bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whither Palestine-Israel? Political Reflections on Citizenship, Bi-Nationalism and the One-State Solution
Authors: Davis Uri
Published: February 2009

Since the dismantlement of the Ottoman Empire in the wake of WWI and the Lausanne Peace Treaty signed in 1923, much of the debate on Palestine was framed between the two polarities of a ‘One-State Solution’ versus a ‘Two-State Solution’. This paper suggest that, given the hybrid international legal considerations pertaining to the question of Palestine, taking the values of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, standards of international law, and all UN resolutions relevant to the question of Palestine as a point of departure frames the debate in an applied international legal context that usefully reconciles the said two polarities into a synthetic whole of one federated or confederated state incorporating three bi-national components: an ‘Arab state’, a ‘Jewish state’, and the City of Jerusalem as corpus separatum, thereby reconciling both the rights of the Palestinian Arab people for national self-determination and their rights as the indigenous people of the country.
British Communists and the Palestine Conflict, 1929–1948
Authors: Kelemen Paul
Published: February 2009

During the 1930s and 1940s, the Communist Party of Great Britain was a significant force in Britain on the left-wing of the labour movement and among intellectuals, despite its relatively small membership. The narrative it provided on developments in Palestine and on the Arab nationalist movements contested Zionist accounts. After the 1941 German attack on the Soviet Union, the party, to gain the support of the Jewish community for a broad anti-fascist alliance, toned down its criticism of Zionism and, in the immediate post-war period, to accord with the Soviet Union's strategic objectives in the Middle East, it reversed its earlier opposition to Zionism. During the 1948 war and for some years thereafter it largely ignored the plight of the Palestinians and their nationalist aspirations.
Imperialism and Evangelisation: Scottish Missionary Methods in Late 19th and Early 20th Century Palestine
Authors: Marten Michael
Published: February 2009

The article examines Scottish missionary methods in Palestine from the 1880s until World War One. Missionary activity in this context was aimed primarily at the conversion of Jews to (Protestant) Christianity. The methods employed consisted primarily of direct confrontation, provision of education, and the off ering of medical facilities. The article looks at how and why these approaches were taken and the general ineff ectiveness of each method in producing converts. The article also outlines the reaction of local populations and concludes by describing some of the consequences of the Scots' missionary efforts.
Brief communication: Plio‐Pleistocene eagle predation on fossil cercopithecids from the Humpata Plateau, southern Angola
Authors: Gilbert Christopher C. , McGraw W. Scott , Delson Eric
Published: February 2009

Recent studies suggest a large raptor such as the crowned eagle (Stephanaoetus coronatus) was responsible for collecting at least a portion of the primate fauna from the South African fossil site of Taung, including its lone hominin specimen. This taphonomic signature at Taung is currently regarded as a unique and, most likely, isolated case in primate and human evolution. However, the activities of large, carnivorous birds should also be detectable at other primate fossil localities in Africa if raptors have been a strong selective force throughout primate evolution. Over the last 60 years, a collection of extinct cercopithecids has been assembled from several cave breccias on the Humpata Plateau in southern Angola. The material, dated near the Plio‐Pleistocene boundary, includes an assortment of craniodental and postcranial remains variably assigned to Papio (Dinopithecus) cf. quadratirostris, Parapapio, Cercopithecoides, and Theropithecus. We compare the Angolan and Taung material to remains of extant primates killed by crowned eagles in the Ivory Coast's Tai National Park. Our analysis indicates that the size distribution and composition of fauna from the localities is quite similar and that there are striking consistencies in damage to the crania from each site. The absence of large bodied (>20 kg) primates and other mammalian taxa at the Taung hominin locality and Tai, and their rarity in Angola, combined with the strong likelihood that raptor nests were positioned near fissure openings at both fossil localities, provides additional support for eagle involvement. On the basis of this evidence, we conclude that at least some of the Angolan cercopithecids were most likely raptor prey and hypothesize that raptor predation has been a strong and perhaps underappreciated selective force during the course of primate evolution. Am J Phys Anthropol 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synthesis and properties of fluorinated bis‐benzocyclobutene‐terminated arylene ether monomers
Authors: Zuo Xiaobiao , Zhao Xiaojuan , Liu Biao , Yang Shiyong , Fan Lin
Published: February 2009

