bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bush Aide Blocked Report: Global Health Draft in 2006 Rejected for Not Being Political
Authors: Lee Christopher , Kaufman Marc , McMahon Jean
Published: December 2007

A surgeon general's report in 2006 that called on Americans to help tackle global health problems has been kept from the public by a Bush political appointee without any background or expertise in medicine or public health, chiefly because the report did not promote the administration's policy accomplishments. The report described the link between poverty and poor health, urged the U.S. government to help combat widespread diseases as a key aim of its foreign policy, and called on corporations to help improve health conditions in the countries where they operate.
The Role of Gateway Drugs and Psychosocial Factors in Substance Dependence in Eastern India
Authors: Saddichha Sahoo , Sinha Baxi Neeraj Prasad , Khess C. R. J.
Published: December 2007

Objective:

Western studies have identified the gateway patterns of substance use which lead the way from the so called “Soft Drugs” (like nicotine, etc.) to the “Hard Drugs” (like Opioids) [the Gateway hypothesis]. Nicotine and alcohol have been implicated as the most common initiating drugs in studies from different places, however, studies are lacking from this region. This study was designed to find the drugs of initiation and to understand the factors for initiation, maintenance, and relapse of these substances in persons dependent on them in Eastern India.

Method:

Seventy subjects with ICD 10 DCR diagnosis of substance dependence admitted consecutively in Center for Addiction Psychiatry, Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi, were taken up for the study after taking written informed consent. A semi-structured questionnaire including the substance use part of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Inventory (MINI) was administered.

Results:

Alcohol and opioids were the most common drugs of dependence but nicotine and alcohol were found to be the most common initiating drugs in both alcohol and opioid groups. Persons dependent on opioids presented earlier for treatment, with earlier development of withdrawal symptoms and having completed lesser years of formal education, and had higher monthly incomes as compared to those dependent on alcohol. The most common psychosocial factors determining initiation and maintenance were peer pressure or curiosity.

Conclusions:

If adolescents and youth can be motivated to stay away even from the “gateway drugs” by targeting common initiation factors, it may lead to delay in dependence or possibly avoidance of development of dependence.
Religiosity, Spirituality, and Depressive Symptoms in Pregnant Women
Authors: Mann Joshua R. , McKeown Robert E. , Bacon Janice , Vesselinov Roumen , Bush Freda
Published: December 2007

Objective:

Depression during pregnancy has potential repercussions for both women and infants. Religious and spiritual characteristics may be associated with fewer depressive symptoms. This study examines the association between religiosity/spirituality and depressive symptoms in pregnant women.

Method:

Pregnant women in three southern obstetrics practices were included in a cross sectional study evaluating religiosity, spirituality, and depressive symptoms. Symptoms of depression were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The depression outcome was measured in two ways: the EPDS score as a continuous outcome, and a score at or above the recommended EPDS cutoff (> 14). A wide array of potential confounders was addressed. Special attention was given to the interplay between religiosity/spirituality, social support, and depressive symptoms.

Results:

The mean EPDS score was 9.8 out of a maximum possible score of 30. Twenty-eight women (8.1%) scored above the recommended EPDS cutoff score. Overall religiosity/spirituality was significantly associated with fewer depressive symptoms when controlling for significant covariates, but there was a significant interaction such that the association became weaker as social support increased. Social support did not appear to be an important mediator (intermediate step) in the pathway between religiosity/spirituality and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions:

Religiosity and spirituality may help protect from depressive symptoms when social support is lacking. Longitudinal research is needed to assess the directionality of the observed relationships.
Effect of Serotonin Receptor 2A Gene Polymorphism on Mirtazapine Response in Major Depression
Authors: Kang Rhee-Hun , Choi Myoung-Jin , Paik Jong-Woo , Hahn Sang-Woo , Lee Min-Soo
Published: December 2007

The 5-HTR2A gene is a candidate gene for influencing the clinical response to treatment with antidepressants. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the -1438A/G polymorphism of the 5-HTR2A gene and the response to mirtazapine in a Korean population with major depressive disorder. Mirtazapine was administered for eight weeks to the 101 patients who completed the study, during which we evaluated the clinical outcome using repeated-measures ANCOVA. A main effect of genotype or an effect of genotype-time interactions on the decrease in HAMD score during the eight-week follow-up was not found, which suggests that the 5-HTR2A -1438A/G polymorphism does not affect the clinical outcome to mirtazapine administration. However, significant effects of genotype and allele carriers on the decrease in the sleep score over the eight weeks were found (genotype: F = 4.093, p = 0.017; allele: F = 4.371, p = 0.037), whereas no effect of genotype-time interactions on the decrease in the HAMD score over the eight-week follow-up was found. These observations suggest that the -1438A/G polymorphism affects the sleep improvement but not the sleep pattern over time. A t-test-based evaluation of the effect of the 5-HTR2A -1438A/G polymorphism on the sleep improvement at each time period revealed significant differences in the sleep scores after two weeks of mirtazapine administration. The sleep scores were lower for carriers of the A+ allele than of the A — allele after two weeks of mirtazapine administration ( p = 0.041), which means that the -1438GG genotype is associated with less improvement in sleep, and suggests that the effect of mirtazapine on improving the sleep quality differs with the 5-HTR2A -1438A/G polymorphism within two weeks of mirtazapine treatment. In conclusion, although the -1438A/G polymorphism affects the sleep improvement resulting from the administration of mirtazapine to Korean patients with major depressive disorder, our results do not support the hypothesis that this polymorphism of the 5-HTR2A gene is involved in the therapeutic response to mirtazapine.
Spatial distribution of labile and total forms of copper and zinc in sediments from the Port of Gdansk
Authors: Radke Barbara , Dembska Grażyna , Aftanas Barbara , Kowalczyk Aneta , Bolałek Jerzy
Published: December 2007

