bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Applications of thermodynamic calculations to Mg alloy design: Mg–Sn based alloy development
Authors: Jung In-Ho , Hoon Kang Dae , Park Woo-Jin , Kim Nack J. , Ho Ahn Sang
Published: September 2007

Recently an Mg – Sn based alloy system has been investigated actively in order to develop new magnesium alloys which have a stable structure and good mechanical properties at high temperatures. Thermodynamic modeling of the Mg – Al – Mn – Sb – Si – Sn – Zn system was performed based on available thermodynamic, phase equilibria and phase diagram data. Using the optimized database, the phase relationships of the Mg – Sn – Al – Zn alloys with additions of Si and Sb were calculated and compared with their experimental microstructures. It is shown that the calculated results are in good agreement with experimental microstructures, which proves the applicability of thermodynamic calculations for new Mg alloy design. All calculations were performed using FactSage thermochemical software.
Is it a compound or cluster energy formalism?
Authors: Oates W. Alan
Published: September 2007

The Compound Energy Formalism was not developed by using standard statistical mechanical procedures. If it had been, the model would have been based on cluster solution members instead of on compound end members. In its present form, using the Bragg – Williams approximation, the distinction between these two types of entity has no impact on the model's application, with one notable exception – the case of vacancy properties in intermediate phases. The distinction between the two viewpoints becomes more significant, however, for the future development of the model. It is not clear how short range order or the effects of atomic size mismatch can be explicitly taken into account in its compound end member form. Both of these features are readily absorbed into the model, however, when cluster solution members are considered to be the important entities.
Segmentation within the State: The Reconfiguration of Tibetan Tribes in China's Reform Period
Authors: Pirie Fernanda
Published: September 2007

Despite the upheavals of collectivisation and reform, the nomadic pastoralists of Amdo, in the north-eastern part of the Tibetan plateau, maintain that they substantially retain historic forms of tribal organisation. The governmental structures of the modern Chinese state have replaced the hereditary rulers, kings and monastic leaders who formerly exercised leadership over the nomads' tribes. However, ideologies of revenge and practices of feuding still characterise relations between tribal groups. Moreover, the nomads continue to turn to senior Buddhist lamas as mediators, despite the criminal sanctions imposed by the police. It is suggested that these elements represent a continuity in tribal forms within the framework of control now exercised by the nation state. An uneasy relationship between tribes and state has long characterised this region and continues to do so in the modern world.
The Administration and Practice of Leasehold Pastoralism in Turkmenistan
Authors: Behnke Roy , Jabbar Abdul , Budanov Akmohammet , Davidson Grant
Published: September 2007

Turkmenistan retains a centralised system of livestock production in which many essential assets are owned by the state. This article examines the impact of state ownership on natural resource allocation, husbandry practices and herd mobility. The article is based on a three-year study of rangelands, livestock production, flock economics and land tenure at two study sites, one in central and the other in eastern Turkmenistan. The study documents a high degree of variability in conditions at different pastoral localities, despite the imposition of a single, monolithic system of state administration. There is also ample evidence of the continuing importance of late Soviet-era agricultural reforms, but little evidence of any revival of indigenous Turkmen social institutions.
Development and the Enclosure Movement in Pastoral Tibet since the 1980s
Authors: Bauer Ken
Published: September 2007

This article discusses the implementation of development policies in pastoral areas of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) since the reforms of the 1980s. It analyses why certain kinds of interventions - particularly fencing - have been introduced. The rhetoric and reality of markets, technology, degradation and land tenure in the reform era are put into ecological, historical and cultural perspective. The causes and potential consequences of widespread fencing are also considered and, based on these trends, the article speculates on the future development trajectory of pastoral areas in the TAR.
Pastoralism in the Gorno-Badakhshan Region of Tajikistan
Authors: Robinson Sarah
Published: September 2007

This report describes the major grazing systems and current problems facing pastoralists in the Pamir mountains of Tajikistan. Field observations and household income data, as well as a participatory assessment of living standards, are presented. The report discusses changes in livestock numbers and seasonal migrations that have occurred as a result of Tajikistan's independence from the USSR and the subsequent civil war there (1993-1997). Changing land tenure laws and adaptations of pastoralist systems are described, along with development initiatives that are attempting to ameliorate poverty among Tajikistan's pastoralists.
Green Governmentality and Pastoralism in Western China: 'Converting Pastures to Grasslands'
Authors: Yeh Emily T.
Published: September 2007

