bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Building Partnerships Across Cultures as Negotiating Reality
Authors: J. Friedman Victor , Arieli Daniella
Published: April 2011

This paper presents a strategy for building intercultural partnerships through "negotiating reality."
Negotiating reality sees conflict as an integral part of cross-cultural partnership build, but it distinguishes itself
from "adaptation” strategies which assume that one party can understand and adjust their thinking and behavior to
that of the other. Adaptation strategies are usually based on simplistic, stereotypical models of culture that may be
valid in the context of short-term formal interactions, but not in the building of complex, long-term interactions.
Negotiating reality, on the other hand, takes into account the cultural complexity of individuals and the contexts
in which partnership building takes place. It encourages all parties to critically and openly reflect on how they
perceive situations, the nature of the interaction, and what they believe should be done. In the process of
negotiating reality parties make their own thinking explicit while at the same time inquiring into the thinking of
others. The paper presents a case study, involving the authors of this paper, which illustrates a partnership
between Jewish researchers and leaders of a Palestinian Arabs NGO that went wrong. Through negotiating
reality, the partners were able to see the different ways they viewed each other and their partnership. They were
also able to see how their actions were conditioned by the political and social context so that, despite good
intentions, they reinforced dynamics and stereotypes they wished to change. Ironically, confronting the real
differences established trust and improved the relationship.
Plasticity of crystals and interfaces: From discrete dislocations to size-dependent continuum theory
Authors: Mesarovic Sinisa
Published: April 2011

In this communication, we summarize the current advances in size-dependent
continuum plasticity of crystals, specifically, the rate-independent
(quasistatic) formulation, on the basis of dislocation mechanics. A
particular emphasis is placed on relaxation of slip at interfaces. This
unsolved problem is the current frontier of research in plasticity of
crystalline materials. We outline a framework for further investigation,
based on the developed theory for the bulk crystal. The bulk theory is based
on the concept of geometrically necessary dislocations, specifically, on
configurations where dislocations pile-up against interfaces. The average
spacing of slip planes provides a characteristic length for the theory. The
physical interpretation of the free energy includes the error in elastic
interaction energies resulting from coarse representation of dislocation
density fields. Continuum kinematics is determined by the fact that
dislocation pile-ups have singular distribution, which allows us to represent
the dense dislocation field at the boundary as a superdislocation, i.e., the
jump in the slip filed. Associated with this jump is a slip-dependent
interface energy, which in turn, makes this formulation suitable for analysis
of interface relaxation mechanisms.
Facile dehalogenation of halogenated anilines and their derivatives using Al-Ni alloy in alkaline aqueous solution
Authors: Weidlich Tomáš , Prokeš Lubomír
Published: April 2011

This article describes the simple hydrodehalogenation of halogenated anilines and their derivatives by the action of Raney aluminium-nickel alloy in aqueous alkaline solution at room temperature. The reaction course was monitored by means of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and GC-MS spectra.

The effect of Al and Ni and the nature and quantity of the base for effective hydrodehalogenation were studied. The possibility of lowering Al content more than 500 times and Ni content more than 10 times in the filtered mother liquor by a dehalogenation procedure was tested using precipitation. The reduction method described was satisfactorily proved for dehalogenation of polyhalogenated anilines in the multiphase dimethoxymethane/aqueous NaOH/Al-Ni reaction mixture. Dehalogenation under multi-phase conditions was demonstrated for the preparation of ortho-alkylated anilines from simply available 2-substituted-4-chloroanilines.
Fiabilité test retest et validité de construit de la version française de L'Échelle fonctionnelle des membres inférieurs (ÉFMI), partie II
Authors: René Frédéric , Casimiro Lynn , Tremblay Manon , Brosseau Lucie , Chea Phanny , Létourneau Liliane , Silva Megan , Stockwell Victoria , Bergeron Louis-Philippe
Published: April 2011

RÉSUMÉ

Introduction : Le Lower Extremity Functional Scale a été traduit en français en 2006. La version canadienne-française se nomme l'Échelle fonctionnelle des membres inférieurs (ÉFMI). La validité de construit et la fiabilité test-retest de l'ÉFMI n'ont pas encore été examinées.

But : Examiner la fiabilité test-retest, la consistance interne et la validité de construit de l'ÉFMI.

Méthodologie : Trente-quatre participants ayant subi une chirurgie ou une blessure à un membre inférieur ont rempli un questionnaire démographique et complété l'ÉFMI lors d'une évaluation initiale alors qu'ils étaient hospitalisés. Ils ont à nouveau complété l'ÉFMI dans un intervalle de 72 heures après la première évaluation. Le coefficient de corrélation intra-classe (CCI) et le coefficient kappa ont été utilisés afin d'examiner la fiabilité de type test-retest de l'ÉFMI. Le coefficient alpha Cronbach a été calculé pour évaluer la consistance interne. L'analyse factorielle a été utilisée pour examiner la validité de construit afin de déterminer le nombre de dimensions et leur signification respective.

Résultats : Le CCI s'élève à une valeur de 0,92 [0,88–0,96] (IC: 95%). Le résultat du test α-Cronbach est de 0,95 (0,91–0,99) IC à 95%. L'analyse factorielle révèle que tous les éléments de l'ÉFMI se logent sur une dimension principale.

