bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neuropeptide Signaling in the Integration of Metabolism and Reproduction
Authors: Crown Angelena , Clifton Donald K. , Steiner Robert A.
Published: September 2007

Fertility is gated by nutrition and the availability of stored energy reserves, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms that link energy stores and reproduction are not well understood. Neuropeptides including galanin-like peptide (GALP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), products of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC; e.g., α-MSH and β-endorphin), and kisspeptin are thought to be involved in this process for several reasons. First, the neurons that express these neuropeptides all reside in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus, a critical site for the regulation of both metabolism and reproduction. Second, these neuropeptides are all targets for regulation by metabolic hormones, such as leptin and insulin. And third, these neuropeptides have either direct or indirect effects on feeding and metabolism, as well as on the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). As the target for the action of metabolic hormones and sex steroids, these neuropeptides serve as molecular motifs integrating the control of metabolism and reproduction.
Janus-faced reorganization: specialization and coordination in four OECD countries in the period 1980—2005
Authors: Verhoest Koen , Bouckaert Geert , Peters B. Guy
Published: September 2007

It is believed that the New Public Management (NPM) doctrine resulted in a disaggregation and a suboptimal fragmentation of government in the 1980s and 1990s, which called for a re-strengthening of the coordination capacity through renewed hierarchy-type mechanisms, market-type mechanisms and network-type mechanisms. In order to assess the validity of this assumption, this article identifies the trajectory of specialization and coordination in four countries (New Zealand, United Kingdom, Sweden, France). The results support the assumption, although different trajectories are discernible. Also, the results point to the renewed emphasis on coordination based on hierarchy, along with markets and networks.
Fragmentation and coordination in the Scandinavian railway sector
Authors: Olsen Silvia
Published: September 2007

New Public Management (NPM) is a package of organizational reforms which have been implemented in large parts of the world. NPM reforms hold elements of centralization as well as of fragmentation. This article focuses on the balance between these elements, providing a comparative perspective by analysing the railway sector in each of the Scandinavian countries. The empirical basis is document analyses and qualitative research interviews. The article has two aims. First, attention is directed towards understanding the mixture of fragmentation and coordination in each country. Second, efforts are made to explain differences in national mixtures. Explanations are derived from four analytical perspectives: (1) fragmentation and coordination trajectory; (2) path dependency; (3) the punctuated equilibrium metaphor and (4) political orientation. The differences seem to find their cause in divergent political-administrative traditions, as well as in current events. No single analytical perspective, however, provides a comprehensive explanation on all differences observed.
Reform of the employment and welfare administrations — the challenges of co-coordinating diverse public organizations
Authors: Christensen Tom , Lise Fimreite Anne , Lægreid Per
Published: September 2007

This article addresses one of the most comprehensive structural reforms in recent Norwegian administrative history: a merger of the employment and national insurance administrations, combined with more formal collaboration with the local government social services administration. The reform can be seen as a ' whole-of-government' initiative intended to increase the cocoordinative capacity of government to address `wicked problems' cutting across existing policy areas and government levels in a multi-level governance system. This article examines the following questions: First, what characterizes the organizational thinking related to this reform? Second, how can we understand the reform process in terms of a transformative perspective combining instrumental, cultural and environmental features? Third, what are the potential effects and implications of the new structure for political control and institutional autonomy, for relations between central and local administrations, and for the main goals stated? The theory base for the analyses is a transformative approach.
High expectations, varying outcomes: decentralization and participation in Brazil, Japan, Russia and Sweden
Authors: Andrews Christina W. , de Vries Michiel S.
Published: September 2007

In the past 20 years, decentralization has been proposed as a strategy for enhancing public participation. Aid-providing organizations, such as the World Bank, stimulated decentralization processes in several countries in the hope that this would promote civic empowerment, diminish corruption, enhance efficiency, and improve public service delivery. This assumption forms the basis for a comparative analysis into the relation between decentralization and participation at the local level in Brazil, Japan, Russia and Sweden. A multi-level regression analysis using the data of the Democracy and Local Governance Project was undertaken in order to test the `one size fits all' and the `diversity in development' hypotheses. The results show that the second hypothesis was corroborated. Perceived autonomy had a different impact on openness to participation depending on the country considered; in one country (Japan), perceived autonomy diminished public officials' willingness to be open to public participation.
Could fair value accounting be useful, under NPM models, for users of financial information?
Authors: Rodríguez Bolívar Manuel Pedro , Navarro Galera Andrés
Published: September 2007

