bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Marriage as the Means to Preserve ‘Asian-ness’: The Post-Revolutionary Experience of the Asians of Zanzibar
Authors: Keshodkar Akbar
Published: March 2010

The question of identity, shaped by issues of race and ethnicity, is paramount in the multi-cultural ethnic landscape of Zanzibar. This article examines how the present-day Asian community of Zanzibar, decimated by the 1964 Revolution, when an African insurgence overthrew the islands’ Arab rule and expelled the majority of Arabs and Asians, survived in Zanzibar in the years following the Revolution and how, through demarcating communal boundaries and exercising specific marriage strategies, it has managed to maintain its distinct Asian identity. The article is based on anthropological fieldwork in Zanzibar.
State, Identity and Representations of Nuclear (In)Securities in India and Pakistan
Authors: Das Runa
Published: March 2010

A plethora of theoretical perspectives have explained India and Pakistan’s nuclearization. Such arguments, while partially correct, offer little that incorporates how the constitutive nature of states’ identities explain their perceptions of (in)securities and nuclear policy choices. In this article, I offer an interpretive analysis of India and Pakistan’s nuclear trajectory by exploring the representations of (and the connections between) their nationalist identities, perceptions of insecurities and nuclear policy choices. Following the critical constructivist premise, I argue that while India and Pakistan have justified their nuclear policies on the basis of certain geo-strategic (in)securities, the interpretation of what constitutes their national selves and (in) securities have been driven by their historical legacies, economic or developmental anxieties, and their political leaders’ (or states’) ideologies. Seen from this critical constructivist perspective, I particularly draw attention to a conjectural moment of South Asian politics, where, following India’s nuclear detonation under the BJP in May 1998, the nuclear (in)security discourses of India and Pakistan have drawn from cultural re-articulations of their nationalist identities and (in)securities to justify their nuclear policies. I conclude by suggesting the need to engage realism (i.e. the material realm) with critical constructivism (i.e. the interpretive realm) to comprehend cultural productions of identities and (in)securities in inter-state politics.
Systematic Characterization of Cosmetic Textiles
Authors: Cheng S.Y. , Yuen C.W.M. , Kan C.W. , Cheuk K.K.L. , Tang J.C.O.
Published: March 2010

In this study, the commercially available cosmetic textile agent containing aloe vera for skin caring benefits was used for the development of cosmetic textiles. The empirical characterization model comprising three major categories, namely (1) material characterization and ingredient identification, (2) fabric performance testing, and (3) biological safety and biological response to human skin, was established to characterize the cosmetic textile agent and the developed cosmetic textiles. This systematic characterization model is expected to provide a guideline for commercial sectors and researchers to identify and evaluate the performance of cosmetic textile agents and cosmetic textiles in a safety and objective manner.
There Never Was a ‘Schlieffen Plan’: A Reply to Gerhard Gross
Authors: Zuber Terence
Published: March 2010

Gerhard Gross says that he has discovered new documents which show that there was a Schlieffen plan. His description of those documents is both cursory and inaccurate. A thorough analysis of these documents proves that there never was a ‘Schlieffen plan’. Gross also attempted to refute my ‘Schlieffen plan’ thesis. I show that Gross’s rebuttal is unconvincing.
Joachim von Stülpnagel’s Military Thought and Planning
Authors: Vardi Gil-li
Published: March 2010

What was the nature of Joachim von Stülpnagel’s operational and strategic thought? Did the ideas of the man considered the most radical and revolutionary of Germany’s military thinkers in the 1920s present a substantial break with German military tradition? Were his concepts the result of groundbreaking strategic perception and analysis? This article aims to distil the elements of continuity and change in Stülpnagel’s writings, highlighting the values and axiomatic truths passed down from his predecessors that he embraced and then expounded in the operational alternative he proposed. Contrary to received wisdom, very little of Stülpnagel’s concepts was ‘radical’ or groundbreaking. Rather, his writings demonstrate a persistence of the same traditional operational assumptions that inhibited German military thought before and after the First World War.
Soldier Newspapers: A Useful Source in the Social and Cultural History of the First World War and Beyond
Authors: Nelson Robert L.
Published: March 2010

To memoirs and soldiers’ letters, the new military historian must add soldier newspapers as a rich and useful source for understanding the fears and hopes of the troops of all ranks. By analysing the production and creation of these newspapers for the British, French, and German armies in the First World War, and indicating both the unique national traits of each nation’s journals and the universal stories found across the three armies’ newspapers, it is hoped that this article will point researchers toward the vast archive of soldier newspapers available for many of the wars of the last 250 years.
Ukraine’s diverging space-economy: The Orange Revolution, post-soviet development models and regional trajectories
Authors: Mykhnenko Vlad , Swain Adam
Published: March 2010

