bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recycling workflows and services through discovery and reuse
Authors: Wroe Chris , Goble Carole , Goderis Antoon , Lord Phillip , Miles Simon , Papay Juri , Alper Pinar , Moreau Luc
Published: May 2006

Scientific workflows are becoming a valuable tool for scientists to capture and automate e‐Science procedures. Their success brings the opportunity to publish, share, reuse and re‐purpose this explicitly captured knowledge. Within the $^{my}$Grid project, we have identified key resources that can be shared including complete workflows, fragments of workflows and constituent services. We have examined the alternative ways that these resources can be described by their authors (and subsequent users) and developed a unified descriptive model to support their later discovery. By basing this model on existing standards, we have been able to extend existing Web service and Semantic Web service infrastructure whilst still supporting the specific needs of the e‐Scientist. The $^{my}$Grid components enable a workflow life‐cycle that extends beyond execution to include the discovery of previous relevant designs, the reuse of those designs and their subsequent publication. Experience with example groups of scientists indicates that this cycle is valuable. The growing number of workflows and services mean more work is needed to support the user in effective ranking of search results and to support the re‐purposing process. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Single‐drop microextraction followed by in‐syringe derivatization and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometric detection for determination of organic acids in fruits and fruit juices
Authors: Saraji Mohammad , Mousavinia Fakhraldin
Published: May 2006

A simple analytical procedure based on single‐drop microextraction combined with in‐syringe derivatization and GC–MS was developed for determination of some phenolic acids in fruits and fruit juices. Cinnamic acid,o‐coumaric acid, caffeic acid, andp‐hydroxybenzoic acid were used as model compounds. The analytes were extracted from a 3‐mL sample solution using 2.5 μL of hexyl acetate. The extracted phenolic acids were derivatized inside the syringe barrel using 0.7 μL ofN,O‐bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide before injection into the GC–MS. The influence of derivatization conditions on the yield of in‐syringe silylation was studied. Experimental SDME parameters such as selection of organic solvent, solvent volume, extraction time, extraction temperature, pH, and ionic strength of the solution on the extraction performance were studied. The method provided fairly good precision for all compounds (2.4–11.9%). Detection limits were found to be between 0.6 and 164 ng/mL within an extraction time of 20 min in the GC–MS full scan mode.
Nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis coupled with laser‐induced native fluorescence detection for the analysis of berberine, palmatine, and jatrorrhizine in Chinese herbal medicines
Authors: Liu Qian , Liu Yingju , Li Yanqing , Yao Shouzhuo
Published: May 2006

LIF detection is one of the most sensitive detection methods for CE. However, its application is limited because the analyte is usually required to be derivatized with a fluorescent label. As a result, LIF is seldom used to analyze active ingredients in plants. In this work, we introduce a rapid, simple, and sensitive method of nonaqueous CE (NACE) coupled with laser‐induced native fluorescence detection for the simultaneous analysis of berberine, palmatine, and jatrorrhizine. This method skillfully utilizes the native fluorescence of these alkaloids and requires no troublesome fluorescent derivatization. As these alkaloids can fluoresce to some degree, they were simply detected by a commercially available 488 nm Ar+ laser. The native fluorescence of the analytes was greatly enhanced by nonaqueous media. Compared with the reported UV detection method, much lower LOD was achieved (6.0 ng/mL for berberine, 7.5 ng/mL for palmatine, and 380 ng/mL for jatrorrhizine). This method was successfully applied to analyze berberine, palmatine, and jatrorrhizine in two Chinese herbal medicines, Rhizoma coptidis and Caulis mahoniae.
Free nilpotent minimum algebras
Authors: Busaniche Manuela
Published: May 2006

In the present paper we give a description of the free algebra over an arbitrary set of generators in the variety of nilpotent minimum algebras. Such description is given in terms of a weak Boolean product of directly indecomposable algebras over the Boolean space corresponding to the Boolean subalgebra of the free NM‐algebra. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Back Cover: Macromol. Rapid Commun. 10/2006
Authors: Chen Yongming , Du Jianzhong , Xiong Ming , Zhang Ke , Zhu Hui
Published: May 2006

Back Cover: Gelation process is made inside a preformed block copolymer aggregate that bears alkoxysilyl groups. As a result, the aggregate transforms into a crosslinked organic/inorganic hybrids. This approach is applicable not only to the aggregates in dilute solution, but also to the other forms of aggregates. Further details can be found in the article by Y. Chen,* J. Du, M. Xiong, K. Zhang, and H. Zhu on page 741.
Synthesis and swelling behaviour of poly (sodium acrylate)/sepiolite superabsorbent composites and nanocomposites
Authors: Santiago Francisca , Mucientes Antonio E , Osorio Mónica , Poblete Francisco J
Published: May 2006