International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) are an essential quality-control factor for Public Sector Accounting Systems in European Union member states. The compliance of the latter systems with IPSAS could be influenced to a large degree by perceptions of how useful these standards are in enabling the needs of financial information users to be met. Therefore, the aim of this article is to investigate the capability of fair value accounting to improve the usefulness of governmental financial information so that administrative reforms may be undertaken with the implementation of New Public Management (NPM) postulates. The theoretical section of the article studies the relevance of fair value accounting with respect to meeting the information requirements for implementing NPM models. This is followed by the results of empirical research carried out to determine the opinions of one of the main groups of information users concerning the practicality of fair value accounting and its association with the solvency and feasibility of fair value measures. To achieve this aim, we applied the χ2 test and the ρ Spearman test and obtained findings about the capability of fair value accounting to meet the new information requirements under NPM models more effectively than under historical cost accounting.
Effect of Nano-ZrO2 Particulates Reinforcement on Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Solidification Processed Elemental Mg
Authors: Hassan S.F. , Gupta M.
Published: September 2007

In the present study, elemental and nano-ZrO2 particulates reinforced magnesium materials were synthesized using an innovative disintegrated melt deposition technique followed by hot extrusion. Microstructural characterization of the composite samples showed retention of reinforcement, significant grain refinement of magnesium matrix, and the presence of minimal porosity. Mechanical properties characterization revealed that the presence of nano-ZrO2 reinforcement lead to significant improvement in hardness, 0.2% yield strength and UTS but adversely affected ductility. The results further revealed that the combination of 0.2% yield strength, UTS, and ductility exhibited by nano-ZrO2 reinforced magnesium remained much superior even when compared to magnesium reinforced with much higher volume percentage of micron-size SiCP. An attempt is made in the present study to correlate the effect of nano-ZrO2 as reinforcement and its increasing amount with the microstructural and mechanical properties of magnesium.
Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Mechanical Properties of Glass/Polyester Composites
Authors: Shokrieh Mahmood M. , Bayat Alireza
Published: September 2007

The increased use of fiber-reinforced polyester composites in an outdoor environment has led to questions concerning the environmental durability of these materials, particularly as related to ultraviolet (UV) exposure. In this research the effects of UV radiation on mechanical properties of glass/polyester composites were studied. Since the photo degradation is a surface mechanism and is restricted to degradation of mechanical properties of resin (fiber is not degraded), this research is focused on resin properties. For this reason, test samples made of polyester resin were prepared and treated in a UV chamber through accelerated tests. Three types of specimen were manufactured. The tensile testing samples were prepared based on ASTM D638 standard with a nominal thickness of 1 mm. Also, Arcan specimens for shear tests and ASTM D3410 for compression tests were manufactured. To obtain time dependent mechanical properties of polyester resin under UV radiation, samples were radiated in three different time intervals, equivalent to 3, 6 and 12 months, using an artificial UV exposure chamber. Test specimens were tested under tension load and showed a decrease of up to 15% in average failure strain, a decrease of up to 30% in ultimate strength, and 18% decrease in tensile modulus after 100 h exposure. Also, significant changes were considered in shear modulus and strength of polyester. The effect of ultraviolet absorbers (UVA) on preventing polyester mechanical properties degradation is also studied. The results showed that the samples which have UVA additives were not degraded after UV exposure.

After obtaining matrix properties due to exposure, mechanical properties of unidirectional laminate of glass/polyester composites under UV radiation were simulated using micromechanics theories. The results of simulation were validated with tensile testing of ASTM D3039 specimens of [0/90]s glass/polyester laminated composites. The results show that shear modulus of this laminate decreased about 20% due to UV exposure.
Organoclay Effect on Mechanical Responses of Glass/Epoxy Nanocomposites
Authors: Tsai Jia-Lin , Wu Ming-Daw
Published: September 2007

This research aims to perform a symmetric investigation regarding the organoclay effect on the mechanical behaviors of glass/epoxy nanocomposites. Tensile, flexural, as well as interlaminar fracture toughness are of concern in this study. To demonstrate the organoclay effect, three different loadings, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 wt% of organoclay were dispersed in the epoxy resin using a mechanical mixer followed by sonication. The corresponding glass/epoxy nanocomposites were prepared by inserting the organoclay epoxy mixture into the dry glass fiber through a vacuum hand lay-up process. Tensile tests revealed that longitudinal tensile strength decreases as organoclay loading increases; on the other hand, transverse tensile strength increases with the increase of the organoclay. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy observation on the transverse failure specimens indicates that the enhanced mechanism is due to the improved interfacial bonding between the fibers and the surrounding matrix modified by organoclay. The increasing tendency was also found in the transverse flexural strength of the nanocomposites. However, mode I fracture tests indicated that with the increase of the organoclay, the corresponding fracture toughness of the nanocomposites decreases appreciably. For the quasi-isotropic glass/epoxy laminates, since the failure is dominated by fiber rupture, the strength is not influenced significantly by the organoclay.
Effect of Stress Shielding on Strengthening of Particles-dispersed Polymer
Authors: Zhao Qi , Hoa S.V.
Published: September 2007

