bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of response surface methodology to optimise ultrasonic‐assisted extraction of four chromones in Radix Saposhnikoviae
Authors: Li Wei , Wang Zi , Sun Yin‐shi , Chen Li , Han Li‐kun , Zheng Yi‐nan
Published: March 2011

Introduction – Radix Saposhnikoviae is one of the most famous Chinese herbal medicines with many pharmacological activities towards inflammatory symptoms and antioxidation. Chromones are considered as one of the effective components. It is important to find a reasonable method to extract the chromones in S. divaricata.

Objective – To develop an ultrasonic‐assisted extraction (UAE) to extract chromones in Radix Saposhnikoviae and to optimise extraction conditions.

Methodology – Four chromones (prim‐O‐glucosylcimifugin, cimifugin, 5‐O‐methylvisammioside and sec‐O‐glucosylhamaudol) were extracted by the UAE method combined with response surface methodology (RSM). Box–Behnken design (BBD) was applied to evaluate the effects of three independent variables (ethanol concentration, extraction time and extraction temperature) on the chromones yield of Radix Saposhnikoviae.

Results – Correlation analysis of the mathematical‐regression model indicated that a quadratic polynomial model could be employed to optimise the extraction of chromones by UAE method. The optimal conditions to obtain the highest chromones yield of Radix Saposhnikoviae were a solvent of 75% ethanol, an extraction time of 48 min and an extraction temperature of 67°C.

Conclusion – Under these optimal conditions, the experimental values agreed closely with the predicted values. The analysis of variance indicated a high goodness of model fit and the success of RSM method for optimising chromones extraction in Radix Saposhnikoviae. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detection of High Levels of Pyrrolizidine‐N‐oxides in the Endangered Plant Cryptantha crassipes (Terlingua Creek Cat's‐eye) Using HPLC‐ESI‐MS
Authors: Williams Maria T. , Warnock Bonnie J. , Betz Joseph M. , Beck John J. , Gardner Dale R. , Lee Stephen T. , Molyneux Russell J. , Colegate Steven M.
Published: March 2011

Introduction

A previous investigation of pyrrolizidine alkaloids produced by nine species of Cryptantha identified at least two chemotypes within the genus. Other research has postulated that pyrrolizidine‐N‐oxide concentrations increase as the growing conditions become harsher, particularly with respect to water availability. Cryptantha crassipes is an endangered plant with a very limited distribution range within a dry, harsh Texan ecosystem.

Objective

To determine the pyrrolizidine alkaloid (and their N‐oxides) profile and concentrations in Cryptantha crassipes.

Methodology

Methanolic extracts of Cryptantha crassipes were partitioned into dilute sulphuric acid and the alkaloids concentrated using strong cation exchange, solid‐phase extraction columns. Extracts were analysed using reversed‐phase high‐pressure liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionisation ion trap mass spectrometry.

Results

The N‐oxides of lycopsamine and intermedine were the major pyrrolizidine alkaloids detected in Cryptantha crassipes. Smaller to trace amounts of other pyrrolizidine alkaloids observed were: the 7‐ and 3′‐acetylated derivatives and the 1,2‐dihydro analogs of lycopsamine‐N‐oxide and/or intermedine‐N‐oxide; a pair of unidentified N‐oxides, isobaric with lycopsamine‐N‐oxide; and the N‐oxides of leptanthine, echimiplatine, amabiline, echiumine and dihydroechiumine. Only trace amounts, if any, of the parent free base pyrrolizidine alkaloids were detected. The concentration of pyrrolizidine alkaloids was estimated to be 3–5% of the dry weight of milled leaves, or 10–50 times the levels previously reported for similar chemotypes.

Conclusions

The high levels of the N‐oxides of lycopsamine and intermedine establish the genus chemotype of the endangered Cryptantha crassipes and support earlier data linking high levels of N‐oxides to dry, harsh growing conditions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antifungal effect of chitosan on the growth of Aspergillus parasiticus and production of aflatoxin B1
Authors: Cota‐Arriola Octavio , Cortez‐Rocha Mario Onofre , Rosas‐Burgos Ema Carina , Burgos‐Hernández Armando , López‐Franco Yolanda Leticia , Plascencia‐Jatomea Maribel
Published: March 2011

Contamination of agricultural products by toxigenic fungi and the presence of mycotoxins cause serious economic damage, and toxic effects to humans and animals. In this study the effect of chitosan as a natural alternative for the control of the fungus Aspergillus parasiticus was evaluated. Chitosans were obtained from chitin previously extracted from shrimp heads using chemical (CS) and biological (CB) processes. The chitosan yields were 5.74 and 6.20% for CS and CB methods, respectively, with an amount of residual protein and ash below 1%, low molecular weight and degree of deacetylation of 80–82%. Chitosan showed fungistatic activity against A. parasiticus, with 6.71 and 10.66 g L−1 (CI50) of CS and CB, respectively, being required to delay fungal growth by 50% at 122 h. Chitosan (CI50) inhibited both radial growth up to 122 h, and germination of spores before 8 h higher than 50%. Chitosan also increased the average diameter of the spores and hyphae (P ≤ 0.05), reduced the septation process and increased the number of mitotic divisions of spores during germination. However, compared with control, chitosan decreased (P ≤ 0.05) aflatoxin B1 production at 8 days but increased (P ≤ 0.05) the total aflatoxins production by A. parasiticus. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Fabrication of highly refractive, transparent BaTiO3/poly(methyl methacrylate) composite films with high permittivities
Authors: Nagao Daisuke , Kinoshita Takafumi , Watanabe Akira , Konno Mikio
Published: March 2011