A series of novel composites and nanocomposites xerogels based on acrylic acid, sepiolite and N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide were prepared using a solution polymerization technique at 70 °C. The quality of dispersion of the micronized sepiolite in the monomer is the crucial point for obtaining nanocomposites. A good dispersion explains the improvement of the absorbent properties of the nanocomposites with respect to the composites. This work investigates not only the influence of the mixing procedure on the swelling behaviour, but also the effect of the amount of clay on the absorbency of these hydrogels in deionized water and saline solution (0.2 wt% NaCl(aq)). A crosslinker concentration of 5 wt% sepiolite nanocomposite superabsorbent was shown to give the best results (1419 g g−1). Moreover, experimental results indicate that the absorbency in saline solution is smaller than that in deionized water. Rates of swelling for these absorbents were found to fit the Voigt expression. Finally, the model approximates Case II sorption in the early stages of the swelling process and Case I in the later stages. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Synthesis and optical and thermal properties of poly[methyl(2,9‐diphenyl‐ 7,8‐benzophenanthryl)silylene‐co‐1,4‐bis(methylphenylsilyl)phenylene]
Authors: Li MeiJiang , Qiu HuaYu , Jiang JianXiong , Ni Yong , Lai GuoQiao , Feng Shengyu
Published: May 2006

Poly[methyl(2,9‐diphenyl‐7,8‐benzophenanthryl)silylene‐co‐1,4‐bis(methylphenylsilyl)phenylene] (PMBS‐co‐BSP) was synthesized by the condensation reaction of dichloromethyl(2,9‐diphenyl‐7,8‐benzophenanthryl)silane and 1,4‐bis(chloromethylphenylsilyl)benzene with sodium in toluene. Optical and thermal behavior of the polymer was investigated. Because of the introduction of substituted benzophenanthryl groups into the Si atoms of the polymer, the UV absorption wavelength of the PMBS‐co‐BSP red‐shifted significantly in the UV region, and a strong photoluminescence band was observed in the visible region other than the near‐UV photoluminescence typical of normal polysilane. The photochemical behavior was examined both in solution and in thin film by fluorescence and UV spectroscopy. Irradiation of the PMBS‐co‐BSP with a low‐pressure mercury lamp in solution resulted in homolytic scission of silicone–silicone bonds; the fluorescence emission intensities decreased gradually with increasing UV irradiation time and the maximum emission wavelength blue‐shifted significantly. Irradiation of thin solid films of the PMBS‐co‐BSP in air led to the formation of photoproducts containing SiOH and SiOSi groups. The PMBS‐co‐BSP began to weigh less at about 300 °C and the weight loss of the polymer at 700 °C was calculated to be 75% of the initial weight in N2. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
High quantum efficiency InGaN/GaN structures emitting at 540 nm
Authors: Graham D. M. , Dawson P. , Godfrey M. J. , Kappers M. J. , Costa P. M. F. J. , Vickers M. E. , Datta R. , Humphreys C. J. , Thrush E. J.
Published: May 2006

We present a study of the optical properties of a series of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well structures, with room temperature peak emission wavelengths of 540 nm. By adopting a two‐temperature growth method and designing structures to have short radiative lifetimes, we have obtained room temperature internal photoluminescence quantum efficiencies of 8%. Transmission electron microscopy images have revealed the presence of edge‐type threading misfit dislocations in the multiple quantum well stack, which may be preventing the efficiency from reaching the very high values obtained in blue emitting InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well structures. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Atomic structure of dislocations in nitride semiconductors
Authors: Petit S. , Béré A. , Chen J. , Belabbas I. , Ruterana P. , Nouet G.
Published: May 2006

The 1/3<11‐20> edge dislocation is present in the GaN layers. Its atomic core is described by three configurations, 5/7, 8 and 4 atom rings. Besides the isolated dislocations, this dislocation is involved in the intrinsic structure of coincidence <0001> tilt grain boundaries. In this work, the atomic structures based on the three cores and the associated energies of this dislocation, in Σ = 7 grain boundary, are calculated with the ab initio code AIMPRO. The values of energies and bond lengths are compared to the values previously obtained by using an empirical potential and a tight‐binding method. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Clustering in GaAsSbN alloys as a possible origin of their atypical optical behavior: a Sb K‐edge X‐ray absorption study
Authors: Ciatto Gianluca , Harmand Jean‐Christophe , Largeau Ludovic , Glas Frank
Published: May 2006

GaAsSbN and InGaAsSbN alloys have been recently designed for obtaining laser emission on GaAs substrate near the second minimum for attenuation in silica optical fibers. Thermal annealing of the alloys, which is necessary in order to optimize the emission, brings about a larger blue‐shift of the band gap than in Sb‐free alloys; moreover the optical bowing is larger compared to other dilute nitrides. In this paper we investigate the possibility for structural short‐range ordering (SRO) to be at the origin of these emission properties, using X‐Ray Absorption Spectroscopy at the Sb K‐edge; our preliminary results seem to indicate that the occurrence of Sb clustering depends strongly on the growth conditions, and in particular on the substrate temperature. We found that the blue‐shift of the band gap upon annealing is not necessarily accompanied by Sb clustering in the V lattice, and the correlation between SRO and optical properties is still unclear; rearrangement of N atoms in the V‐lattice might be the key to account for the optical observation. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
AlN/GaN superlattices: strain relaxation
Authors: Bellet‐Amalric E. , Amstatt B. , Daudin B.
Published: May 2006

A serie of AlN/GaN superlattices with thin period (fewer than 6 monolayers) was grown by plasma‐assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Their strain relaxation is address by in‐situ reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). Three distinct phenomena can be distinguished; two of them are related to a dislocation introduction mechanism (at the first monolayers or all along the sample) and the third correspond to a periodic elastic strain relaxation. Their relative importance depends on growth conditions and should be taken into account while designing a complete superlattice structure. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
p‐type conduction in a C‐doped (1‐101)GaN grown on a 7‐degree‐off oriented (001)Si substrate by selective MOVPE
Authors: Hikosaka T. , Koide N. , Honda Y. , Yamaguchi M. , Sawaki N.
Published: May 2006