The object of this article is to study the stress distribution of particles dispersed in polymer and its effect on strength. Micro-scale finite element cracking models are formulated to study strengthening of hard particles-dispersed polymer. Two aspects are studied. First, the effect of particle aspect ratio, particle modulus and inter-particle distance on stress shielding zones around particles is investigated. Second, the effect of stress shielding zones on initiation of crack propagation is investigated.
Multiple Modernities and Islamism in Iran
Authors: Kamali Masoud
Published: September 2007

The author challenges the idea of a single and homogeneous modernity. Multiple modernization programs have been launched in many countries in general and in Muslim countries in particular. A great part of the literature on modernization of Muslim countries ignores the multiplicity of modernization processes in those countries. Using Iran as an example, the author presents an alternative theoretical tool for understanding modern developments in Muslim countries. The author argues that Iran did not go through a single modernization program, but several, and was affected by many factors such as Western interventions and wars, internal socioeconomic and cultural transformations, and the emergence of new political groups and ideologies. Among others, Islamic groups and parties have been engaged in modern economic, political and sociocultural transformations. A genuine democratic system therefore should include Islamic groups and parties in order to strengthen and legitimize democratic systems.
Perceptions contrastées du hijab parmi les ressortissants iraniens résidant au Royaume-Uni
Authors: Velayati Masoumeh
Published: September 2007

With the advent of Islamic nationalist resurgence from the early 1970s, many young women used the hijab as a symbol of resistance against Western imperialism and its cultural ideologies. The imposition of the hijab, soon after the revolution, led many feminists to signify the ideological weight of the hijab that entails a moral obligation for women. Data for this article are based on semi-structured interviews with some Iranian women, veiled and unveiled, and on the author's own observations.
The New Religiosity in Iran
Authors: Khosrokhavar Farhad
Published: September 2007

Secularization theory frequently focuses on politics or social issues in relation to religion, but daily life and, in particular, leisure play a major role in the secularization process. The author focuses on the religious feelings of young men and women in Iran, particularly in Qom, a holy city with a strong traditionalist background. The post-revolutionary generation is developing new attitudes towards religious commandments, especially in relation to leisure, and more specifically, music.
L'Achoura et les jours du mois de Moharrem: d'une religion de justice à une religion de la lamentation?
Authors: Nesti Arnaldo
Published: September 2007

According to the Islamic calendar, there are ten days during the first month of the year, the Muharram, which are dedicated to the remembrance and to the wailing for the martyrdom of Ali, but above all for his son Hussein. The author presents a contribution to read this event after his personal participation in Isfahan (in 2002).
Response of Wool Knit Apparel Fabrics to Water Vapor and Water
Authors: Laing R.M. , Niven B.E. , Barker R.L. , Porter J.
Published: September 2007

A range of wool knit fabrics designed to be used in garments worn next to or near the skin was examined to establish if differences in responses to water vapor and to water were detectable. The three-block experimental design involved six fabrics (non-dyed), and fabric responses on the dynamic sweating hotplate and on the gravimetric absorbency testing system (GATS) were determined. Some differences among the fabrics were detectable (e.g. %RH at the initial rise and at equilibrium, %RH rate of rise, temperature differences in the initial phase and at equilibrium, specific maximum absorbent capacity, flow rate) but many were not. For this set of wool knit fabrics, mass and thickness were typically linked to the temperature variables from the dynamic sweating hotplate, and bulk density linked to a few variables from the GATS.
Simulation of Fiber Entanglement by Modeling Vorticity in Water Flow Field
Authors: Xiang Ping , Kuznetsov Andrey V. , Seyam Abdel-Fattah M.
Published: September 2007

This research developed a model of the hydroentanglement process, based on the first principles of fluid mechanics. This model proceeded from the assumption that fiber entanglement in the hydroentanglement process is proportional to the average vorticity in the fiberweb. Two-dimensional simulations of the water flow through the fiberweb and forming surfaces were performed in the plane perpendicular to the machine direction (MD). In these two-dimensional simulations the time-dependent development of the flow field was investigated, and it was found that the vortices induced by the water jets were influenced by the jet pressure and diameter. It was shown that the maximum average vorticity in the fiberweb occurred at a water jet diameter of 0.127 mm which explains why jets of such diameter are commonly used in industry. Three-dimensional simulations were also performed to account for the realistic geometry of the computational domain. The influence of the forming surface permeability was investigated and it was shown that the fiber entanglement increased as the open area of the forming surface decreased.
An Entire Strategy for Control of a Calender Roller System. Part I: Dynamic System Modeling and Controller Design
Authors: Kuo Chung-Feng Jeffrey , Fang Chien-Chou
Published: September 2007