Incorporation of crystalline barium titanate (BT) nanoparticles into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was carried out to prepare highly refractive polymer nanocomposite films that have transparency and high permittivities. The BT nanoparticles were prepared by hydrolysis of a barium/titanium complex alkoxide in 2‐methoxyethanol, then surface‐modified with a silane coupling agent (3‐methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane) to improve their affinity for PMMA. The incorporation of the surface‐modified nanoparticles into PMMA was performed up to a nanoparticle content almost equivalent to particle close‐packing state. The refractive index of the composite films increased with nanoparticle incorporation, keeping the relative transmittance normalized with PMMA film above 90%. A high refractive index of 1.82 was reached at a nanoparticle content of 53 vol% with a dielectric constant as high as 36 and a dissipation factor as low as 0.05. The results demonstrate that the crystalline BT nanoparticles are useful fillers for effectively increasing both refractive index and dielectric constant of polymer nanocomposites. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Correlates of psychopathic personality traits in community couples
Authors: Savard Claudia , Sabourin Stéphane , Lussier Yvan
Published: March 2011

Drawing on a representative sample of 140 young couples, the study aimed to assess the distribution and correlates of psychopathic personality traits in a community sample. A related objective was to determine whether psychopathic traits contribute to men‐reported and women‐reported couple satisfaction, psychological aggression, neuroticism and psychological distress. Both partners completed self‐report measures of psychopathic traits, couple satisfaction, psychological aggression, neuroticism and psychological distress. Results for both men and women showed moderate or elevated psychopathic personality traits in a significant proportion of the sample. Actor–partner interdependence analyses (APIM) showed that global psychopathy significantly predicted couple satisfaction through an elevation of personal distress. APIM analyses for primary psychopathy showed the same pattern of results but only in men. Finally, there was a direct negative path from secondary psychopathy to couple satisfaction, but this association was partially mediated by personal distress and psychological aggression. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Charge Density Distribution, Electrostatic Properties, and Impact Sensitivity of the High Energetic Molecule TNB: A Theoretical Charge Density Study
Authors: Stephen Arputharaj David , Kumaradhas Poomani , Pawar Rajesh B.
Published: March 2011

A quantum chemical calculation and a charge density analysis have been performed on the energetic molecule trinitrobenzene (TNB) to characterize its bond strength and to relate the bond topological parameters with the impact sensitivity. The optimized geometry of the molecule was calculated by the density functional method B3P86 with the basis set 6‐311G**. The bond topological analysis predicts a significantly low bond electron density (∼1770 e nm−3) as well as Laplacian of electron density (−1.67×106 e nm−5) for CN bonds. This low value of the Laplacian indicates, the charges of these bonds are highly depleted, which confirms that these are the weakest bonds in the molecule. The N=O bonds bear a high negative value of Laplacian, reflecting that the bond charges are highly concentrated. The isosurface of the molecular, electrostatic potential (ESP) shows large electronegative regions at the vicinity of NO2groups. Further analysis of ESP in the bonding region allows predicting the impact sensitivity. A sound relationship has been found between the ESP at the mid point of the bonds and its bond charge depletion. The positive ESP at the mid points of highly charge depleted CNO2bonds reveals that these bonds are the sensitive bonds in the molecule.
First‐principles study of magnetic properties in Ag‐doped SnO2
Authors: Xiao Wen‐Zhi , Wang Ling‐Ling , Xu Liang , Li Xiao‐Fei , Deng Hui‐Qiu
Published: March 2011

The electronic structures and magnetic properties of Ag‐doped SnO2 have been investigated using first‐principles spin‐polarized calculations based on density functional theory. Our results demonstrate that Ag doping introduces spin polarization in SnO2 and gives rise to a local magnetic moment of 1.0 µB per substitutional silver ion. The hole‐mediated ferromagnetic (FM) coupling between two Ag ions in this material is possibly ascribed to a p–d hopping interaction between O and Ag ions. The oxygen vacancy (VO) plays an important role in determining the magnetic properties of the Ag‐doped SnO2 system. It is found that the VO does not induce magnetism in bulk SnO2. The VO enhances stability of the spin‐polarized state for the case of the single‐Ag‐doped system, and imposes an intricate effect on a pair of Ag‐doped configurations. For example, the FM coupling between two Ag ions is possibly reinforced if VO is sufficiently far away from them. The result indicates that Ag‐doped SnO2 is a promising candidate for applications in future spintronic devices.
Elastic properties of novel rhenium nitrides from first principles
Authors: Hao Xianfeng , Xu Yuanhui , Li Zhiping , Wang Lei , Gao Faming , Xiao Debao
Published: March 2011

First‐principles calculations are preformed to investigate the structural, elastic, and electronic properties of Re2N and Re3N. Based on the calculated bulk modulus and shear modulus of polycrystalline aggregates, Re2N and Re3N can be regarded as potential candidates of ultraincompressible and hard materials. The calculated anisotropic factors showed that Re2N and Re3N possess high elastic anisotropic. The structural analysis and electron‐density analysis reveal the covalent bonding between the rhenium atoms and the nitrogen atoms as the driving force of the high bulk/shear modulus; meanwhile, the anisotropy can be understood in terms of atomic arrangements along the different axis.
Inhibition of Human Cytochrome P450 Enzymes 3A4 and 2D6 by β‐Carboline Alkaloids, Harmine Derivatives
Authors: Zhao Ting , He Yu‐qi , Wang Jun , Ding Ke‐min , Wang Chang‐hong , Wang Zheng‐tao
Published: March 2011