Sediment cores were collected from a number of sites in the Port of Gdansk in 1997 and 1998. The samples were segregated by depth then dried, homogenised and sieved into four grain size fractions (>2.00 mm, 2.00 - 0.063 mm, 0.063 - 0.032 mm, and 0.032 mm) Small-grained sand with a low admixture of silt predominated in all samples, whilst the amount of organic matter and water varied between samples. The 2.00 - 0.063 mm size fraction was the most abundant; and also showed the highest accumulation of trace metals. In the >2.00 mm size fraction the mean concentration of labile forms of copper was 9.06 mg kg-1 DW, while the concentration of total forms was 12.73 mg kg-1 DW. The mean concentrations of labile and total forms of zinc in this fraction were 31.79 and 46.27 mg kg-1 DW, respectively. The widest ranges of concentrations for both labile and total forms of the metals were found in the near-surface sediment layers (0-20 cm). Sediments collected from highly industrialized locations contained the highest concentrations of metals.
Folliculinids - epibiotic ciliates from Puck Bay
Authors: Jaszczołt Joanna , Szaniawska Anna
Published: December 2007

The present paper reports on the occurrence of the epibiotic ciliates of the family Folliculinidae Dons on the American crayfish Orconectes limosus (Raf., 1817). This is the first report of folliculinid ciliates from coastal waters of Puck Bay observed on animal substrata.
Distribution of migration (state) forms of microelements in the sediments of the ports of Klaipėda and Gdańsk
Authors: Pustelnikovas Olegas , Dembska Grażyna , Szefer Piotr , Radke Barbara , Bolałek Jerzy
Published: December 2007

During investigations of the Baltic Sea basin significant differences have become manifest in the distribution of certain chemical elements in different chains of the geo (-eco) system (soils, river, lagoon and marine sediments). This paper presents data on the quantitative relationships of elements resulting from interactions of natural sedimentation processes and the possible human impact on the sediments from two port areas. The total (T), lithogenic (LG; stable) and hydrogenic (HG; mobile, reactive) migration forms of Zn, Cr, Cd, Cu, Pb and Ni were analysed. The HG component comprises that pool of the elements contained in readily degrading minerals; increases in this form potentially being an indicator of adverse human impacts. The distribution of total forms depends on the quantity of the sediment fraction with grain size < 0.063 mm (fr. < 0.063 mm) and on the concentration of organic content (Corg).

With increasing sediment depth, the concentration of elements decreases sharply, although HG concentrations were seen to increase on several occasions. One explanation for such findings is the mineralisation and decomposition of metals from the remnants of biological activities of organisms (pellets, globules) into the sediments. Element concentrations in the natural sedimentation zone (NSZ) of the marine-influenced North Port at Gdańsk are less than in the NSZ and technogenic sedimentation zone (TSZ) of the riverine part of the port of Gdańsk. The ratios between HG, LG and T in the two sedimentation zones are different for different elements, but are always higher in the TSZ than in the NSZ. Multi-site analyses of the port basins allowed NSZ and TSZ to be distinguished. The TSZ is typified by anomalous concentrations of elements, the specific distribution of their migration forms, the semi-stagnant conditions prevailing there and the proximity of human impact sources. The data presented in this paper indicate that the concentrations of only some of the elements in the TSZ sediments of the ports of Klaipėda and Gdańsk exceed the permitted norms for spoil dredged from port basins. By no means can the total load of elements contained in the spoil dumped at sea be treated as an indicator of marine pollution. For an objective assessment of the real pollution threat to port environments, detailed investigations of the various migration forms of chemical elements need to be carried out, and previously established levels revised.
Assimilation experiments in the Gdansk Basin (the southeastern Baltic): How useful are the sea level data from coastal tide gauges for modelling of hydrophysical fields?
Authors: Jankowski Andrzej , Jądrasik Jan
Published: December 2007

In the Baltic modelling research, assimilation techniques were developed with advance. They were concerned to model assimilated basic parameters and observed them directly. In present paper, the most important was the assimilation of surface information and its projection deep into temperature and salinity fields. In oceanic investigations altimetry viewed from satellite was the sea level changes projected far inside and predetermined surface-to-subsurface correlations. To obtain improved modelled hydrophysical fields, sea level variations measured at coastal gauges and efficient data assimilation were taken into account. A data assimilation algorithm has been developed and used in conjunction with a three-dimensional baroclinic model of the Baltic Sea. It was based on a time and space weighted nudging technique. The sea level data were inserted continuously by updating the model solution every time step. Several sensitivity experiments with different values of time and spatial weighting scales were performed. In first series of experiments, only sea level data (SL) were assimilated. In the next simulations, seawater temperature (SWT) and seawater salinity (SWS) related directly to SL were assimilated. To evaluate the effectiveness of the assimilation scheme, modelled sea level series and vertical profiles of seawater temperature and salinity in selected coastal gauges in the Gdansk Basin were examined. Evidently low but statistically essential correlation coefficients indicated nonlinear character of vertical mixing and transfer processes. Decreasing errors obtained while comparing the model results to a control case without assimilation confirmed a real transfer of surface information deep and usefulness of such approach in modelling.
Spatial ordination of vegetation data using a generalization of Wartenberg's multivariate spatial correlation
Authors: Dray Stéphane , Saïd Sonia , Débias Françis
Published: December 2007

Question:Are there spatial structures in the composition of plant communities?