This paper considers the evolution of Ukraine’s space-economy from 1990 to 2009, paying particular attention to comparative regional economic performance during the country’s expansionary phase from 1999 to 2008. This shows that Ukraine inherited from the Imperial and Soviet eras a space-economy that was amongst the most unbalanced in Europe. Furthermore post-Soviet regional trajectories intensified these territorial imbalances. The paper argues that these trajectories are linked to a wider political economy and especially to shifts in underlying development models and the characteristics of state power. The Orange Revolution marked a significant switch away from export-led industrial growth, which involved national accumulation towards a credit-fuelled consumption model that was reliant on importing foreign capital. The paper identifies three major types of specialized regional economy that persisted despite the change in development model. Nonetheless, their relative performance and contribution to national growth were affected by the shift in model. Centripetal tendencies were reinforced, which increased regional divergence. The paper argues that the Ukrainian space-economy is best understood as a series of historically rooted and relatively geographically bounded regional economies that are increasingly functionally integrated yet externally oriented.
From reproductive work to regenerative labour
Authors: Waldby Catherine , Cooper Melinda
Published: March 2010

The identification and valorization of unacknowledged, feminized forms of economic productivity has been an important task for feminist theory. In this article, we expand and rethink existing definitions of labour, in order to recognize the essential economic role women play in the stem cell and regenerative medicine industries, new fields of biomedical research that are rapidly expanding throughout the world. Women constitute the primary tissue donors in the new stem cell industries, which require high volumes of human embryos, oöcytes, foetal tissue and umbilical cord blood. Such material is generally given for free in the advanced industrial democracies, constituted as a surplus (‘spare’ embryos) or waste (umbilical cord ‘afterbirth’, cadaveric foetuses, poor quality oöcytes) whose generative powers should not be withheld from others. At the same time, among impoverished female populations in developing nations, such biological material is now often procured through frankly transactional relations, where women undertake risky procedures for small fees. In each case, female bodily productivity is mobilized to support bioeconomic research, yet the economic value involved in these relations is largely unacknowledged. In this article, we consider both the gift economy and the transactional economy for reproductive tissues as a form of labour. In order to fully conceptualize the specificities of feminized productivity in the bioeconomy, we distinguish between earlier feminist theories of reproductive labour and the emerging practices generated by stem cell research, which we term regenerative labour. We consider how historical transformations in the regulation of feminized labour and the technical repertoires of stem cell research renegotiate the productivity limits of female reproductive biology, opening it out to novel and profitable forms of surplus value and enrolling women in complex negotiations over their role in bioeconomic activity.
Movement as a strategy to destabilize normativity
Authors: Summers Fiona
Published: March 2010

This article brings a phenomenological account of the body into dialogue with theories of gender performativity, through an analysis of performance artist Cathy Sisler’s videos Aberrant Motion #1 (1993) and Aberrant Motion #4 (1994). In the work I discuss, Sisler foregrounds he limits of visibility and employs a visual mode which is more haptic than strictly optic. At the same time, the work makes explicit the power of visibility to regulate, control and mark out the subject and critiques the effect of the gaze upon structures of identity formation and, crucially, the motility of the body. I argue that in this work, the viewer’s relation to the images is severed from the visual mastery associated with the modes of viewing which position Sisler as ‘other’, but which remain vitally at stake within the haptic visual economy she creates.
The mortality muzzle: The effect of death thoughts on attitudes toward national security and a watchdog press
Authors: Cuillier David , Duell Blythe , Joireman Jeff
Published: March 2010

This study, based on terror management theory, employs an experiment to examine how the thought of death affects people’s attitudes toward a watchdog press. Findings suggest that people who most value national security demonstrate less support for a watchdog press when primed to think of death than security-minded participants in a control group. The results provide one potential explanation for rally-around-the-flag effects and for why some people more strongly oppose journalists criticizing the government during times of mortal strife, such as war or terrorist attacks. Implications discussed include suggestions, based on theory, for preventing these attitudinal shifts, and the application of terror management theory to other areas of political communication research.
The before and after of a political interview on TV: Observations of off-camera interactions between journalists and politicians
Authors: Lundell Åsa Kroon
Published: March 2010

This article deals with the organization of off-camera interactions between journalists and politicians. What kinds of talk transpire between the participants before and after the broadcast interview? What functions do the before and after interview interaction appear to have? What social norms and conventions seem to influence the character of the pre-interview and post-interview discourse? How are their respective professional roles negotiated in these settings? The framing of the interview as an object of study in its production context aims to contribute to existing research on the news interview, specifically within Conversation Analysis (e.g. Clayman and Heritage, 2002), which has not studied processes of production, but has mostly restricted itself to analyses of that which is broadcast to the audience.
‘X’-ing out enemies: Time magazine, visual discourse, and the war in Iraq
Authors: Popp Richard K. , Mendelson Andrew L.
Published: March 2010

