methods

A range of pharmaceutically relevant samples representing typical starting materials has been investigated with particular reference to impurity identification. The mass accuracy in Electron Ionisation (EI) and Chemical Ionisation (CI) was investigated for impurity identification. The linearity and mass accuracy over a wide dynamic range were evaluated. The number of scans obtained across chromatographic peaks was assessed at various resolution settings from 15,000 to 120,000 (full width at half maximum (FWHM) at m/z 200).

Results

All the accurate mass measurements for impurities were within <1 ppm of the theoretical m/z value. The scan speed at the highest resolution produced 11 scans across the peak, and the mass accuracy for all scans was consistently <1 ppm – sufficient for impurity investigations and quantitative analysis. Linearity was demonstrated for N,N,N’‐trimethylethylenediamine over a concentration range of 0.0001 to 0.1250 μg/mL (w/v) with a correlation coefficient R2 = 0.9996 and mass accuracy across all concentrations at <1.1 ppm.

Conclusions

GC/Orbitrap MS has been evaluated for both qualitative and quantitative analysis of typical pharmaceutical precursors and impurities. Accurate mass measurement across a wide dynamic range, linearity and the ability to identify impurities in EI and CI illustrate that this instrument is a powerful tool of great benefit to pharmaceutical analysis.
Analysis of small molecule antibody–drug conjugate catabolites in rat liver and tumor tissue by liquid extraction surface analysis micro‐capillary liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Lanshoeft Christian , Stutz Gerhard , Elbast Walid , Wolf Thierry , Walles Markus , Stoeckli Markus , Picard Franck , Kretz Olivier
Published: March 2016

Rationale

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are some of the most promising antibody‐related therapeutics. The fate of the cytotoxic moiety of ADCs in vivo after proteolytic degradation of the antibody needs to be well understood in order to mitigate toxicity risks and design proper first in patient studies.

Methods

The feasibility of liquid extraction surface analysis micro‐capillary liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LESA‐μLC/MS/MS) was tested for direct surface sampling of two possible ADC catabolites composed of synthetically modified maytansinoid (DM1) and 4‐[N‐maleimidomethyl]cyclohexane‐1‐carbonyl (MCC) from rat liver and tumor tissue. Moreover, the iMatrixSpray was incorporated to prepare calibration standards (Cs) and quality control (QC) samples by spraying analyte solution at different concentrations directly on blank tissue.

Results

Lys‐MCC‐DM1 sprayed on blank liver tissue was homogeneously distributed (12.3% variability). The assay was selective (inference ≤20%) and linear from 50.0 to 1000 ng/mL without any carry‐over. Inter‐run accuracy and precision were ≤2.3% and ≤25.9% meeting acceptance. Lys‐MCC‐DM1 was the only catabolite detected in liver and tumor tissue and was most likely responsible for the total radioactivity signal in liver tissue 72 h post‐dose measured by quantitative whole body autoradiography (QWBA).

Conclusions

Both analytical assays (LESA‐μLC/MS/MS and QWBA) are complementary to each other and provide useful quantitative and qualitative information in spatial tissue distribution of ADCs and their related catabolites. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Flame‐induced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Cheng Sy‐Chyi , Chen Yen‐Ting , Jhang Siou‐Sian , Shiea Jentaie
Published: March 2016

Rationale

Charged species such as formylium (CHO+), hydronium (H3O+), and water clusters [H3O+(H2O)n] are commonly found in flames. These highly reactive species can react with analytes via ion‐molecule reactions (IMRs) to form analyte ions. A new mass spectrometric technique, named flame‐induced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (FAPCI‐MS), was developed to characterize organic compounds via these mechanisms.

Methods

A commercial corona‐discharge atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source was modified by replacing the corona needle with a flame to make a FAPCI source. Liquid samples were vaporized in a heated tube and delivered to the IMRs region by nitrogen to react with the charged species generated by a flame. Analytes on surfaces were directly desorbed and ionized by a flame using the technique called desorption‐FAPCI‐MS (DFAPCI‐MS).

Results

Intact molecular ions of various chemical and biological compounds were successfully characterized by FAPCI‐MS. The FAPCI mass spectra are nearly identical to those obtained by traditional APCI‐MS. The limit of detection (LOD) of reserpine by FAPCI‐MS was 50 μg L–1 with a linear calibration curve (R2 = 0.9947) from 100 μg L–1 to 10 mg L–1. The LOD for ketamine by DFAPCI‐MS was estimated to be less than 0.1 ng.