Conclusion : Les résultats montrent que la version canadienne-française de l'ÉFMI est un outil unidimensionnel qui offre une fiabilité test-retest et une consistance interne excellentes.
2-D Qsar Analysis of Benzofuran Biphenyl/ Naphthalenes as Potent PTPase-1B Inhibitors
Authors: Kaushik Darpan , Khan Suroor A
Published: April 2011

DOI: 10.3329/dujps.v9i1.7435 Dhaka Univ. J. Pharm. Sci. 9(1): 61-64 2010 (June)
Endoscopic Palliation for Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Bakhru Mihir , Tekola Bezawit , Kahaleh Michel
Published: April 2011

Pancreatic cancer is devastating due to its poor prognosis. Patients require a multidisciplinary approach to guide available options, mostly palliative because of advanced disease at presentation. Palliation including relief of biliary obstruction, gastric outlet obstruction, and cancer-related pain has become the focus in patients whose cancer is determined to be unresectable. Endoscopic stenting for biliary obstruction is an option for drainage to avoid the complications including jaundice, pruritus, infection, liver dysfunction and eventually failure. Enteral stents can relieve gastric obstruction and allow patients to resume oral intake. Pain is difficult to treat in cancer patients and endoscopic procedures such as pancreatic stenting and celiac plexus neurolysis can provide relief. The objective of endoscopic palliation is to primarily address symptoms as well improve quality of life.
Optimal Multi-Level Thresholding Based on Maximum Tsallis Entropy via an Artificial Bee Colony Approach
Authors: Zhang Yudong , Wu Lenan
Published: April 2011

This paper proposes a global multi-level thresholding method for image segmentation. As a criterion for this, the traditional method uses the Shannon entropy, originated from information theory, considering the gray level image histogram as a probability distribution, while we applied the Tsallis entropy as a general information theory entropy formalism. For the algorithm, we used the artificial bee colony approach since execution of an exhaustive algorithm would be too time-consuming. The experiments demonstrate that: 1) the Tsallis entropy is superior to traditional maximum entropy thresholding, maximum between class variance thresholding, and minimum cross entropy thresholding; 2) the artificial bee colony is more rapid than either genetic algorithm or particle swarm optimization. Therefore, our approach is effective and rapid.
REDD+ and the Indigenous Question: A Case Study from Ecuador
Authors: Reed Pablo
Published: April 2011

One of the main issues regarding the implementation of REDD+ in Latin America has been the growing concern that such projects may infringe upon the rights and negatively affect the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. Various indigenous and civil society organizations are ardently opposed to the initiative. Such is the case in Ecuador, where indigenous opposition to REDD+ represents a considerable obstacle in the creation of a national strategy since more than 60% of the country’s remaining forest cover is on indigenous land or under indigenous occupation. Thus one of the most critical challenges remaining for Ecuador will be the construction of a strong legal, financial, and institutional framework—one that the greater indigenous community might be willing to accept. Closer examination of this topic however, reveals just how difficult this may become. Lack of information, a recent political split between national authorities and the indigenous sector, and the dissimilar organizational capacity levels of indigenous communities make the feasibility of carrying out REDD+ projects on these lands extremely complex. However, the biggest obstacle may be ideological. Many indigenous groups view REDD+, with its possible emphasis on international markets and neoliberal mechanisms, as a continuation of the type of policies that have impeded their quest for sovereignty and self determination. As such, indigenous people are only willing to consider such projects if they clearly see preconditions in place that would safeguard their cultures, territories, and autonomy.
Global Transcriptomic Profiling Using Small Volumes of Whole Blood: A Cost-Effective Method for Translational Genomic Biomarker Identification in Small Animals
Authors: Fricano Meagan M. , Ditewig Amy C. , Jung Paul M. , Liguori Michael J. , Blomme Eric A. G. , Yang Yi
Published: April 2011

Blood is an ideal tissue for the identification of novel genomic biomarkers for toxicity or efficacy. However, using blood for transcriptomic profiling presents significant technical challenges due to the transcriptomic changes induced by ex vivo handling and the interference of highly abundant globin mRNA. Most whole blood RNA stabilization and isolation methods also require significant volumes of blood, limiting their effective use in small animal species, such as rodents. To overcome these challenges, a QIAzol-based RNA stabilization and isolation method (QSI) was developed to isolate sufficient amounts of high quality total RNA from 25 to 500 μL of rat whole blood. The method was compared to the standard PAXgene Blood RNA System using blood collected from rats exposed to saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The QSI method yielded an average of 54 ng total RNA per μL of rat whole blood with an average RNA Integrity Number (RIN) of 9, a performance comparable with the standard PAXgene method. Total RNA samples were further processed using the NuGEN Ovation Whole Blood Solution system and cDNA was hybridized to Affymetrix Rat Genome 230 2.0 Arrays. The microarray QC parameters using RNA isolated with the QSI method were within the acceptable range for microarray analysis. The transcriptomic profiles were highly correlated with those using RNA isolated with the PAXgene method and were consistent with expected LPS-induced inflammatory responses. The present study demonstrated that the QSI method coupled with NuGEN Ovation Whole Blood Solution system is cost-effective and particularly suitable for transcriptomic profiling of minimal volumes of whole blood, typical of those obtained with small animal species.
New Approaches to the Computer Simulation of Amorphous Alloys: A Review
Authors: Valladares Ariel A. , Díaz-Celaya Juan A. , Galván-Colín Jonathan , Mejía-Mendoza Luis M. , Reyes-Retana José A. , Valladares Renela M. , Valladares Alexander , Alvarez-Ramirez Fernando , Qu Dongdong , Shen Jun
Published: April 2011