This article examines Time magazine’s visual discourse in its coverage of Iraq War insurgent Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s death. Time marked the event by using the same visual trope — a head crossed out by a red ‘X’ — used to mark the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003 and Adolf Hitler in 1945. The study provides a semiotic analysis of the cover, traces the historic development of the ‘X’, and compares it to rival Newsweek’s coverage. Time’s cover points to the way visuals are used to make journalistic statements that would not be acceptable to convey verbally. The study suggests that Time used Hitler imagery to establish authority by invoking its historical coverage. And by drawing such a close association between Hitler, Hussein, and al-Zarqawi, Time personalized group conflicts, presented a Manichean view of the world, attributed a false sense of finality to ambiguous events, and reinforced administration pro-war arguments.
Public Attitudes Toward People With Mental Illness in New Zealand, 1995–1996
Authors: Kazantzis Nikolaos , Wakefield Amber , Deane Frank P. , Ronan Kevin R. , Johnson Malcolm
Published: March 2010

Archival data from a cross-sectional survey of two cohorts of community-residing New Zealand adults (n = 157; n = 141) was analysed to examine social attitudes towards people with mental illness in a historical period associated with the establishment of a community mental health facility. Participants completed the Opinions about Mental Illness (OMI; Cohen & Struening, 1959), and the Comfort in Interaction Scale (CI, Beckwith & Mathews, 1994); the latter a measure of level of prior contact with people with mental illness. Across cohorts, the OMI Mental Hygiene subscale and the CI scale had significant variability. Older participants endorsed more Authoritarian, Social Restrictiveness and Interpersonal Ideology attitudes in their perception of people with mental illness than younger participants. Data supported the hypothesis that attitudes towards people with mental illness were influenced by social attitudes, and by opportunities to interact with people with mental illness in work settings.
Personality Profiles of Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Rehabilitation Counselling and Services
Authors: Ong Lee Za , Peterson David , Chronister Julie A. , Chui Chung-Yi , Chan Fong
Published: March 2010

This study examined personality characteristics of undergraduate and graduate students in rehabilitation counselling programs. Cluster analysis of 204 NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) personality profiles of these students indicated a three-cluster solution as optimal. These three personality clusters were identified as the Therapist Personality cluster, Case Manager Personality cluster, and the Sensitive Personality cluster. Implications for rehabilitation job roles, rehabilitation education, and counselling are discussed.
Diet of the garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus Linnaeus 1766) in orange groves: seasonal variation and use of available resources
Authors: Gil-Delgado José A. , Mira Óscar , Viñals Adrià , Gómez Jaime , Banyuls Nuria , Vives-Ferrándiz Carmen
Published: March 2010

The aim of this study was to describe the feeding habits of the garden dormouse Eliomys quercinus in orange groves of eastern Spain. The study area was an extensive orange grove near Sagunto (Valencia, Spain). This study combines two different non-invasive methods, the study of food store remains and the macroscopic analysis of feces. A total of 527 feces and the food remains of 172 food stores were recollected from nest boxes. Each feces was classified into five categories according to its characteristics: arthropods, gastropods, oranges, plants, and others. Throughout the year, the garden dormouse consumed all these types of food. The most consumed prey in summer and autumn were insects. However, in winter and spring orange fruit was the principal food type. Seasonal variation of orange, arthropods, gastropods, and plant matter consumption occurred. Among animal prey types, insects were the most consumed group and large-sized species were preferred. Vertebrate preys were found in food stores. The annual variation of the garden dormouse diet owing to the seasonal availability of resources in an agricultural environment revealed its feeding behavior plasticity.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Health and Health Care of Children
Authors: Flores Glenn ,   THE COMMITTEE ON PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVE:

This technical report reviews and synthesizes the published literature on racial/ethnic disparities in children's health and health care.

METHODS:

A systematic review of the literature was conducted for articles published between 1950 and March 2007. Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed, original research articles in English on racial/ethnic disparities in the health and health care of US children. Search terms used included “child,” “disparities,” and the Index Medicus terms for each racial/ethnic minority group.

RESULTS:

Of 781 articles initially reviewed, 111 met inclusion criteria and constituted the final database. Review of the literature revealed that racial/ethnic disparities in children's health and health care are quite extensive, pervasive, and persistent. Disparities were noted across the spectrum of health and health care, including in mortality rates, access to care and use of services, prevention and population health, health status, adolescent health, chronic diseases, special health care needs, quality of care, and organ transplantation. Mortality-rate disparities were noted for children in all 4 major US racial/ethnic minority groups, including substantially greater risks than white children of all-cause mortality; death from drowning, from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and after congenital heart defect surgery; and an earlier median age at death for those with Down syndrome and congenital heart defects. Certain methodologic flaws were commonly observed among excluded studies, including failure to evaluate children separately from adults (22%), combining all nonwhite children into 1 group (9%), and failure to provide a white comparison group (8%). Among studies in the final database, 22% did not perform multivariable or stratified analyses to ensure that disparities persisted after adjustment for potential confounders.

CONCLUSIONS:

Racial/ethnic disparities in children's health and health care are extensive, pervasive, and persistent, and occur across the spectrum of health and health care. Methodologic flaws were identified in how such disparities are sometimes documented and analyzed. Optimal health and health care for all children will require recognition of disparities as pervasive problems, methodologically sound disparities studies, and rigorous evaluation of disparities interventions.
Biofilm Formation Enhances the Oxygen Tolerance and Invasiveness of Fusobacterium nucleatum in an Oral Mucosa Culture Model
Authors: Gursoy Ulvi Kahraman , Pöllänen Marja , Könönen Eija , Uitto Veli‐Jukka
Published: March 2010

Background: The present study evaluates the survival capability of Fusobacterium nucleatum strains in an aerobic environment and compares the invasive capability of F. nucleatum in biofilm and planktonic forms in an organotypic cell culture (OCC) model.