One of China's newest large-scale 'ecological construction' projects, 'converting pastures to grasslands' (tuimu huancao), calls for the creation of three new types of zones on existing pastures: zones in which grazing is to be permanently banned, zones in which grazing is to cease for a period of several years, and zones in which pasture is to be seasonally closed. This project is likely to significantly alter the livelihoods of tens of thousands of pastoralists living in Western China. The paper discusses the policy context in which tuimu huancao emerged, analyzing both continuities with and disjunctures from previous ecological restoration and rangeland management policies, including 'Open up the West,' the Sloping Land Conversion Project, and the 'four that form a complete set' (si peitao). Differences suggest that tuimu huancao constitutes a deepening of state control over territory, and can be understood as an emergent form of green governmentality in China. The paper then discusses tuimu huancao implementation on the Tibetan plateau, specifically in Qinghai and Sichuan provinces. Finally, directions for future research are outlined.
Developing Alternatives to Resettlement for Pastoralists on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Richard Camille
Published: September 2007

This field report from the People's Republic of China describes the rapid changes in the large-scale settlement of pastoralists brought on by government policies. It discusses China's Grassland Law and the more recent 'converting pastures to grasslands' (in Mandarin, tuimu huancao) initiative. The complications and paradoxes of present land use policies are discussed drawing on empirical evidence gathered during fieldwork. This report describes efforts by two NGOs working in Tibetan pastoral communities to build social capital and cooperative entities for the purpose of improving economic welfare, particularly in response to the challenges faced as a result of government policies.
De-Development in Eastern Kyrgyzstan and Persistence of Semi-Nomadic Livestock Herding
Authors: Farrington John D.
Published: September 2007

This article discusses postcollective herding practices of Kyrgyzstan's seminomadic pastoralists illustrated by case studies of herders in the highland areas of eastern Kyrgyzstan in 2004. After independence in 1991, the privatisation of all livestock meant the burden of risk devolved onto individuals rather than networks, such as collectives or clan units, for the first time in the history of these pastoralists. The ongoing process of social reorganisation which followed livestock privatisation has resulted in a wide variety of coping strategies being employed by herders, including both short- and long-distance migration as partnerships, individual families, extended families or reorganised herding cooperatives. At the same time, reduced livestock numbers since independence have left vast areas of grazing lands vacant. In spite of the many dramatic changes of the last 150 years, migration patterns and cultural identity among Kyrgyz herders have persisted.
Representation without Emulation: German Cultural Diplomacy in Search of Integration and Self-Assurance during the Adenauer Era
Authors: Paulmann Johannes
Published: September 2007

The article investigates an essential characteristic of the Federal Republic of Germany's search for self-assurance in foreign cultural representations after World War II. A normative behavioral pattern, described here as an “attitude of restraint,” emerged during the Adenauer era, resulting in representations without emulation. The article focuses on German participation in world fairs-an example that reveals the multi-layered mechanisms linking diplomacy with culture, political attitudes with individual experiences and memories, and foreign relations with social conditions. The formation of an attitude of restraint constituted part of the long-term process of West German self-education and shaped cultural identities in the Federal Republic. The self-assurance re-found during the Adenauer era is placed in the context of political debates about the break with the Nazi past, defense against communist East Germany, and the selective turn toward an international modernity. Furthermore, the article offers an explanation regarding the diffusion of certain behavioral norms through everyday experience and practice.
Hunter-Herder Continuum in Anabarski District, NW Sakha, Siberia, Russian Federation
Authors: Ventsel Aimar
Published: September 2007

Anabarski district in NW Sakha was traditionally a region with mixed hunting/ reindeer herding economy. Unusual for tundra reindeer herding, domestic reindeer herding in the Anabar tundra contained many features typical of taiga reindeer herding (riding on mounted deer, milking). In the local economic system, rich reindeer owners focused more on herding and poor people either worked for rich reindeer herders or left their animals in the herds of wealthy people and hunted seasonally for wild reindeer and Arctic foxes. Soviet agriculture incorporated this model into the collective farm ecology. While reindeer brigades focused on reindeer herding and hunted for their own needs, hunters migrated with small reindeer herds in their territory and left animals in the care of the reindeer brigades for the summer season. This practice continued up to the 'snowmobile revolution' in 1996. Although the reindeer economy prospered, i.e. the number of reindeer increased constantly, the district 'produced' meat of domestic reindeer only in these periods when the migration direction of wild reindeer was suitable. In post-socialist times, after the collapse of the planned economy, most native people of the district started to hunt intensively for subsistence, but in addition to this, private hunting enterprises emerged. At the same time, the government of the Republic of Sakha banned the slaughter of domestic reindeer. Since domestic reindeer were thus removed from the economic sphere, people in reindeer brigades either left for hunting enterprises or started to hunt wild reindeer to sell meat in order to have extra income. In this article, I argue that the hunter-herder continuum and the model of land use in the Anabarski district was adapted as an economic strategy in Soviet industrial agriculture and resisted general reindeer herding standards based on Komi commercial reindeer herding. This continuum made the shift from the Soviet into the post-Soviet economy easier and regulated the use of common pool resources of the tundra (cooperation between hunting and reindeer herding enterprises).
Is Siberian Reindeer Herding in Crisis? Living with Reindeer Fifteen Years after the End of State Socialism
Authors: Anderson David G.
Published: September 2007

