bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depression in Older Adults
Authors: Fiske Amy , Wetherell Julie Loebach , Gatz Margaret
Published: March 2009

Depression is less prevalent among older adults than among younger adults, but it can have serious consequences. More than half of cases represent a first onset in later life. Although suicide rates in the elderly are declining, they are still higher than in younger adults and are more closely associated with depression. Depressed older adults are less likely to endorse affective symptoms and more likely to display cognitive changes, somatic symptoms, and loss of interest than are depressed younger adults. Risk factors leading to the development of late-life depression likely comprise complex interactions among genetic vulnerabilities, cognitive diathesis, age-associated neurobiological changes, and stressful events. Insomnia is an often overlooked risk factor for late-life depression. We suggest that a common pathway to depression in older adults, regardless of which predisposing risks are most prominent, may be curtailment of daily activities. Accompanying self-critical thinking may exacerbate and maintain a depressed state. Offsetting the increasing prevalence of certain risk factors in late life are age-related increases in psychological resilience. Other protective factors include higher education and socioeconomic status, engagement in valued activities, and religious or spiritual involvement. Treatments including behavioral therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, cognitive bibliotherapy, problem-solving therapy, brief psychodynamic therapy, and life review/reminiscence therapy are effective but are too infrequently used with older adults. Preventive interventions including education for individuals with chronic illness, behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, problem-solving skills training, group support, and life review have also received support.
Venomotion modulates lymphatic pumping in the bat wing
Authors: Dongaonkar Ranjeet M. , Stewart Randolph H. , Laine Glen A. , Davis Michael J. , Zawieja David C. , Quick Christopher M.
Published: March 2009

In skin, it is believed that lymph must be pumped by intrinsic contraction of lymphatic muscle, since investigators have not considered that cyclical dilation of venules could compress adjacent lymphatic microvessels. Because lymphatic vessels are sensitive to stretch, we hypothesized that venomotion not only can cause extrinsic pumping of lymph in nearby lymphatic vessels, but also can stimulate intrinsic contractions. Bat wing venules have pronounced venomotion and are in close proximity to lymphatic microvessels, and can be studied noninvasively without the confounding effects of anesthesia, surgical trauma, or contrast agents. Therefore, the interaction between venules and their paired lymphatic vessels in unanesthetized Pallid bats ( n = 8) was evaluated by recording the diameters of both vessels. Four sets of observations suggested that lymphatic and venous contractions were partially coupled. First, venous dilation and contraction produced a significant change in lymphatic microvascular cross-sectional area. Second, lymphatic microvascular contractions were immediately preceded by a change in venular diameter. Third, venular and lymphatic vessel contraction frequencies were positively correlated ( r = 0.75). Fourth, time delays between peak venular systole and onset of lymphatic microvascular contraction were negatively correlated with venomotion magnitude ( r = −0.55) and velocity ( r = −0.64). In a separate experiment, inhibiting venomotion resulted in a 54.3 ± 20.0% ( n = 8) decrease in lymphatic contraction frequency. Furthermore, 85.7% ( n = 56) of lymphatic vessels switch sides and lie adjacent to arterioles when venules were too small to exhibit venomotion. These results are consistent with both extrinsic pumping of lymph and stretch-induced lymphatic contraction and imply that intrinsic and extrinsic pumping can be coupled.
Psalm 144: Hope of Davidic Welfare
Authors:   Booij
Published: March 2009

Psalm 144 is a late, markedly 'anthological' text. On account of the use made in it of Psalm 33, vv. 12-15 can be assumed to be an integral part of the psalm; they are the 'new song' which is announced in v. 9. The deliverance from foreign rule, prayed for in the middle part of the psalm, is a condition for the welfare pictured in the final verses and linked with David in prophetic texts (see esp. Ez 34:23f.). In this deliverance the speaker, presumably of Davidic descent, credits himself with a central role.
Ephraim and Treachery, Loyalty and (the House of) David: The Meaning of a Structural Parallel in Psalm 78
Authors: Frisch Amos
Published: March 2009

The parallel between the first and last units (vv. 1-8, 68-72) of the concentric structure that Zakovitch discovered in Psalm 78 is interpreted differently than he does: we should not infer from the first unit that David's election, mentioned in the last unit, is conditional. Rather, in light of language common to both two units [vv. 5, 71], the parallel actually involves the Lord's two gifts to Israel: the Torah and the Davidic kingdom. That is, here David is an object. The emphasis that Ephraim violates the Torah is significant, because that tribe constituted the opposition and alternative to the House of David. It is possible that through the parallel with the first unit the last unit suggests the duty of loyalty to the Lord's second gift—the Davidic monarchy. Similar ideas can be found in 2 Chronicles xiii 5-11 and xxx 7-8.
A Note Pertaining to the Translation of Deut 6:4
Authors: Bruno Christopher
Published: March 2009

Scholars who translate Deut 6:4c as "the Lord alone" claim that lbd is improper in a nominal clause. Elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, however, lbd does occur in nominal clauses.
Inhibition of endothelial progenitor cell differentiation by VEGI
Authors: Tian Fang , Liang Paulina H. , Li Lu-Yuan
Published: March 2009