Methods:Identification and measurement of spatial structures is a topic of great interest in plant ecology. Univariate measurements of spatial autocorrelation such as Moran'sIand Geary's c are widely used, but extensions to the multivariate case (i.e. multi‐species) are rare. Here, we propose a multivariate spatial analysis based on Moran'sI(MULTISPATI) by introducing a row‐sum standardized spatial weight matrix in the statistical triplet notation. This analysis, which is a generalization of Wartenberg's approach to multivariate spatial correlation, would imply a compromise between the relations among many variables (multivariate analysis) and their spatial structure (autocorrelation). MULTISPATI approach is very flexible and can handle various kinds of data (quantitative and/or qualitative data, contingency tables).

A study is presented to illustrate the method using a spatial version of Correspondence Analysis.

Location:Territoire d'Etude et d'Expérimentation de Trois‐Fontaines (eastern France).

Results:Ordination of vegetation plots by this spatial analysis is quite robust with reference to rare species and highlights spatial patterns related to soil properties.
Soft-bed experiments beneath Engabreen, Norway:regelation infiltration, basal slip and bed deformation
Authors: Iverson N.R. , Hooyer T.S. , Fischer U.H. , Cohen D. , Moore P.L. , Jackson M. , Lappegard G. , Kohler J.
Published: December 2007

To avoid some of the limitations of studying soft-bed processes through boreholes, a prism of simulated till (1.8 m × 1.6 m × 0.45 m) with extensive instrumentation was constructed in a trough blasted in the rock bed of Engabreen, a temperate glacier in Norway. Tunnels there provide access to the bed beneath 213 m of ice. Pore-water pressure was regulated in the prism by pumping water to it. During experiments lasting 7–12 days, the glacier regelated downward into the prism to depths of 50–80 mm, accreting ice-infiltrated till at rates predicted by theory. During periods of sustained high pore-water pressure (70–100% of overburden), ice commonly slipped over the prism, due to a water layer at the prism surface. Deformation of the prism was activated when this layer thinned to a sub-millimeter thickness. Shear strain in the till was pervasive and decreased with depth. A model of slip by ploughing of ice-infiltrated till across the prism surface accounts for the slip that occurred when effective pressure was sufficiently low or high. Slip at low effective pressures resulted from water-layer thickening that increased non-linearly with decreasing effective pressure. If sufficiently widespread, such slip over soft glacier beds, which involves no viscous deformation resistance, may instigate abrupt increases in glacier velocity.
Sensitivity of ocean circulation and sea-ice conditions to loss of West Antarctic ice shelves and ice sheet
Authors: Bougamont Marion , Hunke Elizabeth , Tulaczyk Slawek
Published: December 2007

We use a global coupled ocean-sea ice model to test the hypothesis that the disintegration of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS), or just its ice shelves, may modify ocean circulation and sea-ice conditions in the Southern Ocean. We compare the results of three model runs: (1) a control run with a standard (modern) configuration of landmask in West Antarctica, (2) a no-shelves run with West Antarctic ice shelves removed and (3) a no-WAIS run. In the latter two runs, up to a few million square kilometres of new sea surface area opens to sea-ice formation, causing the volume and extent of Antarctic sea-ice cover to increase compared with the control run. In general, near-surface waters are cooler around Antarctica in the no-shelves and no-WAIS model runs than in the control run, while warm intermediate and deep waters penetrate further south, increasing poleward heat transport. Varying regional responses to the imposed changes in landmask configuration are determined by the fact that Antarctic polynyas and fast ice develop in different parts of the model domain in each run. Model results suggest that changes in the extent of WAIS may modify oceanographic conditions in the Southern Ocean.
Inferences from stable water isotopes on the Holocene evolution of Scharffenbergbotnen blue-ice area, East Antarctica
Authors: Sinisalo Anna , Grinsted Aslak , Moore John C. , Meijer Harro A.J. , Martma Tõnu , Van De Wal Roderik S.W.
Published: December 2007

We show that it is possible to extract a high-resolution (annual) paleoclimate record from the surface of a blue-ice area (BIA). The variability of the surface stable-isotope values suggests that almost all the surface ice in Scharffenbergbotnen BIA, East Antarctica, is of Holocene age. The isotopic changes across the BIA show that the modern climate there is warmer than the climate in the early-Holocene optimum (11 kyr BP). A volume-conserving ice flow model for the BIA constrained by isotopic variability and layer thicknesses, and a series of 14C ages indicate both that the BIA has been smaller than now, and that the surface velocities were considerably smaller during the Last Glacial Maximum. Changes in ice-sheet thickness drive the BIA towards present-day conditions. The relatively young age of the majority of the BIA also explains the lack of meteorite finds in this area, and may be typical for many BIAs in low-elevation nunatak areas.
Weak Attractive Ligand–Polymer and Related Interactions in Catalysis and Reactivity: Impact, Applications, and Modeling
Authors: Chan Michael C. W.
Published: December 2007

