bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid isotropic 3D‐sodium MRI of the knee joint in vivo at 7T
Authors: Wang Ligong , Wu Yan , Chang Gregory , Oesingmann Niels , Schweitzer Mark E. , Jerschow Alexej , Regatte Ravinder R.
Published: August 2009

Purpose

To demonstrate the feasibility of acquiring high‐resolution, isotropic 3D‐sodium magnetic resonance (MR) images of the whole knee joint in vivo at ultrahigh field strength (7.0T) via a 3D‐radial acquisition with ultrashort echo times and clinically acceptable acquisition times.

Materials and Methods

Five healthy controls (four males, one female; mean ± standard deviation [SD] age 28.7 ± 4.8 years) and five patients with osteoarthritis (OA) (three males, two females; mean ± SD age 52.4 ± 5.6 years) underwent 23Na MRI on a 7T, multinuclei equipped whole‐body scanner. A quadrature 23Na knee coil and a 3D‐gradient echo (GRE) imaging sequence with a radial acquisition were utilized. Cartilage sodium concentration was measured and compared between the healthy controls and OA patients.

Results

The average signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) for different spatial resolutions (1.2–4 mm) varied from ∼14–120, respectively. The mean sodium concentration of healthy subjects ranged from ∼240 ± 28 mM/L to 280 ± 22 mM/L. However, in OA patients the sodium concentrations were reduced significantly by ∼30%–60%, depending on the degree of cartilage degeneration.

Conclusion

The preliminary results suggest that sodium imaging at 7T may be a feasible potential alternative for physiologic OA imaging and clinical diagnosis. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;30:606–614. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Selective molecularly imprinted stationary phases for Bisphenol A analysis prepared by modified precipitation polymerization
Authors: Jiang Ming , Shi Yun , Zhang Ren‐li , Shi Chang‐hua , Peng Yan , Huang Zheng , Lu Bin
Published: August 2009

Bisphenol A (BPA)‐imprinted polymeric microspheres were synthesized by modified precipitation polymerization (MPP) method. Influences of cross‐linker, monomer, porogen volume, and agitation on polymerization were investigated. Proper amount of cross‐linker ethyleneglycol‐dimethacrylate (EGDMA) was critical to achieve narrowly dispersed microspheres. For template BPA, monomer 4‐vinylpyridine (4‐VP) was better than MAA to get the best imprinted effects. The optimum template/monomer ratio was 1:6. Increasing porogen volume increased size dispersity and decreased binding characters. Agitation increased coagulation and resulted in irregular particles. Microspheres with the best binding characters were used as selective stationary phase of chromatographic column to detect BPA in milk, pig urine, and chicken meat. Under optimal chromatographic conditions, the calibration graph was linear with R2 = 0.9994 in the range of 3–50 μmol/L. The LOD and LOQ were 1 and 3 μmol/L, respectively. When large amounts (20 mL or 20 g) of samples were analyzed, the recoveries ranged from 70.2 to 87.3% with RSD less than 4.85% in all samples spiked with 0.05–0.2 μmol/L BPA. The intra‐day and inter‐day RSD were less than 1.83 and 3.96%, respectively. Microspheres prepared by MPP are successfully used in molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)‐based analytical column to detect trace BPA in different biologic samples with acceptable accuracy and repeatability.
Impact of surveillance on survival after laryngeal cancer in the medicare population
Authors: Francis David O. , Yueh Bevan , Weymuller Ernest A. , Merati Albert L.
Published: August 2009

Objectives/Hypothesis:

Routine surveillance is advocated to detect recurrent disease after treatment for laryngeal cancer. This aim of this study was to determine the 1‐ and 5‐year postrecurrence mortality for laryngeal cancers and evaluate whether more intensive surveillance improved survival.

Study Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods:

Patients with recurrent cancers (1992–1999) were identified in a national cancer clinical database. Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the effect of surveillance on postrecurrence survival.

Results:

Of 2,121 recurrent cancers identified, 913 were laryngeal. Patients with laryngeal cancer recurrence had 27% (P = .001) and 22% (P = .007) better odds of 1‐ and 5‐year survival than other sites. The 1‐ and 5‐year postrecurrence survival rates for laryngeal cancer patients were 72.4% and 41.3%, respectively. Glottic cancer cases had the best postrecurrence life expectancy. Multivariate regression revealed that clinical surveillance intensity had no independent impact on their survival (P < .05). However, patients with recurrent glottic cancer seen in surveillance had 23% improved odds of survival (P = .037).

Conclusions:

More frequent surveillance visits was not associated with a survival advantage in the overall population. Patients with glottic cancer had a postrecurrence survival advantage if seen during the surveillance period. Laryngeal cancer patients had better postrecurrence survival than other head and neck sites. Laryngoscope, 2009
Comparison of extratemporal and intratemporal facial nerve injury models
Authors: Sharma Nijee , Cunningham Kelly , Porter Ryan G. , Marzo Sam J. , Jones Kathryn J. , Foecking Eileen M.
Published: August 2009

Objectives/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to compare functional recovery and motor nerve conduction following a distal extratemporal crush injury of the facial nerve to a more proximal intratemporal crush injury.

Study Design:

Prospective, controlled animal study.