Control of the amount of deformation produced by the pressing and pressed rollers is crucial in order to optimize the quality of output of the calender. Currently in the industry, trial and error is still used to determine each dimension of both rollers, which makes it difficult to determine the optimal design parameter values. In this study, the pressed roller of the calender was modeled as a distributed system with an infinite number of degrees of freedom. In industrial operations, the ability to suppress all the vibration modes during different operating conditions is necessary so that the design controllers can effectively control the machine to achieve its task without generating excessive vibration. The major objectives of this study was to control the pressed roller of the calender, without the need for both the pressed and pressing rollers, to enable the amount of convexity to be adjusted online, which in turn permits the leveling of the contact surface between the calender pressing roller and the calender pressed roller during processing. This study aimed to completely define the design methodology for the control of an exact infinite-dimension calender pressed roller system.
Electromagnetic Shielding Effectiveness of Fabrics with Metallized Polyester Filaments
Authors: Lai Kan , Sun Run-Jun , Chen Mei-Yu , Hui Wu  , Zha An-Xia
Published: September 2007

A preliminary study of the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE) using metal coating films and a vacuum evaporation deposition technique with the woven fabrics made of metal/PET filaments is presented. Using coaxial transmission equipment, the EMSE of these films and fabrics was measured in the frequency range 2250—2650 MHz. The experimental results indicate that different coating materials have different EMSE, with a thicker coating film having a higher EMSE. In addition, a woven fabric with lower aperture ratio made from metal/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) filaments has higher EMSE, and the electromagnetic shielding of polarized electromagnetic waves possesses orientation effects. The paper provides theoretical guidance for designing flexible electromagnetic shielding products.
Predicting Bond Qualities of Fabric Composites after Wash and Dry Wash Based on Principal-BP Neural Network Model
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhang Weiyuan
Published: September 2007

This article reports the construction of principal-BP neural network for predicting the bond quality of fabric composites after wash and dry wash. The parameters of fabrics and interlinings were analyzed by principal analysis and eight principal components were obtained through this method. A BP neural network with a single hidden layer was constructed including eight input nodes, six hidden nodes and four output nodes. During training the network with a back-propagation algorithm, the eight principal components were used as input parameters, while bond qualities were used as output parameters. The weight values were modified with momentum and learning rate self-adaptation to solve the two defects of the BP network. All original data were preprocessed and the learning process was successful in achieving a global error minimum. The bond qualities could be predicted with this training network and there was a good agreement between the predicted and tested values.
Quantification of Cyclodextrins Fixed onto Cellulose Fibers
Authors: Grechin Alexander G. , Buschmann Hans-Jürgen , Schollmeyer Eckhard
Published: September 2007

Cyclodextrins are fixed onto different textiles using conventional finishing technologies to create new materials with a wide range of applications. One important problem in the textile finishing is evaluation of the amount of cyclodextrins accessible for complexation with guest substances. This research investigated the coordination and adsorption properties of cellulose materials with fixed monochlorotriazine substituted β-cyclodextrin for different primary, secondary and tertiary volatile aliphatic amines. The textiles showed high ability to complex formation from the gas phase due to molecular recognition between internal cyclodextrin cavity and hydrocarbon chains of the amines. The complexation reaction with cyclohexylamine is suggested for quantitative determination of the accessible cyclodextrins fixed on the surface of cellulose fibers.
Studies on the Properties of Biodegradable Wipes made by the Hydroentanglement Bonding Technique
Authors: Soukupova Vera , Boguslavsky Lydia , AnandJiwala RaJesh D.
Published: September 2007

Nonwoven fabrics for household wipe applications were produced using the hydroentanglement bonding technique. Blends of three types of polyester/viscose fibers and flax/viscose fibers were utilized in this study. The wipes were compared in terms of their physical and mechanical properties, serviceability and durability under simulated use conditions. Physical properties, such as mass per unit area and thickness were measured and the fabric density was calculated. Tensile strength and elongation properties, both in the dry and the wet states, were studied and the liquid absorption characteristics of wipes were tested. Subsequently, the end use conditions for wipes, both in dry and wet cleaning were simulated and the changes in mechanical and absorption properties were tested to ascertain their serviceability. It is concluded that flax fibers can be successfully utilized for developing household wipes due to their good absorption characteristics and higher tensile strength and satisfactory durability.
Prediction of Yarn Shrinkage using Neural Nets
Authors: Lin Jeng-Jong
Published: September 2007

