bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Onium Salts of Amino Acids as Co‐Initiators in Photoinduced Free‐Radical Polymerization
Authors: Ścigalski Franciszek , Kryszak Magdalena , Jędrzejewska Beata , Pączkowski Jerzy
Published: October 2006

Summary: The onium salts of selected aliphatic and aromatic amino acids were investigated as electron donors in photoinduced free radical polymerization, in conjunction with either DIBF or BP as sensitizer. The laser flash photolysis experiments unmistakably documented that the free radical formation occurs via an electron transfer reaction from the amino acid salt to the chromophore triplet state. The kinetic studies clearly showed that either the DIBF or BP onium salts of selected aliphatic and aromatic sulfur‐containing amino acids exhibit a significant increase in the efficiency of free‐radical polymerization of TMPTA as compared to non‐sulfur‐containing co‐initiators and that the efficiency of all tested electron donors is only slightly dependent on the cation type coupled with co‐initiators tested.

Possible mechanism for the free radical photoinitiated polymerization.

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Possible mechanism for the free radical photoinitiated polymerization.
Organoclay Nanocomposites from Ethylene–Acrylic Acid Copolymers
Authors: Filippi Sara , Marazzato Cristina , Magagnini Pierluigi , Minkova Liliya , Dintcheva Nadka Tzankova , La Mantia Francesco P.
Published: October 2006

Summary: A study of the structure–property relationships for nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding from ethylene–acrylic acid copolymers of varied composition and molecular architecture, and organoclays modified with different ammonium ions has been made by DSC, POM, SEM, TEM, WAXD, and rheological and mechanical tests. Within the series of clays investigated, the best levels of dispersion were displayed by those organically modified with quaternary ammonium ions containing two long alkyl tails. The relevant nanocomposites were shown to possess mixed exfoliated and intercalated morphology. The spacing of the intercalated clay stacks, most of which comprise few silicate layers, was found to be independent of clay loading, in the range of 2–50 phr, and to change with the molecular architecture of the matrix polymer. An indication that the excess surfactant present in some of the clays, and the organic material added in others to expand the interlayer spacing, were expelled from the clay galleries during melt blending and acted as plasticisers for the matrix polymer, was obtained from WAXD and rheological characterisations.

TEM micrograph of the nanocomposite of EAA1 with 11 phr of 15A.

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TEM micrograph of the nanocomposite of EAA1 with 11 phr of 15A.
Thermosensitive Poly[(2‐(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)‐co‐(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide)] Cryogels Prepared by a Two‐Step Polymerization Method
Authors: Caykara Tuncer , Küçüktepe Sıla , Turan Eylem
Published: October 2006

Summary: Temperature‐sensitive P(DEAEMA‐co‐DMAAm) cryogels with five different DMAAm contents were synthesized via a two‐step polymerization method, the initial polymerization being conducted for various times at 22 °C, followed by polymerization at −26 °C for 24 h. The influence of the first‐step time and the content of DMAAm on the swelling ratio and network parameters such as the polymer/solvent interaction parameter, the average molecular mass between crosslinks, and the mesh size of the cryogels were reported and discussed. The swelling studies indicated that the swelling increased in the following order: 22C45 > 22C30 > 22C15 > 22C0. The cryogels exhibited swelling/deswelling transitions (reentrant phenomena) in water depending on temperature. These properties were attributed to the macroporous and regularly arranged network of the cryogels. Scanning electron microscope graphs reveal that the macroporous network structure of the cryogels can be adjusted by applying a two‐step polymerization.

Chemical structure of the P(DEAEMA‐co‐DMAAm) cryogels.

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Chemical structure of the P(DEAEMA‐co‐DMAAm) cryogels.
Absence of upregulated genes associated with protein accumulations in desmin myopathy
Authors: Raju Raghavan , Dalakas Marinos C.
Published: October 2006

In desmin myopathy but not hereditary inclusion‐body myopathy (hIBM), there is accumulation of myofibrillar proteins including desmin, myotilin, dystrophin, gelsolin, actin, and CDC kinase. To assess the cause of protein excess, we studied the genes coding the accumulated proteins in desmin myopathy, hIBM, and controls. No differences were found among them. In desmin myopathy, protein accumulation is not due to upregulation of genes triggered by mutant desmin, but rather to posttranslational disassembly of intermediate filaments. Muscle Nerve, 2006
Granulomatous myositis: A clinical study of thirteen cases
Authors: Roux Karine Le , Streichenberger Nathalie , Vial Christophe , Petiot Philippe , Feasson Leonard , Bouhour Françoise , Ninet Jacques , Lachenal Florence , Broussolle Christiane , Sève Pascal
Published: October 2006