Using a selective metal organic vapour phase epitaxy method, (1‐101)GaN was grown on a (001)Si substrate. Intentional carbon doping was attempted using CCl4 as the souce gas and the electrical properties were studied as a function of the doping level. All samples showed the p‐type conduction. The hole concentration was increased by the doping, determined by the ratio of the carbon source and NH3 flow rates. The results indecated that the p‐type conduction is due to the incorporation of carbon in the (1‐101)GaN. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Growth and doping of AlGaN and electroluminescence of SAG‐InGaN/AlGaN heterostructure by mixed‐source HVPE
Authors: Kim K. H. , Ahn H. S. , Yang M. , Jang K. S. , Hwang S. L. , Choi W. J. , Cho C. R. , Kim S. W. , Honda Y. , Yamaguchi M. , Sawaki N. , Yoo J. , Lee S. M. , Koike M.
Published: May 2006

The AlxGa1–xN layers on GaN/Al2O3 substrates are grown by mixed‐source hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) at various temperatures of the source zone. We find source zone temperature dependence of the composition x of AlxGa1–xN layers. Te doping as a new attempt and Si doping in obtaining an n‐type AlGaN layers are performed by putting small amount of Te (or Si) into the Ga‐Al source, respectively. In case of Te‐doped AlGaN (x = 0.16), the carrier concentration is varied from 1.1 x 1018 to 8.0 x 1018/cm3, while in case of Si‐doped one, it is varied from 2.0 x 1016 to 1.1 x 1017/cm3. We find the new results that Te doping is more suitable to get a high n‐type concentration by mixed‐source HVPE. InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) are grown on the selective area growth (SAG)‐Te‐doped AlGaN and SAG‐Si‐doped AlGaN cladding layer by mealorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD), respectively. Furthermore, we investigate the electroluminescence (EL) properties of SAG‐LEDs of two different cladding layers. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The effect of Si on the growth mode of GaN
Authors: von Pezold J. , Oliver R. A. , Kappers M. J. , Bristowe P. D. , Humphreys C. J.
Published: May 2006

In the growth of InGaN on a SiH4‐exposed GaN surface, a change in the growth mode is observed for low SiH4 doses. To help explain this observation the potential energy surface of Ga and N adatoms on a GaN (0001) surface containing an isolated Si atom in the terminating layer was calculated using plane wave density functional theory. The surface Si atom decreases the diffusion barrier of Ga and N adatoms relative to the corresponding diffusion barriers on the ideal GaN (0001) surface. In addition, the adatom binding energies were not significantly affected by the Si surface atom. It was therefore concluded that the observed transition in growth mode of GaN cannot be simply explained by the presence of isolated Si atoms on the GaN surface. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A Quantum‐Mechanical QSAR Model to Predict the Refractive Index of Polymer Matrices
Authors: Holder Andrew J. , Ye Lin , Eick J. David , Chappelow Cecil C.
Published: May 2006

Refractive index (RI) is an important optical property for polymer matrices, especially when the color or tint of the cured material is of interest. This is certainly the case for dental restorative applications. In this work, results are presented for a quantitative–structure activity relationship derived from relevant semiempirical quantum mechanical information. This model predicts the RI for a wide variety of polymer matrices using representative structures of polymers, including resin components of several currently used dental restorative materials. The AM1 semiempirical method was used for calculations due to its speed and general reliability. Several structural subunits of the polymer chains were used for the QSAR analysis, but dimer moieties produced the best results for some 60 polymers. The final QSAR model was composed of a multilinear equation that featured the highest occupied molecular orbital – the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital gap and a polarizability index as the two descriptors best able to account for the variation in the data. The final model had R2=0.963, R2cv=0.959, F=740, and s2=0.0002. Other quality indicators for the correlation and the individual descriptors were within acceptable limits. The presence of electronically related descriptors is encouraging, as these are conceptually tied to the phenomenon of RI. The difference between a theoretically predicted value for poly(propylene oxide) and its monomer was 0.04, as compared to 0.09 from experimental data.
Structural Requirements of Angiotensin I‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptides: Quantitative Structure‐Activity Relationship Modeling of Peptides Containing 4‐10 Amino Acid Residues
Authors: Wu Jianping , Aluko Rotimi E. , Nakai Shuryo
Published: May 2006

Models for angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides with varied lengths are proposed based on results from partial least square regression analysis of the potency of known peptides. Modeling was performed using partial least square regression with inhibitory activity of peptides as the dependent variable (Y) and the physicochemical properties of amino acids as the predictor X matrix. Variable importance in the projection (VIP) analysis of individual amino acid residues at each position revealed that the C‐terminal tetrapeptide residues of long‐chain peptides were more important to their ACE‐inhibitory activity than the C‐terminal tripeptide residues. The most likely preferred amino acid residues starting from C‐terminus are tyrosine and cysteine for the first position, histidine, tryptophan and methionine for the second position with isoleucine, leucine, valine and methionine for the third position, and tryptophan for the fourth position. We concluded that the reported structural requirements of ACE‐inhibitory peptides provide useful information that can be used for the development of more efficacious ACE‐inhibitory peptides.
Critical success factors for software process improvement implementation: an empirical study
Authors: Niazi Mahmood , Wilson David , Zowghi Didar
Published: May 2006

In this article, we present findings from our recent empirical study of the critical success factors (CSFs) for software process improvement (SPI) implementation with 34 SPI practitioners. The objective of this study is to provide SPI practitioners with sufficient knowledge about the nature of issues that play a positive role in the implementation of SPI programmes in order to assist them in effectively planning SPI implementation strategies.