The notion of weak attractive ligand–polymer interactions is introduced, and its potential application, importance, and conceptual links with “cooperative” ligand–substrate interactions are discussed. Synthetic models of weak attractive ligand–polymer interactions are described, in which intramolecular weak CH⋅⋅⋅FC interactions (the existence of which remains contentious) have been detected by NMR spectroscopy and neutron and X‐ray diffraction experiments. These CH⋅⋅⋅FC interactions carry important implications for the design of catalysts for olefin polymerization, because they provide support for the practical feasibility of ortho‐F⋅⋅⋅Hβ ligand–polymer contacts proposed for living Group 4 fluorinated phenoxyimine catalysts. The notion of weak attractive noncovalent interactions between an “active” ligand and the growing polymer chain is a novel concept in polyolefin catalysis.
RhIII‐ and IrIII‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones in Water
Authors: Wu Xiaofeng , Li Xiaohong , Zanotti‐Gerosa Antonio , Pettman Allan , Liu Jianke , Mills Allan James , Xiao Jianliang
Published: December 2007

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) of ketones by formate in neat water is shown to be viable with Rh‐TsDPEN and Ir‐TsDPEN catalysts, derived in situ from [Cp*MCl2]2 (M=Rh, Ir) and TsDPEN. A variety of ketones were reduced, including nonfunctionalized aryl ketones, heteroaryl ketones, ketoesters, and unsaturated ketones. In comparison with Ir‐TsDPEN and the related RuII catalyst, the RhIII catalyst is most efficient in water, affording enantioselectivities of up to 99 % ee at substrate/catalyst (S/C) ratios of 100–1000 even without working under an inert atmosphere. The aqueous phase reduction is shown to be highly pH‐dependent; the optimum pH windows for TOF greater than 50 mol mol−1 h−1 for Rh‐ and Ir‐TsDPEN are 5.5–10.0 and 6.5–8.5, respectively. Outside the pH window, the reduction becomes slow or stagnant depending on the pH. However, the enantioselectivities erode only under acidic conditions. At a higher S/C ratio, the aqueous ATH by Rh‐TsDPEN is shown to be product‐ as well as byproduct‐inhibited; the product inhibition appears to stem at least partly from the reaction being reversible. The aqueous phase reduction is simple, efficient and environmentally benign, thus presenting a viable alternative for asymmetric reduction.
Ultrastructure and synaptic differences of the boutons of the projection neurons between the lip and collar regions of the mushroom bodies in the ant, Cataglyphis albicans
Authors: Seid Marc A. , Wehner Rüdiger
Published: December 2007

The mushroom bodies of insects are viewed as key neuropils for sensory integration and perhaps learning and memory. In Hymenoptera, particularly ants, the calyx of the mushroom bodies is divided into two main regions, the lip and the collar. Although most ants are highly dependent on olfaction and have enlarged calyces comprised mostly of lip, some ant groups are also highly visual and have well‐developed collars. The desert ant Cataglyphis albicans, known for its navigational abilities, shifts from the dark olfactory demanding nest interior to the visually demanding desert environment, and unlike many other ants their mushroom bodies are comprised of both a well‐developed lip and collar. In this study, using electron microscope serial‐sectioning and 3D‐reconstructions, we show that axonal processes that innervate the lip and collar are inherently different in structure and synaptic connectivity. The boutons of the lip are larger, with more synaptic vesicles and larger synapses than the collar, while boutons of the collar have more postsynaptic partners per synapse. Our morphological findings suggest that the signals originating from olfactory projection neurons that innervate the lip appear stronger and more likely to propagate than signals that innervate the collar, while the signals entering the collar appear relatively weaker and are further integrated between more postsynaptic partners. We discuss the differences of the signaling properties between the lip and collar projection neurons and suggest that the greater postsynaptic integration in the collar is presumably for spatial processing for visual navigation in Cataglyphis. J. Comp. Neurol. 507: 1102–1108, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Geoarchaeological context of clovis and western stemmed tradition sites in Dietz Basin, Lake County, Oregon
Authors: Pinson Ariane O.
Published: December 2007

Description and analysis of 57 exposures in Dietz Basin, Lake County, Oregon, are used to investigate the paleoenvironmental context of the Clovis and Early Archaic occupations. Prior research suggested that a series of shallow permanent lakes in the basin acted as a draw for foragers during the Pleistocene‐Holocene transition (11,500–9000 RCYBP). However, the stratigraphic studies described here show that all lakes predate human occupation. During the Clovis period, a shift to warmer, drier climates was marked by the formation of a rainfallcontrolled playa‐lunette system. Lunette formation ceased with a return to colder, wetter climates during the Younger Dryas, which led to formation of a wet meadow in the basin. The shift to progressively warmer, drier climates after 9600 RCYBP led first to the formation of a second playa‐lunette system in Dietz Basin, and then to the establishment of a dry basin‐floor environment that persisted into the modern period. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Late evening brain activation patterns and their relation to the internal biological time, melatonin, and homeostatic sleep debt
Authors: Gorfine Tali , Zisapel Nava
Published: December 2007