Granulomatous myositis (GM) is a rare condition that has generally been described in association with sarcoidosis. In the absence of sarcoidosis or other underlying disease, a diagnosis of isolated GM is considered. Only one study has focused on the clinical difference between isolated GM and sarcoid myopathy (SM). We report 13 cases of symptomatic GM; 8 had sarcoidosis. All patients with sarcoidosis had predominantly proximal, symmetrical lower‐limb weakness, and 3 subsequently developed upper‐limb or distal involvement. Three of the five patients with isolated GM had predominantly distal muscle involvement, and two had dysphagia. Corticosteroid treatment was followed by prolonged improvement in only one patient with sarcoidosis. One patient had acute sarcoid myositis and benefited from methotrexate; other immunosuppressants and etanercept proved ineffective in chronic sarcoid myopathy. Three of the five patients with isolated GM responded to corticosteroid treatment. When last examined, three patients with sarcoidosis had severe disability, whereas patients with isolated GM showed milder weakness. Thus, SM was frequently associated with severe disability and rarely improved after corticosteroid treatment, whereas most patients with isolated GM improved. Muscle Nerve, 2006
High‐order difference schemes for 2D elliptic and parabolic problems with mixed derivatives
Authors: Karaa Samir
Published: October 2006

We propose a 9‐point fourth‐order finite difference scheme for 2D elliptic problems with a mixed derivative and variable coefficients. The same approach is extended to derive a class of two‐level high‐order compact schemes with weighted time discretization for solving 2D parabolic problems with a mixed derivative. The schemes are fourth‐order accurate in space and second‐ or lower‐order accurate in time depending on the choice of a weighted average parameter μ. Unconditional stability is proved for 0.5 ≤ μ ≤ 1, and numerical experiments supporting our theoretical analysis and confirming the high‐order accuracy of the schemes are presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 23: 366–378, 2007
Solution of a semilinear parabolic equation with an unknown control function using the decomposition procedure of Adomian
Authors: Dehghan Mehdi , Tatari Mehdi
Published: October 2006

The investigation of nonclassical parabolic initial‐boundary value problems, which involve an integral over the spatial domain of a function of the desired solution, is of considerable concern. In this article a parabolic partial differential equation subject to energy overspecification is studied. This problem is appeared in modeling of many physical phenomena. The Adomian decomposition method, which is an efficient method for solving various class of problems, is employed for solving this model. This method provides an analytical solution in terms of an infinite convergent power series. Some examples are reported to support the simplicity of the decomposition procedure of Adomian. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 2007
Using empirical Eigenfunctions and Galerkin method to two‐phase transport models
Authors: Shidfar Abdollah , Mohammadi Masoumeh
Published: October 2006

In this article, we consider a nonlinear partial differential system describing two‐phase transports and try to recover the source term and the nonlinear diffusion term when the state variable is known at different profile times. To this end, we use a POD‐Galerkin procedure in which the proper orthogonal decomposition technique is applied to the ensemble of solutions to derive empirical eigenfunctions. These empirical eigenfunctions are then used as basis functions within a Galerkin method to transform the partial differential equation into a set of ordinary differential equations. Finally, the validation of the used method has been evaluated by some numerical examples. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 23: 456–474, 2007
On splitting‐based mass and total energy conserving arbitrary order shallow‐water schemes
Authors: Skiba Yuri N. , Filatov Denis M.
Published: October 2006

A new method for numerical solution to the shallow‐water equations is suggested. The method allows constructing a family of finite difference schemes of different approximation order that conserve the mass and the total energy. Our approach is based on the method of splitting, and unlike others it permits to derive conservative numerical schemes after discretizing all the partial derivatives, both spatial and temporal. The schemes thus appear to be fully discrete, both in time and in space. Besides, due to a simple structure of the matrices appeared therewith, the method provides essential benefits in the computational cost of solution and is easy‐to‐implement in the Cartesian and spherical geometries. Numerical results confirm functionality and efficiency of the developed method. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 2007
Nanofabrication of aligned conducting polymers
Authors: Acik Muge , Sonmez Gursel
Published: October 2006

Poly(pyrrole), poly(N‐methyl pyrrole), poly(thiophene) and poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) nano‐arrays, nano‐fibers and nano‐tubes have been successively synthesized using polycarbonate and alumina membranes as templates. Oxidative chemical polymerization method was used to produce nano‐structured conducting polymers with diameters in the range of 80–350 nm and the size of the resulting polymer was controlled with the pore size of membrane. Preliminary results showed that highly oriented polymers are promising materials for many applications including supercapacitors, sensors and photonic devices. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On‐line identification of phenolic compounds of Trifolium species using HPLC‐UV‐MS and post‐column UV‐derivatisation
Authors: Polasek Johanne , Queiroz Emerson F. , Hostettmann Kurt
Published: October 2006

In an ongoing search for new active compounds in the field of phytoestrogens, a simple HPLC‐UV‐MS method has been developed in order to identify phenolic compounds. The study was performed on three different species of Trifolium (Leguminosae), namely Trifolium pratense L., T. pallescens Schreb. and T. alpinum L, collected in Switzerland. The comparison between the dichloromethane extracts revealed that the main aglycones are present in the three species whereas the methanolic extracts show different glycosides and malonate derivatives. The compounds of interest were mainly flavonoids, isoflavonoids and clovamides. Their identities were confirmed from retention times, UV and MS analyses and UV shifts following post‐column derivatisation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of chain length on the aggregation of model polyglutamine peptides: Molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Marchut Alexander J. , Hall Carol K.
Published: October 2006