Methods:

Adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into four experimental groups: 1) extratemporal crush, 2) extratemporal sham‐operated, 3) intratemporal crush, and 4) intratemporal sham‐operated. Each group had an n of 4–9. The facial nerve was crushed near its exit from the stylomastoid foramen for extratemporal facial nerve injuries and within the facial canal in the temporal bone for intratemporal facial nerve injuries. Recovery times for the return of facial nerve functional parameters were compared between the two injury models. Motor nerve conduction studies were also done weekly to quantify the changes in peak amplitude and latency of evoked response.

Results:

Rats receiving the extratemporal facial nerve injury recovered full facial function by ∼2 weeks postoperative (wpo) and displayed normal peak amplitude and latency recordings by 4 wpo. In comparison, rats receiving the intratemporal facial nerve injury failed to reach complete functional recovery at the end of 8 wpo. Although latency of evoked response returned to normal by 2 weeks following the intratemporal injury, peak amplitude remained ∼70% below normal at the end of 8 wpo.

Conclusions:

An intratemporal crush of the facial nerve leads to significantly delayed functional recovery and decreased motor nerve conduction as compared to an extratemporal crush, indicating that the location of injury strongly influences the recovery outcome. Laryngoscope, 2009
True thyroglossal fistula
Authors: Madana J. , Yolmo Deeke , Saxena Sunil Kumar , Gopalakrishnan S.
Published: August 2009

Thyroglossal duct anomalies are the most common malformations in the neck and constitute 70% of all the congenital cervical masses. They are more common in the pediatric population under 5 years of age, and 60% of lesions are diagnosed before the age of 20. They represent remnants from the embryological migration of thyroid tissue from foramen caecum to the thyroid fossa. The thyroglossal duct cyst may rupture spontaneously and present as a draining sinus, which has been erroneously called a thyroglossal fistula, although communication with foramen caecum is extremely rare. We hereby present a case of true thyroglossal fistula in a 21‐year‐old male with a fistulous communication between the neck skin and foramen caecum. Laryngoscope, 2009
Liver transplantation using uncontrolled non–heart-beating donors under normothermic extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
Authors: Jiménez-Galanes Santos , Meneu-Diaz Marchán Juan Carlos , Elola-Olaso Almudena Moreno , Pérez-Saborido Baltasar , Yiliam Fundora-Suarez , Calvo Alberto Gimeno , Usera Manuel Abradelo , González Mercedes Catalán , González Juan Carlos Montejo , González Enrique Moreno
Published: August 2009

Because of the organ shortage, non–heart-beating donors have been proposed as a possible source of grafts for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Despite the widespread use of controlled non–heart-beating donors, there are only a few published studies reporting the outcomes with uncontrolled non–heart-beating donors (UNHBDs). A prospective case-control study on adult patients undergoing OLT was designed. We used normothermic extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (NECMO) in all UNHBDs. Matching 2:1 ratio comparison was performed between a study group (UNHBDs) and a brain death donor (BDD) control group. Between January 2006 and March 2008, a total of 60 patients were included: 20 in the UNHBD group and 40 in the control group. The incidence of ischemic cholangiopathy was 5% (n = 1) for the UNHBD group and 0% for the BDD group (P = 0.15). The rate of primary nonfunction was 10% (n = 2) in UNHBD recipients and 2.5% (n = 1) in BDD recipients (P = 0.21), with graft loss in all of them. Three patients were retransplanted in the UNHBD group (15%), 2 of them because of primary nonfunction and 1 because of ischemic cholangiopathy; no patient was retransplanted in the control group (P = 0.012). After a mean follow-up of 330.4 ± 224.9 days, 1-year cumulative patient survival was 85.5% for the UNHBD group and 87.5% for the BDD group (P = 0.768). One-year cumulative graft survival was 80% in the UNHBD group and 87.5% in the BDD group (P = 0.774). In conclusion, UNHBDs under NECMO are a potential source of organs for OLT with encouraging outcomes potentially comparable to those obtained with BDDs.
From Nanodot to Nanowire: Hybrid Au/Titania Nanoarrays by Block Copolymer Templates
Authors: Peng Juan , Mao Chun , Kim Jinheung , Kim Dong Ha
Published: August 2009

A simple scheme to fabricate 2‐D arrays of Au/titania hybrid nanopatterns is presented, using polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) diblock copolymer (PS‐b‐PEO) as templates coupled with sol–gel chemistry. Both the functionalized Au nanoparticles (NPs) and titania precursors are selectively incorporated into the PEO domain. A series of morphologies ranging from nanodot to nanowire arrays is formed and the mechanism of morphological evolution is discussed. Such hybrid films exhibit characteristic localized surface plasmon resonance bands originating from the coupling between neighboring Au NPs spatially located in a controlled manner.

magnified image
Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the extremity and nodal metastasis: Is the in‐transit lymphatic system at risk?
Authors: Paulino Arnold C. , Pappo Alberto
Published: August 2009

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) of the extremity is not infrequently associated with regional node metastasis. Knowledge of lymphatic drainage of extremity RMSs is important to determine radiotherapy fields. In this report we describe two patients with alveolar RMS of the lower extremity with inguinal metastasis at presentation. Both the distal lower extremity and inguinal region received local therapy consisting of surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Both patients later developed in‐transit lymphatic metastasis outside of the irradiated field. The in‐transit lymphatics can be a site of failure in children with alveolar RMS of the extremity and nodal involvement. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2009; 53:1332–1333. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The use of selective cyclooxygenase‐2 inhibitors and the risk of acute myocardial infarction in Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Varas‐Lorenzo Cristina , Castellsague Jordi , Stang Mary Rose , Perez‐Gutthann Susana , Aguado Jaume , Rodriguez Luis Alberto García
Published: August 2009

Background

Meta‐analyses of observational studies show variability in the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), with an increase in risk for rofecoxib and diclofenac, and no increase in risk for celecoxib, naproxen, or ibuprofen.

