bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Confounding adjustment via a semi‐automated high‐dimensional propensity score algorithm: an application to electronic medical records
Authors: Toh Sengwee , García Rodríguez Luis A. , Hernán Miguel A.
Published: June 2011

Purpose

A semi‐automated high‐dimensional propensity score (hd‐PS) algorithm has been proposed to adjust for confounding in claims databases. The feasibility of using this algorithm in other types of healthcare databases is unknown.

Methods

We estimated the comparative safety of traditional non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and selective COX‐2 inhibitors regarding the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in The Health Improvement Network, an electronic medical record (EMR) database in the UK. We compared the adjusted effect estimates when the confounders were identified using expert knowledge or the semi‐automated hd‐PS algorithm.

Results

Compared with the 411,616 traditional NSAID initiators, the crude odds ratio (OR) of UGIB was 1.50 (95%CI: 0.98, 2.28) for the 43,569 selective COX‐2 inhibitor initiators. The OR dropped to 0.81 (0.52, 1.27) upon adjustment for known risk factors for UGIB that are typically available in both claims and EMR databases. The OR remained similar when further adjusting for covariates—smoking, alcohol consumption, and body mass index—that are not typically recorded in claims databases (OR 0.81; 0.51, 1.26) or adding 500 empirically identified covariates using the hd‐PS algorithm (OR 0.78; 0.49, 1.22). Adjusting for age and sex plus 500 empirically identified covariates produced an OR of 0.87 (0.56, 1.34).

Conclusions

The hd‐PS algorithm can be implemented in pharmacoepidemiologic studies that use primary care EMR databases such as The Health Improvement Network. For the NSAID–UGIB association for which major confounders are well known, further adjustment for covariates selected by the algorithm had little impact on the effect estimate. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Proteomic analysis of the hepatic tissue of Long–Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats according to the natural course of Wilson disease
Authors: Lee Beom H. , Kim Jae‐Min , Heo Sun H. , Mun Joo H. , Kim Jihun , Kim Joo H. , Jin Hye Y. , Kim Gu‐Hwan , Choi Jin‐Ho , Yoo Han‐Wook
Published: July 2011

Copper‐induced toxicity is important in the pathogenic process of Wilson's disease (WD). Using Long–Evans Cinnamon (LEC) rats, an animal model of WD, the study was undertaken to identify proteins involved in the process of WD and to investigate their functional roles in copper‐induced hepatotoxicity. In early stages, expression levels of mitochondrial matrix proteins including agmatinase, isovaleryl coenzyme A dehydrogenase, and cytochrome b5 were downregulated. As mitochondrial injuries progressed, along with subsequent apoptotic processes, expressions of malate dehydrogenase 1, annexin A5, transferrin, S‐adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, and sulfite oxidase 1 were differentially regulated. Notably, the expression of malate dehydrogenase 1 was downregulated while the annexin A5 was overexpressed in an age‐dependent manner, indicating that these proteins may be involved in the WD process. In addition, pronounced under‐expression of S‐adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase in elderly LEC rats, also involved in monoamine neurotransmitter metabolism, indicates that this protein might be related to the development of neurological manifestations in WD. The results of our study help to understand the pathogenic process of WD in hepatic tissues, identifying the important proteins associated with the disease process of WD, and to investigate the molecular pathogenic process underlying the development of neurological manifestations in WD.
Retracted: Isocratic Method for Affinity Enrichment of Covalently‐linked Peptides in Cyanogen Bromide Cleavage of Proteins
Authors: Shi Tujin , Liu Jing , Yan Chen , Wang Xiaocong
Published: July 2011

The following article from Proteomics, “Isocratic method for affinity enrichment of covalently‐linked peptides in cyanogen bromide cleavage of proteins” by T. Shi, J. Liu, C. Yan and X. Wang, published online as “Accepted Article” on 4 July 2011 (DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201100126) in the Wiley Online Library (http://www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the Editor‐in‐Chief and Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. The retraction has been agreed due to partial overlap between this article and the following article published in Analytical Chemistry, “Method for the affinity purification of covalently linked peptides following cyanogens bromide cleavage of proteins” by T. Shi et al. (Anal. Chemistry 2009, 81, 9885–9895). In addition, the author T. Shi was wrongly affiliated with the Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Acrylic copolymers with pendant 1,2,4‐triazole moieties as colorimetric sensory materials and solid phases for the removal and sensing of cations from aqueous media
Authors: Gómez‐Valdemoro Ana , Trigo Miriam , Ibeas Saturnino , García Félix Clemente , Serna Felipe , García José Miguel
Published: June 2011

Linear water‐soluble polymers and nets with gel‐like behavior were prepared for use as colorimetric sensors and selective extracting agents for naked eye detection and solid–liquid removal of heavy‐metal cations from aqueous environments. Triazole is a well‐known, heavy‐metal cation host. A water‐insoluble methacrylamide containing a 1,2,4‐triazole receptor derivative was copolymerized with highly hydrophilic and water‐soluble methacrylamides to yield a water‐soluble polymer or a cross‐linked network as a powder or a dense membrane. In powder form, the material selectively removed Hg2+, Pb2+, and Ag+ from aqueous media. In the form of swelled dense membranes or films, the material acted as colorimetric sensor for Fe3+. When the membrane was soaked in a yellow aqueous solution of Fe3+, the former colorless, transparent membrane became reddish (but retained its transparency), and the solution became colorless. Aqueous conductivity studies confirmed that both the extraction and the sensing phenomena arose from the interaction of the cations with the triazole moieties. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011
Compatibility studies of polystyrene and poly(vinyl acetate) blends using electrostatic force microscopy
Authors: Kummali Mohammed M. , Schwartz Gustavo A. , Alegría Angel , Arinero Richard , Colmenero Juan
Published: June 2011

