bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biotin-Functionalized Semiconducting Polymer in an Organic Field Effect Transistor and Application as a Biosensor
Authors: Kim Zin-Sig , Lim Sang Chul , Kim Seong Hyun , Yang Yong Suk , Hwang Do-Hoon
Published: August 2012

This report presents biotin-functionalized semiconducting polymers that are based on fluorene and bithiophene co-polymers (F8T2). Also presented is the application of these polymers to an organic thin film transistor used as a biosensor. The side chains of fluorene were partially biotinylated after the esterification of the biotin with corresponding alcohol-groups at the side chain in F8T2. Their properties as an organic semiconductor were tested using an organic thin film transistor (OTFT) and were found to show typical p-type semiconductor curves. The functionality of this biosensor in the sensing of biologically active molecules such as avidin in comparison with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was established through a selective decrease in the conductivity of the transistor, as measured with a device that was developed by the authors. Changes to the optical properties of this polymer were also measured through the change in the color of the UV-fluorescence before and after a reaction with avidin or BSA.
The Tragedy of the Commons from a Game-Theoretic Perspective
Authors: Diekert Florian K.
Published: August 2012

Twenty years after the declarations from the Earth Summit in Rio, the world faces an unattenuated host of problems that threaten the goal of sustainable development. The challenge to cooperatively solve socio-ecological problems has been portrayed in Garrett Hardin’s essay “The Tragedy of the Commons”. While this paper remains controversial, it has inspired a vast number of theoretical, experimental, and empirical contributions that have clarified the mechanisms of collective action problems and suggested ways to overcome these. This article reviews the recent game-theoretic research in this field.
How Cultural and Learning Style Differences Impact Students’ Learning Preferences in Blended Learning
Authors: Tempelaar Dirk , Rienties Bart , Giesbers Bas , van der Loeff Sybrand Schim
Published: August 2012

In teaching introductory statistics to first year students, the Maastricht University uses a blended learning environment that allows them to attune available learning tools to personal preferences and needs, in order to address large diversity in students. That diversity is a direct consequence of a heterogeneous inflow of primarily international students, transferring from different secondary school systems with large differences in prior knowledge, and transferring from very different cultural backgrounds. In this empirical contribution, the authors focus on the role an adaptive online tutorial as component of the blend can play in bridging the consequences of a broad range of differences such as prior mastery of the subject, cultural background, and learning approaches. They do so by investigating the relationships between the intensity of the use of the e-tutorial and students’ characteristics related to nationality, cultural background, learning styles, goal-setting behavior, achievement motivations, self-concept constructs, and subject attitudes.
Cyborg in the Village
Authors: Singh G’han Ruth
Published: August 2012

This chapter explores the tensions that exist between institutions’ surging reliance on mandated blended learning and the preference for face-to-face interaction expressed by many adult transcultural students who self-identify as members of marginalized groups. In the context of this analysis, the term “transcultural” refers to the lived experience of students who self-identify as members of marginalized groups within the context of pedagogies that are rooted in dominant cultural constructs. The chapter offers a theoretical argument outlining the existence of culturally-embedded resistances to blended education that are bound to transcultural students’ learned strategies for survival and situated ways of knowing. The chapter also highlights some current best practices and offers additional strategies for acknowledging, leveraging, and/or mitigating culturally embedded resistances to blended education. Participants’ names have been replaced by pseudonyms in order to preserve their anonymity.
Blended Learning in the Campus-Based University
Authors: Jefferies Amanda
Published: August 2012

The development of the term ‘blended learning’ in academic circles has been growing since 2004 when it first emerged as a sub-set of e-learning as noted by, among others, Conole who commented on the impact of technology in the student experience when she asserted that: ‘e-learning is now no longer a peripheral activity, the province of the isolated enthusiast, but is pervading Higher Education (HE), not just as an effective infrastructure for distance courses but blended with more traditional approaches on campus.’ (Conole & Fill, 2005). This chapter firstly explores the role and importance of blended learning from the student perspective in Higher Education and secondly, from the case study described below, identifies transcultural factors which contributed to the successful embedding of blended learning in a medium-sized UK institution.
A Framework for Emergent Emotions, Based on Motivation and Cognitive Modulators
Authors: Bach Joscha
Published: August 2012

Although traditional appraisal models have been successful tools for describing and formalizing the behavior of emotional agents, they have little to say about the functional realization of affect and emotion within the cognitive processing of these agents. The cognitive architecture MicroPsi addresses emotion and motivation by defining pre-requisites over which affective dynamics and goal-seeking emerge. Here, these pre-requisites are explained in detail, along with a possible approach of using them to model personality traits.
Hourly elemental concentrations in PM2.5 aerosols sampled simultaneously at urban background and road site
Authors: Dall'Osto M. , Querol X. , Amato F. , Karanasiou A. , Lucarelli F. , Nava S. , Calzolai G. , Chiari M.
Published: August 2012