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a critical role in postnatal and tumor vasculogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI; TNFSF15) has been shown to inhibit endothelial cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis. We report here that VEGI inhibits the differentiation of EPCs from mouse bone marrow–derived Sca1+ mononuclear cells. Analysis of EPC markers indicates a significant decline of the expression of endothelial cell markers, but not stem cell markers, on VEGI-treated cells. Consistently, the VEGI-treated cells exhibit a decreased capability to adhere, migrate, and form capillary-like structures on Matrigel. In addition, VEGI induces apoptosis of differentiated EPCs but not early-stage EPCs. When treated with VEGI, an increase of phospho-Erk and a decrease of phospho-Akt are detected in early-stage EPCs, whereas activation of nuclear factor-κB, jun N-terminal kinase, and caspase-3 is seen in differentiated EPCs. Furthermore, VEGI-induced apoptosis of differentiated EPC is, at least partly, mediated by death receptor-3 (DR3), which is detected on differentiated EPC only. VEGI-induced apoptosis signals can be inhibited by neutralizing antibodies against DR3 or recombinant extracellular domain of DR3. These findings indicate that VEGI may participate in the modulation of postnatal vasculogenesis by inhibiting EPC differentiation.
TSC-22 contributes to hematopoietic precursor cell proliferation and repopulation and is epigenetically silenced in large granular lymphocyte leukemia
Authors: Yu Jianhua , Ershler Maxim , Yu Li , Wei Min , Hackanson Björn , Yokohama Akihiko , Mitsui Takeki , Liu Chunhui , Mao Hsiaoyin , Liu Shujun , Liu Zhongfa , Trotta Rossana , Liu Chang-gong , Liu Xiuping , Huang Kun , Visser Jan , Marcucci Guido , Plass Christoph , Belyavsky Alexander V. , Caligiuri Michael A.
Published: March 2009

Aberrant methylation of tumor suppressor genes can lead to their silencing in many cancers. TSC-22 is a gene silenced in several solid tumors, but its function and the mechanism(s) responsible for its silencing are largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that the TSC-22 promoter is methylated in primary mouse T or natural killer (NK) large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia and this is associated with down-regulation or silencing of TSC-22 expression. The TSC-22 deregulation was reversed in vivo by a 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine therapy of T or NK LGL leukemia, which significantly increased survival of the mice bearing this disease. Ectopic expression of TSC-22 in mouse leukemia or lymphoma cell lines resulted in delayed in vivo tumor formation. Targeted disruption of TSC-22 in wild-type mice enhanced proliferation and in vivo repopulation efficiency of hematopoietic precursor cells (HPCs). Collectively, our data suggest that TSC-22 normally contributes to the regulation of HPC function and is a putative tumor suppressor gene that is hypermethylated and silenced in T or NK LGL leukemia.
Stacking seismic data using local correlation
Authors: Liu Guochang , Fomel Sergey , Jin Long , Chen Xiaohong
Published: March 2009

Stacking plays an important role in improving signal-to-noise ratio and imaging quality of seismic data. However, for low-fold-coverage seismic profiles, the result of conventional stacking is not always satisfactory. To address this problem, we have developed a method of stacking in which we use local correlation as a weight for stacking common-midpoint gathers after NMO processing or common-image-point gathers after prestack migration. Application of the method to synthetic and field data showed that stacking using local correlation can be more effective in suppressing random noise and artifacts than other stacking methods.
Photocatalytic Reduction of Nitrobenzene to Aniline in an Aqueous Suspension of Titanium(IV) Oxide Particles in the Presence of Oxalic Acid as a Hole Scavenger and Promotive Effect of Dioxygen in the System
Authors: Kominami Hiroshi , Iwasaki Shin-ichi , Maeda Tsuyoshi , Imamura Kazuya , Hashimoto Keiji , Kera Yoshiya , Ohtani Bunsho
Published: March 2009

Nitrobenzene was effectively and selectively reduced to aniline in an acidic aqueous suspension of titanium(IV) oxide photocatalyst in the presence of oxalic acid as a hole scavenger and the aniline yield was improved in the presence of a small amount of dioxygen.
Introduction: Simultaneously Global and Local: Reassessing Smallpox Vaccination and Its Spread, 1789–1900
Authors: Bhattacharya Sanjoy , Brimnes Niels
Published: March 2009

The last two decades have seen a reawakening of scholarly interest in the history of smallpox prevention. Accounts of vaccination and others efforts at controlling smallpox have moved away from heroic narratives toward more nuanced and contextualized understandings. It is now accepted that several viruses traveled under the vaccine label from the outset, and it has been demonstrated that a variety of techniques were used to perform vaccination operations. The character of nineteenth century sea voyages that took the vaccine to distant territories has also been re-examined; sometimes the spread of the vaccine was caused by private networks and ad hoc decisions, while at other times it was the result of enterprises with close resemblances to contemporary centralized vaccination campaigns. Looking beyond Europe and North America we encounter a variety of state attitudes toward vaccination, ranging from concentrated efforts to spread the technique to efforts more uncertain and diluted. Although the reluctance to accept vaccination has been amply documented, recent studies emphasize this should not be attributed to simplistic dichotomies of modernity versus tradition or science versus culture; instead, instances of resistance are best studied as specific contextualized interactions. Indeed, factors like favorable geography, strong bureaucratic structures, and the absence of variolation seem to have helped the relatively smooth transfer of vaccination technologies. Perhaps most important, recent research encourages us to continue to study smallpox vaccination as a phenomenon that was simultaneously global and local.
Early School-Age Outcomes of Late Preterm Infants
Authors: Morse Steven Benjamin , Zheng Hao , Tang Yiwei , Roth Jeffrey
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVE. Late preterm infants represent a significant portion of preterm deliveries. Until recently, these infants have received little attention because of assumptions that they carry minimal risk for long-term morbidities. The purpose of this study was to compare prekindergarten and kindergarten outcomes among healthy late preterm infants, 34 to 36 weeks' gestation at birth, and healthy term infants, 37 to 41 weeks' gestation at birth.

