bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Population variability in Thymus glabrescens Willd. from Serbia: Morphology, anatomy and essential oil composition
Authors: Dajic-Stevanovic Zora , Sostaric I. , Marin P.D. , Stojanovic D. , Ristic M.
Published: July 2008

In five indigenous populations of Thymus glabrescens Willd. collected in the region of Banat (Serbia), the variability on leaf morphological traits, leaf and stem anatomy, and composition of the essential oil was studied. The major component in the studied populations was either thymol or ?-terpinene. Distinct differentiation of populations with respect to chemical composition of essential oils might be related to spatial distribution of the studied populations. No correlations between morphology, anatomy, and essential oil yield and composition were determined. Both capitate and peltate glandular trichomes were found on calyces, whereas the latter were noticed on the abaxial and adaxial leaf surface.
Practical insights from OCA variable combinations
Authors: Ozer Itir , Ozkan Ibrahim
Published: July 2008

This study aims to identify optimum currency areas (OCA) variables that distinguish certain Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) member countries from the other EMU members. In the previous studies, EMU members were identified in the light of criteria suggested by the OCA theory. In this study, in order to obtain additional insights, we analyzed OCA variables and the performance of European countries with respect to these variables. Our analysis shows that some of the EMU member countries are dissimilar to the rest of the EMU members with respect to certain OCA criteria.
Violence in social memory intimate beliefs regarding operation storm in the Croatian and Serbian publics
Authors: Djeric Gordana
Published: July 2008

This text is part of a research conducted under the working title "What do we talk about when we are silent and what are we silent about when we are talking? - premises for the anthropology of silence about the nearest past." In the first part the author investigates the meaning of silence in the Croatian and Serbian press right before and during Croatia's Operation Storm. The ratio between silence, suppression of information and forgetting, on the one hand, and social memory, on the other, has been elaborated in the final part of the text by following reports about the anniversaries of Operation Storm in both Croatian and Serbian publics. The starting point lies in the belief that the phenomenon of silence (and suppression of information), being an immanent part of each discourse, represents an important factor in the creation of social relationships and system of value models, that it has important communication and cognitive functions and that the performance character lies in its essence. In short, silence makes it possible to form the prevailing image about this event, even if it does not construct it indirectly - through speech. The author has elaborated on the meaning of silence in the context of Operation Storm partly because studies about the breakup of Yugoslavia frequently mention silence as a manipulation strategy employed by some of the sides in the conflict (or analysts dealing with Yugoslav topics), while not a single study systematically investigates the semantic of silence and suppression of information in these conflicts. Most importantly, taking into account the frequency of direct silence in the newspaper discourse and rhetoric strategies that point at silence indirectly from the context and discourse, the author focuses on the relationship between the event (situation) and silence. In order to shed light on the way in which Operation Storm is remembered, i.e. forgotten, in the stakeholders' publics and political imageries, she follows the dailies - Vecernje Novosti Politika, Danas (Belgrade) - Vecernji List, Jutarnji List, Magazin supplement of the Jutarnji List (Zagreb), as well as texts about Operation Storm in weeklies such as the NIN and Vreme of Belgrade or Globus of Zagreb in the period between August 2, 1995 and mid-August 2006.
Istorijske, politicke i herojske generacije nacrt okvira i primena
Authors: Kuljic Todor
Published: July 2008

(nemacki) In diesem Texte werden die Kriterien zur Differenzierung von historischen, politischen und heroischen Generationen und ihren Hauptarten in USA, BR Deutschland, China, Serbien und Croatien er?rtert. Kriege und Revolutionen werden als zentrale generationsschaffende Ereignisse markiert. Es werden auch die konstruierten wie auch zugeschriebenen Generationsidentit?tsarten dargestellt. Die Generation ist als eine mehr oder wenig klare Gruppe aufgefa?t, die durch Zusammensetzung von biographischem und kollektivem Ged?chtnis entstanden ist. Die Generation als eine Art von Zeitstruktur ist bei der Reduktion und Erkl?rung der Vergangenheit anwendbar. Es ist immer eine offene Frage in welchem Masse die Generationen die realen handelnden Subjekte, oder blo?e symbolische Heimat, dh. eine durchg?ngige Erinnerungsgemeinschaft sind? Es wird auf die Gr?nden der Entstehung der balkanischen heroischen Generationen hingewiesen, auf ihre Natur und Aktualit?t. In Westeuropa ist diese Art von Generation schon lange nicht mehr aktuell. Es wird auch darauf hingewiesen, dass durch die Heroisierung einer Generationserfahrung die Herrschaftsgruppen eigene Werte oktroyieren k?nnen.
Biopolitics and/or biopower
Authors: Losonc Alpar
Published: July 2008