In this work we review our new methods to computer generate amorphous atomic topologies of several binary alloys: SiH, SiN, CN; binary systems based on group IV elements like SiC; the GeSe2 chalcogenide; aluminum-based systems: AlN and AlSi, and the CuZr amorphous alloy. We use an ab initio approach based on density functionals and computationally thermally-randomized periodically-continued cells with at least 108 atoms. The computational thermal process to generate the amorphous alloys is the undermelt-quench approach, or one of its variants, that consists in linearly heating the samples to just below their melting (or liquidus) temperatures, and then linearly cooling them afterwards. These processes are carried out from initial crystalline conditions using short and long time steps. We find that a step four-times the default time step is adequate for most of the simulations. Radial distribution functions (partial and total) are calculated and compared whenever possible with experimental results, and the agreement is very good. For some materials we report studies of the effect of the topological disorder on their electronic and vibrational densities of states and on their optical properties.
Methodology for the Regulation of Boom Sprayers Operating in Circular Trajectories
Authors: Garcia-Ramos Francisco Javier , Vidal Mariano , Boné Antonio , Serreta Alfredo
Published: April 2011

A methodology for the regulation of boom sprayers working in circular trajectories has been developed. In this type of trajectory, the areas of the plots of land treated by the outer nozzles of the boom are treated at reduced rates, and those treated by the inner nozzles are treated in excess. The goal of this study was to establish the methodology to determine the flow of the individual nozzles on the boom to guarantee that the dose of the product applied per surface unit is similar across the plot. This flow is a function of the position of the equipment (circular trajectory radius) and of the displacement velocity such that the treatment applied per surface unit is uniform. GPS technology was proposed as a basis to establish the position and displacement velocity of the tractor. The viability of this methodology was simulated considering two circular plots with radii of 160 m and 310 m, using three sets of equipment with boom widths of 14.5, 24.5 and 29.5 m. Data showed as increasing boom widths produce bigger errors in the surface dose applied (L/m2). Error also increases with decreasing plot surface. As an example, considering the three boom widths of 14.5, 24.5 and 29.5 m working on a circular plot with a radius of 160 m, the percentage of surface with errors in the applied surface dose greater than 5% was 30%, 58% and 65% respectively. Considering a circular plot with radius of 310 m the same errors were 8%, 22% and 31%. To obtain a uniform superficial dose two sprayer regulation alternatives have been simulated considering a 14.5 m boom: the regulation of the pressure of each nozzle and the regulation of the pressure of each boom section. The viability of implementing the proposed methodology on commercial boom sprayers using GPS antennas to establish the position and displacement velocity of the tractor was justified with a field trial in which a self-guiding commercial GPS system was used along with three precision GPS systems located in the sprayer boom. The use of an unique central GPS unit should allow the estimation of the work parameters of the boom nozzles (including those located at the boom ends) with great accuracy.
Physical and Leisure Activity in Older Community-Dwelling Canadians Who Use Wheelchairs: A Population Study
Authors: Best Krista L. , Miller William C.
Published: April 2011

Background. Physical and leisure activities are proven health promotion modalities and have not been examined in older wheelchair users.Main Objectives. Examine physical and leisure activity in older wheelchair users and explore associations between wheelchair use and participation in physical and leisure activity, and wheelchair use, physical and leisure activity, and perceived health.Methods. 8301 Canadians ≥60 years of age were selected from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Sociodemographic, health-related, mobility-related, and physical and leisure activity variables were analysed using logistic regression to determine, the likelihood of participation in physical and leisure activity, and whether participation in physical and leisure activities mediates the relationship between wheelchair use and perceived health.Results. 8.3% and 41.3% older wheelchair users were physically and leisurely active. Wheelchair use was a risk factor for reduced participation in physical (OR=44.71) and leisure activity (OR=10.83). Wheelchair use was a risk factor for poor perceived health (OR=10.56) and physical and leisure activity negatively mediated the relationship between wheelchair user and perceived health.Conclusion. There is a need for the development of suitable physical and leisure activity interventions for older wheelchair users. Participation in such interventions may have associations with health benefits.
Apparent Prevalence of Beef Carcasses Contaminated withMycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosisSampled from Danish Slaughter Cattle
Authors: Okura Hisako , Toft Nils , Pozzato Nicola , Tondo Annalucia , Nielsen Søren Saxmose
Published: April 2011

Presence ofMycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosis(MAP) in beef has been reported as a public health concern because asymptomatically infected cattle may contain MAP in tissues that are used for human consumption. Associations between MAP carcasses contamination and animal characteristics such as age, breed, production type, and carcass classification were assessed. Cheek muscles from 501 carcasses were sampled cross-sectionally at a Danish abattoir and tested for presence of viable MAP and MAP DNA by bacterial culture and IS900realtime PCR, respectively. Cheek muscle tissues from carcasses of two dairy cows were positive by culture whereas 4% of the animals were estimated with ≥10 CFU/gram muscle based on realtime PCR. Age was found to be associated with carcass contamination with MAP. The observed viable MAP prevalence in beef carcasses was low. However, detection of MAP and MAP DNA in muscle tissues suggested that bacteremia occurred in slaughtered cattle.
The Effects of Parathyroid Hormone Applied at Different Regimes on the Trochanteric Region of the Femur in Ovariectomized Rat Model of Osteoporosis
Authors: Tezval M. , Banhardt A. , Sehmisch S. , Kolios L. , Schmelz U. , Stuermer K. M. , Stuermer E. K.
Published: April 2011