Abstract. Hourly-resolved aerosol chemical speciation data can be a highly powerful tool to determine the source origin of atmospheric pollutants in urban Environments. Aerosol mass concentrations of seventeen elements (Na, Mg, Al, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr and Pb) were obtained by time (1 h) and size (PM2.5 particulate matter <2.5 μm) resolved Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) measurements. In the Marie Curie FP7-EU framework of SAPUSS (Solving Aerosol Problems by Using Synergistic Strategies), the unique approach used is the simultaneous PIXE measurements at two monitoring sites: urban background (UB) and a street canyon traffic road site (RS). Elements related to primary non exhaust traffic emission (Fe, Cu), dust resuspension (Ca) and anthropogenic Cl were found enhanced at the RS, whereas industrial related trace metals (Zn, Pb, Mn) were found at higher concentrations at the more ventilated UB site. When receptor modelling was performed with positive matrix factorization (PMF), nine different aerosol sources were identified at both sites: three types of regional aerosols (secondary sulphate (S) – 27%, biomass burning (K) – 5%, sea salt (Na-Mg) – 17%), three types of dust aerosols (soil dust (Al-Ti) – 17%, urban crustal dust (Ca) – 6%, and primary traffic non exhaust brake dust (Fe-Cu) – 7%), and three types industrial aerosol plumes-like events (shipping oil combustion (V-Ni) – 17%, industrial smelters (Zn-Mn) – 3%, and industrial combustion (Pb-Cl) – 5%). The validity of the PMF solution of the PIXE data is supported by strong correlations with external single particle mass spectrometry measurements. Beside apportioning the aerosol sources, some important air quality related conclusions can be drawn about the PM2.5 fraction simultaneously measured at the UB and RS sites: (1) the regional aerosol sources impact both monitoring sites at similar concentrations regardless their different ventilation conditions; (2) by contrast, local industrial aerosol plumes associated with shipping oil combustion and smelters activities have a higher impact on the more ventilated UB site; (3) a unique source of Pb-Cl (associated with industrial combustion emissions) is found a to be the major (82%) source of Cl in the urban agglomerate; (4) PM2.5 traffic brake dust (Fe-Cu) is mainly primarily emitted and not resuspended, whereas PM2.5 urban crustal dust (Ca) is found mainly resuspended by both traffic vortex and sea breeze; (5) urban dust (Ca) is found the aerosol source most affected by land wetness, reduced by a factor of eight during rainy days and suggesting that wet roads may be a solution for reducing dust concentrations in road sites, far more effective than street sweeping activities.
Wave influence on polar mesosphere summer echoes above Wasa: experimental and model studies
Authors: Dalin P. , Kirkwood S. , Hervig M. , Mihalikova M. , Mikhaylova D. , Wolf I. , Osepian A.
Published: August 2012

Abstract. Comprehensive analysis of the wave activity in the Antarctic summer mesopause is performed using polar mesospheric summer echoes (PMSE) measurements for December 2010–January 2011. The 2-day planetary wave is a statistically significant periodic oscillation in the power spectrum density of PMSE power. The strongest periodic oscillation in the power spectrum belongs to the diurnal solar tide; the semi-diurnal solar tide is found to be a highly significant harmonic oscillation as well. The inertial-gravity waves are extensively studied by means of PMSE power and wind components. The strongest gravity waves are observed at periods of about 1, 1.4, 2.5 and 4 h, with characteristic horizontal wavelengths of 28, 36, 157 and 252 km, respectively. The gravity waves propagate approximately in the west-east direction over Wasa (Antarctica). A detailed comparison between theoretical and experimental volume reflectivity of PMSE, measured at Wasa, is made. It is demonstrated that a new expression for PMSE reflectivity derived by Varney et al. (2011) is able to adequately describe PMSE profiles both in the magnitude and in height variations. The best agreement, within 30%, is achieved when mean values of neutral atmospheric parameters are utilized. The largest contribution to the formation and variability of the PMSE layer is explained by the ice number density and its height gradient, followed by wave-induced perturbations in buoyancy period and the turbulent energy dissipation rate.
Arctic sea ice in the mid-Holocene Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project 2 simulations
Authors: Berger M. , Brandefelt J. , Nilsson J.
Published: August 2012

Abstract. The Arctic sea ice in the mid-Holocene simulations of 11 coupled global circulation models part of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project phase 2 (PMIP2) is analysed in this study. The work includes a comparison of the mid-Holocene simulations to the pre-industrial control simulations for each individual model and also a model-model comparison. The forcing conditions in the mid-Holocene and pre-industrial simulations differ in the atmospheric methane concentration and the latitudinal and monthly distribution of solar insolation (due to differences in the orbital parameters). Other studies have found that the difference in insolation, with increased northern hemisphere summer insolation, explain the major differences between the simulated mid-Holocene and pre-industrial climates. The response of the simulated sea ice extent and thickness to the changes in solar insolation and atmospheric greenhouse gases is investigated. The model-model variation in pre-industrial simulated Arctic sea ice is large, with sea ice area extent ranging from 10.1 to 28.2 (7.01 to 24.6) million km2 in March (September), and the maximum sea ice thickness ranging from 1.5 m to more than 5 m in both September and March. Nevertheless, all models agree on the sign of the difference between mid-Holocene and pre-industrial in both March and September. All models have smaller summer sea ice extent and thinner ice cover in all seasons in the mid-Holocene climate compared to the control (pre-industrial) climate. The reduction in sea ice extent is mostly confined to the sea ice margins, whereas the thinning of the ice occurs over the entire ice cover. In addition, the models also experience an enhanced summer warming north of 60° N. For the central Arctic region, models with thicker ice in the mean state in the control simulation experience the largest change in the mean state between the two climates. Comparison to available Climate Model Intercomparison Project 3 (CMIP3) simulations with the same model version and atmospheric CO2 concentration increased to a doubling has also been performed. The sea ice response in this future scenario is stronger than the response in the mid-Holocene simulation. Again we find that the model with the thickest mean state has the largest response.
Application of concentration-volume fractal method in induced polarization and resistivity data interpretation for Cu-Mo porphyry deposits exploration, case study: Nowchun Cu-Mo deposit, SE Iran
Authors: Daneshvar Saein L. , Rasa I. , Rashidnejad Omran N. , Moarefvand P. , Afzal P.
Published: August 2012