The author of this article thematizes the meanings of life in political philosophy. There are two answers to the question concerning the legitimacy of life in the political philosophy. The first, negative, answer is connected to Arendt, the second is connected to Michel Foucault who has delineated the genesis of the biopolitics in the Western tradition and argued that, since the classical age, "deduction" based on the practice of sovereign power has become merely one element in a range of mechanisms working to generate incite, reinforce, control, monitor, optimize and organize the forces of life. Nowadays, the capacity to manipulate our mere biological life, rather than simply to govern aspects of forms of life, implies a biopolitics that contests how and when we use these technologies and for what purposes. The author of this article emphasizes the significance of the common treating of the biopower and sovereignty, but he critizices the concept of biopolitics based on the idea of the emancipation of the subordinated body. Polical philosophy demonstrates that there is an irreducible difference between these types of power, but it is necessary to analyze them simultaneously. There are a lot of tendencies (for example, biosecurity) that prove the importance of sovereign power for the practice of biopower. However, the sovereignty without biopolitics is exposed to weaknesses and regression. The task for political philosophy is to articulate the dynamic relations between sovereignty and biopower today.
Thinking and devouring: About an ancient motif recently thematised in philosophy
Authors: Krstic Predrag
Published: July 2008

The inspiration or provocation for this paper came from the animal welfare theorists and environmental philosophers who have questioned the justification of our - real and symbolic - practice of eating meat, and from there challenged our meat-eating and generally devouring culture. The author is attempting to examine this motif - a motif of eating, swallowing devouring - its manifestation, display, findings or far-reaching thematisation that have been taking place more or less in passing in the texts of some pivotal thinkers of modern and contemporary philosophical tradition (Rousseau, Hegel, Nietzsche, Freud, Adorno, Lyotard, Derrida). It is suggested that grasping the procedure of devouring, perceived from the perspective of its imperceptible and in time almost ceremonial outgrowing into self-understandable gesture of a theory - and not only theory - is at least instructive and inspirational actual moment of consciousness for the entire (Western) thought, in other words, an aspect of its critical reconstruction and deconstruction.
Radiolytic synthesis and characterization of PVA/Au nanocomposites: The influence of pH values
Authors: Krkljes Aleksandra , Mitric Miodrag , Kacarevic-Popovic Zorica
Published: July 2008

Nanocomposites which consist of polymer matrix and nanoparticles of noble metal are a very important class of nanomaterials. The optical properties of these materials are strongly dependent on the nanoparticles size as well as on the synthesized procedure of nanocomposites preparation. In this work the Au nanoparticles were synthesized by the simple radiolytic procedure, using steady state gamma irradiation, under different pH values. PVA/Au nanocomposite films were obtained by solvent evaporation from Au colloids. UV-Vis absorption spectra of Au colloids show absorption in the range of 450 to 650 nm with the maximum around 520 nm, which is the typical plasmon band of Au nanoparticles. Absorption spectra of PVA/Au nanocomposites are red shifted compared to corresponding primary Au colloids. This red shift is not result of any change in particle size distribution and can be explained by the change of dielectric property of surrounding medium. IR spectra indicated anchoring the OH groups of PVA molecule at the cluster surface. This effect limits the growing of the metal clusters and confirmed that the PVA is a god matrix for in situ synthesis of Au nanoparticles. The size of Au nanoparticles is dependent on the experimental conditions. Obtained results indicated that the pH value of solution played an important role. The values of absorption maximum (?max) were not dependent on the concentration of Au cations, but show strong dependence on the pH value of the initial solution. The increase of pH value reduced the mean diameters of nanoparticles. The lowest value of ?max was obtained for colloid with pH 7, which theoretically corresponds to the nanoparticles with minimum dimension. These results are in agreement with the XRD measurement of PVA/Au nanocomposite films and theoretical calculations. According to obtained results of radiolytic synthesis of Au nanoparticles in PVA solution can be conclude that it is possible to control the particle size by tuning the pH value of solution.
Structural and mechanical characteristics of some lead-free Cu-Sn based solder alloys
Authors: Mitovski Aleksandra , Balanovic Ljubisa , Zivkovic Dragana , Marjanovic Sasa , Marjanovic Bata , Novakovic Sladjana
Published: July 2008

The results of structural and mechanical characteristics of lead-free Cu-Sn based solder alloys, produced in Company "11. mart" AD Srebrenica (Republic of Srpska), are presented in this paper. The results of investigation of samples - alloys CuSnl4, CuSnlFelAlO.5, CuSnlOFelAllMnO.5 and CuA110Fe3Mn produced by different processing methods, include the data obtained by optical microscopy and measurements of hardness, micro hardness and electroconductivity, in order to characterize mentioned alloys and define the influence of processing method applied on their structural and mechanical properties. Microstructural experimental results of samples produced by casting in a metal mould with fast water cooling showed clearly sharp dendritic structure. Samples obtained by casting in a sand mould, displayed structure with big crystals, higher amount of segregation and inclusions on the grain boundaries, as a result of the slow cooling process. Hardness and microhardness tests showed increasing values as the amount of tin raised. Sample 3 showed the lowest value, as a result of the crystallization process and lackness of additional thermal treatment. Experimental results of the electroconductivity test showed that mentioned sample has got the highest value, which can be also explained by its production method. Results presented in this paper can contribute to investigations of copper-tin lead-free alloys, having in mind that various potential lead-free solders still haven't been completely investigated from the aspects of their structural, mechanical and electrical properties.
Influence of fullerenol C60(OH)24 on enzime status in serum of rats after single dose administration of doxorubicine
Authors: Govedarica Biljana , Djordjevic-Milic Vukosava , Radic Natasa , Srdjenovic Branislava , Djordjevic Aleksandar
Published: July 2008