Most commentators on Siberian reindeer herding conclude that the dramatic drop in the numbers of domestic reindeer after the collapse of state socialism point to a crisis in reindeer husbandry. This article argues that instead of focusing on numbers we should focus on the way people form new relationships with reindeer in order to take advantage of opportunities thrown up by the post-Soviet landscape. By making reference to two case studies in the taiga and treeline areas, the author gives examples of 'interstitial practices' that reindeer herders use to survive and profit from fractured and over-regulated spaces. The author argues that the unique skills of reindeer herding, which allow people to alter the way that they use space and react to temporal pressures, give post-Soviet reindeer herders a unique adaptive strategy in a post-Soviet economy.
The Social Movement of Meat in Taimyr, Northern Russia
Authors: Ziker John P.
Published: September 2007

Continuities in social, economic, and religious organisation of the formerly nomadic Dolgan and Nganasan in northern Russia are described, along with the process by which key values and norms are perpetuated. Kinship, communal property concepts, and delayed reciprocity are integral to local resource allocation and resource management. Benefits of sales to outsiders are funnelled into local networks, a practice that should continue if traditional strategies are to thrive.
Experience, Movement and Mobility: Komi Reindeer Herders' Perception of the Environment
Authors: Habeck Joachim Otto
Published: September 2007

On the basis of fieldwork among Komi reindeer herders in the north of Russia, the author discusses the concepts of movement and mobility. In the first part, he describes reindeer herders' migrations from an outsider's point of view, which reflects the conventional academic approach to the theme of pastoralists' mobility. Komi reindeer husbandry may be described as a transhumant system with protracted linear migrations. In the second part, he tries to look beyond these etic categories and gives an account of their movements from an emic perspective. Moving through the forests and tundra is inextricably connected with a sense of temporality, with the seasons and the weather, with events and memories, and with experience, learning and 'enskilment' (Ingold 2000). This emic perspective is discussed in the frame of Tim Ingold's thoughts about 'the perception of the environment' and other phenomenological approaches. The author differentiates between mobility as the potential of movement, and movement as mobility 'acted out'. The etic (outsiders') perspective can explain pastoral migrations as a potential (mobility), yet it cannot fully account for the pastoralists' being in action (movement).
Darcy's law‐based models for liquid absorption in polymer wicks
Authors: Masoodi Reza , Pillai Krishna M. , Varanasi Padma Prabodh
Published: September 2007

Wicking of liquids in polymer wicks made of sintered polymer beads is studied experimentally where three different polymer wicks (made from polycarbonate, polyethylene, and polypropylene) and three different well‐characterized liquids (hexadecane, decane, and dodecane) are used to plot the mass of wicked liquid as a function of time. The experimental results are compared with the predictions from the Washburn equation as well as a Darcy's law‐based formulation. The suction pressure needed to pull the liquid up a wick in the formulation is modeled using a new energy balance (EB) method and a capillary method. In the former, the released surface energy during wetting is equated to the viscous losses during liquid motion; in the latter, the suction pressure is obtained by treating the wick pore‐space as a bundle of capillary tubes. The Darcy's law‐based formulation also considers the effect of gravity in its predictions. The newly proposed EB method in conjunction with gravity yields the most satisfying predictions. All parameters used in the proposed model were measured independently and no fitting parameters were used. The success of this method is especially notable for a large‐pore polypropylene wick where it was the only model to predict the final steady‐state height for the liquid column. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2007
Soft condensed matter perspective on moisture transport in cooking meat
Authors: van der Sman R. G. M.
Published: September 2007

We have viewed cooking meat from the perspective of soft condensed physics and posed that the moisture transport during cooking can be described by Flory‐Rehner theory of swelling/shrinking polymer gels. This theory contains the essential physics to describe the transport of liquid moisture due to the denaturation and shrinkage of the heated protein matrix. The validity of our hypothesis is shown by a numerical model, which comprises a linearization of the Flory‐Rehner theory augmented with Darcy's law for porous media flow, applied to the simulation of cooking experiments performed on a rectangular piece of beef. Reasonably, comparable results are obtained from simulations and experiments. Further analysis of simulations resolves yet another unexplained phenomena observed during heating of meat. Literature review suggests that Flory‐Rehner is applicable to cooking of other gel‐like foods. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2007
Meta‐study on association between the monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) and schizophrenia
Authors: Li Dawei , He Lin
Published: September 2007