Abstract. The aim of this study is the utilization of the concentration-volume (C-V) fractal method based on geoelectrical data including induced polarization (IP) and resistivity (RS) in targeting areas hosting different sulfidic mineralization zones in Nowchun Cu-Mo porphyry deposit, SE Iran. The C-V fractal model employed in this research in order to separate high and moderate sulfidic zones from low sulfidic zone and barren wall rocks in the deposit is corresponding to chargeability and resistivity. Results obtained from the C-V method indicate that there is a positive correlation between subsurface mineralization and sulfide mineralized zones; additionally, use of the C-V method based on geophysical data is recognized as an accurate approach for delineation of various mineralization zones in the depth for optimization of mineral exploration operation, particularly in porphyry deposits.
La web 2.0 en los sistemas de recuperación de información
Authors: Luna González Mary Eugenia
Published: August 2012

Se realiza un análisis documental para obtener conocimiento sobre el avance de las nuevas tecnologías de la información y comunicación, y la explosión informativa y sobresaturación en la red consecuencia de tal avance, que solo es posible contrarrestar por medio de la utilización de sistemas de recuperación de información combinados con las ventajas ofrecidas en la web 2.0.
Os usuários da informação jurídica
Authors: Pinho Fabio Assis , Barbosa Ângela Maria da Silva
Published: August 2012

A tomada de decisões necessita estar embasada em informações atuais e confiáveis, especialmente, nos ambientes jurídicos. No Brasil, as mudanças na legislação são constantes motivadas principalmente pelas promulgações de medidas provisórias. Neste sentido, faz-se necessário conhecer bem as fontes e as mudanças para satisfazer as necessidades dos usuários da área jurídica. Por isso, através de uma pesquisa exploratória, cujo objetivo foi realizar um estudo de usuários, especialistas na área jurídica, na biblioteca da Procuradoria Regional da República da 5ª Região (Brasil), que é uma unidade que pertence ao Ministério Público Federal do Brasil, usando o questionário como ferramenta de coleta de dados. Os resultados mostraram que os usuários da informação jurídica são exigentes e específicos em suas pesquisas, realizando buscas em diferentes fontes de informação, uma vez que suas necessidades apresentam um grau elevado de dificuldade.
Análise de ofertas de emprego para bibliotecários de referência
Authors: Capri Daniela , Duarte de Borja Renata , Zandavalle Ana Cláudia , Vieira da Cunha Miriam
Published: August 2012

O papel do bibliotecário de referência é essencial para o atendimento do usuário. Esta pesquisa analisou e comparou as ofertas para bibliotecários de referência nos sites Indeed e Jobs. Utilizou a técnica de análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Os resultados revelaram que o mercado de trabalho procura profissionais pró-ativos, comunicativos e experientes, com formação em Biblioteconomia ou Ciência da Informação.
O princípio do acesso livre é parte da essência de nossa profissão
Authors: Biblios Editores
Published: August 2012

Entrevista a Abel Laerte Packer (Brasil). Coordenador do projeto SciELO (Biblioteca Científica Eletrônica em linha) e assessor da Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP).Magíster em Bibliotecología pela Universidade de Syracuse, Nova York, foi diretor do Centro Latino-Americano e do Caribe de Informação em Ciências da Saúde (BIREME/PAHO/WHO).
Cooking Creoleness: Lafcadio Hearn in New Orleans and Martinique
Authors: Loichot Valérie
Published: August 2012

Martinican creolist Raphaël Confiant claims in an unabashed praise of Lafcadio Hearn that the nineteenth century writer “invented what today we might call ‘multiple identity’ or ‘creoleness’ [créolité].” Critic Chris Bongie notes that the word “creolization” appeared for the first time in the English language in Hearn’s 1890 novel Youma. In a letter written to his friend Henry Krehbel in 1883, Hearn himself announces this allegiance to all things creole as he signs “your creolized friend.” These comments identify the nineteenth century thinker not only as a precursor of creoleness, but more importantly, and also surprisingly, as a forerunner of both creoleness and creolization, two related terms that are philosophically unlike in Martinican thought.
Richard Kearney and Kascha Semonovitch (eds.), Phenomenologies of the Stranger
Authors: Sealey Kris
Published: August 2012

Review of Richard Kearney and Kascha Semonovitch (eds.), Phenomenologies of the Stranger: Between Hostility and Hospitality
Jill Graper Hernandez, Gabriel Marcel’s Ethic of Hope: Evil, God and Virtue
Authors: Treanor Brian
Published: August 2012