Aggregation in the brain of polyglutamine‐containing proteins is either a cause or an associated symptom of nine hereditary neurodegenerative disorders including Huntington's disease. The molecular level mechanisms by which these proteins aggregate are still unclear. In an effort to shed light on this important phenomenon, we are investigating the aggregation of model polyglutamine peptides using molecular‐level computer simulation with a simplified model of polyglutamine that we have developed. This model accounts for the most important types of intra‐ and inter‐molecular interactions—hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions—while allowing the folding process to be simulated in a reasonable time frame. The model is used to examine the folding of isolated polyglutamine peptides 16, 32, and 48 residues long and the folding and aggregation of systems of 24 model polyglutamine peptides 16, 24, 32, 36, 40, and 48 residues long. Although the isolated polyglutamine peptides did form some α and β backbone–backbone hydrogen bonds they did not have as many of these bonds as they would have if they had folded into a complete α helix or β sheet. In one of the simulations on the isolated polyglutamine peptide 48 residues long, we observed a structure that resembles a β helix. In the multi‐chain simulations we observed amorphous aggregates at low temperatures, ordered aggregates with significant β sheet character at intermediate temperatures, and random coils at high temperatures. We have found that the temperature at which the model peptides undergo the transition from amorphous aggregates to ordered aggregates and the temperature at which the model peptides undergo the transition from ordered aggregates to random coils increase with increasing chain length. Our finding that the stability of the ordered aggregates increases as the peptide chain length increases may help to explain the experimentally observed relation between polyglutamine tract length and aggregation in vitro and disease progression in vivo. We have also observed in our simulations that the optimal temperature for the formation of β sheets increases with chain length up to 36 glutamine residues but not beyond. Equivalently, at fixed temperature we find a transition from a region dominated by random coils at chain lengths less than 36 to a region dominated by relatively ordered β sheet structures at chain lengths greater than 36. Our finding of this critical chain length of 36 glutamine residues is interesting because a critical chain length of 37 glutamine residues has been observed experimentally. Proteins 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
SmiLib v2.0: A Java‐Based Tool for Rapid Combinatorial Library Enumeration
Authors: Schüller Andreas , Hähnke Volker , Schneider Gisbert
Published: October 2006

An updated version of the SMILIB software tool for rapid combinatorial library enumeration was developed. SmiLib v2.0 offers the possibility to construct very large combinatorial libraries using the flexible and portable SMILES format. Libraries were created at rates of approximately 8 700 000 molecules per minute. Combinatorial building blocks are attached to scaffolds by means of linkers rather than to concatenate them directly. This allows for creation of customized libraries using linkers of different sizes and chemical nature. New features are: platform independence, correct handling of stereo chemistry, flexible reaction schemes, improved usability, a unique identifier for each molecule, the option to create libraries in SD format, a conformity check for SmiLib v2.0 SMILES notation restrictions, and decreased library enumeration times. SmiLib v2.0 is available as interactive graphical user interface application and command line tool.
Convergence of the partial wave expansion of the He ground state
Authors: Bromley M. W. J. , Mitroy J.
Published: October 2006

The configuration interaction (CI) method, using a very large Laguerre orbital basis, is applied to the calculation of the He ground state. The largest calculations included a minimum of 35 radial orbitals for each ℓ ranging from 0 to 12, resulting in basis sets in excess of 400 orbitals. The convergence of the energy and electron–electron δ‐function with respect to J (the maximum angular momenta of the orbitals included in the CI expansion) were investigated in detail. Extrapolations to the limit of infinite angular momentum using expansions of the type ΔXJ = AX[J + 1/2]−p + BX[J + 1/2]−p−1 + …, gave an energy accurate to 10−7 Hartree and a value of 〈δ〉 accurate to about 0.5%. Improved estimates of 〈E〉 and 〈δ〉, accurate to 10−8 Hartree and 0.01%, respectively, were obtained when extrapolations to an infinite radial basis were done prior to the determination of the J → ∞ limit. Round‐off errors were the main impediment to achieving even higher precision, since determination of the radial and angular limits required the manipulation of very small energy and 〈δ〉 differences. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2007
Effect of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors on the binding of nicotinic α4β2 receptor PET radiotracer, 18F‐nifene: A measure of acetylcholine competition
Authors: Easwaramoorthy Balasubramaniam , Pichika Rama , Collins Daphne , Potkin Steven G. , Leslie Frances M. , Mukherjee Jogeshwar
Published: October 2006