The human monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) has attracted considerable attention as a candidate gene for schizophrenia based both on its chromosomal position and its enzyme function as a key factor in neurotransmitter catabolism pathways. However studies to date have reported inconsistent findings regarding the association between the variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) and T941G polymorphisms and schizophrenia. In an attempt to clarify this inconsistency we conducted a meta‐analysis based on both alleles and genotypes (up to February 2006). In this study, however, we found no significant evidence of association with the two schizophrenia susceptibility polymorphisms. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Social organization of black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) at Deqin, China
Authors: Cui Liang‐Wei , Huo Sheng , Zhong Tai , Xiang Zuo‐Fu , Xiao Wen , Quan Rui‐Chang
Published: September 2007

Data on social organization of two bands of black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) were collected when the monkeys were crossing an open spot at Nanren and Bamei (northwest of Yunnan, China) using a sampling rule where individuals within one social unit are spatially closer to each other than individuals between social units. The typical pattern of social organization in this sample was multiple adult females (AFs) and their offspring with one adult male (AM) in a one‐male unit (OMU), similar to that of many other colobines. In such units, on average one male is associated with 4.0 AFs and 2.5 of their offspring. Moreover, there are multimale/multifemale units and monogamous units besides OMUs. All bisexual units traveled together with at least one all‐male unit as a cohesive band. In two bands of monkeys, 87% of AMs in bisexual units were within OMUs, 7.8% within monogamous units and 5.2% within multimale, multifemale units. In the Bamei band, 6.7% of AMs were in the all‐male unit. The size of OMUs in the Nanren band was larger than that of the Bamei band, with more AFs and juveniles, which may be related to better conservation in the Nanren band's habitat. For the Nanren band, the average number of AFs in OMUs varied across time, increasing from 4.3 in 1994 to 5.1 in 2001, and then decreasing to 3.8 in 2005. This article suggests three possible explanations for this variation, but more data are needed for these hypotheses to be tested. Am. J. Primatol. 70:169–174, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Limb use and preferences in wild orang‐utans during feeding and locomotor behavior
Authors: Peters Helga H. , Rogers Lesley J.
Published: September 2007

Limited data are available on hemispheric lateralization in wild orang‐utans. There has been only one previous investigation of limb preferences in wild orang‐utans [Yeager, 1991]. We examined the lateralization of limb use in wild Bornean orang‐utans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) with the aim of providing more insight into possible hemispheric specialization in wild nonhuman primates. Here, we report in detail on limb use and preference during arboreal locomotion between trees (N=6) and on feeding involving one limb (N=8) and two limbs (N=6). We distinguished between locomotion between overlapping trees (Type I) and locomotion involving gap crossing (Types II and III). For locomotion Type I, the six orang‐utans showed no leading hand preference, however for locomotion Types II and III, all six showed significant right‐hand preferences. All eight orang‐utans showed individual hand preferences for reaching for food, but no significant group bias was found. Limb preferences for feeding involving two limbs (hand–hand or hand–foot) differed between juveniles (right hand–right foot), adult females (left hand–right hand) and adult males (right hand–left hand). Although not present for all tasks, the results indicate that orang‐utans do show evidence of hemispheric specialization, but the use of the hands is not under a strong lateralized hemispheric control and is adaptable. Am. J. Primatol. 70:261–270, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Towing the party line: territoriality, risky boundaries and male group size in spider monkey fission–fusion societies
Authors: Wallace Robert B.
Published: September 2007

Spider monkey communities are classic fission–fusion primate societies. I present data suggesting that spider monkeys (Ateles chamek) at Lago Caiman are territorial; adult males traveled further and faster than adult females and subgroup size was significantly higher in boundary areas of the spider monkey territory where intercommunity disputes were observed than in non‐boundary areas. I then go on to examine data from 20Atelescommunities distributed across 14 study sites and five species to investigate how a series of demographic, ecological and geographical parameters influence the number of males in a given spider monkey community. Analyses suggest that the number of males is not significantly related to the number of females in a community, the area of the community home range, or the total perimeter length of the community boundary. However, risky boundary perimeter length, or the length of perimeter that directly borders another spider monkey community, explains 88% of observed variations in the number of males in each community. I discuss the results in relation to spider monkey ecology and territoriality, as well as the potential of this relationship for explaining chimpanzee (Pan) behavior given their extremely similar fruit specialist, male philopatry, territoriality and fission–fusion social system. Am. J. Primatol. 70:271–281, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sleeping site ecology in a rain‐forest dwelling nocturnal lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus): implications for sociality and conservation
Authors: Rasoloharijaona Solofonirina , Randrianambinina Blanchard , Zimmermann Elke
Published: September 2007

