bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Group I mGluR Activation Enhances Ca2+-Dependent Nonselective Cation Currents and Rhythmic Bursting in Main Olfactory Bulb External Tufted Cells
Authors: Dong Hong-Wei , Hayar Abdallah , Callaway Joseph , Yang Xiang-Hong , Nai Qiang , Ennis Matthew
Published: September 2009

In the main olfactory bulb, activation of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) by olfactory nerve stimulation generates slow (2 Hz) oscillations near the basal respiratory frequency. These oscillations arise in the glomerular layer and may be generated, in part, by the intrinsic neurons, the juxtaglomerular neurons. We investigated the physiological effects of group I mGluR agonists on one population of juxtaglomerular neurons, external tufted (ET) cells, which rhythmically burst at respiratory frequencies and synchronize the intraglomerular network. Electrophysiological studies in rat main olfactory bulb slices demonstrated that the mGluR agonist 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) amplified the strength of ET cell spike bursts, principally by increasing the number of spikes per burst. Voltage-clamp and Ca2+-imaging studies showed that DHPG elicits a Ca2+-dependent nonselective cation current (ICAN) in the dendrites of ET cells triggered by Ca2+release from internal stores. The DHPG effects on bursting and membrane current were attenuated by flufenamic acid and SKF96365, agents known to antagonizeICANin a variety of neurons. DHPG also elicited slow membrane current oscillations and spikelets in ET cells when synaptic transmission and intrinsic membrane channels were inoperative. These findings indicate that DHPG may passively (by increasing burst strength) or actively (by increasing conductance of gap junctions) enhance the strength of electrical synapses between ET cells. Together, these findings indicate that activation of group I mGluRs on the dendrites of ET cells play a key role in the generation of slow rhythmic oscillation in the glomerular network, which is in turn tuned to sniffing of the animalin vivo.
Changes in Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Associated with Placebo-Induced Expectations and Analgesia
Authors: Laverdure-Dupont Danièle , Rainville Pierre , Montplaisir Jacques , Lavigne Gilles
Published: September 2009

The experience of a sensory event is extensively shaped by past experience and expectations. Placebo analgesia, one of the most studied models of expectation-mediated effects, can be induced by suggestion of analgesia and conditioning. The present study examined the possibility that sleep might contribute to the consolidation of new expectations and consequently influence the generation of expectation-mediated placebo effects. Strong expectations of analgesia were generated before sleep by conditioning manipulations wherein the intensity of thermal pain stimulation was surreptitiously reduced after the application of a topical placebo cream. Expectations and placebo analgesic effects were measured the following morning and compared with those of a control daytime group without sleep. Although placebo effects were observed in both groups, correlation analysis suggests that the mediating effect of expectations on placebo responses was strongest in the overnight group. Moreover, after exposure to a convincing analgesia experience, the relative duration of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep decreased in subjects showing higher analgesic expectations and placebo responses the next morning. In a third group exposed to less consistent analgesic experiences before sleep, expectations reported in the morning were comparable with other groups. However, expectations were positively correlated with REM sleep and did not emerge as a significant mediator of the analgesic effect. Together, these findings show that sleep-related processes may influence the association between expectations and placebo analgesia and that REM sleep can predict placebo-induced expectations of pain relief. However, equivocal previous experience with treatments may significantly alter the relationship between relief expectation, REM sleep, and placebo effects.
“Black” Responses Dominate Macaque Primary Visual Cortex V1
Authors: Yeh Chun-I , Xing Dajun , Shapley Robert M.
Published: September 2009

Achromatic visual information is transferred from the retina to the brain through two parallel channels: ON-center cells carry “white” information and OFF-center cells “black” information (Nelson et al., 1978; Schiller, 1982; Schiller et al., 1986). Responses of ON and OFF retinal and thalamic neurons are approximately equal in magnitude (Krüger and Fischer, 1975; Kremers et al., 1993), but psychophysical studies have shown that humans detect light decrements (black) better and faster than increments (white) (Blackwell, 1946; Short, 1966; Krauskopf, 1980; Whittle, 1986; Bowen et al., 1989; Chan and Tyler, 1992; Kontsevich and Tyler, 1999; Chubb and Nam, 2000; Dannemiller and Stephens, 2001). From recordings of single-cell activity in the macaque monkey's primary visual cortex (V1), we found that black-dominant neurons substantially outnumbered white-dominant neurons in the corticocortical output layers 2/3, but the numbers of black- and white-dominant neurons were nearly equal in the thalamocortical input layer 4c. These results strongly suggest that the black-over-white preference is generated or greatly amplified in V1. The predominance of OFF neurons in layers 2/3 of V1, which provide visual input to higher cortical areas, may explain why human subjects detect black more easily than white. Furthermore, our results agree with human EEG and fMRI findings that V1 responses to decrements are stronger than to increments, though the OFF/ON imbalance we found in layers 2/3 of macaque V1 is much larger than in the whole V1 population in the human V1 experiments (Zemon et al., 1988, 1995; Olman et al., 2008).
The unfolding stories of GPR30, a new membrane-bound estrogen receptor
Authors: Maggiolini Marcello , Picard Didier
Published: September 2009

