bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neurotrophins facilitate neuronal differentiation of cultured neural stem cells via induction of mRNA expression of basic helix‐loop‐helix transcription factors Mash1 and Math1
Authors: Ito Hisanori , Nakajima Aki , Nomoto Hiroshi , Furukawa Shoei
Published: February 2003

Neurogenesis is promoted by basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) transcription factors Mash1, Math1, or NeuroD but suppressed by another set, Hes1 and Hes5. It remains unknown what kinds of extracellular signals are involved in their regulation; therefore, the effects of neurotrophins on the expression of bHLH factors and neuronal differentiation were investigated by the use of cultured mouse neural stem cells. Each neurotrophin increased Mash1 and Math1 mRNAs of the stem cells growing in the presence of fibroblast growth factor‐2 (FGF‐2), but did not alter Hes1, Hes5, or NeuroD mRNA levels. Simultaneously, most of the cells expressed nestin but not microtubule‐associated protein 2 (MAP2), and remained undifferentiated. FGF‐2 removal from the medium reduced the levels of Hes1 and Hes5 mRNAs and increased those of Mash1, Math1, and NeuroD mRNAs, resulting in substantial neuronal differentiation. When the cells were pretreated with brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, a neurotrophin, FGF‐2 removal enhanced earlier NeuroD expression and generated many more MAP2‐positive cells. The high level of Mash1 and Math1 that had been elevated at FGF‐2 withdrawal accelerated NeuroD expression in cooperation with the reduced Hes1 and Hes5 expression. Our present results suggest that neurotrophins stimulate neuronal differentiation by altering the balance of expression of various bHLH transcription factors. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interactions among memory‐related centers in the brain
Authors: Shu Si Yun , Wu Yong Ming , Bao Xin Min , Leonard Brian
Published: February 2003

The structures associated with learning and memory have been widely studied for over 100 years. The idea of the famous neuropsychologist K.S. Lashley, that learning and memory are stored diffusely in the brain, dominated neuroscience in the early half of Twentieth Century. Since Scoville reported in 1957 a persistent impairment of recent memory caused by bilateral medial temporal lobe resection in a patient, the concept that different brain structures play different roles in learning and memory has been established, but the structures were thought to work separately. The connections and functional influences between hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, thalamus and hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and thalamus, amygdala and hippocampus, basal nucleus of Meynert and medial temporal lobe system, and amygdala and thalamus were successively reported. The marginal division (MrD) is a pan‐shaped structure consisting of spindle‐shaped neurons at the caudal margin of the neostriatum in the mammalian brain. The MrD has been shown to contribute to associative learning and declarative memory by behavioral study in rats and by functional magnetic resonance image study in humans. Lesions in the MrD influenced the learning and memory function of the basal nucleus of Meynert and attenuated hippocampal long‐term potentiation. The MrD is likely, based on its position, advanced development in higher mammalian brains, abundant and swift blood supply, and complex connections, to be an important subcortical memory center in the brain. The above‐mentioned studies demonstrated that memory‐related centers could influence each other and play different roles. Therefore, we propose that there are very possibly hierachical memory centers in the brain. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Wirbelstromprüfung auf interkristalline Korrosion
Authors: Mook G. , Göllner J. , Köser O. , Mook B. , Schultze S.
Published: February 2003

Der Beitrag untersucht die Eignung des Wirbelstromverfahrens zum Nachweis interkristalliner Korrosion in Nickelbasislegierungen. Nach einer kurzen Einführung in den Schädigungsprozess und seine Folgen werden Modellberechungen zur Wirbelstromausbreitung vorgestellt. Die anschließenden experimentellen Untersuchungen bestätigen die Eignung des Wirbelstromverfahrens zum Schädigungsnachweis und liefern Anhaltspunkte für quantitative Aussagen.
Corrosion Control by water‐soluble extracts from leaves of economic plants
Authors: Rehan H. H.
Published: February 2003

Water extracts from leaves of date palm, phoenix dactylifera, henna, Lawsonia inermis, and corn, Zea mays, were tested as corrosion inhibitors for steel, aluminum, copper and brass in acid chloride and sodium hydroxide solutions using weight loss, solution analysis and potential measurements. The inhibition action was found to critically depend on metal type and solution composition. Only, date palm and henna extracts were found highly effective in reducing corrosion rate of steel in acid chloride solutions and aluminum in sodium hydroxide solutions. The inhibition efficiency increased with increasing the concentration of the extract. The inhibition was interpreted in terms of chemisorption of some active ingredients in the leaves according to Temkin isotherm.
Treatment of Parkinson's disease in Spain
Authors: Grandas Francisco , Kulisevsky Jaime
Published: February 2003