Review of Jill Graper Hernandez, Gabriel Marcel's Ethic of Hope: Evil, God, and Virtue
Back Matters
Authors: Editors The
Published: August 2012

Editorial policy and related information
Technoeconomic Assessment on Innovative Biofuel Technologies: The Case of Microalgae
Authors: Ribeiro Lauro André , Pereira da Silva Patrícia
Published: August 2012

Innovative technologies and sources of energy must be developed to replace fossil fuels and contribute to the reductions of emissions of greenhouse gases associated with their use. In this perspective, algal biofuels are generating substantial awareness in many countries. As of today, it has been shown that it is scientifically and technically possible to derive the desired energy products from algae in the laboratory. The question lies, however, in whether it is a technology that merits the support and development to overcome existing scalability challenges and make it economically feasible. In this context, the overall purpose of this study is to provide an integrated assessment of the potential of microalgae as a source to produce biofuels, while confronting it with competing emerging biofuel technologies. It is intended to provide a comprehensive state of technology summary for producing fuels from algal feedstocks and to draw some insights upon the feasibility and technoeconomic challenges associated with scaling up of processes.
Optimum Design of TMD System for Tall Buildings
Authors: Farghaly Ahmed Abdelraheem , Salem Ahmed Mahmoud
Published: August 2012

As tall buildings keep becoming taller, they become more susceptible to dynamic excitations such as wind and seismic excitations. In this paper, design procedure and some current applications of tuned mass damper (TMD) are discussed. A symmetrical moment resistance frame (MRF) twenty storey three-dimensional model were modeled in SAP2000 and a TMD was placed on its top and through it to study its effects on the structural response due to seismic excitations and using time history analysis with and without the TMD. The study indicates that the response of structure such as storey displacements and shear force of columns can be dramatically reduced by using TMD (groups of TMDs) devices especially with a specific arrangement in the model. The study illustrates the group of four TMDs distributed on the plan (interior) which can be effective as R.C. core shear wall.
Synthesis, Urease Inhibition, Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Molecular Docking Studies of 1,3,4-Oxadiazole Derivatives
Authors: Hanif Muhammad , Shoaib Khurram , Saleem Muhammad , Hasan Rama Nasim , Zaib Sumera , Iqbal Jamshed
Published: August 2012

A series of eighteen 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives have been synthesized by treating aromatic acid hydrazides with carbon disulfide in ethanolic potassium hydroxide yielding potassium salts of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles. Upon neutralization with 1 N hydrochloric acid yielded crude crystals of 1,3,4-oxadiazoles, which were purified by recrystallization in boiling methanol. The synthesized 1,3,4-oxadiazoles derivatives were evaluatedin vitrofor their urease inhibitory activities, most of the investigated compounds were potent inhibitors ofJack beanurease. The molecular docking studies were performed by docking them into the crystal structure ofJack beanurease to observe the mode of interaction of synthesized compounds. The synthesized compounds were also tested for antibacterial and antioxidant activities and some derivatives exhibited very promising results.
Stability of Aflatoxins in Solution
Authors: Diaz Gonzalo J , Cepeda Sandra M , Martos Perry A
Published: August 2012

The stability of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 was studied in solutions containing different concentrations of water, acetonitrile, and/or methanol, and in autosampler vials treated with nitric acid or silanized. When stored at room temperature (20°C) for 24 h, aflatoxins G1 and G2 were stable only in solutions containing 100% organic solvent, whereas aflatoxins B1 and B2 were stable in solutions of methanol–water and acetonitrile–water at greater than 60 and 40% organic content, respectively. At 5°C, aflatoxins G1 and G2 showed a significant decrease in concentration only when kept in less than 20% aqueous organic solvent. Significant loss of aflatoxins was realized in standard, commercially available amber type I borosilicate autosampler vials, but chemical etching of the vials with nitric acid or with silanization prevented aflatoxin degradation. These results indicate that aflatoxins are unstable in aqueous solutions and that this instability can be counteracted by the presence of at least 20% organic solvent and keeping the solutions at 5°C or by the use of treated vials.
Rapid Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Six Ionophores in Feed by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Vudathala Daljit , Murphy Lisa
Published: August 2012

A simple and highly sensitive LC/MS method was developed for the simultaneous determination of six ionophores—lasalocid, monensin, laidlomycin, maduramycin, salinomycin, and narasin—in feed. The procedure involved extraction of 1 g of feed with 4 mL of methanol–water (9 + 1, v/v) by shaking on a platform shaker for 45 min. After centrifugation, the extracts were diluted with methanol–water (75 + 25, v/v) and analyzed without any cleanup. The analysis was performed on a Betasil C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm id, 5 μm particle size) connected to an LC/MS system operated in the atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mode. We believe this to be the first method that uses the APCI mode for the analysis of ionophores. The mobile phase consisted of 50 mM ammonium acetate as solvent A and acetonitrile–methanol (7 + 3, v/v) as solvent B in a gradient run. Excellent recoveries of 81–120% were found for all compounds at fortification levels of 1–200 μg/g, with RSD ≤15% (except 17% for maduramycin at 2 and 5 μg/g, and 16% for salinomycin at 1 μg/g). At 0.5 μg/g, recoveries of 87–119% were obtained, with RSD ≤20%. However, recovery of lasalocid was 133% and salinomycin 79% in sow and horse feed, respectively. Average RSD values of lasalocid and salinomycin were 22 and 21%, respectively. Finally, proficiency test samples analyzed with the method demonstrated favorable agreement with the certified values.
Quality Assessment of Fructus xanthii Based on Fingerprinting Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Yang Liu , Su Zhijun , Zeng Xing , Li Xiong , Wu Zhifeng , Xu Shunjun , Yan Yuzhen
Published: August 2012