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI's) are used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the putative mode of action is to increase acetylcholine (ACh) levels. Our goal is to evaluate competition of ACh with nicotinic α4β2 receptor PET agonist radiotracer, 2‐[18F]fluoro‐3‐[2‐((S)‐3‐pyrrolinyl)methoxy]pyridine (18F‐nifene). This ability to measure ACh‐18F‐nifene competition may have potential to assess efficacy of AChEI's in vivo. In vitro studies in rat brain slices used two AChEI's, physostigmine (PHY) and galanthamine (GAL). Brain slices were incubated with 18F‐nifene and various concentrations of PHY (0.2–20 μM) or GAL (0.4–4 μM) prior to 18F‐nifene treatment. For ACh competition, slices were also incubated with PHY + 100 nM ACh or GAL + 100 nM ACh or 100 nM ACh alone. Nonspecific binding of 18F‐nifene was determined using 300 μM nicotine. In the in vitro rat brain homogenate binding assay, ACh inhibited 3H‐cytisine binding to α4β2 receptors with Ki values of 19.2 nM (with PHY) and 34.7 μM (no PHY) indicating ∼1.8 × 103 weaker binding of ACh in the absence of AChEI. Binding of 18F‐nifene was not affected by PHY (0.2–20 μM) or ACh 100 nM alone but decreased substantially by PHY + ACh 100 nM in all brain regions (down by >40% of control in thalamus). Similarly, for GAL (4 μM) no effect on 18F‐nifene binding occurred but GAL (0.4–4 μM) + ACh 100 nM showed a reduction of 18F‐nifene binding in all brain regions (down by ∼15%). The reduction in both cases is a result of ACh competition with 18F‐nifene in the presence of AChEI. These preliminary in vitro results suggest that ACh is able to compete with 18F‐nifene at the α4β2 receptors in the presence of PHY or GAL. The effect is AChEI‐concentration dependent and is greater for PHY than GAL. Thus 18F‐nifene has promise for assessing ACh levels and AChEI effects in vivo. Synapse 61:29–36, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pharmacologically induced, subsecond dopamine transients in the caudate–putamen of the anesthetized rat
Authors: Venton B. Jill , Wightman R. Mark
Published: October 2006

Subsecond dopamine (DA) concentration transients have previously been observed in behaving rats. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that DA transients can be pharmacologically induced in anesthetized rats. Coadministration of the D2 receptor antagonist, haloperidol, and the DA uptake inhibitor, nomifensine, results in significantly more DA transients than either drug alone. The results show that both D2 autoreceptors and the dopamine transporter regulate subsecond DA neurotransmission. Synapse 61:37–39, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Linking stream habitats and spider distribution: spatial variations in trophic transfer across a forest–stream boundary
Authors: Iwata Tomoya
Published: October 2006

In headwater streams, many aquatic insects rely on terrestrial detritus, while their emergence from streams often subsidizes riparian generalist predators. However, spatial variations in such reciprocal trophic linkages remain poorly understood. The present study, conducted in a northern Japanese stream and the surrounding forest, showed that pool–riffle structure brought about heterogeneous distributions of detritus deposits and benthic aquatic insects. The resulting variations in aquatic insect emergence influenced the distributions of riparian web‐building spiders. Pools with slow current stored greater amounts of detritus than riffles, allowing more benthic aquatic insects to develop in pools. The greater larval biomass in pools and greater tendency for riffle insects to drift into pools at metamorphosis resulted in an emergence rate of aquatic insects from pools that was some four to five times greater than from riffles. In the riparian forest, web‐building spiders (Tetragnathidae and Linyphiidae) were distributed in accordance with the emergence rates of aquatic insects, upon which both spider groups heavily depended. Consequently, the riparian strips bordering pools had a density of tetragnathid spiders that was twice as high as that of the riparian strips adjacent to riffles. Moreover, although limitations of vegetation structure prevented the aggregation of linyphiid spiders around pools, linyphiid density normalized by shrub density was higher in habitats adjacent to pools than those adjacent to riffles. The results indicated that stream geomorphology, which affects the storage of terrestrial organic material and the export of such material to riparian forests via aquatic insect emergence, plays a role in determining the strength of terrestrial–aquatic linkages in headwater ecosystems.
PNDS @ Work: Clinical Competencies and Job Descriptions
Authors: Craig Elisabeth
Published: October 2006

PNDS @ Work: Clinical Competencies and Job Descriptions, Susan V. M. Kleinbeck, 2005, 64 pages, $15 member/$19 nonmember softcover
Forensic Nurse: The New Role of the Nurse in Law Enforcement
Authors: Littlefield A. Lynn
Published: October 2006

Forensic Nurse: The New Role of the Nurse in Law Enforcement, Serita Stevens, 2004, 241 pages $23.95 hardcover
Plans for an Italian Antarctic expedition, 1881
Authors: Stone Ian R. , Bosco Piero
Published: October 2006

Giacomo Bove, an Italian participant in Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld's 1878–1880 Northeast Passage expedition, and Cristoforo Negri, director of the Italian Geographical Society, drew up plans for an Italian Antarctic expedition to depart from Genoa in 1881. The plans were for a three-year, single-vessel expedition with two winterings, one in the Ross Sea and the second in Enderby Land. They were drawn up in considerable detail and proposed a lavish budget. The expedition never took place because of failure to secure sufficient funds from public subscription and because of the unwillingness of the Italian government to provide support. However, Bove was employed by the Argentine government to put into effect expeditions that had some elements of his plans.
The 50th anniversary of the Gough Island scientific survey, 1955–1956
Authors: Holdgate Martin W.
Published: October 2006

The Gough Island scientific survey (GISS) of 1955–1956 contributed greatly to knowledge of the natural history of that remote island in the south Atlantic. This note commemorates the expedition and provides information concerning it and its achievements. An outline is also given concerning the research that has since been undertaken on the island.
Current epidemiological aspects of human parvovirus B19 infection during pregnancy and childhood in the western part of Germany
Authors: ENDERS M. , WEIDNER A. , ENDERS G.
Published: October 2006