This study aims to investigate the effects of two application frequencies of parathyroid hormone on the trochanteric region of rat femur. Forty-three-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups (n=10/group). Three groups were ovariectomized, and 8 weeks later they were administered the following treatments (5 weeks): soy-free diet (OVX), subcutaneously injected PTH (0.040 mg/kg) 5 days a week (PTH 5x/w), subcutaneously injected PTH (0.040 mg/kg) every 2 days (PTH e2d), and a sham group. The values of the biomechanical and histomorphometric parameters showed higher results in 5x/w animals in comparison to the OVX and PTH 2ed groups. The ratio between bone diameter/marrow diameter (B.Dm/Ma.Dm) in subtrochanteric cross sections did not show any significant differences between PTH 5x/w and PTH e2d. The increased bone formation rate was observed under PTH treatment in both groups mainly at the endosteal side. The endosteum seems here to be one of the targets of PTH with an accelerate bone formation and a pronounced filling-in of intracortical cavities with higher intensity for the PTH 5x/w in comparison to PTH e2d rats.
Peripheral Inflammation Increases the Damage in Animal Models of Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic Neurodegeneration: Possible Implication in Parkinson's Disease Incidence
Authors: Machado A. , Herrera A. J. , Venero J. L. , Santiago M. , De Pablos R. M. , Villarán R. F. , Espinosa-Oliva A. M. , Argüelles S. , Sarmiento M. , Delgado-Cortés M. J. , Mauriño R. , Cano J.
Published: April 2011

Inflammatory processes described in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and its animal models appear to be important in the progression of the pathogenesis, or even a triggering factor. Here we review that peripheral inflammation enhances the degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system induced by different insults; different peripheral inflammations have been used, such as IL-1β and the ulcerative colitis model, as well as insults to the dopaminergic system such as 6-hydroxydopamine or lipopolysaccharide. In all cases, an increased loss of dopaminergic neurons was described; inflammation in the substantia nigra increased, displaying a great activation of microglia along with an increase in the production of cytokines such as IL-1β and TNF-α. Increased permeability or disruption of the BBB, with overexpression of the ICAM-1 adhesion molecule and infiltration of circulating monocytes into the substantia nigra, is also involved, since the depletion of circulating monocytes prevents the effects of peripheral inflammation. Data are reviewed in relation to epidemiological studies of PD.
Discrete foci containing RNAse A are found in nucleoli of HeLa cells after aging in culture
Authors: Costanzo M. , Cisterna B. , Zharskaya O. O. , Zatsepina O. V. , Biggiogera M.
Published: April 2011

We have studied by means of ultrastructural immunocytochemistry the localization of RNase A in nuclei of HeLa cells in control conditions and following cell ageing in culture. We have found that roundish, electron dense foci, which contain a significant amount of RNAse A, can be detected within nucleoli of aged cells. These bodies also contain RNA and lack ribosomal S3 proteins, and may represent either simple storage sites or areas where RNA degradation takes place.
Seasonal and diurnal variations of particulate nitrate and organic matter in the Central European atmospheric aerosol
Authors: Poulain L. , Spindler G. , Birmili W. , Plass-Dülmer C. , Wiedensohler A. , Herrmann H.
Published: April 2011

Abstract. Nitrate and several organic compounds such as dicarboxylic acids (e.g. succinic acid, glutaric acid), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) or n-alkanes form the group of the most volatile compounds in atmospheric aerosol particles. The transition of these compounds between gas and particulate phase may significantly change the aerosol particles radiative properties, the heterogeneous chemical properties, and, naturally, the total particulate mass concentration. To better assess these time-dependent effects, three intensive field experiments were conducted in 2008–2009 at the Central European EMEP research station Melpitz (Germany) using an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS). Data coverage from all seasons highlighted organic matter as being the most important particulate fraction during summertime, while the nitrate fraction was more prevalent in winter. The variation in particulate nitrate was inherently linked to the gas-to-particle-phase equilibrium of ammonium nitrate, which depends on ambient temperature and relative humidity. During short episodes immediately after dawn, the particulate nitrate seems to disobey this dependency so that additional local nitrate formation, such as from HONO photolysis is needed as an explanation. During the summer 2008's experiment, a remarkable diurnal evolution in the oxidation state of the organic matter became evident, which could be correlated to hydroxyl radical (OH) and ozone concentrations indicating photochemical transformation process. In summer, the organic particulate matter seems to be heavily influenced by regional secondary formation and transformation processes, facilitated by photochemical production processes as well as a diurnal cycling of the substances between the gas and particulate phase. In winter, these processes were obviously much weaker, so that organic matter apparently originated mainly from aged particles and long range transport.
Processing and validation of refractivity from GRAS radio occultation data
Authors: Lauritsen K. B. , Syndergaard S. , Gleisner H. , Gorbunov M. E. , Rubek F. , Sørensen M. B. , Wilhelmsen H.
Published: April 2011