Through our empirical study we identified seven factors (higher management support, training, awareness, allocation of resources, staff involvement, experienced staff and defined SPI implementation methodology) that are generally considered critical for successfully implementing SPI. We also report on a literature survey of CSFs that impact SPI and identify six factors (senior management commitment, staff involvement, staff time and resources, training and mentoring, creating process action teams and reviews). We compared our empirical study results with the literature and confirmed the factors identified in the literature, and also identified two new CSFs (SPI awareness and defined SPI implementation methodology) that were not identified in the literature. Finally, we analyzed the CSFs identified by different groups of practitioners and found that they are aware of what is imperative for the successful implementation of SPI programmes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment of Wilms’ tumor in children
Authors: Johnson Dale G.
Published: May 2006

Dramatic advances in management of Wilms’ tumor have been achieved through a multidisciplinary approach to treatment involving surgery, radiotherapy, and combination chemotherapy. Recent cooperative clinical studies of nationwide scope have permitted the use of randomized, prospective, comparative trials designed to answer some of the perplexing questions in tumor management. For group I patients with localized disease, a survival rate of 97% has been achieved. Significant clinical data have justified the elimination of postoperative irradiation and its deleterious long‐term side effects in group I children under 2 years of age, and current studies replacing radiotherapy with combination drug therapy will probably allow the elimination of radiotherapy for all group I patients. The combination of dactinomycin‐vincristine (AMD‐VCR) has proven superior to single‐agent treatment, and in group II and III patients with local tumor extension, survival rates have reached 86%. Most remarkable is the achievement of an 83% survival rate at 2 years in group IV patients with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, since survival of this type of patient before chemotherapy was nil. The newly recognized histologic grading of “unfavorable” and “favorable” prognostic types of tumor should stimulate refinement of therapy and further improvement in survival by application of more or less aggressive treatment, as appropriate. The current survival rate of 87% in patients with bilateral tumors is also remarkable and underscores the need for flexibility and an understanding of tumor biology for successful clinical management.
Malignant liver tumors in infants and children
Authors: Randolph Judson , Chandra Roma , Leiken Sanford
Published: May 2006

At the Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C., 18 patients have been seen in the past 12 years with primary tumors of the liver. The tumors were divided as follows: 13 hepatoblastoma, 2 hepatocellular carcinoma, 2 rhabdomyosarcoma, and 1 mixed mesenchymal sarcoma. Of the patients with hepatoblastoma, all were seen by 4 years of age, and 8 were under 1 year when first seen. Three had pulmonary metastases when first seen. The 2 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were 8 and 12 years old, respectively. The patients with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma were 18 and 30 months of age when seen; 1 had a primary tumor arising in the liver, the other had a tumor in the bile ducts extending into the liver. Ten of the 13 children with hepatoblastoma underwent lobectomy; 5 of these 10 are alive, 1 with known metastases. The other 4 are presumed cured. One of the children with hepatic carcinoma had severe preexisting cirrhosis of the liver and has had 3 local limited excisions. One of the patients with rhabdomyosarcoma is alive and cured after hepatic lobectomy. As yet, there is no known effective chemotherapeutic regimen. Radiation therapy has been useful only in shrinking the tumor, but neither of these modalities has resulted in cure. At the present time, the only known cures are achieved by early detection and successful surgical removal.
Palliative treatment of malignant duodenoenteric fistulas
Authors: Zer Michael , Wolloch Ya’acov , Lombrozo Rafael , Dintsman Moshe
Published: May 2006

Malignant duodenocolic fistula, a rare complication of carcinoma of the hepatic flexure of the colon, may present with bilious diarrhea and feculent vomiting, and is usually associated with severe electrolyte and nutritional depletion. In 2 cases of duodenoenteric fistula caused by recurrence of colonic cancer after right hemicolectomy, the tumor was unresectable. Isolation of the affected intestinal loop, without any attempt at disconnecting it from the duodenum, and diversion of that loop back into the jejunum provided a solution, achieving satisfactory palliation and an improvement in nutritional state.
Clinical comparison of antibiotic combinations in the treatment of peritonitis and related mixed aerobic‐anaerobic surgical sepsis
Authors: Stone H. Harlan , Fabian Timothy C.
Published: May 2006