METHODS. The study sample consisted of singleton infants who were born in Florida between January 1, 1996, and August 31, 1997, with a gestational age between 34 and 41 weeks (N = 161804) with a length of stay ≤72 hours. Seven early school-age outcomes were analyzed. Outcomes were adjusted for 15 potential confounding maternal and infant variables. Unadjusted and adjusted relative risk with 95% confidence interval was estimated for each outcome by using Poisson regression modeling.

RESULTS. Risk for developmental delay or disability was 36% higher among late preterm infants compared with term infants. Risk for suspension in kindergarten was 19% higher for late preterm infants. The remaining 4 outcomes, disability in prekindergarten at 3 and 4 years of age, exceptional student education, and retention in kindergarten, all carried a 10% to 13% increased risk among late preterm infants. The assessment “not ready to start school” was borderline significant.

CONCLUSIONS. This study suggests that healthy late preterm infants compared with healthy term infants face a greater risk for developmental delay and school-related problems up through the first 5 years of life.
Multiple Births Are a Risk Factor for Postpartum Maternal Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Choi Yoonjoung , Bishai David , Minkovitz Cynthia S.
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between multiple births and maternal depressive symptoms measured 9 months after delivery.

METHODS. Data were derived from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, a longitudinal study of a nationally representative sample of children born in 2001. Depressive symptoms were measured at 9 months by using an abbreviated version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to study the association between multiple births and maternal depressive symptoms, with adjustment for demographic and household socioeconomic characteristics and maternal history of mental health problems. A total of 8069 mothers were included for analyses.

RESULTS. The prevalence of moderate/severe depressive symptoms at 9 months after delivery was estimated to be 16.0% and 19.0% among mothers of singletons and multiple births, respectively. Only 27.0% of women who had moderate/severe depressive symptoms reported talking about emotional or psychological problems with a mental health specialist or a general medical provider within the 12 months before the interview. The proportions of women with depressive symptoms who were receiving mental health services did not vary according to plurality status.

CONCLUSIONS. Mothers of multiple births had 43% greater odds of having moderate/severe, 9-month postpartum, depressive symptoms, compared with mothers of singletons. Greater attention is needed in pediatric settings to address maternal depression in families with multiple births.
Screening and Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder in Children and Adolescents: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement
Authors:   US Preventive Services Task Force
Published: March 2009

DESCRIPTION. This is an update of the 2002 US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation on screening for child and adolescent major depressive disorder.

METHODS. The US Preventive Services Task Force weighed the benefits and harms of screening and treatment for major depressive disorder in children and adolescents, incorporating new evidence addressing gaps in the 2002 recommendation statement. Evidence examined included the benefits and harms of screening, the accuracy of primary care–feasible screening tests, and the benefits and risks of treating depression by using psychotherapy and/or medications in patients aged 7 to 18 years.

RECOMMENDATIONS. Screen adolescents (12–18 years of age) for major depressive disorder when systems are in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, psychotherapy (cognitive-behavioral or interpersonal), and follow-up (B recommendation). Evidence is insufficient to warrant a recommendation to screen children (7–11 years of age) for major depressive disorder (I statement).
Effects of Maternal Multimicronutrient Supplementation on the Mental Development of Infants in Rural Western China: Follow-up Evaluation of a Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Li Qiang , Yan Hong , Zeng Lingxia , Cheng Yue , Liang Weifeng , Dang Shaonong , Wang Quanli , Tsuji Ichiro
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVE. We investigated the benefits of maternal multimicronutrient supplementation during gestation on the mental and psychomotor development of infants.

METHODS. In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, pregnant women (N = 5828) in 2 rural counties in western China were assigned randomly to receive multimicronutrient (5 minerals and 10 vitamins at levels approximating the recommended daily allowance), folic acid plus iron, or folic acid supplementation daily from ∼14 weeks of gestation until delivery. We assessed a subset of the newborns (N = 1305) from the 3 supplementation groups by measuring their mental and psychomotor development with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, at 3, 6, and 12 months of age. Multilevel analyses were used to compare the mental development and psychomotor development raw scores at 3, 6, and 12 months.

RESULTS. Multimicronutrient supplementation was associated with mean increases in mental development raw scores for infants at 1 year of age of 1.00 and 1.22 points, compared with folic acid only and folic acid plus iron supplementation, respectively. However, supplementation did not increase significantly the psychomotor development raw scores up to 1 year of age.