Abstract. We discuss the processing of GRAS radio occultation (RO) data done at the GRAS Satellite Application Facility. The input data consists of operational near-real time bending angles from December 2010 from the Metop-A satellite operated by EUMETSAT. The data are processed by an Abel inversion algorithm in combination with statistical optimization based on a two-parameter fit to an MSIS climatology. We compare retrieved refractivity to analyses from ECMWF. It is found that for global averages, the mean differences to ECMWF analyses are smaller than 0.2% below 30 km (except near the surface), with standard deviations around 0.5% for altitudes between 8 and 25 km. The current processing is limited by several factors, which are discussed. In particular, the penetration depth for rising occultations is generally poor, which is related to the tracking of the L2 signal. Extrapolation of the difference between the L1 and L2 signals below the altitude where L2 is lost is possible and would generally allow deeper penetration of retrieved refractivity profiles into the lower troposphere.
Rank-Ordered Multifractal Analysis (ROMA) of probability distributions in fluid turbulence
Authors: Wu C. C. , Chang T.
Published: April 2011

Abstract. Rank-Ordered Multifractal Analysis (ROMA) was introduced by Chang and Wu (2008) to describe the multifractal characteristic of intermittent events. The procedure provides a natural connection between the rank-ordered spectrum and the idea of one-parameter scaling for monofractals. This technique has successfully been applied to MHD turbulence simulations and turbulence data observed in various space plasmas. In this paper, the technique is applied to the probability distributions in the inertial range of the turbulent fluid flow, as given in the vast Johns Hopkins University (JHU) turbulence database. In addition, a new way of finding the continuous ROMA spectrum and the scaled probability distribution function (PDF) simultaneously is introduced.
Mothers with Serious Mental Illness: Their Experience of “Hitting Bottom”
Authors: Montgomery Phyllis , Mossey Sharolyn , Bailey Patricia , Forchuk Cheryl
Published: April 2011

This study sought to understand the experience of “hitting bottom” from the perspective of 32 mothers with serious mental illness. Secondary narrative analysis of 173 stories about experiences related to hitting bottom were identified. Enactment of their perceived mothering roles and responsibilities was compromised when confronted by the worst of illness. Subsequent to women's descent to bottom was their need for a timely and safe exit from bottom. An intense experience in bottom further jeopardized their parenting and treatment self-determination and, for some, their potential for survival. The results suggest that prevention of bottom is feasible with early assessment of the diverse issues contributing to mothers' vulnerabilities. Interventions to lessen their pain may circumvent bottom experiences. Healing necessitates purposeful approaches to minimize the private and public trauma of bottom experiences, nurture growth towards a future, and establish resources to actualize such a life.
Irreversible Catalytic Ester Hydrolysis of Allyl Esters to Give Acids and Aldehydes by Homogeneous Ruthenium and Ruthenium/Palladium Dual Catalyst Systems
Authors: Nakamura Asami , Hamasaki Akiyuki , Goto Sachihiko , Utsunomiya Masaru , Tokunaga Makoto
Published: April 2011

An irreversible hydrolysis reaction of allyl esters (1) into carboxylic acids (2) and propanal (3) was achieved with a ruthenium/palladium (Ru/Pd) dual catalyst system. The optimized catalysts consists of a 1:1:1 mixture of (cyclopentadienyl)tris(acetonitrile)ruthenium hexafluorophosphate {[RuCp(MeCN)3] PF6}, bis(acetonitrile)palladium dichloride [PdCl2(MeCN)2] and 1,6‐bis(diphenylphosphanyl)hexane (DPPHex). The reaction proceeds via isomerization of allyl esters to 1‐propenyl esters and hydrolysis of them to give 2 and 3. The first isomerization step was virtually catalyzed by the Ru components and the second hydrolysis step was mainly catalyzed by the Pd components. The optimized bidentate phosphine (DPPHex) which has long alkylene chain effectively generates two vacant sites on the Ru centers by bridging coordination. When a chelating bidentate phosphine such as DPPE was employed, only one vacant site remained on the Ru center and resulted in a low activity. This chelating Ru complex of DPPE formed even in the presence of 2 equivalents of Ru or additional 1 equivalent of Pd. These differences in coordination behaviour between DPPHex and 1,2‐bis(diphenylphosphanyl)ethane (DPPE) cause the differences of the catalytic activity in the first step. The phosphine coordination to Pd center slightly decreases the activity of second hydrolysis step but which was compensated by the increasing of the stability of Pd. On the whole, the optimized Ru/Pd dual catalyst system exhibited good performances on the irreversible hydrolysis of allyl esters.
Iron(III)‐Catalyzed Halogenations by Substitution of Sulfonate Esters
Authors: Ortega Nuria , Feher‐Voelger Andrés , Brovetto Margarita , Padrón Juan I. , Martín Victor S. , Martín Tomás
Published: April 2011