The antracycline antibiotics have one of the widest areas of use in oncology. The most investigated mechanisms of their antineoplastic activity include: interactions of these antibiotics with DNA, inhibition of topoisomerase II and production of free radicals. However, the side effects of doxorubicin, especially cardiotoxicity, are the limiting factor of its use in cancer therapy. The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of fullerenol ?60(?H)24 as a cytoprotector in single doze administration of doxorubicin on the activity of enzymes in serum (CK, AST, ALT, LDH and a-HBDH) in rats in in vivo system. Activity of enzymes (CK, LDH, HBDH, AST, and ALT) in serume was measured with standard commercial methods. The results of analysis of the samples treated with the combination of fullerenol and doxorubicin show no difference in enzyme activity in comparison with the control group. The results indicate the possibility of using fullerenol as a protector in the therapy with doxorubicin in malign neoplasm.
Effect of denture base resin extracts on HeLa cells growth in vitro
Authors: Kostic Milena , Najman Stevo , Kocic Jelena , Krunic Nebojsa , Ajdukovic Zorica , Petrovic Dimitrije , Andjelkovic Maja
Published: July 2008

Growth of HeLa cell culture in vitro was examined, in different concentrations of four resin materials extracts which are used for denture base making. Cell growth was evaluated through density, invert microscope counting, after 48 hours of incubation and through metabolic MTT test after 3 days. Extract was taken by incubation of material sample on 37 ?C in physiological solution, for 72 hours. It is given weaker growth, reduction of adherent cells count and phenotypic changes of cells grown in presence of extracts from all examined materials. Extracts of examined materials increase number of phyllopodic extensions on dose dependent manner.
Testing one model of family role in the development of formal operations
Authors: Stepanovic Ivana , Baucal Aleksandar
Published: July 2008

Contemporary authors emphasise the importance of viewing the family as a specific educational context and of studying its role in the cognitive development. In this paper, we tested the model that postulates the way in which the different ways of parental mediation and various means of the family cultural-supportive system affect the development of formal operations. We assumed that the education of parents and financial status of the family form a wider context that influences the general dimensions of family interaction (emotional exchange and democratism), but also the cultural-pedagogical status of the family, and that their connection with formal operations is mediated by the above-mentioned variables. We expected the education of parents and general dimensions of family interaction to influence the parental mediation characteristic for the development of formal operations, operationalised by CSS scale, and to mediate, via this variable, the development of that form of thinking. The direct link with formal operations is postulated in the case of variables of cultural-pedagogical status and CSS scale. The sample consists of 305 pupils aged 15 to 19. The Structural Equation Modeling was used for testing the postulated model. The results show that there is a direct influence of cultural-pedagogical status and CSS scale on formal operations, but of mother's education as well. Some relations between other predictors were confirmed, and some not, which suggests that the proposed explanatory model must be revised to some degree.
Application of fit indices in testing the theoretical models in psychology: Possibilities and limitations
Authors: Lazarevic Ljiljana
Published: July 2008

This paper deals with the fit indices used in Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) for testing theoretical models and the difficulties that can occur during the testing of theoretical models in different fields of psychology. The paper discusses the basic assumptions of SEM and presents the indices used for assessing the fit of theoretical models. This paper also presents the procedures for calculating the basic statistic for assessing the fit of models (?2), as well as for calculating the most commonly used fit indices, in order to gain a better insight into the advantages and potential difficulties that can occur during their usage. We mention the difficulties regarding the assessment of fit of the model based on ?2 and the discussed fit indices stemming from the sample size, data distribution and assessment methods, wrong specification of model and disturbance of normality and independence of latent variables, as well as the ways in which these difficulties can be overcome. This paper provides a proposal for the approach to presenting the fit indices in reports on studies where theoretical models were tested via SEM.
Contribution of school to building up the partnership with parents
Authors: Polovina Nada
Published: July 2008