Four novel bis‐benzocyclobutene‐endcapped arylene ether monomers, 1,1′‐bis[4‐(4′‐benzocyclobutenyloxy)phenyl]‐1‐phenyl‐2,2,2‐trifluoroethane (BOPP3FE), 1,1′‐bis[4‐(4′‐benzocyclobutenyloxy)phenyl]‐1‐(3′,5′‐ditrifluoromethyl)phenyl‐2,2,2‐trifluoroethane(BOPP9FE), 2,2′‐bis[4‐(4′‐benzocyclobutenyloxy)phenyl]‐1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexfluoropropane (BOP6FP), and 2,2′‐bis[4‐(4′‐benzocyclobutenyloxy)phenyl]‐propane (BOPP) were prepared and characterized. All the four monomers showed similar curing behaviors under N2 (Differential scanning calorimetry: extrapolated onset and peak temperatures at 225–229°C and 261–263°C) and demonstrated low and steady melt viscosities between 110 and 200°C, indicating their good processability. After cure, the resulting BCB resins exhibited high Tg (232–282°C) and excellent thermal stability (T5% > 433°C). The resins also showed good mechanical properties with the flexural strengths of 68–88 MPa and the flexural modulus of 2.52–3.15 GPa. Moreover, the resins also exhibited low dielectric constants (2.58–2.88), low dissipation factors (2.7 to 8.4 × 10−4) and low water absorptions in boiling water for 24 h (0.29–0.59%). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Preparation and properties of nanocomposites based on different polarities of nitrile–butadiene rubber with clay
Authors: Liang Yu‐Rong , Cao Wei‐Liang , Zhang Xiao‐Bin , Tan Ying‐Jie , He Shao‐Jian , Zhang Li‐Qun
Published: February 2009

Nanocomposites were prepared with different grades of nitrile–butadiene rubber (NBR) [with nitrile (CN) contents of 26, 35, and 42%] with organoclay (OC) by a melt‐compounding process. The rubber/clay nanocomposites were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). An increase in the polarity of NBR affected the XRD results significantly. The dispersion level of the nanofiller in the nanocomposites was determined by a function of the polarity of the rubber, the structure of the clay, and their mutual interaction. The intercalated structure and unintercalated structure coexisted in the lower polar of NBR. In addition, a relatively uniformly dispersed state corresponded to a more intercalated structure, which existed in the higher polar of NBR matrix. Furthermore, high‐pressure vulcanization changed the extent of intercalation. The mechanical properties and gas barrier properties were studied for all of the compositions. As a result, an improvement in the mechanical properties was observed along with the higher polarity of NBR. This improvement was attributed to a strong interaction of hydrogen bonding between the CN of NBR and the OH of the clay. Changes in the gas barrier properties, together with changes in the polarity of the rubbers, were explained with the help of the XRD and TEM results. The higher the CN content of the rubber was, the more easily the OC approached to the nanoscale, and the higher the gas barrier properties were. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Effect of an allyl pretreatment of starch on the grafting efficiency and properties of allyl starch‐g‐poly(acrylic acid)
Authors: Zhu Zhifeng , Li Manli , Jin Enqi
Published: February 2009

Starch was pretreated with allyl etherification to enhance the grafting efficiency of the copolymerization of granular starch with acrylic acid and to improve the properties of starch‐g‐poly(acrylic acid) used as a warp sizing agent. The graft copolymerization was carried out in an aqueous dispersion with ferrous ammonium sulfate and hydrogen peroxide as initiators. Through the introduction of allyl groups into starch before the copolymerization, the grafting efficiency could evidently be enhanced, and properties such as fiber adhesion and film behaviors of the copolymer were improved. The pretreatment was capable of enhancing the grafting efficiency by about 10–20% when the degree of substitution of allyl starch ranged from 0.011 to 0.037. The adhesion and film behaviors also depended on the modification extent of the starch pretreatment and on the grafting ratio of the copolymer. The adhesion reached a maximum at a degree of substitution of 0.025, and the film behaviors were best when the degree of substitution ranged from 0.011 to 0.025. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Guided tissue regeneration with use of β‐TCP/chitosan composite membrane
Authors: Kuo Shyh Ming , Chang Shwu Jen , Cheng‐Chie Niu Gregory , Lan Cheng‐Wen , Cheng Wen Tai , Yang Chen Zen
Published: February 2009

Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) membranes with bioabsorbable characteristics have been employed, in recent years, for periodontal procedures to deflect the growth of gingival tissues away from root surface. They provide an isolated space over regions with defective tissues and allow the relatively slow growing periodontal ligament fibroblasts to be repopulated over the root surface. In this study, we have employed chitosan and tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP) as viable membrane materials and evaluated their roles in GTR applications. Three types of β‐TCP/chitosan membranes, weight ratio of β‐TCP/chitosan 65 : 35, 33 : 67, and 10 : 90, were prepared for three categories: the mechanical strength to create an effective space; the rapid rate to reach hydrolytic equilibrium in phosphate buffer solution; and the ease of clinical manipulations. Consequently, standardized, transosseous, and critical‐sized (cavity of 8 mm) skull defects were made in adult rabbits, and the defective regions were covered with the specifically prepared chitosan membranes. After 4 weeks of recovering, varying degrees of bone healing were observed beneath the β‐TCP/chitosan membranes in comparison to the control group. The β‐TCP/chitosan membranes covered regions showed a clear boundary space between connective tissues and bony tissues. Over all, good cell‐occlusion and beneficial osteogensis effects by these bioabsorbable materials toward the wound recovery were indicated. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Plasticized properties of poly (lactic acid) and triacetine blends
Authors: Yeh Jen‐taut , Huang Chi‐yuan , Chai Wan‐lan , Chen Kan‐nan
Published: February 2009