Steroid hormones such as estrogens are known to signal through ligand-regulated transcription factors of the nuclear receptor superfamily. In addition, they elicit rapid nongenomic responses from membrane-associated receptors. One of these receptors belongs to an entirely different family of proteins. The G protein-coupled and seven-transmembrane receptor, GPR30, is now widely recognized as an estrogen receptor (ER), hence its official new acronym GPER. It appears to mediate a wide range of responses to estrogen in a large variety of cell types. Its functions are clearly distinct from those of the classical nuclear ERs, although these pathways may overlap and interact in some cases. Here, we review the history of the discovery of this new ER, the evidence for the claim that it is an ER, its signal transduction, and its potential functions in physiology and disease.
Using Research on Learning from Text to Inform Online Discussion
Authors: Gao Fei , Putnam Ralph T.
Published: September 2009

Drawing on research literature on online discussion and on reading and learning from the text, we argue that research on learning from text has much to offer but has been largely absent in informing the design and study of online learning environments. We propose several key issues to be considered in research and development of online discussion, and a framework for examining the goals and features of online discussions. We then report on an exploratory study of an online discussion environment informed by this framework.
Evaluating Search Results: An Empirical Analysis of Middle School Students' Use of Source Attributes to Select Useful Sources
Authors: Braasch Jason L. G. , Lawless Kimberly A. , Goldman Susan R. , Manning Flori H. , Gomez Kimberly W. , Macleod Shaunna M.
Published: September 2009

The present investigation examined middle school students' evaluations of the usefulness for addressing a social studies inquiry question of a variety of sources of information, and the basis of these judgments. This task situation simulates an early phase of information gathering and selection in the context of inquiry. For each of nine sources, students were provided with, and asked to rate, the usefulness of six attributes (i.e. title, author, venue, date, type of publication, and a two-three sentence content summary) and the overall usefulness of each source. The sources varied in usefulness as determined by expert ratings. Students' overall ratings showed that some clearly differentiated the usefulness of the sources while others did not. Analyses of the ratings of individual attributes indicated that “higher” differentiators primarily considered content indicators (i.e., title and summary) when making usefulness judgments; “lower” differentiators considered author and venue of publication, with much less emphasis on source content. Discussion focuses on the instructional and practical implications of skill at differentiating more from less useful sources of information during initial information gathering and selecting in the context of 21st century Internet resources.
Gender and Spatial Ability and the Use of Specific Labels and Diagrammatic Arrows in a Micro-Level Chemistry Animation
Authors: Falvo David A. , Suits Jerry P.
Published: September 2009

This study investigates the effects of using both specific labels and diagrammatic arrows in the animation of salt dissolution. Four different versions of the animation served as treatments that were developed based upon principles of educational technology and cognitive psychology. The researchers studied the effects of spatial ability (high or low) and gender in terms of interaction with the treatments and control using ANCOVA statistical procedure. The dependent variable was posttest knowledge conveyed in the animation. Participants were drawn from a college chemistry course for science majors. Overall, high spatial ability students performed better on the post-test than the low spatial ability students ( p = .001). In terms of gender, females outperformed males on the post-test ( p = .009). Students in the “arrows-only” treatment group tended to score lower on the post-test that the other groups ( p = .083). In the article the authors discuss how the principles of educational technology might account for these findings.
The Socioemotional Effects of a Computer-Simulated Animal on Children's Empathy and Humane Attitudes
Authors: Tsai Yueh-Feng Lily , Kaufman David M.
Published: September 2009

This study investigated the potential of using a computer-simulated animal in a handheld virtual pet videogame to improve children's empathy and humane attitudes. Also investigated was whether sex differences existed in children's development of empathy and humane attitudes resulting from play, as well as their feelings for a virtual pet. The results showed that after playing Nintendogs for 3 weeks, the participants of both sexes, on average, scored higher levels of empathy on the Bryant Empathy Index, and had higher levels of humane attitudes on the Intermediate Attitude Scale, compared to their pretest scores before they played. A statistical association also was revealed between time playing with a computer-simulated animal and improved scores in empathy and humane attitudes toward animals. The findings also showed that participants tended to form emotional attachments with their virtual pet and considered it a real pet.
Allocation of Aid for Health Institutions in Ukraine: Implications from a Case Study of Chornobyl (Chernobyl) Area Hospitals
Authors: Konrad Renata , Bezchlibnyk-Butler Kalyna , Wodoslawsky Marika Dubyk
Published: September 2009

