bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leading Inhibition to Neural Oscillation Is Important for Time-Domain Processing in the Auditory Midbrain
Authors: Galazyuk Alexander V. , Lin Wenyu , Llano Daniel , Feng Albert S.
Published: March 2005

A number of central auditory neurons exhibit paradoxical latency shift (PLS), a response characterized by longer response latencies at higher sound levels. PLS neurons are known to play a role in target ranging for echolocating bats that emit frequency-modulated sounds. We recently reported that early inhibition of unit’s oscillatory discharges is critical for PLS in the inferior colliculus (IC) of little brown bats. The goal of this study was to determine in echolocating bats and in nonecholocating animals (frogs): 1) the detailed characteristics of PLS and whether PLS was dependent on sound level, frequency, and duration; 2) the time course of inhibition underlying PLS using a paired-pulse paradigm. We found that 22% of IC neurons in bats and 15% in frogs exhibited periodic discharge patterns in response to tone pulses at high sound levels. The firing periodicity was unit specific and independent of sound level and duration. Other IC neurons (28% in bats; 14% in frogs) exhibited PLS. These PLS neurons shared several response characteristics: 1) PLS was largely independent of sound frequency and 2) the magnitude of shift in first-spike latency was either duration dependent or duration tolerant. For PLS neurons, application of bicuculline abolished PLS and unmasked the unit’s periodical firing pattern that served as the building block for PLS. In response to paired sound pulses, PLS neurons exhibited delay-dependent response suppression, confirming that high-threshold leading inhibition was responsible for PLS. Results also revealed the timing of excitatory and inhibitory inputs underlying PLS and its role in time-domain processing.
Temporal Damping in Response to Broadband Noise. I. Inferior Colliculus
Authors: Joris Philip X. , Van De Sande Bram , van der Heijden Marcel
Published: March 2005

Many cells in the inferior colliculus (IC) are sensitive to interaural time differences (ITDs), in the form of an oscillatory dependency of average firing rate on ITD. We studied the degree of damping in such binaural responses, recording from neurons in the inferior colliculus of pentobarbital-anesthetized cats to binaural broadband noise and tones. Noise-delay functions and composite curves were characterized by computing the difference between responses to correlated and anticorrelated stimuli. We use a new metric, based on the envelope of this difference, to quantify damping. There is a clear relationship between damping and characteristic frequency (CF), but even neurons of the same CF can differ in their damping. For individual cells, damping can be stronger to tones or to noise; at the population level the two are positively correlated and are scarcely affected by SPL. The frequencies that dominate ITD sensitivity are near the CF in response to noise, but are often below CF in response to tones. These findings qualify conclusions from earlier reports but overall they support the conclusion that, at a population level, basic aspects of binaural responses to wideband noise are consistent with summed responses to pure tones.
Binding of pregnancy-specific glycoprotein 17 to CD9 on macrophages induces secretion of IL-10, IL-6, PGE2, and TGF-β1
Authors: Ha Cam T , Waterhouse Roseann , Wessells Jennifer , Wu Julie A , Dveksler Gabriela S
Published: March 2005

Pregnancy-specific glycoproteins (PSGs) are a family of secreted proteins produced by the placenta, which are believed to have a critical role in pregnancy success. Treatment of monocytes with three members of the human PSGs induces interleukin (IL)-10, IL-6, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) secretion. To determine whether human and murine PSGs have similar functions and use the same receptor, we treated wild-type and CD9-deficient macrophages with murine PSG17N and human PSG1 and -11. Our data show that murine PSG17N induced secretion of IL-10, IL-6, prostaglandin E2, and TGF-β1 and that CD9 expression is required for the observed induction of cytokines. Therefore, the ability of PSG17 to induce anti-inflammatory cytokines parallels that of members of the human PSG family, albeit human and murine PSGs use different receptors, as CD9-deficient and wild-type macrophages responded equally to human PSGs. We then proceeded to examine the signaling mechanisms responsible for the CD9-mediated response to PSG17. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase 2 significantly reduced the PSG17N-mediated increase in IL-10 and IL-6. Further characterization of the response to PSG17 indicated that cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is involved in the up-regulation of IL-10 and IL-6, and it is not required for the induction of TGF-β1. Conversely, treatment of macrophages with a PKC inhibitor reduced the PSG17-mediated induction of TGF-β1, IL-6, and IL-10 significantly. The induction of anti-inflammatory cytokines by various PSGs supports the hypothesis that these glycoproteins have an essential role in the regulation of the maternal immune response in species with hemochorial placentation.
A Study of the Methane Catalyzed Isomerization of HCO+ to HOC+ and the Elimination of Methane from Metastable Methoxymethyl Cation
Authors: Fridgen Travis D. , Holmes John L.
Published: March 2005

Electronic structure calculations on the methane catalyzed HCO+/HOC+ potential energy surface have been conducted. The results show that 1,2-proton transfer from C to O can be efficiently catalyzed by CH4. The complex CH4/HCO+ and the closely related species, CH5+/CO, are separated from the methoxymethyl cation CH3OCH2+ by a large potential energy barrier. It follows from the calculations that the metastable methoxymethyl cation is very unlikely to dissociate to yield HOC+. New experiments also show that HOC+ is not produced to any observable extent. A new explanation is proposed for the composite peak for m/z 29 observed from metastable dissociation of metastable methoxymethyl cation. The two components both arise from the formation of HCO+, but via different transition states. The minor, narrow, component involves dissociation from the CH5+/CO complex and the broad peak from the CH4/HCO+ ion–molecule complex.
Anthropology, Consciousness, and Spirituality: A Conversation with Ken Wilber
Authors: Rich Grant Jewell
Published: March 2005