The effect of thermal treatment on the phase separation process of the components of a polymer blend was investigated using electrostatic force microscopy (EFM). EFM technique is an advance on conventional atomic force microscopy, which enables us to measure locally the dielectric properties of the samples under investigation providing compositional information. In this work, we studied the phase separation process of the polymer blend thin films made of polystyrene and poly(vinyl acetate) (PS/PVAc) (75/25 weight fraction). The samples were subjected to different thermal treatments. It was found that at low annealing temperature, PVAc forms many small islands within PS matrix. As the annealing temperature increases, the number of PVAc islands decreases with an increase in the size of the islands. These islands take spherical‐like shape when annealed at a temperature well above the glass transition temperatures of both the component polymers. Despite these morphological/topographical changes, EFM images evidence that there is no interdiffusion which was further confirmed by quantitatively measuring the value of the dielectric permittivity across the interphase. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 49: 1332–1338, 2011
Surface Modification of Nanoclays by Plasma Polymerization of Ethylene
Authors: Neira‐Velázquez María Guadalupe , Ramos‐deValle Luis Francisco , Hernández‐Hernández Ernesto , Ponce‐Pedraza Arturo , Solís‐Rosales Silvia Guadalupe , Sánchez‐Valdez Saúl , Bartolo‐Pérez Pascual , González‐González Virgilio A.
Published: June 2011

Sodium nanoclay was modified by plasma polymerization using ethylene gas. Due to the complexity of its lamellar morphology that prevents ethylene from entering into the clay galleries, a new two‐step strategy was employed. This method proved to be effective in overcoming the limited accessibility by first exposing the nanoclay to ethylene under a pressure of 0.14 MPa (1.4 kg · cm−2), followed by the ethylene plasma polymerization while within the clay galleries. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)spectroscopy, dispersion tests in water, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and high‐annular angle dark field (HAADF) were used to characterize the modified nanoclay. XRD analysis indicated that the nanoclays layers were intercalated with polyethylene. Dispersion tests in water confirmed the nanoclays change from hydrophilic to organophilic. New chemical bondings (C–Si, C–O–Al, C–O, and C=O) were found by XPS. The presence of plasma polymer on the surface and inside the nanoclays galleries was corroborated by HRTEM.

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The black swan: LOPA and inherent safety cannot prevent all rare and catastrophic incidents
Authors: Murphy John F.
Published: June 2011

This article summarizes the appropriate use of layer of protection analysis and inherent safety to prevent low probability and high consequence accidents. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2011
Concentrations and environmental risk of chlorothalonil in air near potato fields in Prince Edward Island, Canada
Authors: Garron Christine , Ernst Bill , Julien Gary , Losier René , Davis Kimberly
Published: June 2011

BACKGROUND: Chlorothalonil is used extensively in Prince Edward Island for the control of blight on potatoes, and has been measured throughout summer months in ambient air monitoring studies. This study was designed to characterize near‐field drift of chlorothalonil, and to evaluate how exposure to measured air concentrations might impact upon local wildlife species.

RESULTS: Air samples were collected using high‐volume samplers at three distances downwind of sprayed potato fields, and at four different time intervals. Chlorothalonil was detected in 73% of prespray samples (from < 0.013 to 0.440 µg m−3). The mean air concentration 0 m away from the field edge during spray was 5.8 µg m−3, which was 7–41 times higher than concentrations measured in similar studies. Air concentrations were found to decline exponentially both with distance and time, although 0 m and 30 m concentrations at 2 h post‐spray remained significantly (3 times) higher than prespray (P < 0.05). Wind speed was not found to be significantly correlated with air concentration; however, increases in temperature were found to be significantly correlated with increases in air concentrations at all sample times, at 0 m and 30 m distances.

CONCLUSION: Frequent prespray detections and high post‐spray concentrations suggest that both chronic and acute exposures to non‐target species are occurring; however, risk calculations suggest a relatively low risk of effects to representative species. One measurement showed that a human‐health‐based short‐term guideline had been exceeded, indicating that potential impacts to humans from chlorothalonil under current application conditions cannot be discounted. Copyright © 2011 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by JohnWiley & Sons, Ltd
Quinclorac resistance: a concerted hormonal and enzymatic effort in Echinochloa phyllopogon
Authors: Yasuor Hagai , Milan Marco , Eckert James W , Fischer Albert J
Published: June 2011

BACKGROUND: Quinclorac (3,7‐dichloro‐quinoline‐carboxylic acid) is a selective herbicide widely used to control annual grasses and certain broadleaf weeds. Echinochloa phyllopogon (Stapf) Koss. is the most noxious grass weed in California rice fields and has evolved resistance to multiple herbicides with different modes of action. A quinclorac‐resistant (R) E. phyllopogon biotype found in a Sacramento Valley rice field where quinclorac has never been applied was investigated.