Patients with presumed mixed aerobic‐anaerobic peritoneal (126) or soft tissue (59) sepsis were treated with 1 of 3 randomly assigned antibiotic regimens: gentamicin plus clindamycin (68), gentamicin plus metronidazole (60), and cefamandole plus erythromycin (60). Primary and complicating foci of infection were cultured for both aerobic and anaerobic pathogens and antibiotic sensitivities were determined. In vitro aerobic and anaerobic sensitivities were, respectively: 80% and 70% for cefamandole, 10% and 64% for clindamycin, 31% and 91% for erythromycin, 83% and 0% for gentamicin, and 1% and 87% for metronidazole. Similar control of primary infection was obtained with each regimen (95%), although recurrence of sepsis was least common after treatment with gentamicin‐metronidazole (3%,p+<0.05) in contrast to gentamicin‐clindamycin (19%) and cefamandole‐erythromycin (15%). Significant complications were hypoprothrombinemia, occurring only after cefamandole‐erythromycin therapy (5%), and acute renal failure, found almost exclusively with gentamicin treatment (10%,p=< 0.01), and accounting for 3 deaths. Unremitting sepsis caused 3 deaths. There were 5 deaths due to complications not related to the mode of therapy. These results suggest the relative safety of cefamandole, superiority of metronidazole for anaerobes, and frequent life‐threatening nephrotoxicity of gentamicin.
The proper use of local antimicrobial agents in wounds
Authors: Moylan Joseph A.
Published: May 2006

Topical antibiotics have been shown to be effective prophylactic agents in reducing wound infection in clean and clean‐contaminated cases. The risk of the development of superinfection and antibiotic resistant bacteria, as well as organ toxicity, is minimal as compared to the use of systemic antibiotics in clean operations. The combination of systemic and topical chemotherapeutic drugs is a valuable adjunct in the treatment of contaminated wounds and high risk patients.
Gastric ulcer treated with ulcerectomy, vagotomy, and drainage
Authors: Johnson Jon A. , Giercksky Karl‐Erik
Published: May 2006

This is a report of 152 patients with gastric ulcer treated by ulcerectomy, vagotomy, and drainage. In the series, 123 patients were operated on electively and 29 were operated on acutely for bleeding, with operative mortality rates of 1.3% and 6.9%, respectively. The operative mortality rate for the whole series was 2.6%. Of 144 patients followed up, 94 were cured and 25 were improved. The remaining 25 patients were reoperated on, 20 for recurrent ulcer, 2 for early postoperative gastric retention, 2 for dumping and reflux gastritis, and 1 for stenosing ulcer in the esophagus. In the group of 119 successfully treated patients, moderate side effects were observed, including diarrhea in 5.2% and dumping in 8.6%. In 26 patients, the mean reduction of histamine‐stimulated or pentagastrin‐stimulated acid output was 72.2% when the response to insulin stimulation was 0, 45.1% when the response to insulin was between 0 and 2 mEq acid per hour, and 12.4% when the response was higher. The frequency of positive insulin tests postoperatively was 77.8% among patients with recurrent ulcer, 40% among improved patients, and 10.8% among cured patients. Of 4 patients with ulcer recurrence and negative insulin tests, 3 had gastric retention and 1 hypergastrinemia.
Disorders of wound healing
Authors: Kunt Thomas K.
Published: May 2006

The healing wound offers a variety of potential end results. The surgeon's responsibility is to define what he wants and then arrange to get it. History has proved that technical improvements can eliminate disorders such as dehiscence and incisional hernias. Technical improvements should diminish the frequency of failed tendon repairs.

When the author first became interested in wound healing and was asked to consult about a poorly healing wound, he could only offer the ideas that ascorbic acid might be given and that nutrition in some nonspecific way might be increased. Now, it is an unusual wound that cannot be made to heal in one way or another; wounds that cannot be made to heal are almost always a result of severe regional ischemia with or without osteoradionecrosis. Even moderately severe osteoradionecrosis can now be expected to heal by supplying the major deficiency consequent upon vascular damage by radiation, namely, oxygen (by hyperbaric administration).

Perhaps most important to the surgeon is the knowledge that many kinds of disordered repair can be avoided. Liver disease can be treated, steroid hormone excess can be corrected or specifically treated with vitamin A, and nutritional defects can be anticipated and avoided. Familial tendencies to scar formation can be thwarted at an earlier rather than later, often hopeless, stage. Burn contractions in particularly susceptible joints can be anticipated and prevented by splinting and traction. In fact, we are coming very close to having effective treatment for most of the recognizable postsurgical reparative disorders.

What we do not have is a prevention or cure for a vast variety of conditions of excessive repair, conditions that surgeons do not ordinarily recognize as complications. A vast amount of human misery is due to hypertrophic scar formation in arteries (arteriosclerosis), joints (arthritis), and ocular disease, especially those involving the scarring of the cornea. It is very likely that the surgeons will contribute to the prevention and cure of these disorders if they will accept the view that they can expect something close to perfection in any wound they make.
A twelve‐year review of treatment of massive gastroduodenal bleeding
Authors: Papaevangelou Evangelos J. , Sapkas Alexandre M.
Published: May 2006

During a 12‐year period from 1965 to 1976, 178 patients with massive gastroduodenal hemorrhage were submitted to emergency surgery. These patients fulfilled the criteria of: (a) blood loss of more than 1000 ml/24 hr, (b) hematocrit less than 25%, (c) clinical shock due to blood loss, or (d) transfusion of 1600 ml whole blood per 24‐hour period. They represented 49.4% of all patients admitted with gastrointestinal bleeding. The accuracy of preoperative diagnosis increased from 56% to 91.5% following the introduction of fiberoptic endoscopy. The source of the bleeding was duodenal ulcer in 126 patients, gastric ulcer in 11, anastomotic ulcer in 12, bleeding neoplasm in 4, hemorrhagic gastritis in 3, hiatus hernia in 2, and esophageal varices in 20. In the early years, surgical treatment was a conventional partial gastrectomy in patients with duodenal ulcer (67), gastric ulcer (9), anastomotic ulcer (7), neoplasms (4), and hemorrhagic gastritis (2). More recently, simple suture of the bleeding ulcer (66), usually combined with vagotomy and gastric drainage, has been employed and has now become established as the favorite procedure.