This investigation was undertaken to provide detailed information on the epidemiology of human parvovirus B19 (B19) infection during pregnancy and childhood in the western part of Germany. Between 1997 and 2004, 40 517 sera from pregnant women aged 17–45 years and 6060 sera from children and young adults were tested for B19 IgG and IgM in our laboratory. In pregnant women, both the history of a ‘specific’ (OR 7·7, 95% CI 5·2–11·4) and a ‘non-specific’ rash (OR 3·3, 95% CI 1·5–7·1) was predictive for B19 IgM positivity. The B19 IgG prevalence was 69·2% (4097/5924) in a subgroup of asymptomatic pregnant women screened for B19 antibodies. In children, the age-specific IgG-positivity rate increased from 12·2% (66/541) at 2 years of age to 71·9% (396/551) in those older than 10 years. In conclusion, the prevalence of B19 IgG in pregnant women from the western part of Germany is higher then previously reported. Contact with children aged 3–10 years is a major risk factor for exposure to B19. Pregnant women with the history of a ‘non-specific’ rash should also be evaluated for acute B19 infection.
Using facsimile cascade to assist case searching during a Q fever outbreak
Authors: VAN WOERDEN H. C. , EVANS M. R. , MASON B. W. , NEHAUL L.
Published: October 2006

In September 2002, facsimiles were sent to 360 primary-care physicians alerting them to a local outbreak of Q fever. The physicians subsequently submitted serology samples on significantly more patients than in a previously comparable period in 2001. Facsimile cascade assists effective communication with primary-care physicians in an outbreak investigation.
Modelling vaccination programmes against measles in Taiwan
Authors: CHEN S. C. , CHANG C. F. , JOU L. J. , LIAO C. M.
Published: October 2006

Vaccination has proved a powerful defence against measles. We reappraise measles seroepidemiological data in Taiwan from 1974 to 2004 having robust age-stratified serological information on exposure and immunity to quantitatively characterize measles vaccination programmes. We dynamically model measles seroepidemiology to estimate age-dependent intensity of infection associated with the effects of different contact patterns on pre- and post-vaccination. The WAIFM (who acquires infection from whom) contact matrix is employed to describe the transmission between and within each age group. A deterministic SEIR (susceptible–exposed–infected–recovery) model is used to capture subpopulation dynamics. Our study shows that mass regional or nationwide vaccination programmes could greatly reduce the potential for a major measles epidemic and have strong direct effects on the potential impact of childhood vaccination. We parameterize a predictive model that should reduce the socio-economic costs of measles surveillance in Taiwan and thereby encourage its continuance, especially for preschool children.
A Survey Study of Voting Behavior and Political Participation in Zhejiang
Authors: HE BAOGANG
Published: October 2006

Two existing models are used to conceptualize the constrained and limited participation in the communist system. The mobilization model suggests that participation was so mobilized by the party/state that it was largely meaningless, while the disengagement model supports the idea that many communist citizens adopted non-participatory behaviors such as non-voting as a means of protest. This paper attempts to demonstrate the importance of a third model – the emergent democratic culture model. The survey results show that the participation index is in proportion to the number of elections in which a villager is involved; and a growing number of voters in Zhejiang are developing citizen-initiated participation, with rights consciousness.

This research finds that the level of participation is influenced by three major factors: the perceived worth of the election itself, regularity of electoral procedures, and the fairness of electoral procedures. It also finds that parochial political culture and political apathy still exist, and the emergent democratic consciousness falls short of an ideal democratic standard. While a highly democratic culture helps to develop village democracy, the apathetic attitude continues to support the authoritarian leadership and structure in many villages. The paper also gives an account of survey research in rural China and offers a thoughtful critique of the use of voting and non-voting as the sole indicator of political participation.
The Influence of Political Discussion on Policy Preference: A comparison of the United States and Japan
Authors: RICHEY SEAN , IKEDA KEN'ICHI
Published: October 2006

This research tests if political discussion influences policy preference. The literature greatly stresses the non-rational nature of political decision-making. Rational policy preferences require learning specific details in a competitive political environment. Yet, research shows that most people do not have the skills to understand policy. Social networking is one way to help people understand policy. Social network influence on policy preferences, however, is mostly ignored. We show that the likelihood of supporting a policy increases when one's social network supports a party that advocates that policy. We control for the political knowledge of the respondent, network size, partisanship, ideology, socioeconomic, and policy-specific determinants. Examining data from the 2000 American National Election Study and Japanese Election Study 3, we find strong results in the United States, but mixed results in Japan. Additional research we perform shows a stronger social network influence in Japan.
A Test of the Salience Asymmetry Interpretation of the Alcohol-IAT
Authors: Houben Katrijn , Wiers Reinout W.
Published: October 2006