Sleep propensity increases sharply at night. Some evidence implicates the pineal hormone melatonin in this process. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, brain activation during a visual search task was examined at 22:00 h (when endogenous melatonin levels normally increase). The relationships between brain activation, endogenous melatonin (measured in saliva), and self‐reported fatigue were assessed. Finally, the effects of exogenous melatonin administered at 22:00 h were studied in a double blind, placebo‐controlled crossover manner. We show that brain activation patterns as well as the response to exogenous melatonin significantly differ at night from those seen in afternoon hours. Thus, activation in the rostro‐medial and lateral aspects of the occipital cortex and the thalamus diminished at 22:00 h. Activation in the right parietal cortex increased at night and correlated with individual fatigue levels, whereas exogenous melatonin given at 22:00 h reduced activation in this area. The right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area considered to reflect homeostatic sleep debt, demonstrated increased activation at 22:00 h. Surprisingly, this increase correlated with endogenous melatonin. These results demonstrate and partially differentiate circadian effects (whether mediated by melatonin or not) and homeostatic sleep debt modulation of human brain activity associated with everyday fatigue at night. Hum Brain Mapp, 2009. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Optimization of HPLC‐APCI‐MS conditions for the qualitative and quantitative determination of total solanesol in tobacco leaves
Authors: Chen Junhui , Liu Jie , Lee Frank Sen‐Chun , Wang Xiaoru
Published: December 2007

HPLC coupled online with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization MS (APCI‐MS) technique was evaluated for the qualitative and quantitative determination of solanesol in extracts of tobacco leaves. The solanesol and other compounds in the extract were separated on an Alltima C8 (4.6 mm×250 mm) column with methanol and water (98:2 v/v) as mobile phase, with flow rate of 0.8 mL/min and UV detection wavelength of 211 nm. In the APCI+ mode, abundant stable [M–H2O + H]+ ion (m/z at 613.5) was observed, with low abundance of other fragmentation ions. A comparison of APCI‐MS and ESI‐MS techniques showed that APCI mode is more sensitive than ESI mode, and thus better suited for solanesol analysis. When comparing UV 211 nm and APCI‐MS in SIM for solanesol quantification, the former offered better precision and reproducibility, but the latter was more than 200 times sensitive in detection. The developed method has been successfully applied to the analysis and comparison of solanesol concentration in different tobacco leaf samples.
1H, 13C and 15N NMR studies on adducts formation of rhodium(II) tetraacylates with some azoles in CDCl3 solution
Authors: Bocian Wojciech , Jaźwiński Jarosław , Sadlej Agnieszka
Published: December 2007

Adduct formations of rhodium(II) tetraacetate and tetratrifluoroacetate with some 1H‐imidazoles, oxazoles, thiazoles, 1H‐pyrazoles and isoxazole have been investigated by the use of 1H, 13C, 15N NMR and electronic absorption spectroscopy (VIS) in the visible range. Azoles tend to form axial adducts containing rhodium(II) tetraacylates bonded via nitrogen atom. Bulky substituents close to the nitrogen atom prevent the RhN bond formation, and in several cases switch over the binding site to the oxygen or sulphur atoms. The 15N adduct formation shift Δδ(15N) (Δδ = δadduct − δligand) varied from ca − 40 to − 70 ppm for the nitrogen atom involved in complexation, and of a few parts per million only, from ca − 6 to 3 ppm, for the non‐bonded nitrogen atom within the same molecule. The Δδ(1H) values do not exceed one ppm; Δδ(13C) ranges from − 1 to 6 ppm. Various complexation modes have been proved by electronic absorption spectroscopy in the visible region (VIS). For comparison purposes, some adducts of pyridine, thiophene and furan derivatives have been measured as well. The experimental findings were compared with calculated chemical shifts, obtained by means of DFT B3LYP method, using 6‐311 + G(2d,p), 6‐31(d)/LanL2DZ and 6‐311G(d,p) basis set. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Substituent effects of the N,N‐dimethyl‐ sulfamoyl group on the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of positional isomers of quinolines
Authors: Maślankiewicz Andrzej , Maślankiewicz Maria J. , Marciniec Krzysztof
Published: December 2007

The complete 1H and 13C NMR spectral assignments of seven positional isomers of N,N‐dimethylsulfamoylquinolines 2–8 and quinoline have been made using 1D and 2D NMR techniques, including COSY, HMQC and HMBC experiments. ΔδH and ΔδC substituent effects induced by the sulfamoyl group were determined. The sulfamoyl substituent affects proton and carbon chemical shifts both in the parent and in the fused (pyridine or benzene) ring. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structure elucidation and NMR spectral assignments of three new lignan glycosides from Akebia trifoliata
Authors: Guan Shu‐hong , Xia Jia‐meng , Lu Zhi‐qiang , Chen Guang‐tong , Jiang Bao‐hong , Liu Xuan , Guo De‐an
Published: December 2007