The morbidity of all operations was high and the mortality rate was 12.8% overall. In the first part of the study, the mortality rate was 15.5%, but, more recently, it has decreased to 8.3% with a change in treatment policy.
Thoracoabdominal and abdominal aortic aneurysms involving celiac, superior mesenteric, and renal arteries
Authors: Crawford E. Stanley , Schuessler John S.
Published: May 2006

This is a report of surgical treatment of 138 patients with thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms and aneurysms of the abdominal aorta from which the visceral vessels arise. The patients are divided into 6 groups according to location and extent of aneurysm. Group I (16 patients) involved most of the descending thoracic aorta and the upper abdominal aorta down to the celiac axis. Group II (1 patient) involved all of the aorta except the proximal ascending aorta. In Group III there were 47 patients in whom the aneurysm involved most or all of the descending thoracic and abdominal aorta. In Group IV (31 patients) the aneurysm involved the distal thoracic aorta and part or all of the abdominal aorta. Group V (28 patients) involved either the upper or all of the abdominal aorta, and in Group VI (15 patients) the aneurysm was infrarenal in location but involved the renal arteries. Treatment was by the graft inclusion technique with reattachment of branch vessels by anastomosis directly to openings made in the graft in most cases. Intercostal and lumbar arteries were reattached in some patients in Groups II and III. Aortic and renal occlusion times varied from 15 to 155 minutes. Of the 138 patients in the series, 125 (91%) survived. Transient renal insufficiency occurred in 7 patients. Death occurred in 3 other patients from renal failure, 1 of whom was on chronic hemodialysis. Paraplegia occurred in 12 patients, all submitted to extensive replacements. Intercostal and lumbar artery reattachment reduced the incidence of this problem by 50%. In the survivors, paraplegia was mild to moderate and transient in 4 and severe in 4. All of the latter are now self‐sufficient. The 2 men with this problem are gainfully employed.
Hemodynamics of extra‐anatomical bypass following restriction of inflow and outflow in the donor artery in dogs
Authors: Shin Choon S. , Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor
Published: May 2006

The hemodynamic changes in extra‐anatomical bypass were studied in dogs after restriction of inflow and outflow in the donor artery by a vascular tourniquet. A right to left external iliac bypass graft was performed and the left external iliac artery was ligated just proximal to the anastomosis. An arteriovenous fistula on the recipient side was used to increase flow through the graft. The flow measurements in this model showed no steal of blood flow from the peripheral distribution of the donor artery in the absence of restriction of inflow of the donor artery. However, once the inflow of the donor artery was restricted to a critical level, “steal” of blood from the peripheral distribution of the donor artery by the graft was observed in both the basal and maximal flow states. The restriction of the outflow in the donor artery had no effect on the graft flow.
Jejunal interposition for reflux esophagitis and esophageal stricture unresponsive to valvuloplasty
Authors: Polk Hiram C.
Published: May 2006

Esophagitis that persists after repeated failure of operations upon the cardia and/or a fibrotic, nondilatable distal esophageal stricture is a difficult problem. In a personal, consecutive series, 28 patients had 117 prior operations upon the cardia and diaphragmatic hiatus. In these carefully selected patients, utilization of the interposed jejunal segment described by Merendino and Dillard resulted in low mortality and morbidity and, to date, uniform control of gastroesophageal malfunction. Preoperative diagnoses in the 28 patients were: nondilatable stricture in 9, unrelenting gastroesophageal reflex in 12, and a combination of both abnormalities in 7. The decision to perform jejunal interposition was made preoperatively in 15 patients and intraoperatively in 13 patients. One patient died and 11 others sustained complications, 4 of which were major. In a mean follow‐up of 5.5 years, only 2 patients required an additional operation, both for unrelated illnesses. Comparison with a similar but somewhat more favorable group of 8 patients who had another attempt at an effective antireflux procedure instead of jejunal interposition showed the results of the interposition operation to be superior. Jejunal interposition, when selectively applied and carefully conducted, is the procedure of choice for reconstruction of the malfunctioning esophagogastric junction that has been selected previously to repeated, unsuccessful operations.
Recurrence in Crohn's colitis: The numbers game
Authors: Glotzer Donald J.
Published: May 2006

There has been great controversy about the proper role of operation in the management of colonic Crohn's disease because of disagreement about the frequency of recurrence. Since, in our retrospective studies, the majority of patients with colonic Crohn's disease had a previous diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, accurate determination of the recurrence rate in colonic Crohn's disease requires review of all patients with colonic inflammatory bowel disease in order to define the population at risk. Using objective means for diagnosis and for the assessment of outcome, we have found that recurrent disease after ileostomy and colectomy occurred in a minority (approximately 16%) of the patients. Both Crohn's colitis and ulcerative colitis followed a generally favorable postoperative course after this procedure, since even those patients who developed recurrent disease usually were rehabilitated by one or more revisions of the ileostomy. We believe that needed operations should not be avoided solely because of a diagnosis of colonic Crohn's disease, since the high recurrence rates and poor prognoses reported in many studies are based on faslely low numbers of those at risk.
Perianal Crohn's disease
Authors: Alexander‐Williams John , Buchmann P.
Published: May 2006