Conclusions

In FAPCI, analytes are not incinerated but vaporized and introduced into the ion source to react with the reactive charged species generated by a flame. The features of the FAPCI source include: configuration is very simple, operation is easy, high voltage or inert gas is unnecessary, and the source is maintenance free. Various combustible gases, solvents and solids are useful flame fuels for FAPCI. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Personal Inquiry and Online Research
Authors: Coiro Julie , Castek Jill , Quinn David J.
Published: March 2016

This piece introduces a framework for how to envision Personal Digital Inquiry (PDI) in K‐8 classrooms. To conceptualize what teaching and learning might look like in these classrooms, important practices are situated along a two‐dimensional continuum of digital inquiry that varies in terms of levels of support and purposes of technology use. We then offer several examples of what teaching and learning within a PDI framework can look like; visions that move from teacher directed to student directed inquiry, always informed by purposeful choices about the role that technology plays along the way.
Analysis of Risk Factors for Gunshot Wound Infection in a Nigerian Civilian Trauma Setting
Authors: Omoke Njoku Isaac
Published: March 2016

Background

Survivors of firearm injury are at risk of wound infection. On average, civilian gunshot wound infection rates in developing countries are relatively high and almost on a par with infection rates in war trauma settings. Overall, there are limited data on civilian gunshot wound infection and its predisposing factors. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for gunshot wound infection in a civilian trauma setting of a developing nation.

Materials and method

This was a retrospective analysis of data on the entire patients who presented in Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki with firearm injury from January 2005 to December 2014.

Results

There were 196 patients, and wound infection was a complication in 58 (29.6 %) of them. The significant factors for high wound infection rate in univariate analysis were perforating wound (p < 0.001), high velocity injury (p < 0.001), haematocrit <30 % (p < 0.001), presence of fracture (p < 0.001), hollow viscus injury (p < 0.001) and injury to hospital arrival interval later than 6 h (p < 0.014). Anatomical site of injury correlated with infection rate (p < 0.001), highest rate (40.6 %) in lower extremity and least (9.1 %) in head and neck wounds. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified haematocrit (p < 0.001), perforating wound (p < 0.021), presence of fracture (p < 0.043) and hollow viscus injury (p < 0.039) as independent predictors of gunshot wound infection.

Conclusion

The independent predictors of infection identified in this study call for judicious replacement of blood loss and high priority accorded to perforating wound, fractures and hollow viscus injury in interventions aimed at reducing gunshot wound infection rate.
Recovery of Baseline Erectile Function in Men Following Radical Prostatectomy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer: A Prospective Analysis Using Validated Measures
Authors: Sridhar Ashwin N. , Cathcart Paul J. , Yap Tet , Hines John , Nathan Senthil , Briggs Timothy P. , Kelly John D. , Minhas Suks
Published: March 2016

Introduction

Recovery of baseline erectile function (EF) after robotic radical prostatectomy in men with high-risk prostate cancer is under-reported. Published studies have selectively reported on low-risk disease using non-validated and poorly defined thresholds for EF recovery.

Aim

To assess return to baseline EF in men after robotic radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer.

Materials

Five hundred thirty-one men underwent robotic radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer from February 2010 through July 2014. Pre- and postoperative EF was prospectively assessed using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF-5) questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined the effect of age, preoperative function, comorbidities, body mass index, prostate-specific antigen level, cancer stage or grade, nerve-sparing status, adjuvant therapy, and continence on EF return (defined as postoperative return to baseline EF with or without use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors). Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test were used to analyze return over time. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare IIEF-5 scores.

Main Outcome Measures

Pre- and postoperative EF was assessed using the IIEF-5 Sexual Health Inventory for Men at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and 4 years postoperatively.

Results

Overall, return of EF was seen in 23.5% of patients at 18 months. This was significantly increased in men no older than 60 years (P = .024), with a preoperative IIEF-5 score of at least 22 (P = .042), and after undergoing neurovascular bundle preservation (34.9% of patients, P < .001). There was no significant change in IIEF-5 scores from 3 to 36 months in patients who were treated with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors in the non-neurovascular bundle preservation group (P = .87), although there was significant improvement in those receiving second- or third-line therapies (P = .042). Other than preoperative hypertension (P = .03), none of the other comorbidities predicted return of EF.