In this study, the shrinkages of warp and weft yarn in the finished woven fabrics can be estimated by neural net. The shrinkages of warp and weft yarn in woven fabrics are affected by various factors such as loom setting, fabric type, and the properties of warp and weft yarns, which are hard to be defined and estimated. The neural nets are used to find the relationships between the shrinkage of yarns and the cover factors of yarns and fabrics. The prediction of yarn shrinkage in the off-loomed fabrics can thus be fulfilled through a prediction model constructed with neural net.
Effect of Strand-spacing Between Roving and Filament on Sirofil Yarn Properties
Authors: Liu Wen-Yan , Yu Yan-Ping , He Ji-Huan , Wang Shan-Yuan
Published: September 2007

The parameters such as the angle in “V” area in Sirofil spinning system, the tension and torque of the filament and roving with different feeding spacing are theoretically discussed. The optimal strand-spacing of different spinning materials is, thus, recommended. The configuration, strength and elongation, hairiness and evenness of the yarn were studied experimentally. The theoretical results agreed very well with experimental data.
Effect of Tension Compensator on Sirofil Yarn Properties
Authors: Liu Wen-Yan , Yu Yan-Ping , He Ji-Huan , Wang Shan-Yuan
Published: September 2007

In this paper, the mechanism of tension compensator (TC) was analyzed. The effect of TC on properties of Sirofil composite yarn, such as the hairiness property and the property of abrasion-resistance, was studied theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical results agreed very well with the experimental data. It was also shown that the adoption of TC greatly reduced the hairiness of Sirofil composite yarn, and the property of abrasion-resistance was improved enormously.
Fungi — an indoor air quality assessment parameter for air-conditioned offices
Authors: Mui K.W. , Chan W.Y. , Wong L.T. , Hui P.S.
Published: September 2007

Representative assessment parameters are proposed for indoor air quality (IAQ) audit in various strategies and guidelines.1 In Hong Kong, assessment of indoor airborne fungi is not incorporated in many IAQ audits of air-conditioned offices, although the exposure to airborne fungi could cause a variety of adverse health effects. An IAQ assessment for a local office will audit 12 parameters, including air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, respirable suspended particulates, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, formaldehyde, total volatile organic compounds, radon, and airborne bacteria. This paper reviews recent studies of the indoor airborne fungi levels and IAQ assessments in some air-conditioned offices of Hong Kong and evaluates the contribution of the airborne fungi to an unsatisfactory IAQ in the environment. The unsatisfactory rates regarding the assessment parameters were evaluated using the Monte Carlo simulations with measured data in Hong Kong Offices. In particular, the impact of selecting representative IAQ assessment parameters was examined against an express assessment protocol (EAP), which assessed some dominant contributors of unsatisfactory IAQ.2 The results reported that the three top ranked contributors for unsatisfactory IAQ were total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), indoor airborne fungi count (AFC) and airborne bacteria count (ABC) for air-conditioned offices of Hong Kong.

Practical applications: This study has shown that the assessments of airborne fungi levels in office environment is an important issue and further investigations for the airborne fungi in the IAQ audits were thus recommended. The results of this study could be a useful source of reference for policymakers in evaluation of an effective IAQ assessment protocol with some representative IAQ assessment parameters.
The quality of evidence in knowledge management research: practitioner versus scholarly literature
Authors: Ekbia Hamid R. , Hara Noriko
Published: September 2007

The viability of KM partly rests on how researchers garner empirical support for their purported theories. One aspect of this would involve the evaluation of the evidence provided in KM research. This paper presents a comparative study of the evidence that is presented in scholarly and professional literature on KM. For this purpose, the paper introduces a typology of evidence to analyze the data obtained from the survey of the literature. The classification based on this typology reveals quantitative differences between the types of evidence put forth in the scholarly and practitioner literature. More interestingly, however, our analysis reveals differences in terms of the questions they ask, the perspective they adopt, and the methods they follow to convince others of the validity of their claims. We explain these differences in terms of the notions of `blackboxing' and `performance' borrowed from actor-network theory.
Use of collaborative recommendations for web search: an exploratory user study
Authors: Xiangmin Zhang  , Yuelin Li
Published: September 2007

This study investigated use of collaborative recommendations in web searching. An experimental system was designed. In the experimental system, recommendations were generated in a group report format, including items judged relevant by previous users, search queries and the URLs of documents. The study explored how users used these items, the effects of their use, and what factors contributed to this use. The results demonstrate that users preferred using queries and document sources (URLs), rather than relevance judgment (document ratings). The findings also show that using recommended items had a significant effect on the number of documents viewed, but not on precision or number of queries. Task difficulty and search skills had significant impact on the use. Possible reasons for the results are analyzed. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Better reporting of randomized trials in biomedical journal and conference abstracts
Authors: Hopewell Sally , Eisinga Anne , Clarke Mike
Published: September 2007