β‐Carboline alkaloids are the main chemical constituents of the plant Peganum harmala, while they also could be formed endogenously and found in coffee, alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Considering the fact that the possibility of herb–drug interactions has recently received great attention worldwide, the aim of the current study was to assess the potential for the metabolism‐based drug–drug interactions arising from five β‐carboline alkaloids (harmine, harmaline, harmalol, harmol and harmane) from P. harmala in vitro. With microsome incubation assays and UPLC/HPLC methods, the inhibitions on human liver CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 enzymes by those β‐carboline alkaloids were studied kinetically. Harmine, harmol and harmane exhibited noncompetitive inhibition on the activity of CYP3A4 with Ki values of 16.76, 5.13 and 1.66 μm, respectively. These β‐carboline alkaloids were also found to be both substrates and inhibitors for CYP2D6. Harmaline, harmine and harmol showed typical competitive inhibition on the activity of CYP2D6 with Ki values of 20.69, 36.48 and 47.11 μm, respectively. The inhibition of the two major CYP enzymes by those β‐carboline alkaloids suggested that changes in the pharmacokinetics of co‐administered drugs were likely to have occurred. Therefore, caution should be exercised for possible drug interactions of medicinal plants containing those β‐carboline alkaloids and CYP substrates. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Triptolide Inhibits IFN‐γ Signaling via the Jak/STAT Pathway in HaCaT Keratinocytes
Authors: Hongqin Tu , Xinyu Li , Heng Gu , Lanfang Xu , Yongfang Wang , Shasha Song
Published: March 2011

Interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) signaling in keratinocytes plays an important role in IFN‐γ‐mediated skin inflammation involved in psoriasis. Blocking IFN‐γ signal transduction in keratinocytes could be a strategy for controlling inflammatory skin disorders. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F. (T. wilfordii) has been used effectively in psoriasis treatment in China. Its therapeutic mechanism on IFN‐γ‐dependent inflammation has not been elucidated. Triptolide is one of main components of T. wilfordii's antiinflammatory and immune effects. This study aimed to explore the effects of triptolide on an rhIFN‐γ‐stimulated human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) in culture. The expression of IFN‐γ receptor α (IFN‐γRα), phospho‐Janus kinase2 (pJak2), phospho‐signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (pSTAT1) and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) was detected by western blotting. The expression of intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) on the HaCaT cell surface was determined by cell‐surface ELISA. The results demonstrated that triptolide inhibited the expression of IFN‐γRα (IC50 = 1.37 × 10−8 m), pJak2 (IC50 = 2.82 × 10−9 m) and pSTAT1 (IC50 = 1.29 × 10−9 m) in HaCaT cells. The expression of SOCS1 was up‐regulated (ED50 = 3.32 × 10−11 m). Triptolide also significantly reduced the expression of ICAM‐1 on the HaCaT cell surface (IC50 = 5.82 × 10−10 m). This study suggests that triptolide may contribute to the therapeutic value of T. wilfordii by modulating the IFN‐γ signal pathway in IFN‐γ‐dependent skin inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simple statistically based alternatives to MAF for ToF‐SIMS spectral image analysis
Authors: Keenan Michael R. , Smentkowski Vincent S.
Published: March 2011

The maximum autocorrelation factors technique (MAF) is becoming increasingly popular for the multivariate analysis of spectral images acquired with time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) instruments. In this article, we review the conditions under which the underlying chemical information can be separated from the large‐scale, non‐uniform noise characteristic of ToF‐SIMS data. Central to this pursuit is the ability to assess the covariance structure of the noise. Given a set of replicate images, the noise covariance matrix can be estimated in a straightforward way using standard statistical tools. Acquiring replicate images, however, is not always possible, and MAF solves a subtly different problem, namely, how to approximate the noise covariance matrix from a single image when replicates are not available. This distinction is important; the MAF approximation is not an unbiased statistical estimate of the noise covariance matrix, and it differs in a highly significant way from a true estimate for ToF‐SIMS data. Here, we draw attention to the fact that replicate measurements are made during the normal course of acquiring a ToF‐SIMS spectral image, rendering the MAF procedure unnecessary. Furthermore, in the common case that detector dead‐time effects permit no more than one ion of any specific species to be detected on a single primary ion shot, the noise covariance matrix can be estimated in a particularly simple way, which will be reported. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nano/micro‐sized calcium phosphate coating on carbon/carbon composites by ultrasonic assisted electrochemical deposition
Authors: Zhao Xueni , Li Hejun , Chen Mengdi , Li Kezhi , Lu Jinhua , Zhang Leilei , Cao Sheng
Published: March 2011