CONCLUSION. Compared with iron and folic acid supplementation, the administration of multimicronutrients to pregnant women improved the mental development of their children at 1 year of age.
The strain-rate dependence of the nanoindentation stress of gold at 300 K: A deformation kinetics-based approach
Authors: Bhakhri Vineet , Klassen Robert J.
Published: March 2009

Indentation tests involving a constant-loading rate stage followed by a constant-load stage were performed on annealed and 20% cold-worked Au to investigate the effect of indentation depth and initial dislocation density on the indentation deformation process. The indentation strain rate data were analyzed in terms of an obstacle-limited dislocation glide mechanism. The apparent activation energy was of the order of 0.16 μb3 and was neither a function of initial indentation depth nor cold work. The results of Haasen plot activation analysis and direct transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations indicate that more mechanical work must be applied during the constant-loading rate stage due to the large amount of work hardening compared with the constant-load stage where considerably more dislocation recovery occurs.
Cell labeling efficiency of layer-by-layer self-assembly modified silica nanoparticles
Authors: Liu Gang , Tian Jing , Liu Chen , Ai Hua , Gu Zhongwei , Gou Jilong , Mo Xianming
Published: March 2009

In the present study, we compared cytotoxicity and cell uptake of silica nanoparticles with four different surface coatings generated through layer-by-layer self-assembly. Rabbit mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) were labeled with silica nanoparticles of different coatings including poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI), poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), poly(anetholesulfonic acid, sodium salt) (PAS), and dextran sulfate. The MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide] test was performed to quantify the cell biocompatibility. The cellular uptake of those silica nanoparticles was determined by flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results showed that all examined silica nanoparticles were stable in aqueous phase with high monodispersity. Labeled rMSCs are unaffected in their viability, apoptosis, and differentiation capacities. The silica nanoparticle-coated synthetic polycations such as PEI or PAH have higher cell internalization than negatively charged polyelectrolytes. The ability to control cell uptake of different particles may have applications in cell labeling, cell separation, and other biomedical applications.
Perovskite crystallization kinetics and dielectric properties of the PMN-PT films prepared by polymer-modified sol-gel processing
Authors: Du Z.H. , Zhang T.S. , Zhu M.M. , Ma J.
Published: March 2009

Pb(Mg1/3,Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT, 43% PT) thin films have been developed by modified sol-gel processing with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a modifier and lead nitrate as a lead source. With PVP modification, perovskite phase was directly crystallized from amorphous film matrix at a temperature as low as 430 °C, and the crystallinity was significantly enhanced. Kinetics studies show that the crystallization process is controlled by heat transfer phenomena at the annealing temperatures ≤460 °C. At higher annealing temperatures (550–700 °C), it is a diffusion-controlled reaction with an activation energy of 167.7 kJ/mol, almost two times lower than that for the films without PVP modification. The promotion mechanism of perovskite crystallization by PVP addition has been discussed accordingly. The resultant films consisted of nanocrystallines and exhibited relaxor-like dielectric behavior, although the composition of the films located in normal ferroelectrics.
Stoichiometry and microstructural effects on electrical conduction in pulsed dc sputtered vanadium oxide thin films
Authors: Gauntt Bryan D. , Dickey Elizabeth C. , Horn Mark W.
Published: March 2009

Vanadium oxide thin films were deposited using pulsed direct current (dc) magnetron sputtering in an atmosphere containing argon and oxygen. The total pressure was varied from 2.5 to 15 mTorr, and the oxygen-to-argon ratio was varied from 2.5 to 30%. The resulting films were characterized using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and glancing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD). Electrical resistivity was calculated from I–V curves acquired from two-point-probe measurements and thicknesses measured from bright-field TEM images of cross-sectioned samples. TEM and GIXRD were used to characterize the crystallinity of each film. A transition from nanocrystalline to amorphous growth was observed with increasing partial pressure of oxygen. In all samples, the only crystalline phase observed was cubic vanadium oxide with the sodium chloride structure. Though the cubic VOx equilibrium phase field is limited to a maximum of x = 1.3, the cubic phase was observed with a value of x up to 2 in the present work. It was apparent from electron diffraction data that increased oxygen content correlated with an increase in the film disorder. The increase in oxygen content also corresponded with an increase in the film resistivity, which varied over 7 orders of magnitude from 1.18 × 10−3 to 2.98 × 104 Ω·cm. The temperature coefficient of resistance was found to increase with increasing oxygen content from −0.1 to −3.5%/°C. A direct correlation between film disorder and temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) was observed and could be exploited to engineer materials with the desired TCR.
Ag effects on the elastic modulus values of nanoporous Au foams
Authors: Hodge A.M. , Doucette R.T. , Biener M.M. , Biener J. , Cervantes O. , Hamza A.V.
Published: March 2009