RESULTS: Resistant to susceptible (S) GR50 (herbicide rate for 50% growth reduction) ratios ranged from 6 to 17. The cytochrome P450 inhibitor malathion (200 mg L−1) caused R plants to become as quinclorac susceptible as S plants. Quinclorac rapidly (6 HAT) stimulated ethylene formation in S plants, but only marginally in R plants. Malathion pretreatment did not reduce ethylene formation by quinclorac‐treated S and R plants. Activity of β‐cyanoalanine synthase (β‐CAS) in tissue extracts was 2‐3‐fold greater in R than in S plants, and incubation of shoot extracts with 1 mM malathion reduced β‐CAS activity by 40% in both biotypes.

CONCLUSION: Resistance to quinclorac in R E. phyllopogon involved at least two mechanisms: (a) insensitivity along the response pathway whereby quinclorac induces ethylene production; (b) enhanced β‐CAS activity, which should enable greater HCN detoxification following quinclorac stimulation of ethylene biosynthesis. This unveils new resistance mechanisms for this multiple‐resistant biotype widely spread throughout California rice fields. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Vacancies and atomic processes in intermetallics – From crystals to quasicrystals and bulk metallic glasses
Authors: Schaefer Hans‐Eckhardt , Baier Falko , Müller Markus A. , Reichle Klaus J. , Reimann Klaus , Rempel Andrey A. , Sato Kiminori , Ye Feng , Zhang Xiangyi , Sprengel Wolfgang
Published: June 2011

A review is given on atomic vacancies in intermetallic compounds. The intermetallic compounds cover crystalline, quasicrystalline, and bulk metallic glass (BMG) structures. Vacancies can be specifically characterized by their positron lifetimes, by the coincident measurement of the Doppler broadening of the two quanta emitted by positron–electron annihilation, or by time‐differential dilatometry. By these techniques, high concentrations and low mobilities of thermal vacancies were found in open‐structured B2 intermetallics such as FeAl or NiAl, whereas the concentrations of vacancies are low and their mobilities high in close‐packed structure as, e.g., L12‐Ni3Al. The activation volumes of vacancy formation and migration are determined by high‐pressure experiments. The favorable sublattice for vacancy formation is found to be the majority sublattice in Fe61Al39 and in MoSi2. In the icosahedral quasicrystal Al70Pd21Mn9 the thermal vacancy concentration is low, whereas in the BMG Zr57Cu15.4Ni12.6Nb3Al10 thermal vacancies are found in high concentrations with low mobilities. This may determine the basic mechanisms of the glass transition. Making use of the experimentally determined vacancy data, the main features of atomic diffusion studies in crystalline intermetallics, in quasicrystals, and in BMGs can be understood. Manfred Fähnle and his group have substantially contributed to the theoretical understanding of vacancies and diffusion mechanisms in intermetallics.
Magnetic coupling in dilute magnetic semiconductors: A new perspective
Authors: Andriotis Antonis N. , Menon Madhu
Published: June 2011

The ferromagnetic coupling (FMC) among magnetic impurities in the dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs) ZnO and GaN is revisited within a molecular orbital (MO) approximation. In particular, based on computational results obtained by both ab initio and tight binding molecular dynamics methods, we demonstrate that the FMC appears to be the coupling between MOs consisting of MO‐parts confined in the tetrahedra centered at the cationic impurities. This new interpretation links the defect‐induced magnetism in DMSs and TMOs (transition metal oxides) to the previously proposed theories of magnetic organic salts and carbon‐based materials.
From electrons to materials
Authors: Hammerschmidt Thomas , Madsen Georg K. H. , Rogal Jutta , Drautz Ralf
Published: June 2011

In this article, we discuss how microstructural length and time scales may be reached in atomistic simulations. We bridge from electronic properties to properties of materials by employing a systematic coarse graining of the electronic structure to effective interatomic interactions. In combination with extended time scale simulations the elementary processes of microstructural evolution may then be described. We present our approach to the derivation of tight‐binding models from density functional theory, the characterization of the interatomic interaction using bond‐order potentials and extended time scale simulations based on adaptive kinetic Monte Carlo. Applications to structural stability in iron, internal interfaces in tungsten and hydrogen diffusion in iron are discussed briefly and relate our approach to Manfred Fähnle's work.
A deep level transient spectroscopy study on the interface states across grain boundaries in multicrystalline silicon
Authors: Chen J. , Cornagliotti E. , Simoen E. , Hieckmann E. , Weber J. , Poortmans J.
Published: July 2011

Degrading the recombination activities of grain boundaries (GBs) is essential to improve the efficiency of multi‐crystalline silicon (mc‐Si) based solar cells. We apply the deep level transient spectroscopy technique to detect interface states at Σ3 and Σ9 GBs in mc‐Si. The density of interface states close to midgap is found comparable for both as‐grown GBs. Gettering or hydrogenation leads to shallower states with a smaller capture cross section and lower density. Recombination activity reduction for Σ3 GBs is stronger than for Σ9 GBs especially after hydrogenation. Both the analysis approach and experimental results could be applied for a specific GB engineering of mc‐Si based solar cells. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Thin film optimization design of organic–inorganic hybrids for waveguide high‐rejection optical filters
Authors: Vicente Carlos M. S. , Venkatachaam Ramkanna , Ferreira Bruno M. , Marques Paulo G. , Marques Carlos A. F. , Pecoraro Edison , Carlos Luis D. , André Paulo S. , Ferreira Rute A. S.
Published: July 2011