K. Rothermund and D. Wentura (2004) showed how Figure-Ground (FG) asymmetries produce effects on the Implicit Association Task (IAT), independent of associations. Here, the FG account was tested for the robust finding that drinkers show a negative alcohol-IAT effect while being positive on explicit measures. FG asymmetries were manipulated through familiarity of alcohol-IAT target categories and were assessed with visual search tasks. Supporting the FG account, the familiarity manipulation influenced the IAT effect in the expected direction, and the IAT effect correlated with FG asymmetries. Contrary to the FG account, however, the IAT effect was not reversed, and IAT effects were predicted by alcohol use but not by FG asymmetries. Hence, the FG account only partly explains the negative alcohol-IAT effect.
Do Transposed-Letter Similarity Effects Occur at a Syllable Level?
Authors: Perea Manuel , Carreiras Manuel
Published: October 2006

One key issue for any computational model of visual word recognition is the choice of an input coding scheme for assigning letter position. Recent research has shown that transposed-letter similarity effects occur even when the transposed letters are not adjacent (caniso- casino; Perea & Lupker, 2004 , JML). In the present study we conducted two single-presentation lexical decision experiments to examine whether transposed-letter effects occur at a syllable level. We tested two types of nonwords: (1) nonwords created by transposing two internal CV syllables (PRIVEMARA; the base word is primavera, the Spanish for spring) and (2) nonwords created by transposing two adjacent bigrams that do not form a syllable (PRIMERAVA). We also created the appropriate orthographic control conditions, in which the critical letters were replaced instead of being switched. Results showed that the transposition of two syllables or two adjacent bigrams produced a quite robust (and similar) transposed-letter effect. Thus, transposed-letter effects seem to occur at an early orthographic, graphemic level, rather than at a syllable level. We examine the implications of the observed results for the input coding schemes in visual word recognition.
The Comparator Theory Fails to Account for the Selective Role of Within-Compound Associations in Cue-Selection Effects
Authors: Melchers Klaus G. , Lachnit Harald , Shanks David R.
Published: October 2006

In a human causal learning experiment, we investigated cue selection effects to test the comparator theory ( Denniston, Savastano, & Miller, 2001 ; Miller & Matzel, 1988 ). The theory predicts that the occurrence of cue selection is independent of whether the relevant learning trials are presented in a standard forward manner or in a backward manner and that within-compound associations are of equal importance in both cases. We found that the strength of the cue-selection effect was positively correlated with knowledge of within-compound associations in the backward condition but not in the forward condition. Furthermore, cue-selection effects were less pronounced in the former than in the latter condition. These results are at variance with the comparator hypothesis but are in agreement with a modified associative theory and with the suggestion that retrospective revaluation might be due to rehearsal processes.
Physical mechanisms of the Australian summer monsoon: 2. Variability of strength and onset and termination times
Authors: Kim Kwang‐Yul , Kullgren Katherin , Lim Gyu‐Ho , Boo Kyung‐On , Kim Baek‐Min
Published: October 2006

Variability of the Australian monsoon onset, termination, and strength was investigated in terms of the first five major modes of monsoon precipitation found via cyclostationary empirical orthogonal function analysis. They are the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) mode, the seasonal cycle, the ENSO transition mode, and the two Madden‐Julian oscillation (MJO) modes, respectively. Whereas the seasonal cycle defines the fixed onset (∼5 January) and termination (∼5 March) dates, the presence of the other modes alters these dates. The impact of each mode was investigated after each mode, with a strength corresponding to 1 standard deviation of its variability, was added to or subtracted from the mean seasonal cycle. It is shown that the contribution of each mode to the monsoon precipitation is geographically complex and varies significantly throughout the monsoon period. One striking feature is that the impact of each mode is highly asymmetric with respect to its phase. The negative modes generally affect more significantly the onset, the termination, and the amount of monsoon precipitation. Although each of the four modes makes a unique and tangible contribution, the ENSO mode contributes most significantly to the overall mean and variance of the monsoon precipitation variability. While the positive ENSO (El Niño) mode does not seriously alter the onset and termination times, the negative ENSO (La Niña) mode prolongs the duration of the Australian summer monsoon significantly. Although the contribution to the overall mean is small, the two MJO modes are the most dominating factor controlling the onset and termination times of the Australian summer monsoon.
Comparing E field changes aloft to lightning mapping data
Authors: Sonnenfeld Richard G. , Battles John D. , Lu Gaopeng , Winn William P.
Published: October 2006

A newly developed balloon‐borne instrument contains electric and magnetic sensors for determining how lightning alters electric field vectors relative to a coordinate system fixed with the Earth. By combining data from this instrument with results from the compact Lightning Mapping Array (LMA) at Langmuir Laboratory in central New Mexico and the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN), charge transported to ground by several strokes in a cloud‐to‐ground (CG) lightning flash can be quantified. As the flash progresses, the locations of the charge centers drained by successive strokes are seen to move further from the ground‐strike point. Using this new instrument and two different models to map LMA source points onto charge centers, the charge transported in an intracloud (IC) flash is also estimated. Details of the instrument design and data analysis are also presented.
Women, Theatre and Calypso in the English-Speaking Caribbean
Authors: Hughes-Tafen Denise
Published: October 2006