Over the past two decades, numerous non-governmental organizations have sought to improve the health status of populations struggling with the lingering effects of the Chornobyl (Chernobyl) nuclear disaster. Political and economic features of Ukraine's government produced a health system unable to provide services required by its population. To compensate somewhat for these shortcomings, Ukraine's health institutions rely on foreign donations. However, to effectively target foreign aid efforts, a more thorough understanding of the administration of health institutions in Ukraine is needed. This study investigates the organizational structures, care delivery, and legislative and financial regulations in the country's health system and their implications for patient care. Through an exhaustive study of four representative health institutions across Ukraine, the authors identify how donor organizations can achieve their aid objectives and work within the country's health infrastructure.
Geographic Variation in U.S. Thyroid Cancer Incidence and a Cluster Near Nuclear Reactors in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania
Authors: Mangano Joseph J.
Published: September 2009

In the United States, thyroid cancer incidence (along with liver cancer) is increasing more rapidly than any other malignancy, rising nearly threefold from 1980 to 2006. Improved diagnosis has been proposed by some as the major reason for this change, while others contend that additional factors also account for the increase. Among U.S. states, 2001–2005 age-adjusted thyroid cancer incidence rates vary from 5.4 to 12.8 per 100,000. County-specific incidence data, available for the first time, document that most U.S. counties with the highest thyroid cancer incidence are in a contiguous area of eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and southern New York State. Exposures to radioactive iodine emissions from 16 nuclear power reactors within a 90-mile radius in this area indicate that these emissions are a likely etiological factor in rising thyroid cancer incidence rates.
The Erosion of Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance: Declines Continue for the Seventh Year Running
Authors: Gould Elise
Published: September 2009

Employer-sponsored health insurance (ESI) remains the most prominent form of health coverage in the United States, at 62.9 percent of the under-65 population; however, the rate of this coverage has fallen every year since 2000, when 68.3 percent had ESI. By 2007, this rate had fallen 5.4 percentage points, and 3 million fewer people under the age of 65 had ESI in 2007 than in 2000. Because of these large declines in ESI, workers and their families have become uninsured at alarming rates. Despite a small gain in overall coverage for workers from 2006 to 2007, there were over 4 million more uninsured workers in 2007 than in 2000. Uninsured workers are disproportionately young, nonwhite, less educated, and low wage; however, workers across the socioeconomic spectrum experienced losses in coverage over the 2000–2007 period. Even the most highly educated and highest-wage workers had lower rates of insurance coverage in 2007 than in 2000. As with workers, the downward trend in ESI coverage for children (through their parents' employers) continued into 2007: 3.4 million fewer children had ESI in 2007 than in 2000, cutting across all race and income groups. Even as employment-based coverage has declined, the share of Americans who receive coverage through private purchase (non-group market) has also declined. The safety net programs—Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program—have kept millions of families insured as employment-based coverage fell.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and Health Care Reform in the United States
Authors: McCanne Don R.
Published: September 2009

Among OECD nations, the United States is an outlier in having the highest per capita health care costs in a system that unnecessarily exposes many individuals to financial hardship, physical suffering, and even death. President Obama and Congress are currently involved in a process to reform the flawed health care system. The OECD has contributed to that process by releasing a paper, “Health Care Reform in the United States,” which describes some of the problems that must be addressed, but then provides proposed solutions that omit consideration of a more equitable and efficient universal public insurance program. The same omission is taking place in Washington, DC. By reinforcing proposals that support the private insurance industry, the source of much of the waste and inequities in health care, the authors of the OECD paper have failed in their responsibility to inform on policies rather than politics.
Health System Regionalization in Canada's Provincial and Territorial Health Systems: Do Citizen Governance Boards Represent, Engage, and Empower?
Authors: Chessie Kelly
Published: September 2009

Regionalization of the health care system, through the creation of sub-provincial service-delivery regions and governance authorities (i.e., regional health authorities, RHAs), has been a key part of Canadian health reform initiatives of the past two decades. Increased public participation in health care planning and service delivery is one of the explicit goals of regionalization. Based on a reanalysis of data from a 2001 survey of health system governors from 134 RHAs throughout Canada, this study explores the overall demographic composition of the citizen governance boards, as well as their responses to various opinion and attitude questions. To enable consideration of the extent to which these sites may support public deliberation and community development, overall responses are examined, as are responses within two subtypes of governors: system-experienced citizen governors and lay citizen governors—governors with or without previous health-system employment experience, respectively. The findings suggest that attention needs to be paid to these citizen governance boards if they are truly meant to be sites of citizen engagement in health policy and governance.
Rationality, Rhetoric, and Religiosity in Health Care: The Case of England's Expert Patients Programme
Authors: Rogers Anne , Bury Michael , Kennedy Anne
Published: September 2009