Suitable sleeping sites as potentially restricted resources are suggested to shape sociality in primates. We investigated sleeping site ecology of a rain‐forest dwelling sportive lemur in eastern Madagascar for the first time. Using radiotelemetry, we characterized the type, quality and usage of sleeping sites as well as social sleeping habits of 11 focal individuals of the weasel sportive lemur (Lepilemur mustelinus) during the dry and the onset of the rainy season. Morphometric measurements provided additional information. The sexes showed an unusual sexual dimorphism for primates. Males and females did not differ in body length, but females surpassed males in body mass suggesting female dominance. Both sexes used dense vegetation and holes in hollow trees high above the ground as shelters for sleeping during the day. No sex difference in the quality of tree holes was found, but focal individuals used tree holes more often than open sleeping sites in dense vegetation. Both sexes showed high sleeping site fidelity limited to two to six different sites that they used primarily solitarily. The results imply that suitable sleeping sites are limited and survival of this species will strongly depend on the availability of mature rain forests with suitable hollow trees. Furthermore, these findings provide evidence of a solitary sleeping and ranging system in this rain‐forest dwelling sportive lemur with suitable sleeping sites as defendable resources. Am. J. Primatol. 70:247–253, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular simulation of structure and loading‐drug character of poly(propylene‐co‐γ‐butyrolactone carbonate)
Authors: Lu Lingbin , Liu Suqin , Huang Kelong
Published: September 2007

Based on COMPASS forcefield, the relationship between microstructure and macroscopic properties of poly(propylene‐co‐γ‐butyrolactone carbonate) (PPCG) was investigated by “Materials Studio” simulation soft successfully for the first time. The results of simulation showed that the molecular chain of PPCG was flexible. Degradable carbonic and carboxylic ester groups were distributed outside the PPCG cell. Furthermore, the structure of microphase separation was observed in PPCG cell. The “Materials Studio” also simulated and calculated the reciprocity between PPCG and caffeine molecule. It was further found that the caffeine molecule was selectively distributed among the segment of carbon dioxide (CO2) rather than the segment of γ‐butyrolactone (GBL). So the microphase separation structure of PPCG can be applied to the self‐assembly of drug molecule. And the conclusion offered a theoretical basis for the self‐assembly behavior of drug molecule. In a word, the results of molecular simulation not only verified the experimental conclusions, but also showed a clear description of the relationships between molecular structure and macroscopic properties of PPCG. Moreover, it offered a reference for studying the reciprocity between carrier and drug molecule further. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008
Preparation of poly(ether sulfone) nanofibers by gas‐jet/electrospinning
Authors: Lin Yi , Yao Yongyi , Yang Xiaozhan , Wei Na , Li Xuqing , Gong Ping , Li Ruixia , Wu Dacheng
Published: September 2007

Poly(ether sulfone) (PES) nanofibers were prepared by the gas‐jet/electrospinning of its solutions in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). The gas used in this gas‐jet/electrospinning process was nitrogen. The morphology of the PES nanofibers was investigated with scanning electron microscopy. The process parameters studied in this work included the concentration of the polymer solution, the applied voltage, the tip–collector distance (TCD), the inner diameter of the needle, and the gas flow rate. It was found from experimental results that the average diameter of the electrospun PES fibers depended strongly on these process parameters. A decrease in the polymer concentration in the spinning solutions resulted in the formation of nanofibers with a smaller diameter. The use of an 18 wt % polymer solution yielded PES nanofibers with an average diameter of about 80 nm. However, a morphology of mixed bead fibers was formed when the concentration of PES in DMF was below 20 wt % during gas‐jet/electrospinning. Uniform PES nanofibers with an average diameter of about 200 nm were prepared by this electrospinning with the following optimal process parameters: the concentration of PES in DMF was 25 wt %, the applied voltage was 28.8 kV, the gas flow was 10.0 L/min, the inner diameter of the needle was 0.24 mm, the TCD was 20 cm, and the flow rate was 6.0 mL/h. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008
Thermal properties of extruded/injection‐molded poly(lactic acid) and biobased composites
Authors: Mohamed Abdellatif A. , Finkenstadt V. L. , Palmquist D. E.
Published: September 2007

To determine the degree of compatibility between poly(lactic acid) and different biomaterials (fibers), poly(lactic acid) was compounded with sugar beet pulp and apple fibers. The fibers were added in 85 : 15 and 70 : 30 poly(lactic acid)/fiber ratios. The composites were blended by extrusion followed by injection molding. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were used to analyze the extruded and extruded/injection‐molded composites. After melting in sealed differential scanning calorimetry pans, the composites were cooled through immersion in liquid nitrogen and aged (stored) at room temperature for 0, 7, 15, and 30 days. After storage, the samples were heated from 25 to 180°C at 10°C/min. The neat poly(lactic acid) showed a glass‐transition transition at 59°C with a change in heat capacity (ΔCp) value of 0.464. The glass transition was followed by crystallization and melting transitions. The enthalpic relaxation of the poly(lactic acid) and composites steadily increased as a function of the storage time. Although the presence of fibers had little effect on the enthalpic relaxation, injection molding reduced the enthalpic relaxation. The crystallinity percentage of the unprocessed neat poly(lactic acid) dropped by 95% after extrusion and by 80% for the extruded/injection‐molded composites. The degradation was performed in air and nitrogen environments. The degradation activation energy of neat poly(lactic acid) exhibited a significant drop in the nitrogen environment, although it increased in air. This meant that the poly(lactic acid) was more resistant to degradation in the presence of oxygen. Overall, injection molding appeared to reduce the activation energy for all the composites. Sugar beet pulp significantly reduced the activation energy in a nitrogen environment. In an air environment, both sugar beet pulp and apple fibers increased the activation energy. The enzymatic degradation of the composites showed a higher degradation rate for the extruded samples versus the extruded/injection‐molded composites, whereas the apple composites exhibited higher weight loss. The thermogravimetric analysis data showed that the degradation of unprocessed and extruded neat poly(lactic acid) followed a one‐step mechanism, whereas extruded/injection‐molded composites showed two‐step degradation. A higher fiber content resulted in up to three‐step degradation mechanisms. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008
Preparation and adsorption behavior of a cellulose‐based, mixed‐mode adsorbent with a benzylamine ligand for expanded bed applications
Authors: Gao Dong , Yao Shan‐Jing , Lin Dong‐Qiang
Published: September 2007