Because almost every traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a multicomponent system, QC of TCMs always involves various difficulties. As a current popular quality assessment approach, focusing on qualitative and quantitative analysis of certain compounds contained in herbal medicine has been widely used for the sake of expediency rather than being a practical and realistic way. However, this method does not take the existence of other constituents into account. Comparatively, the chromatographic fingerprint of the components is a more suitable approach to holistically assess the quality of herbal drugs. Fructus xanthii is a well-known herbal drug listed in all editions of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. However, there is no quality evaluation method given in its monograph, even for the above-mentioned expediency. This paper reports an HPLC fingerprinting method for quality evaluation of F. xanthii. The HPLC profiles of 27 batches of commercial samples were further analyzed using chemometric methods, including similarity evaluation and principal component analysis. As a result, the established HPLC fingerprint contained 23 characteristic peaks; therein, 13 peaks were unambiguously assigned by comparing their retention times and UV spectra with those of reference compounds, and five peaks were tentatively identified on the basis of their MS/MS fragmentation patterns and UV spectra. Moreover, it could be clearly observed that caffeoylquinic acid and its analogs predominate in F. xanthii. Except for three samples identified as outliers, 24 other commercial samples displayed similar HPLC profiles, indicating that the quality of the herbs from different markets is stable and consistent.
Structure Elucidation of a Novel Analog of Sildenafil Detected as an Adulterant in a Dietary Supplement Using LC-UV and LC/MS
Authors: Sakamoto Miho , Moriyasu Takako , Minowa Keiko , Kishimoto Kiyoko , Kadoi Hideo , Hamano Tomoko , Fukaya Haruhiko
Published: August 2012

A sildenafil-related compound was detected in a dietary supplement marketed as an aphrodisiac. The compound was detected during analysis of the dietary supplement using LC-UV and LC/electrospray ionization-MS. The structure of the compound was established using high resolution MS, NMR spectrometry, and X-ray crystal structure analysis. The compound was identified as 5-(5-((3,5-dimethylpiperazin-1-yl)sulfonyl)-2-ethoxyphenyl)-1-methyl-7-((1-methyl-4-nitro-1H-imidazol-5-yl)thio)-3-propyl-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-d] pyrimidine. Based on this structure, the compound was named nitroprodenafil. The dietary supplement was found to contain 90 mg nitroprodenafil/capsule.
Determination of Myo-Inositol (Free and Bound as Phosphatidylinositol) in Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals by Liquid Chromatography/Pulsed Amperometry with Column Switching: First Action 2011.18
Authors: Schimpf Karen , Thompson Linda , Baugh Steve
Published: August 2012

Myo-inositol is a 6-carbon cyclic polyalcohol also known as meso-inositol, meat sugar, inosite, and i-inositol. It occurs in nature in both free (myo-inositol) and bound (inositol phosphates and phosphatidylinositol) forms. For the determination of free myo-inositol, samples are mixed with dilute hydrochloric acid to extract myo-inositol and precipitate proteins, diluted with water, and filtered. For the determination of myo-inositol bound as phosphatidylinositol, samples are extracted with chloroform, isolated from other fats with silica SPE cartridges, and hydrolyzed with concentrated acid to free myo-inositol. Prepared samples are first injected onto a Dionex CarboPac PA1 column, which separates myo-inositol from other late-eluting carbohydrates. After column switching, myo-inositol is further separated on a CarboPac MA1 column using a 0.12% sodium hydroxide mobile phase; strongly retained carbohydrates are eluted from the PA1 column with a 3% sodium hydroxide mobile phase. Eluant from the CarboPac MA1 analytical column passes through an electrochemical detector cell where myo-inositol is detected by pulsed amperometry using a gold electrode. The method showed appropriate performance characteristics versus selected established standard method performance requirement parameters for the determination of myo-inositol: linear response; repeatability (RSDr) of 2%; and intermediate precision (RSDir) of 2.5%. Instrument LOD and LOQ were 0.0004 and 0.0013 mg/100 mL, respectively, and correspond to a free myo-inositol quantitation limit of 0.026 mg/100 g and a phosphatidylinositol quantitation limit of 0.016 mg/100 g. Correlation with the reference microbiological assay was good. The proposed method has been accepted by the Expert Review Panel as an AOAC First Action Method, suitable for the routine determination of myo-inositol in infant formula and adult nutritionals.
Steering the Growth of Metal Ad‐particles via Interface Interactions Between a MgO Thin Film and a Mo Support
Authors: Benedetti Stefania , Stavale Fernando , Valeri Sergio , Noguera Claudine , Freund Hans‐Joachim , Goniakowski Jacek , Nilius Niklas
Published: August 2012