We report the fabrication of transparent, low surface roughness (<0.1 nm), and low‐loss (1.5 ± 0.2 dB cm–1, 532 nm) thin films of organic–inorganic hybrids with controlled refractive index values stable under aging. High‐rejection optical filters based on first‐order Bragg gratings inscribed in channel waveguides were fabricated using UV‐laser writing. Their high‐rejection figure of merit (∼24 dB) is the best value found until now for organic–inorganic hybrids reinforcing the potential of sol–gel technology in the integration of optoelectronic components based on hybrid materials, namely in the fabrication of cost‐effective integrated optics devices. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Forensic surface metrology: tool mark evidence
Authors: Gambino Carol , McLaughlin Patrick , Kuo Loretta , Kammerman Frani , Shenkin Peter , Diaczuk Peter , Petraco Nicholas , Hamby James , Petraco Nicholas D. K.
Published: June 2011

Over the last several decades, forensic examiners of impression evidence have come under scrutiny in the courtroom due to analysis methods that rely heavily on subjective morphological comparisons. Currently, there is no universally accepted system that generates numerical data to independently corroborate visual comparisons. Our research attempts to develop such a system for tool mark evidence, proposing a methodology that objectively evaluates the association of striated tool marks with the tools that generated them. In our study, 58 primer shear marks on 9 mm cartridge cases, fired from four Glock model 19 pistols, were collected using high‐resolution white light confocal microscopy. The resulting three‐dimensional surface topographies were filtered to extract all “waviness surfaces”—the essential “line” information that firearm and tool mark examiners view under a microscope. Extracted waviness profiles were processed with principal component analysis (PCA) for dimension reduction. Support vector machines (SVM) were used to make the profile‐gun associations, and conformal prediction theory (CPT) for establishing confidence levels. At the 95% confidence level, CPT coupled with PCA‐SVM yielded an empirical error rate of 3.5%. Complementary, bootstrap‐based computations for estimated error rates were 0%, indicating that the error rate for the algorithmic procedure is likely to remain low on larger data sets. Finally, suggestions are made for practical courtroom application of CPT for assigning levels of confidence to SVM identifications of tool marks recorded with confocal microscopy. SCANNING 33: 272–278, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A New Approach to In‐Situ “Micromanufacturing”: Microfluidic Fabrication of Magnetic and Fluorescent Chains Using Chitosan Microparticles as Building Blocks
Authors: Jiang Kunqiang , Xue Chao , Arya Chanda , Shao Chenren , George Elijah O. , DeVoe Don L. , Raghavan Srinivasa R.
Published: June 2011

An in situ microfluidic assembly approach is described that can both produce microsized building blocks and assemble them into complex multiparticle configurations in the same microfluidic device. The building blocks are microparticles of the biopolymer chitosan, which is intentionally selected because its chemistry allows for simultaneous intraparticle and interparticle linking. Monodisperse chitosan‐bearing droplets are created by shearing off a chitosan solution at a microfluidic T‐junction with a stream of hexadecane containing a nonionic detergent. These droplets are then interfacially crosslinked into stable microparticles by a downstream flow of glutaraldehyde (GA). The functional properties of these robust microparticles can be easily varied by introducing various payloads, such as magnetic nanoparticles and/or fluorescent dyes, into the chitosan solution. The on‐chip connection of such individual particles into well‐defined microchains is demonstrated using GA again as the chemical “glue” and microchannel confinement as the spatial template. Chain flexibility can be tuned by adjusting the crosslinking conditions: both rigid chains and semiflexible chains are created. Additionally, the arrangement of particles within a chain can also be controlled, for example, to generate chains with alternating fluorescent and nonfluorescent microparticles. Such microassembled chains could find applications as microfluidic mixers, delivery vehicles, microscale sensors, or miniature biomimetic robots.
Single‐Molecule Colocalization Studies Shed Light on the Idea of Fully Emitting versus Dark Single Quantum Dots
Authors: Pons Thomas , Medintz Igor L. , Farrell Dorothy , Wang Xiang , Grimes Amy F. , English Douglas S. , Berti Lorenzo , Mattoussi Hedi
Published: June 2011

In this report the correlation between the solution photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield and the fluorescence emission of individual semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is investigated. This is done by taking advantage of previously reported enhancement in the macroscopic quantum yield of water‐soluble QDs capped with dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) when self‐assembled with polyhistidine‐appended proteins, and by using fluorescence coincidence analysis (FCA) to detect the presence of “bright” and “dark” single QDs in solution. This allows for changes in the fraction of the two QD species to be tracked as the PL yield of the solution is progressively altered. The results clearly indicate that in a dispersion of luminescent nanocrystals, “bright” (intermittently emitting) single QDs coexist with “permanently dark” (non‐emitting) QDs. Furthermore, the increase in the fraction of emitting QDs accompanies the increase in the PL quantum yield of the solution. These findings support the idea that a dispersion of QDs consists of two optically distinct populations of nanocrystals—one is “bright” while the other is “dark;” and that the relative fraction of these two populations defines the overall PL yield.
Microstructure and Local Strain Fields in a High‐Alloyed Austenitic Cast Steel and a Steel‐Matrix Composite Material after in situ Tensile and Cyclic Deformation
Authors: Weidner A. , Yanina A. , Guk S. , Kawalla R. , Biermann H.
Published: June 2011