Methods and Results

We identified a cohort of 364 658 individuals aged 40–84 years who were enrolled in Saskatchewan Health, Canada, from 15 November 1999 to 31 December 2001. A nested case–control analysis compared 3252 incident cases of hospitalized AMI and out‐of‐hospital CHD deaths with 20 002 controls randomly sampled from the cohort. The incidence of AMI/CHD was 5.1 per 1000 person‐years (95%CI: 5.0–5.3). The adjusted ORs (95%CI) of AMI/CHD in current users of individual NSAIDs compared with non‐use were: celecoxib (1.11; 0.84–1.47), rofecoxib (1.32; 0.91–1.91), diclofenac (1.02; 0.75–1.38), naproxen (1.57; 0.98–2.52), ibuprofen (1.59; 0.88–2.89), and indomethacin (1.34; 0.81–2.19). Long‐term use of rofecoxib was compatible with an increased risk (OR = 1.46; 0.97–2.22) while estimates of other individual NSAIDs were close to unity. Overall NSAID use was associated with a 30% increased risk of nonfatal AMI but was absent for fatal AMI/CHD.

Conclusions

This study showed a modest increased risk of AMI/CHD with various traditional NSAIDs and COX‐2 inhibitors. Confidence intervals of estimated ORs included the null value for most comparisons. The study confirmed that the differentiation between traditional NSAIDs and COX‐2 inhibitors is not a reliable tool for predicting cardiovascular risk associated with NSAIDs. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The use of acrylated fatty acid methyl esters as styrene replacements in triglyceride‐based thermosetting polymers
Authors: Campanella Alejandrina , La Scala John J. , Wool Richard P.
Published: August 2009

Resins containing plant oil‐based cross‐linkers were studied with two reactive diluents: a styrene and an acrylated fatty acid methyl ester‐based (AFAME) monomer. Acrylated epoxidized soybean oil and maleinated castor oil monoglyceride were bio‐based cross‐linkers used. The viscosity and mechanical properties of the resulting polymers were measured and analyzed. Both bio‐based cross‐linkers prepared using the modified AFAME as diluent had a fairly high viscosity, so blends of AFAME and styrene were needed to meet the viscosity requirements established by the composite industry (<1000 cP at room temperature). In addition, the glass transition temperature (Tg) and stiffness of bio‐based cross‐linker/AFAME polymers were significantly lower than the resin/styrene polymers. Ternary blends of maleinated castor oil monoglyceride with AFAME and styrene improved the mechanical properties to acceptable comparable values (storage modulus at 30°C ∼ 1200 MPa and Tg ∼ 100°C). The addition of 5 wt% of chemically modified lignin led to an improvement in the mechanical properties of the polymeric matrix but caused an increase in the viscosity. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Physicochemical and morphological properties of poly(acrylamide) and methylcellulose hydrogels: Effects of monomer, crosslinker and polysaccharide compositions
Authors: Aouada Fauze A. , Chiou Bor‐Sen , Orts William J. , Mattoso Luiz H.C.
Published: August 2009

This article describes the physicochemical (mechanical and swelling) and morphological characterization of poly(acrylamide) and methylcellulose (PAAm‐MC) hydrogels synthesized with different formulations by the free radical polymerization method. The structure‐property relationship of the PAAm‐MC hydrogels is very important for application of these materials in different fields. Results showed that the properties of the PAAm‐MC hydrogels can be controlled by varying the acrylamide (AAm) and N′,N‐methylene‐bis‐acrylamide (MBAAm) concentrations and methylcellulose (MC) content. Increase of AAm and MBAAm concentrations causes a pronounced decrease in swelling degree (SD) values and porosity, and an increase in mechanical properties. Increasing the MC concentration caused an increase in SD values and porosity, but decrease in maximum load and modulus of elasticity because of the increase in the hydrogel hydrophilicity due to incorporation of hydroxyl groups from MC chains. PAAm‐MC hydrogels are excellent candidates for several applications, such as matrices for cell transplantation, controlled release (agrochemicals and drugs), tissue repair and regeneration. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Time‐dependent and time‐independent approaches for the computation of absorption spectra of Uracil derivatives in solution
Authors: Improta Roberto , Lami Alessandro , Barone Vincenzo , Santoro Fabrizio
Published: August 2009