Policymakers have associated the increasing prevalence and incidence of chronic illness with the threat of unsustainable demands for medical services, requiring deployment of effective demand-management strategies. In this article, the authors consider the rise in policy interest in self-management and examine the metaphors, discourse, official statements, policy developments, and goals shaping the field of chronic illness, especially surrounding the promotion and uptake of self-skills training in England's Expert Patients Programme (EPP). They discuss the shift in relationship between individuals and the state since the 1960s and 1970s; the rise in importance of self-management in relation to an aging population; the evidence and rhetoric associated with policy development; and the relationship of self-care to the notion of the “responsible patient,” as seen in policy implementation and EPP course promotion. The authors also draw on qualitative research to examine the transmission of ideology and rhetoric in self-skills training. Self-management policies are part of a shift from patient rights to individual responsibilities, a shift that may be less persuasive than its supporters imagine.
The Concentration of Disadvantage and the Rise of an Urban Penalty: Urban Slum Prevalence and the Social Production of Health Inequalities in the Developing Countries
Authors: Rice James , Rice Julie Steinkopf
Published: September 2009

Urban slums are proliferating in the developing countries. A corollary of this structural transformation is the increasing recognition of an urban penalty wherein slum populations exhibit notable inequalities in health relative to non-slum urban residents and even rural populations. The built urban environment, in turn, is a crucial context within which the social production of disproportionate morbidity and mortality is enacted. The authors develop this assertion and use bivariate and partial correlation analysis to highlight the association of urban slum prevalence, or proportion of the total population living in urban slum conditions, with indicators of mortality and gender parity, measured at the national level. Data for 99 developing countries show that greater urban slum prevalence is strongly correlated with higher levels of infant, child, and maternal mortality. Further, urban slum prevalence exhibits strong, deleterious correlations with gender parity (measured by the gender development index) and fertility rate, factors that have a crucial direct impact in shaping variant mortality levels. Future research is warranted on the social inequalities in health and illness derived from the expansion of urban slum conditions in the developing countries.
The International Monetary Fund's Effects on Global Health: Before and after the 2008 Financial Crisis
Authors: Stuckler David , Basu Sanjay
Published: September 2009

In April 2009, the G20 countries committed US$750 billion to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has assumed a central role in global economic management. The IMF provides loans to financially ailing countries, but with strict conditions, typically involving a mix of privatization, liberalization, and fiscal austerity programs. These loan conditions have been extremely controversial. In principle, they are designed to help countries balance their books. In practice, they often translate into reductions in social spending, including spending on public health and health care delivery. As more countries are being exposed to IMF policies, there is a need to establish what we know and do not know about the IMF's effects on global health. This article introduces a series in which contributors review the evidence on the relationship between the IMF and public health and discuss potential ways to improve the Fund's effects on health. While more evidence is needed for some regions, there is sufficient evidence to indicate that IMF programs have been significantly associated with weakened health care systems, reduced effectiveness of health-focused development aid, and impeded efforts to control tobacco, infectious diseases, and child and maternal mortality. Reforms are urgently needed to prevent the current wave of IMF programs from further undermining public health in financially ailing countries and limiting progress toward the health Millennium Development Goals.
Reviving the International Monetary Fund: Concerns for the Health of the Poor
Authors: Batniji Rajaie
Published: September 2009

Despite optimism about the potential for a “new economic order,” the outcomes of the G20 summit of April 2009 do not deviate from the neoliberal path. The main outcome, the G20′s commitment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), does not change the lending practices and core economic assumptions of the IMF. Further, this new funding commitment will do little to help the poorest countries, as it is not available to them and comes with high interest. Institutions that more actively consider health, such as the World Bank and World Health Organization, may have failed to win resources and authority because they have not demonstrated how they could expand or modify their activities, and because of broader ideological debates pitting social protection against economic stimulus. Reforms in IMF practices and economic assumptions may provide some limited protection of health spending. These reforms can allow for inclusion of the benefits of health programs in economic forecasting, dismissal of the assumption that aid will be short-term, and removal of indirect limits on public sector health spending. These reforms in IMF practices are urgently needed, but fall short of making health and social protection an integral component of efforts promoting economic stability.
The International Monetary Fund and Tobacco: A Product like Any Other?
Authors: Gilmore Anna , Fooks Gary , McKee Martin
Published: September 2009

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has promoted the lifting of trade restrictions on tobacco and the privatization of state-owned tobacco industries as part of its loan conditions. Growing evidence shows that tobacco industry privatization stimulates tobacco consumption and smoking prevalence in borrowing countries. Privatized tobacco companies make favorable tobacco control policies a condition of their investment and lobby aggressively against further control measures. This, along with increased efficiency of the private sector, leads to increases in marketing, substantial reductions in excise taxes, drops in cigarette prices, and overall rises in sales of cigarettes. The actions of the IMF have therefore led to substantially greater use of tobacco, a product that kills half of its consumers when used as intended, with little evidence of economic gain.
Scaling up Global Social Health Protection: Prerequisite Reforms to the International Monetary Fund
Authors: Ooms Gorik , Hammonds Rachel
Published: September 2009