The tensile and cyclic deformation behaviour of a new metastable austenitic stainless cast TRIP (TRansformation Induced Plasticity) steel and a composite material consisting of austenitic steel matrix (AISI 304) with 5% MgO partially stabilized ZrO2 (MgO‐PSZ) was studied in‐situ in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In‐situ tests in the SEM show the evolution of the microstructure with the strain for uniaxial deformation and the number of cycles during fatigue, respectively. Initially, deformation bands develop. In these bands, the face‐centred cubic austenite transforms into the hexagonal ε‐martensite and subsequently to the body‐centred cubic α'‐ martensite. This evolution was studied by different SEM techniques. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was applied for phase and orientation identification. The dislocation arrangement was investigated applying the electron channelling contrast imaging (ECCI) technique to different deformation stages. The studies are completed with measurements of local displacement fields using digital image correlation (DIC).
Novel Stem/Progenitor Cell Population from Murine Tracheal Submucosal Gland Ducts with Multipotent Regenerative Potential
Authors: Hegab Ahmed E. , Ha Vi Luan , Gilbert Jennifer L. , Zhang Kelvin Xi , Malkoski Stephen P. , Chon Andy T. , Darmawan Daphne O. , Bisht Bharti , Ooi Aik T. , Pellegrini Matteo , Nickerson Derek W. , Gomperts Brigitte N.
Published: June 2011

The airway epithelium is in direct contact with the environment and therefore constantly at risk for injury. Basal cells (BCs) have been found to repair the surface epithelium (SE), but the contribution of other stem cell populations to airway epithelial repair has not been identified. We demonstrated that airway submucosal gland (SMG) duct cells, in addition to BCs, survived severe hypoxic-ischemic injury. We developed a method to isolate duct cells from the airway. In vitro and in vivo models were used to compare the self-renewal and differentiation potential of duct cells and BCs. We found that only duct cells were capable of regenerating SMG tubules and ducts, as well as the SE overlying the SMGs. SMG duct cells are therefore a multipotent stem cell for airway epithelial repair This is of importance to the field of lung regeneration as determining the repairing cell populations could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and cell-based therapies for patients with airway diseases.
Bis(4‐methylthiazolyl)isoindoline (4‐Mebti) Complexes of Palladium: Cationic [PdII(4‐Mebti)L]+Species with a L = Neutral Group XIV or Group XV Donor Ligand
Authors: Bröring Martin , Kleeberg Christian
Published: June 2011

Ligand exchange has been studied on the chlorido palladium(II) complex of the bis(4‐methylthiazolylimino)isoindoline ligand, [Pd(4‐Mebti)Cl], with a number of neutral group XIV and group XV donor ligands in the presence of the sodium salt of tetrakis[3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate NaB(ArF)4. Seven new cationic compounds with L = PMe3,tBuNH2, PhNH2, py, 2,6‐Me2py, MeCN and MeNC were obtained as B(ArF)4–salts, and were characterized by analytic, spectroscopic and crystallographic means. Further attempts to observe ligand exchange reactions with either the softer AsMe3or SbMe3donor ligands or with different carbenes were unsuccessful and led to decomposed material or to mixtures of different compounds. Most of the crystallographically characterized complexes have been found to reside in a pseudoplanar conformation regardless of the size or cone angle of the external donor ligand. The derivatives carrying an sp2‐type donor atom (L = py, 2,6‐Me2py), however, adopt helical forms in the solid state.1H NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopic data suggest that this helicity is also present in solution. The expected chirality, however, could not be observed due to the lack of diastereotopic ligand protons.
The Resurgence of Barbed Suture and Connecting Devices for Use in Flexor Tendon Tenorrhaphy
Authors: Gussous Yazeed Mazen , Zhao Chunfeng , Amadio Peter C. , An Kai-Nan
Published: June 2011

Barbed sutures and connecting devices have been historically described and used in flexor tendon tenorrhaphies. With the improvement in biomaterial, we have witnessed recently the resurgence of this concept. In this article, we review the historical use of barbed devices in repairing flexor tendons and explore the available barbed surgical devices that have been described in recent years.
TAG Profiles of Jatropha curcas L. Seed Oil by Easy Ambient Sonic‐Spray Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Cardoso K. C. , Da Silva M. J. , Grimaldi R. , Stahl M. , Simas R. C. , Cunha I. B. S. , Eberlin M. N. , Alberici R. M.
Published: July 2011

Easy ambient sonic‐spray ionization mass spectrometry (EASI–MS) was used to follow the maturation of Jatropha curcas L. seeds via the monitoring of the triacylglycerides (TAG) profile of the oil. Results show that TAG composition is significantly modified during seed development but remains nearly unchanged during storage. The EASI–MS oil analysis performed herein is simple, requires just a tiny droplet of the oil and is performed without any pre‐separation or chemical manipulation. The oil from Jatropha gossypifolia L. was also evaluated, and a very different TAG profile was obtained.
Coping strategies and beliefs about pain in veterans with comorbid chronic pain and significant levels of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms
Authors: Alschuler K.N. , Otis J.D.
Published: July 2011

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to assess differences in beliefs about pain and coping strategies employed in veterans with comorbid chronic pain and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compared to veterans with chronic pain alone. It was hypothesized that veterans with comorbid chronic pain and significant levels of PTSD symptomatology would report higher levels of maladaptive coping strategies and beliefs about pain when compared to veterans with pain alone.