Conclusion

In this study, 23.5% of men recovered to baseline EF. Of those who underwent bilateral neurovascular bundle preservation robotic radical prostatectomy, 70% recovered baseline EF; however, this accounted for only 9.6% of all patients. Only 4% of men who underwent non-neurovascular bundle preservation had baseline recovery with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors up to 36 months. There was significant improvement after use of second- or third-line therapies, indicating the need for earlier institution of these treatment modalities.
Early spray development at high gas density: hole, ligament and bridge formations
Authors: Jarrahbashi D. , Sirignano W. A. , Popov P. P. , Hussain F.
Published: March 2016

Three-dimensional temporal instabilities, leading to spray formation of a round liquid jet segment with an outer, coaxial high-density gas flow, are studied with Navier–Stokes and level-set computations. These computations predict the liquid surface shape showing the smaller structures on the conical wave crests, i.e. lobes, holes, bridges and ligaments, which are the precursors to droplet and spray formations. These structures and their time scales affect droplet size and velocity distributions as well as spray cone angles. The gas-to-liquid density ratio, liquid Reynolds number ($Re$) and liquid Weber number ($We$) range between 0.02–0.9, 320–16 000 and 2000–230 000, respectively, which cover three distinct physical domains. (1) At higher $Re$ and $We$, ligaments and then drops develop following hole and liquid bridge formations. (2) At higher gas densities throughout the $Re$ range, several holes merge forming two bridges per lobe before breaking to form ligaments; this hole merging is explained by slower development of hairpin vortices and lobe shape. (3) In cases where both gas density and $Re$ or $We$ are lower, the well-ordered lobes are replaced by more irregular, smaller-scale corrugations along the conical wave crest edge; ligaments form differently by stretching from the lobes before holes form. Thicker ligaments and larger droplets form in the low $Re$, low gas density range. The surface wave dynamics, vortex dynamics and their interactions are explained. Understandings of liquid stream break up and concurrent smaller structure formation are built upon an examination of both translation and rotation of the fluid. In all cases, hole formation is correlated with hairpin and helical vortices; fluid motion through a perforation in the thin sheet near the wave crest corresponds to these vortices. The hole formation process is dominated by inertial forces rather than capillary action, which differs from mechanisms suggested previously for other configurations. Circulation due to streamwise vorticity increases while the lobes thin and holes form. For larger surface tension, cavities in the jet core rather than perforations in a sheet occur. The more rapid radial extension of the two-phase mixture with increasing gas density is explained by greater circulation in the ring (i.e. wave crest) region. Experimental descriptions of the smaller structures are available only at lower $Re$ and lower density, agreeing with the computations. Computed scales of bridges, ligaments, early droplets and emerging spray radii agree qualitatively with experimental evidence through the high $Re$ and $We$ domains.
Turbulent flow of a fluid with anisotropic viscosity
Authors: Grünberg Tim , Rösgen Thomas
Published: March 2016

We ask if and how the large-scale structure of a turbulent flow depends on anisotropies introduced at the smallest scales. We generate such anisotropy on the viscous scale in a paramagnetic colloid whose rheology is modified by an external, uniform magnetic field. We report measurements in a high Reynolds number turbulence experiment ($R_{{\it\lambda}}=120$). Ultrasound velocimetry provides records of tracer particle velocity. Distinct changes in the velocity statistics can be observed from the dissipative scales up to the mean flow topology.
TRIVIALITY OF THE GENERALISED LAU PRODUCT ASSOCIATED TO A BANACH ALGEBRA HOMOMORPHISM
Authors: CHOI YEMON
Published: March 2016

Several papers have, as their raison d’être, the exploration of the generalised Lau product associated to a homomorphism $T:B\rightarrow A$ of Banach algebras. In this short note, we demonstrate that the generalised Lau product is isomorphic as a Banach algebra to the usual direct product $A\oplus B$. We also correct some misleading claims made about the relationship between this generalised Lau product and an older construction of Monfared [‘On certain products of Banach algebras with applications to harmonic analysis’, Studia Math. 178(3) (2007), 277–294].
TRACING A CULTURAL MEMORY: COMMEMORATION OF 1857 IN THE DELHI DURBARS, 1877, 1903, AND 1911
Authors: GOYLE SONAKSHI
Published: March 2016