Well reported research published in conference and journal abstracts is important as individuals reading these reports often base their initial assessment of a study based on information reported in the abstract. However, there is growing concern about the reliability and quality of information published in these reports. This article provides an overview of research evidence underpinning the need for better reporting of abstracts reported in conference proceedings and abstracts of journal articles; with a particular focus in the area of health care. Where available we highlight evidence which refers specifically to abstracts reporting randomized trials. We seek to identify current initiatives aimed at improving the reporting of these reports and recommend that an extension of the CONSORT Statement (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials), CONSORT for Abstracts, be developed. This checklist would include a list of essential items to be reported in any conference or journal abstract reporting the results of a randomized trial.
Challenges to participation in paediatric palliative care research: a review of the literature
Authors: Tomlinson Deborah , Bartels Ute , Hendershot Eleanor , Constantin Julie , Wrathall Glynis , Sung Lillian
Published: September 2007

It has been identified that there is a need for increased palliative care research within the paediatric setting. The assessment of parental views is necessary for this population. However, the conduct of research and recruitment of participants is often challenging. While conducting a study that involved parents of children receiving palliative or end-of-life care, the authors found that there were particular challenges to recruiting these parents. This comprehensive review of the literature aims to address the ethical and recruitment issues of involving parents of children that are receiving palliative or end-of-life care. Key elements, that may maximize completion of research and a more representative sample, are also discussed. These elements include obtaining the opinions on study design and interview script from experienced families and maximizing the partnership between health care professionals and the research team. Palliative Medicine 2007; 21 : 435—440
Are we getting it right? Parents' perceptions of hospice child bereavement support services
Authors: Wilkinson S. , Croy P. , King M. , Barnes J.
Published: September 2007

Objective : To determine parents' experiences and perceptions of a support service for families with bereaved children, provided by a UK charity for cancer patients in seven hospices in the UK. Method : Individual interviews with 25 purposively selected parents. Results : Parents used the service for: advice and reassurance; support for their children while they grieved; and advice on ameliorating behavioural difficulties at home and school. Non-service users did not think formalised support was necessary or had other sufficient support. Nevertheless, important to parents in both groups was that the service existed so their children's needs were being or could be addressed. Children and their parents benefited from talking to a non-family member, and being involved in social events that reduced feelings of isolation. Conclusion : The hospice child bereavement service was offered as an integral part of palliative cancer care support. Future research could explore collaborative work between counsellors and other professionals. Pallative Medicine 2007; 21: 401—407
Validation study of the Korean version of the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire
Authors: Kim S H , u S K , Yun Y H , Lee C G , Choi Y S , Lee W S , Kim S Y , Heo D S
Published: September 2007

This study aimed to test the reliability and validity of the Korean version of McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL-K) for use with 140 palliative care patients in Korea. Our results confirmed the suitability of using the 16 questions of the questionnaire clustered into four domains (physical, psychological, existential and support) as in the original version of the MQOL, although the distribution of items among the domains differed somewhat from the original. The MQOL-K demonstrated moderate to high internal consistency (Cronbach's α, 0.62—0.90), convergent validity without scaling error, and a good concurrent validity with European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30, sense of dignity, and general health perception. In addition, we tested the clinical validity of the MQOL-K using a known group comparison to quantify sensitivity. Regression results indicated that the existential and psychological domains had independent effects on the overall quality of life of patients in Korea. Therefore, the MQOL-K is deemed suitable for assessing the quality of life in a Korean palliative care setting. Palliative Medicine 2007;> 21 : 441—447
Evaluating Physician Performance at Individualizing Care: A Pilot Study Tracking Contextual Errors in Medical Decision Making
Authors: Weiner Saul J. , Schwartz Alan , Yudkowsky Rachel , Schiff Gordon D. , Weaver Frances M. , Goldberg Julie , Weiss Kevin B.
Published: September 2007

Objectives. Clinical decision making requires 2 distinct cognitive skills: the ability to classify patients' conditions into diagnostic and management categories that permit the application of research evidence and the ability to individualize or—more specifically—to contextualize care for patients whose circumstances and needs require variation from the standard approach to care. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a methodology for measuring physicians' performance at contextualizing care and compare it to their performance at planning biomedically appropriate care. Methods. First, the authors drafted 3 cases, each with 4 variations, 3 of which are embedded with biomedical and/or contextual information that is essential to planning care. Once the cases were validated as instruments for assessing physician performance, 54 internal medicine residents were then presented with opportunities to make these preidentified biomedical or contextual errors, and data were collected on information elicitation and error making. Results. The case validation process was successful in that, in the final iteration, the physicians who received the contextual variant of cases proposed an alternate plan of care to those who received the baseline variant 100% of the time. The subsequent piloting of these validated cases unmasked previously unmeasured differences in physician performance at contextualizing care. The findings, which reflect the performance characteristics of the study population, are presented. Conclusions. This pilot study demonstrates a methodology for measuring physician performance at contextualizing care and illustrates the contribution of such information to an overall assessment of physician practice.
Anti-Astropolitik — outer space and the orbit of geography
Authors: MacDonald Fraser
Published: September 2007