Systematically investigations of the plasticizing effects of triacetine (TAc) on crystallization, chain mobility, microstructure, and tensile properties of the Poly (lactic acid)/triacetine (PLA/TAc) blends are reported. A new transition hump was observed on the tan δ curve of PLAxTAcy specimens at temperatures ranging from −80 to −20°C. Thermal, wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) and dynamic mechanical analysis properties of PLA and PLAxTAcy series specimens suggest that PLA and PLAxTAcy series specimens can hardly crystallize by cooling the melt in room temperature. However, significant recrystallization of α form PLA crystals was found during the annealing processes of PLAxTAcy series specimens. Some “less perfect” β form PLA crystals were found as the TAc contents of PLAxTAcy specimens reach 30 wt %. Further morphological analysis show that the inherent brittle deformation behavior of the PLA specimen was successfully transformed into relatively ductile fracture behavior after blending sufficient but optimum amounts of TAc in PLA resins. Possible reasons accounting for this interesting recrystallization, thermal, microstructure and tensile properties of PLAxTAcy specimens are proposed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Effect of clay dispersion on the rheological properties and flammability of polyurethane‐clay nanocomposite elastomers
Authors: Berta M. , Saiani A. , Lindsay C. , Gunaratne R.
Published: February 2009

Polyurethane‐clay nanocomposite elastomers were synthesized using polyol‐clay blends with different levels of dispersion, which affected the final elastomer microstructure. A PU‐clay microcomposite elastomer containing partially dispersed clay showed poorer mechanical and similar fire properties to the unmodified polyurethane. More complete dispersion of the clay into the polyol led to an exfoliated structure in the final elastomer. This showed a higher modulus and kept a viscoelastic behavior to higher temperature than the pristine PU. The enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties in the nanocomposite elastomer can be attributed to the degree of clay exfoliation, and this also prevented dripping during the UL 94 fire test. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Cure kinetics of ternary blends of epoxy resins studied by nonisothermal DSC data
Authors: Tripathi Garima , Srivastava Deepak
Published: February 2009

The curing kinetics of blends of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), cycloaliphatic epoxy resins, and carboxyl‐terminated butadiene‐acrylonitrile random copolymer (CTBN) in presence of 4,4′‐diamino diphenyl sulfone (DDS) as the curing agent was studied by nonisothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique at different heating rates. The kinetic parameters of the curing process were determined by isoconversional method given by Malek for the kinetic analysis of the data obtained by the thermal treatment. A two‐parameter (m, n) autocatalytic model (Sestak‐Berggren equation) was found to be the most adequate selected to describe the cure kinetics of the studied epoxy resins. The values of Ea were found to be 88.6 kJ mol−1 and 61.6 kJ mol−1, respectively, for the studied two sample series. Nonisothermal DSC curves obtained using the experimental data show a good agreement with that theoretically calculated. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Effects of microcrystallinity and morphology on physical aging and its associated effects on tensile mechanical and environmental stress cracking properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Zhou Hongxia , Lofgren Elizabeth A. , Jabarin Saleh A.
Published: February 2009

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) samples with volume fraction levels of crystallinity up to 27% have been evaluated in terms of physical aging, tensile mechanical properties, and environmental stress cracking failures. Specific enthalpy recovery values were found to correspond with transitions from ductile to brittle modes of tensile mechanical failures, exhibited by samples with each level of crystallinity. For samples exposed to aging temperatures from 45 to 60°C, these critical enthalpies decrease linearly with increased crystallinity. The environmental stress cracking behavior of semicrystalline PET was found to depend on both crystallinity levels and physical aging. Samples with higher levels of crystallinity undergo stress cracking failures at lower critical stresses than their less crystalline counterparts. Physical aging, before environmental stress cracking exposure, further decreases these critical stress values and leads to much shorter critical times for failures. It has been shown that the interspherulitic amorphous portion of the material is primarily responsible for the differences in tensile mechanical and environmental stress cracking behaviors, observed as a result of aging and exposure. This amorphous region becomes progressively more restricted with increasing crystallinity as well as with increased aging. It, therefore, requires shorter exposure times to exhibit brittle tensile mechanical failure and environmental stress cracking rupture. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Side‐chain free aromatic polyimides containing anthracene units via Diels‐Alder precursors
Authors: Shah Saral , Tian Ruhai , Shi Zheng , Liao Yi
Published: February 2009

Side‐chain free aromatic polyimides are expected to possess extraordinary mechanical properties and stability because of strong primary and secondary bonding forces. However, their low solubility makes it difficult to characterize, process, and obtain high molecular weight polymers. We have prepared highly stable thin films of side‐chain free aromatic polyimides from soluble Diels–Alder (DA) precursors. Heating the films of the precursors above 215°C induced retro‐DA reaction, which converted the precursors to the fully aromatic polyimides. The solid‐state retro‐DA reactions were monitored by attenuated total reflection Fourier transformed infrared (ATR‐FTIR) and UV‐Vis spectrometry. A critical issue for utilizing precursor chemistry in polymer synthesis is that it may result in porous and/or deformed materials. In this work, profilometry and atomic force microscope (AFM) were applied to study the surface and volume change. Our results showed that smooth and pin‐hole free films were obtained after the thermal treatment, while the volume decreased with a percentage close to the weight loss caused by the retro‐DA reaction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Miscibility enhancement of PP/PBT blends with a side‐chain liquid crystalline ionomer
Authors: Sun Qiu‐ju , Zhang Bao‐Yan , Yao Dan‐Shu , Yu Li , Jiang Zhong‐Li
Published: February 2009