Methods: Biofilms of F. nucleatum American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 25586 or Anaerobe Helsinki Negative (AHN) 9508 were produced by culturing on semipermeable membranes on brucella agar plates. The oxygen tolerance of the F. nucleatum strains was examined by incubating 3‐day‐old anaerobically grown biofilms in an aerobic environment (CO2 [5% in air] incubator) for an additional 48 hours. The OCC model was constructed by seeding keratinocytes on a fibroblast‐containing collagen gel. In invasion assays, a 3‐day‐old anaerobically grown biofilm (and planktonic bacteria in solution as the control) was placed upside down on the top of OCC and incubated under 5% CO2 for 24 hours. Invasion of the bacteria and morphologic changes in OCC were assessed using hematoxylin and eosin, Ki‐67, and periodic acid‐Schiff stainings.

Results: In biofilms, both F. nucleatum strains continuously increased their cell numbers in an aerobic environment for 48 hours. After incubating the bacterial biofilm in contact with the OCC model, F. nucleatum AHN 9508 was able to pass through the epithelial/basement membrane barrier and invade the collagen matrix. The invasiveness of biofilm F. nucleatum ATCC 25586 was limited to the epithelium. Cytotoxic effects and invasiveness of F. nucleatum on the OCC were much stronger when the bacteria were in biofilms than in the planktonic form.

Conclusion: Biofilm formation regulates the survival and invasiveness of F. nucleatum in an aerobic environment.
Number of Teeth as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Mortality in a Cohort of 7,674 Subjects Followed for 12 Years
Authors: Holmlund Anders , Holm Gunnar , Lind Lars
Published: March 2010

Background: That oral health is related to the development of different cardiovascular disorders is reported in a number of studies. This study investigates if different parameters of oral health are associated with future mortality in different cardiovascular disorders in a dose‐dependent manner.

Methods: A total of 7,674 subjects (3,300 males and 4,374 females; age range 20 to 89 years) received a dental examination by specialists in periodontology between the years 1976 and 2002. Number of remaining teeth, severity of periodontal disease, number of deepened periodontal pockets, and bleeding on probing were evaluated in relation to cause of death.

Results: During a median follow‐up period of 12 years, 629 of the subjects died. For 299 subjects the cause of mortality was cardiovascular disease (CVD); 167 of these subjects died from coronary heart disease (CHD); 83 died from stroke; and 49 died from aortic aneurysm or congestive heart failure. The causes of death for the remaining 330 subjects were other than CVD. After adjustment for age, gender, and smoking, number of remaining teeth predicted in a dose‐dependent manner all‐cause mortality and mortality in CVD and in CHD (P <0.0001 for all), but not mortality from stroke (P = 0.15). Cox regression analysis revealed a seven‐fold increased risk for mortality from CHD in subjects with <10 teeth compared to those with >25 teeth. Severity of periodontal disease, number of deepened periodontal pockets, and bleeding on probing were not related to mortality in a dose‐dependent manner after adjustment for confounders.

Conclusion: This fairly large, prospective study with a long follow‐up period presents for the first time a dose‐dependent relationship between number of teeth and both all‐cause and CVD mortality, indicating a link between oral health and CVD, and that the number of teeth is a proper indicator for oral health in this respect.
Xenogeneic Collagen Matrix With Coronally Advanced Flap Compared to Connective Tissue With Coronally Advanced Flap for the Treatment of Dehiscence‐Type Recession Defects
Authors: McGuire Michael K. , Scheyer E. Todd
Published: March 2010

Background: For root coverage therapy, the connective tissue graft (CTG) plus coronally advanced flap (CAF) is considered the gold standard therapy against which alternative therapies are generally compared. When evaluating these therapies, in addition to traditional measures of root coverage, subject‐reported, qualitative measures of esthetics, pain, and overall preferences for alternative procedures should also be considered. This study determines if a xenogeneic collagen matrix (CM) with CAF might be as effective as CTG+CAF in the treatment of recession defects.

Methods: This study was a single‐masked, randomized, controlled, split‐mouth study of dehiscence‐type recession defects in contralateral sites; one defect received CTG+CAF and the other defect received CM+CAF. A total of 25 subjects (8 male, 17 female; mean age: 43.7 ± 12.2 years) were evaluated at 6 months and 1 year. The primary efficacy endpoint was recession depth at 6 months. Secondary endpoints included traditional periodontal measures, such as width of keratinized tissue and percentage of root coverage. Subject‐reported values of pain, discomfort, and esthetic satisfaction were also recorded.