This paper aims to establish outer space as a mainstream concern of critical geography. More than half a century after humans first cast their instruments into orbit, contemporary human geography has been slow to explore the myriad connections that tie social life on Earth to the celestial realm. My starting point is a return to an early-modern geographical imagination that acknowledges the reciprocity between heaven and earth. Although other disciplinary engagements are discussed, this project represents the first systematic attempt to explore how outer space both challenges and reanimates the `geo' of geography. The example of Global Satellite Navigation Systems is used to illustrate what is currently at stake in the military contest for geopolitical control of Earth's orbit. Nigel Thrift's work on the technological refashioning of precognitive sociality is contextualized within those systems of state geopower that sustain the everyday uplinking and downlinking to and from space hardware. Lastly, the paper offers a critique of the application of classical geopolitics to outer space in the form of `astropolitics' and its will-to-power variant of Astropolitik.
Participatory GIS — a people's GIS?
Authors: Dunn Christine E.
Published: September 2007

Recent years have witnessed a burgeoning of applications of GIS which grant legitimacy to indigenous geographical knowledge as well as to `official' spatial data. By incorporating various forms of community participation these newer framings of Geographical Information Systems as `Participatory GIS' (PGIS) offer a response to the critiques of GIS which were prevalent in the 1990s. This paper reviews PGIS in the context of the `democratization of GIS'. It explores aspects of the control and ownership of geographical information, representations of local and indigenous knowledge, scale and scaling up, web-based approaches and some potential future technical and academic directions.
Historical GIS: structuring, mapping and analysing geographies of the past
Authors: Gregory Ian N. , Healey Richard G.
Published: September 2007

The last 10 years have seen a sudden rise in interest in the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in historical research. This has led to a field that has become known as `historical GIS'. This development started in the more quantitative ends of the discipline but has spread to encompass qualitative research as well. Interest in historical GIS is not restricted to researchers who would previously have regarded themselves as historical geographers, but has in fact led to an increased awareness of the importance of geography from across the discipline of history. This paper introduces historical GIS and critically evaluates how it is affecting the practice of historical geography.
Polysilane–Metal Complexes for Organic Semiconductors
Authors: Sacarescu Liviu , Ardeleanu Rodinel , Sacarescu Gabriela , Simionescu Mihaela , Mangalagiu Ionel
Published: September 2007

New polysilane-metal complexes structures were obtained by the polycondensation reaction of α,ω-bis(chloromethyl)-polymethylphenylsilane with the Ni (II) complex of bis(salicylidene)ethylenedia-mine (salen). The chloro-functionalized polysilane was obtained by a modified Wurtz coupling procedure at low temperatures. To obtain the polymer-metal complex the resulted macroligand was complexed with metal cations. This structure is characterized by a highly localized electroactivitry in the redox moiety combined with a specific σ conjugative effect in the polysilane chain. Infrared, 1H NMR and UV-vis spectral analysis as well as gel permeation chromatography and thermogravimetric analysis were used to investigate the new chemical structures.
Influence of Chemical Structure on Processing and Thermotropic Properties of Poly(siloxane-azomethine)s
Authors: Racles Carmen , Cozan Vasile , Sajo Istvan
Published: September 2007

A disiloxane dialdehyde was obtained from bis (chloromethyl)disiloxane and p-hydroxybenzal-dehyde and it was used in an equilibration (redistribution) reaction to synthesize an oligomeric dialdehyde. By solution polycondensation, starting from bis(formyl-p-phenoxymethyl)tetramethyldisiloxane and different organic diamines, poly(azomethine)s were obtained. In the case of aromatic diamines with high rigidity, which gave insoluble polymers, different approaches were tested in order to improve the solubility: the use of the dialdehyde having longer siloxane chain, or of a siloxane diamine in a copoly-condensation reaction. The polymers’ structures were confirmed by IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy and by elemental analysis. The structure-properties relationship was studied in terms of solubility, thermal and thermotropic behavior. Most of the obtained poly(azomethine)s has mesomorphic properties, which were studied by polarized optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction. The influence of aromatic diamines’ chemical structure on the processability of the siloxane-organic poly(azomethine)s was emphasized.
Effect of End Group Modification on Gas Transport Properties of 6FDA-TAPOB Hyperbranched Polyimide-Silica Hybrid Membranes
Authors: Suzuki Tomoyuki , Yamada Yasuharu
Published: September 2007