Side‐chain liquid crystalline ionomer (SLCI) containing sulfonic acid groups with a polymethylhydrosiloxane main‐chain was used in the blends of polypropylene (PP) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) as a compatibilizer. The crystalline behavior, morphological, and mechanical properties of the blends were investigated in detail by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscope (POM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Revealed by the shift of Tm in DSC thermogram and the shift of the absorbed peak in FTIR spectra, specific interaction led to stronger interfacial adhesion between these phases, which resulted in much finer dispersion of the minor PBT phase in PP matrix. The SLCI containing sulfonate acid groups acted as physical crosslinking agent along the interface, which compatibilized PP/PBT blends. The mechanical property of the blends including 4 wt % SLCI contents was better than that of other SLCI contents in the blends. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Mechanical and rheological properties of PP/SEBS/OMMT ternary composites
Authors: Su Feng‐Hua , Huang Han‐Xiong
Published: February 2009

The microstructure and mechanical properties of polypropylene (PP)/OMMT binary nanocomposites and PP/styrene‐6‐(ethylene‐co‐butylenes)‐6‐styrene triblock copolymer (SEBS)/OMMT ternary nanocomposites were investigated using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and rheology and electromechanical testing machine. The results show that the organoclay layers are mainly intercalated and partially exfoliated in the PP‐based nanocomposites. The additions of SEBS and OMMT have no significant effect on the crystallization behavior of PP. At the same time, it can be concluded that the polymer chains of PP and SEBS have intercalated into the organoclay layers and increase the gallery distance after blending process based on the analytical results from TEM, XRD, and rheology, which result in the form of a percolated nanostructure in the PP‐based nanocomposites. The results of mechanical properties show that SEBS filler greatly improve the notched impact strength of PP, but with the sacrifice of strength and stiffness. OMMT can improve the strength and stiffness of PP and slightly enhance the notched impact strength of PP/PP‐g‐MA. In comparison with neat PP, PP/OMMT, and PP/SEBS binary composites, notched impact toughness of the PP/SEBS/OMMT ternary composites significantly increase. Moreover, the stiffness and strength of PP/SEBS/OMMT ternary nanocomposites are slightly enhanced when compared with neat PP. It is believed that the synergistic effect of both SEBS elastomer and OMMT nanoparticles account for the balanced mechanical performance of the ternary nanocomposites. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Autophotosensitive negative polyimide
Authors: Wang Rui , Jiang Xuesong , Yin Jie
Published: February 2009

A novel autophotosensitive polyimide (APSPI) was synthesized through introducing benzophenone (BP) moiety into the backbone chain and acrylate group into side chain of PI. The BP moiety can generate active radicals, which can initiate acrylate group to form crosslinked network. The study of photosensitive properties revealed its good photolithographic properties, with a resolution about 12 μm and a sensitivity of 330 mJ/cm2. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Synthesis and characterization of cholic acid‐containing biodegradable hydrogels by photoinduced copolymerization
Authors: Hao Jin‐Qing , Li Hong , Woo Hee‐Gweon
Published: February 2009

A cholic acid (CA)‐containing biodegradable hydrogel (PLA‐PEG‐PLA‐co‐MACAH) was synthesized from the photoinduced copolymerization of a CA‐modified methacrylate monomer (MACAH), bearing a spacer of hexane‐1,6‐diol spacer between the methacryloyl and the cholanoate moieties, and a macromonomer (PLA‐PEG‐PLA‐DA), bearing two acryloyl end groups derived from a poly(lactic acid)‐b‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly(lactic acid) triblock copolymer. The structure of MACAH was confirmed by FTIR, 1H‐NMR, and MS. The hydrogel PLA‐PEG‐PLA‐co‐MACAH was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. The experiment results showed that the swelling ratios of the hydrogels decreased with the increase of the CA fraction. The investigation on the in vitro degradation of the hydrogel showed that the CA‐containing hydrogels degraded much slower than the hydrogels without CA component. The bioactivity of the synthesized hydrogels was assessed by the simulated body fluid method. The observed formation of hydroxyapatite on the scaffold of the hydrogels indicated that the hydrogels possess good bioactivity. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Polymerization of an epoxy resin modified with azobenzene groups monitored by near‐infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Fernández Raquel , Blanco Miren , Galante María J. , Oyanguren Patricia A. , Mondragon Iñaki
Published: February 2009