The coincidence lattice formed between a crystalline MgO film and a Mo(001) support is found to be an ideal template to produce long‐range ordered ensembles of Fe and Cr particles for electronic, magnetic and chemical applications. The structural and electronic properties of this super‐lattice are analyzed by means of scanning tunnelling microscopy and density functional theory. The different registers of atoms at the interface induce periodic changes in the MgO lattice parameter, in the metal‐oxide binding length, and the workfunction. These variations modulate the adsorption landscape for Cr and Fe atoms and give rise to the observed ordering phenomena. Preferred nucleation and growth is revealed in those regions of the coincidence lattice that have a small lattice mismatch with the ad‐particles and enable electron‐transfer processes with the support.
Porous Electrode Materials for Lithium‐Ion Batteries – How to Prepare Them and What Makes Them Special
Authors: Vu Anh , Qian Yuqiang , Stein Andreas
Published: August 2012

Numerous benefits of porous electrode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) have been demonstrated, including examples of higher rate capabilities, better cycle lives, and sometimes greater gravimetric capacities at a given rate compared to nonporous bulk materials. These properties promise advantages of porous electrode materials for LIBs in electric and hybrid electric vehicles, portable electronic devices, and stationary electrical energy storage. This review highlights methods of synthesizing porous electrode materials by templating and template‐free methods and discusses how the structural features of porous electrodes influence their electrochemical properties. A section on electrochemical properties of porous electrodes provides examples that illustrate the influence of pore and wall architecture and interconnectivity, surface area, particle morphology, and nanocomposite formation on the utilization of the electrode materials, specific capacities, rate capabilities, and structural stability during lithiation and delithiation processes. Recent applications of porous solids as components for three‐dimensionally interpenetrating battery architectures are also described.
Tunable Nanoporous Network Polymer Nanocomposites having Size‐Selective Ion Transfer for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Park Sung‐Hae , Lim Jongchul , Kwon Young Soo , Song In Young , Choi Jong Min , Song Seulki , Park Taiho
Published: August 2012

Nanoporous network polymer nanocomposites with tunable pore size for size‐dependent selective ion transport are successfully prepared via the surface‐induced cross‐linking polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 1,6‐hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) on the surfaces of nanocrystalline TiO2 particles. The morphologies of the porous network polymer layer and nanopores were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) experiments. The porous layer size‐selectively screened the ions that contacted the nanocrystalline TiO2 particles, as demonstrated by ion conductivity measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS).
Social Effects via Olfactory Sensory Stimuli on Reproductive Function and Dysfunction in Cooperative Breeding Marmosets and Tamarins
Authors: ZIEGLER TONI E.
Published: August 2012

Most primates are social species whose reproduction is influenced by their social relationships. The cotton‐top tamarin, Saguinus oedipus, and the common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus, are cooperative breeding species where the family structure alters reproductive function in many ways. While primates receive social effects on reproduction via all sensory stimuli, the marmosets and tamarins are particularly influenced by olfactory/chemosensory stimuli. The olfactory sensory processing is the “social glue” that keeps the family together. This review describes a number of studies using the marmosets and tamarins at the University of Wisconsin to demonstrate how odor cues are used for altering reproductive function and dysfunction. Several key studies will be discussed to show the role of odor signaling of the female reproductive state. The suppressive effects of odors are mediated by priming odors and can cause a suppressive influence on ovulation in young females via their mother's scents. Additionally, odor cues from the infant function as priming odors to ensure that fathers and mothers are present and receptive to their parental care duties. Neural pathways occur via the processing of priming odors that consequently stimulate alterations in the behavioral and endocrine response to the stimuli. The dynamics of the cooperative breeding system ensure that offspring have essential needs met and that they develop in a family environment. Olfactory communication plays a key role in maintenance of the social system of Callitrichid monkeys. Am. J. Primatol. 75:202‐211, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Contrast Imaging Ultrasound Detects Abnormalities in the Marmoset Ovary
Authors: HASTINGS J. M. , MORRIS K. D. , ALLAN D. , WILSON H. , MILLAR R. P. , FRASER H. M. , MORAN C. M.
Published: August 2012

The development of a functional vascular tree within the primate ovary is critical for reproductive health. To determine the efficacy of contrast agents to image the microvascular environment within the primate ovary, contrast ultrasonography was performed in six reproductive‐aged female common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) during the late luteal phase of the cycle, following injection of Sonovue™. Regions of interest (ROIs), representing the corpus luteum (CL) and noncorpus luteum ovarian tissue (NCLOT), were selected during gray‐scale B‐mode ultrasound imaging. The magnitude of backscatter intensity of CL and NCLOT ROIs were calculated in XnView, post hoc: subsequent gamma‐variate modeling was implemented in Matlab to determine perfusion parameters. Histological analysis of these ovaries revealed a total of 11 CL, nine of which were identified during contrast ultrasonography. The median enhancement ratio was significantly increased in the CL (5.54AU; 95% CI −2.21–68.71) compared to the NCLOT (2.82AU; 95% CI 2.73–15.06; P < 0.05). There was no difference in time parameters between the CL and NCLOT. An additional avascular ROI was identified in the ovary of Animal 5, both histologically and by ultrasonography. This cystic ROI displayed a markedly lower enhancement ratio (0.79AU) and higher time parameters than mean CL and NCLOT, including time to peak and time to wash out. These data demonstrate, for the first time, the ability of commercially available contrast agents, to differentiate structures within the nonhuman primate ovary. Contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography has a promising future in reproductive medicine. Am. J. Primatol. 74:1088‐1096, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Digit ratio (2D:4D) and handgrip strength in subjects of Han ethnicity: Impact of sex and age
Authors: Zhao Dapeng , Li Baoguo , Yu Keli , Zheng Lianbin
Published: August 2012