The three imperial durbars held in Delhi for the coronation of British monarchs as the rulers of India were gatherings of royalty, administration, and the military, organized in the years 1877, 1903, and 1911. As impressively invented, improvised, and self-styled orientalist representations of the late Victorian tradition, these durbars were pageants of power, prestige, and authority, creations of their organizing viceroys: Robert Lytton (1877), George Curzon (1903), and Charles Hardinge (1911). But, as this article shows, they were also commemorative exhibitions of the triumphant memory of the event of 1857 (variously called the Indian Mutiny, Sepoy war, War of Independence), especially in Delhi which had to be emphasized regularly for perpetuating myths about British superiority and invincibility. Spread over a period of thirty-five years, these rituals of commemoration were performed through four illustrative choices. These were the selection of site, selection of mutiny veterans as participants, the construction of mutiny memorials, and contribution to the growth of mutiny pilgrimage tours. Drawing attention to the successive formation of 1857 as a seminal ‘cultural moment’ through its periodic commemoration, the present article brings to focus the enduring significance of the event for the British empire in India, which had to be re-visited time and again for purposes of legitimation and cultural appropriation.
ITALY'S INFORMAL IMPERIALISM IN TIANJIN DURING THE LIBERAL EPOCH, 1902–1922
Authors: DONATI SABINA
Published: March 2016

This article examines the notion of ‘informal imperialism’ in East Asia and extends the related historiographical debate to the Italian case-study by focusing on liberal Italy's concession at Tianjin city port from 1902 through 1922. By doing so, it provides a fresh perspective on Italy's sole concession in China as well as offering specific theoretical insights and historical details that have not been sufficiently discussed in the literature pertaining to Italian expansionism in the liberal years. Within the context of an Italian informal imperial structure at its inception, the study carries out an historical investigation by using the economic lens on the one hand, and the political-administrative one on the other. In this way, it advances the current discussion about informal imperialism(s) in Tianjin by surveying issues pertaining not only to Italian trade, finance, and investments in imperial settings but also to foreign self-government and the establishment of an Italian Municipal Council as tools of imperial power relations. Based on a variety of Italian-language historical sources, archival material, and related academic works, the analysis is further enriched with comparisons drawn from the English-language scholarship on the British and the Japanese informal empires.
Amerikamun: Consuming America and Ambivalence toward the U.S. Presence in Postwar Okinawa
Authors: Ames Chris
Published: March 2016

After the U.S. victory in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, devastated Okinawans lived off of U.S. military rations, including unfamiliar foods such as pork luncheon meat and corned beef hash. Okinawans incorporated these and other U.S.-made goods into daily life as “Amerikamun,” literally meaning “American products,” but loaded with postwar Okinawan perceptions of America, its military, and the social contexts of the goods themselves. Connotations have shifted over the postwar period, at times suggesting Okinawan appropriation of American power through consumption of “luxurious” (jōtō) U.S. goods, but throughout the postwar period reminding Okinawans of American domination during the occupation and the unwelcome aspects of continuous U.S. military basing. “American Village,” which is a hybrid, American-style shopping mall and resort, is a concretization of this ambivalence, as multiple generations of Okinawans now have the opportunity to inscribe and reinscribe the meaning ofAmerikamunon their landscape.
Parents and Children in Day Care
Authors: Potter Barbara
Published: March 2016

“In health or education programmes designed for the welfare of infants and young children the gains that the children make vanish unless parents are closely involved.”

The following quotation appeared in a publication by E. M. Duvall:

Thus a Child Learns.
Insecure Families: Early Adoption Practice in New South Wales
Authors: Horsburgh Michael
Published: March 2016

Effective legal provision for the adoption of children was not introduced into New South Wales until the passage of the Child Welfare Act of 1923. This paper examines some of the less formal and less effective practices which preceded that Act. The lack of adequate legislation affected all of those arrangements, creating problems out of issues which are today assumed to be solved. The early difficulties are seen to shed some light on modern discussions.
The father of the man — the mother of the woman?: Behavioural problems in boys and girls and some of their implications for social work
Authors: Sheppard Anne
Published: March 2016