New photosensitive materials containing photochromic azobenzene moieties were synthesized. For this purpose, an epoxy resin based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) was reacted with an azobenzene chromophore (disperse orange 3, AZ) to satisfactorily synthesize an azo‐modified prepolymer, which was then used to generate series of epoxy‐based polymers containing azo groups. Three different amines were used as hardeners, with the aim of obtaining materials with different chemical structures. Understanding the epoxy resin polymerization kinetics is essential for intelligent processing of materials. Near‐IR (NIR) spectral analysis was used to follow the polymerization kinetics. The quality of the NIR spectra enables concentrations of individual chemical species to be measured in real time. Conversion of epoxy and primary amine groups, as well as the concentration of different groups, as a function of reaction time was therefore calculated by this spectroscopic technique. Samples containing azo units were compared to the pure DGEBA/amine systems. Results showed that the azo‐prepolymer incorporation has an accelerating effect on polymerization rate. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
PVC paste rheology: Study of process dependencies
Authors: Rasteiro M.G. , Tomás A. , Ferreira L. , Figueiredo S.
Published: February 2009

A plastisol is a dispersion (suspension) of fine particles of poly(vinyl chloride) with a plasticizer that is normally applied over a substrate, by spreading or coating, before the gelification and fusion into the final product. Because of the first step, the plastisol rheology study is a very important factor which has to be taken into consideration to determine and fine tune the process conditions.

This work is concerned with the study of the rheology of plastisols from selected PVC samples produced by the emulsion process, correlating it with the particle size distribution and surface characteristics from the polymer's powder and modifications during the plastisol aging process. The results obtained show a significant influence of the original polymer properties in the viscosity aging and viscoelastic behaviour of the plastisol. First, a significant decrease in viscosity can be achieved by changing a particular surfactant during the polymerization step. Second, the type of particle aggregates present in the powder, can determine the evolution of the particle size in the plastisol which, in turn, correlates directly with the observed modifications in the aging and viscoelastic behavior. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
The effect of physical treatments of waste rubber powder on the mechanical properties of the revulcanizate
Authors: Lee Sung Hyo , Hwang Sung Hyuk , Kontopoulou Marianna , Sridhar V. , Zhang Zhen Xiu , Xu Deng , Kim Jin Kuk
Published: February 2009

The diversiform physical treatment processes of waste rubber powder were carried out using grinding process, ozone treatment, and ultrasonic treatment. The effects of these processes on hardness, specific gravity, crosslink, tensile strength, elongation, and dynamic mechanical properties were studied. Also, the morphology and the chain structure changing of waste rubber powder were studied by SEM and XPS, respectively. The ozone/ultrasonic treatment was found to be the most effective treatment to improve the mechanical properties of waste rubber powder revulcanizate. The effect of mechanism may be due to the sulfur crosslinkage network changed to a cyclic form. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Fractional contribution of major ions to the membrane potential of Drosophila melanogaster oocytes
Authors: Munley Susan M. , Kinzeler Sandra , Lizzano Rebecca , Woodruff Richard I.
Published: February 2009

In ovarian follicles of Drosophila melanogaster, ion substitution experiments revealed that K+ is the greatest contributor (68%) in setting oocyte steady‐state potential (Em), while Mg2+ and a metabolic component account for the rest. Because of the intense use made of Drosophila ovarian follicles in many lines of research, it is important to know how changes in the surrounding medium, particularly in major diffusible ions, may affect the physiology of the cells. The contributions made to the Drosophila oocyte membrane potential (Em) by [Na+]o, [K+]o, [Mg2+]o, [Ca2+]o, [Cl−]o, and pH (protons) were determined by substitutions made to the composition of the incubation medium. Only K+ and Mg2+ were found to participate in setting the level of Em. In follicles subjected to changes in external pH from the normal 7.3 to either pH 6 or pH 8, Em changed rapidly by about 6 mV, but within 8 min had returned to the original Em. Approximately half of all follicles exposed to reduced [Cl−]o showed no change in Em, and these all had input resistances of 330 kΩ or greater. The remaining follicles had smaller input resistances, and these first depolarized by about 5 mV. Over several minutes, their input resistances increased and they repolarized to a value more electronegative than their value prior to reduction in [Cl−]o. Together, K+ and Mg2+ accounted for up to 87% of measured steady‐state potential. Treatment with sodium azide, ammonium vanadate, or chilling revealed a metabolically driven component that could account for the remaining 13%. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Measuring the likelihood property of scoring functions in general retrieval models
Authors: Bache Richard , Baillie Mark , Crestani Fabio
Published: February 2009

Although retrieval systems based on probabilistic models will rank the objects (e.g., documents) being retrieved according to the probability of some matching criterion (e.g., relevance), they rarely yield an actual probability, and the scoring function is interpreted to be purely ordinal within a given retrieval task. In this brief communication, it is shown that some scoring functions possess the likelihood property, which means that the scoring function indicates the likelihood of matching when compared to other retrieval tasks, which is potentially more useful than pure ranking although it cannot be interpreted as an actual probability. This property can be detected by using two modified effectiveness measures: entire precision and entire recall.
BMP modulators regulate the function of BMP during body patterning and disease progression
Authors: Yanagita Motoko
Published: February 2009