A novel halogenation reaction from sulfonates catalyzed by iron(III) is described. The reaction can be performed as a stoichiometric or a catalytic version. This reaction provides a convenient strategy for the efficient access to structurally diverse secondary chlorides, bromides and iodides. The stereochemical course of the reaction is governed by the substrate and the experimental conditions. Secondary alcohols modified as quisylates or pysylates are substantially more reactive. Aliphatic quisylates proceed with overall inversion of configuration under catalytic conditions. Chemoselectivity in bismesylates was observed in favour of the secondary mesylate. Additionally, based on the experimental results, a possible catalytic cycle for the halogenation has been proposed.
Rhodium‐Catalysed Alkoxycarbonylative Cyclisation Reactions of 1,6‐Enynes
Authors: Ziyanak Fırat , Kuş Melih , Artok Levent
Published: April 2011

The rhodium‐catalysed carbonylation of 1,6‐enynes possessing an electron‐deficient alkenyl moiety in an alcohol reagent in the presence of a rhodium complex proceeded stereo‐ and chemoselectively to afford exocyclic α,β‐enoates.
Gold(I)‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Hydroamination of N‐Allylic N′‐Arylureas to form Imidazolidin‐2‐ones
Authors: Li Hao , Song Feijie , Widenhoefer Ross A.
Published: April 2011

Treatment of N‐allylic N′‐arylureas with a catalytic 1:1 mixture of di‐tert‐butyl‐o‐biphenylphoshphine gold(I) chloride and silver hexafluorophosphate (1 mol%) in chloroform at room temperature led to 5‐exo‐hydroamination to form the corresponding imidazolidin‐2‐ones in excellent yield. In the case of N‐allylic ureas that possessed an allylic alkyl, benzyloxymethyl, or acetoxymethyl substituent, gold(I)‐catalyzed 5‐exo‐hydroamination leads to formation of the corresponding trans‐3,4‐disubstituted imidazolidin‐2‐ones in excellent yield with ≥50:1 diastereoselectivity.
Recent Advances in Palladium‐Catalyzed Cascade Cyclizations
Authors: Vlaar Tjøstil , Ruijter Eelco , Orru Romano V. A.
Published: April 2011

The importance of palladium‐catalyzed cross coupling reactions in contemporary organic synthesis is undisputed and underlined by the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2010. In addition to the highly efficient cross coupling reactions for single CC bond construction, palladium‐catalyzed cascade processes involving multiple bond formations have emerged in recent years as valuable tools for the rapid synthesis of complex molecular scaffolds. This review presents an overview of the most relevant developments in this field, with a focus on the generation of diverse poly‐ and heterocyclic scaffolds. The generally well understood reactivity of palladium has allowed the discovery of many intriguing novel cascade processes, and the creativity of the synthetic community will undoubtedly lead to many more discoveries in the future.
The effectiveness of preemptive sphenopalatine ganglion block on postoperative pain and functional outcomes after functional endoscopic sinus surgery
Authors: Cho Do‐Yeon , Drover David R. , Nekhendzy Vladimir , Butwick Alexander J. , Collins Jeremy , Hwang Peter H.
Published: April 2011

Background:

The sphenopalatine ganglion block (SPGB) with local anesthetic is used to treat facial pain and headache of various etiologies; it has been widely used during functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether preemptive SPGB may positively impact postoperative pain and functional outcomes after FESS.

Methods:

A prospective, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study was performed. A total of 60 patients (18–70 years), undergoing general anesthesia for bilateral FESS, were randomly assigned to receive SPGB with either 2 mL 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine 1:100,000 (BP, treatment group) or normal saline (NS, control group). SPGB was performed preemptively 10 minutes before the start of surgery. Preoperative and postoperative (day 0, day 7, and day 30) visual analog pain scale, Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐20), computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic scores were compared between the 2 groups.

Results:

A total of 29 patients were enrolled in BP, and 27 were enrolled in NS. Three patients withdrew from the study, and 1 was withdrawn by the investigator due to severe hypertension after induction of anesthesia. There were no differences in patient demographic characteristics between the study groups. On day 7, the mean visual analog pain scales were 1.12 ± 0.3 in NS and 0.48 ± 0.23 in BP (p = 0.053). There were no statistical differences in other outcome measures (SNOT‐20, CT and endoscopic scores) between the 2 groups.

Conclusion:

A limited trend toward reduced postoperative pain after FESS was noted with bupivacaine compared to saline, but statistical significance was not achieved. Preemptive SPGB may offer sinonasal symptomatic benefits for patients undergoing FESS, but larger studies are warranted. © 2011 ARS‐AAOA, LLC.
Expandierte Porphyrine: überraschende Strukturen, elektronische Eigenschaften und Reaktivitäten
Authors: Saito Shohei , Osuka Atsuhiro
Published: April 2011

Die Chemie von expandierten Porphyrinen, den höheren Homologen der Porphyrine, wurde im Laufe der letzten drei Jahrzehnte ausgiebig untersucht. Expandierte Porphyrine weisen Strukturen, elektronische Eigenschaften, Reaktivitäten und ein Koordinationsverhalten auf, die sich gänzlich von denen der Porphyrine unterscheiden. Im Laufe dieser Untersuchungen wurde immer deutlicher, dass expandierte Porphyrine im Hinblick auf ihre Aromatizität und die Koordination an mehrere Metallionen oder als funktionelle Farbstoffe, nichtlinear‐optische Materialien, Ionenrezeptoren, stabile organische Radikale und vieles mehr äußerst attraktiv sind. Kontinuierlich tauchen expandierte Porphyrine mit überraschenden neuen Strukturen und Eigenschaften auf. Letzteres wird durch die einfache Synthese Möbius‐aromatischer und sogar antiaromatischer Systeme mit verdrillten Molekülstrukturen besonders deutlich. Hier werden Fortschritte auf dem Gebiet der expandierten Porphyrine seit dem Erscheinen des Aufsatzes von Sessler und Seidel im Jahr 2003 dargelegt.
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Authors: Kojima Takahiko , Fukuzumi Shunichi
Published: April 2011