To assess the patterns of drug use in Parkinson's disease in Spain, information about the clinical characteristics and current treatment of 1,803 parkinsonian patients was obtained from a nationwide survey, involving 241 physicians with practice based on the different assistance levels of the Spanish National Healthcare System. Approximately 90% of the patients were treated with levodopa, regardless of the characteristics of their physicians, but the use of the other available antiparkinsonian treatments was highly influenced by the medical specialty and interest in movement disorders of the prescribing doctors. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society
Movement‐related cortical potentials before jaw excursions in oromandibular dystonia
Authors: Yoshida Kazuya , Kaji Ryuji , Kohara Nobuo , Murase Nagako , Ikeda Akio , Shibasaki Hiroshi , Iizuka Tadahiko
Published: February 2003

Oromandibular dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary contraction of masticatory and/or tongue muscles. Cortical negative shifts preceding voluntary movements called “movement‐related cortical potentials” (MRCPs) reflect a central motor control process. Reduced amplitude of MRCPs has been reported in other types of dystonia. To elucidate whether the abnormality is observed also in oromandibular dystonia, we compared MRCPs associated with mandibular movements in 6 patients with this condition and in 8 normal subjects. Electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded from 11 electrodes, and electromyograms (EMGs) were recorded from the masseter muscle and the suprahyoid muscles. The subjects were asked to repeat mouth opening, closing, and left and right lateral mandibular excursions. MRCPs were obtained by averaging the EEG using the EMG onset as the trigger signal. In the patient group, MRCP amplitudes over central and parietal areas for mouth opening and lateral movements were significantly reduced compared to normal subjects. In normal controls, the MRCPs at mouth opening and closing were symmetrically distributed, whereas those at lateral movements showed predominance over the hemisphere ipsilateral to the direction of the movement. This laterality was lost in the patient group. These results suggest impaired cortical preparatory process for jaw movements in oromandibular dystonia. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society
Community‐based data on associations of disease duration and age with severity of essential tremor: Implications for disease pathophysiology
Authors: Louis Elan D. , Jurewicz Eva C. , Watner Dryden
Published: February 2003

The pathophysiology of essential tremor (ET) is not well understood, although the tremor often worsens over time. Several processes could contribute, including the inherent worsening of the underlying disease with increasing disease duration and the effects of aging on the nervous system. Our objective was to examine the associations of disease duration and age with tremor severity in ET. Cases were ascertained from a community‐based study of ET in northern Manhattan, New York. A neurologist rated tremor severity using a clinical rating scale and assigned a total tremor score (0–36 [maximum]). Analyses were repeated in a sample of cases from a tertiary referral center, the Neurological Institute of New York. There were 55 cases from the community‐based study (mean age, 72.1 years, mean disease duration, 13.2 years). Disease duration was associated with the total tremor score (r = 0.30; P = 0.02). Age was associated with the total tremor score (r = 0.30; P = 0.025). In a linear regression analysis the dependent variable was the total tremor score and independent variables were disease duration, age gender. Duration (β = 0.11; P = 0.02) and age (β = 0.10; P = 0.02) were independently associated with the total tremor score. Results were similar in 79 ET cases from the Neurological Institute. Disease duration and age were independently associated with tremor severity in ET. This suggests that the reported increase in tremor severity may be related to the inherent worsening of the disease with increasing duration that this is independent of age and age‐related processes like neuronal attrition and change in tremor frequency. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society
Limb‐kinetic apraxia in corticobasal degeneration: Clinical and kinematic features
Authors: Leiguarda Ramón C. , Merello Marcelo , Nouzeilles María Inés , Balej Jorge , Rivero Alberto , Nogués Martín
Published: February 2003

Current concepts regarding the organisation of the motor system indicate the existence of a frontoparietal circuit involved in prehension and manipulation, whose damage may result in a motor behavioural disorder strongly resembling the one originally described as limb‐kinetic apraxia. To determine the specific clinical and kinematic features of this distinctive praxic disorder, 5 patients with corticobasal degeneration (apraxic group), 5 with Parkinson's disease (nonapraxic group), and 10 control subjects were studied by a comprehensive apraxic battery, three‐dimensional motion analysis of manipulative movements and motor evoked potentials. A mathematical model [quality of movement coefficient (QMC)] was applied to quantify differential kinematic characteristics between elementary motor deficits and the praxic disorder. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to evaluate corticomotoneural projections and cortical inhibition. All five patients in the apraxic group exhibited a unilateral praxic deficit characterised by derangement of fractionated and segmental finger movements. QMC was significantly greater in apraxic than in nonapraxic patients (P< 0.02), revealing a chaotic movement with marked interfinger uncoordination. Conventional transcranial magnetic stimulation parameters were within normal limits in both groups of patients; however, the silent period was significantly shorter in the apraxic limb when compared with control subjects (P< 0.001). Limb‐kinetic apraxia is a distinctive disorder affecting the performance of finger and hand postures and movements over and above a corticospinal or basal ganglion deficit. Disruption of the frontoparietal circuit devoted to grasping and manipulation, together with defective cortical inhibition, which would also interfere with the selection and control of hand muscle activity, are the most likely underlying physiopathological mechanisms of limb‐kinetic apraxia in patients with corticobasal degeneration.
Parkinsonism as a manifestation of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Folgar Silvia , Gatto Emilia Mabel , Raina Gabriela , Micheli Federico
Published: February 2003