The ratio of the length of the second finger to the fourth finger (2D:4D) is considered to be a putative proxy of prenatal exposure to testosterone, and has been increasingly used as a promising tool to evaluate the impact of prenatal androgenization in humans in such traits as physical performance. In this study, for the first time, we present 2D:4D data on adult participants of Han ethnicity. We consider the sexual dimorphism of 2D:4D and handgrip strength, and also report the relationship between 2D:4D and handgrip strength of males and females. The sample consisted of 54 males and 55 females recruited from a remote village in the Qinling Mountains, China. We found sexual dimorphism of both 2D:4D and handgrip strength, i.e., males had lower 2D:4D and right‐left 2D:4D than females and greater handgrip strength than females. There was a sex‐specific correlation between 2D:4D and handgrip strength, i.e., 2D:4D in the right hand was negatively correlated with handgrip strength in males but not in females. This relationship may be driven by sexual selection operating on fetal programming. Am J Phys Anthropol 149:266–271, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A “Renaissance” in Radical Trifluoromethylation
Authors: Studer Armido
Published: August 2012

This Minireview highlights recent developments in radical trifluoromethylation reactions. The trifluoromethyl group belongs to the privileged moieties in medicinal chemistry. Many drugs and drug candidates contain a trifluoromethyl substituent. Also in agrochemicals, the CF3 moiety often appears. The present article addresses the radical trifluoromethylation of alkenes and arenes mainly focussing on recent achievements. However, important earlier work in this field is also covered.
Monitoring the On‐line Titration of Enantiomeric Omeprazole Employing Continuous‐flow Capillary Microcoil 1H NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Hentschel Petra , Holtin Karsten , Steinhauser Lisa , Albert Klaus
Published: August 2012

The titration of the (S)‐enantiomer of omeprazole with the (R)‐enantiomer in chloroform‐d1 is monitored by continuous‐flow capillary microcoil 1H NMR spectroscopy employing a microcoil with a detection volume of 1.5 µl. The observed changes of the 1H NMR chemical shifts indicate the formation of a heterochiral (R,S) dimer of omeprazole via its sulfinyl group and the NH group of the benzimidazole ring. Chirality 24:1074–1076, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Neural pathways of somatic and visceral reflexes of the external urethral sphincter in female rats
Authors: Pastelín C.F. , Juárez R. , Damaser M.S. , Cruz Y.
Published: August 2012

The external urethral sphincter (EUS) plays a crucial role in maintaining urinary continence. The activity of the EUS is modulated by bladder and urethra sensory neurons. However, a complete understanding of the somatic or visceral sources that modulate the EUS is lacking. The aims of the present study were to characterize the response of the EUS to perineal skin, genital, rectal, and urethral mechanical stimulation, as well as to determine the peripheral neural pathways of the reflex. EUS reflex electromyographic activity (EMG), innervation of pelvic and perineal structures, and the anatomy of afferent and efferent nerves were determined in anesthetized female rats. The EUS responds to cutaneous as well as genital and rectal stimuli. However, the EUS EMG response is significantly larger when induced by genital stimulation. The dorsal nerve of the clitoris and the cavernous nerve both innervate the distal urethra and the distal vagina, as well as the clitoris and perigenital skin and are the main afferent pathways for the genito‐sphincteric reflex. Efferent axons travel through the pudendal nerve and the lumbosacral trunk and converge in the motor branch of the lumbosacral plexus, which innervates the EUS. Because the nerves are located on the vaginal walls, they are susceptible to damage during childbirth. Physiology and anatomy of the different neural pathways that regulate EUS activity are important to consider when inducing nerve damage to create models of urinary incontinence. J. Comp. Neurol., 520:3120–3134, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
DIN EN 1996‐1‐2 und NA – heiße Bemessung nach EC 6
Authors: Hahn Christiane
Published: August 2012

Der Entwurf (“Gelbdruck“) des deutschen NA zu DIN EN 1996‐1‐2 ist im April 2012 veröffentlicht worden. Die Regelungsinhalte werden brandaktuell unter Berücksichtigung der Ergebnisse der Einspruchssitzung Anfang Juli d. J. vorgestellt.

DIN EN 1996‐1‐2 and NA – Structural Fire Design according to EC 6. The draft (“Yellowprint”) of the German NA to DIN EN 1996‐1‐2 was published in April 2012. The enclosed rules are late‐breaking presented by considering the results of the meeting discursing objections in July this year.
DIN 4102‐4 – Restnorm‐Regelungen für Mauerwerk
Authors: Hahn Christiane
Published: August 2012

Der Entwurf (“Gelbdruck“) zur Restnorm DIN 4102‐4 erscheint voraussichtlich im September 2012. Im Beitrag wird der Regelungsinhalt für Mauerwerk der Fachöffentlichkeit zur Diskussion vorgestellt.