The present essay discusses how women calypsonians in the English-speaking Caribbean use Calypso performances as a theatrical platform to offer a gendered critique of the nation and engage in a dialogue, which despite exhibiting pride in the nation, questions its various exclusions in ways that seek to redefine dominant constructions of the nation as ‘we’. Not only do they offer a vision of the nation and its cultural aspects that is more inclusive, they also speak out against cultural and political oppression. I analyse specific performances by Singing Sandra (Trinidad) and Queen Ivena (Antigua) from my position as an ‘indigenous-outsider’ and ‘outsider within’ in order to demonstrate that Calypso performance is a post-colonial form of theatre in the English-speaking Caribbean that is being used by women as a site for feminist action and agency.
Fractured Identity and Agency and the Plays of Adrienne Kennedy
Authors: Boucher Georgie
Published: October 2006

This paper examines the plays of African-American playwright Adrienne Kennedy, Funnyhouse of a Negro (1962) and The Owl Answers (1963), which remain important for their engagement with notions of African-American identity, resistance and agency through their attention to mixed race female characters or mulattos who experience bodily and psychological traumas that demonstrate the abuse of the colonized on a deeply visceral level. Kennedy's plays have remained controversial because of their failure to comply with the nationalistic orientation of the Black Arts Movement (BAM) of 1960s America. I aim to examine these plays through a framework of postcolonial-feminist performance analysis that finds its way back to histories of colonization and slavery, enabling through such returns, a compelling critique of the manoeuvrings of racial hierarchies and power imbalances. As well, I argue that Kennedy's protagonists are de-essentialized fractured beings who fail to embody either White superiority or Black nationalist pride, as they oscillate between two polarities. Such failure (on the part of Kennedy's mulattos) allows for a strategic de-essentialization of identity that interrogates fixed categorization. As well, through a form that is fluid, fragmented and blurs the distinctions among history, memory, space and time, her works impart political agency to the characters and enable an empowered sense of the ‘self-in-process.’
Performing African Canadian Identity: Diasporic Reinvention in Afrika Solo
Authors: Petropoulos Jacqueline
Published: October 2006

This article examines Djanet Sears’ Afrika Solo (1990), the first published play by an African Canadian woman, as an example of African diasporic writing in Canada. Now one of Canada's most celebrated playwrights, and a leading figure in the recent popularity and success of African Canadian theatre in the last decade, Sears began her dramatic exploration of African Canadian identity in her semi-autobiographical play Afrika Solo, first produced in 1987. As I intend to argue, the play's musical score and its use of stage space problematizes the notion of static cultural origins often associated with the Canadian multicultural discourse of hyphenated identities by pointing to the many cross-cultural and transnational sites that shape constructions of African Canadian identity. In so doing, the play develops an innovative diasporic aesthetic that can be placed within a larger cultural tradition of African diasporic representation theorized by Rinaldo Walcott, Paul Gilroy, and Dionne Brand.
Comparison between the classical theory predictions and molecular simulation results for heterogeneous nucleation of argon
Authors: Lauri Antti , Zapadinsky Evgeni , Vehkamäki Hanna , Kulmala Markku
Published: October 2006

We have performed Monte Carlo simulations of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleations of Lennard-Jones argon clusters. The simulation results were interpreted using the major concept posing a difference between the homogeneous and heterogeneous classical nucleation theories—the contact parameter. Our results show that the multiplication concept of the classical heterogeneous nucleation theory describes the cluster-substrate interaction surprisingly well even for small molecular clusters. However, in the case of argon nucleating on a rigid monolayer of fcc(111) substrate at T=60K, the argon-substrate atom interaction being approximately one-third as strong as the argon-argon interaction, the use of the classical theory concept results in an underestimation of the heterogeneous nucleation rate by two to three orders of magnitude even for large clusters. The main contribution to this discrepancy is induced by the failure of the classical theory of homogeneous nucleation to predict the energy involved in bringing one molecule from the vapor to the cluster for clusters containing less than approximately 15molecules.
Interaction between a rodlike inclusion and a supported bilayer membrane
Authors: Zhang Qiyi , Ma Yuqiang
Published: October 2006

The interactions between a rodlike inclusion and a supported copolymer bilayer membrane are investigated by using the self-consistent field theory. For different system parameters, physical observables, such as the interaction free energy, entropy, and translocation energy barrier, are obtained. Particular emphasis is put on the closely energetic and entropic analyses of the interaction. It shows that the interfacial energy provides a qualitative trend and dominates the basic shape of the interaction free energy curve; the combination of chemical potential energy and total entropy contribution is responsible for the translocation energy barrier and the weak attraction in the vicinity of upper monolayer surface. We also specify the nature, height, and shape of the energy barrier to translocation. Particularly, the height is roughly proportional to the rod radius.
Deduction of the absolute negative ion density by using planar and cylindrical electric probes simultaneously
Authors: Chung Kyu-Sun , Kado Shinichiro
Published: October 2006

Analytic formulas are derived for the deduction of the absolute density of negative ions by using the measured electron temperatures and saturation currents of positive ions and negative charges from current-voltage curves taken by planar and cylindrical probes at two different pressures without assuming the sheath potential, sheath velocity, temperatures of positive and negative ions, and effective masses of positive ions. Ratios of ion and electron saturation currents and electron temperatures of two probes and sheath areas of a long thin cylindrical probe at two different pressures are incorporated into two equations with two unknowns for the negative ion density. The procedure to deduce the absolute negative ion density is given.
Impactless, in-tube sabot separation technique useful for modest-sized supersonic ballistic ranges
Authors: Sasoh Akihiro , Oshiba Shin
Published: October 2006