This is an interview with author Ken Wilber, whose work on consciousness over the last twenty‐five years has been tremendously influential. His work blends "Eastern" and "Western" approaches and has influenced scholars in psychology, philosophy, and religion, as well as in anthropology. His work on transpersonal psychology is especially well‐known, and his first book, The Spectrum of Consciousness, arguably marks the beginning of transpersonal studies. Frances Vaughan has referred to Wilber's work as the "work of genius." Daniel Goleman once listed Wilber among the "ranks of the grand theorists of human consciousness" including "Ernst Cassirer, Mircea Eliade, and Gregory Bateson." Wilber discusses the scope of the consciousness problem as well as contributions to the field that anthropologists might be well suited to make.
Double baptism: personhood and ethnicity in the Sierra Tarahumara of Mexico
Authors: Slaney Frances M.
Published: March 2005

Catholic Tarahumaras of northern Mexico are baptized twice: first by fire, then by water. Ethnographers of this colonized group have focused on fire baptism, dismissing water baptism as “borrowed.” By contrast, in this article I discuss a community where Tarahumara historical discourse claims that each baptism is equally indigenous and necessary. Fire baptism distinguishes Tarahumaras from neighboring non‐Tarahumara Mexicans, whereas water baptism separates them from their “uncivilized” native ancestors. Rejecting both primordial Indianness and modern Mexicanness, these baptized Tarahumara nevertheless partially embody both. Their personhood is composite, rather than totally “fragmented,” and draws on an ethnically coded cosmology in which twice‐baptized bodies are connected to alternating agricultural season.
Culture, secrets, and Ömie history: a consideration of the politics of cultural identity
Authors: Rohatynskyj Marta
Published: March 2005

A major transformation in cultural self‐presentation, signaled by the abandonment of the practice of sex affiliation, between the Ömie of the self‐government period and those of the postindependence period, is documented. The causes of this transformation are illuminated by an understanding of the relationship between the informants of the community under study and the researcher, viewed in comparative perspective at these two points in time. In considering the change in this relationship, I suggest that the elicitation of the secret knowledge that ethnographers have traditionally used to represent the uniqueness of the cultures they have studied is mirrored in the disclosure of control over unique knowledge and practices, displayed in public enactments of pasin bilong ol tumbuna by various communities in the present. Such a view links the practice of ethnographic research with current demonstrations of cultural uniqueness and suggests that variable economic and political marginalization in Papua New Guinean ethnic groups today is linked to the retention and display of cultural secrets and uniqueness.
Feminist Dilemmas In Fieldwork
Authors: Visweswaran Kamala
Published: March 2005

Feminist Dilemmas In Fieldwork. DIANE L. WOLF, ed. Albany, NY and Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996. xiv + 226 pp., notes, references, contributors.
Person to Person: Fieldwork, Dialogue and the Hermeneutic Method
Authors: Rapport Nigel
Published: March 2005

Person to Person: Fieldwork, Dialogue and the Hermeneutic Method. BARRY P. MICHRINA and CHERYLANNE RICHARDS. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1996. xiv + 176 pp., appendix, bibliography, Index.
Slave Cultures and the Cultures of Slavery
Authors: Austen Ralph A.
Published: March 2005

Slave Cultures and the Cultures of Slavery. STEPHAN PALMIÉ, ed. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1995. xlviii + 283 pp., contributors, notes, bibliography, index.
Craft and the Kingly Ideal: Art, Trade, and Power
Authors: Weiss Brad
Published: March 2005

Craft and the Kingly Ideal: Art, Trade, and Power. MARY W. HELMS. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993. xii + 303 pp., illustrations, notes, references, index.
L'indigénisme
Authors: Bucher Bernardette
Published: March 2005

L'indigénisme. HENRI FAVRE. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1996. 128 pp., bibliography.
Between Two Armies in the lxil Towns of Guatemala
Authors: Warren Kay B.
Published: March 2005

Between Two Armies in the lxil Towns of Guatemala. DAVID STOLL. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993. 388 pp., figures, illustrations, tables, notes, bibliography, index.
Rebels of Highland Guatemala: The Quiché‐Mayas of Momostenango
Authors: Warren Kay B.
Published: March 2005

Rebels of Highland Guatemala: The Quiché‐Mayas of Momostenango. ROBERT M. CARMACK. Norman and London: University of Oklahoma Press, 1995. 525 pp., figures, illustrations, tables, notes, bibliography, index.
Television, Ethnicity and Cultural Change
Authors: Werbner Pnina
Published: March 2005

Television, Ethnicity and Cultural Change. MARIE GILLESPIE. New York: Routledge, 1995. xi + 238 pp., figures, appendix, bibliography, Index.
Nordic Landscopes: Cultural Studies of Place
Authors: Gullestad Marianne
Published: March 2005

Nordic Landscopes: Cultural Studies of Place. ANDERS LINDE‐LAURSEN and JAN OLOF NILSSON, eds. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministers, 1995. 240 pp., color plates, blackand‐white photographs, notes, contributors.
The Hidden Life of Tirol
Authors: Cole John W.
Published: March 2005