Trust in experiments: As DFT calculations suggest that the hydrogen bonding of water molecules can stabilize a seven‐coordinate ruthenium–oxo complex to exhibit a singlet spin state, experiments have shown that the novel seven‐coordinate pentaganol‐bipyramidal ruthenium–oxo complex has a singlet ground state. Nevertheless, it displays the same reactivity as an analogous triplet‐state complex.
Synthesis and characterization of a propargyl‐substituted polycarbosilane with high ceramic yield
Authors: Yu Zhaoju , Li Ran , Zhan Junying , Zhou Cong , Yang Le , He Guomei , Xia Haiping
Published: April 2011

A propargyl‐substituted polycarbosilane (PCS), namely, propargyl‐substituted hyperbranched hydrodipolycarbosilane (PHPCS), was prepared by a modified synthesis route, which involved Grignard coupling of partially methoxylated Cl3SiCH2Cl and CHCCH2Cl, followed by reduction with lithium aluminum hydride. The resultant PHPCSs were characterized by gel permeation chromatography, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and NMR. Moreover, the thermal properties of the PHPCSs were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. The ceramic yield of PHPCS at 1400°C was about 82.5%, which was about 10 wt % higher than that of hyperbranched hydrodipolycarbosilane without the substitution of propargyl groups. The PHPCS‐derived ceramics were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The XRD and FTIR results indicate that the heat treatment significantly influenced the evolution of crystalline β‐SiC. It can be convenient to get near‐stoichiometric ceramics from PHPCS through the control of feed ratios of the starting materials. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 121:3400–3406, 2011
Synthesis of 2‐(9H‐carbazole‐9‐yl)ethyl methacrylate: Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic study of poly(2‐(9H‐carbazole‐9‐yl)ethyl methacrylate) on carbon fiber
Authors: Ates Murat , Uludag Nesimi , Sarac A. Sezai
Published: April 2011

In this contribution, 2‐(9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl) ethyl methacrylate (CzEMA) monomer was chemically synthesized. The monomer characterization was performed by FT‐IR, 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, and melting point analysis. The electropolymerization of CzEMA was studied onto carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFMEs) as an active electrode material in 0.1M sodium perchlorate (NaClO4)/acetonitrile (ACN) solution. The electropolymerization experiments were done from 1 mM to 10 mM. The detailed characterization of the resulting electrocoated Poly (CzEMA)/CFME thin films was studied by various techniques, i.e., cyclic voltammetry (CV), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The effects of initial monomer concentrations (1, 3, 5, and 10 mM) during the preparation of modified electrodes were examined by EIS. Capacitive behaviors of modified CFMEs were defined via Nyquist, Bode‐magnitude, and Bode‐phase plots. Variation of capacitance values by initial monomer concentration and specific capacitance values are presented. The highest specific capacitance value electrocoated polymer thin film by CV method in the initial monomer concentration of 5 mM with a charge of 52.74 mC was obtained about 424.1 μF cm−2. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Preparation and characterization of chitosan‐coated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles as a promising non‐viral vector for gene delivery
Authors: Wang Jian‐Wen , Chen Ching‐Yi , Kuo Yi‐Ming
Published: April 2011

Chitosan‐coated hydroxyapatite (CS‐HAp) nanoparticles have been prepared successfully by a modified dropping method. Variations of the final solution pH values, concentration of CS, and CS/HAp volume ratio were examined for their effects on particle size, intensity of surface charge, and tendency of particle formation. The smallest nanoparticles carry a positive charge with 40–50 nm in width and 60–70 nm can be obtained when the CS/HAp ratio is 1 by controlling the final solution pH value at 6.5. The ability of nanoparticles to complex DNA, toxicity of nanoparticles, and the effect of CS‐HAp nanoparticle on transferring DNA were also investigated. Transgene expression in HeLa and NIH3T3 cell on the nanoparticles were significant after 2 days. Agarose gel electrophoresis indicated a probable multiple interaction between DNA and CS‐HAp while the interaction between DNA appears to be only ionic interaction. No toxic effect on the cells was seen with CS‐HAp. Lipofectin, however, was observed to engender marked cytotoxicity. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Fabrication of electrospun nonwoven mats of polyvinylidene fluoride/polyethylene glycol/fumed silica for use as energy storage materials
Authors: Nguyen Thuy Thi Thu , Park Jun Seo
Published: April 2011