We describe a 48‐year‐old patient, with a diagnosis of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis, who presented to our service with a parkinsonian syndrome that markedly improved after corticosteroid treatment. To the best of our knowledge, only 12 cases of parkinsonism have been reported from 1970 to the present, of which only 8 seemed secondary to MS, i.e., those presenting conclusive imaging evidence or unequivocal response to corticosteroids. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society
Involuntary sterilization of persons with mental retardation: An ethical analysis
Authors: Diekema Douglas S.
Published: February 2003

Legitimate concerns on the part of parents and guardians may lead to requests for sterilization of a mentally retarded person in their care. At the same time, mentally retarded persons must be protected from actions that do not serve their best interests. This paper will review the history of involuntary sterilization in the United States and evaluate the ethical arguments that are relevant to decisions about involuntary sterilization. While other, less permanent forms of contraception might be acceptable, involuntary sterilization ought not be performed on mentally retarded persons who retain the capacity for reproductive decision‐making, the ability to raise a child, or the capacity to provide valid consent to marriage. Mentally retarded persons who lack capacity in those three areas should be considered for involuntary sterilization only when the procedure is necessary, sterilization would serve the best interests of the mentally retarded person, less intrusive and temporary methods of contraception or control of menstruation are not acceptable alternatives, and procedural safeguards have been implemented to assure a fair decision‐making process. MRDD Research Reviews 2003;9:21–26. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Perinatal substance abuse and human subjects research: Are privacy protections adequate?
Authors: Marshall Mary Faith , Menikoff Jerry , Paltrow Lynn M.
Published: February 2003

Privacy incursions in the clinical care of substance abusing pregnant women have gained lay and professional attention recently as the result of a high‐profile Supreme Court finding inFerguson vs City of Charleston et al.In March, 2001 the Supreme Court determined that nonconsensual drug screening of pregnant women by clinicians in a public hospital violated the women's Fourth Amendment rights to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure. Coercive or punitive policy approaches to perinatal substance abuse are often based on mistaken assumptions about the nature of addiction and the outcomes of punitive interventions. Much attention has been given to efforts to criminalize pregnancy for drug using women, and civil laws are also coming under increasing scrutiny. Although no state has passed a law criminalizing pregnancy and drug use, an estimated 250 women in more than 30 states have been prosecuted around the country on theories of “fetal abuse.” A growing number of states (eighteen to date) have amended their civil child welfare laws to address specifically the subject of a woman's drug use during pregnancy. No one has examined how these laws and social policies could affect research that includes pregnant and parenting women; women (and their families) who stand to lose a great deal should their drug use be brought to the attention of child welfare or criminal justice authorities. We examine the adequacy of current protective mechanisms, such as federal certificates of confidentiality, in protecting research subjects (and investigators) who may be subject to punitive civil or criminal sanctions. We determine that current protective mechanisms may be insufficient to protect research subjects and that investigators and IRB members are often ignorant of the risks imposed by punitive policy approaches to perinatal substance abuse or fall prey to the same mistaken assumptions that inform punitive policies. We conclude that investigators and IRB members have a moral responsibility to understand local, state and national policies and laws governing perinatal substance abuse. Investigators and IRB members should balance the harms of punitive interventions against the protections that may, or may not be afforded to prospective research subjects as well as the prospective benefits, individual and social, of the research. In situations where criminal or punitive policies are in effect, investigators and IRB members should consider whether adequate protections can be achieved. In the context of inadequate protections, potential risks to prospective research subjects and their families may outweigh the individual or social benefits that accrue from the research. Clinical researchers are professionally obligated to work toward amending laws and policies that are not in the best interests of prospective research subjects. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2003;9:54–59.
Nonrobustness of the normal approximation of lead‐time demand in a (Q, R) system
Authors: Lau Hon‐Shiang , Lau Amy Hing‐Ling
Published: February 2003

For computing an optimal (Q, R) or kindred inventory policy, the current literature provides mixed signals on whether or when it is safe to approximate a nonnormal lead‐time‐demand (“LTD”) distribution by a normal distribution. The first part of this paper examines this literature critically to justify why the issue warrants further investigations, while the second part presents reliable evidence showing that the system‐cost penalty for using the normal approximation can be quite serious even when the LTD‐distribution's coefficient of variation is quite low—contrary to the prevalent view of the literature. We also identify situations that will most likely lead to large system‐cost penalty. Our results indicate that, given today's technology, it is worthwhile to estimate an LTD‐distribution's shape more accurately and to compute optimal inventory policies using statistical distributions that more accurately reflect the LTD‐distributions' actual shapes. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2003
Capacity expansion with lead times and autocorrelated random demand
Authors: Ryan Sarah M.
Published: February 2003