Nano/micro‐sized calcium phosphate (CaP) coating was prepared on carbon/carbon (C/C) composites by ultrasonic assisted electrochemical deposition. The coating obtained at different deposition voltages contained a mixture of hydroxyapatite (HA) and brushite (DCPD). The homogenous coating prepared at 2.4 V consisted of nano‐sized and needle‐like HA embedded in micro‐sized and plate‐like DCPD. An interlocking structure was formed along the depth direction of the coating. The internal stress may be released effectively through the interlocking structure of the coating. And the plate‐like crystals of the coating were inset in the grooves on the surface of C/C composites. This led to a better adhesive strength of the coating. Meanwhile, the formed interlocking structure could help enhance cohesive strength of the coating. It was found that the growth of CaP crystals in the coating under the voltage of 2.4 V consisted of the plate‐like crystals deposited initially. Then the plate‐needle‐like crystals of submicron size formed among the plate‐like crystals and developed needle‐like ones. The CaP‐coated C/C composites might improve the biological properties of coating for its unique morphology, structures and strong adhesion to the C/C substrate. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing neural activity related to decision‐making through flexible odds ratio curves and their derivatives
Authors: Roca‐Pardiñas Javier , Cadarso‐Suárez Carmen , Pardo‐Vazquez Jose L. , Leboran Victor , Molenberghs Geert , Faes Christel , Acuña Carlos
Published: March 2011

It is well established that neural activity is stochastically modulated over time. Therefore, direct comparisons across experimental conditions and determination of change points or maximum firing rates are not straightforward. This study sought to compare temporal firing probability curves that may vary across groups defined by different experimental conditions. Odds‐ratio (OR) curves were used as a measure of comparison, and the main goal was to provide a global test to detect significant differences of such curves through the study of their derivatives. An algorithm is proposed that enables ORs based on generalized additive models, including factor‐by‐curve‐type interactions to be flexibly estimated. Bootstrap methods were used to draw inferences from the derivatives curves, and binning techniques were applied to speed up computation in the estimation and testing processes. A simulation study was conducted to assess the validity of these bootstrap‐based tests. This methodology was applied to study premotor ventral cortex neural activity associated with decision‐making. The proposed statistical procedures proved very useful in revealing the neural activity correlates of decision‐making in a visual discrimination task. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Recent Developments in Iron‐Making Technologies in Japan
Authors: Miwa Takashi , Kurihara Kiichiro
Published: March 2011

The environment surrounding the iron and steel industry has changed greatly. This paper describes the technology adopted by the Japanese iron and steel industry to cope with changes in global demand, changes in the availability of coal and iron ore resources, correspondence to the extension of plant life, and energy conservation. In addition, efforts to reduce the amount of exhausted CO2 due to environmental concerns are discussed.
The metal alloy of the boy of Xanten
Authors: Denker A. , Kertesz Z. , Peltz U.
Published: March 2011

The metal alloy of a life‐size Roman statue was determined using high‐energy Proton Induced X‐ray Emission (PIXE). In addition to the non‐destructive PIXE measurements, it was also possible to take samples from inside the statue, which were analysed using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The results of the high‐energy PIXE measurements are presented and compared to the AAS results. The reasons for differences and the difficulties obtaining accurate compositions of antique objects are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of red pigment on the amyloidization of yeast proteins
Authors: Nevzglyadova Olga V. , Kuznetsova Irina M. , Mikhailova Ekaterina V. , Artamonova Tatyana O. , Artemov Alexey V. , Mittenberg Alexey G. , Kostyleva Elena I. , Turoverov Konstantin K. , Khodorkovskii Mikhail A. , Soidla Tonu R.
Published: March 2011

The intensity of amyloid‐bound thioflavine T fluorescence was studied in crude lysates of yeast strains carrying mutations in the ADE1 or ADE2 genes and accumulating the red pigment (a result of polymerization of aminoimidazoleribotide), and in white isogenic strains–either adenine prototrophs or carrying mutations at the first stages of purine biosynthesis. We found that the red pigment leads to a drop of amyloid content. This result, along with the data on separation of protein polymers of white and red strains in PAGE, suggests that the red pigment inhibits amyloid fibril formation. The differences in transmission of the thioflavine T fluorescence pattern by cytoduction and in blot‐hybridization of pellet proteins of red and white [PSI+] strains with Sup35p antibodies confirmed this conclusion. Purified red pigment treatment also led to a decrease of fluorescence intensity of thioflavine T bound to insulin fibrils and to yeast pellet protein aggregates from [PSI+] strains. This suggests red pigment interaction with amyloid fibrils. Comparison of pellet proteins from red and white isogenic strains separated by 2D‐electrophoresis followed by MALDI analysis has allowed us to identify 48 pigment‐dependent proteins. These proteins mostly belong to functional classes of chaperones and proteins involved in glucose metabolism, closely corresponding to prion‐dependent proteins that we characterized previously. Also present were some proteins involved in stress response and proteolysis. We suppose that the red pigment acts by blocking certain sites on amyloid fibrils that, in some cases, can lead in vivo to interfere with their contacts with chaperones and the generation of prion seeds. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
First Isolated “Hypoelectronic” [In6]6– Cluster in Insulating Cs22In6(SiO4)4
Authors: Saltykov Vyacheslav , Nuss Jürgen , Wedig Ulrich , Prasad Dasari L. V. K. , Jansen Martin
Published: March 2011