Perianal disease is a frequent manifestation of Crohn's disease and occasionally is the presenting symptom. However, most lesions are or become asymptomatic and remain so for many years. A series of 109 patients with perianal fissures and fistulas has been followed for 10 years. Fourteen have died, 7 from unrelated disorders. Ten have had an excision of the rectum but only 5 for perianal disease. Of the remaining 85 patients, 24 asymptomatic patients were not reexamined, and 61 were investigated extensively by sigmoidoscopy biopsy or manometry. Many fissures and most fistulas had healed, but some had progressed to some degree of anal stenosis, usually asymptomatic. A very conservative policy is proposed.
Dispersal of Camellia japonica seeds by Apodemus speciosus revealed by maternity analysis of plants and behavioral observation of animal vectors
Authors: Abe Harue , Matsuki Rikyu , Ueno Saneyoshi , Nashimoto Makoto , Hasegawa Masami
Published: May 2006

Seed dispersal determines a plant's reproductive success, range expansion, and population genetic structures. Camellia japonica, a common evergreen tree in Japan, has been the subject of recent genetic studies of population structure, but its mode of seed dispersal has been assumed, without detailed study, to be barochory. The morphological and physiological features of C. japonica seeds, which are large and nutritious, suggest zoochorous dispersal, however. We compared actual distances between mother trees and seedlings with distances attributable to gravity dispersion only, to test the zoochory hypothesis of C. japonica. The animals that transport the seeds for caching were identified experimentally. We also examined the extent to which seed dispersal is affected by the behavior of animal vectors. Seed dispersal by Apodemus speciosus was confirmed by taking photographs of animals that were consuming seeds experimentally deposited on the ground. Camellia seeds hoarded by the rodents under the litter or soil were protected from drying. On the basis of microsatellite analysis of maternal tissue from the seed coat, the mother trees of 28 seedlings were identified. Maternity analysis revealed the average seed‐dispersal distance from mother trees was 5.8 m±6.0 SD, a distance greater than initial dispersal by gravity alone. These results indicate that C. japonica is a zoochorous species dispersed by A. speciosus. Fifty percent of the seed dispersal occurred from mature evergreen forests to dwarf bamboo thickets. This directional seed dispersal would contribute to range expansion of C. japonica. Home range sizes of A. speciosus were 0.85 ha at most and covered with different types of vegetation, from evergreen forests to grassland. This low specificity of their microhabitat use might enhance seed dispersal to different types of vegetation.
Can Sarcoidosis Cause Autoamputation of a Finger Phalanx?
Authors: CETINKAYA R. , KAVAK A. , PARLAK A. H. , TUZUNER T. , ARBAK P. M. , ALPER M.
Published: May 2006

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic granulomatous disease. In the case presented, autoamputation of the distal phalanx of a little finger of the left hand was observed. The possibility of autodigital amputation as a result of sarcoidosis is discussed.
The Effects of Scaphoid and Colles Casts on Hand Function
Authors: KARANTANA A. , DOWNS-WHEELER M. J. , WEBB K. , PEARCE C. A. , JOHNSON A. , BANNISTER G. C.
Published: May 2006

Although necessary for bone healing, immobilisation temporarily prevents hand function and may necessitate corrective physiotherapy later. Scaphoid and Colles casts are both commonly used to immobilize scaphoid fractures. Non-union rates are comparable with both casts. The Scaphoid cast incorporates the thumb, whereas the Colles cast leaves the thumb free. We compared the effect of the two casts on hand function in 20 healthy right-hand-dominant volunteers using the Jebsen–Taylor Hand Function Test. Data were obtained through a mixed between and within subject design. Both casts prolonged the time taken to complete the hand function test compared to controls. Testing in the Scaphoid cast took significantly longer than in the Colles cast.
A Prospective Assessment of Carpal Tunnel Surgery with Respect to Age
Authors: WILGIS E. F. S. , BURKE F. D. , DUBIN N. H. , SINHA S. , BRADLEY M. J.
Published: May 2006

Six hundred and thirty five carpal tunnel decompressions in 490 patients were studied prospectively in two hand surgery centres to assess the effect of increasing age on the outcome after surgery. The outcome was assessed using the Levine–Katz carpal tunnel questionnaire, Tinel’s sign, Phalen’s test, Semmes–Weinstein monofilaments and pinch and grip strengths. Assessments were made pre-operatively, at 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Information was also sought concerning co-morbid conditions. Cases were divided into four groups (less than 40 years of age, 40 to 60, 61 to 80, and over 80 years of age). Patients improved significantly in all age groups after carpal tunnel surgery. Despite a relatively high number of co-morbidities, older patients had an acceptable complication rate and their improvement was comparable to all other age groups.
Parametric Verification of a Group Membership Algorithm
Authors: BOUAJJANI AHMED , MERCERON AGATHE
Published: May 2006