To study both the effect of Ag and the relative density on the elastic properties of nanoporous Au (np-Au) foams, partially as well as fully dealloyed np-Au samples with various ligament sizes were prepared. Additionally, Ag-coated np-Au samples were synthesized by immersing np-Au in a 1 M Ag nitrate solution, followed by drying and thermal decomposition of the deposited Ag nitrate salt to Ag, NO2, and O2. Cross-sectional analysis revealed that this method yields a homogeneous Ag distribution and that the Ag concentration can be adjusted within the range of 0 to 20 at.%. Mechanical testing was performed by depth-sensing nanoindentation. It was observed that the effect of the relative density on the elastic properties of np-Au seems to be much stronger than predicted by the Gibson and Ashby relationship: Even Ag contents as low as 1 at.% can significantly change the modulus values. On the other hand, the elastic modulus of np-Au seems to be independent of the ligament size.
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Bacteria Tile and Groundwater Quality Following Direct Injection of Dewatered Municipal Biosolids into Soil
Authors: Gottschall N. , Edwards M. , Topp E. , Bolton P. , Payne M. , Curnoe W. E. , Coelho B. Ball , Lapen D. R.
Published: March 2009

Application of municipal biosolids (sewage) to agricultural land is a common practice to improve soil physical quality and fertility. The chosen method of land application can have a strong impact on the extent of adjacent water contamination by nutrients and bacteria. Dewatered municipal biosolids (DMB) were applied to silt‐clay loam experimental field plots in Ontario, Canada using two application methods: (i) surface spreading followed by shallow incorporation (SS) and (ii) a newly developed implement that directly injects DMB into the topsoil (DI). The objective of this study was to compare N, P, and bacteria quality of tile drainage and shallow groundwater associated with each land application technique. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in N, P, and bacteria tile mass loads among the application treatments for time periods <100 d postapplication, when the greatest peak loads and peak tile water concentrations were observed. Both land application treatments caused groundwater Escherichia coli contamination to at least 1.2 m depth below surface after the first postapplication rainfall event, and NO3–N contamination to at least 2.0 m depth below surface. The DI treatment did, however, have significantly (P < 0.05) higher tile mass loads of total Kjeldahl N (TKN), total phosphorus (TP), E. coli, Enterococci, and Clostridium perfringens relative to the SS treatment for time periods >100 d postapplication. Nevertheless, relative to tile effluent data collected <100 d postapplication (no application treatment differences), peak loads, and concentrations during this time were, overall, considerably lower for both treatments. This finding, along with no significant differences in N, P, and bacteria groundwater concentrations among the application treatments, and that the direct injection technique could potentially reduce vector attraction problems and odor, suggests that the direct injection technique should be considered a dewatered municipal biosolid land application option.
Mobilization of Soluble and Dispersible Lead, Arsenic, and Antimony in a Polluted, Organic‐rich Soil – Effects of pH Increase and Counterion Valency
Authors: Klitzke Sondra , Lang Friederike
Published: March 2009

Liming is a common technique suggested for the stabilization of shooting range sites. We investigated the effect of an increase in pH on the mobilization of soluble and dispersible (colloidal) Pb, As, and Sb. Our hypothesis was that the addition of divalent cations counteracts the pH‐induced mobilization of soluble and colloidal metal(loid)s. We determined soluble (operationally defined as the fraction < 10 nm obtained after centrifugation) and dispersible (filter cut‐off 1200 nm) As, Pb, Sb, Fe, and Corg concentrations in the filtered suspensions of batch extracts of topsoil samples (Corg: 8%) from a former shooting range site following a pH increase to values between 3.5 and 7 by adding a monovalent (KOH) or a divalent (Ca(OH)2) base. In the Ca(OH)2–treated samples, dissolved metal(loid) concentrations were 62 to 98% lower than those titrated with KOH to similar pH. Similarly, Ca reduced the concentration of dispersible Pb by 95%, but had little or no impact on dispersible As and Sb. We conclude that the counterion valency controls the mobility of metal(loid)s by affecting the mobility and sorption capacity of the sorbents (e.g., colloids, organic matter).
Pigment‐based Identification of Ozone‐Damaged Pine Needles as a Basis for Spectral Segregation of Needle Conditions
Authors: Di Vittorio Alan V.
Published: March 2009

Air pollution affects large areas of forest, and field assessment of these effects is a costly, site‐specific process. This paper establishes a biochemical basis for identifying ozone‐damaged pine trees to facilitate efficient remote sensing assessment of air pollution damage. Several thousand live needles were collected from ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Jeffrey pine (P. jeffreyi) trees at three sites in Plumas National Forest and Sequoia‐Kings Canyon National Park. These needles were assembled into 504 samples (based on the abaxial surface) and grouped according to five dominant needle conditions (green, winter fleck, sucking insect damage, scale insect damage, and ozone damage) and a random mixture of needles. Pigment concentrations per unit needle area of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total carotenoids were measured. The following pigment concentration ratios were calculated for all samples: chlorophyll a/total carotenoids, chlorophyll b/total carotenoids, total chlorophyll/carotenoids, chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b The group of ozone‐damaged needles had significantly lower mean pigment concentrations (family‐wise p < 0.01) and significantly lower mean chlorophyll a/total carotenoid and total chlorophyll/total carotenoid ratios (family‐wise p < 0.01) than all other groups of needles. Ozone‐damaged needles had a significantly lower mean chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio than all other groups except one (family‐wise p < 0.01). Linear discriminant analysis with three factors (chlorophyll a concentration, the chlorophyll a/carotenoid ratio, and the chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio) and subsequent maximum likelihood classification of damaged and non‐damaged needles gave an overall cross‐validated accuracy of 96%. These ozone‐damaged needles are biochemically unique in relation to other needle conditions in this study, and further research is needed to generalize these results.
Benzazole derivatives, VI: Synthesis of some 2-styrylbenzimidazoles and their quaternization
Authors: Cernatescu Corina , Comanita Eugenia
Published: March 2009