People living in low-income countries require protection from the economic and social impacts of global economic competition, yet, historically, the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) fiscal austerity programs have weakened the potential for redistribution both within poor countries and between rich and poor countries. The current development paradigm's focus on “sustainability” is an obstacle to developing systems of global social protection and an impediment to future progress. Reforming IMF policy conditionality and democratizing the IMF's decision-making processes will be necessary for offsetting growing inequalities in health financing among poor nations.
The Political Economy of the Introduction of Western Medicine in India and Preexisting Health Practices
Authors: Banerji Debabar
Published: September 2009

In India, by the second century B.C., Ayurvedic medicine had already taken the momentous step of becoming rational therapeutics. Physicians created a methodology based on the supreme importance of direct observation of natural phenomena and the technique of rational processing of empirical data. However, over the long history of the country, Ayurvedic medicine underwent severe erosion of its knowledge and practice because of profound political, cultural, social, and economic changes. Nevertheless, it was used by the poor because access to Western medicine was denied by the ruling classes. Alarm bells started to ring with the declaration of self-reliance and self-determination by the poor at Alma-Ata in 1978. A syndicate of the rich countries, with active support of India's ruling elite, mobilized the enormous influence and resources of organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, World Health Organization, UNICEF, and World Bank to promote their unconcealed agenda of promoting the private health sector and further decimating the public sector.
Overlooking Evidence: Media Ignore Environmental Connections to Breast Cancer
Authors: Spencer Miranda C.
Published: September 2009

In this article, the author reviews seven years' worth of major news media coverage of the role of environmental pollutants in the etiology of breast cancer. The time frame was 2002–2008 and the outlets studied included prominent newspapers, national news magazines, and network television news programs. Noting that a growing body of private, university, and government environmental health research has implicated a variety of common chemicals and radiation in the disease, the author looked for quantity and quality of coverage of two scientific metastudies during the specified time frame: State of the Evidence: The Connection Between Breast Cancer and the Environment and Environmental Pollutants and Breast Cancer: Epidemiological Studies. She also examined reporting on breast cancer in the month of October (“National Breast Cancer Awareness Month”) during the seven years. Despite recent scientific findings, the news media have downplayed and frequently overlooked the evidence. None of the outlets studied covered the State of the Evidence report, and only one covered the Environmental Pollutants report. Breast Cancer Awareness Month similarly saw few articles or newscasts about environmental connections. The author attributes the dearth of coverage to several factors: journalists' lack of awareness about environmental health science, the seemingly higher standards of proof for research findings that implicate chemicals in disease than for other types of scientific research, establishments' lack of acceptance of environmental theories of breast cancer, and economic pressures on news outlets not to alienate their advertisers.
Direct Oxidation of Dimethylsulphoxide and Reduction of Maleic Acid in Methanesulphonic Acid Medium
Authors: Devadoss Vellasamy , Basha C Ahmed , Jayaraman Krishnamoorthy
Published: September 2009

The direct electro oxidation of dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) to dimethylsulphone (DMSO2) at a Pb/PbO2 anode and electro reduction of maleic acid (MA) to succinic acid (SA) at stainless steel cathode have been has been carried out in methane sulphonic acid (MSA) medium in a batch divided cell. It is to be noted that, as methane sulphonic acid medium (MAS) is biodegradable, it is a preferred medium for the electrochemical reactions.The process parameters such as concentration of MSA, DMSO and current density have been critically examined and the comparative performances of Pb/PbO2 with TSIA electrode as well as the reusing of electrolyte under optimum conditions have been investigated. The reaction parameters such as acid concentration, current density, the use of divided and undivided cells, etc. have been studied on electrochemical reduction of MA to SA.In the case of direct electro oxidation of dimethylsulphoxide to dimethylsulphone, the current efficiency on TSIA anode has been around 60- 65% while that with Pb/PbO2 has been more than 90%. The electro reduction of MA to SA has given current efficiency around 65  70%. Based on the result obtained on trials, the optimum parameters of the reaction found to be 1.0 M acid concentration and 5.0 A dm-2 current density. Divided cell has given good results when compared to undivided cell.
Comment on John Thanassoulis: Now is the Right Time to Regulate Bankers' Pay
Authors: Carmel Jonathan
Published: September 2009

Barclays paid $2.5 billion for former Lehman employees. Jonathan Carmel wonders whether this was Barclays' failure or Thanassoulis's.
3-D Imaging of Deep-Fat Fried Chicken Nuggets Breading Coating Using X-Ray Micro-CT
Authors: Adedeji Akinbode A. , Ngadi Michael O.
Published: September 2009