A novel mixed‐mode expanded bed adsorbent with anion‐exchange properties was explored with benzylamine as the functional ligand. The cellulose composite matrix, densified with stainless steel powder, was prepared with the method of water‐in‐oil suspension thermal regeneration. High activation levels of the cellulose matrix were obtained with allyl bromide because of the relative inertness of the allyl group under the conditions of the activation reaction. After the formation of the bromohydrin with N‐bromosuccinimide and coupling with benzylamine, the activated matrix was derived to function as a mixed‐mode adsorbent containing both hydrophobic and ionic groups. The protein adsorption capacity was investigated with bovine serum albumin as a model protein. The results indicated that the prepared adsorbent could bind bovine serum albumin with a high adsorption capacity, and it showed salt tolerance. Effective desorption was achieved by a pH adjustment across the isoelectric point of the protein. The interactions between the cell and adsorbent were studied, and the bioadhesion was shielded by the adjustment of the salt concentration above 0.1M. Stable fluidization in the expanded bed was obtained even in a 2% (dry weight) yeast suspension. The direct capture of target proteins from a biomass‐containing feedstock without extra dilution steps could be expected with the mixed‐mode adsorbent prepared in this work, and this would be especially appropriate for expanded bed adsorption applications. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Preparation and characterization of proton‐conducting crosslinked diblock copolymer membranes
Authors: Lee Do Kyoung , Kim Yong Woo , Choi Jin Kyu , Min Byoung Ryul , Kim Jong Hak
Published: September 2007

The synthesis and properties of crosslinked diblock copolymers for use as proton‐conducting membranes are presented. A polystyrene‐b‐poly(hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate) diblock copolymer at 56 : 44 wt % was sequentially synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization. The poly(hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) block was thermally crosslinked by sulfosuccinic acid (SA) via the esterification reaction between OH of PHEMA and COOH of SA. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transfer infrared spectra revealed the successful synthesis of the diblock copolymer and the crosslinking reaction under the thermal condition of 120°C for 1 h. The ion‐exchange capacity continuously increased from 0.25 to 0.98 mequiv/g with increasing SA concentration because of the increasing number of charged groups in the membrane. However, the water uptake increased up to an SA concentration of 7.6 wt %, above which it decreased monotonically (maximum water uptake ∼ 27.6%). The membrane also exhibited a maximum proton conductivity of 0.045 S/cm at an SA concentration of 15.2 wt %. The maximum behavior of the water uptake and proton conductivity with respect to the SA concentration was considered to be due to a competitive effect between the increase of ionic sites and the crosslinking reaction according to the SA concentration. All the membranes were thermally quite stable at least up to 250°C, presumably because of the block‐copolymer‐based, crosslinked structure of the membranes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008
Electrooptic studies on polymer‐dispersed liquid‐crystal composite films. III. Poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐butyl acrylate)/E7 and poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐butyl acrylate)/E8 composites
Authors: Kalkar A. K. , Kunte V. V. , Bhamare S. A.
Published: September 2007

Composite films composed of poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐butyl acrylate) (PMMABA) and nematic‐type liquid crystals E7 and E8 (commercial products from E. Merck, Darmstadt, Germany) were prepared through solvent casting in chloroform. The morphology and electrooptic responses were studied. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the liquid‐crystal phase (E7 or E8), as larger, elongated, interconnected cavities, was continuously embedded in a spongelike PMMABA matrix. At a specific level of the liquid‐crystal (E7 or E8) loading (30/70 wt %), the effects of the voltage, temperature, and frequency of an applied alternating‐current electric field on the transmittance of the composite films were measured with a He–Ne laser (wavelength = 632.8 nm). The results were interpreted in terms of the aggregation structure, interfacial interaction, and solubility of the liquid crystal in the matrix polymer. The results indicated that, under these experimental conditions, the output could be controlled to a desired level by the selection of suitable liquid crystals to prepare polymer‐dispersed liquid‐crystal, electrooptic, active composite films with a response time of the order of only milliseconds or less. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008
Data mining of search engine logs
Authors: Whittle Martin , Eaglestone Barry , Ford Nigel , Gillet Valerie J. , Madden Andrew
Published: September 2007