In this paper an alternative method for obtaining styrylbenzimidazolium iodides was described. Thus, some 1-methyl-2-styrylbenzimidazoles were synthesized by the condensation of 1,2-dimethylbenzimidazoles containing a mono- or di-substituted benzene ring (X = NO2, Br), at their reactive 2-methyl group with aromatic aldehydes by heating at high temperature. Some of the 2-styrylbenzimidazoles were proved to be able to convert into benzimidazolium quaternary iodides by treating them with methyl iodide in an autoclave. The structures of the 2-styrylbenzimidazoles and corresponding iodomethyl derivatives were investigated by IR and 1H-NMR spectral measurements. The obtained compounds are valuable due to their structures of polyenic dyes, with a photoexcitable ethylene bond.
Modeling of multistage salt crystallization from the NaCl-Na2SO4-H2O system
Authors: Jotanovic Milovan , Micic Vladan
Published: March 2009

A three-component system and the crystallization of selected salts from this system were investigated in this study. The studied system was a NaCl-Na2SO4-H2O three-component solution. A methodology for selective crystallization by various elementary pathways was developed, followed by a mathematical model of the complex process of selective crystallization. The developed mathematical model and algorithm of the process enabled the simulation of selective salt crystallization from the multicomponent system NaCl-Na2SO4-H2O.
Kovats retention index-boiling point relationship of 2-phenyl-2-alkyl-acetonitriles on stationary phases of different polarity
Authors: Mijin Dusan , Antonovic Dusan
Published: March 2009

Linear and reciprocial Kovats retention index-boiling point relationships known from the literature were used to study the Kovats retention index-boiling point dependence of 2-phenyl-2-alkylacetonitriles on stationary phases of different polarity (OV-17, OV-210 and OV-225). The standard chemical potential of the partitioning of one methylene group of an n-alkane for the stationary phase was calculated and compared with available literature data.
The influence of pH and solvent polarity on the mechanism and efficiency of folic acid extraction with Amberlite LA-2
Authors: Galaction Anca-Irina , Blaga Alexandra-Cristina , Cascaval Dan
Published: March 2009

Studies on the reactive extraction of folic acid with Amberlite LA-2 in three solvents of different polarity (n-heptane, chloroform, dichloromethane), at various extractant concentrations and pH-values of the aqueous solutions, indicated that the pH-value controls the extraction mechanism through the dissociation of carboxylic groups of folic acid. Thus, the solute and the extractant participate at the interfacial reaction at a molar ratio of 1:2 for pH below pK1, and 1:1 for pK1 < pH < pK2. The solvent polarity and pH-value exhibit a significant effect both on the extraction degree of folic acid (for an Amberlite LA-2 concentration of 80 g/l the extraction degree in dichloromethane was about 2-2.7 times greater than that corresponding to extraction in n-heptane, this difference increased with increasing pH of the aqueous solution) and on the extraction constant (by increasing the pH-value from 3 to 5.2, the extraction constants obtained for dichloromethane increased about 2.7 to 27.1 times compared with those obtained for extraction in n-heptane).
Structural effects on kinetic properties for hydrogen electrode reactions and CO tolerance along Mo-Pt phase diagram
Authors: Jaksic Jelena , Vracar Ljiljana , Neophytides Stylianos , Krstajic Nedeljko
Published: March 2009

The effect of structural and surface versus bulk properties of Mo-Pt alloys and intermetallic phases taken along their phase diagram upon kinetic and electrocatalytic features for the cathodic hydrogen evolution (HER) has been thoroughly investigated and displayed. All specimens along Mo-Pt phase diagram in broader reversible potential range feature Volmer-Tafel mechanism with the catalytic recombination of Tafel as the rate-determining step (RDS), while further polarization plot in semi logarithmic (vs. log) system shows Volmer-Heyrowski mechanism with the electrochemical desorption of Heyrowski reaction being the RDS; the extension of the former depends on the degree of MoO3 coverage and blocking active centers of electrode surface. XPS, UPS, XRD and work function characterization of all specimens revealed congenial volcano plots relative to the same dependence in electrocatalysis. As the main observation the most stable and prevailing Pt content specimens feature the best electrocatalytic and kinetic properties. Activated (MoO3 free) MoPt3 and MoPt4 catalysts feature all along the Tafel plot reversible Tafel catalytic reaction as the RDS, and create properties of super-activity within a broader current density range. It has been pointed out that an intermetallic phase with prevailing Mo atomic percentage (MoPt3) features pronounced electrocatalytic properties for the HER.
Alginate based macrocapsules as inoculant carriers for the production of nitrogen fixing bio fertilizers
Authors: Ivanova Evelina , Teunou Ernest , Poncelet Denis
Published: March 2009