Three new lignan glycosides (1–3) were isolated from the stems of Akebia trifoliata. Their structures were elucidated as (7R,8R,7′R,8′R)3,3′,5,5′tetramethoxy‐4,4′dihydroxy‐7,9′:7′,9‐diepoxylignan‐4‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (1), (7S,8S,8′R)‐4,4′,9‐trihydroxy‐3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethoxy‐7,9′‐epoxylignan‐7′‐one 9‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (2), (7R,8R,8′S)‐4,4′,9‐trihydroxy3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethoxy‐7,9′‐epoxylignan‐7′‐one 9‐O‐β‐D‐glucopyranoside (3) by spectral analyses, primarily NMR, MS and CD. The NMR assignments for the compounds were carried out using 1H, 13C, DEPT, COSY, HSQC, HMBC and ROESY NMR experiments. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Poly(ethyleneimine) microcapsules: glutaraldehyde‐mediated assembly and the influence of molecular weight on their properties
Authors: Tong Weijun , Gao Changyou , Möhwald Helmuth
Published: December 2007

Poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) microcapsules were prepared via the method of glutaraldehyde (GA)‐mediated covalent layer‐by‐layer (LbL) assembly, which utilized GA to cross‐link the adsorbed PEI layer and to introduce free aldehyde group on the surface for the next PEI adsorption on MnCO3 microparticles, followed by core removal. Evidenced by ellipsometry, the PEI multilayers grew nearly linearly along with the layer number and their thickness was controlled at the nanometer scale. The hollow structure, morphology, and wall thickness were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning force microscopy (SFM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), revealing that the capsule structure as well as the cut‐off molecular weight of the capsule wall could be tuned by the molecular weight of PEI. This offers a general and novel pathway to fabricate single component capsules with pre‐designed structure (size, shape, and wall thickness) and properties. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cancer invasion and metastasis: changing views
Authors: Duffy MJ , McGowan PM , Gallagher WM
Published: December 2007

The formation of distant metastasis is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer. The aim of this article is to review recent advances in molecular and clinical aspects of metastasis. Traditionally, genes encoding extracellular matrix (ECM) processing proteases, adhesion proteins, and motility factors were thought to be amongst the main mediators of metastasis. Recently, however, genes activated during the early stages of tumourigenesis were implicated in the process. Conversely, genes thought to be primarily involved in metastasis such as urokinase plasminogen (uPA) and certain matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are now known to also play a role in the early steps of tumour progression, perhaps by stimulating cell proliferation and/or promoting angiogenesis. Paradoxically, certain endogenous protease inhibitors such as PAI‐1 and TIMP‐1 appear to promote cancer metastasis rather than inhibiting the process. These recent advances in our understanding should lead to the development of new molecular markers for predicting the likely formation of metastasis as well as the identification of new targets for anti‐metastatic therapies. Copyright © 2007 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The absorption and diffusion of polyethylene chains on the carbon nanotube: The molecular dynamics study
Authors: Liu Jia , Wang Xiao‐Lin , Zhao Li , Zhang Gang , Lu Zhong‐Yuan , Li Ze‐Sheng
Published: December 2007

Classical molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the absorption and diffusion behavior of polyethylene (PE) chains on the surface of the side‐wall of the carbon nanotube (CNT). Different degrees of polymerization from 50 to 80 at separate temperatures of 300, 400, 500, and 600 K are considered. Through the simulation, it is examined that the PE chains are absorbed on the surface of CNT and form stable composites with the nanotube as capsules. It is found that the most probable distance between the CNT and the C atoms in backbone of PE molecules only attribute to the temperature, and at T = 300 K, this distance is about 3.8 Å. Furthermore, the pattern of the composites mainly depends on the temperature and the length matching of the chains and the CNT. In particular, the PE chains keep approximately linear conformation, and extend along the axis of the CNT at the room temperature. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 272–280, 2008
Prion protein structure is affected by pH‐dependent interaction with membranes: A study in a model system
Authors: Re Francesca , Sesana Silvia , Barbiroli Alberto , Bonomi Francesco , Cazzaniga Emanuela , Lonati Elena , Bulbarelli Alessandra , Masserini Massimo
Published: December 2007

Interaction of full length recombinant hamster prion protein with liposomes mimicking lipid rafts or non‐raft membrane regions was studied by circular dichroism, chemical cross‐linking and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. At pH 7.0, the protein bound palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine/cholesterol/sphingomyelin/monosialoganglioside GM1 (GM1) ganglioside liposomes but not palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine alone (bound/free = 0.33 and 0.01, respectively), maintaining the native α‐helical structure and monomeric form. At pH 5.0, though still binding to quaternary mixtures, in particular GM1, the protein bound also to palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (bound/free 0.35) becoming unfolded and oligomeric. The pH‐dependent interaction with raft or non‐raft membranes might have implication in vivo, by stabilizing or destabilizing the protein.
Multiple PPPS/TP motifs act in a combinatorial fashion to transduce Wnt signaling through LRP6
Authors: Wolf Joshua , Palmby Todd R. , Gavard Julie , Williams Bart O. , Gutkind J. Silvio
Published: December 2007