The Hidden Life of Tirol. MARTHA C. WARD. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1993. x + 222 pp., maps, black‐and‐white plates, bibliography, appendixes.
Romancing the Real: Folklore and Ethnographic Representation in North Africa
Authors: Joseph Roger
Published: March 2005

Romancing the Real: Folklore and Ethnographic Representation in North Africa. SABRA J. WEBBER. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1991. xxvill + 293 pp., figures, maps, photographs, appendix, references, indexes.
The Straight Path: A Story of Healing and Transformation In FIJI
Authors: Abramson Allen , Poltorak Michael
Published: March 2005

The Straight Path: A Story of Healing and Transformation In FIJI. RICHARD KATZ. Reading, MA: Addlson‐Wesley, 1993. 411 pp., photographs, bibliography, index.
Body, Self, and Society: The View from Fiji
Authors: Kaplan Martha
Published: March 2005

Body, Self, and Society: The View from Fiji. ANNE E. BECKER. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1995. xvi + 206 pp., figures, illustrations, appendixes, notes, bibliography, index.
Neither Cargo Nor Cult: Ritual Politics and the Colonial Imagination In FIJI
Authors: Lindstrom Lamont
Published: March 2005

Neither Cargo Nor Cult: Ritual Politics and the Colonial Imagination In FIJI. MARTHA KAPLAN. Durham, NC and London: Duke University Press, 1995. xviii + 226 pp., figures, bibliography, index.
The production of witchcraft/witchcraft as production: memory, modernity, and the slave trade in Sierra Leone
Authors: Shaw Rosalind
Published: March 2005

In this article, I examine how memory is entailed in the constitution and representation of global modernity. During four centuries of Atlantic slave trading in Sierra Leone, Temne witchfinding developed as a technique for the ritual production of slaves. Today, Sierra Leone's integration into an earlier Atlantic world is “remembered” both in witchfinding ritual and in cosmological images of an ultramodern witch‐city built from the extraction of human life and value.
Prophecy and Power among the Dogrib Indians
Authors: Wagoner Paula L.
Published: March 2005

Prophecy and Power among the Dogrib Indians. JUNE HELM. London and Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1994. xiv + 172 pp., maps, photographs, notes, references, index.
Dancing with the Devil: Society and Cultural Poetics in Mexican‐American South Texas
Authors: Díazbarrica Miguel
Published: March 2005

Dancing with the Devil: Society and Cultural Poetics in Mexican‐American South Texas. JOSE E. LIMÓN. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1994. xii + 240 pp., photographs, notes, glossary, references, index.
Negotiating parentage: the political economy of "kinship" in central Sulawesi, Indonesia
Authors: Schrauwers Albert
Published: March 2005

Widespread fosterage and adoption has recently emerged around Lake Poso in Central Sulawesi within the wider constraints of peasantization, whereby kin are ideologically set off as a source of noncommodified labor for a newly constituted peasantry. The differentiation of this peasantry has been blunted and a kin‐based "moral economy" created through the transfer of dependents (rather than resources) between households. This transfer of kin has been eased by a concept of parentage that stresses nurturance and sharing, not just filiation. Class tensions are muted by the insistence that the calculation of costs and benefits between kin is unseemly. Fosterage, however, opens up tensions as some "parents" exploit their newly acquired "free" domestic labor. This article focuses on the terms foster children use to resist this exploitation, namely their refusal to acknowledge a parental tie. Drawing on historically constituted relations of subordination, these dependents draw on the now legally defunct vocabulary of master (kabosenya) and slave (watua) to describe their position,
After Tylor: British Social Anthropology 1888‐1951
Authors: Colson Elizabeth
Published: March 2005

After Tylor: British Social Anthropology 1888‐1951. GEORGE W. STOCKING. JR. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1995. xx. 570 pp., illustrations, notes, references, manuscript sources, oral sources, index.
Blacked Out: Dilemmas of Race, Identity, and Success at Capital High
Authors: Baham Nicholas
Published: March 2005

Blacked Out: Dilemmas of Race, Identity, and Success at Capital High. SIGNITHIA FORDHAM. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996. xiv. 411 pp., notes, bibliography, index.
The Trading Crowd: An Ethnography of the Shanghai Stock Market
Authors: Smart Alan
Published: March 2005

The Trading Crowd: An Ethnography of the Shanghai Stock Market. ELLEN HERTZ. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. xiv. 238 pp., illustrations, glossary, bibliography, index.
Naked Science: Anthropological Inquiries into Boundaries, Power, and Knowledge
Authors: Zabusky Staga E.
Published: March 2005

Naked Science: Anthropological Inquiries into Boundaries, Power, and Knowledge. LAURA NADER. ed. New York: Routledge, 1996. xvi. 318 pp., index, references, contributors, bibJiography, tables, figures.
The Social Life of Numbers: A Quechua Ontology of Numbers and Philosophy of Arithmetic
Authors: King Kendall A.
Published: March 2005

The Social Life of Numbers:. Quechua Ontology of Numbers and Philosophy of Arithmetic. GARY URTON. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1997. xv. 267 pp., figures, tables, appendix, notes, bibliography, index.
Discourses of Development: Anthropological Perspectives
Authors: Markowitz Lisa B.
Published: March 2005