This paper presents the first steps of the development of dry capsules of biofertilizer to replace chemical fertilizers that cause environmental problems. This new product consists of macrocapsules (large size beads about 3 to 4 mm diameter) containing nitrogen fixing bacteria: Azospirillum. They are produced by quick encapsulation and drying processes, are made of alginate (3%), standard starch (44.6%) and modified starch (2.4%) and can contain up to 106 CFU/capsule. This large size inoculum carrier was formulated to reduce production costs, favour its storage and application in the field and the results show that this new form of inoculum carrier is far better than the liquid and powdered forms.
Electron and momentum transfer phenomena at developed deformable and rigid liquid-liquid interfaces
Authors: Spasic Aleksandar , Lazarevic Mihailo , Mitrovic Milan , Krstic Dimitrije
Published: March 2009

A new idea was applied for the elucidation of the electron and momentum transfer phenomena at both rigid and deformable interfaces in finely (micro nano, atto) dispersed systems. The electroviscoelastic behavior of e.g. liquid/liquid interfaces (emulsions and double emulsions) is based on three forms of "instabilities"; these are rigid, elastic, and plastic. The events are understood as interactions between internal (immanent) and external (incident) periodical physical fields. Since the events at the interfaces of finely dispersed systems must be considered at the molecular, atomic, and/or entities level, it is inevitable to introduce the electron transfer phenomenon beside the classical heat, mass and momentum transfer phenomena commonly used in chemical engineering. Three possible mathematical formalisms have been derived related to this physical formalism, i.e. to the developed theory of electroviscoelasticity. The first is tension tensor model, where the normal and tangential forces are considered, only in mathematical formalism, regardless to their origin (mechanical and/or electrical). The second is van der Pol derivative model. Finally, the third model comprise an effort to generalize the previous van der Pol differential equations, both, linear and nonlinear; the ordinary time derivatives and integrals are now replaced by corresponding fractional-order time derivatives and integrals of order p < 1. Both, the presented model and theory can facilitate the understanding of entrainment problems in solvent extraction, developed interfaces in colloid and interface science, chemical and biological sensors, electro analytical methods, biology/biomedicine (hematology, genetics and electroneuro-physiology).
Behavior of blended cement pastes at elevated temperature
Authors: Kakali G. , Leventi R. , Benekis V. , Tsivilis S.
Published: March 2009

Fire can cause severe damage to building structures. This fact has increased the importance of the fire resistance of concrete. The consideration of the fire resistance of concrete requires the complete knowledge of the behaviour of each concrete component under elevated temperatures. The resistance of blended cement pastes upon heating was studied in the present paper. Natural pozzolana, fly ash, ground granulated blast-furnace slag, metakaolin and limestone were used as the main cement constituents. Blended cements were prepared by replacing a part of Portland Cement (PC) with the minerals mentioned above (10% w/w in the case of metakaolin, 20% w/w in the case of the rest materials). The specimens were water-cured for 3 months and then they were thermally treated at 200, 400, 600 800 and 1000?C for 1h. Visual inspection, mass measurements and ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements were carried out after each thermal treatment. It was concluded that the cohesion of the pastes was strongly affected by the kind of the main constituent, added to the Portland cement. The use of pozzolanic materials and especially metakaolin improved the fire resistance of the pastes, while the samples with limestone show the worst behavior.
Synthesis of organo-mineral nanohybrid material: Phenoxyacetate anions in the lamella of Mg-Al-layered double hydroxide
Authors: Anca Botomei , Dumitriu Emil , Vasile Hulea , Alfonso Nastro
Published: March 2009

An organo-mineral nanohybrid material in which the organic moiety is interleaved inside the inorganic lamella was prepared by using phenoxyacetate anions as a guest in the Mg-Al-layered double hydroxide lamella (as an inorganic host) by the self-assembly technique, anion exchange and the reconstruction methods. The powder XRD patterns of the resulted materials show that the basal spacing of the Mg-AI-layered double hydroxide with carbonate as the counter anions expanded from 7.7 ? to around 16.6 ? in the nanohybrid materials. IR studies show that the absorption bands of the resulting materials correspond to the characteristic functional groups of the host and the guest structures. When the two results are taken together, the expansion can be attributed to the intercalation of the phenoxyacetic acid in the inorganic interlamella for the formation of the nanohybrid material. The intercalation of phenoxyacetate anions was also confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TG).
Concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in urban soils in parks and green areas of Belgrade
Authors: Ristic Mirjana , Marjanovic Mirjana
Published: March 2009

Several metals in urban soils of Belgrade were extracted by two methods which respectively give estimates of the available and "quasi total" contents. Soil samples were collected from six parks and three green areas within the urban zone in November, 2003 and June, 2005 on the same sites. The concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn at several sites exceeded the limits acceptable in residential areas established by national legislation. Comparison between the 2005 and 2003 data revealed an increase of the Cu and Zn contents and a decrease of the Pb content of the urban soils. The labile phase concentration, determined as the amount of metal extracted with HCI was in the order Zn>Pb>Cu>Cd. Traffic seems to be one of the main sources of these metals, but the influence of other factors cannot be excluded.
Photocatalytic degradation of textile dye CI Basic Yellow 28 in water by UV-A/TiO2
Authors: Mijin Dusan , Radivojevic Jelena , Jovancic Petar
Published: March 2009