Results: At 6 months, recession depth was on average 0.52 mm for test sites and 0.10 mm for control sites. Recession depth change from baseline was statistically significant between test and control, with an average of 2.62 mm gained at test sites and 3.10 mm gained at control sites for a difference of 0.4 mm (P = 0.0062). At 1 year, test percentage of root coverage averaged 88.5%, and controls averaged 99.3% (P = 0.0313). Keratinized tissue width gains were equivalent for both therapies and averaged 1.34 mm for test sites and 1.26 mm for control sites (P = 0.9061). There were no statistically significant differences between subject‐reported values for esthetic satisfaction, and subjects' assessments of pain and discomfort were also equivalent.

Conclusion: When balanced with subject‐reported esthetic values and compared to historical root coverage outcomes reported by other investigators, CM+CAF presents a viable alternative to CTG+CAF, without the morbidity of soft tissue graft harvest.
Water quality characteristics of Densu River basin in south-east Ghana
Authors: Amoako J. , Karikari A. Y. , Ansa-Asare O. D. , Adu-Ofori E.
Published: March 2010

Water quality of the Densu River was studied by determining the levels of various physico-chemical parameters including trace metals for planning of the basin. The pH range (7.40–8.22) fell within the natural background level 6.5–8.5. The river was moderately hard with high turbidity due to poor farming practices, which result in large quantities of topsoil ending up in the river after rains. The river waters were well oxygenated with a mean DO concentration of 6.3 mg/l. Nitrogen and phosphorus levels were below their natural background values. The Densu River showed an overall ionic dominance pattern of Na > Ca  > K > Mg and Cl > HCO3 > SO4, a pattern which is an intermediate between fresh and sea water systems. The mean concentrations of metals for the basin followed the order: Fe > Mn > Zn > Pb > Cu > Cd. 84.6% of the sampling sites exceeded the background values of 0.3 mg/l and 0.1 mg/l for Fe and Mn respectively. Other metals Zn, Pb, Cu and Cd were all below their background levels indicating the river is unpolluted with respect to these metals. Water Quality index performed on the data depicted that River Densu is of poor to fairly good water quality. Regular water quality monitoring is recommended.
Diversity of fecal coliforms and their antimicrobial resistance patterns in wastewater treatment model plant
Authors: Łuczkiewicz A. , Fudala-Książek S. , Jankowska K. , Quant B. , Olańczuk-Neyman K.
Published: March 2010

The occurrence of resistance patterns among wastewater fecal coliforms was determined in the study. Susceptibility of the isolates was tested against 19 antimicrobial agents: aminoglycosides, aztreonam, carbapenems, cephalosporines, β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors, penicillines, tetracycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and fluoroquinolones. Additionally the removal of resistant isolates was evaluated in the laboratory-scale wastewater treatment model plant (M-WWTP), continuously supplied with the wastewater obtained from the full-scale WWTP. Number of fecal coliforms in raw (after mechanical treatment) and treated wastewater, as well as in aerobic chamber effluent was determined using selective medium. The selected strains were identified and examined for antibiotic resistance using Phoenix Automated Microbiology System (BD Biosciences, USA). The strains were identified as Escherichia coli (n = 222), Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp. ozaenae (n = 9), and Pantoea agglomerans (n = 1). The isolate of P. agglomerans as well as 48% of E. coli isolates were sensitive to all antimicrobials tested. The most frequent resistance patterns were found for ampicillin: 100% of K. pneumoniae ssp. ozaenae and 41% of E. coli isolates. Among E. coli isolates 12% was regarded as multiple antimicrobial resistant (MAR). In the studied M-WWTP, the applied activated sludge processes reduced considerably the number of fecal coliforms, but increased the ratio of antimicrobial-resistant E. coli isolates to sensitive ones, especially among strains with MAR patterns.
Modelling and experimental verification of a solar reactor for photo-Fenton treatment
Authors: Farias J. , Albizzati E. D. , Alfano O. M.
Published: March 2010

In the present work, a novel design of a solar reactor is presented. This pilot plant scale reactor uses the UV-Visible and Near-Infrared solar radiation to promote the photo-Fenton treatment. A theoretical study and experimental verification were performed using formic acid as a model pollutant. The radiative transfer, thermal energy and mass balances equations were solved to compute the formic acid (F) and hydrogen peroxide (P) concentrations as a function of time. The spectral and broadband solar radiation incident on the reactor window was calculated from a computational code: the SMARTS2 program. Statistical estimators have been used to measure the departure of theoretical model from experimental data. A good agreement for formic acid and hydrogen peroxide concentrations, temperature and total and UV broadband solar radiation was obtained. The normalized root mean square errors (NRMSE) of the model for predicted variables were lower than 11%.
Evaluation of a hybrid upflow anaerobic sludge-filter bed reactor: effect of the proportion of packing medium on performance
Authors: Rajagopal Rajinikanth , Mehrotra Indu , Kumar Pradeep , Torrijos Michel
Published: March 2010