Methods

Data were obtained from 194 veterans who completed self‐report questionnaires as part of their participation in a Psychology Pain Management Program at a northeastern Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facility.

Results

Analyses indicated that 47.4% of the sample scored above the clinical cutoff for PTSD symptomatology on the PTSD Checklist – Military Version (PCL‐M). A Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted with age and pain intensity as covariates. In support of the hypothesis, veterans with comorbid chronic pain and significant levels of PTSD symptomatology endorsed significantly higher levels of maladaptive coping strategies and beliefs about pain (greater catastrophizing and emotional impact on pain; less control over pain) when compared to veterans with chronic pain alone.

Discussion

The results of this study suggest potential explanations for the previously observed negative effect of PTSD on chronic pain. Moreover, the results suggest specific targets for intervention with patients who have comorbid pain and PTSD.
Feline cholangitis: A necropsy study of 44 cats (1986–2008)
Authors: Clark Julie E. Callahan , Haddad Jamie L. , Brown Dorothy C. , Morgan Megan J. , Van Winkle Thomas J. , Rondeau Mark P.
Published: July 2011

Forty-four cats diagnosed with moderate to severe cholangitis at necropsy are described. The population comprised 0.86% of all feline necropsies performed during the 22-year study period. Liver specimens were classified as acute neutrophilic cholangitis (ANC), chronic neutrophilic cholangitis (CNC), lymphocytic cholangitis (LC) or chronic cholangitis associated with liver fluke infestation (CC) based on the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) classification scheme. ANC (seven) and CNC (33) comprised the majority of cases. In contrast to previous descriptions, overlap was seen in clinical findings between ANC and CNC subtypes. Results suggest that liver enzyme activity may not predict degree of inflammation. Severity of inflammation varied between liver sections in individual cats, underscoring the need to obtain biopsy samples from multiple sites. Inflammatory bowel disease (50%), pancreatitis (60%), or both (32%) commonly accompanied cholagitis. We conclude that cholangitis is not a common cause of feline mortality. Most cats that succumb to cholangitis have ANC or CNC, and concurrent disease contributes to death in many.
Dyspnoea and Pulmonary Consolidation in a Cat with T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Brown Alexa L , Beatty Julia A , Nicoll Robert G , Knight Tina , Krockenberger Mark B , Barrs Vanessa R
Published: July 2011

A 13-year-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat presented with an acute onset of dyspnoea. Thoracic radiographs revealed marked, bilateral, caudal lung lobe consolidation. A diagnosis of anatomically mixed T-cell lymphoma with pulmonary, renal and alimentary involvement was confirmed on histopathology. Pulmonary involvement in cases of feline lymphoma is uncommon and the radiographic appearance of pulmonary lymphoma is highly variable. Lung lobe consolidation has been described with primary lung tumours in cats, but not previously in association with pulmonary lymphoma. This unusual presentation serves to alert practitioners to the possibility of lymphoma as a cause of severe bronchopulmonary disease in the cat.
Safety hazard and time to recall: The role of recall strategy, product defect type, and supply chain player in the U.S. toy industry
Authors: Hora Manpreet , Bapuji Hari , Roth Aleda V.
Published: June 2011

This research identifies and tests key factors that can be associated with time to recall a product. Product recalls due to safety hazards entail societal costs, such as property damage, injury, and sometimes death. For firms, the related external failure costs are many, including the costs of recalling the product, providing a remedy, meeting the legal liability, and repairing damage to the firm's reputation. The recent spate of product recalls has shifted attention from why products are recalled to why it takes so long to recall a defective product that poses a safety hazard. To address this, our research subjects to empirical scrutiny the time to recall and its relationship with recall strategies, source of the defect and supply chain position of the recalling firm. We develop and verify our conceptual arguments in the U.S. toy industry by analyzing over 500 product recalls during a 15‐year period (1993–2008). The empirical results indicate that the time to recall, as measured by difference between product recall announcement date and product first sold date, is associated with (1) the recall strategy (preventive vs. reactive) adopted by the firm, (2) the type of product defect (manufacturing defect vs. design flaw), and (3) the supply chain entity that issues the recall (toy company vs. distributor vs. retailer). Our results provide cues that could trigger a firm's recognition of factors that increase the time to recall.
A non-dissipative solution of Benjamin-type gravity current for a wide range of depth ratios
Authors: UNGARISH MARIUS
Published: June 2011