In this contribution we discuss the most significant benefits and drawbacks of the alternative time‐independent (TI) and time‐dependent (TD) approaches to the calculation of absorption spectra of molecules in solutions. Eigenstate‐free TD methods are in principle the most suitable route to face with the calculation of optical spectra in nonadiabatic systems, most of all in presence of conical intersections easily accessible from the Franck–Condon region. However, here we show that, in selected cases, a combined strategy that adopts TD methods to assess the impact of nonadiabatic couplings on the spectrum and subsequently applies TI methods to include all the degrees of freedom can reveal very convenient. Such a combined TD/TI strategy has been applied to the calculation of the spectrum of Uracil and 5Fluoro‐Uracil in acetonitrile. TD studies on reduced dimensionality diabatic models indicate that nonadiabatic effects are moderate and are not the main origin of the diffuse spectral shapes observed in experiments. Subsequent full‐coordinate TI calculations allow assigning this feature to intrinsic characteristics of a ππ* excitation of a small molecular ring structure. This latter introduces remarkable deformation in all the ring structure thus inducing a FC activity in many molecular normal modes both due to displacements of the equilibrium structures and to Duschinsky mixings of the normal coordinates. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010
Correlation analysis of the interconversion and nitrogen loss reactions of aryl pentazenes and pentazoles derived from aryl diazonium and azide ions
Authors: Burke Luke A. , Fazen Paul J.
Published: August 2009

The pathways for the reaction of aryldiazonium cations with azide anion to arylazide and nitrogen are explored using the B3LYP/6‐311+G(d) method. CCSD(T) calculations were performed on the RN5 (R = H, OH, Cl, CN) counterparts to verify the appropriateness of this density functional theory method to cases involving NN bond breaking. As in our prior MP2/6‐31G(d) study, a pathway to direct formation of aryl pentazole in a concerted reaction was not found. Transition state structures were calculated for the cyclization reaction of 24 aryl pentazenes in the E configuration and syn conformation (Es) to pentazoles and for the loss of N2 from the Es, Ea (anti), and Za pentazenes and from pentazoles. Correlations were found between activation energies and both reaction energies and Hammett values for 24 aryl N5 cases. The activation energies for competing cyclization and N2 loss from Es pentazenes were both ca. 4 kcal/mol. The barriers for loss of N2 from Ea and Za pentazenes are both ca. 20 kcal/mol. The lowering of the barriers in the Es configuration is attributed to the nucleophilic assistance of the in‐plane lone pair on the N1 atom and in‐plane aromaticity. Competition between N2 loss from, and cyclization of the Es pentazene may provide for a synthesis of hitherto unknown arylpentazoles with electron withdrawing groups. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009
Structural determination of sildenafil and its analogues in dietary supplements by fast‐atom bombardment collision‐induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Ahn Sungho , Hong Joo Yeon , Hong Moo Ki , Jang Young Pyo , Oh Myung Sook , Jung Jee H. , Hong Jongki
Published: August 2009

Sildenafil and its analogues, which are used as illegal additives in several dietary supplements, were isolated by liquid‐liquid extraction and column chromatography and analyzed by fast‐atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB‐MS). Structures of sildenafil and its derivatives were elucidated by FAB‐tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) with exact mass measurement in the positive‐ion mode. To find structurally diagnostic ions for the sildenafil analogues, authentic sildenafil was preferentially analyzed by high‐energy collision‐induced dissociation (CID)‐MS/MS. The CID‐MS/MS spectra of [M+H]+ precursor ions resulted in the formation of numerous characteristic ions via a series of dissociative processes. The product ions formed by CID provided important information on the modification of the piperazine ring, the phenylsulfonyl group and the pyrazolopyrimidine moiety of sildenafil. By interpreting their MS/MS spectra, the chemical structures of sildenafil analogues isolated from dietary supplements could be elucidated and fragmentation patterns were proposed. To clearly identify the sidenafil derivatives in dietary supplements, some of the derivatives such as acetildenafil, homosildenafil and hydroxyhomosildenafil which are not commercially available were synthesized and compared with their MS/MS spectra. In addition, high‐resolution mass measurements were conducted to obtain the elemental compositions of sildenafil and its analogues. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Achieving non‐transferability in credential systems using hidden biometrics
Authors: Adams Carlisle
Published: August 2009

In credential systems, which allow the construction of privacy‐preserving access control infrastructures in online environments, credential transfer occurs when Alice gives her private key to another entity who can then freely use Alice's credential as if it was his/her own. Prior approaches to limit credential transfer require tamper‐resistant user hardware, or are ineffective against closely knit groups of users who are willing to share personal or valuable information with each other. In this paper we propose a scheme to achieve non‐transferability for any malicious, but computationally bounded, legitimate credential owner. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Medi SPICE development
Authors: Mc Caffery Fergal , Dorling Alec
Published: August 2009

This article outlines the development of a software process assessment and improvement model (Medi SPICE) for the medical device industry. The article details how medical device regulations may be satisfied by extending relevant processes and practices from ISO/IEC 15504‐5. The article also describes the proposed phases of delivery for Medi SPICE.

Medi SPICE will define a process reference model, process assessment model (PAM) and organizational maturity model (OMM). The Medi SPICE PAM will be used to perform ISO/IEC 15504 conformant assessments of the software process capability of medical device suppliers in accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 15504‐2: 2003. The Medi SPICE Process Assessment Model will be based on ISO/IEC 15504‐5: 2006 and shall be extended to provide coverage of additional software development practices that are required to achieve regulatory compliance within the medical device industry. The processes will be defined within an OMM conformant with ISO/IEC TR 15504‐7:2008. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of Spermatogonial Stem Cell Subsets by Morphological Analysis and Prospective Isolation
Authors: Grisanti Laura , Falciatori Ilaria , Grasso Margherita , Dovere Lisa , Fera Stefania , Muciaccia Barbara , Fuso Andrea , Berno Valeria , Boitani Carla , Stefanini Mario , Vicini Elena
Published: August 2009