A simple and high performance sabot separation technique which is useful even in about 10-m-long supersonic ballistic ranges has been developed. The normal in-flight sabot separation distance is vastly reduced by adding an addition tube with no diaphragm that may cause damage to the projectile. The launch tube of the ballistic range is subdivided to the acceleration, ventilation, and sabot separation sections. In the ventilation section, both the precursor shock wave driven by the sabot when coasting through the acceleration section and the driver gas is vented out to the dump chamber. In the sabot separation section, only the sabot experiences a great dragging pressure imbalance whereas the drag to the projectile is kept negligible. Initially, the whole system except for the driver gas chamber is connected without any diaphragm; the range operation is not accompanied by any high-speed impact among the sabot, diaphragm, and other related solid parts. The experimental environment can be kept clean. The influence of the muzzle blast is eliminated within a reasonably short distance from the muzzle because it delays owing to the ventilation section. Calibration experiments and the demonstration of flow visualization and boom measurement of supersonic flight were conducted using a 25mm bore, Mach-2 ballistic range.
Morphology and lattice coherency in GaAs nanocrystals grown on Si(100) surface
Authors: Usui Hiroyuki , Yasuda Hidehiro , Mori Hirotaro
Published: October 2006

Morphology and structure in GaAs nanocrystals grown on Si(100) substrate were studied to investigate the relation between lattice coherency and growth mechanism. GaAs nanocrystals formed (100) and {111} facets, and rectangular base with four sides along [01¯1] and [011] directions. Either the (011) or the (01¯1) lattice planes along the minor axis of the rectangular base are completely coherent with those in Si substrate. When either the (01¯1) or the (011) lattice planes become partially coherent to relax the lattice strain, the growth rate along the direction parallel to the unstrained (01¯1) or (011) planes which prevents each area of the strained (011) or (01¯1) planes from increasing remarkably increases.
Synthesis and characterization of colloidal ternary ZnCdSe semiconductor nanorods
Authors: Lee Hyeokjin , Holloway Paul H. , Yang Heesun
Published: October 2006

For the synthesis of colloidal ternary ZnCdSe nanorods, CdSe nanorods were first prepared under a mixture of tetradecylphosphonic acid/trioctylphosphine oxide surfactants at 250°C, and then ZnSe shell layer was grown onto CdSe nanorods at 180°C, forming CdSe∕ZnSe core/shell nanorods. Green-yellow emitting ternary ZnCdSe nanorods were obtained by a subsequent alloying process at 270°C for 1–3h through the diffusion of Zn ions into CdSe nanorods. The photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) of ZnCdSe nanorods was 5%–10%, which is higher than that from pristine CdSe nanorods (0.6%). The QY of these alloy nanorods depends on the alloying time and is discussed in terms of compositional disorders and defects produced by the alloying process. The Raman and time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopies were used to understand the detailed alloying process from CdSe∕ZnSe core/shell to ZnCdSe alloy nanorods.
The nonadiabatic deactivation paths of pyrrole
Authors: Barbatti Mario , Vazdar Mario , Aquino Adélia J. A. , Eckert-Maksić Mirjana , Lischka Hans
Published: October 2006

Multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) calculations have been performed for pyrrole with the aim of providing an explanation for the experimentally observed photochemical deactivation processes. Potential energy curves and minima on the crossing seam were determined using the analytic MRCI gradient and nonadiabatic coupling features of the COLUMBUS program system. A new deactivation mechanism based on an out-of-plane ring deformation is presented. This mechanism directly couples the charge transfer π1π* and ground states. It may be responsible for more than 50% of the observed photofragments of ππ*-excited pyrrole. The ring deformation mechanism should act complementary to the previously proposed NH-stretching mechanism, thus offering a more complete interpretation of the pyrrole photodynamics.
New closed flux stripe domain model for weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy films
Authors: de Abril Oscar , Sánchez María del Carmen , Aroca Claudio
Published: October 2006

A new closed flux stripe domain model is proposed to gain more insight into the magnetic behavior of films with weak perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). Its main novelty is a new flux-closure pattern in which magnetic flux follows semicircular paths. This approximation has been inspired by the magnetization distribution obtained by some researchers by micromagnetic numerical simulation for this kind of film. This model arises as a good alternative to models based on the Landau-Lifshitz closure pattern and fits rather well the recently observed enlargement of the surface coercivity of strips with weak PMA under the in-plane demagnetizing field effect.
On a variational approach to the Soret coefficient
Authors: Farago Jean , Rousseau Bernard , Artola Pierre-Arnaud
Published: October 2006

In this paper, a variational approach to the Soret coefficient initiated by Kempers [J. Chem. Phys. 90, 6541 (1989)] is critically revisited. We show that the physical coherence of the whole procedure leads to a very peculiar choice of the type of constraint one can select to mimic the nonequilibrium stationary state. However, we demonstrate that its precise definition would require a statistical evaluation of the heat of transfer, or a variational approach based on more microscopic ingredients.