The combination of uncertain demand and lead times for installing capacity creates the risk of shortage during the lead time, which may have serious consequences for a service provider. This paper analyzes a model of capacity expansion with autocorrelated random demand and a fixed lead time for adding capacity. To provide a specified level of service, a discrete time expansion timing policy uses a forecast error‐adjusted minimum threshold level of excess capacity position to trigger an expansion. Under this timing policy, the expansion cost can be minimized by solving a deterministic dynamic program. We study the effects of demand characteristics and the lead time length on the capacity threshold. Autocorrelation acts similarly to randomness in hastening expansions but has a smaller impact, especially when lead times are short. However, the failure either to recognize autocorrelation or to accurately estimate its extent can cause substantial policy errors. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2003
Investment in production resource flexibility: An empirical investigation of methods for planning under uncertainty
Authors: Katok Elena , Tarantino William , Harrison Terry P.
Published: February 2003

We examine several methods for evaluating resource acquisition decisions under uncertainty. Traditional methods may underestimate equipment benefit when part of this benefit comes from decision flexibility. We develop a new, practical method for resource planning under uncertainty, and show that this approach is more accurate than several commonly used methods. We successfully applied our approach to an investment problem faced by a major firm in the aviation information industry. Our recommendations were accepted and resulted in estimated annual savings in excess of $1 million (US). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2003
High‐performance cultures: How values can drive business results
Authors: Rosenthal Jeff , Masarech Mary Ann
Published: February 2003

Attention to both a values‐driven culture and business performance is the key to many firms'
success, even in a very challenging economic climate. For some organizations—Computer Associates, the
Charles Schwab Corporation, Xilinx, the Corporate Banking Group of Allied Irish Banks, the IT Department of Royal
Caribbean Cruises Ltd., and BlessingWhite—that blend has produced measurable, positive results.
© 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Marriott makes the business case for an innovative total rewards strategy
Authors: Fischer Karl , Gross Steven E. , Friedman Helen M.
Published: February 2003

Using a massive, five‐year database of its own employment history, Marriott found that the cost of
certain rewards was offset by lower turnover. And so it took a comprehensive look at its entire rewards program to
align compensation and benefits with its associates' needs; improve attraction and retention;
enhance productivity; and increase its return on the billions of dollars it invests annually in people. It
did this while demonstrating the bottom‐line impact of the resultant strategy. © 2003 Wiley
Periodicals, Inc.
Work and the human spirit flourish together at the Sommer Barnard Ackerson law firm
Authors: Coxey Clare D.
Published: February 2003

A law firm determined to practice quality life for its partners, associates, and support staff along with
quality law for its clients has, step by step, worked to achieve a sophisticated model of service leadership. It
has also, in the process, grown its own size and profitability and achieved low staff turnover and high staff
commitment. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ensuring optimal success with Six Sigma implementations
Authors: Byrne George
Published: February 2003

To ensure the success of a Six Sigma process improvement effort, there are five critical steps to take: The
company's top leaders must champion the undertaking. Six Sigma Knowledge and work practices must cascade down
the organization. The active support and engagement of all business process owners in Six Sigma project
implementation down the line must be enlisted. Black Belts must be selected on the basis of competencies necessary
for the job. Black Belt training must address the needs of the individuals as well as the requirements of the job.
© 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The ten principles of collaborative organizations
Authors: Beyerlein Michael M. , Freedman Sue , McGee Craig , Moran Linda
Published: February 2003

Teams and projects form and re‐form today at record speed, and competitive pressures require
collaboration across teams, levels, projects, functions and organizational boundaries—including the need
for collaboration with customers, vendors, business partners, and governmental and other nonprofit agencies.
But no matter where the collaborations take place, they can succeed best by following some basic principles of
joint human endeavor. It is critical to know the importance of each, and how to determine when each is or is
not working. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Field relevance of a synergistic effect observed in the laboratory between an EBI fungicide and a chloronicotinyl insecticide in the honeybee (Apis mellifera L, Hymenoptera)
Authors: Schmuck Richard , Stadler Teodoro , Schmidt Hans‐Werner
Published: February 2003

It had been found earlier that the chloronicotinyl insecticide thiacloprid (as the 480 g litre−1 SC Calypso®) poses a favourably low toxicity hazard to the honeybee, Apis mellifera L. As with pyrethroids, the metabolization of chloronicotinyl compounds involves monooxygenases, which are known to be inhibited by some ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitor (EBI) fungicides potentially co‐applied with these insecticides. The potential synergistic enhancement of the toxicity of thiacloprid to honeybees when co‐applied with such fungicides was therefore studied under laboratory and semi‐field conditions. Fungicides of other chemical classes were also examined for synergistic potential to reveal other metabolic interactions. In the laboratory, only a slight synergistic effect was observed with the anilinopyrimidine fungicide examined, while a significant enhancement of thiacloprid toxicity to honeybees was found with EBI fungicides. In three tunnel tests conducted under different environmental conditions to simulate field exposure, no increased mortality was observed when honeybees were directly sprayed with thiacloprid (Calypso) alone or in combination with the EBI fungicide tebuconazole (250 g litre−1 EW, Folicur®). There was also no synergized reduction in the foraging intensity on the treated crop. In general, the foraging intensity decreased after thiacloprid treatment but was restored within 24–48 h. The hive vitality was not affected by either thiacloprid or its tank mix with tebuconazole. Our results suggest that, at the recommended use rates, thiacloprid poses a negligible lethal risk to honeybees when applied either alone or in tank mixes with fungicides of various chemical classes.