We all know — or think we know — that boys behave differently from girls, even if our analysis progresses no further than some tautologous recognition that boys are more ‘boyish’. We are also inclined to think that the ‘problem’ child will grow out of his difficulties, but that so far as socially disruptive behaviour is concerned, boys, on the whole, are rather more seriously problematic than girls. Generalized notions of this sort contain elements of both truth and fiction which cannot properly be appreciated unless sex differences in behaviour shown by young children are analysed and placed in perspective. I hope here to consider how the disordered behaviour of boys generally differs from that of girls and to draw attention to some of the implications of this for their adulthood and for the social worker.
The Effects of Parent Education on Children's Fluency
Authors: Nystul Michael S. , Moore Margaret
Published: March 2016

Thirteen Australian parents of stuttering children participated in a parent education program based on Thomas Gordon's Parent Effectiveness Training program. Tape recordings of parent-child conversations were made before and after the parent participated in the parent education program. The conversations were analyzed in terms of the amount of verbalization of the stuttering child with each parent and the level of fluency of a stuttering child with each parent. An analysis of the results showed the stuttering children to significantly (p <.0473) increase the number of words used when talking with their mother and significantly (p <.0218) decrease their percentage of stuttering when speaking with their father.
The Right to Protection from Poverty of Children of Divorced Couples
Authors: Ingleby Richard
Published: March 2016

In this paper I intend to examine ways in which the problem of child poverty might be remedied by legislative reform. The legislative activity taking place at present means that this is a matter of current, as well as social, importance (1). The paper is not intended as an arid academic exercise, but as a contribution to the debate about the future direction of reform in this area. The emphasis of the paper is on the effect of legislative provisions outside the court-room. When more than 90% of divorce disputes are not resolved by judicial adjudication, it is vital to an understanding of the law to examine its out-of-court operation (2). This demands that we consider how the provisions of the Family Law Act are used in negotiations, and the effect of the relationship between parents' rights against each other, and parents' rights against the State. But therefore considering ways in which the interests of children might be protected on divorce, it is necessary to give a brief introduction to the nature of the problem of child poverty and its relationship with matrimonial breakdown.
Parent Education: Developments and Discrepancies
Authors: Allan June , Schultz Cynthia
Published: March 2016

Resume

The effects of professional intervention in family life and relationships has been questioned by a number of writers who maintain that this involvement has led to the undermining of parental authority and a lessening of parental competence and confidence. By contrast, others see this involvement as supplying necessary skills to family members.

Amongst the programmes which professionals have implemented are parent education programmes, many of which are conducted in groups and which are valued by both practitioners and writers. As part of the broader debate about the relationships between professionals and the family however, some critics suggest that parent education programmes can have adverse effects on parents' confidence in their parental role and on their self-reliance in deciding how best to raise their children.

A research project is being put into effect in Melbourne to explore these issues.
Preventative Child Welfare Services in Victoria
Authors: Mitchell Brian
Published: March 2016

The idea of prevention in child welfare is not new. The prevention of substitute placement of children whether on a temporary or long-term basis has been a fundamental principle of child welfare we have held to for many years in Victoria.

However, it is only in the last decade that this principle is actually being carried out in practice by a number of voluntary agencies. For many children placement is still commonly used as a solution it is easier to place a child than to promote change within many multi-deficit families.
Children's and Adolescents' Fears and the Threat of Nuclear War: an Australian Study
Authors: Slee Phillip T. , Gross Darryl G.
Published: March 2016

As adults, it is tempting to dismiss children's fears of such things as animals, the supernatural and physical events as vivid aspects of their imagination and to reassure ourselves that such fears are relatively minor or of limited concern. To this extent adults fail to realise children's fears reflect something of their understanding of the world and their place in it. To date, there has been very little research conducted in Australia on the nature and extent of children's fears. However, research conducted in the United States and Europe has identified a number of features of fears including sex differences and age trends.
Intercountry Adoption: Society's responsibilities to children adopted into cultures other than their own
Authors: Hoksbergen R.A.C.
Published: March 2016

When we discuss and think about responsibilities to intercountry adopted children, we have to answer several questions first:

– Responsibility to whom? What are the special characteristics of the persons or groups involved? How big will this responsibility be?

and

– Is it, quantitively speaking, an important phenomenon?

I will answer the second and easiest question first.

How many intercountry adopted children arrive each year in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Great Britain, other European countries, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada?
Surviving Childhood
Authors: Leditschke J. Fred
Published: March 2016

In the first month of life, prematurity and congenital anomalies account for the majority of deaths to children. Between one month and one year of age, the still unexplained Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or cot death remains very much an unsolved problem causing untold distress and grief to parents.