Discourses of Development: Anthropological Perspectives. R. D. GRILLO and R. L. STIRRAT. eds. Oxford: Berg, 1997. viil. 299 pp., tables, references, index.
Overlooking Nazareth: The Ethnography of Exclusion in Galilee
Authors: El‐Haj Nadia Abu
Published: March 2005

Overlooking Nazareth: The Ethnography of Exclusion in Galilee. DAN RABINOWITZ. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. xiv. 222 pp., maps, tables, notes, references, index.
Miroirs du Colonialisme, Terrain, no. 28, Carnets du Patronomie, Mars 1997
Authors: Stoller Paul
Published: March 2005

Miroirs du Colonialisme, Terrain, no. 28, Carnets du Patronomie, Mars 1997. Paris: Ministère de la Culture. 174 pp.
Gender Reversals and Gender Cultures: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives
Authors: Dana‐Tabet Adrian Ne
Published: March 2005

Gender Reversals and Gender Cultures: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives. SABRINA PETRA RAMET. ed. New York: Routledge, 1996. xiii. 231 pp., notes, index.
Cross‐Cultural Marriage: Identity and Choice
Authors: Gershon Ilana
Published: March 2005

Cross‐Cultural Marriage: Identity and Choice. ROSEMARY BREGER and ROSANNA HILL. eds. Oxford: Berg, 1998. xvi. 241 pp., contributors, notes, index.
Biographical Objects: How Things Tell the Stories of People's Lives
Authors: Hendrickson Carol
Published: March 2005

Biographical Objects: How Things Tell the Stories of People's Lives. JANET HOSKINS. New York: Routledge, 1998. + 213 pp., photographs, references, index.
Cyborg Babies: From Techno‐Sex to Techno‐Tots
Authors: Markens Susan
Published: March 2005

Cyborg Babies: From Techno‐Sex to Techno‐Tots. ROBBIE DAVIS‐FLOYD and JOSEPH DUMIT. eds. New York: Routledge, 1998. 358 pp., contributors, index.
The Anthropology of Pregnancy Loss: Comparative Studies in Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Neonatal Death
Authors: Renne Elisha
Published: March 2005

The Anthropology of Pregnancy Loss: Comparative Studies in Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Neonatal Death. ROSANNE CECIL. ed. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 1996. xii. 226 pp., contributors, index.
Missionaries, Anthropologists, and Human Rights
Authors: Brusco Elizabeth
Published: March 2005

Missionaries, Anthropologists, and Human Rights. THOMAS H. HEADLAND and DARRELL L. WHITEMAN. eds. Theme issue, Missiology: An International Review24(2). Scottsdale, PA: American Society of Missiology, 1996.157 pp., notes, references cited, contributors.
Russian Talk: Culture and Conversation During Perestroika
Authors: Abramson David
Published: March 2005

Russian Talk: Culture and Conversation During Perestroika. NANCY RIES. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1997. xi. 220 pp., figures, references, index.
Tourism and Culture: An Applied Perspective; Tourists and Tourism: Identifying with People and Places
Authors: Crick Malcolm
Published: March 2005

Tourism and Culture: An Applied Perspective. ERVE CHAMBERS. ed. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1997. viil. 221 pp., figures, notes, contributors, references, index.

Tourists and Tourism: Identifying with People and Places. SIMONE ABRAM. JAQUELINE WALDREN. and DONALD V. L. MACLEOD. eds. Oxford: Berg, 1997. xi. 245 pp., figures, notes, contributors, bibliographies, index.
Berlin in Focus: Cultural Transformations In Germany
Authors: De Soto Hermine G.
Published: March 2005

Berlin in Focus: Cultural Transformations In Germany. BARBARA BECKER‐CANTARINO. ed. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1996. + 204 pp., tables, notes, selected bibliography, index, contributors.
Takarazuka: Sexual Politics and Popular Culture in Modern Japan
Authors: Silvio Teri
Published: March 2005

Takarazuka: Sexual Politics and Popular Culture in Modern Japan. JENNIFER ROBERTSON. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1998. xvi. 278 pp., illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.
Introgression of Nuclear DNA (nDNA) Alleles of Stocked Atlantic Coast Striped Bass with the Last Remaining Native Gulf of Mexico Population
Authors: Wirgin Isaac , Currie Diane , Roy Nirmal , Maceda Lorraine , Waldman John R.
Published: March 2005

Since the 1960s, only the Apalachicola–Chattahoochee–Flint (ACF) river system has continually supported a naturally reproducing population of striped bass Morone saxatilis of Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) lineage. Striped bass fry and fingerlings of Atlantic ancestry (from the Santee– Cooper system) were introduced into the ACF from the late 1960s to 1977. Genotypes were previously identified that were unique to fish from the ACF and that confirmed the continued natural reproduction of striped bass of Gulf ancestry within that population. Also, no significant difference in haplotype frequencies between “pure” archived ACF and extant ACF samples was found at an Xba I mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) restriction site that is diagnostic in distinguishing extant ACF from extant Atlantic specimens. This suggested that significant maternally mediated introgression of Atlantic mtDNA genomes has not occurred. However, because mtDNA is maternally inherited, the introgression of paternally derived nuclear DNA alleles into the ACF gene pool was not evaluated. In this study, five microsatellite loci were identified that were diagnostic in distinguishing between extant Atlantic and ACF fish. The frequencies of diagnostic alleles at three of these loci were determined in archived scale samples of Gulf striped bass from the ACF and Atlantic fish from the St. Johns River along the Atlantic coast of Florida. Fixed differences in allelic identity were found between the archived collections at two loci and significant frequency differences at the third. Significant allelic frequency differences at all three loci were found between extant ACF samples collected over 8 years and the archived ACF collection. These were used to estimate that the degree of introgression of alleles of Santee–Cooper origin with the extant ACF population is 0.515. Despite the introgression of Atlantic alleles, management efforts to restore the ACF population are warranted because of continued successful natural reproduction and the substantial frequencies of unique Gulf alleles in its population.
Wood dust exposure and the association with lung cancer risk
Authors: Barcenas Carlos H. , Delclos George L. , El‐Zein Randa , Tortolero‐Luna Guillermo , Whitehead Lawrence W. , Spitz Margaret R.
Published: March 2005