This article reports on the development of a novel method for the analysis of Web logs. The method uses techniques that look for similarities between queries and identify sequences of “query transformation”. It allows sequences of query transformations to be represented as graphical networks, thereby giving a richer view of search behavior than is possible with the usual sequential descriptions. We also perform a basic analysis to study the correlations between observed transformation codes, with results that appear to show evidence of behavior habits. The method was developed using transaction logs from the Excite search engine to provide a tool for an ongoing research project that is endeavoring to develop a greater understanding of Web‐based searching by the general public.
Continuous wave and simulated GSM exposure at 1.8 W/kg and 1.8 GHz do not induce hsp16‐1 heat‐shock gene expression in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Dawe Adam S. , Nylund Reetta , Leszczynski Dariusz , Kuster Niels , Reader Tom , De Pomerai David I.
Published: September 2007

Recent data suggest that there might be a subtle thermal explanation for the apparent induction by radiofrequency (RF) radiation of transgene expression from a small heat‐shock protein (hsp16‐1) promoter in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. The RF fields used in the C. elegans study were much weaker (SAR 5–40 mW kg−1) than those routinely tested in many other published studies (SAR ∼2 W kg−1). To resolve this disparity, we have exposed the same transgenic hsp16‐1::lacZ strain of C. elegans (PC72) to higher intensity RF fields (1.8 GHz; SAR ∼1.8 W kg−1). For both continuous wave (CW) and Talk‐pulsed RF exposures (2.5 h at 25 °C), there was no indication that RF exposure could induce reporter expression above sham control levels. Thus, at much higher induced RF field strength (close to the maximum permitted exposure from a mobile telephone handset), this particular nematode heat‐shock gene is not up‐regulated. However, under conditions where background reporter expression was moderately elevated in the sham controls (perhaps as a result of some unknown co‐stressor), we found some evidence that reporter expression may be reduced by ∼15% following exposure to either Talk‐pulsed or CW RF fields. Bioelectromagnetics 29:92–99, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Use of Merrifield solid phase peptide synthesis in investigations of biological deamidation of peptides and proteins
Authors: Robinson Noah E. , Robinson Arthur B.
Published: September 2007

Merrifield solid phase peptide synthesis has been the principle research procedure used in the study of the chemistry and biological use of deamidation of asparaginyl and glutaminyl residues in peptides and proteins during the past 40 years. During the initial years of investigation, it permitted the qualitative demonstration that primary, secondary, and tertiary structure‐determined deamidation half‐times vary over a wide range under biological conditions and the discovery of two biological systems in which deamidations serve as molecular clocks. More recently, it has made possible such a thorough quantitative understanding of the structural dependence of deamidation that the deamidation rates of asparaginyl residues in proteins can be predicted from protein three‐dimensional structures with a high degree of reliability. This, in turn, has led to the discovery that amide residues serve as molecular clocks in many biological systems and the demonstration of additional examples. In these investigations, Professor R. B. Merrifield contributed his techniques, time, and laboratory resources, both in personally teaching his methods to the principle investigators and in making available his laboratory in which more than 900 peptides were synthesized for this work. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 90: 297–306, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Prospective cohort comparison of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy versus chemotherapy in patients with oesophageal cancer
Authors: Morgan M A , Lewis W G , Crosby T D L , Escofet X , Roberts S A , Brewster A E , Harvard T J , Clark G W B
Published: September 2007

Background

Chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy are common neoadjuvant treatments for resectable T3 N0–1 M0 oesophageal carcinoma. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of these therapies in consecutive cohorts of patients.

Methods

Between January 1998 and December 2001, 88 patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (two cycles of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), prior to 45 Gy in 25 F concurrent radiotherapy with cisplatin and 5-FU). From 2002, 117 patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (76 patients had two cycles of cisplatin and 41 had four cycles of epirubicin, cisplatin and 5-FU). The primary outcome measure was survival, and analysis was by intention to treat.

Results

Postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 56 per cent (40 patients) and 10 per cent (seven patients) respectively in the chemoradiotherapy group, compared with 47 per cent (46 patients) and 1 per cent (one patient) in the chemotherapy group (P = 0·008). The cumulative 5-year survival rate by intention to treat was 35 per cent after chemoradiotherapy versus 21 per cent after chemotherapy (P = 0·188). The cumulative corrected 5-year survival rate after completed treatment was 44 per cent for chemoradiotherapy compared with 25 per cent for chemotherapy (P = 0·032).