© 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Determination of residues of endosulfan in human blood by a negative ion chemical ionization gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method: impact of long‐term aerial spray exposure
Authors: Ramesh Atmakuru , Ravi Perumal Elumalai
Published: February 2003

A new and sensitive analytical method using negative ion chemical ionization gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode has been developed for the determination of residues of endosulfan in the human blood. The residues of endosulfan are extracted from whole blood samples without separating the serum by the addition of 60% sulfuric acid at 10 °C followed by partition with hexane + acetone (9 + 1 by volume). The total endosulfan is quantified as the sum of alpha‐endosulfan, beta‐endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate in SIM mode. The mass‐fragment ions used for this purpose that are monitored for in SIM mode include endosulfan diol: 95, 169, 214, 313, alpha‐endosulfan: 99, 242, 270, 406, beta‐endosulfan: 99, 242, 270, 406, and endosulfan sulfate: 97, 353, 386. Recovery experiments were conducted at the concentration range 1.0–100 pg ml−1. Results showed 112–98% recovery of total endosulfan from the whole blood samples. The relative standard deviation was 1.49–2.68%. The method was found to be highly sensitive in quantifying endosulfan residues down to the 0.1 pg ml−1 level. Conversion of endosulfan to endosulfan diol was found to be less than 0.1% under the conditions used. The results were compared with published data. The applications of the analytical method for the determination of endosulfan residues in real samples was tested by analyzing 106 human blood samples collected from a population living in Padre village, Kasargode District, Kerala, India, where aerial spraying of endosulfan has been a common agricultural practice over the years. The results showed that none of the blood samples contained residues of endosulfan (alpha‐endosulfan + beta‐endosulfan + endosulfan sulfate) or endosulfan diol. The results were confirmed by the detection of the appropriate amounts in a number of these samples which had subsequently been spiked with endosulfan.

© 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of the combined treatment of insecticides and an attractant for the control of Phloeotribus scarabaeoides, a pest of Olea europea
Authors: Rodríguez Estefanía , Campos Mercedes , Sánchez Raya Aniceto J , Peña Aránzazu
Published: February 2003

Different insecticides have been tested for the control of the olive bark beetle, Phloeotribus scarabaeoides Bern. This scolytid can be managed at two points in its biological cycle: in pruned logs, where it excavates reproduction galleries, or in living trees, after emergence from the logs, where it digs feeding galleries. In mortality laboratory bioassays, the efficiency of organophosphorus insecticides has been ranked as follows: chlorpyrifos + dimethoate < formothion < methidathion. Formothion and methidathion, the two most efficient, were sprayed on olive logs together with a pyrethroid insecticide, deltamethrin, and a formulation which combined an organophosphorus (fenitrothion) and a pyrethroid (cypermethrin) insecticide. Deltamethrin inhibited the excavation of new reproduction galleries and induced a repellent effect on the olive pest. In contrast, none of the organophosphorus insecticides or the combination, fenitrothion + cypermethrin, were able to control the olive bark beetle. In olive trees, deltamethrin controlled this olive pest without showing the repellent effect observed for logs. Ethylene, a plant hormone, has been reported as an attractant for the olive bark beetle. The use of dispensers which released ethylene increased the number of P scarabaeoides approaching the treated olive trees, thus favouring its use in a lure‐and‐trap control system.

© 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Toxicity of cyanogen to insects of stored grain
Authors: Hooper Jacqueline L , Desmarchelier James M , Ren Yonglin , Allen Sylvia E
Published: February 2003

Range‐finding studies on the toxicity of cyanogen to all stages of five species of stored product Coleoptera are reported. The species were Rhyzopertha dominica (F), Sitophilus granarius (L), Sitophilus Oryzae (L), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val and Ephestia cautella (Walker). Exposures for 24 h to cyanogen at 1.3 mg litre−1 controlled all external stages. Control of internal stages of Sitophilus species was achieved by a 5‐day exposure to initial concentrations between 13.7 and 27.4 mg litre−1, whereas R dominica was controlled at 13.7 mg litre−1. Cyanogen showed similar toxicity to all tested external stages and, in this respect, was more similar to methyl bromide than to phosphine. Its toxicity to insects increased with both relative humidity and concentration of carbon dioxide. Cyanogen was toxic to insects whether applied as a gas or in an aqueous solution.