If, however, we consider the childhood commencing at one month of age and carrying through until the completion of at least primary school and possibly secondary schooling, then accidents cause over a quarter of the deaths and, in considering those deaths in the first five years of life, drowning constitutes the number one cause. If we are looking at a spectrum from birth to fifteen years, deaths from motor vehicle accidents, whether as a passenger, pedestrian or bicyclist, are responsible for 50% of the deaths. Drowning features second on the list whilst such things as burns, poisoning, electrocution and suffocation now constitute a very small percentage of the deaths in childhood.
Family Support—The First Option for Families in Great Stress
Authors: Matters Margaret
Published: March 2016

Synopsis:

The aim of this paper is to present Family Support as the optimal choice for the long-term well being of children of families in great stress. (This may be the primary professional resource or may be in combination with alternative care).

These families are described elsewhere as “multi deficit”, “multi problem”, “hard to reach”, “hardcore” and “excluded families”, meaning excluded from the day to day services of our community. Not only do these families fear rejection and failure so do not attempt to use ordinary community services and resources such as community houses, libraries, maternal and child health nurses etc., but these services feel uneasy and poorly equipped to handle these families and their perceived needs.

A multi-service agency is required to effect change where there has been an inter-generational cycle of deprivation which gives rise to a “poverty of experience.”

We will demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach through a case study where long-term fostercare seemed a likely outcome.

This paper presents a distillation of the knowledge about families and methods of working with them, that has grown and developed over the past 10 years at Careforce Outer East.
In Whose ‘Best Interests’?: Some Mothers' Experiences of Child Welfare Interventions
Authors: Mason Jan
Published: March 2016

Resume

This paper reports on a small study in the south west region of Sydney, in which mothers discussed their experiences as recipients of child welfare interventions for alleged child abuse.

The research methodology is within a feminist framework, utilising qualitative data and placing importance on the impact of the implementation specific public policy on aspects of private functioning.

Data was obtained from focused interviews conducted by students on placement. The analysis highlights major themes of women's experiences of service delivery, using their own words. Themes concern feelings of powerlessness, factors determining the perception of interventions as ‘helpful’ or otherwise and issues of rights to information and access.

The findings of this study are considered in relation to feminist analysis of ‘mothering’ and State intervention; previous research on recipient experiences of service delivery and implications for future policy development and research.
Sterilisation of the Apparently Incapable: Emergency or Epidemic?
Authors: Bates Frank
Published: March 2016

In an earlier article in this journal (Bates, 1988a), I concluded that the decision of the House of Lords in Re B (a minor Wardship: Sterilisation (1987) 2 All E.R. 206, would not be the end of a judicial process dealing with the enforced sterilisation of apparently mentally incapable young women. This has proved to be totally correct and, unfortunately perhaps, has meant that the issues raised by Re B have come to be litigated in two recent cases in Australia. At the outset, it should be said that both of these cases, for various reasons, confirm the decision in Re B in that the sterilisation was ultimately authorised. At the same time, it must also be emphasised that the judgments in each case were detailed, canvassing many of the central policy issues which are bound to arise in such cases.
Not the Last Word: Point and Counterpoint: The “Sweet” and the “Swill”: Farewell Welfare?
Authors: Goddard Chris
Published: March 2016

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen” (Orwell, 1949). The opening lines of 1984 have passed into the collective consciousness, gathering the familiarity that is reserved for great works of literature. The ‘Ministry of Truth’ was Winston Smith's employer and the name is now applied by journalists to the Victorian Government's media unit.

Much science fiction has been treated with condescension and the label of approval, ‘literature’, has been applied sparingly, if at all. I have enjoyed the genre since reading The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. The terror and adventure of the story of the invasion by Martians held me enthralled, but the real thrill for me as a schoolboy was that much of the early action took place where I lived.
Theory and Practice in Child Care
Authors: Cox Ian
Published: March 2016