This paper studies the way in which headmasters and class masters perceive and estimate the factors, obstacles and incentives to building up a partnership between school and parents. The sample consists of 60 headmasters and 305 class masters from 60 schools (37 urban and 23 rural) in Serbia. Headmasters and teachers filled in separate, but parallel questionnaires (modified only in the segment of different roles) that were created for the purposes of research. Questionnaire items inquire about the factors contributing to the inclusion of parents, the obstacles in developing the cooperation between parents and school and the peculiarities of school environment that can contribute to the development of that cooperation, as well as about the peculiarities of the communication with parents. Research findings indicate that headmasters and teachers assess the importance of different components in the field of cooperation with parents in a similar, but not identical way. Most similarities are found in the perception of obstacles for establishing cooperation (the problems of coordinating time periods for meetings, previous bad experiences of parents regarding cooperation). The majority of differences lie in perceiving the importance of cooperation factors (headmasters emphasise the "parent factor", while teachers do so both for the "parent factor" and "child factor"), as well as in perceiving the necessary incentives for the improvement of cooperation between school and parents (headmasters emphasise the spatial-temporal organization components, and teachers do so for spatial components and personal initiatives). In the assessments of both the headmasters and teachers we obtained differences marked by gender, the longitude of years of service, size of the settlement where the school is located (town-village). The general conclusion indicates that the topic of cooperation between school and parents is highly and in many ways context sensitive, and that the building of cooperation program must be preceded by the process of systemic and systematic dialogue shaping of the topic on the level of every individual school, in order to purify the existing multiverse meanings and thus provide foundation for clear, locally meaningful and sustainable cooperation programs.
Safety and Efficacy of Intra-articular Sodium Hyaluronate (Hyalgan®) in a Randomized, Double-Blind Study for Osteoarthritis of the Ankle
Authors: Cohen Michael M. , Altman Roy D. , Hollstrom Richard , Hollstrom Claire , Sun Craig , Gipson Brad
Published: July 2008

Background: The potential benefit of hyaluronans in alleviating pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) in joints other than the knee is of increasing interest. This double-blind, randomized, controlled study examined the safety and efficacy of intra-articular sodium hyaluronate (Hyalgan®) in the treatment of pain associated with ankle OA. Materials and Methods: Thirty consecutive patients with ankle OA documented by X-ray were randomized to treatment with five weekly injections of either sodium hyaluronate 2 mL (HYL) or phosphate-buffered saline 2 mL (control) in the tibiotalar joint. The primary endpoint was pain on movement and weightbearing using the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) 3 months after injection (a 100-mm visual analog scale [VAS]). Additional measures included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) OA Index and patient global assessment through 6 months; the Short Form-12 (SF-12) Health Survey at 3 months and 6 months; and all reported adverse events (AEs). Results: The study groups differed only in age, baseline WOMAC pain, and AOS total scores; 80% of the HYL and 73% of the control patients completed the study. At Month 3, the primary endpoint of the study, the HYL group demonstrated a significantly greater improvement from baseline in AOS total score than did the control group (HYL: −17.4 ± 5.0 mm; Control: −5.1 ± 4.0 mm; p = 0.0407). The incidence of AEs was low, with no significant differences between the groups. There were no post-injection flares. Conclusion: Our study suggests that sodium hyaluronate may be a safe and effective option for pain associated with ankle OA, although larger studies are needed.
Distal Oblique First Metatarsal Osteotomy in Grade 3 Hallux Rigidus: A Long-Term Followup
Authors: Malerba Francesco , Milani Rossano , Sartorelli Elena , Haddo Omar
Published: July 2008

Background: While some studies have demonstrated that metatarsus primus elevatus in hallux rigidus is an uncommon secondary change rather than a causative factor, we believe it is, in fact, more common. We advocate surgical treatment if the first ray is elevated beyond normal range, thereby acting as a decompression realignment osteotomy. Materials and Methods: We analyzed patients operated between June 1994 and December 1996. Oblique distal osteotomy of the first metatarsal was performed in 20 patients. A retrospective review of clinical and radiological outcomes was performed including an AOFAS score and patient satisfaction scale. The postoperative ROM was evaluated with lateral radiographs in maximum plantar/dorsiflexion. The average followup was 11.1 (range, 8.7 to 13.6) years. Results: One case of metatarsalgia was the only postoperative complication. The average AOFAS score increased from 44 (range, 14 to 68) to 82 (range, 80 to 100). Good to excellent results were achieved in 19 patients. The mean passive dorsiflexion of the first MTP joint improved from 8 degrees (range, 5 degrees to 10 degrees) to 44 degrees (range, 15 degrees to 55 degrees). No patient underwent subsequent surgery. Conclusion: The oblique osteotomy is a safe and reliable procedure for treatment of painful hallux rigidus. In our experience, it yields good and excellent results with high patient satisfaction and low complication rates.
Changes in Length of the First Ray with Two Different First MTP Fusion Techniques: A Cadaveric Study
Authors: Singh Bikramjit , Draeger Reid , Gaizo Daniel J. Del , Parekh Selene G.
Published: July 2008