Physical and gas transport properties of end group-modified 6FDA-TAPOB hyperbranched polyimide (HBPI)-silica hybrid membranes were investigated. Hyperbranched polyamic acids as precursors were synthesized by polycondensation of triamine, 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenoxy)benzene (TAPOB), and dianhydride, 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), and the molecular end groups were subsequently allowed to react with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTrMOS) and fluorine compound, 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)aniline (6FMA) and 1H,1H-heptadecafluorononylamine (17FN). The HBPI-silica hybrids were prepared by sol-gel reaction using the polyamic acids, water, and tetram-ethoxysilane (TMOS). The 5% weight-loss and glass transition temperatures of the hybrids considerably increased with increasing silica content, indicating effective crosslinking at polymer-silica interface mediated by APTrMOS moiety. The CO2, O2, N2, and CH4 permeability coefficients of the hybrids increased with increasing silica content. In particular, 6FMA-modified and 17FN-modified 6FDA-TAPOB HBPI-silica hybrids showed high gas permeability, arising from their high fractional free volumes. The CO2/CH4 selectivity of the hybrids increased remarkably with increasing silica content, whereas their O2/N2 selectivity remained almost constant against silica content. It was concluded that the HBPI-silica hybrids have high thermal stability, high gas permeability, and excellent CO2/CH4 selectivity, and are expected to apply to high-performance gas separation membranes.
In situ Synthesis of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/layered Silicate Nanocomposites by Polycondensation
Authors: Pospiech Doris , Korwitz Andreas , Komber Hartmut , Voigt Dieter , Jehnichen Dieter , Müller Jan , Janke Andreas , Hoffmann Thorsten , Kretzschmar Bernd
Published: September 2007

The goal of the work presented here was to develop nanocomposites consisting of layered silicates and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). Two nanocomposite preparation methods were compared: first, the usual melt compounding technique, and second, in-situ synthesis of PET in presence of different types of layered silicates. Montmorillonite (MMT) without and with organophilic modification was employed as layered silicate. In most cases, PETs with acceptable properties (molecular weight and discoloration) were synthesized in presence of different MMTs although the molecular weights of the in-situ PETs were lower than the control sample. These materials were used as masterbatch for PET nanocom-posites with 5 wt.% inorganic content. The exfoliation in both types of nanocomposites was not complete, but they showed a good distribution of clay within the polymer matrix.
Semi-interpenetrating Polymer Networks Containing Polysaccharides. I Xanthan/Lignin Networks
Authors: Raschip Irina Elena , Vasile Cornelia , Ciolacu Diana , Cazacu Georgeta
Published: September 2007

The polysaccharides are important materials in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and related biomedical applications. Xanthan gum is a microbial polysaccharide of great commercial significance. It is well known as one of the best thickening polymers due to its high intrinsic stiffness related to the helical conformation stabilized in the presence of excess salt. It is used in a wide variety of foods for a number of important reasons, including emulsion stabilization, temperature stability, compatibility with food ingredients, and its pseudoplastic rheological properties. Due to its properties in thickening aqueous solutions, as a dispersing agent, and stabilizer of emulsions and suspensions, xanthan gum is used in pharmaceutical formulations, cosmetics, and agricultural products, as well as in textile printing pastes, ceramic glazes, slurry explosive formulations, and rust removers. In this work the crosslinking of a mixture of xanthan and lignins in the presence of the epichlorohydrin, leading to superabsorbant hydrogels with high swelling rate in aqueous mediums, was studied. The swelling properties of these composite hydrogels were investigated. Three different types of lignin have been used namely: aspen wood lignin (L), annual fiber crop lignin (GL) and lignin epoxy-modified resin (LER). Semi-interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels in various ratios were prepared. The influence of gravimetric ratio between components of the semi-interpenetrating polymer networks, as well as the kinetics of water sorption will be discussed. The maximum swelling degree of the hydrogels and the swelling rate constant were determined as a function of the hydrogel's composition. It has been established that the nature of lignin significantly influences swelling process, the chemical modified lignin having a particular behavior.
Use of Diels-Alder Cyclopolymerizations in the Photocuring of Polymers
Authors: Meador Michael A. , Meador Mary Ann , Tyson Daniel S. , Ilhan Faysal
Published: September 2007

Radiation curable polymers are needed for use in space rigidizable inflatable structures (antenna supports, habitats, rovers) for future NASA missions. One approach developed at NASA Glenn utilizes the Diels-Alder trapping of bisdienes (o-xylylenols) generated by the photolysis of o-methylphenyl ketones with bisdienophiles (bismaleimides and bisacrylates). A variety of polyimides and polyesters have been prepared with this chemistry and their properties evaluated. The glass transition temperatures of these resins varied from –27 to over 300°C depending upon monomer structures. Onsets of decomposition, measured by thermogravimetric analysis in air, were in the neighborhood of 300°C and did not vary much with monomer structure. Some monomer systems are liquids at room temperature and have the potential for use in solvent-free UV-cured coatings.