Nonwoven mats were fabricated from a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/polyethylene glycol 1000 Da (PEG 1000) blend by the electrospinning process. PEG 1000 is a low‐temperature phase change material that acts as a heat storage material, while PVDF serves as a supporting material to afford a mechanically strong form‐stable structure. Addition of fumed silica to electrospun (e‐spun) PVDF/PEG 1000 nanofibers helped prevent the leakage of molten PEG 1000 during the solid–liquid phase change, as confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. It was also found that the addition of fumed silica helps improve the mechanical strength of the PVDF/PEG 1000 nonwoven mats. The thermal properties of PVDF/PEG 1000 and PVDF/PEG 1000/fumed silica composite nonwoven mats were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. There were no significant changes in the melting temperature and heat of fusion of PEG 1000 after 100 heating/cooling cycles, thereby confirming that these nonwoven mats have high thermal stability. The fumed‐silica‐incorporated PVDF/PEG 1000 nonwoven mats had large energy storage capacity and excellent mechanical strength. Hence, the aforementioned types of mats are thought to have various applications in energy storage and in the manufacture of thermoregulating textiles. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Influence of folate conjugation on the cellular uptake degree of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) microcapsules
Authors: Peng Caiyu , Zhang Yuying , Tong Weijun , Gao Changyou
Published: April 2011

The microcapsules in drug delivery systems can prevent degradation of drugs and help to control the release rate. To enhance the targeted delivery effect of the microcapsules to cancer cells, some specific ligands such as folic acid (FA) are necessarily further conjugated. Herein, covalent poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) multilayers were fabricated on CaCO3 microparticles under the cross‐linking of glutaraldehyde, which were further immobilized with different amount of FA molecules via the spacer of diamino terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). As a comparison study, four types of microcapsules, i.e., the PAH capsules, the PAH capsules grafted with PEG, and the PAH capsules conjugated with two different amount of FA via the PEG spacer were prepared. Their chemical and physical structures were confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In vitro cell culture found that the cellular uptake of the PAH capsules grafted with PEG was reduced significantly compared with that of the pure PAH capsules. The FA‐modified microcapsules could be selectively delivered into HepG2 tumor cells which overexpress FA receptors but not into the endothelial cells. The number of HepG2 cells which ingested the FA‐conjugated capsules showed a positive correlation with FA amount. The results indicate that these FA conjugated capsules have a high selectivity to be delivered to tumor cells, endowing them with a larger opportunity functioning as targeted delivery vehicle for anticancer drugs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Effect of surface functionalization on the physicomechanical properties of a novel biofunctional copolymer
Authors: Sailaja Gopalakrishnanchettiar Sivakamiammal , Ramesh Parameswar , Varma Harikrishna
Published: April 2011

The physicomechanical properties of functionally active poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐methyl methacrylate) [poly(HEMA‐co‐MMA)] are evaluated. It has been reported that the surface phosphorylated poly(HEMA‐co‐MMA) is capable of eliciting direct bone bonding when implanted in vivo. Hence, it is important to examine the physicomechanical property of the copolymer as a function of surface modification. The properties assessed are differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), equilibrium swelling, compressive strength, and dynamic mechanical analysis. According to the DSC data, the glass transition temperature, Tg of poly(HEMA‐co‐MMA) is not significantly altered by surface phosphorylation. The TGA results demonstrated that unmodified and surface phosphorylated copolymers have similar degradation profile. The differential thermal analysis further supports the data. The equilibrium swelling of functionalized poly(HEMA‐co‐MMA) in phosphate buffer saline ascertained that surface phosphorylation significantly increased the hydrophilicity of the copolymer. The study further illustrated that the percentage of equilibrium swelling appreciably increases with increase in HEMA content in the copolymer and reached a plateau after 100 h. Both compressive strength and compressive modulus of poly (HEMA‐co‐MMA) decreased due to surface phosphorylation while dynamic storage modulus value was not altered. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
A new method for the preparation of gelatin nanoparticles: Encapsulation and drug release characteristics
Authors: Naidu B. Vijaya Kumar , Paulson Allan T.
Published: April 2011

A new and simple method was developed to produce gelatin nanoparticles of ∼ 30–40 nm for use as carriers for drug release applications. The nanoparticles were uniform in size and well dispersed. An anticancer drug, 5‐fluorouracil, was encapsulated with an efficiency as high as 85%. The nanoparticles showed sustained release of 5‐fluorouracil, and release rates varied with amount of crosslinking in the nanoparticles. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011.
Isothermal crystallization and melting behavior of polypropylene with lanthanum complex of cyclodextrin derivative as a β‐nucleating agent
Authors: Zeng Anran , Zheng Yuying , Qiu Shangchang , Guo Yong
Published: April 2011

A novel highly active β‐nucleating agent, β‐cyclodextrin complex with lanthanum (β‐CD‐MAH‐La), was introduced to isotactic polypropylene (iPP). Its influence on isothermal crystallization and melting behavior of iPP was investigated by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), and polarized light microscopy (PLM). WAXD results demonstrated that β‐CD‐MAH‐La was an effective β‐nucleating agent, with β‐crystal content of iPP being strongly influenced by the content of β‐CD‐MAH‐La and the isothermal crystallization temperature. The isothermal crystallization kinetics of pure iPP and iPP/β‐CD‐MAH‐La was described appropriately by Avrami equation, and results revealed that β‐CD‐MAH‐La promoted heterogeneous nucleation and accelerated the crystallization of iPP. In addition, the equilibrium melting temperature (T) of samples was determined using linear and nonlinear Hoffman‐Weeks procedure. Finally, the Lauritzen‐Hoffman secondary nucleation theory was applied to calculate the nucleation parameter (Kg) and the fold surface energy (σe), the value of which verify that the addition of β‐CD‐MAH‐La reduced the creation of new surface for β‐crystal and then led to faster crystallization rate. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011