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are phylogenetically conserved signaling molecules that belong to the transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β superfamily and are involved in the cascades of body patterning and morphogenesis. The activities of BMPs are precisely regulated at various stages, and extracellulary, mainly regulated by certain classes of molecules termed as BMP antagonists and pro‐BMP factors. BMP antagonists inhibit BMP function by prohibiting them from binding their cognate receptors, whereas pro‐BMP factors stimulate BMP function. In this review, the functions of these BMP regulators will be discussed. © 2009 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Role of hydrophobic effect in the salt‐induced dimerization of bovine β‐lactoglobulin at pH 3
Authors: Graziano Giuseppe
Published: February 2009

β‐Lactoglobulin is a dimeric protein around neutral pH, but the monomer becomes the dominant species at pH 3.0 due to strong electrostatic repulsions between the positively charged molecules. It has been found that the addition of salts to water at pH 3.0 favors the dimerization of β‐lactoglobulin. In particular, the dimer is the dominant species at 1M NaCl, 1M GuHCl, and 25 mM NaClO4 [Sakurai, Oobatake, and Goto, Protein Sci 2001, 10, 2325–2335]. The effect of these salt conditions on the strength of hydrophobic interaction has been calculated by means of a simple but physically sound approach. The obtained estimates indicate that: (a) the hydrophobic interaction contribution is strengthened in 1M NaCl and 1M GuHCl with respect to pure water, but not in 25 mM NaClO4; (b) anion binding on the positively charged surface of protein molecules has to be the major factor for the salt‐induced dimerization. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 91: 1182–1188, 2009.

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
Mapping of the Operating Conditions for an Interconnected Fluidized Bed Reactor for CO2 Separation by Chemical Looping Combustion
Authors: Xu M. , Ellis N. , Jim Lim C. , Ryu H.‐J.
Published: February 2009

As a promising way of integrating combustion, CO2 separation, and pollution control with high efficiency and low cost, Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) has gained attention in recent years. A cold model circulating fluidized bed reactor for chemical looping combustion was designed and operated, in which an additional loop was used to transfer back some oxygen carriers to the air reactor directly for continuous oxidation. Operating conditions of the cold model were investigated as the superficial gas velocities in the reactors and seal‐loops were varied. Their effects on the pressure balance and solids circulation rates in two loops were tested. The experimental results provided a detailed mapping of the range of operating conditions and assisted in the understanding of critical variables controlling the operation of the CLC reactor system. The appropriate operating conditions were optimized for developing the reactor model for CLC.
Comprehensive Modeling Tool for Chemical Looping Based Processes
Authors: Bolhàr‐Nordenkampf J. , Pröll T. , Kolbitsch P. , Hofbauer H.
Published: February 2009

A model library has been created to describe gas‐solid reactors for chemical looping combustion (CLC). CLC allows oxidation of a hydrocarbon fuel avoiding direct mixing with combustion air. Metal oxides are used to transport oxygen from one fluidized bed reaction zone to another, undergoing repeated cycles of oxidation and reduction. The equation‐oriented IPSEpro environment is used for implementation. The models are based on conservation of mass and energy and allow calculation of the thermodynamic equilibrium with the thermodynamic data of different metal oxide systems implemented. The model assumptions are made in accordance with operating experience from laboratory installations. The characteristics of the technology are discussed using the presented models for the two fluidized bed reactors. The modeling tool allows investigation of integrated power plant configurations based on CLC technology.
Discrete Particle Simulation Study on the Influence of the Restitution Coefficient on Spout Fluidized‐Bed Dynamics
Authors: van Buijtenen M. S. , Deen N. G. , Heinrich S. , Antonyuk S. , Kuipers J. A. M.
Published: February 2009

Spout fluidized beds find widespread application in the process industry in granulation processes, in which efficient contacting between large particles, droplets and gas is of paramount importance. However, detailed understanding of the complex behavior of these systems is lacking. In this paper, we study the effect of the inter‐particle interaction on the bed dynamics, by investigating the bed dynamics as a function of the restitution coefficient. This is done computationally, with the use of an extended discrete particle model. The examined flow regimes comprise the intermediate/spout‐fluidization regime (B1), the spouting‐with‐aeration regime (B2) and the jet‐in‐fluidized‐bed regime (B3). The pressure drop and the vertical particle velocity are compared to experimental data obtained by Link (Chem. Eng. Sci. 2007, 62, 195). The computed results with en = 0.97 show the same resemblance with the experiments. It is shown that, if the restitution coefficient decreases, more bubbles are present causing more pronounced heterogeneity (instability) in the overall flow structure of the bed, to more or less extent dependent on the flow regime. The particle velocity and root mean square profiles confirm the effect on the stability of the bed and show that the spout channel for cases B1 and B3 becomes unstable when the restitution coefficient decreases. For case B2, a transition occurs from the spouting‐with‐aeration to the intermediate/spout‐fluidization regime at low restitution coefficient. These findings show the great importance of the influence of the restitution coefficient on the dynamics of the bed. During the granulation process, when the particles contain different moisture contents, regions in the bed exist that contain particles with different restitution coefficients. These regions thus experience different dynamics, resulting in varying performance.
Bend propagation in the flagella of migrating human sperm, and its modulation by viscosity
Authors: Smith D. J. , Gaffney E. A. , Gadêlha H. , Kapur N. , Kirkman‐Brown J. C.
Published: February 2009