Food coatings are used to add value to deep-fat fried foods and to control heat and mass transfer during frying. They impart special characteristics such as crispiness and flavor to fried products while they also form a barrier to moisture and fat transfer during frying. Development of structure during frying plays an important role in defining the performance of batter/bread coatings. Food structural properties such as porosity have been associated with fat uptake in fried foods. A good understanding of the microstructural properties is necessary in order to produce high quality fried foods. X-ray micro-computed tomography (X-ray micro-CT) is a unique technique for imaging food non-invasively, requiring no or minimal sample preparation and 3-D rendition of high resolution images. The technique is capable of providing morphological details under a natural environment, which gives some advantages over the conventional imaging techniques such as microscopy. Study on chicken nuggets provided useful information relating frying conditions to structural changes in the breading-batter coating using X-ray micro-CT technique. Chicken nuggets were fried at 180°C for different frying durations after which the products were scanned using X-ray micro-CT. Images were reconstructed and analyzed, and 2-D and 3-D renditions of the coating images confirmed porosity changes with frying time. Numerical slicing of the 3-D images with image analysis software showed the degree of interconnectivity of pores, pore shape and pore count under different conditions of frying. The effect of frying time on microstructural parameters is significant. X-ray micro-CT shows great prospect in characterizing microstructural properties of foods especially coated fried products. This technique could be used in optimizing mass transfer during deep-fat frying by providing quantitative information on structural properties such as porosity, pore size distribution and pore connectivity.
Soft sensor development and optimization of the commercial petrochemical plant integrating support vector regression and genetic algorithm
Authors: Lahiri S.K. , Khalfe Nadeem
Published: September 2009

Soft sensors have been widely used in the industrial process control to improve the quality of the product and assure safety in the production. The core of a soft sensor is to construct a soft sensing model. This paper introduces support vector regression (SVR), a new powerful machine learning method based on a statistical learning theory (SLT) into soft sensor modeling and proposes a new soft sensing modeling method based on SVR. This paper presents an artificial intelligence based hybrid soft sensormodeling and optimization strategies, namely support vector regression - genetic algorithm (SVR-GA) for modeling and optimization of mono ethylene glycol (MEG) quality variable in a commercial glycol plant. In the SVR-GA approach, a support vector regression model is constructed for correlating the process data comprising values of operating and performance variables. Next, model inputs describing the process operating variables are optimized using genetic algorithm with a view to maximize the process performance. The SVR-GA is a new strategy for soft sensor modeling and optimization. The major advantage of the strategies is that modeling and optimization can be conducted exclusively from the historic process data wherein the detailed knowledge of process phenomenology (reaction mechanism, kinetics etc.) is not required. Using SVR-GA strategy, a number of sets of optimized operating conditions were found. The optimized solutions, when verified in an actual plant, resulted in a significant improvement in the quality.
The regulation and catalytic mechanism of the NADP-malic enzyme from tobacco leaves
Authors: Doubnerová Veronika , Potůcková Lucie , Müller Karel , Ryslavá Helena
Published: September 2009

The non-photosynthetic NADP-malic enzyme EC 1.1.1.40 (NADP-ME), which catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of L-malate and NADP+ to produce pyruvate and NADPH, respectively, and which could be involved in plant defense responses, was isolated from Nicotiana tabacum L. leaves. The mechanism of the enzyme reaction was studied by the initial rate method and was found to be an ordered sequential one. Regulation possibilities of purified cytosolic NADP-ME by cell metabolites were tested. Intermediates of the citric acid cycle (?-ketoglutarate, succinate, fumarate), metabolites of glycolysis (pyruvate, phosphoenolpyruvate, glucose-6-phosphate), compounds connected with lipogenesis (coenzyme A, acetyl-CoA, palmitoyl-CoA) and some amino acids (glutamate, glutamine, aspartate) did not significantly affect the NADP-ME activity from tobacco leaves. In contrast, macroergic compounds (GTP, ATP and ADP) were strong inhibitors of NADP-ME; the type of inhibition and the inhibition constants were determined in the presence of the most effective cofactors (Mn2+ or Mg2+), required by NADP-ME. Predominantly non-competitive type of inhibitions of NADP-ME with respect to NADP+ and mixed type to L-malate were found.
Kinetic spectrophotometric determination of Bi(III) based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of phenylfluorone by hydrogen peroxide
Authors: Rancic Sofija , Nikolic-Mandic Snezana
Published: September 2009

A new reaction was suggested and a new kinetic method was elaborated for determination of Bi(III) in solution, based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of phenyl-fluorone (PF) by hydrogen peroxide in ammonia buffer. By application of spectrophotometric technique, a limit of quantification (LQ) of 128 ng cm-3 was reached, and the limit of detection (LD) of 37 ng cm-3 was obtained, where LQ was defined as the ratio signal: noise = 10:1 and LD was defined as signal 3:1 against the blank. The RSD value was found to be in the range 2.8-4.8 % for the investigated concentration range of Bi(III). The influence of some ions upon the reaction rate was tested. The method was confirmed by determining Bi(III) in a stomach ulcer drug ('Bicit HP', Hemofarm A.D.). The obtained results were compared to those obtained by AAS and good agreement of results was obtained.
Preparation of nanosized non-oxide powders using diatomaceous earth
Authors: Saponjic A. , Babic B. , Devecerski A. , Matovic B.
Published: September 2009