Background

Wood dust was designated as a human carcinogen based on increased sinus and nasal cancer rates among exposed workers. However, data on an association with lung cancer have been inconclusive.

Methods

Self‐reported wood dust exposure was compared between 1,368 lung cancer patients and 1,192 cancer‐free adults, in a lung cancer case‐control study. Epidemiological information was collected through a detailed personal interview.

Results

Using several definitions of wood dust exposure we consistently observed statistically significant elevated adjusted risk estimates; for example, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for combined wood dust related occupations and industries was 3.15 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.45–6.86) and for an overall summary exposure measure it was 1.60 (95% CI 1.19–2.14). The association was maintained when stratified by histopathological type. Among those exposed to cigarette smoke and wood dust, 21% of the cases were attributable to biologic interaction.

Conclusions

Wood dust exposure is a potential risk factor for lung cancer. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:349–357, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of tractor driving on hearing loss in farmers in India
Authors: Kumar Adarsh , Mathur N.N. , Varghese Mathew , Mohan Dinesh , Singh J.K. , Mahajan Punnet
Published: March 2005

Background

Indian tractor drivers operate their tractors and other implements/equipment in an environment which can have extreme temperatures and high level of suspended particulate matter. In addition, Indian tractors do not have adequate vibration and noise attenuating designs features. This cross‐sectional study compares the hearing status of tractor driving farmers (TDFs) (study group) and non‐tractor driving farmers (NTDFs) (control group) matched for age, sex, generic/ethnic group, land holding, education levels, and work routines.

Method

Two groups of 50 experienced tractor‐driving farmers and 50 non‐driving farmers were selected from 2 villages, 50 km from Delhi. All participants were interviewed for details of work routine and noise exposures. An audiogram was performed and noise measurements taken on tractors and other machines.

Results

Self‐reported hearing problems were similar (4 cases each) in both the groups of 50 farmers. However, audiogram analysis showed higher prevalence of abnormalities in TDFs. TDFs (24) had more often high frequency hearing loss when compared to NTDFs (14). The noise levels observed on tractors in different operations were in the range of 90–110 dB (A).

Conclusions

Tractor noise levels exceeded the recommended safe limits of OSHA and NIOSH prescribed standards. TDFs had higher high frequency hearing loss than NTDFs. The mechanism of damage and prevention needs to be studied further. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:341–348, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Noise exposures of rail workers at a North American chemical facility
Authors: Landon Paul , Breysse Patrick , Chen Yuju
Published: March 2005

Background

Both continuous and impact noise exposures of rail yards and railways have been historically understudied. We summarize noise exposures to rail workers at a large chemical facility in North America.

Methods

Rail workers were surveyed over the course of three 12‐hr shifts. Personal noise dosimeters were used to derive a 12‐hr time‐weighted average (LAVG), an 8‐hr time‐weighted average (LTWA), and a percent dose. Peak and maximum sound levels were also recorded during each sampling period. Six workers were sampled on three separate days for a total of 18 full‐shift noise samples.

Results

Full‐shift noise exposures were all below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) and action level for a 12‐hr workday. Peak impact sound levels exceeded 140 dB in 17 of 18 samples (94%) with a mean peak sound level of 143.9 dB. Maximum continuous sound levels were greater than 115 dBA in 4 of 18 samples (22%) with a mean maximum sound level of 113.1 dBA. The source of peak impact sound levels was a daily exposure to a concussion caused by a sudden break in a freight airline.

Conclusions

Rail workers at this facility are at risk of noise induced hearing loss from high impact noise exposures. Peak impact and maximum continuous sound levels can be attenuated through the use of hearing protection or by increasing distances from railroad noise sources. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:364–369, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nanoparticles in Energy Technology: Examples from Electrochemistry and Catalysis
Authors: Raimondi Fabio , Scherer Günther G. , Kötz Rüdiger , Wokaun Alexander
Published: March 2005

Nanoparticles are key components in the advancement of future energy technologies, thus, strategies for preparing nanoparticles in large volume by techniques that are cost‐effective are required. In the substitution of fossil‐fuels by renewable energy resources, nanometer‐sized particles play a key role for synthesizing energy vectors from varying and heterogeneous biomass feedstocks. They are extensively used in reformers for the production of hydrogen from solid, liquid, or gaseous energy carriers. Catalyst activities depend critically on their size‐dependent properties. Nanoparticles are further indispensable as electrocatalysts in fuel cells and other electrochemical converters. The desire to increase the activity per unit area, and decrease the necessary amount of the expensive catalytic standard, platinum, has spurred innovative approaches for the synthesis of platinum‐alloy nanoparticles by wet chemistry, colloidal routes, or physical techniques such as sputtering.
Effects of the chemical structure on the heat resistance of thermoplastic expandable microspheres
Authors: Kawaguchi Yasuhiro , Itamura Yosuke , Onimura Kenjiro , Oishi Tsutomu
Published: March 2005