Background: First metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP) fusions are performed as salvage procedures for a variety of conditions ranging from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, hallux valgus, and failed first MTP arthroplasty. A number of bone preparation techniques have been described to fuse the first MTP joint, with varying degrees of success. The aim of this study was to characterize and compare the average shortening of the first ray with a conical reamer fusion technique versus flat bone cut technique. Materials and Methods: Six paired cadaver feet were divided into two groups with one foot from each pair in each group. Preoperative first ray lengths were measured radiographically. Each group then underwent arthrodesis of first MTP joint with one of two different bone cut techniques: flat cuts or conical reaming. The postoperative lengths of the first rays were measured and the data analyzed using a two-tailed Student's t-tests. Results: The average shortening that occurred in both groups after the procedure was 7.1 mm for the flat cut group (Group I) and 5.7 mm for the machined conical reaming group (Group II). Comparing both groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the shortening between the groups. Conclusion: Both flat bone cut and conically reamed techniques caused shortening of the first ray after first MTP fusion. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the postprocedure lengths of the first ray between the two groups. Clinical Relevance: Neither technique is more likely to lead to transfer metatarsalgia since the shortening was similar.
Biomechanical Analysis of Tibial Strength After Harvesting Unicortical Tibial Grafts of Two Different Lengths
Authors: Hong Yuhwan , Sharma Krishn M. , Parks Brent G. , Miller Stuart D.
Published: July 2008

Background: It is not known whether the use of the proximal tibia as a source of strut graft compromises the strength of the tibia. Our hypothesis was that unicortical proximal tibial grafts in two different sizes would not significantly decrease the torsional strength of the tibia. Materials and Methods: Ten matched pairs of human cadaver tibiae were stripped of all soft tissues. One tibia in each pair was randomly assigned to receive an osteotomy of 2 × 1.5 cm or 6 × 1.5 cm placed 1 cm dorsal to the tibial crest with the proximal graft edge 6 cm from the tibial plateau. Specimens were loaded at 720 N and in external rotational torque at 5 degrees per second to failure. Axial force or torque at failure were analyzed via T-test ( p ≤ 0.05). Results: There was no significant difference in torque to failure between specimens with an osteotomy of 1.5 × 2 cm versus the matched intact specimens. Torque to failure for specimens with an osteotomy 1.5 × 6 cm was lower than that of the matched intact specimens (28.69 Nm ± 4.2 Nm versus 60.95 Nm ± 9.49 Nm; p = 0.01) and lower than that found in the 2-cm osteotomy group ( p = 0.04). Conclusion: Torque to failure was significantly decreased with the larger 6-cm graft as compared with the intact tibia and with the graft 1.5 × 2 cm. The smaller graft did not result in a significant change in torsional strength of the tibia. Clinical Relevance: Though this study cannot be extrapolated directly to the clinical setting, the longer graft tested in this study may raise concerns regarding the strength of the tibia after graft removal.
The Changing Faces of the Byronic Hero in Middlemarch and North and South
Authors: WOOTTON SARAH
Published: July 2008

Almost two hundred years after the publication of the first two cantos of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, the Byronic hero remains, as Andrew Elfenbein argues, an ‘unprecedented cultural phenomenon’.1 This essay is not concerned with the more direct descendants of the Byronic hero (Rochester and Heathcliff, for example); rather, I shall be focusing on the less immediately obvious, and in some respects more complex, reincarnations of the Byronic hero in two nineteenth-century novels, George Eliot's Middlemarch and Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. Establishing previously neglected connections between these authors and the figure of the Byronic hero not only opens new avenues of debate in relation to these novels, but also permits a reassessment of the extent and significance of Byron's influence in the Victorian period. The following questions will be addressed: first, why does a Byronic presence feature so prominently in the work of nineteenth-century women writers; second, what is distinctive about Eliot and Gaskell's respective treatments of this figure; and, third, how is the Byronic hero subsequently reinvented, and to what effect, in modern screen adaptations of their work?
‘Webbed with Golden Lines’: Saul Bellow's Romanticism
Authors: Sandy Mark
Published: July 2008

Attaining prominence in the post-war era, Saul Bellow is one of the most widely read and intellectually eclectic novelists of the Jewish American School.1 Bellow's frequent references to Romanticism form a dominant design within his culturally diverse fiction.2 Taken from Bellow's Herzog, my title indicates the two levels on which Bellow's Romantic allusions operate. At one level, this ‘webbed’ pattern of ‘golden lines’ suggests how Bellow interlaces his own prose with the poetry and philosophy of British Romanticism to govern readers' responses to his portrayal of epiphanies. On another, Herzog's moment of inter-connected vision signals Bellow's investment in a Coleridgean and Wordsworthian imagination that reveals the all-pervasive spirit of the ‘[o]ne Life within us and abroad’3. This metaphysical dimension to Bellow's web of ‘golden lines’ finds a further affinity with Shelley's later notion of the ‘web of being’.4
Derrida, Dennett, and the Ethico-Political Project of Naturalism
Authors: Staten Henry
Published: July 2008