Spermatogenesis is maintained by a pool of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Analyses of the molecular profile of SSCs have revealed the existence of subsets, indicating that the stem cell population is more heterogeneous than previously believed. However, SSC subsets are poorly characterized. In rodents, the first steps in spermatogenesis have been extensively investigated, both under physiological conditions and during the regenerative phase that follows germ cell damage. In the widely accepted model, the SSCs are type Asingle (As) spermatogonia. Here, we tested the hypothesis that As spermatogonia are phenotypically heterogeneous by analyzing glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family receptor α1 (GFRA1) expression in whole-mounted seminiferous tubules, via cytofluorimetric analysis and in vivo colonogenic assays. GFRA1 is a coreceptor for GDNF, a Sertoli cell-derived factor essential for SSC self-renewal and proliferation. Morphometric analysis demonstrated that 10% of As spermatogonia did not express GFRA1 but were colonogenic, as shown by germ cell transplantation assay. In contrast, cells selected for GFRA1 expression were not colonogenic in vivo. In human testes, GFRA1 was also heterogeneously expressed in Adark and in Apale spermatogonia, the earliest spermatogonia. In vivo 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine administration showed that both GFRA1+ and GFRA1− As spermatogonia were engaged in the cell cycle, a finding supported by the lack of long-term label-retaining As spermatogonia. GFRA1 expression was asymmetric in 5% of paired cells, suggesting that As subsets may be generated by asymmetric cell division. Our data support the hypothesis of the existence of SSC subsets and reveal a previously unrecognized heterogeneity in the expression profile of As spermatogonia in vivo.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Soft systems analysis of the unification of test and evaluation and program management: A study of a Federal Aviation Administration's strategy
Authors: Patrick Eigbe Arekhandia , Sauser Brian J. , Boardman John
Published: August 2009

The strategic objective of a test and evaluation (T&E) organization is to detect defects, which must be fixed prior to system deployment in order to meet the operational needs and achieve customer satisfaction. Numerous process improvement models have been developed and applied to address the issue of preventing “critical” defects getting to the field. However, the escalating costs of system deployment (especially in government programs), due to critical defects found in the field, continues to be a major quality issue affecting customer satisfaction. The failure of programs to meet quality and performance objectives has been shown to be related to inadequate planning and an ineffective program management strategy. Thus, for a T&E organization, the program management strategy can greatly influence overall performance goals. While current literature on T&E quality improvement focuses primarily on T&E technical tools, equipment, and processes, little to no attention has been paid to integrating program management into the T&E organization's strategy. We intend to demonstrate in this paper that taking a holistic view of both T&E and program management (PM) activities using the tools of systems thinking can provide new insights to understand and create a more effective T&E execution strategy. Using Boardman's Soft Systems Methodology and Systemigrams (systemic diagrams), we evaluate the unification of a Federal Aviation Administration's T&E program management into its T&E strategy. The resultant Systemigram model represents the alignment of T&E with program management. We conclude with recommendations on how other organizations may modify their T&E execution strategy to achieve better customer satisfaction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng
TiO2‐CeO2 Nanometric Powders Prepared by Sol‐Gel Method
Authors: Zaharescu Maria , Wittmar Alexandra , Teodorescu Valentin , Andronescu Cristian , Wittmar Matthias , Veith Michael
Published: August 2009

Nanometric powders in the TiO2‐CeO2 system were synthesized using sol‐gel methods aiming at corrosion inhibitor preparation. The precursors employed were Ti(OiPr)4 as TiO2 source and Ce(NO3)3·6H2O or Ce(CH3CO2)3·xH2O as CeO2 source. Several parameters were varied, like the cerium precursor (cerium nitrate or cerium acetate) and the TiO2:CeO2 molar ratios. For both cerium sources binary powders with TiO2:CeO2 = 4:1 or 1:1 molar ratios were prepared. The obtained materials were dried 12 h in an oven at 100 °C and then thermally treated for 1 h at 400 °C with a heating rate of 1 °C·min–1 in order to eliminate the water and organic residues. In all cases, nanometric – predominantly amorphous – powders have been obtained which crystallized after the 1 h thermal treatment at 400 °C. The only exception was recorded for the TiO2:CeO2 = 4:1 composition prepared from the Ce(NO3)3·6H2O precursor which remained amorphous after the thermal treatment. Even though the primary particle sizes were ~ 4–5 nm, the material is constituted from aggregates larger than 50 nm. The desired presence of cerium in two valence states, necessary in active corrosion protection, was achieved and it was put into evidence by XPS and DTA/TGA for the TiO2:CeO2 = 4:1 binary compositions. Future studies have to be performed in order to reduce the agglomeration of the material.
Rb3[C6N7(NCN)3]·3H2O and Cs3[C6N7(NCN)3]·3H2O – Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Thermal Behavior of Two Novel Alkali Melonates
Authors: Makowski Sophia J. , Schnick Wolfgang
Published: August 2009