Binding of Wnt to Frizzled, and either of two members of the low‐density‐lipoprotein receptor‐related protein family, LRP5/6, leads to β‐catenin activation by a poorly understood mechanism. LRP5/6 exhibit five highly conserved PPPS/TP motifs in their intracellular region, among which the first PPPS/TP site is rapidly phosphorylated upon Wnt stimulation. By the use of full‐length LRP6 mutants harboring multiple mutations involving the five PPPS/TP motifs, we found that this first PPPS/TP phosphoacceptor site is alone not sufficient or strictly necessary for β‐catenin activation. Instead, we show that each LRP6 PPPS/TP motif contributes in a combinatorial fashion to activate the canonical Wnt‐β‐catenin pathway.
Hepoxilin A3 (HXA3) synthase deficiency is causative of a novel ichthyosis form
Authors: Nigam Santosh , Zafiriou Maria-Patapia , Deva Rupal , Kerstin Nadja , Geilen Christoph , Ciccoli Roberto , Sczepanski Marco , Lohse Maren
Published: December 2007

Non‐bullous congenital ichthyosis erythroderma (NCIE) and lamellar ichthyosis (LI) are characterized by mutations in 12R‐lipoxygenase (12R‐LOX) and/or epidermal lipoxygenase 3 (eLOX3) enzymes. The eLOX3 lacks oxygenase activity, but is capable of forming hepoxilin‐type products from arachidonic acid‐derived hydroperoxide from 12R‐LOX, termed 12R‐hydroperoxyeicosa‐5,8,10,14‐tetraenoic acid (12R‐HpETE). Mutations in either of two enzymes lead to NCIE or LI. Moreover, 12R‐LOX‐deficient mice exhibit severe phenotypic water barrier dysfunctions. Here, we demonstrate that 12R‐HpETE can also be transformed to 8R‐HXA3 by hepoxilin A3 (HXA3) synthase (12‐lipoxygenase), which exhibits oxygenase activity. We also presented a novel form of ichthyosis in a patient, termed hepoxilin A3 synthase‐linked ichthyosis (HXALI), whose scales expressed high levels of 12R‐LOX, but were deficient of HXA3 synthase.
The humanitarian emergency in Burundi: evaluation of the operational strategy for management of nutritional crisis
Authors: Rossi Laura , Verna Daniel , Villeneuve Susie L
Published: December 2007

Objective

To evaluate the impact and appropriateness of programmes for the management and treatment of severe malnutrition in emergency situations.

Design

A central unified database was set up with all data and statistics provided by nutritional centres (NC) active in Burundi.

Setting

The paper describes the case of Burundi as an example of the response of the humanitarian community to nutritional crisis.

Subjects

Since 1999, more than one million (1 054 210) severely malnourished patients were treated in NC established in Burundi.

Results

Peaks of beneficiaries were registered in 2000 and 2001; the admission rate started to decrease in 2002. In 2004, twenty therapeutic feeding centres (TFC) and 224 supplementary feeding centres (SFC) were active for the treatment of 127 420 beneficiaries. Nutritional programmes were present in every province with a coverage rate of 55 %. The most convincing impact of the nutritional programme in Burundi was the reduction of mortality rate in children under 5 years of age; an impact on the prevalence of acute malnutrition could not be demonstrated. Children under 5 years old accounted for 62 % of beneficiaries in TFC and 76 % in SFC. TFC performance indicators fulfilled the minimum standards in disaster response; the performance of SFC was not so optimal with a low recovery rate (69 % v. >80 %) and a high non-respondent rate (16 % v. <5 %). With the combination of coverage and cure rate, the programme met 44 % of the assessed needs in 2004.

Conclusions

In Burundi the stabilisation of security conditions permitted a combination of humanitarian responses ranging from emergency activities to strengthening of community-based initiatives that could correct the coverage and impact limitations.
Spin contamination for Hartree-Fock, optimized effective potential, and density functional approximations
Authors: Theophilou Iris , Thanos S. , Theophilou A. K.
Published: December 2007

In an earlier paper [S. Thanos and A. K. Theophilou J. Chem. Phys. 124, 204109 (2006)], we found an explicit formula for the expansion of a Slater determinant ∣ΦM⟩ in terms of eigenstates of S2. In this paper, we use the same formula to determine the spin contamination Scon of the unrestricted single determinant approximations, i.e., Hartree-Fock, optimized effective potential, and density functional theory. We derived an expression which gives Scon in terms of the overlap of the spatial parts of the spin up and spin down “corresponding” orbitals. It was found that Scon does not depend on M, the eigenvalue of Sz, at least for the lower order approximations, i.e., when ∣⟨φi∣φi′⟩∣ is large. In this case, the predominant coefficient of the expansion assumes its maximum value when S=M. However, for the class of solutions that ∣⟨φi∣φi′⟩∣ is small, the spin L of the largest coefficient increases with the number of unpaired electrons. We also derived the explicit form of the expansion states.
Ultrafast all-optical light modulation with high wavelength resolution in a near-infrared region by composite polymer guided wave mode
Authors: Matsumoto Ryuji , Inoue Tatsuaki , Nagamura Toshihiko
Published: December 2007