A pre‐requisite for sexual reproduction is successful unification of the male and female gametes; in externally‐fertilising echinoderms the male gamete is brought into close proximity to the female gamete through chemotaxis, the associated signalling and flagellar beat changes being elegantly characterised in several species. In the human, sperm traverse a relatively high‐viscosity mucus coating the tract surfaces, there being a tantalising possible role for chemotaxis. To understand human sperm migration and guidance, studies must therefore employ similar viscous in vitro environments. High frame rate digital imaging is used for the first time to characterise the flagellar movement of migrating sperm in low and high viscosities. While qualitative features have been reported previously, we show in precise spatial and temporal detail waveform evolution along the flagellum. In low viscosity the flagellum continuously moves out of the focal plane, compromising the measurement of true curvature, nonetheless the presence of torsion can be inferred. In high viscosities curvature can be accurately determined and we show how waves propagate at approximately constant speed. Progressing waves increase in curvature approximately linearly except for a sharper increase over a distance ∼20–27 μm from the head/midpiece junction. Curvature modulation, likely influenced by the outer dense fibres, creates the characteristic waveforms of high viscosity swimming, with remarkably effective cell progression against greatly increased resistance, even in high viscosity liquids. Assessment of motility in physiological viscosities will be essential in future basic research, studies of chemotaxis and novel diagnostics. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Corporate financial performance and corporate social performance: an update and reinvestigation
Authors: Callan Scott J. , Thomas Janet M.
Published: February 2009

For some time, researchers have been investigating the relationship between a firm's corporate financial performance (CFP) and its corporate social performance (CSP). Although most studies indicate that CSP is a determinant of CFP, other aspects of this research have been inconsistent. Some studies are criticized for using unreliable CSP measures; others for missing control variables; and still others for assuming linearity without valid testing. This paper responds to these issues with an updated study of the CSP–CFP relationship, testing two approaches to measuring CSP, controlling for key variables identified in the literature, and testing for nonlinearity of certain independent variables. Chief among our findings is a positive CSP–CFP relationship, which supports proponents of stakeholder theory. We also determine that empirical models specifying two CSP component measures are stronger than those using a fully aggregated measure. Lastly, we find that control variables must be properly specified to avoid bias and that some of these measures are quadratically related to CFP. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Machine vision‐assisted analysis of structure‐localization relationships in a combinatorial library of prospective bioimaging probes
Authors: Shedden Kerby , Li Qian , Liu Fangyi , Chang Young Tae , Rosania Gus R.
Published: February 2009

With a combinatorial library of bioimaging probes, it is now possible to use machine vision to analyze the contribution of different building blocks of the molecules to their cell‐associated visual signals. For this purpose, cell‐permeant, fluorescent styryl molecules were synthesized by condensation of 168 aldehyde with 8 pyridinium/quinolinium building blocks. Images of cells incubated with fluorescent molecules were acquired with a high content screening instrument. Chemical and image feature analysis revealed how variation in one or the other building block of the styryl molecules led to variations in the molecules' visual signals. Across each pair of probes in the library, chemical similarity was significantly associated with spectral and total signal intensity similarity. However, chemical similarity was much less associated with similarity in subcellular probe fluorescence patterns. Quantitative analysis and visual inspection of pairs of images acquired from pairs of styryl isomers confirm that many closely‐related probes exhibit different subcellular localization patterns. Therefore, idiosyncratic interactions between styryl molecules and specific cellular components greatly contribute to the subcellular distribution of the styryl probes' fluorescence signal. These results demonstrate how machine vision and cheminformatics can be combined to analyze the targeting properties of bioimaging probes, using large image data sets acquired with automated screening systems. © 2009 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
α‐Lipoic acid reduces congenital malformations in the offspring of diabetic mice
Authors: Sugimura Y. , Murase T. , Kobayashi K. , Oyama K. , Hayasaka S. , Kanou Y. , Oiso Y. , Murata Y.
Published: February 2009

Background

The mechanism of diabetes‐induced congenital malformation remains to be elucidated. It has been reported that α‐lipoic acid (LA) prevents neural tube defects (NTDs) in offsprings of rats with streptozotocin‐induced diabetes. Here, we evaluate the protective effect of LA against diabetic embryopathy, including NTDs, cardiovascular malformations (CVMs), and skeletal malformations, in mice.

Methods

Female mice were rendered hyperglycemic using streptozotocin and then mated with normal male mouse. Pregnant diabetic or non‐diabetic mice were treated daily with either LA (100 mg/kg body weight) or saline between gestational days 0 and 18. On day 18, fetuses were examined for congenital malformations.

Results

Plasma glucose levels on day 18 were not affected by LA treatment. No congenital malformations were observed either in the saline‐treated or LA‐treated non‐diabetic group. In the saline‐treated diabetic group, 39% of fetuses had external malformations and 30% had NTDs. In the LA‐treated diabetic group, the corresponding proportions were 11 and 8%, respectively. LA treatment also decreased the incidence of CVMs from 30–3% and of skeletal malformations from 29–6%.