As a welfare administrator, the opportunities to visit child caring establishments are many. It is like visiting another world. They are a mixture of “The Sullivans”, “The Waltons”, “The Brady Bunch”, with an air of unreality because time has passed them by and the new society of the present time calls for radical service delivery style. Alternative child care is developing in kids shelters to provide some of the elements needed in a modern world. What formalised child care often supplies is an expensive, stylised anachronism which does not need committees on how to change but accountants who can manage to wind down activities and allow reinvestment in care which will meet today’s challenges.
50/50 The Dilemma of Genetic Counselling in Huntingtons Disease
Authors: Chiu Edmond , Teltscher Betty
Published: March 2016

Huntington's Disease is a hereditary disease which is passed from generation to generation through auto-somal dominant tranmission. The transmission is unrelated to the sex of the child and each child of an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease or not inheriting the disease. This disease never skips a generation but for those who do not inherit the offending gene (S), then the disease can no longer be transmitted to future generations. The disease usually manifests itself in the late 30's and early 40's years of age, that is, towards the end of the reproductive life of the patient. The average length of time from onset to death is about 15 years and death is usually due to pneumonia or heart disease in a debilitated person.
New Directions in Aboriginal (N’Unga’) in South Australia
Authors: Austin John
Published: March 2016

In traditional Aboriginal communities the young were cared for by the COMBINED efforts of relatives. Traditional social/cultural values included an emphasis on the extended family as the basic unit, with responsibility for the welfare of each member of a tribe being shared by all. Methods of child-rearing emphasised undemanding security and physical demonstration of affection, rather then discipline, training and material comforts. The structure of the extended family varied from tribe to tribe with different members having primary responsibility for child care.
Aboriginal juveniles in custody — New community and institutional approaches
Authors: Sommerlad Elizabeth
Published: March 2016

The disproportionate number of Aboriginal juveniles in state corrective institutions is a matter of serious concern to Aboriginals, policy-makers and administrators alike. Although it is difficult to obtain accurate statistical information in this area, and hence to fully comprehend the nature and complexity of the problem, what data we do have suggest that juvenile delinquency and ensuing institutionalisation is reaching crisis proportions. It would seem that in comparison with the non-Aboriginal population, Aboriginal juveniles are more likely to be charged with an offence, to be convicted, and to be committed to a corrective institution. Moreover, recidivism rates for Aboriginal juveniles are significantly higher than for non-Aboriginals and substantial numbers do not have homes to go to on release and are transferred to institutions or permanent foster care as wards of the State.
The Changing Social Climate of Residential Work and its Challenge
Authors: Balbernie Richard
Published: March 2016

We are all concerned for the potentially damaging effects of long term residential care. I propose, in my first paper, to look at this change and its implications for residential work and residential workers, and in the second paper to concentrate more on those for whom I feel long term residential treatment is essential if they are not to become increasingly anti-social and eventually institutionally dependent.
Report on the Victorian Review of Early Childhood Services
Authors: Green David
Published: March 2016

The State Government announced the appointment of a Committee of Review of Early Childhood Services in October 1982. The Committee was accorded broad terms of reference and requested to report to the Ministers of Health, Education and Community Welfare Services in nine months time. A total of seventeen members were appointed, indicating some degree of the complexity of this task, as a committee of seventeen would generally be regarded to be marginally workable. The Committee worked hard during the ensuing ten months and finalised its recommendations and completed its report in September 1983. Disagreements throughout the process of the Committee’s work finally reflected themselves in the decision of six members to withdraw their support and endorsement of the final report. A few weeks later a minority report was produced and the Government agreed to formally print the minority report and contribute to its overall distribution.
Treatment of Addicted Parents and their Children: The Odyssey House Parents’ Programme
Authors: Tenenbaum Judith
Published: March 2016

The James McGrath Foundation’s Odyssey House is a drug-free, residential therapeutic community for the treatment of drug addiction. The programme was initiated by Dr. Judianne Densen-Gerber, a psychiatrist and lawyer, in the United States of America fifteen years ago, and has been operative in Australia in New South Wales since October, 1977 and in Victoria since July, 1980. The Victorian residential facility is located at Lower Plenty in a spacious building originally constructed by the Roman Catholic Church, situated on nine hectares of land and now “home” for one hundred and thirty former drug addicts. There are three specific programmes incorporated within the overall Odyssey programme offering treatment services to adults, adolescents thirteen to seventeen years old and parents and their dependent children. Referrals to these programmes are in general from medical and mental health programmes, social services agencies, schools, jails, courts and probation and parole departments. In addition, fifty-two percent of residents are self-referred or referred by family or friends.