The effects of various additional non‐nitrile‐containing monomers on the heat resistance of thermoplastic expandable microspheres containing acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile were investigated to determine the correlation between the chemical structure and expandable properties. Thermoplastic expandable microspheres were synthesized by suspension polymerization, with acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile as the main ingredients and seven kinds of methacrylic acid derivatives, methacrylic acid, and acrylic acid as non‐nitrile‐containing monomers. The expandable properties, that is, the maximum expansion temperature, the expansion start temperature, and the maximum dimension change, were measured with thermomechanical analysis. For the development of heat‐resistant microspheres, polymer structures with smaller functional free volumes, higher glass‐transition temperatures, and higher cohesive energy densities, such as methyl acrylic acid, were applied as non‐nitrile‐containing monomers. Molecular structures such as COOH groups with strong electrostatic interactions and hydrogen‐bonding forces were found to be suitable for high heat resistance. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1306–1312, 2005
Thermal, mechanical, and surface characterization of starch–poly(vinyl alcohol) blends and borax‐crosslinked films
Authors: Sreedhar B. , Sairam M. , Chattopadhyay D. K. , Rathnam P. A. Syamala , Rao D. V. Mohan
Published: March 2005

Starch–poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blends with different compositions were prepared and crosslinked with borax by in situ and posttreatment methods. Various amounts of glycerol and poly(ethylene glycol) with a molecular weight of 400 were added to the formulations as plasticizers. The pure starch–PVA blends and the crosslinked blends were subjected to differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies. Broido and Coats–Redfern equations were used to calculate the thermal decomposition kinetic parameters. The tensile strengths and elongation percentages of the films were also evaluated. The results suggested that the glass‐transition temperature (Tg) and the melting temperature strongly depended on the plasticizer concentration. The enthalpy relaxation phenomenon was dependent on the starch content in the pure blend. The crosslinked films showed higher stability and lower Tg's than pure PVA and starch–PVA blends, respectively. High‐resolution X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy provided a method of differentiating the presence of various carbons associated with different environments in the films. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1313–1322, 2005
Influence of the processing on the completion of curing in epoxy‐based composites
Authors: Vouyovitch L. , Flandin L. , Merle G. , Bessede J.‐L. , Alberola N. D.
Published: March 2005

Differential scanning calorimetry analysis was used to investigate interrelationships between several thermal parameters and the processing conditions of particle‐filled thermosetting resins. On the same piece, obtained by injection molding, epoxy‐based composites exhibited sensible differences within a set of measurements of the glass‐transition temperature, the width of the transition, the difference in the heat capacity, and the conversion degree. Statistical analysis showed a strong intercorrelation between these thermal parameters, but it could not provide any explanation for the disparities. The dispersion of the measured properties could, in a second step, be directly related to a sample's position with respect to the injection point in the mold. Moreover, even the postcuring stage could not erase this topological effect. As a result, a phenomenological model is proposed that fairly describes the experimental trends. This simple polynomial approach can subsequently be used either to determine the thermal parameters of any point of a molded piece or to shed some light on phenomena responsible for the large variations of the measured quantities. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1368–1376, 2005
Preparation of zeolite‐incorporated poly(dimethyl siloxane) membranes for the pervaporation separation of isopropyl alcohol/water mixtures
Authors: Kittur Arjumand A. , Kariduraganavar Mahadevappa Y. , Kulkarni Srikant S. , Aralaguppi Mrityunjaya I.
Published: March 2005

ZSM‐5 zeolite‐incorporated poly(dimethyl siloxane) membranes were prepared, and the molecular dispersion of the zeolite in the membrane matrix was confirmed with scanning electron microscopy. After the swelling of the membranes was studied at 30°C, the membranes were subjected to the pervaporation separation of isopropyl alcohol/water mixtures at 30, 40, and 50°C. The effects of the zeolite loading and feed composition on the pervaporation performances of the membranes were analyzed. Both the permeation flux and selectivity increased simultaneously with increasing zeolite content in the membrane matrix. This was examined on the basis of the enhancement of hydrophobicity, selective adsorption, and the establishment of molecular sieving action. The membrane containing the highest zeolite loading (30 mass %) had the highest separation selectivity (80.84) and flux (6.78 × 10−2 kg m−2 h−1) at 30°C with 5 mass % isopropyl alcohol in the feed. From the temperature dependence of the diffusion and permeation values, the Arrhenius activation parameters were estimated. A pure membrane exhibited higher activation energy values for permeability (Ep) and diffusivity (ED) than zeolite‐incorporated membranes, and signified that permeation and diffusion required more energy for transport through the pure membrane because of its dense nature. Obviously, the zeolite‐incorporated membranes required less energy because of their molecular sieving action, which was attributed to the presence of straight and sinusoidal channels in the framework of the zeolite. For the zeolite‐incorporated membranes, the activation energy values obtained for isopropyl alcohol permeation were significantly lower than the water permeation values, and this suggested that the zeolite‐incorporated membranes had higher selectivity toward isopropyl alcohol. The Ep and ED values ranged between 21.81 and 31.12 kJ/mol and between 15.27 and 41.49 kJ/mol, respectively. All the zeolite‐incorporated membranes exhibited positive values of the heat of sorption, and this suggested that the heat of sorption was dominated by Henry's mode of sorption. sorption. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1377–1387, 2005
Effect of ionic salts on the processing of poly(2‐acrylamido‐2‐methyl‐1‐propane sulfonic acid) nanofibers
Authors: Kim Seon Jeong , Lee Chang Kee , Kim Sun I.
Published: March 2005