Cs22In6(SiO4)4 was synthesized by the reaction of appropriate starting materials at 673 K, followed by slow cooling to room temperature, in arc‐welded tantalum ampoules. According to single‐crystal X‐ray analysis, the compound crystallizes in a new structure type (P21/n(no. 14), a = 14.3533(4), b = 16.1712(4), c = 25.0135(7) Å, β = 94.368(1), Z = 4), consisting of [In6]6– clusters with the shape of a distorted octahedron or more appropriately described as a condensate of three face sharing tetrahedra. The cluster is the first example of a “hypoelectronic” isolated [In6]6– indium cluster. The oxosilicate indide can be regarded as a “double salt“, Cs6In6 on one hand and the oxosilicate Cs4SiO4 ( × 4) on the other, which form the quaternary structure by inhomogeneous intergrowth of partial structures. The electronic structure of Cs22In6(SiO4)4 was examined by DFT calculations and compared to the one of Rb2In3, which exhibits linked In6 polyhedra. According to the DOS the title compound is a semiconductor with a band gap of 0.5 eV, which is in agreement with its observed insulating character. [In6]6– is an “isolated” cluster bearing inert electron pairs at each vertex. In contrast, [In6]4– in Rb2In3 only exhibits inert pairs at the apical atoms. The four basal atoms are linked to neighboring clusters by covalent bonds forming a 2D network. These bonding scenarios are supported by the analysis of the projected density of states, the electron localization function and the partitioning of the electron density according to Bader.
Synthese und Charakterisierung von β‐Chrom(II)‐orthophosphat
Authors: Glaum Robert , Hammer Eva , Hermes Wilfried , Pöttgen Rainer
Published: March 2011

β‐Cr3(PO4)2 was obtained by reducing CrPO4 with elemental chromium. The new modification is stable between 1250 °C and its melting point at 1350 °C. Light‐blue single crystal were grown by isothermal heating (T = 1300 °C, sealed double‐wall silica tubes, CrI2 as mineralizer). The crystal structure is closely related to the Mg3(PO4)2 (Farringtonite) structure type (P21/n, Z = 2, a = 4.9641(5), b = 9.492(1), c = 6.4849(5) Å, β = 91.412(8)°; 2868 independent reflections, 62 variables, seven atoms in the asymmetric unit, R1 = 0.028, wR2 = 0.061). The structure consists of elongated octahedra [CrIIO6] (2.054(1) ≤ d(Cr–O) ≤ 2.743(4) Å). Electronic absorption spectra measured in the NIR/vis range for α‐ and β‐Cr3(PO4)2, α‐Cr2P2O7, and SrCrP2O7 allow an estimation of 10Dq = 9000 cm–1 for the [CrIIO6] chromophore. The observed transition energies for the low‐symmetry chromophores match remarkably well with calculations within the framework of the angular overlap model. Comparison of the magnetic behavior of α‐ and β‐Cr3(PO4)2 (μexp = 4.90 μB) reveals significant differences.
An Investigation Into the Chemical Composition of Alternative Invertebrate Prey
Authors: Oonincx D.G.A.B. , Dierenfeld E.S.
Published: March 2011

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition of eight invertebrate species and evaluate their suitability as alternative prey. The species selected were rusty red cockroaches (Blatta lateralis), six‐spotted cockroaches (Eublaberus distanti), Madagascar hissing cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa), fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), false katydids (Microcentrum rhombifolium), beetles of the mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), and superworm beetles (Zophobas morio), as well as woodlice (Porcellio scaber). Dry matter (DM), crude protein, crude fat, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, ash, macro and trace minerals, vitamins A and E, and carotenoid concentrations were quantified. Significant differences were found between species. Crude protein content ranged from 38 to 76% DM, fat from14 to 54% DM, and ash from 2 to 8% DM. In most species, calcium:phosphorus was low (0.08–0.30:1); however, P. scaber was an exception (12:1) and might prove useful as a dietary source of calcium for insectivores. Vitamin E content was low for most species (6–16 mg/kg DM), except for D. melanogaster and M. rhombifolium (112 and 110 mg/kg DM). The retinol content, as a measure of vitamin A activity, was low in all specimens, but varied greatly among samples (0.670–886 mg/kg DM). The data presented can be used to alter diets to better suit the estimated requirements of insectivores in captivity. Future research on the topic of composition of invertebrate prey species should focus on determination of nutrient differences owing to species, developmental stage, and diet. Zoo Biol 31:40;–54, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bidirectional Conversion Between 3‐Monochloro‐1,2‐propanediol and Glycidol in Course of the Procedure of DGF Standard Methods
Authors: Kaze Naoki , Sato Hirofumi , Yamamoto Hiroshi , Watanabe Yomi
Published: March 2011

NMR observation revealed that bidirectional conversion occurred between 3‐monochloropropane‐1,2‐diol (3‐MCPD) and glycidol in the course of the analytical procedure of DFG standard method C‐III 18 (09), option A; 3‐MCPD was partly converted to glycidol at the transesterification step, and glycidol was converted partly to 3‐MCPD at the derivatization step conducted at 80 °C under acidic condition in the presence of NaCl. Based on the proton numbers observed by 1H NMR, the degrees of the conversion were estimated to be 37 and >70%, respectively. In addition, epoxide ring‐opening of glycidol and its esters was found to be ca. 90% by the acid treatment described in the method, option B. Thus, it was concluded that the standard method, option A, did not correctly give the combined amount of 3‐MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in oils containing glycidyl esters, and the difference of the values obtained by options A and B did not correspond to the amount of glycidyl esters, either. In addition, derivatives of 3‐MCPD with phenylboronic acid were not observed by NMR at the derivatization step, although they were detected by GC‐MS in the organic phase at the following extraction step.
The effects of intramuscular tenotomy on the lengthening characteristics of tibialis posterior: High versus low intramuscular tenotomy
Authors: Altuntas Altay O. , Dagge Benjamin , Chin Terence Y. P. , Palamara Joseph E. A. , Eizenberg Norman , Wolfe Rory , Graham H. Kerr
Published: March 2011

Background

Lengthening of soft-tissue contractures is frequently required in children with a wide variety of congenital and acquired deformities. However, little is known about the biomechanics of surgical procedures which are commonly used in contracture surgery, or if variations in technique may have a bearing on surgical outcomes. We investigated the hypothesis that the site of intramuscular tenotomy (IMT) within the muscle–tendon-unit (MTU) of the tibialis posterior (TP) would affect the lengthening characteristics.