Does Derrida's radicalization of the science-respecting Enlightenment tradition redefine it in such a way that the concept of nature is no longer relevant? But where is the tradition of Copernicus, Darwin, Nietzsche, Marx, without nature? Must there not be a post-deconstructive sense of nature that preserves the connection with the ethico-political project of naturalism? Derrida consistently defines deconstruction in naturalistic terms, specifically in terms of a commitment to the concept of materiality, and this commitment is essential to the ethico-political project of naturalism, which is continually eroded by ‘weak’ naturalisms that at certain point collapse back into supernaturalism. A prime case in point in contemporary analytic philosophy is the attempt made by Nagel, Chalmers, and others to assign a special metaphysical status to ‘consciousness’ or ‘experience.’ When the project of deconstruction is seen as a form of naturalism, Daniel Dennett looms as an important potential ally against the forms of covert ‘spiritism’ represented by Nagel and Chalmers.
Joshua Kates, Essential History: Jacques Derrida and the Development of Deconstruction (Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 2005), 352pp, $29.95 (USD), ISBN 10: 0810123274, ISBN-13: 978-0810123274
Authors: Banham Gary
Published: July 2008

This book promises a ‘radical reappraisal’ (Kates 2005, xv) of Derrida, concentrating particularly on the relationship of Derrida to philosophy, one of the most vexed questions in the reception of his work. The aim of the book is to provide the grounds for this reappraisal through a reinterpretation in particular of two of the major works Derrida published in 1967: Speech and Phenomena and Of Grammatology. However the study of the development of Derrida's work is the real achievement of the book as Kates discusses major works dating from the 1954 study of genesis in Husserl's phenomenology through to the essays on Levinas and Foucault in the early 1960's as part of his story of how Derrida arrived at the writing of the two major works from 1967.
Screening of ionic liquids to capture CO2 by COSMO‐RS and experiments
Authors: Zhang Xiaochun , Liu Zhiping , Wang Wenchuan
Published: July 2008

A screening method is proposed for the molecular design of ionic liquids (ILs) to capture carbon dioxide (CO2), which can reduce efficiently the necessary experimental efforts. The COSMO‐RS method is implemented to predict the Henry's law constants of CO2 in 408 ILs with various combinations of cations and anions. It is found by the screening that the ILs with the anion tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate ([FEP]) show improved capability to capture CO2, compared with other ILs reported in literature. Then, three [FEP]‐based ILs are chosen to perform the solubility measurements by the intelligent gravimetric analyzer (IGA 003, Hiden Analytical), with cations of 1‐hexyl‐3‐methylimidazolium ([hmim]), 1‐butyl‐1‐methylpyrrolidinium ([bmpyrr]), and S‐ethyl‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylthiouronium ([ETT]) at 283.2, 298.2, and 323.2 K, up to the pressure of 1.8 MPa. The experimental data show that the solubility of CO2 in [hmim][FEP] is about 15% higher than that in 1‐hexyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([hmim][Tf2N]), which is in fair agreement with the screening results, indicating the method proposed in this work is reliable. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2008
Immunohistochemical expression and clinical significance of P‐glycoprotein in previously untreated extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type
Authors: Wang Biyun , Li Xiao‐Qiu , Ma Xuejun , Hong Xiaonan , Lu Hongfen , Guo Ye
Published: July 2008

Overexpression of P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) has been identified by a variety of methods in NK cells and NK malignancies. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical significance of P‐gp in previously untreated extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type. Tumor specimens from 30 patients initially treated with CHOP or CHOP‐based chemotherapy were examined by immunohistochemistry using JSB‐1, a monoclonal antibody recognizing the intracellular epitope of P‐gp molecule. Twenty cases (67%) were positive for P‐gp expression. The complete response rate achieved in P‐gp positive patients was significantly lower than in P‐gp negative ones (20% vs. 60%, P = 0.045). With a median follow‐up of 25 months, the 2‐year progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates for all patients were 66 and 69%, respectively. Compared with both PFS and OS rates of P‐gp positive patients, those of P‐gp negative patients showed a trend of benefit that did not reach statistical significance for borderline P values (PFS: 90% vs. 54%, P = 0.1057; OS: 90% vs. 61%, P = 0.2028). Our results suggest that P‐gp expression is related with poor treatment outcomes of extranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type. Am. J. Hematol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Growth and nutrition disorders in children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Kuperminc Michelle N. , Stevenson Richard D.
Published: July 2008

Growth and nutrition disorders are common secondary health conditions in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Poor growth and malnutrition in CP merit study because of their impact on health, including psychological and physiological function, healthcare utilization, societal participation, motor function, and survival. Understanding the etiology of poor growth has led to a variety of interventions to improve growth. One of the major causes of poor growth, malnutrition, is the best‐studied contributor to poor growth; scientific evidence regarding malnutrition has contributed to improvements in clinical management and, in turn, survival over the last 20 years. Increased recognition and understanding of neurological, endocrinological, and environmental factors have begun to shape care for children with CP, as well. The investigation of these factors relies on advances made in the assessment methods available to address the challenges inherent in measuring growth in children with CP. Descriptive growth charts and norms of body composition provide information that may help clinicians to interpret growth and intervene to improve growth and nutrition in children with CP. Linking growth to measures of health will be necessary to develop growth standards for children with CP in order to optimize health and well‐being. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2008;14:137–146.
Levitation and propulsion for a magnetically levitated conveyance system using a two‐phase linear motor
Authors: Ohashi Shunsuke
Published: July 2008