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of the volume occupied by the filter bed zone on the behavior of an anaerobic hybrid UASFB reactor. This configuration contains a sludge bed in the lower part of the reactor and a filter bed in the upper part. Three such reactors, each with a working volume of 9.8-L, were studied; these differed in proportion of packing medium occupying 50, 35 and 20% of the working volume of the reactors, respectively. All the reactors were fed with wine distillery vinasse and were operated for a period of 232 days at 33 ± 1°C with increasing OLRs. No significant differences were observed between the reactors for the range of OLRs studied. Indeed, relatively high OLRs could be reached for all the three reactors with an average OLR of about 18 g COD/L d towards the end of the experiment, while maintaining a constant HRT of 26 h. CODt and CODs removal efficiencies were always more than 80 and 86%, respectively, even for the highest OLR. High quantities of VS were accumulated in the reactors with an average value of 438 ± 17 g per reactor. Most of the biomass was in the sludge bed zone suggesting that this part was playing a major role in COD removal. The internal packing medium on the top of the reactor had a key role in retaining the small flocculated particles inside the reactor, while minimizing the escape of solids in the effluent. This study suggests that low packing volume ratios can be used in the design of UASFB reactors, which allows a reduction in the costs of packing medium required as the supports are expensive.
Towards a low complexity carbon removal model for the optimal design of compact decentralised wastewater treatment systems
Authors: Moelants N. , Smets I. Y. , Van Den Broeck R. , Lambert N. , Liers S. , Declerck P. , Vanysacker L. , Van Impe J. F.
Published: March 2010

On-site decentralised wastewater treatment systems can provide a financially attractive alternative to a sewer connection in locations far from existing sewer networks. Operational problems and shortcomings in the design of these systems still occur frequently. The aim of this paper is to provide a low complexity (i.e. easy to calibrate) but still accurate mathematical model that can be used to optimise the operational design of compact individual wastewater treatment systems. An integrated hydraulic and biological carbon removal model of a biofilm-based compact decentralised treatment system is developed. The procedure for drafting the model is generic and can be used for similar types of wastewater treatment systems since (i) the hydraulic model is based on an N-tanks-in-series model inferred from tracer test experiments and (ii) (biofilm) respirometry experiments are exploited to determine the biodegradation kinetics of the biomass. Based on the preliminary validation results of the integrated model, the carbon removal in the system can be predicted quite accurately. While some adjustments could further improve the modelling strategy, the here presented results can already assist the manufacturers of compact treatment systems in efficiently (re)designing their systems.
Monitoring and evaluation of removal of pathogens at municipal wastewater treatment plants
Authors: Fu C. Y. , Xie X. , Huang J. J. , Zhang T. , Wu Q. Y. , Chen J. N. , Hu H. Y.
Published: March 2010

The concentrations and removal of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, and microbial indicators, including somatic coliphages and fecal coliforms were investigated through the wastewater treatment processes at three municipal wastewater treatment plants in Beijing, China. The experimental results showed that the concentrations of Cryptosporidium in untreated wastewater, primary treatment effluent, secondary treatment effluent, tertiary treatment effluent were 33–600, 67–333, 0–9 and 0–0.4 oocysts L−1, and that of Giardia were 130–3,600, 533–2,033, 0–32 and 0–2.1 cysts L−1, respectively. The reduction ratios of Cryptosporidium and Giardia by the primary treatment process were 0.12 log and 0.18 log, respectively. Oxidation ditch process had higher reduction efficiency to Cryptosporidium and Giardia than anaerobic-anoxic-oxic process and conventional activated sludge process, probably because of longer retention time and higher sludge concentration. Membrane ultrafiltration had a notably better efficiency to reduce microorganisms, especially Cryptosporidium and Giardia, than conventional flocculation sedimentation and sand filtration process, as the tertiary treatment. Comparing with total coliforms, fecal coliforms and heterotrophic bacteria, concentration of somatic coliphages was correlated better with that of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in untreated wastewater and secondary treatment effluent.
The use of qualitative system dynamics to identify sustainability characteristics of decentralized wastewater management alternatives
Authors: Guest J. S. , Skerlos S. J. , Daigger G. T. , Corbett J. R. E. , Love N. G.
Published: March 2010

In order to pursue more sustainable alternatives in wastewater management, it is vital that we understand how a given infrastructure alternative will impact the various aspects of sustainability. A set of qualitative tools (force field diagrams and causal loop diagrams (CLDs)) for the assessment of wastewater management alternatives is proposed and demonstrated in the context of a decentralized wastewater infrastructure upgrade. The objective for the application of these tools is to improve decision makers' understanding of how a given alternative will impact the economic, environmental/ecological, social, and functional aspects of sustainability. In the proposed method, each aspect of sustainability is treated as a stock, and its movement (up or down) can be inferred using both qualitative and quantitative data. By incorporating these tools into a participatory planning process, project-specific CLDs can be developed and loops of interest can be identified to help elucidate stakeholder values. The ultimate goal of this methodology is to facilitate the pursuit of sustainability in wastewater management by allowing decision makers to address specific sustainability challenges without creating new ones.
Utilization of MATLAB to Simulate Kinetics of Transesterification of Palm Oil-Based Methyl Esters with Trimethylolpropane for Biodegradable Synthetic Lubricant Synthesis
Authors: Abd Hamid Hamidah , Yunus Robiah , Choong Thomas S.Y.
Published: March 2010