We address the problem of verifying clique avoidance in the TTP protocol. TTP allows several stations embedded in a car to communicate. It has many mechanisms to ensure robustness to faults. In particular, it has an algorithm that allows a station to recognize itself as faulty and leave the communication. This algorithm must satisfy the crucial ‘non-clique’ property: it is impossible to have two or more disjoint groups of stations communicating exclusively with stations in their own group. In this paper, we propose an automatic verification method for an arbitrary number of stations $N$ and a given number of faults $k$. We give an abstraction that allows to model the algorithm by means of unbounded (parametric) counter automata. We have checked the non-clique property on this model in the case of one fault, using the ALV tool as well as the LASH tool.
Automatic verification of timed concurrent constraint programs
Authors: FALASCHI MORENO , VILLANUEVA ALICIA
Published: May 2006

The language Timed Concurrent Constraint (tccp) is the extension over time of the Concurrent Constraint Programming (cc) paradigm that allows us to specify concurrent systems where timing is critical, for example reactive systems. Systems which may have an infinite number of states can be specified in tccp. Model checking is a technique which is able to verify finite-state systems with a huge number of states in an automatic way. In the last years several studies have investigated how to extend model checking techniques to systems with an infinite number of states. In this paper we propose an approach which exploits the computation model of tccp. Constraint based computations allow us to define a methodology for applying a model checking algorithm to (a class of) infinite-state systems. We extend the classical algorithm of model checking for LTL to a specific logic defined for the verification of tccp and to the tccp Structure which we define in this work for modeling the program behavior. We define a restriction on the time in order to get a finite model and then we develop some illustrative examples. To the best of our knowledge this is the first approach that defines a model checking methodology for tccp.
Quid-pro-quo exchanges of outside director defined benefit pension plans for equity-based compensation
Authors: CAMPBELL CYNTHIA J. , POWER MARK L. , STOVER ROGER D.
Published: May 2006

The independence of outside directors is critical to corporate board effectiveness. We examine a unique period in corporate governance when outside directors' defined benefit pensions are replaced with increases in equity. Firms with pension plans significantly underperform their industry in terms of stock returns. Firms terminating the pension plans in exchange for equity have significant increases in stock returns relative to their industry subsequent to the change. All samples outperform the ROA and ROE industry medians both before and after the change in compensation, indicating pressure from organized investors likely comes from stock performance, not accounting performance. Investor rights pressure and outside director compensation and not takeover risk or institutional ownership best explain firms altering outside director compensation, with board of director effectiveness improving.
Specific involvement of neurotensin type 1 receptor in the neurotensin‐mediatedin vivodopamine efflux using knock‐out mice
Authors: Leonetti Maud , Brun Philippe , Clerget Magali , Steinberg Régis , Soubrié Philippe , Renaud Bernard , Suaud‐Chagny Marie‐Françoise
Published: May 2006

Neurotensin is a tridecapeptide neurotransmitter known to be involved in psychiatric disorders, various physiological processes and several different neurobiological mechanisms, including modulation of accumbal dopamine release. Two neurotensin extracellular binding sites, namely NT1‐ and NT2‐receptor (NT1R and NT2R), have been cloned from the rat brain. These receptors are distinguishable by their differentin vitropharmacological properties but the available pharmacological tools have weakin vivopotency and specificity. The use of genetically engineered knock‐out mice has provided a powerful alternative to the classical pharmacological approach to investigate their respective roles. In this study, usingin vivodifferential pulse amperometry, we show that, in wild‐type mice, neurotensin application into the ventral tegmental area dose‐dependently evokes dopamine efflux in the nucleus accumbens. This neurotensin‐mediated efflux is dramatically decreased in mice lacking NT1R while it is unaffected in NT2R‐deleted mice. This finding indicates that a large part of the dopamine efflux evoked by neurotensin in the nucleus accumbens of wild‐type mice is mediated via NT1R present in the ventral tegmental area.
KCl and forskolin synergistically up‐regulate cholecystokinin gene expression via coordinate activation of CREB and the co‐activator CBP
Authors: Hansen Thomas V. O. , Rehfeld Jens F. , Nielsen Finn C.
Published: May 2006

Cholecystokinin (CCK) is one of the most abundant peptide transmitters in the mammalian brain. Despite the physiological significance of CCK expression in long‐term memory and psychiatric disorders, little is known about the factors that regulate the expression of CCK peptides. Here, we report that KCl and forskolin synergistically increase CCK gene transcription via protein kinase A (PKA) and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathways, activating cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB) associated with the CRE(− 80) element of the CCK promoter. Whereas, CREB Ser133 phosphorylation was essential for transcriptional activation, the synergistic stimulation was not correlated to the level of Ser133 phosphorylation, indicating that recruitment and/or activation of additional downstream factors were required for maximal stimulation. Transcriptional activation was reduced by co‐expression of adenovirus 12S E1A, that inhibits binding of CREB‐binding protein (CBP) to CREB. Moreover GAL4‐CREB‐DIEDML, which mediates the phosphorylation‐independent binding of CBP, and the C‐terminal domain of CBP was synergistically activated by forskolin and KCl. Taken together the results imply that neuronal CCK gene transcription is regulated by the cumulative action of calcium and cAMP via stimulation of the PKA and ERK signalling pathways and that synergy is accomplished by the coordinate activation of CREB and CBP.