Methods

We performed a randomized trial on paired cadaver tibialis posterior muscle–tendon-units (TP-MTUs). By random allocation, one of each pair of formalin-preserved TP-MTUs received a high IMT, and the other a low IMT. These were individually tensile-tested with an Instron® machine under controlled conditions. A graph of load (Newtons) versus displacement (millimetres) was generated for each pair of tests. The differences in lengthening and load at failure for each pair of TP-MTUs were noted and compared using paired t tests.

Results

We found 48% greater lengthening for low IMT compared to high IMT for a given load ( P = 0.004, two tailed t test). Load at failure was also significantly lower for the low IMT. These findings confirm our hypothesis that the site of the tenotomy affects the amount of lengthening achieved. This may contribute to the reported variability in clinical outcome.

Conclusions

Understanding the relationship between tenotomy site and lengthening may allow surgeons to vary the site of the tenotomy in order to achieve pre-determined surgical goals. It may be possible to control the surgical “dose” by altering the position of the intramuscular tenotomy within the muscle–tendon-unit.
Le spécialiste des maladies du testicule Thomas Blizard Curling (1811–1888) et la place de sa méthode de traitement de la varicocèle parmi les autres méthodes du xixe siècle
Authors: Androutsos G. , Karamanou M. , Pappa K. I. , Poulakou-Rebelakou E.
Published: March 2011

Dans cet article, nous présentons brièvement les différents modes de traitement, conservateur et chirurgical, de la varicocèle et nous mettons l’accent sur une méthode non chirurgicale efficace, inventée et vulgarisée par le grand spécialiste des maladies du testicule, Curling.
Shapeshifting for memory
Authors: Wiegert J.S. , Oertner T.G.
Published: March 2011

One of the biggest remaining mysteries of science is inside our heads: how does nature wire up a high-performance computer with­out having a detailed blueprint specifying the location and strength of every connection? It is assumed that local connectivity in our cor­tex is at first random, and during develop­ment undergoes refinement until only the ‘right’ connections are left over. But how can the brain tell ‘right’ from ‘wrong’ connections? The majority of excitatory connections are formed on dendritic spines, tiny excrescenc­es that cover almost the entire dendritic sur­face of most neurons. Since their discovery by Ramón y Cajal in 1896, neuroscientists have been fascinated by these structures, which ultimately determine which neurons in the brain become connected and form function­al networks. Here we review the many im­portant functions of spines and explain why electrical and biochemical processes in these tiny structures are thought to be crucial for the plasticity of the brain.
Individualizing antipsychotic treatment selection in schizophrenia: characteristics of empirically derived patient subgroups
Authors: Correll C.U. , Cañas F. , Larmo I. , Levy P. , Montes J.-M. , Fagiolini A. , Papageorgiou G. , Rossi A. , Sturlason R. , Zink M.
Published: March 2011

Treatment of schizophrenia with antipsychotic drugs is frequently sub-optimal. One reason for this may be heterogeneity between patients with schizophrenia. The objectives of this study were to identify patient, disease and treatment attributes that are important for physicians in choosing an antipsychotic drug, and to identify empirically subgroups of patients who may respond differentially to antipsychotic drugs. The survey was conducted by structured interview of 744 randomly-selected psychiatrists in four European countries who recruited 3996 patients with schizophrenia. Information on 39 variables was collected. Multiple component analysis was used to identify dimensions that explained the variance between patients. Three axes, accounting for 99% of the variance, were associated with disease severity (64%), socioeconomic status (27%) and patient autonomy (8%). These dimensions discriminated between six discrete patient subgroups, identified using ascending hierarchical classification analysis. The six subgroups differed regarding educational level, illness severity, autonomy, symptom presentation, addictive behaviors, comorbidities and cardiometabolic risk factors. Subgroup 1 patients had moderately severe physician-rated disease and addictive behaviours (23.2%); Subgroup 2 patients were well-integrated and autonomous with mild to moderate disease (6.7%); Subgroup 3 patients were less well-integrated with mild to moderate disease, living alone (11.2%); Subgroup 4 patients were women with low education levels (5.4%), Subgroup 5 patients were young men with severe disease (36.8%); and Subgroup 6 patients were poorly-integrated with moderately severe disease, needing caregiver support (16.7%). The presence of these subgroups, which require confirmation and extension regarding potentially identifiable biological markers, may help individualizing treatment in patients with schizophrenia.
Use of ziprasidone in patients with schizophrenia in four European countries
Authors: Montes J.-M.
Published: March 2011

Purpose

To characterise patients with schizophrenia from four European countries treated with ziprasidone, and to compare these with patients treated with other second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) included in this survey.