Magnetically levitated conveyance systems have been developed. Most consist of a levitation (and guidance) section and a thrust section. We have developed a conveyance system that realizes levitation and propulsion with a single facility using a two‐phase linear motor. In this system, the levitation and propulsion system are combined. The control method for the propulsion system to achieve more stability is discussed. To obtain the propulsion force, modulation of the voltage applied on the primary windings is undertaken. A traveling field is generated and applied to a carrier with a secondary iron core. The levitation force is produced by attraction between the flux generated by the primary windings and the secondary iron core. Because we need only electrical power for FET switching on the carrier side, no power supply system for the carrier is needed. Experimental results indicate that this system realizes contact‐less conveyance with various propulsion patterns. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 165(3): 65–72, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20551
Regional homogeneity changes in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Wu Tao , Long Xiangyu , Zang Yufeng , Wang Liang , Hallett Mark , Li Kuncheng , Chan Piu
Published: July 2008

Resting state brain activity in Parkinson's disease (PD) can give clues to the pathophysiology of the disorder, and might be helpful in diagnosis, but it has never been explored using functional MRI (fMRI). In the current study, we used a regional homogeneity (ReHo) method to investigate PD‐related modulations of neural activity in the resting state. FMRIs were acquired in 22 patients with PD at both before and after levodopa administration, as well as in 22 age‐ and sex‐matched normal controls. In the PD group compared with the healthy controls, we found ReHo decreased in extensive brain regions, including the putamen, thalamus, and supplementary motor area; and increased in some other areas, including the cerebellum, primary sensorimotor cortex, and premotor area. The ReHo off medication was negatively correlated with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) in the putamen and some other regions, and was positively correlated with the UPDRS in the cerebellum. Administration of levodopa relatively normalized ReHo. Our findings demonstrate that neural activity in the resting state is changed in patients with PD. This change is secondary to dopamine deficiency, and related to the severity of the disease. The different neuronal activity at the baseline state should be considered in explaining fMRI findings obtained during tasks. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Role of myofibroblasts in innate chemoresistance of pancreatic carcinoma—Epigenetic downregulation of caspases
Authors: Müerköster Susanne Sebens , Werbing Veronika , Koch Dorothee , Sipos Bence , Ammerpohl Ole , Kalthoff Holger , Tsao Ming‐Sound , Fölsch Ulrich R. , Schäfer Heiner
Published: July 2008

We recently reported on continuous tumor–stroma interactions essentially contributing to chemoresistance of pancreatic ductal adenocarinoma (PDAC) cells. As demonstrated here, long‐term coculture with pancreatic myofibroblasts representing the main stromal compartment of PDAC resulted in a chemoresistant phenotype in the pancreatic ductal epithelial cell line H6c7 as well as in the chemosensitive PDAC cell line T3M4. This involved a reduced expression of caspases and the caspase inducing transcription factor STAT1, both caused by diminished gene transcription. The DNA‐methylation inhibitor 5‐azadeoxycytidine enhanced caspase and STAT1 expression in cocultured H6c7 and T3M4 cells along with an increased chemosensitivity, indicating a role for CpG DNA‐hypermethylation in the downregulation of these crucial apoptosis mediators. Cocultured H6c7 and T3M4 cells exhibited elevated nuclear levels of DNA‐methyltransferase‐1 (DNMT1). Silencing of DNMT1 expression by siRNA increased expression of caspases and STAT1 and restored chemosensitivity. In SCID mice, tumors arising from coinoculated T3M4 cells and myofibroblasts (co‐tumors) responded less towards chemotherapy than mono‐tumors, exhibiting decreased apoptosis, no remission and reduced expression of caspases and STAT1. These data underscore the role of myofibroblasts in chemoresistance of PDAC and point to the importance of caspases as central target structures of epigenetic regulation in this scenario. Furthermore, an activated microenvironment might apparently promote the manifestation of chemoresistance already in premalignant precursor cells at early stages of PDAC tumorigenesis. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Support vector regression to predict asphalt mix performance
Authors: Maalouf Maher , Khoury Naji , Trafalis Theodore B.
Published: July 2008

Material properties are essential in the design and evaluation of pavements. In this paper, the potential of support vector regression (SVR) algorithm is explored to predict the resilient modulus (MR), which is an essential property in designing and evaluating pavement materials, particularly hot mix asphalt typically used in Oklahoma. SVR is a statistical learning algorithm that is applied to regression problems; in our study, SVR was shown to be superior to the least squares (LS). Compared with the widely used LS method, the results of this study show that SVR significantly reduces the mean‐squared error and improves the correlation coefficient. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanical properties of granular materials: A variational approach to grain‐scale simulations
Authors: Holtzman R. , Silin D. B. , Patzek T. W.
Published: July 2008

The mechanical properties of cohesionless granular materials are evaluated from grain‐scale simulations. A three‐dimensional pack of spherical grains is loaded by incremental displacements of its boundaries. The deformation is described as a sequence of equilibrium configurations. Each configuration is characterized by a minimum of the total potential energy. This minimum is computed using a modification of the conjugate gradient algorithm.