A tricyclodecane polymer film with vanadyloxophthalocyanine was prepared on a low refractive index polymer film by spin coating. It showed a guided wave mode (GWM) dependent on the refractive index and thickness of each layer as minimum reflectance in near infrared spectrum. The width of GWMs was found to considerably decrease with increasing thickness of the low refractive index polymer. The reflectance at the GWM position was optically modulated by ultrafast complex refractive index changes upon femtosecond laser excitation. The present results will be used for ultrafast all-optical light modulation or switching with high wavelength resolution in photonic network systems.
Enhanced transmission through metal films perforated with circular and cross-dipole apertures
Authors: Ye Yong-Hong , Wang Zhi-Bing , Cao Yurong , Yan Desheng , Zhang Jia-Yu , Lin Xian Qi , Cui Tie Jun
Published: December 2007

We reported here the experimental results of the metal film perforated with circular and cross-dipole apertures. The transmission spectrum of the sample with a complex unit cell is substantially different from that of the corresponding sample with a simple unit cell. The localized surface plasmon polaritons are suggested to be involved into the enhanced transmission.
Lateral confinement of surface plasmons and polarization-dependent optical transmission using nanohole arrays with a surrounding rectangular Bragg resonator
Authors: Lindquist Nathan C. , Lesuffleur Antoine , Oh Sang-Hyun
Published: December 2007

Enhanced optical transmission and surface plasmon resonant cavity effects are studied for subwavelength aperture arrays surrounded by rectangular-shaped Bragg mirrors. A circular nanohole array with a surrounding rectangular Bragg resonator exhibits the introduction of polarization-dependent enhanced optical transmission by constructive and destructive interference effects generated within the cavity. The feasibility for high-density packing of several individually distinct nanohole arrays is demonstrated by also using the Bragg mirrors to block surface plasmon interference between multiple such neighboring devices spaced 5μm apart.
The importance of the type and time of inoculation and assessment in the determination of resistance in Brassia napus and B. juncea to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Authors: Li C. X. , Li Hua , Siddique A. B. , Sivasithamparam K. , Salisbury P. , Banga S. S. , Banga Shashi , Chattopadhyay C. , Kumar A. , Singh R. , Singh D. , Agnihotri A. , Liu S. Y. , Li Y. C. , Tu J. , Fu T. D. , Wang Y. F. , Barbetti M. J.
Published: December 2007

Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) is a significant agricultural problem worldwide. Finding sources of resistance is crucial to the ongoing search for better management of this disease. Brassica germplasm from Australia, China and India was screened for resistance to SSR under Western Australian field conditions following stem inoculation, application of a spray of mycelial suspension, or as a consequence of myceliogenic germination originating from sclerotia resident in soil. Significant differences in response were observed among 53 genotypes using each of the three screening methods. There was a variable impact of the time of inoculation on the disease level depending upon time of assessment post-stem inoculation. However, this impact could be reduced to an insignificant level provided the assessment after stem inoculation was delayed until 3 weeks post-inoculation. The results of these studies indicate that the use of appropriate inoculation and assessment methods could significantly reduce variability in the responses commonly observed in screening for resistance in crop plants against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.
Lucerne in crop rotations on the Riverine Plains. 3. Model evaluation and simulation analyses
Authors: Verburg K. , Bond W. J. , Hirth J. R. , Ridley A. M.
Published: December 2007

The use of a lucerne phase in crop rotations can reduce water lost as drainage past the root zone under dryland agriculture in southern Australia. During the lucerne phase the perenniality of lucerne and its deep rooting ability allow extraction of soil water from below the root zone of annual crops and the creation of a soil water storage buffer against deep water loss. The longevity of the soil water storage buffer depends on rainfall patterns, management of the crops and summer fallows, as well as the magnitude of the buffer created during the lucerne phase. Results from a previously reported field experiment in north-eastern Victoria (average annual rainfall 600 mm) suggested that a 2-year lucerne phase could be insufficient to prevent drainage under subsequent crops for more than 1 year.
Computer simulations were used to explore the implications of climatic variability on the creation and refilling of the soil water storage buffer. After first testing that the simulations described the experimental data satisfactorily, they were then used to extend the results and conclusions of the field experiment. These showed that the outcome of the experimental evaluation was affected by the climatic conditions experienced during the experiment and that a lucerne phase duration of 2 years was not appreciably less effective than a 3-year lucerne phase in reducing drainage past 1.8 m (the depth evaluated in the experiment). This conclusion was, however, sensitive to the depth at which drainage was evaluated and also depended on management factors such as the timing of lucerne removal and weed control during the summer fallows. For example, when drainage was evaluated to the maximum depth of lucerne rooting (3.6 m), lucerne was removed in December rather than April, and weeds were permitted, a third year of lucerne allowed a longer cropping phase without refilling of the profile in 47% of years. As a general recommendation a 3-year lucerne phase might, therefore, be an appropriate option for maximising the prevention of drainage. The large variability in the longevity of the soil water storage buffer (from 3 to > 45 months) and its sensitivity to management suggest, however, that it may be more beneficial to link phase changes to local assessment of the status of soil water storage buffer.
Zigzag shape of the fire front
Authors: Viegas Domingos Xavier
Published: December 2007

It is shown that the shape of the fire perimeter is not always a regular line. In flank or down-slope fires, the fire line can assume a zigzag shape with kinks at practically orthogonal angles. These kinks are associated with convection cells that generate local equilibrium conditions. It is hypothesised that this process is an example of a more general natural law governing convective flows.