Rubidium melonate trihydrate Rb3[C6N7(NCN)3]·3H2O and cesium melonate trihydrate Cs3[C6N7(NCN)3]·3H2O were obtained by ion exchange reactions in aqueous solution. The structure of the cesium salt was determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (Pna21, a = 687.34(14), b = 2196.5(4), c = 1232.6(3) pm, V = 1860.9(7)·106 pm3, Z = 4, T = 200 K). The crystal structure of the isotypic rubidium salt was refined from X‐ray powder diffraction data by the Rietveld method (Pna21, a = 674.48(2), b = 2146.4(1), c = 1207.5(1) pm, V = 1753.4(6)·106 pm3, Z = 4, T = 298 K). In the crystal structure planar melonate ions and alkali cations as well as water molecules are arranged in alternating layers. The melonate entities are interconnected by a dense hydrogen bonding network. Rb3[C6N7(NCN)3]·3H2O and Cs3[C6N7(NCN)3]·3H2O were investigated by FT‐IR spectroscopy, TG and DTA measurements.
Total oxidant‐scavenging capacities of plasma from glycogen storage disease type Ia patients as measured by cyclic voltammetry, FRAP and luminescence techniques
Authors: Koren E. , Lipkin J. , Klar A. , Hershkovitz E. , Ginsburg I. , Kohen R.
Published: August 2009

It has been suggested that the very low incidence of atherosclerosis in glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD Ia) subjects might be attributed to elevated levels of uric acid, one of the potent low‐molecular‐weight antioxidants found in plasma. The present communication describes a use of two analytical methods—cyclic voltammetry and ferric reducing ability of plasma—and also two chemiluminescence methods to evaluate the total oxidant‐scavenging capacities (TOSC) of plasma from GSD Ia patients. Our results verified the elevation of TOSC in GSD Ia patients and we propose the inclusion of luminescence and cyclic voltammetry assays as reliable methods for estimating TOSC in a variety of clinical disorders. Our findings with the cyclic voltammetry method add support to the assumption that the elevated uric acid levels might be the main contributor to plasma antioxidant capacity and possible protection against atherosclerosis.
Factors determining whether Ethiopian women support continuation of female genital mutilation
Authors: Masho Saba W. , Matthews Lindsey
Published: August 2009

Objective

To examine the factors influencing the opinions of women about whether female genital mutilation (FGM) should continue in Ethiopia.

Methods

Data from questionnaire surveys of women (n = 11 375) collected during the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey were analyzed. Factors influencing the opinions of women concerning whether FGM should continue as a practice in Ethiopia were examined using multiple logistic regression.

Results

Women who believed that FGM should continue were more likely to be aged 15–24 years (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI],1.05–1.41); rural residents (OR, 2.73; CI, 2.38–3.12); Muslim (OR, 1.98; CI,1.80–2.17); married (OR, 1.26; CI, 1.09–1.46); uneducated (OR, 2.85; CI, 2.51–3.23); circumcised (OR, 3.46 CI, 2.94–4.06); and to have had no exposure to mass media (OR,1.57; CI,1.41–1.75).

Conclusion

To change the opinions of women regarding FGM, specific education and prevention programs should be designed to target these demographic groups of women.
Efficiency of fat deposition from non-starch polysaccharides, starch and unsaturated fat in pigs
Authors: Halas Veronika , Babinszky László , Dijkstra Jan , Verstegen Martin W. A. , Gerrits Walter J. J.
Published: August 2009

The aim was to evaluate under protein-limiting conditions the effect of different supplemental energy sources: fermentable NSP (fNSP), digestible starch (dStarch) and digestible unsaturated fat (dUFA), on marginal efficiency of fat deposition and distribution. A further aim was to determine whether the extra fat deposition from different energy sources, and its distribution in the body, depends on feeding level. A total of fifty-eight individually housed pigs (48 (sd4) kg) were used in a 3 × 2 factorial design study, with three energy sources (0·2 MJ digestible energy (DE)/kg0·75per d of fNSP, dStarch and dUFA added to a control diet) at two feeding levels. Ten pigs were slaughtered at 48 (sd4) kg body weight and treatment pigs at 106 (sd3) kg body weight. Bodies were dissected and the chemical composition of each body fraction was determined. The effect of energy sources on fat and protein deposition was expressed relative to the control treatments within both energy intake levels based on a total of thirty-two observations in six treatments, and these marginal differences were subsequently treated as dependent variables. Results showed that preferential deposition of the supplemental energy intake in various fat depots did not depend on the energy source, and the extra fat deposition was similar at each feeding level. The marginal energetic transformation (energy retention; ER) of fNSP, dStarch and dUFA for fat retention (ERfat:DE) was 44, 52 and 49 % (P>0·05), respectively. Feeding level affected fat distribution, but source of energy did not change the relative partitioning of fat deposition. The present results do not support values of energetic efficiencies currently used in net energy-based systems.
Hellenistic παιδɛία and Luke's Education: A Critique of Recent Approaches
Authors: Padilla Osvaldo
Published: August 2009

This essay offers a critique of recent works that claim for the author of Acts a high level of rhetorical sophistication. The paper attempts to begin to fill a gap in Acts studies by exploring two skills of the curriculum of tertiary rhetorical education and asking how these are exemplified in the curriculum itself. In this way an attempt is made to provide a more sophisticated parallel reading, one that avoids shell comparisons that can often lead to distortion. The two skills explored are intertextuality from the Greek classics and speech construction. It is suggested that—from the perspective of the rhetorical curriculum—the author of Acts probably lacked a rhetorical education.
Neither Gold nor Braided Hair (1 Timothy 2.9; 1 Peter 3.3): Adornment, Gender and Honour in Antiquity
Authors: Batten Alicia J.
Published: August 2009