Conclusions

We conclude that LA can reduce NTDs, CVMs and skeletal malformations in the offspring of diabetic mice at term delivery. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electrochemical Oxidation of Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite in Sulphuric Acid Solution under Potential Pulse Condition
Authors: Nose M. , Kinumoto T. , Choo H.‐S. , Miyazaki K. , Abe T. , Ogumi Z.
Published: February 2009

We investigated the electrochemical oxidation of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) in sulphuric acid solution under applying alternative potential pulses to elucidate the oxidation mechanism of carbon support of Pt/C catalyst under dynamic operation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). After the potential pulse test between 0.6 and 1.0 V for 15 h, the capacitance of HOPG was increased and pits were found on the oxidised surface. With increase in the lower potential limit to 0.8 V, the increasing rate of capacitance was almost equal to that after holding at 1.0 V for 15 h, which suggests that carbon oxidation reaction could be accelerated in PEFCs by continual variation of the cell voltage. After the potential pulse test between 0.2 and 1.0 V, it was clarified that alcohol and carbonyl groups were accumulated on the surface of HOPG. The oxidation mechanism of HOPG under potential pulse condition was described.
Investigations of Compositions and Performance of PtRuMo/C Ternary Catalysts for Methanol Electrooxidation
Authors: Wang Zhen‐Bo , Zuo Peng‐Jian , Yin Ge‐Ping
Published: February 2009

PtRuMo/C catalyst was prepared by impregnation reduction method and characterised. Comparison is made between a home‐made PtRu/C prepared by similar method and Pt/C (E‐Tek Co., Pt/C‐ET) catalysts. One glassy carbon disc electrode for ternary alloy catalyst was used to evaluate the catalytic performances by cyclic voltammetric, chronoamperometric, amperometric i–t curves, and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS). The electrochemical measurement results indicated that the performance of PtRuMo/C with a molar ratio of 6:3:1 was the highest among 15 PtxRuyMo10–x–y/C catalysts with different molar ratios. The composition, particle size, lattice parameter and morphology of the PtRuMo(6:3:1)/C catalyst were determined by means of X‐ray energy dispersive analysis, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron micrographs (TEM). The result of XRD analysis exhibits that PtRuMo(6:3:1)/C has the fcc structure with the smaller lattice parameter than the home‐made PtRu/C and Pt/C‐ET. Its typical particle sizes is only about 5 nm. With respect to the catalytic activity and stability, the PtRuMo(6:3:1)/C catalyst is superior to PtRu/C despite their comparable active areas. Though the electrochemically active surface area of Pt/C‐ET is the biggest, its performance is the lowest. EIS results also indicate that the reaction resistances for methanol electrooxidation on the PtRuMo(6:3:1)/C catalyst are smaller than those of PtRu/C at different polarisation potentials.
Proton Conducting Hybrid Membranes Based on Aromatic Polymers Blends for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Applications
Authors: de Bonis C. , D'Epifanio A. , Di Vona M. L. , D'Ottavi C. , Mecheri B. , Traversa E. , Trombetta M. , Licoccia S.
Published: February 2009

Composite membranes made‐up of sulphonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK, DS = 0.5) and of a sulphonated and silylated hybrid organic–inorganic derivative of polyphenylsulphone (SiSPPSU, DS = 2) were prepared and characterised. The water and methanol uptake, as well as thermal properties, of blend membranes containing 5 and 10 wt.‐% SiSPPSU were evaluated. The electrochemical performance of the membranes was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and tested in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) station. The presence of SiSPPSU modified the properties of SPEEK, allowing to increase its performance in terms of proton conductivity, thermal and hydrolytic stability. These blends appeared to be suitable electrolytes for DMFC applications.
Identification of gene‐gene interactions in the presence of missing data using the multifactor dimensionality reduction method
Authors: Namkung Junghyun , Elston Robert C. , Yang Jun‐Mo , Park Taesung
Published: February 2009

Gene‐gene interaction is believed to play an important role in understanding complex traits. Multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) was proposed by Ritchie et al. [2001. Am J Hum Genet 69:138–147] to identify multiple loci that simultaneously affect disease susceptibility. Although the MDR method has been widely used to detect gene‐gene interactions, few studies have been reported on MDR analysis when there are missing data. Currently, there are four approaches available in MDR analysis to handle missing data. The first approach uses only complete observations that have no missing data, which can cause a severe loss of data. The second approach is to treat missing values as an additional genotype category, but interpretation of the results may then be not clear and the conclusions may be misleading. Furthermore, it performs poorly when the missing rates are unbalanced between the case and control groups. The third approach is a simple imputation method that imputes missing genotypes as the most frequent genotype, which may also produce biased results. The fourth approach, Available, uses all data available for the given loci to increase power. In any real data analysis, it is not clear which MDR approach one should use when there are missing data. In this article, we consider a new EM Impute approach to handle missing data more appropriately. Through simulation studies, we compared the performance of the proposed EM Impute approach with the current approaches. Our results showed that Available and EM Impute approaches perform better than the three other current approaches in terms of power and precision.Genet. Epidemiol.33:646–656, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.