© 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Biochemical study of resistance to imidacloprid in B biotype Bemisia tabaci from Guatemala
Authors: Byrne Frank J , Castle Steve , Prabhaker Nilima , Toscano Nick C
Published: February 2003

Systemic uptake bioassays using excised cotton leaves confirmed resistance to imidacloprid in a Guatemalan population of the tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of naphthyl esterases identified the insects as B‐types. Upon collection from the field, resistance was determined to be 58‐fold relative to a susceptible strain originating in the Imperial Valley of California. Resistance levels increased to 126‐fold in this population during its continuous exposure to systemically treated cotton. In biochemical investigations, there was no detectable NADPH‐dependent mixed function oxidase metabolism of 14C‐imidacloprid at any time during the selection process. In contrast, microsomal preparations from housefly abdomens readily produced significant amounts of the mono‐hydroxy and olefin derivatives of the parent compound. Detoxification of imidacloprid by housefly MFOs may account for reports of lower toxicity of the insecticide towards this insect compared with whiteflies, despite similar binding properties between imidacloprid and the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in both species.

© 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Wind tunnel studies on spray deposition on leaves of tree species used for windbreaks and exposure of honey bees
Authors: Ucar Tamer , Hall Franklin R , Tew James E , Hacker James K
Published: February 2003

A wind tunnel study was conducted to determine pesticide deposition on commonly used windbreak tree species used as spray drift barriers and associated exposure of honey bees. Although it has been known that windbreaks are effective in reducing chemical drift from agricultural applications, there is still an enormous information and data gap on details of the dependence of the mechanism on the biological materials of the barriers and on standardization of relevant assessment methods. Beneficial arthropods like honey bees are adversely affected by airborne drift of pesticides. A study was initiated by first establishing a wind tunnel to create a controlled environment for capture efficiency work. Suitable spray parameters were determined after a preliminary study to construct and develop a wind tunnel protocol. A tracer dye solution was sprayed onto the windbreak samples and honey bees located in the wind tunnel at various simulated wind speeds. Analysis of data from this work has shown that needle‐like foliage of windbreak trees captures two to four times more spray than broad‐leaves. In addition, it was determined that, at lower wind speeds, flying bees tend to capture slightly more spray than bees at rest.

© 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Common names of pesticides recently approved by the BSI
Authors: Walker S Barrie
Published: February 2003

© 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Association between organizational inequity and incidence of psychiatric disorders in female employees
Authors: KIVIMÄKI M. , ELOVAINIO M. , VAHTERA J. , VIRTANEN M. , STANSFELD S. A.
Published: February 2003

Background. Prior research on work-related factors in the aetiology of psychiatric disorders has been concentrated on job control, job demands and social support. To broaden the view to managerial procedures, we examined whether the extent to which employees are treated with equity in the workplace predicts their mental health. Organizational equity refers to decision-making procedures, which are consistently applied, open, correctable and include input from affected parties (procedural justice). It also refers to respectful and considerate treatment of individuals by supervisors (relational justice).

Method. A cohort of 1786 female hospital employees with no psychiatric disorder at baseline responded to a questionnaire on organizational equity. From the responses, both an individual score and a work unit mean score were assigned to each participant. The outcome was new reports of doctor-diagnosed psychiatric disorders during the 2-year follow-up. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were corrected for clustering of the data.

Results. After adjustment for age and salary, odds ratio of new psychiatric disorders for self-reported low procedural justice was 1·9 (95% CI 1·1 to 3·2). Corresponding odds ratio for low procedural justice, as assessed with work unit mean scores, was 1·7 (95% CI 1·5 to 2·0). These associations remained statistically significant after additional adjustment for mental distress at baseline and job control, job demands and social support. Relational justice did not predict psychiatric disorders.

Conclusion. Research on organizational equity provides new information about potential work-related determinants of mental health. Low procedural justice seems to be an independent risk factor for psychiatric disorders in female employees.
The internal and external validity of the Major Depression Inventory in measuring severity of depressive states
Authors: OLSEN L. R. , JENSEN D. V. , NOERHOLM V. , MARTINY K. , BECH P.
Published: February 2003

Background. We have developed the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), consisting of 10 items, covering the DSM-IV as well as the ICD-10 symptoms of depressive illness. We aimed to evaluate this as a scale measuring severity of depressive states with reference to both internal and external validity.

Method. Patients representing the score range from no depression to marked depression on the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) completed the MDI. Both classical and modern psychometric methods were applied for the evaluation of validity, including the Rasch analysis.

Results. In total, 91 patients were included. The results showed that the MDI had an adequate internal validity in being a unidimensional scale (the total score an appropriate or sufficient statistic). The external validity of the MDI was also confirmed as the total score of the MDI correlated significantly with the HAM-D (Pearson's coefficient 0·86, P[les ]0·01, Spearman 0·80, P[les ]0·01).

Conclusion. When used in a sample of patients with different states of depression the MDI has an adequate internal and external validity.
Social precursors to onset and recovery from episodes of common mental illness
Authors: PEVALIN DAVID J. , GOLDBERG DAVID P.
Published: February 2003

Background. Social disadvantage and lack of social support have been identified as important risk factors for the onset and continuance of episodes of common mental illness. This study aimed to identify the social precursors to episodes of and recovery from common mental illness in a large, general population sample over eight yearly intervals.