CI Basic Yellow 28 (BY28), commonly used as a textile dye, could be photocatalytically degraded using TiO2 as catalyst and irradiated by UV-A lamp (300 W). However, UV and TiO2 showed no effect on the photodegradation when they were used separately. The effect of some parameters such as initial concentration of catalyst, initial dye concentration, initial NaCl and Na2CO3 concentration, pH and presence of H2O2 on degradation rate of BY28 was examined.
Aromatization of light naphtha fractions on zeolites, 3: Model of coke formation
Authors: Ostrovski Nikolaj , Rovenskaja Svetlana , Echevski Genadij
Published: March 2009

In previous papers [1,2], we reported on the reaction kinetic and catalyst deactivation models for the Zeoforming process. The significant coking of a catalyst takes place, and two types of coke are formed. In this work the equations of coke accumulation are derived and its relations with relative activities are presented and discussed.
Chemical reaction engineering, environmental protection and sustainable development
Authors: Dudukovic Milorad
Published: March 2009

This paper is based on the lecture delivered at the First South East European Congress of Chemical Engineering (SEECCHE1) held on September 25-28, 2005 in Beograd, Serbia. Time constraints did not permit me to publish it in the proceedings of the conference, and since the topic considered is very much pertinent to the current developments in our profession, it seems appropriate to present it in this special issue of the same journal that carried the papers from that conference. In addition, the paper represents a small tribute to my brother Aleksandar for his dedicated work in emphasizing the importance of fundamentals in chemical engineering education. In this paper an attempt is made to illustrate to the younger generations of chemical and process engineers the importance of reaction engineering and its relevance to societal needs globally. The slides and comments of the talk given at SEECCRE1 are made available on a web site indicated at the end of the paper.
Bioreactors with stirred bed of immobilized cells, 2. Studies on distribution of mixing efficiency
Authors: Galaction Anca-Irina , Lupasteanu Anca-Marcela , Cascaval Dan
Published: March 2009

The influences of the main factors on mixing efficiency and distribution for a bioreactor with stirred bed of S. cerevisiae immobilized cells in alginate have been analyzed. Indifferent of the region inside the suspension or of the biocatalyst volumetric fraction, the most efficient mixing has been obtained for biocatalyst particles with a 4.6 mm diameter. In function of the biocatalyst diameter and concentration, the uniform mixing can be reached in a whole bulk of suspension for certain rotation speed values. Therefore, for biocatalyst particles of 4 and 5.2 mm diameter, the suspensions have been uniformly mixed for solid particles concentration of maximum 15%, the optimum rotation speed being of 100 and, respectively, 200 rpm. For intermediary size of biocatalyst particles, the uniform circulation of the suspension can be obtained for volumetric fraction up to 20%, at 150-200 rpm. Over these levels of solid particles concentration, the mixing becomes nonuniform for the entire considered domain of rotation speed.
Gas-solid and gas-liquid mass transfer: Effect of turbulent Schmidt number
Authors: Dudukovic Aleksandar , Pjanovic Rada
Published: March 2009

The scope of this paper is to explain effect of eddy viscosity and turbulent Schmidt number on mass transfer rate. New, theoretically based correlation for gas-liquid mass transfer coefficients are proposed.
Determination of kinetic parameters in activated sludge process for domestic wastewater treatment plant
Authors: Najafpour Ghasem , Sadeghpour Maedeh , Lorestani Zinatizadeh
Published: March 2009

The process was effectively used for the treatment of domestic wastewater known as the activated sludge process. To predict the biomass growth, the Monod rate equation was applied in a 30 liter(s) aerated and agitated vessel. The projected data for the kinetic model were used to estimate the large scale aeration tank for the efficient oxygen transfer rate. Food to microorganism ratio (F/M) and HRT were examined for the desired rate of COD removal. More than 52% yield of organic removal was obtained. Also, the endogenous decay coefficient of 0.06 d-1 was obtained. The growth rate constant (Ks) and rate constant (k) were determined as 85.5 mg/l and 1.71 d-1, respectively. 90% COD removal was achieved with the eight-day-old sludge.
The phoenix project: Shifting to a solar hydrogen economy by 2020
Authors: Braun Harry
Published: March 2009

The most serious energy, economic and environmental problems are related to the use of fossil and nuclear fuels, which are rapidly diminishing and highly polluting, and many distinguished atmospheric chemists, including Dr. James Hanson at NASA, Dr. Steven Chu, the director of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, and Professor Ralph Cicerone, president of the National Academy of Sciences have documented that climate changes are now occurring much faster than predicted just a few years ago. The methane hydrates in the oceans and the permafrost in vast areas of the Artic regions of Siberia, Alaska and Canada are now starting to rapidly melt, and given this could release 50 to 100 times more carbon into the atmosphere than is now generated from the burning of fossil fuels, humanity is rapidly approaching an exponential 'tipping point' of no return. Given this sense of urgency, Hanson and others have warned that fossil fuels need to be phased-out by 2020 if irreversible damage to the earth's climate and food production systems is to be avoided. The Phoenix Project plan seeks to do exactly that by mass-producing wind-powered hydrogen production systems and simply modifying all the existing vehicles and power plants to use the hydrogen made from the sun, wind and water.