We consider the steady-state propagation of a high-Reynolds-number gravity current of height h and density ρc on the bottom of a horizontal channel of height H filled with ambient fluid of density ρa(<ρc), usually known as Benjamin's current problem. The objective is to derive an analytical result for the speed of propagation, U, in the form of the dimensionless Froude number, Fr(a) = U/(g′h)1/2). Here g′ = (ρc/ρa − 1)g is the reduced gravity-driving effect (g being the gravity acceleration) and a = h/H is the depth (thickness) ratio of the layer of the current to that of the ambient fluid into which the current propagates. The analysis is performed in a frame of reference attached to the current; in this frame the current is a motionless slug. The original analysis of Benjamin assumes that the speed of the ambient in the domain above the parallel-horizontal main part of the current (behind the head) is independent of the vertical coordinate z, but here we assume that a small u′(z) fluctuation about the depth-averaged speed u exists. Then, we impose the balances of volume flux, flow-force (momentum flux) and global energy conservation, for a control volume attached to the current. We show that this gives a unique analytical result for Fr as a function of a = h/H. We recall that the original counterpart solution FrB(a) of Benjamin does not satisfy the above-mentioned energy conservation condition, i.e. the system displays energy dissipation (except for the half-depth current case a = 1/2). The present dissipationless-flow Fr(a) result is valid for any a ≤ 1/2, i.e. currents of at most half-depth of the channel height. On the other hand, in agreement with Benjamin's solution, gravity currents of more than half-depth of the channel height require an energy source and are impossible in normal conditions. The new Fr(a) is slightly smaller than Benjamin's FrB(a) result for 0 < a < 1/2, and the difference vanishes at a = 1/2 and a → 0 (a current of finite height in a very deep ambient).
Assessing the Contribution of Commercial Archaeology to the Study of the Roman Period in England, 1990–2004
Authors: Fulford Michael , Holbrook Neil
Published: June 2011

This paper identifies the ways in which the enormous upsurge in the volume of commercial archaeology in England since the introduction of PPG 16 in 1990 has affected our knowledge and understanding of Roman Britain. The difficulties in establishing a comprehensive database of interventions are discussed, but overall it is estimated that around 6,600 separate interventions sampled Roman deposits between 1990 and 2004. While many important excavations have been published in conventional formats, a considerable amount of information resides only in grey literature. Commercial work has generated major advances in our understanding of non-villa rural settlement and its associated land use, while analyses of material culture and, to a lesser extent, biological remains have considerable potential for wider synthesis and inter-site comparison. Improvements in collection methodology and reporting standards are suggested, and the need to integrate the results of commercial investigations with data derived from other sources is stressed.
High-fructose feeding impacts on the adrenergic control of renal haemodynamics in the rat
Authors: Abdulla Mohammed H. , Sattar Munavvar A. , Johns Edward J. , Abdullah Nor A. , Abdul Hye Khan Md. , Rathore Hassaan A.
Published: June 2011

The present study explored the hypothesis that a prolonged 8 weeks exposure to a high fructose intake suppresses adrenergic and angiotensin II (Ang II)-mediated vasoconstriction and is associated with a higher contribution of α1D-adrenoceptors. A total of thirty-two Sprague–Dawley rats received either 20 % fructose solution (FFR) or tap water (control, C) to drink ad libitum for 8 weeks. Metabolic and haemodynamic parameters were assessed weekly. The renal cortical vasoconstrictor responses to noradrenaline (NA), phenylephrine (PE), methoxamine (ME) and Ang II were determined in the presence and absence of BMY7378 (α1D-adrenoceptor antagonist). FFR had increased blood pressure, plasma levels of glucose, TAG and insulin. FFR expressed reduced renal vascular responses to adrenergic agonists and Ang II (NA: 50 %, PE: 50 %, ME, 65 %, Ang II: 54 %). Furthermore in the C group, the magnitude of the renal cortical vasoconstriction to all agonists was blunted in the presence of the low or high dose of BMY7378 (NA: 30 and 31 %, PE: 23 and 33 %, ME: 19 and 44 %, Ang II: 53 and 77 %), respectively, while in the FFR, vasoconstriction was enhanced to adrenergic agonists and reduced to Ang II (NA: 8 and 83 %, PE: 55 %, ME, 2 and 177 %, Ang II: 61 and 31 %). Chronic high fructose intake blunts vascular sensitivity to adrenergic agonists and Ang II. Moreover, blocking of the α1D-adrenoceptor subtype results in enhancement of renal vasoconstriction to adrenergic agonists, suggesting an inhibitory action of α1D-adrenoceptors in the FFR. α1D-Adrenoceptors buffer the AT1-receptor response in the renal vasculature of normal rats and fructose feeding suppressed this interaction.
Value and pitfalls in iodine fortification and supplementation in the 21st century
Authors: Speeckaert Marijn M. , Speeckaert Reinhart , Wierckx Katrien , Delanghe Joris R. , Kaufman Jean-Marc
Published: July 2011

Although the number of iodine-deficient countries has been reduced by almost 50 % over the last decade, it still remains a frequently misunderstood health problem. The most devastating effects of iodine deficiency occur during fetal development and childhood, periods in which sufficient iodine delivery remains critical. Besides the determination of thyroid size, the concentration of urinary iodine, serum thyroid-stimulating hormone and serum thyroglobulin are useful biomarkers to assess iodine status. Severe iodine deficiency is associated with neurological complications, cretinism, endemic goitre development, hypothyroidism, decreased fertility and increased infant mortality. The recommended iodine supplementation strategies are based on correction of iodine deficiency, close monitoring and evaluation of iodine administration, cooperation of the salt industry, training of local health care professionals and education of the population. Besides the multiple beneficial effects of supplementation, we present in this review a critical look at the possible side effects.
Differences in arachidonic acid levels and fatty acid desaturase (FADS) gene variants in African Americans and European Americans with diabetes or the metabolic syndrome
Authors: Sergeant Susan , Hugenschmidt Christina E. , Rudock Megan E. , Ziegler Julie T. , Ivester Priscilla , Ainsworth Hannah C. , Vaidya Dhananjay , Douglas Case L. , Langefeld Carl D. , Freedman Barry I. , Bowden Donald W. , Mathias Rasika A. , Chilton Floyd H.
Published: July 2011