This article examines the relationships between adornment, gender and honour in the Graeco-Roman world in order to provide a broad context for understanding the attempts to curtail women's adornment in 1 Tim 2.9 and 1 Pet 3.3. It argues that while many male writers criticize women who adorn themselves, often accusing such women ofluxuria, not all women shared such a perspective. Rather, women may well have valued jewellery, fine clothes and elaborate hair as means of conveying status and honour, and as important forms of economic power. These factors require consideration when attempting to understand why the authors of 1 Timothy and 1 Peter counsel women to avoid gold, pearls, braided hair and fine clothing.
Redeeming Lost Honor: Shakespeare'sRape of Lucrece
Authors: Blits Jan H.
Published: August 2009

The essay examines Shakespeare'sRape of Lucrece, which portrays the love of honor animating political life in early Rome. Demonstrating the relation of the soul and the city, the poem depicts the psychology of honor, envy, and shame; the near identity of moral worth and public reputation; the close connection between deeds and truth, action and speech; the insufficiency of moral intention; the city as an association of fathers; the relation between the inner and the outer man, soul and body; manly courage as proof of feminine chastity; the private effects of a fully public life; and, generally, the simultaneously self-denying, self-affirming core of Rome's political life. The essay concludes by considering why Shakespeare, in presenting a historically accurate portrait of early Rome, puts it in the mouth not of a Roman, but of a medieval or Renaissance narrator.
My Last Editorial
Authors: ROKEM FREDDIE
Published: August 2009

Theatre Research International is published in association with IFTR – the International Federation for Theatre Research – and renews its editorial team every three years. Therefore, before passing on the ‘torch’ to Elaine Aston, who will serve as the Senior Editor beginning with the next issue of TRI (35, 1), and to Charlotte Canning, the incoming Associate Editor, wishing them success, I want to thank Elaine for her cooperation and support as Associate Editor during my three-year term. I also want to thank the Assistant Editor during my term as editor, Kristina Hagström-Ståhl, for her help. The articles that have been published during these years have no doubt greatly profited from her comments and suggestions, as well as from those of the many anonymous reviewers whom I also want to thank for their invaluable assistance. I would also like to thank the book review editors, in particular Peter Boenisch, for keeping the readers of the journal up to date with the many developments of the field, as well as the staff at Cambridge University Press, in particular Ella Colvin, Sally Hoffman and James Carr for their professional navigation of the actual publication process. Finally – and no doubt most importantly – I want to thank the scholars who have contributed their research to the journal, as well as the readers. The contributions and the subscriptions are steadily growing and this is certainly an encouraging sign.
How Do You Make Yourself a Theatre without Organs? Deleuze, Artaud and the Concept of Differential Presence
Authors: CULL LAURA
Published: August 2009

This article provides an exposition of four key concepts emerging in the encounter between the philosophical man of the theatre, Antonin Artaud, and the theatrical philosopher, Gilles Deleuze: the body without organs, the theatre without organs, the destratified voice and differential presence. The article proposes that Artaud's 1947 censored radio playTo Have Done with the Judgment of Godconstitutes an instance of a theatre without organs that uses the destratified voice in a pursuit of differential presence – as a nonrepresentative encounter with difference that forces new thoughts upon us. Drawing from various works by Deleuze, includingDifference and Repetition, The Logic of Sense, A Thousand Plateausand ‘One Less Manifesto’, I conceive differential presence as an encounter with difference, or perpetual variation, as that which exceeds the representational consciousness of a subject, forcing thought through rupture rather than communicating meanings through sameness.Contrathe dismissal of Artaud's project as paradoxical or impossible, the article suggests that his nonrepresentational theatre seeks to affirm a new kind of presence as difference, rather than aiming to transcend difference in order to reach the self-identical presence of Western metaphysics.
The Theatre of Alain Badiou
Authors: PUCHNER MARTIN
Published: August 2009

This article examines the relation between philosophy and theatre in the work of French philosopher Alain Badiou. First, it focuses on Badiou's central categories, such as event and character, that resonate with the theatre. Second, Badiou's own engagement with the theatre, the place theatre occupies in his philosophical world, is identified. Finally, the article argues that Badiou's thought must be understood as a return to Plato. Plato here is understood not as an enemy of theatre, but as a philosopher who invented philosophy through a constant, if often critical, engagement with the theatre. Dramatic Platonism is the name proposed for this tradition of philosophy of which Alain Badiou is the most significant current representative.
Clinical Ethics Consultation and Ethics Integration in an Urban Public Hospital
Authors: AULISIO MARK P. , MOORE JESSICA , BLANCHARD MAY , BAILEY MARCIA , SMITH DAWN
Published: August 2009

Clinical ethics committees, with their typical threefold function of education, policy formation, and consultation, are present in nearly all U.S. hospitals today, and they are increasingly common in other healthcare settings such as long-term care and even home care. Ethics committees are at least as prevalent in Canadian hospitals as they are in U.S. hospitals, and their presence is growing in Europe, much of Asia, and Central and South America. Although ethics committees serve a variety of needs, their ultimate goal ought to be to promote ethical practices or, in other words, to engender the integration of ethics into the life of the medical center. Of the three primary functions of ethics committees, ethics consultation has historically been the most controversial and problematic, and consult services in many healthcare institutions have struggled to thrive.
Evaluating Clinical Ethics Consultation: A European Perspective
Authors: PFÄFFLIN MARGARETE , KOBERT KLAUS , REITER-THEIL STELLA
Published: August 2009