Method

A randomly selected, representative sample of psychiatrists (N = 744), from Germany, Greece, Italy and Spain, collected data on the five last patients with schizophrenia they had seen in consultation (N = 3996), including up to two patients treated with ziprasidone (N = 1096).

Results

Ziprasidone was most frequently prescribed to patients requiring a switch from another antipsychotic. Compared to other surveyed SGAs, ziprasisone was more likely to be prescribed to women than to men (OR: 1.52), to patients with mild disease than to those with severe disease (OR: 1.94) and to outpatients than to inpatients (1.30). The most frequently cited reasons for prescribing ziprasidone were good tolerability and efficacy against positive and negative symptoms. Compared to other SGAs included in this survey, it was more likely to be prescribed due to the low risk of weight gain, metabolic syndrome and extrapyramidal symptoms.

Conclusion

Patients treated by ziprasidone more frequently belong to subgroups composed of more autonomous patients and those with mild to moderate disease severity.
James Joyce and Sexuality
Authors: Brown Richard
Published: March 2011

This highly original study seeks to correct the critical misapprehension that James Joyce was a figure who remained aloof and disengaged from the intellectual and social concerns of his time. By exploring Joyce's interest in sexual questions, Dr Brown shows that, on the contrary, his work represents a more complex and subtle kind of engagement with such concerns. There are four main areas of interest. The first is Joyce's extensive reading on the question of marriage and its impact on his work, a subject invested with greater interest through Joyce's elopement with and delayed marriage to Nora Barnacle. The second is Joyce's responsiveness to the new sexual ideology as expounded in the writings of Freud and Havelock Ellis. Thirdly, Dr Brown considers the feminist dimension of the oeuvre and explores Joyce's profound concern with twentieth-century discussions of sexual divisions and difference, a topic hitherto neglected in the classic critical treatments. Finally, the book argues for a new type of Joycean aesthetic in which the major works are analysed as responses to readings of other texts. Dr Brown offers a substantial and original account of Joyce's work as modern in its social ideas as well as in its literary form, and suggests how the stylistic modernity itself may be seen to arise in part as a response to the difficulties of dealing with sex.
Essai philosophique sur les probabilités
Authors: Laplace Pierre Simon
Published: March 2011

The work of the Marquis de Laplace (1749–1827) was enormously influential in the development of mathematical physics, astronomy and statistics. Educated in Normandy, he moved to Paris on obtaining a letter of introduction to d'Alembert, who acted as his mentor while he undertook teaching and independent research in probability, statistics and astronomy. Laplace survived the turmoil of the French Revolution, the rise of Napoleon and the restoration of the Bourbons by a series of manoeuvres which gave him a reputation for insincerity and hypocrisy even among his peers who could correctly assess his contributions to science. His Essai philosophique sur les probabilités, first published in 1814, and of which the fifth edition, revised by the author, is presented here, is a fundamental work which establishes six principles of probability in mathematical terms.
The Works of John Ruskin
Authors: Ruskin John
Published: March 2011

The influence of John Ruskin (1819–1900), both on his own time and on artistic and social developments in the twentieth century, cannot be over-stated. He changed Victorian perceptions of art, and was the main influence behind 'Gothic revival' architecture. As a social critic, he argued for the improvement of the condition of the poor, and against the increasing mechanisation of work in factories, which he believed was dull and soul-destroying. The thirty-nine volumes of the Library Edition of his works, published between 1903 and 1912, are themselves a remarkable achievement, in which his books and essays - almost all highly illustrated - are given a biographical and critical context in extended introductory essays and in the 'Minor Ruskiniana' - extracts from letters, articles and reminiscences both by and about Ruskin. This twenty-fifth volume contains Ruskin's writings on birds (Love's Meinie) and flowers (Proserpina).
A Syllabus of a Course of Lectures on Mineralogy
Authors: Henslow John Stevens
Published: March 2011

John Stevens Henslow (1796–1861), a student of Adam Sedgwick, became Professor of Mineralogy at Cambridge in 1822. He soon moved to a chair in Botany, and became a teacher and mentor to Charles Darwin. This book on mineralogy was first published in 1823. It was intended to save time in class by providing an easily accessible reference to the composition of various minerals according to the principles of atomic theory, which was then entering the scientific mainstream. In that paradigm, analysis and examination of any mineral's composition involved first ascertaining the mineral's elementary molecules, both 'essential' and 'accidental', and second, determining the proportions in which the essential ingredients combined to form the integrant molecule of the mineral. Henslow's book will interest historians of science tracing the development of atomic theory, and those working more broadly in the history of university education and the intellectual climate of the nineteenth century.
Narrative of a Voyage to the West Indies and Mexico in the Years 1599–1602
Authors: Champlain Samuel
Published: March 2011

The publications of the Hakluyt Society (founded in 1846) made available edited (and sometimes translated) early accounts of exploration. The first series, which ran from 1847 to 1899, consists of 100 books containing published or previously unpublished works by authors from Christopher Columbus to Sir Francis Drake, and covering voyages to the New World, to China and Japan, to Russia and to Africa and India. The author of this volume, Samuel Champlain, is better known for his writings on Canada and for founding Quebec City. This account of his 1599 journey with his uncle to the West Indies and Mexico, originally intended for Henri IV of France and translated for the series in 1859, had never previously appeared in print. Champlain provides a valuable illustrated report on natural history and social, economic and political conditions of the region in the early colonial period.
Memoirs of Dr. Joseph Priestley
Authors: Priestley Joseph , Cooper Thomas
Published: March 2011

Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) was an eighteenth-century English polymath with accomplishments in the fields of science, pedagogy, philosophy, and theology. Among his more notable achievements were the discovery of oxygen and his work in establishing Unitarianism. Often a controversialist, Priestley's efforts to develop a 'rational' Christianity and support for the French Revolution eventually made him unwelcome in his native land. His 1807 Memoirs relate the story of his life until the time of his 1794 emigration to America and include other biographical materials written by his son. This second volume contains a lengthy discussion of Priestley's theological writings as well as four of his sermons. Priestley's memoirs are an important source for anyone interested in the state of epistemology, rationalism, and religious belief in the age of the Enlightenment, and in a man who, in the words of his son, 'gave unremitting exertions in the cause of truth'.
Memoirs of the Chief Incidents of the Public Life of Sir George Thomas Staunton, Bart., Hon. D.C.L. of Oxford
Authors: Staunton George Thomas
Published: March 2011

Sir George Thomas Staunton (1781–1859), sinologist and politician, was a key figure in early nineteenth-century Anglo-Chinese relations. Staunton secured a post as a writer in the East India Company's factory in Canton in 1798 and was the only Englishman at the factory to study Chinese. He translated China's penal code and was promoted to chief of the Canton factory in 1816. He was a member of Britain's Amherst embassy to Peking in 1816–1817 to protest against mandarins' treatment of Canton merchants. The embassy failed to obtain an imperial interview but, despite being threatened with detention by the Chinese, Staunton insisted that the British should not submit to the emperor. Staunton returned to England in 1817, and served as a Tory MP between 1818 and 1852. Staunton's Memoirs, which were printed privately in 1856, provide a unique insight into nineteenth-century British perceptions of China.
David Ben-Gurion and the Jewish Renaissance
Authors: Aronson Shlomo
Published: March 2011

This book offers a reappraisal of David Ben-Gurion's role in Jewish-Israeli history from the perspective of the twenty-first century, in the larger context of the Zionist 'renaissance', of which he was a major and unique exponent. Some have described Ben-Gurion's Zionism as a dream that has gone sour, or a utopia doomed to be unfulfilled. Now - after the dust surrounding Israel's founding father has settled, archives have been opened, and perspective has been gained since Ben-Gurion's downfall - this book presents a fresh look at this statesman-intellectual and his success and tragic failures during a unique period of time that he and his peers described as the 'Jewish renaissance'. The resulting reappraisal offers a new analysis of Ben-Gurion's actual role as a major player in Israeli, Middle Eastern, and global politics.
The Emergence of Jewish Ghettos during the Holocaust
Authors: Michman Dan
Published: March 2011

This book is a linguistic-cultural study of the emergence of the Jewish ghettos during the Holocaust. It traces the origins and uses of the term 'ghetto' in European discourse from the sixteenth century to the Nazi regime. It examines with a magnifying glass both the actual establishment of and the discourse of the Nazis and their allies on ghettos from 1939 to 1944. With conclusions that oppose all existing explanations and cursory examinations of the ghetto, the book impacts overall understanding of the anti-Jewish policies of Nazi Germany.
The Roman Monetary System
Authors: Katsari Constantina
Published: March 2011

The Roman monetary system was highly complex. It involved official Roman coins in both silver and bronze, which some provinces produced while others imported them from mints in Rome and elsewhere, as well as, in the East, a range of civic coinages. This is a comprehensive study of the workings of the system in the Eastern provinces from the Augustan period to the third century AD, when the Roman Empire suffered a monetary and economic crisis. The Eastern provinces exemplify the full complexity of the system, but comparisons are made with evidence from the Western provinces as well as with appropriate case studies from other historical times and places. The book will be essential for all Roman historians and numismatists and of interest to a broader range of historians of economics and finance.
Sibling Ideological Influence: A Natural Experiment
Authors: Urbatsch R.
Published: March 2011

Siblings are a potentially important source of political socialization. Influence is common, especially among younger siblings and those close in age, who tend to interact most frequently. This suggests that the positions of an individual's next-older sibling will hold particular sway. In policy questions with a gender gap, then, those whose immediately older sibling is a sister will be more likely to absorb the typically female preference; those born after a brother, the male preference. Evidence from the United States shows that this pattern holds for general left–right orientation as well as for the preferred balance between public and private sectors. Just as American women are more likely to lean left and to see government intervention positively, so are Americans whose next-older sibling is female.
So This Is Censorship: Race, Sex, and Censorship in Movies of the 1920s and 1930s
Authors: COUVARES FRANCIS G.
Published: March 2011

The curious case of So This Is Africa (Columbia, 1933) shows that both Hollywood's in-house censors and state and local censors took seriously cinematic violations of racial and sexual norms. This spoof of “jungle” films exploited audience interest in a cycle of fictional and nonfictional depictions of “primitive” life. These films claimed partial exemption from taboos against sexual and racial boundary-crossing, and usually showed unclothed “native” women. But So This Is Africa went further. However farcical, its suggestions of adultery, interracial sex, homosexuality, and even bestiality raised an unusually large storm among the censors. Cut by one-third, the film still outraged many and helped precipitate the industry's creation of the Production Code Administration, designed to police the screen more tightly.