Over the past 50 years, increases in dietary n-6 PUFA, such as linoleic acid, have been hypothesised to cause or exacerbate chronic inflammatory diseases. The present study examines an individual's innate capacity to synthesise n-6 long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) with respect to the fatty acid desaturase (FADS) locus in Americans of African and European descent with diabetes or the metabolic syndrome. Compared with European Americans (EAm), African Americans (AfAm) exhibited markedly higher serum levels of arachidonic acid (AA) (EAm 7·9 (sd 2·1), AfAm 9·8 (sd 1·9) % of total fatty acids; P < 2·29 × 10− 9) and the AA:n-6-precursor fatty acid ratio, which estimates FADS1 activity (EAm 5·4 (sd 2·2), AfAm 6·9 (sd 2·2); P = 1·44 × 10− 5). In all, seven SNP mapping to the FADS locus revealed strong association with AA, EPA and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) in the EAm. Importantly, EAm homozygous for the minor allele (T) had significantly lower AA levels (TT 6·3 (sd 1·0); GG 8·5 (sd 2·1); P = 3·0 × 10− 5) and AA:DGLA ratios (TT 3·4 (sd 0·8), GG 6·5 (sd 2·3); P = 2·2 × 10− 7) but higher DGLA levels (TT 1·9 (sd 0·4), GG 1·4 (sd 0·4); P = 3·3 × 10− 7) compared with those homozygous for the major allele (GG). Allele frequency patterns suggest that the GG genotype at rs174537 (associated with higher circulating levels of AA) is much higher in AfAm (0·81) compared with EAm (0·46). Similarly, marked differences in rs174537 genotypic frequencies were observed in HapMap populations. These data suggest that there are probably important differences in the capacity of different populations to synthesise LC-PUFA. These differences may provide a genetic mechanism contributing to health disparities between populations of African and European descent.
Negotiating Cold War Culture at the Crossroads of East and West: Uplifting the Working People, Entertaining the Masses, Cultivating the Nation
Authors: Mihelj Sabina
Published: June 2011

Since the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, our understanding of Cold War history has changed considerably. The wave of new research spurred by the opening of archives and opportunities for novel East-West comparisons threw into sharper relief aspects of the Cold War contest that had received little attention previously. It has become increasingly clear that the Cold War was not only a military, political, and economic conflict, but also one profoundly implicated in, and shaped by, key transformations in twentieth-century culture. Capitalizing on the increased accessibility of primary sources from former socialist states, recent research has provided valuable insights into the politics of everyday culture on both sides of the Iron Curtain, and we have seen as well the publication of several transnational accounts of the cultural Cold War spanning the West and the East.
Madrasa Reform as a Secularizing Process: A View from the Late Russian Empire
Authors: Tuna Mustafa
Published: June 2011

What is Islamic about reform among Muslims and what is not? How can we differentiate reform within an Islamic paradigm and a paradigmatic shift from the Islamic tradition to something else in a Muslim community? How do we establish the connection between reform as an intellectual or scholarly project and the translation of that project into social reality (or, in some cases, the absence of such a translation)? This article addresses these questions in the context of the Volga-Ural region in the late Russian Empire, where reformist Muslims attempted to reform existing Islamic educational institutions, particularly the religious seminaries called “madrasas,” as a means to modernize the region's Muslim communities. Educational reform initiatives among Volga-Ural Muslims originated within the framework of Muslim networks and institutions. Yet, especially after Russia's Revolution of 1905, reform in a number of prominent madrasas came to be characterized by various non-religious and at times even anti-religious influences emerging from the globalization of Western European modernity. Consequently, in these madrasas, education and the overall student experience turned into a secularizing process, and Islam as a religious system lost its weight and appeal for many students, who then engaged in a reform movement that evolved beyond an Islamic paradigm.
PRÁCTICAS FUNERARIAS MEXICAS Y PUREPECHA: EL PROBLEMA DE LA CONFRONTACIÓN ENTRE DATOS ETNOHISTÓRICOS Y ARQUEOLÓGICOS
Authors: Núñez Enríquez Luis Fernando , González Roberto Martínez
Published: July 2011

Una revisión comparativa de los datos arqueológicos y etnohistóricos de tarascos y mexicas permite dar un panorama amplio de sus prácticas e ideas sobre la muerte. La contrastación de las diferentes clases de información al interior de un mismo caso ayuda tanto a corroborar las descripciones de los documentos antiguos como a complementarlas con datos sobre la composición y distribución de los restos funerarios. Estudiando paralelamente estas dos culturas, pudimos generar hipótesis interpretativas sobre aquellos funerales para los que no se cuenta con información escrita y aportamos elementos para comprender mejor la unidad de la cosmovisión mesoamericana. Hemos partido del análisis de las categorías rituales planteadas por los textos de la colonia temprana para después procurar entender la forma en que estos se reflejan arqueológicamente.