This paper focuses on the topic of evaluation of clinical ethics consultation. The concept of evaluation seems to contain an internal tension: On the one hand, evaluation is seen (by some authors) as distorting the conceptual and normative content of the case(s) under scrutiny and, on the other, the evaluative act is the most important use of judgment and an inescapable part of everyday life (e.g., the decision to buy a certain car or eat certain food is based on our own evaluations). As such, we maintain that evaluation is essential.
How to Deal with Euthanasia Requests: A Palliative Filter Procedure
Authors: SCHOTSMANS PAUL , GASTMANS CHRIS
Published: August 2009

On September 23, 2002, the Belgian law on euthanasia came into force. This makes Belgium the second country in the world (after the Netherlands) to have an act on euthanasia. Even though there is currently a legal regulation of euthanasia in Belgium, very little is known about how this legal regulation could be translated into care for patients who request euthanasia. Although euthanasia-related mortality rates in Belgium are low, ranging from 0.30% to 1.20%, it can be expected that caregivers will increasingly be confronted with euthanasia requests and will, therefore, be more involved in the care for these patients.
CQ Sources/Bibliography
Authors: Anton Bette
Published: August 2009

These CQ Sources were compiled by Bette Anton.
Predictors of Cognitive Decline After Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: VEARNCOMBE KATHARINE J. , ROLFE MARGARET , WRIGHT MARGARET , PACHANA NANCY A. , ANDREW BROOKE , BEADLE GEOFFREY
Published: August 2009

The objective of this study is to identify whether decline in cognitive functioning after chemotherapy in women with breast cancer is associated with health/disease, treatment, and psychological variables. Neuropsychological performance, health/disease, and treatment-related information of 136 women with breast cancer (age M = 49.38; SD = 7.92; range = 25.25–67.92) was assessed pre-chemotherapy and 1-month post-chemotherapy. The Reliable Change Index corrected for practice (RCIp) identified women whose performance significantly declined, while Pearson correlations assessed the relationship between cognitive change and predictor variables. A total of 16.9% of women showed significant decline post-chemotherapy, with affected domains including verbal learning and memory, abstract reasoning, and motor coordination. Decline in hemoglobin levels and increased anxiety over the course of chemotherapy was found to significantly predict impairment in multiple cognitive measures. Change in specific cognitive measures was significantly associated with baseline fatigue, depression, and functional well-being (r = 0.23 to 0.33; p = .01 to < .001). Although the effects are small, there is evidence that psychological and health factors may increase vulnerability to cognitive dysfunction after chemotherapy for breast cancer. Significant associations reported in this study may be useful in the identification and treatment of at-risk individuals. (JINS, 2009, 15, 951–962.)
Memory score discrepancies by healthy middle-aged and older individuals: The contributions of age and education
Authors: ECONOMOU ALEXANDRA
Published: August 2009

The aim of this study was to examine discrepancies between immediate/delayed recall and recall/working memory in middle-aged and older persons by age and education. Participants were 322 healthy individuals from the community who were stratified into three age and three education groups. Immediate and delayed recall distributions of WMS-III Logical Memory (LM) scores approximated normal curves, and LM savings scores showed a significant, but small, effect of age. LM (immediate, delayed) and Letter-Number Sequencing (LNS) discrepancies varied as a function of age and education. The difference between LM and LNS was not significant in the younger and less educated participants, but increased with age in the most educated group, and in the oldest group LNS exceeded LM (immediate and delayed). The results indicate deterioration in encoding and retrieval, rather than storage, with age, and show a differential, but small, effect of age and education on the memory measures. Working memory was resistant to age-related decline relative to immediate and delayed recall in the oldest, most educated group. Delayed recall–working memory discrepancy is relatively stable with age and education and may be a useful index of the onset of memory pathology across different ages and levels of education.(JINS, 2009,15, 963–972.)
A Method for Observing Silver-Stained Osteocytes In Situ in 3-μm Sections Using Ultra-High Voltage Electron Microscopy Tomography
Authors: Kamioka Hiroshi , Murshid Sakhr A. , Ishihara Yoshihito , Kajimura Naoko , Hasegawa Toshiaki , Ando Ryoko , Sugawara Yasuyo , Yamashiro Takashi , Takaoka Akio , Takano-Yamamoto Teruko
Published: August 2009

Osteocytes are surrounded by hard bone matrix, and it has not been possible previously to directly observe the in situ architecture of osteocyte morphology in bone. Electron microscope tomography, however, is a technique that has the unique potential to provide three-dimensional (3D) visualization of cellular ultrastructure. This approach is based on reconstruction of 3D volumes from a tilt series of electron micrographs of cells, and resolution at the nanometer level has been achieved. We applied electron microscope tomography to thick sections of silver-stained osteocytes in bone using a Hitachi H-3000 ultra-high voltage electron microscope equipped with a 360° tilt specimen holder, at an accelerating voltage of 2 MeV. Osteocytes with numerous processes and branches were clearly seen in the serial tilt series acquired from 3-μm-thick sections. Reconstruction of young osteocytes showed the 3D topographic morphology of the cell body and processes at high resolution. This morphological data on osteocytes should provide useful information to those who study osteocyte physiology and the several models used to explain their mechanosensory properties.