This paper presents the simulation work on kinetic study for the transesterification reaction between palm oil-based methyl ester with trimethylolpropane to produce biodegradable lubricant base oil. The reaction mechanism involves three stepwise reversible series-parallel elementary reactions. New kinetic modeling approach is needed in this field due to the limitation of the earlier kinetic models developed for this reaction. The earlier kinetic study made use of many assumptions in order to simplify the solutions. In this work, new rate equations were derived from the actual reaction mechanism, and MATLAB was used to obtain the simultaneous solutions of the rate equations. The results obtained were compared with the experimental data used in the earlier study. The new simulation approach was found to describe the experimental values satisfactorily.
Macrophage Adiponectin Expression Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Protects Against Inflammation and Atherosclerosis
Authors: Luo Nanlan , Liu Jian , Chung B. Hong , Yang Qinglin , Klein Richard L. , Garvey W. Timothy , Fu Yuchang
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVE

Adiponectin is one of several important metabolically active cytokines secreted from adipose tissue. Epidemiologic studies have associated low-circulating levels of this adipokine with multiple metabolic disorders including obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. To investigate adiponectin-mediated changes in metabolism in vivo, we generated transgenic mice that specifically express the gene coding for human adiponectin in mouse macrophages using the human scavenger receptor A-I gene enhancer/promoter.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using this transgenic mouse model, we found that adiponectin expression was associated with reduced whole-animal body and fat-pad weight and an improved lipid accumulation in macrophages when these transgenic mice were fed with a high-fat diet. Moreover, these macrophage Ad-TG mice exhibit enhanced whole-body glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity with reduced proinflammatory cytokines, MCP-1 and TNF-a (both in the serum and in the metabolic active macrophage), adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle under the high-fat diet condition. Additional studies demonstrated that these macrophage adiponectin transgenic animals exhibit reduced macrophage foam cell formation in the arterial wall when these transgenic mice were crossed with an LDL receptor–deficient mouse model and were fed a high-fat diet.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that adiponectin expressed in macrophages can physiologically modulate metabolic activities in vivo by improving metabolism in distal tissues. The use of macrophages as carriers for adiponectin, a molecule with antidiabetes, anti-inflammatory, and antiatherogenic properties, provides a novel and unique strategy for studying the mechanisms of adiponectin-mediated alterations in body metabolism in vivo.
Identifying Psychosocial Interventions That Improve Both Physical and Mental Health in Patients With Diabetes
Authors: Harkness Elaine , Macdonald Wendy , Valderas Jose , Coventry Peter , Gask Linda , Bower Peter
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVE

Patients with diabetes suffer high rates of mental health problems, and this combination is associated with poor outcomes. Although effective treatments exist for both diabetes and mental health problems, delivering services for physical and mental health problems separately ignores their interaction and may be inefficient. This systematic review sought to identify psychosocial interventions that could improve both the physical and mental health of patients with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Studies were identified from the following databases: CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica (EMBASE), Psychinfo, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). The review included randomized controlled trials in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who received psychosocial interventions and where both mental health and physical health outcomes were reported. Data were extracted on study quality, the content and process of interventions, and outcomes.

RESULTS

Eighty-five eligible comparisons were identified, of which 49 reported sufficient data for analysis. Psychosocial interventions modestly improved A1C (standardized mean difference −0.29 [95% CI −0.37 to −0.21]) and mental health outcomes (−0.16 [−0.25 to −0.07]). However, there was a limited association between the effects on A1C and mental health, and no intervention characteristics predicted benefit on both outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Managing physical and mental health in long-term conditions are increasingly important. The review did not identify types of interventions that consistently provide benefits for both physical and mental health. Developing such interventions remains an important challenge. The findings have implications for understanding the interaction between physical and mental health problems and for the coordination of care.
Postoperative Mortality in Cancer Patients With Preexisting Diabetes
Authors: Barone Bethany B. , Yeh Hsin-Chieh , Snyder Claire F. , Peairs Kimberly S. , Stein Kelly B. , Derr Rachel L. , Wolff Antonio C. , Brancati Frederick L.
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVE

Diabetes appears to increase risk for some cancers, but the association between preexisting diabetes and postoperative mortality in cancer patients is less clear. Our objective was to systematically review postoperative mortality in cancer patients with and without preexisting diabetes and summarize results using meta-analysis.

RSEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We searched the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) for articles published on or before 1 July 2009, including references of qualifying articles. We included English language investigations of short-term postoperative mortality after initial cancer treatment. Titles, abstracts, and articles were reviewed by at least two independent readers. Study population and design, results, and quality components were abstracted with standard protocols by one reviewer and checked for accuracy by additional reviewers.