We studied the effect of nanofiber uniformity on electrospinning due to the charging of added ionic salts, as compared to the droplet current nonadded ionic salts and the charge‐to‐mass ratio of a highly conducting liquid. Various ionic salt concentrations were investigated. For an ionic salt concentration of 0.01 mol %, an applied electric field of 15 kV, and a spinning distance of 15 cm, the experimental results show that uniform nanofibers that did not contain any beads were synthesized with an optimal ionic salt concentration, when the convective current was two orders of magnitude higher than the nonadded ionic salt droplet current. The obtained fibers were uniform, with diameters of around 70 nm. We were able to produce these uniform nanofibers by controlling the balance between two opposing factors during electrospinning, by increasing the number of charge carriers and decreasing the viscosity of the solution. The effect of the ionic salts on the morphology of the electrospun nanofibers was investigated with field‐emission scanning electron microscopy. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1388–1393, 2005
Preparation, characterization, and some properties of ionomers from a sulfonated styrene–butadiene–styrene triblock copolymer without gelation
Authors: Xie Hong‐Quan , Liu Dai‐Gang , Xie Dong
Published: March 2005

The conditions for the sulfonation of a highly unsaturated styrene–butadiene–styrene triblock copolymer (SBS) in cyclohexane containing a small amount of acetone with acetyl sulfate made by sulfuric acid and acetic anhydride without gelation were studied. After neutralization with metallic ions, the ionomers were characterized with IR spectrophotometry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The melt flow, solution properties, and mechanical properties of the ionomers were studied. The results showed that gelation occurred during the sulfonation of SBS in cyclohexane at a 5–10% concentration without acetone, whereas in the presence of 5–10 vol % acetone, sulfonation proceeded smoothly without gelation. Transmission electron microphotographs of the lead ionomer indicated the presence of ionic domains. A dynamic mechanical spectrum showed the presence of three transition temperatures: −82.9, 68, and 96.5°C. The melt viscosity of the ionomer increased with the sulfonate content. The melt viscosity of the different ionomers neutralized with different cations seemed to decrease with decreasing ionic potential for both monovalent cations and divalent cations The solution viscosity of the sodium‐sulfonated ionomer increased with increasing sulfonate content. The ionomer still behaved as a thermoplastic elastomer and showed better mechanical properties than the original SBS. The tensile strength of the different ionomers decreased as follows. For the monovalent cations, it decreased with decreasing ionic potentials: Li+ > Na+ > K+. For the divalent cations, it decreased with increasing ionic potentials: Pb2+ > Zn2+ > Mg2+. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1398–1404, 2005
An efficient way to improve the mechanical properties of polypropylene/short glass fiber composites
Authors: Xie Hong‐Quan , Zhang Shu , Xie Dong
Published: March 2005

Enhancement of tensile strength, impact strength, and flexural strength of polypropylene/short glass fiber composites by treating the glass fibers with coupling agent, mixing with maleated polypropylene (MPP) for compatibilization and adhesion, and with nucleating agent for improvement of polypropylene crystallization was studied. The results showed that both the silane coupling agent and MPP enhance tensile strength, impact strength, and flexural strength. In the absence of MPP, the effect of silane coupling agent on the mechanical properties of the composites decreases in the following order: alkyl trimethoxy silane (WD‐10) > γ‐methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (WD‐70) > N‐(β‐aminoethyl)‐γ‐aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (WD‐52), whereas in the presence of MPP, the order changes as follows: WD‐70 > WD‐10 > WD‐52. When the glass fibers were treated with WD‐52, 4,4‐diamino‐diphenylmethane bismaleimide (BMI) can further enhance the mechanical properties of the composite. The three kinds of strengths increase with MPP amount to maximum values at 5% MPP. As a nucleating agent, adipic acid is better than disodium phthalate in improving the mechanical properties, except for the notched impact strength. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction showed that the adipic acid is an α‐type nucleating agent, whereas disodium phthalate is a β‐type nucleating agent. Blending with styrene–butadiene rubber can somewhat improve the notched impact strength of the composites, but severely lowers the tensile strength and bending strength. Scanning electron micrographs of the broken surface of the composite showed greater interfacial adhesion between the glass fibers and polypropylene in the modified composite than that without modification. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1414–1420, 2005
Modification of cellulose fiber with silk sericin
Authors: Kongdee Arunee , Bechtold Thomas , Teufel Linda
Published: March 2005