Conclusion

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy should remain an option for patients with satisfactory performance status.
Outcome of elderly patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST‐elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Wenaweser Peter , Ramser Marianne , Windecker Stephan , Lütolf Indira , Meier Bernhard , Seiler Christian , Eberli Franz R. , Hess Otto M.
Published: September 2007

Aim:

To investigate the outcome of primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in elderly patients (≥≥75 years) with ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods and Results:

Between 1995 and 2003, a total of 319 consecutive patients with acute ST‐elevation myocardial infarction presenting within 6–12 hr after onset of symptoms were prospectively enrolled in a registry. Of 296 patients undergoing primary PCI, 40 patients were ≥≥75 years old (group A) and 256 patients younger than 75 years (group B). Elderly patients presented with a lower ejection fraction (49 ± 14% vs. 53 ± 13%, P = 0.046) and a higher number of cardiovascular risk factors. PCI success was achieved in 80% (group A) and 91% (group B, P = 0.031), respectively with comparable door‐to‐balloon times (87 ± 49 and 95 ± 79 min, P = ns). Periprocedural complications in both groups were low and major adverse cardiac events (death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization and cardiac rehospitalization) after 6 months amounted to 23% (group A) and 20% (group B, P = ns), respectively.

Conclusions:

Clinical outcome of elderly patients (≥≥75 years) with acute STEMI is favorable and comparable with the middle‐aged population. However, procedural success was significantly lower in elderly (80%) compared to younger patients (90%). Acute percutaneous coronary intervention appears to be safe and not associated with higher periprocedural complications, in elderly patients. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The effect of drug eluting stents on cardiovascular events in patients with intermediate lesions and borderline fractional flow reserve
Authors: Lavi Shahar , Rihal Charanjit S. , Yang Eric H. , Fassa Amir‐Ali , Elesber Ahmad , Lennon Ryan J. , Mathew Verghese , David Holmes R. , Lerman Amir
Published: September 2007

Objective:

To assess the role of fractional flow reserve (FFR) in guiding therapy in the drug eluting stent (DES) era.

Background:

FFR is a useful index for evaluation of the physiological significance of angiographically indeterminate coronary artery lesions. However, its role in the DES era is unknown.

Methods:

Long term outcome of 281 patients with angiographically indeterminate coronary lesions and borderline FFR (0.75 ≤ FFR < 0.9) was obtained. The outcome of patients who had a DES placed (n = 58), was compared with that of consecutive patients with borderline FFR that were treated by PCI with bare metal stents (BMS, n = 58), or were deferred from revascularization (n = 165).

Results:

FFR was significantly higher in the deferred group (median and IQR); 0.85 (0.82 to 0.88) compared with the BMS (0.78; 0.76 to 0.82) and the DES (0.79; 0.77 to 0.82), P < 0.001. Pretreatment FFR was a significant determinant of long term event rates in the deferred patients (P = 0.002) but had no effect in patients treated by PCI. In the deferred group, there were fewer events (death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization) compared with the BMS group; but no significant difference was observed between the DES and the deferred groups.

Conclusions:

In borderline FFR, long term outcome after PCI with BMS is inferior to conservative therapy or PCI with DES. While conservative management is preferable in these patients, PCI with DES may be considered in specific circumstances. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Blunt atrial transseptal puncture using excimer laser in swine
Authors: Elagha Abdalla A. , Kim Ann H. , Kocaturk Ozgur , Lederman Robert J.
Published: September 2007

Objectives: We describe a new approach that may enhance safety of atrial transseptal puncture using a commercially available laser catheter that is capable of perforation only when energized. We test this approach in swine. Background: Despite wide application, conventional needle transseptal puncture continues to risk inadvertent nontarget perforation and its consequences. Methods: We used a commercial excimer laser catheter (0.9‐mm Clirpath, Spectranetics). Perforation force was compared in vitro with a conventional Brockenbrough needle. Eight swine underwent laser transseptal puncture under X‐ray fluoroscopy steered using a variety of delivery catheters. Results: The 0.9‐mm laser catheter traversed in vitro targets with reduced force compared with a Brockenbrough needle. In vitro, the laser catheter created holes that were 25–30% larger than the Brockenbrough needle. Laser puncture of the atrial septum was successful and accurate in all animals, evidenced by oximetry, pressure, angiography, and necropsy. The laser catheter was steered effectively using a modified Mullins introducer sheath and using two different deflectable guiding catheters. The mean procedure time was 15 ± 6 min, with an average 3.0 ± 0.8 sec of laser activation. There were no adverse sequelae after prolonged observation. Necropsy revealed discrete 0.9‐mm holes in all septae. Conclusion: Laser puncture of the interatrial septum is feasible and safe in swine, using a blunt laser catheter that perforates tissues in a controlled fashion. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.