DIN 4102‐4 – Residual Regulations for Masonry. The draft (“Yellowprint”) to the residual standard will be published as planned in September 2012. In this article the rules for masonry are presented for a discussion in the expert public.
Optical Spectroscopy and Multivariate Analysis for Biodosimetry and Monitoring of Radiation Injury to the Skin
Authors: Levitskaia Tatiana G. , Bryan Samuel A. , Creim Jeffrey A. , Curry Terry L. , Luders Teresa , Thrall Karla D. , Peterson James M.
Published: August 2012

Strategy, Management and Health Policy

Enabling Technology, Genomics, Proteomics
Preclinical Research
Preclinical Development Toxicology, Formulation Drug Delivery, Pharmacokinetics
Clinical Development Phases I‐III Regulatory, Quality, Manufacturing
Postmarketing Phase IV

In the event of an intentional or accidental release of ionizing radiation in a densely populated area, timely assessment and triage of the general population for radiation exposure is critical. In particular, a significant number of victims may sustain cutaneous radiation injury, which increases mortality and worsens the overall prognosis of victims from radiation trauma. Diagnosis of cutaneous radiation injury is challenging, and established methods largely rely on visual manifestations, presence of skin contamination, and a high degree of event recall by the victim. Availability of a high‐throughput noninvasive in vivo biodosimetry tool for assessing the radiation exposure of skin is of particular importance for timely diagnosis of cutaneous injury. In this report, we describe the potential of optical reflectance spectroscopy in evaluating radiation injury to skin. This approach is technically attractive because optical spectroscopy relies on well‐established and routinely used instrumentation and methods for various applications, one example being pulse oximetry, which uses selected wavelengths for the quantification of blood oxygenation. Our method relies on a broad spectral region ranging from locally absorbed, shallow‐penetrating ultraviolet and visible wavelengths (200–800 nm) to more deeply penetrating near‐infrared light (800–2500 nm), allowing the monitoring of multiple physiological changes in skin upon irradiation. Chemometrics is a multivariate data treatment technique that allows information from entire spectral regions to be used to generate predictive regression models. Herein we demonstrate that a simple spectroscopic method, such as optical reflectance spectroscopy, in combination with multivariate data analysis, promises rapid and noninvasive in vivo diagnosis and monitoring of cutaneous radiation exposure. Moreover, our data show that this approach accurately predicts the dose and time of exposure in a rodent model.
Synthesis and Myorelaxant Activity of Fused 1,4‐Dihydropyridines on Isolated Rabbit Gastric Fundus
Authors: Şafak Cihat , Gündüz Miyase Gözde , İlhan Sevil Özger , Şimşek Rahime , İşli Fatma , Yıldırım Şeniz , Fincan Gökçe Sevim Öztürk , Sarıoğlu Yusuf , Linden Anthony
Published: August 2012

Strategy, Management and Health Policy

Preclinical Research

In the present study, 25 novel condensed 1,4‐dihydropyridine (DHP) derivatives bearing cyclopentane, cyclohexane, or tetrahydrothiopene ring with a bulky and lipophilic moiety (3‐pyridylmethyl) in the ester group were synthesized via a modified Hantzsch reaction, and their calcium channel modulator activities were assayed on isolated rabbit gastric fundus smooth muscle strips. To evaluate the myorelaxant effects of the compounds, the maximum relaxant response (Emax) and pD
2 values were calculated. The results indicated that all compounds produced concentration‐dependent relaxation and the introduction of five‐ or six‐membered rings to the DHP nucleus and 3‐pyridiylmethyl moiety to the ester group led to potent calcium antagonists.
Marijuana, Spice 'herbal high', and early neural development: implications for rescheduling and legalization
Authors: Psychoyos Delphine , Vinod K. Yaragudri
Published: August 2012

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug by pregnant women in the world. In utero exposure to Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9‐THC), a major psychoactive component of marijuana, is associated with an increased risk for anencephaly and neurobehavioural deficiencies in the offspring, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, and memory impairment. Recent studies demonstrate that the developing central nervous system (CNS) is susceptible to the effects of Δ9‐THC and other cannabimimetics, including the psychoactive ingredients of the branded product 'Spice' branded products. These exocannabinoids interfere with the function of an endocannabinoid (eCB) system, present in the developing CNS from E12.5 (week 5 of gestation in humans), and required for proliferation, migration, and differentiation of neurons. Until recently, it was not known whether the eCB system is also present in the developing CNS during the initial stages of its ontogeny, i.e. from E7.0 onwards (week 2 of gestation in humans), and if so, whether this system is also susceptible to the action of exocannabinoids. Here, we review current data, in which the presence of an eCB system during the initial stage of development of the CNS is demonstrated. Furthermore, we focus on recent advances on the effect of canabimimetics on early gestation. The relevance of these findings and potential adverse developmental consequences of in utero exposure to ‘high potency’ marijuana, Spice branded products and/or cannabinoid research chemicals during this period is discussed. Finally, we address the implication of these findings in terms of the potential dangers of synthetic cannabinoid use during pregnancy, and the ongoing debate over legalization of marijuana. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.