Our simulations capture the nonlinear, path‐dependent behavior of granular materials observed in experiments. Micromechanical analysis provides valuable insight into phenomena such as hysteresis, strain hardening and stress‐induced anisotropy. Estimates of the effective bulk modulus, obtained with no adjustment of material parameters, are in agreement with published experimental data. The model is applied to evaluate the effects of hydrate dissociation in marine sediments. Weakening of the sediment is quantified as a reduction in the effective elastic moduli. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An accelerated FFT algorithm for thermoelastic and non‐linear composites
Authors: Vinogradov V. , Milton G. W.
Published: July 2008

A fast numerical algorithm to compute the local and overall responses of non‐linear composite materials is developed. This alternative formulation allows us to improve the convergence of the existing method of Moulinec and Suquet (e.g. Comput. Meth. Appl. Mech. Eng. 1998; 157(1–2):69–94). In the present method, a non‐linear elastic (or conducting) material is replaced by infinitely many locally linear thermoelastic materials with moduli that depend on the values of the local fields. This makes it possible to use the advantages of an algorithm developed by Eyre and Milton (Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 1999; 6(1):41–47), which has faster convergence. The method is applied to compute the local fields as well as the effective response of non‐linear conducting and elastic periodic composites. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The extended finite element method for fracture in composite materials
Authors: Huynh D. B. P. , Belytschko T.
Published: July 2008

Methods for treating fracture in composite material by the extended finite element method with meshes that are independent of matrix/fiber interfaces and crack morphology are described. All discontinuities and near‐tip enrichments are modeled using the framework of local partition of unity. Level sets are used to describe the geometry of the interfaces and cracks so that no explicit representation of either the cracks or the material interfaces are needed. Both full 12 function enrichments and approximate enrichments for bimaterial crack tips are employed. A technique to correct the approximation in blending elements is used to improve the accuracy. Several numerical results for both two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional examples illustrate the versatility of the technique. The results clearly demonstrate that interface enrichment is sufficient to model the correct mechanics of an interface crack. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Growth and vitamin D deficiency in a population from 19th century Birmingham, England
Authors: Mays S. , Brickley M. , Ives R.
Published: July 2008

The West Midlands of England were the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. The 19th century AD skeletal remains from St Martin's Church, Birmingham, West Midlands, provided an important opportunity to assess the health of an urban, working‐class population at this key point in British history. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of rickets on growth in this population. Modern clinical data suggest that those with vitamin D deficiency may be retarded in growth, but this has, to our knowledge, yet to be demonstrated in an archaeological population. We investigate the hypothesis that in Birmingham, subadults with rickets showed deficient growth compared with those lacking bony signs of the disease. Age at death was estimated using dental calcification; long‐bone lengths were used as measures of endochondral bone growth. Results showed that for subadults aged 2–6 years, bones in those with signs of rickets tended to be short for their ages, and the deficit in bone length was more marked toward the upper end of the 2–6 year age group. Analysis of the data indicated that deficiency in bone length in rickets primarily reflects deficiency of endochondral bone growth, but for the femur, bending deformity was probably an additional factor reducing the overall length in rickets compared with those without the disease. It was previously suggested (Mays et al., 2006) that in this population rickets may have been a recurrent disease, probably on a seasonal (winter) basis. If this is accepted, a reason why older children with rickets show a greater deficit in long‐bone growth than younger ones is that they are more likely to have had multiple episodic vitamin D deficiency than younger children who have experienced fewer vitamin D deficient winter seasons. Multiple episodes or prolonged vitamin D deficiency disease may be necessary to cause growth deficit sufficient to be detectable in skeletal samples. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Delay‐dependent exponential stability for switched delay systems
Authors: Wang Dong , Wang Wei , Shi Peng
Published: July 2008

Delay‐dependent exponential stability criteria are presented for switched systems consisting of a family of stable and unstable subsystems with interval time‐varying delay. Two cases with regard to such delay are considered: one is that time‐varying delay function is differentiable and bounded and the other is that time‐varying delay function is continuous and bounded. It is very difficult to analyze the stability of such systems due to the existence of time delay and unstable subsystems. By introducing some free‐weighting matrices, constructing the new Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and taking advantage of the average dwell time technique, not only is this difficulty overcome but also sufficient conditions for such criteria are obtained and formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed approaches. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.