Cellulose fiber surface was modified with silk sericin (or simply, sericin). Sericin fixation on cellulose was confirmed by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry–attenuated total reflectance (FTIR‐ATR). Sericin content in finished samples was estimated by dyeing treated fabrics with an acid dye, Supranol Bordeaux B, and determining K/S and L values of the dyed fabrics. The treated fabrics were tested for free formaldehyde content, crease recovery, tensile strength, electrical resistance, water retention, and biocidal activity. From ESEM and FTIR‐ATR results, it was found that sericin coated onto cotton surfaces as a film. Increasing sericin content in the finishing solution increased the amount of coated sericin, and a greater depth of color in dyed samples and reduced free formaldehyde content in treated samples were observed. The sericin content in samples was found to have a negligible influence on tensile strength and crease recovery angle. With increasing sericin content, electrical resistivity of the samples dramatically decreased and water retention increased, indicating that sericin‐treated fabrics may be comfortable to wear because of its maintenance of moisture balance with respect to human skin. Because cotton textile coated with sericin exhibited low formaldehyde content and no biocidal activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, the fabric may reduce skin irritation and disturbance of physiological skin flora arising from textile contact. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1421–1428, 2005
Binolam–AlCl: A Two‐Centre Catalyst for the Synthesis of Enantioenriched Cyanohydrin O‐Phosphates
Authors: Baeza Alejandro , Nájera Carmen , Sansano José M. , Saá José M.
Published: March 2005

The enantioselective synthesis of cyanohydrin O‐phosphates by using in situ generated bifunctional catalysts (R)‐ or (S)‐3,3′‐bis(diethylaminomethyl)‐1,1′‐binaphthol–aluminium chloride (binolam–AlCl) is reported. The reaction, which can be described as an overall cyano‐O‐phosphorylation of aldehydes, has a wide scope and applicability. Evidence is also provided, including ab initio and DFT calculations, in support of supported by the Lewis acid/Brønsted base (LABB) dual role of the catalyst in inducing first the key enantioselective hydrocyanation, which is then followed by O‐phosphorylation. A brief screening of the synthetic usefulness of the resulting cyanohydrin O‐phosphates unveiles some interesting applications. Among them, chemoselective hydrolysis, reduction and palladium‐catalysed nucleophilic allyl substitution, thereby leading to enantiomerically enriched α‐O‐phosphorylated α‐hydroxy esters, β‐amino alcohols and γ‐cyanoallyl alcohols, respectively. Naturally occurring (−)‐tembamide and (−)‐aegeline are synthesised accordingly.
Non‐Covalent Interactions of Organic Halogen Compounds with Aromatic Systems – Analyses of Crystal Structure Data
Authors: Swierczynski Dariusz , Luboradzki Roman , Dolgonos Grigori , Lipkowski Janusz , Schneider Hans‐Jörg
Published: March 2005

The Cambridge Structural Database showed in mid 2002 about 20.000 structures containing halogen atoms and aryl rests with distances d between the aryl center and the halogen atom, which would allow both hydrogen bonds with the aromatic hydrogens and/or van der Waalsinteractions with the π‐cloud. The latter are characterized by short distances d and by small angles α between the vector along the aryl centroid–halogen line and the perpendicular vector originating in the aryl center (the plane normal). The cases with d < 3.0 Å for F; and d < 3.5 Å for Cl, Br or I (outliers neglected), and α ≈ 10 ± 5°, indicating predominating van der Waals forces, amount to several hundreds. The majority of fragments exhibit larger d and α values, in line with avoidance of electrostatic repulsion between the negative partial charges of the halogens and the π‐cloud center, and with an increasing electrostatic attraction with the aromatic hydrogen atoms. The corresponding hydrogen bonds are characterized by longer distances d and by angle values of α > 60° (about 40 % of the fragments), with only very few cases close to linear hydrogen bonds (then with α = 90°). Compounds containing metal–halogen bonds were omitted in view of possible strong orientational interferences. The structures were screened with four different halogen binding modes, all of them containing the halogen attached to a carbon atom, but with different hybrizations at the connecting carbon centers. The results show only small differences in the distance distributions, with a slight preference for smaller α values for sp2 frameworks. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
An Asymmetric Biaryl Suzuki Cross‐Coupling Reaction: Stereogenic Benzylic Carbinols as Chiral Auxiliaries
Authors: Broutin Pierre‐Emmanuel , Colobert Françoise
Published: March 2005

Asymmetric biaryl Suzuki coupling reactions were performed with various aryl‐ or naphthylhalide‐bearing enantiomerically pure benzylic alcohols and aryl‐ or naphthylboronic acids (or esters). The stereogenic benzylic alcohol was introduced by diastereoselective reduction of the arylhalide bearing a β‐keto sulfoxide. In the presence of Pd(OAc)2/CsF and dppf or PPh3 excellent yields and atropodiastereoselectivities were obtained. The absolute configurations of the biaryls were determined by X‐ray crystallography and 1H NMR NOESY experiments. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Capillary electrophoresis – mass spectrometry: Survey on developments and applications 2003–2004
Authors: Schmitt‐Kopplin Philippe , Englmann Matthias
Published: March 2005

The major developments and applications related to CE‐MS over the last two years (2003–2004) and most of the reviews and applications found in the ISI Web of Science and publisher data bases are presented in a tabulated way. This article complements our previous review “Capillary electrophoresis – mass spectrometry: 15 years of developments and applications”, Electrophoresis, 2003, 24, 3837–3867 [1] for the last two years 2003–2004. All cited articles were analyzed in a way to illustrate (i) in which journals CE‐MS‐related papers were mostly found over the last decades and (ii) which commercial CE‐, MS‐instrumentations or CE‐MS combinations were mostly used in the European, Asian, and American continent. Additionally, like it was done in our last review, the reader will rapidly find applications classified as forensics, environment, bioanalytics, pharmaceutics, and metabolites.