RESULTS

Of 8,828 titles identified in our original search, 20 articles met inclusion criteria for qualitative systematic review. Of these, 15 reported sufficient information to be combined in meta-analysis. Preexisting diabetes was associated with increased odds of postoperative mortality across all cancer types (OR = 1.85 [95% CI 1.40–2.45]). The risk associated with preexisting diabetes was attenuated but remained significant when we restricted the meta-analysis to models that controlled for confounders (1.51 [1.13–2.02]) or when we accounted for publication bias using the trim and fill method (1.52 [1.13–2.04]).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with their nondiabetic counterparts, cancer patients with preexisting diabetes are ∼50% more likely to die after surgery. Future research should investigate physiologic pathways to mortality risk and determine whether improvements in perioperative diabetes care can reduce postoperative mortality.
Improvement in wear characteristics of the AISI M2 by laser cladding and melting
Authors: Darmawan Wayan , Quesada Jean , Rossi Frédérique , Marchal Rémy , Machi Frédérique , Usuki Hiroshi
Published: March 2010

The interest of high speed steel (HSS) for wood cutting tools remains very important because of their good tool edge accuracy and easy grinding. The main problem is their low resistance to both mechanical and chemical wearing. Resistance of HSS cutting tools to wearing is a primary concern in the applicability of the HSS cutting tools to a wood cutting operation. In order to increase their performance, a laser melting and cladding applied on the tool edges is presented in this paper. First, the annealed AISI M2 bar was melted, and the M2 powder was cladded onto the AISI L2 substrate by a laser beam. The microstructure and microhardness of the M2-clad and M2-melted were characterized. Second, their wear resistance was tested for cutting wood. The experimental results showed that the microstructures on the clad zone (CZ) of M2-clad and melted zone (MZ) of the M2-melted reveal fine and homogeneous iron dendritic structure, in which whole primary carbides were completely dissolved during laser cladding and melting. The energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis indicated that the M2-clad reveals CZ microstructure with more uniform distribution of fine carbides compared to MZ microstructure. The M2-clad and M2-melted, which present almost the same microhardness, have larger microhardness compared to the M2-conventional. The results of wearing tests showed that the M2-clad and M2-melted cutting tools are better in wear resistance, edge roughness, and suffer less edge fractures than the M2-conventional peeling tool. Laser melting and cladding are considered to be valuable techniques to improve the performance of the M2 high speed steel cutting tools for wood machining application.
Numerical model of a laser-sustained argon plasma
Authors: Akarapu R. , Nassar A. R. , Copley S. M. , Todd J. A.
Published: March 2010

A steady state axi-symmetric model was developed to predict the size, shape and temperature of a laser-sustained plasma in flowing argon. The power of the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser and the free stream gas velocity were inputs to the model. An algorithm, which is an alternative to the ray tracing method, was used to calculate the laser power absorbed by the plasma. Temperature dependent thermal conductivity, specific heat, and viscosity values taken from the literature were used. The finite volume method, along with the SIMPLE algorithm was used to discretize and solve the three governing equations: conservation of mass, momentum, and energy. The effects of the flow velocity, laser power, and the beam mode on the laser sustained plasma were studied and agree well with published experimental data in the literature for argon flow velocities in the range of 4–10 m/s and with experiments conducted using a flow velocity of 5.5 m/s. At low flow velocities (<2 m/s), the model over-predicts absorption of the laser beam. This can be attributed to the absence of refraction in the model, which becomes significant as the LSP moves further upstream, toward the laser. The simulations indicated that the laser beam mode had a significant effect on the size, shape, and absorption of the plasma.
From CO2 lasers to quantum cascade lasers—A saga of high power infrared lasers
Authors: Patel C. Kumar N.
Published: March 2010

The era of high continuous laser power in the infrared region of the spectrum started with the first demonstration of laser action on the vibrational-rotational transitions of molecules and the invention of the carbon dioxide laser [C. K. N. Patel, “Interpretation of CO2 Optical Maser Experiments,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 12, 588–590 (1964)] in 1964. The progress in the high power molecular lasers was swift and led to an explosion of scientific and practical applications in the infrared. The romance with high power infrared lasers that started with in 1964 is still very much alive today. New types of infrared lasers, notably the quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are carving out a special niche in this arena. Applications of these lasers abound, both in science and industry. In reviewing the fun and excitement of the past as well as what may be in store for us in the future, I will focus on the current impact of the high power midwave and long wave infrared QCLs [A. Lyakh, C. Pflügl, L. Diehl, Q. J. Wang, Federico Capasso, X. J. Wang, J. Y. Fan, T. Tanbun-Ek, R. Maulini, A. Tsekoun, R. Go, and C. Kumar N. Patel, “1.6 Watt, High Wallplug Efficiency, Continuous-Wave Room Temperature Quantum Cascade Laser Emitting at 4.6 μm,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 111110 (2008)] in many defense and homeland security related applications [C. K. N. Patel, “Laser Photoacoustic Spectroscopy Helps Fight Terrorism: High Sensitivity Detection of Chemical Warfare Agent and Explosives,” Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 153, 1–18 (2008)]. In this paper I will recount some of the key advances in the high power lasers and their applications.