In this paper the nanosized non-oxide powders were prepared by carbothermal reduction and subsequent nitridation of diatomaceous earth which is a waste product from coal exploitation. Our scope was to investigate the potential use of diatomaceous earth as a main precursor for low-cost nanosized non-oxide powder preparation as well as to solve an environmental problem. The influence of carbon materials (carbonized sucrose, carbon cryogel and carbon black) as a reducing agent on synthesis and properties of low-cost nanosized nonoxide powders was also studied. The powders were characterized by specific surface area, X-ray and SEM investigations. It was found that by using diatomaceous earth it is was possible to produce either a mixture of non-oxide powders (Si3N4/SiC) or pure SiC powders depending on temperature.
Innovative Staff Education Techniques
Authors: Hadaway Lynn
Published: September 2009

A knowledgeable, skillful staff of health care providers is critical to enhance clinical outcomes for patients; however, there can be much confusion about the processes used by educators to support and develop staff. Although adult-learning principles should be used, it is also important to remember that not all clinical performance problems require an educational approach. Published literature of educational programs that have been documented to reduce catheter-related complications is reviewed along with key concepts of learning needs assessment, transfer of learning, and staff development resources.
Initial Experience of a Nurse-Implemented Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter Program in Italy
Authors: Scocca A. , Gioia A. , Poli P.
Published: September 2009

In Italy prior to 2006 central venous catheters were inserted only by anaesthesiologists. Nurses were excluded based on professional profile. In 2005 the nursing staff of the Pain Therapy and Palliative Care Unit (PTPCU) at Santa Chiara Hospital in Pisa, proposed that nurses be permitted to insert Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (PICCs). The recommendation was submitted to the Italian National Board of Nurses with a request to implement a training program. The Board approved the proposal in January 2006. Initially the PTPCU nursing staff had PICC training programs through the St. Chiara Hospital Vocational Training Office. The program was initially implemented by a nurse volunteer who had critical care training, intravenous therapy experience and who demonstrated competence with PICC placement based on training by PTPCU interventional anaesthesiologists. To date, nearly 250 successful PICC placements have been performed using the Modified Seldinger Technique (MST) in conjunction with ultrasound guidance. Physicians and nurses identified potential candidates and the patients were assessed by the PICC nurse. The combination of PICC/MST was found to facilitate placement in patients with impalpable vessels and above the antecubital fossa as well as improve freedom of movement and reduce the likelihood of patients accidentally dislodging the device. The primary reasons for PICC placement included antibiotic or antiviral therapy (26%), total parenteral nutrition administration (35%) and chemotherapy (39%). There were 211 catheters used exclusively for inpatients and 39 catheters exclusively for outpatients. The PICC program resulted in an excellent safety profile, a high success rate, and few post-procedural complications. It was a less costly option compared to centrally inserted, tunnelled, or implanted central vascular access devices; it improved the quality of nursing care and decreased patients' waiting time for vascular access placement.
Incremental Value of Continuous Glucose Monitoring When Starting Pump Therapy in Patients With Poorly Controlled Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Raccah Denis , Sulmont Véronique , Reznik Yves , Guerci Bruno , Renard Eric , Hanaire Hélène , Jeandidier Nathalie , Nicolino Marc
Published: September 2009

OBJECTIVE

To compare the improvements in glycemic control associated with transitioning to insulin pump therapy in patients using continuous glucose monitoring versus standard blood glucose self-monitoring.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The RealTrend study was a 6-month, randomized, parallel-group, two-arm, open-label study of 132 adults and children with uncontrolled type 1 diabetes (A1C ≥8%) being treated with multiple daily injections. One group was fitted with the Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm REAL-Time system (PRT group), an insulin pump with integrated continuous subcutaneous glucose monitoring (CGM) capability, with instructions to wear CGM sensors at least 70% of the time. Conventional insulin pump therapy was initiated in the other group (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion [CSII] group). Outcome measures included A1C and glycemic variability.

RESULTS

A total of 115 patients completed the study. Between baseline and trial end, A1C improved significantly in both groups (PRT group −0.81 ± 1.09%, P < 0.001; CSII group −0.57 ± 0.94%, P < 0.001), with no significant difference between groups. When the 91 patients who were fully protocol-compliant (including CGM sensor wear ≥70% of the time) were considered, A1C improvement was significantly greater in the PRT group (P = 0.004) (PRT group −0.96 ± 0.93%, P < 0.001; CSII group −0.55 ± 0.93%, P < 0.001). Hyperglycemia parameters decreased in line with improvements in A1C with no impact on hypoglycemia.