Method. The analytical samples were drawn from those aged [ges ]16 in the British Household Panel Survey from 1991 to 1998. The samples were: (1) onset – over 42 000 paired years from 10 204 persons; (2) recovery – over 10 000 paired years from 4878 persons; and (3) 1812 spells with observed onset and recovery. Markov and discrete-time complementary log–log models were used. Common mental illness was measured using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire.

Results. Sex, age, changes in marital and employment status, physical health, family care and social support were all associated with differential rates of onset and recovery. Severity of disorder was associated with less likelihood of recovery and longer time to recovery.

Conclusions. The study confirms many previous findings concerning social factors associated with onset and recovery. Low social support acted as expected by increasing chances of onset and decreasing chances of recovery. Other social factors such as separation or divorce, becoming and remaining unemployed, health limiting daily activities, caring for a sick relative all decreased chances of recovery. The chances of observing a change in state (either onset or recovery) decreased with the number of prior observations in that state. Reduced rates of recovery with increasing degrees of severity of distress was expected, but not previously demonstrated.
Methodological aspects of randomized controlled trials of psychotherapy in primary care
Authors: SCOTT JAN , SENSKY TOM
Published: February 2003

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of psychological interventions are still much less frequently published than drug trials. To have four papers (Bower et al. 2003; Proudfoot et al. 2003; Simpson et al. 2003; Gabbay et al. 2003) within a single issue of a leading psychiatry journal is indeed unusual. Together these four major papers provide evidence of the benefits and limitations of psychological interventions for common mental disorders.
Simulation of the coexistence of a shearing liquid and a strained crystal
Authors: Butler Scott , Harrowell Peter
Published: February 2003

The coexistence between a strained crystal and its shearing melt is studied using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of Lennard-Jones particles. The coexistence is found to be independent of initial conditions, boundary effects, and the details of the thermostat. The nonequilibrium phase diagram is presented. The shear stress at coexistence is found to be significantly smaller than the yield stress of the crystal. It is demonstrated that there exists no physically reasonable prescription for a nonequilibrium analogue of chemical potential for the shearing liquid by which the coexistence could be attributed to an equality of chemical potentials between the two phases. We conclude that the nonequilibrium coexistence is determined by the stability of the interface.
Rotational dynamics of nondipolar probes in associative solvents: Modeling of hydrogen bonding interactions using the extended charge distribution theory of dielectric friction
Authors: Dutt G. B. , Ghanty T. K.
Published: February 2003

As an exercise in our ongoing efforts to understand the solute–solvent frictional coupling, hydrogen bonding interactions between the probe 1,4-dioxo-3,6-diphenylpyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole and associative solvents such as n-alcohols, formamide and N-methylformamide are modeled as dielectric friction using Alavi–Waldeck (AW) extended charge distribution theory. The mechanical friction experienced by the probe is calculated using Stokes–Einstein–Debye hydrodynamic theory with slip boundary condition and also from the measured reorientation times of another structurally similar, but nonhydrogen bonding solute molecule, 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dioxo-3,6-diphenylpyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole. When the size of the solvent domains is used as an adjustable parameter in the AW analysis, a good agreement between the experimentally measured reorientation times and the calculated ones is obtained. The limitations of the applicability of the AW model to associative solvents are discussed.
The role of long-lived dark states in the photoluminescence dynamics of poly(phenylene vinylene) conjugated polymers. II. Excited-state quenching versus ground-state depletion
Authors: Lim S.-H. , Bjorklund T. G. , Bardeen C. J.
Published: February 2003

The two pulse fluorescence bleaching experiments reported in an earlier paper [J. Chem. Phys. 117, 454 (2002)] are reanalyzed in the context of additional experiments. The fluorescence bleaching observed in that paper was originally ascribed to ground-state depletion. By analyzing the absorption saturation behavior and the magnitude of the pump–probe signal, we find that the absorption cross section of poly(phenylene vinylene) at 400 nm is two orders of magnitude too small to significantly deplete the ground state given the pump fluences used in that experiment. Instead, the observed depletion is due to a combination of exciton–exciton annihilation at early times and dark state luminescence quenching at later times. Different experiments have different sensitivities to the fluence-dependent quenching, with time-resolved experiments like transient emission and fluorescence decay time consistently underestimating the exciton–exciton annihilation rate. Experiments that measure the integrated fluorescence, such as fluorescence saturation and bleaching, result in a consistent value for the exciton–exciton annihilation constant of 6×10−9 cm3/s, while the dark state quenching constant is estimated to be at least 1.2×10−8 cm3/s. Indirect evidence based on the wavelength and sample dependence of the dark state formation suggest that the dark states are charge-separated polarons. The relatively large quenching constants are consistent with what has been observed in other conjugated polymers and suggest that the long-lived dark states in particular are effective quenchers, capable of quenching thousands of surrounding chromophores.
Electron attachment to 5-chloro uracil
Authors: Denifl S. , Matejcik S. , Gstir B. , Hanel G. , Probst M. , Scheier P. , Märk T. D.
Published: February 2003

Electron attachment (EA) and dissociative electron attachment (DEA) to 5-chloro uracil (5-ClU) was studied in the gas phase using a crossed electron/molecule beams technique. Besides production of a parent anion via a zero energy resonance, ion yields of nine different negative ions were observed in the electron energy range from about 0 to 14 eV. In the electron energy range from about zero to 5 eV, the formation of a transient negative ion was induced by electron attachment to the π* resonances located at about 0.24, 1.5, and 3.6 eV leading subsequently by unimolecular decay to various negative fragment ions. Absolute partial cross sections for EA and DEA to 5-ClU were obtained from the measured ion yields using a simple calibrating method. The dominant negative ion observed in the present experiment was (C4H2N2O2)− (corresponding to 5-ClU minus HCl) with a mass to charge ratio of 110, followed by Cl− ion (mass to charge ratios 35 and 37), the partial cross sections being σ(0.23 eV)=5×10−18 m2 and σ(0.23 eV)=3×10−18 m2, respectively. The parent anion produced (5-ClU)− has only a cross section value of σ(0 eV)=3×10−20 m2. The energetic thresholds for the formation of particular negative ions from 5-ClU in the gas phase were calculated at the G2(MP2) level of theory and compared with the experimental results. On the basis of these calculations structure and relative stability of some of the fragment ions was predicted. In the case of the two most abundant ions, their formation was observed well below the calculated electron energy threshold. The formation of these negative ions below the thermodynamic threshold is explained in terms of the high vibrational energy of the 5-ClU prior to the EA process.
Observation of molecular orientation by the combination of electrostatic and nonresonant, pulsed laser fields
Authors: Minemoto Shinichirou , Nanjo Hiroshi , Tanji Haruka , Suzuki Takayuki , Sakai Hirofumi
Published: February 2003

The orientation of polar molecules is demonstrated by the combination of electrostatic and nonresonant, nanosecond Nd:YAG laser fields. The orientation is probed by Coulomb exploding the molecules with a femtosecond laser pulse and detecting the fragment ions with the time-of-flight mass spectrometer. A significant asymmetry is observed in the signal magnitudes of the forward and the backward fragments, which is well explained in terms of the above-mentioned combined-fields scheme proposed by Friedrich and Herschbach [J. Phys. Chem. A 103, 10280 (1999)]. The degree of orientation is enhanced by increasing the peak intensity of the laser field and the magnitude of the electrostatic field, or by lowering the initial rotational temperature. The experimental results obtained are compatible with our numerical simulations.
Calculation of interfacial tension from density of states
Authors: Jain Tushar S. , de Pablo Juan J.
Published: February 2003

A density of states Monte Carlo formalism is used to calculate the interfacial tension of a simple fluid (3D Ising model) and of free-standing polymer films on a lattice. Good agreement is found between the results of these calculations and literature values. The proposed approach is efficient and provides the surface tension over a wide range of temperature from a single simulation. It has the additional advantage of being equally applicable to systems interacting through continuous potential energy functions, discontinuous functions, and systems on a lattice.
Diffractive and reactive scattering of (v=0, j=0) HD from Pt(111): Six-dimensional quantum dynamics compared with experiment
Authors: Kingma Sikke M. , Somers Mark F. , Pijper Ernst , Kroes Geert-Jan , Olsen Roar A. , Baerends Evert-Jan
Published: February 2003

We present results of (v=0, j=0) HD reacting on and scattering from Pt(111) at off-normal angles of incidence, treating all six molecular degrees of freedom quantum mechanically. The six-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) used was obtained from density functional theory, using the generalized gradient approximation and a slab representation of the metal surface. Diffraction and rotational excitation probabilities are compared with experiment for two incidence directions, at normal incidence energies between 0.05–0.16 eV and at a parallel translational energy of 55.5 meV. The computed ratio of specular reflection to nonspecular in-plane diffraction for HD+Pt(111) is lower than found experimentally, and lower for HD+Pt(111) than for H2+Pt(111) for both incidence directions studied. The calculations also show that out-of-plane diffraction is much more efficient than in-plane diffraction, underlining that results from experiments that solely attempt to measure in-plane diffraction are not sufficient to show the absence of surface corrugation. Discrepancies in rotational excitation and diffraction probabilities between theory and experiment are discussed, as well as possible future improvements in the dynamical model and in the calculation of the PES.
Evidence for a Type-II band alignment between cubic and hexagonal phases of GaN
Authors: Lu X. H. , Yu P. Y. , Zheng L. X. , Xu S. J. , Xie M. H. , Tong S. Y.
Published: February 2003

The photoluminescence spectra of a series of thin, undoped, hexagonal GaN films containing cubic GaN inclusions grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on 6H-SiC have been studied as a function of temperature and excitation power. The dependence of the line shape and peak position of a peak at ∼3.17 eV on laser power suggests that it is associated with a spatially indirect Type-II transition between hexagonal and cubic GaN. The values of the band offsets extracted from our data are in good agreement with theoretical predictions.