CONCLUSIONS

CGM-enabled insulin pump therapy improves glycemia more than conventional pump therapy during the first 6 months of pump use in patients who wear CGM sensors at least 70% of the time.
Evaluating Alignment Between Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction
Authors: Martone Andrea , Sireci Stephen G.
Published: September 2009

The authors (a) discuss the importance of alignment for facilitating proper assessment and instruction, (b) describe the three most common methods for evaluating the alignment between state content standards and assessments, (c) discuss the relative strengths and limitations of these methods, and (d) discuss examples of applications of each method. They conclude that choice of alignment method depends on the specific goals of a state or district and that alignment research is critical for ensuring the standards-assessment-instruction cycle facilitates student learning. Additional potential benefits of alignment research include valuable professional development for teachers and better understanding of the results from standardized assessments.
Clandestine Operations: The Vancouver Women's Caucus, the Abortion Caravan, and the RCMP
Authors: Sethna Christabelle , Hewitt Steve
Published: September 2009

Abstract:

In 1969, the reform of the Criminal Code legalized contraception, abortion, and homosexual acts between consenting adults. Yet the conditions under which legal abortion was now permissible were so restrictive that the new abortion law provoked widespread discontent. One women's liberation group, the fledging Vancouver Women's Caucus (VWC), outlined a plan to travel to Ottawa between February and May 1970 in an Abortion Caravan to protest the new law. The caravan's central feature was a van bearing a coffin filled with coat hangers to represent the deaths of women from botched abortions. Declassified RCMP files reveal that the Mounties were spying on the VWC and tracking the Abortion Caravan on its journey from Vancouver to Ottawa. An analysis of these files shows that the VWC, like other women's liberation groups, was targeted for surveillance because the RCMP was extremely concerned about women's liberation groups' real and putative connections to left-wing organizations. Indeed, the RCMP's approach to women's liberation groups was a crucial component of the climate of fear of subversion so prevalent during the Cold War. However, the files also reveal that RCMP surveillance of the VWC proved to be a major challenge because of the complex gendered nature of the force's surveillance of women's liberation groups. Ultimately, the files point to the importance of studying the ways in which state security interests intersect with variables such as gender, class, race, and sexual orientation.
A New Flavonoid Glycoside from Salix denticulata Aerial Parts
Authors: Rawat Usha , Semwal Sushma , Semwal Deepak , Badoni Ruchi , Bamola Amita
Published: September 2009

Abstract: A new flavonoid glycoside (1) has been isolated from the aerial parts of Salix denticulata (Salicaceae) together with five known compounds, β-sitosterol, 2,6-dihydroxy- 4-methoxy acetophenone, eugenol-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 1-O-β-D-(3’-benzoyl) salicyl alcohol and luteolin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-6)-glucopyranoside. The structure of 1 was elucidated as 2’,5-dihydroxy-3’-methoxyflavone-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside by means of chemical and spectral data including 2D NMR studies.
Monitoring TiO2 Nanotubes Elaboration Condition, a Way for Obtaining Various Characteristics of Nanostructures
Authors: Portan Diana , Ionita D. , Demetrescu Ioana
Published: September 2009

In this paper the elaboration and characterization of TiO2 nanotubes as a function of anodizing conditions are studied taking into consideration electrolyte composition and voltage. The obtained results show that the nanotubes dimensions and surface features depend on elaboration conditions. The technique of surface characteristics investigation (2D and 3 D images) was atomic force microscopy which permitted roughness and porosity evaluation.
Finite Element Simulation of Chip Formation with Single Grain
Authors: Wang Wan Shan , Su Chong , Pang Zi Rui , Hou Jun Ming
Published: September 2009

Three-dimensional cutting process of single grain in the shape of polygonal pyramid was simulated by coupled Euler-Lagrange method. The method makes the workpiece material free from its meshes. The material allowance can be removed without mesh separation criterion. The simulation results show that workpiece material flows to the side and front owing to the pressing of cutting plane. Chip flows out along the front of the grain upward. The deformation of workpiece material contacted with grain edge is very severe. Therefore there is large machining stress concentration at the contact zone of grain edge. It results in biggish residual stress and cutting temperature at the side and bottom of the groove. The contact stress at edge angle of abrasive grain is biggest. Therefore grain wear is severe in the position
Effect of Ti Addition on Shear Strength of Brazing Diamond and Ag Based Filler Alloy
Authors: Chen Yan , Xu Hong Jun , Fu Yu Can , Su Hong Hua
Published: September 2009

The shear strength samples of brazed single crystal diamond with the (72Ag–28Cu)–xTi (x=2, 4, 7wt.%) active filler metal were prepared, using vacuum brazing methods. Microstructure evolution of interfacial reaction product and shear strength of the brazed diamond and Ag based filler alloy were studied. The results show that there exits a layer of TiC on the surface diamond in different Ti additions, and the thickness of TiC layer increases with the increase of Ti addition. With the increase of Ti addition, the shear strength of the brazed joint decreases due to the increase of TiC layer thickness and amount of intermetallics. From the results, it was seen that mutual diffusion of C and Ti was effective on the morphology of the interface zone that affected the shear strength of the bonds. To achieve a reliable brazed joint, the Ti content must be controlled under 4wt.%.