bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lichen extracts as raw materials in perfumery. Part 1: oakmoss
Authors: Joulain Daniel , Tabacchi Raphaël
Published: January 2009

A comprehensive review is presented on extracts of a lichen, oakmoss (Evernia prunastri), that are used in the fragrance industry. Analytical aspects are discussed in detail, from both qualitative and quantitative standpoints, mainly in relation to the industrial processing of the lichen. It is shown that more than 170 constituents have been identified so far in oakmoss extracts, including 47 depsides or depside‐derived compounds and 25 triterpenes or steroids. A survey of industrially relevant synthetic products with an oakmoss odour is included. Toxicology issues related to the use of oakmoss extracts in cosmetics and fragrance formulations are critically reviewed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genetic and chemical assessment of Arbequina olive cultivar grown in Córdoba province, Argentina
Authors: Torres Mariela M , Pierantozzi Pierluigi , Cáceres María Eugenia , Labombarda Paola , Fontanazza Giuseppe , Maestri Damián M
Published: January 2009

BACKGROUND: Thirty‐eight accessions of olive (Olea europaea L.) originating from Córdoba province (Argentina) and preliminarily identified as belonging to the Arbequina variety were genotyped using AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) DNA markers. Also, the oil chemical composition was studied during three consecutive crop years. The objectives of the work were (a) to investigate genetic intra‐cultivar diversity and (b) to evaluate the oil chemical composition and compare it with that of Arbequina oil produced in Spain.

RESULTS: The 19 primer combinations employed to perform the AFLP analysis produced 98 polymorphic bands. A reduced genetic heterogeneity was obtained, confirming that (a) the selected accessions belong to the Arbequina variety and (b) the traditional vegetative propagation practice has caused low genetic erosion in this variety cultivated in Córdoba. The main features that characterise the Argentinian Arbequina oils studied are the lower content of oleic acid and higher levels of phenolics and high‐molecular‐weight volatile compounds compared with those found in Spanish Arbequina oils.

CONCLUSION: In spite of the small proportion of intra‐cultivar variability, the Arbequina variety grown in Argentina produces oils with different chemical traits from those obtained in the original Spanish growing region. These differences can be attributed mainly to the particular environmental conditions of the olive‐growing areas in these countries. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
The fate of mycotoxins during thermal food processing
Authors: Kabak Bulent
Published: January 2009

Mycotoxins are considered to be heat‐stable molecules. Because of their toxic effects, information about their stability in thermal processes and potential inactivation procedures is needed. Numerous reports in the literature over a number of years have described the fate of mycotoxin during thermal food processing, including cooking, boiling, baking, frying, roasting and pasteurization. This review focuses on the effects of various thermal treatments on mycotoxins, while the fate of mycotoxins during extrusion processing, which is one of the most important technologies employed in the food industry, will also be reviewed. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
The impact of patient‐perceived restricted access to anti‐TNF therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative study
Authors: Sanderson Tessa , Calnan Michael , Morris Marianne , Richards Pam , Hewlett Sarah
Published: January 2009

Objective: To explore rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients' experience of access to anti‐tumour necrosis factor (anti‐TNF) therapy in the UK, and of switching therapies after an initial failure.

Methods: Patients were asked about their experience of accessing, receiving and discontinuing anti‐TNF therapy in face‐to‐face indepth interviews, within the context of the larger study about treatment outcomes. Seventeen individuals with a diagnosis of RA and experience of receiving anti‐TNF therapy were interviewed in one hospital trust in England.

Results: Different emotions (Theme 1) surrounded the process of accessing anti‐TNF therapy: hope, desperation, apprehension, anxiety and frustration. Experience of receiving anti‐TNF therapy (Theme 2) included not only positive transformation, but also fear of failure and discontinuation. The subsequent value that patients placed on anti‐TNF therapy (Theme 3) included having a right to receive therapy and being lucky. These three themes were underpinned by the core category of ‘willing to try anything’. Those switching therapies reported increased caution over the possibility of recurring side effects, but some suggestion of benefit. There was a perception that access to anti‐TNF therapy was restricted by cost, rather than being recommended for those in clinical need.

Conclusions: Anti‐TNF therapies may have a sudden and dramatic impact on RA patients' lives that contrast with other available medications. However, the stress of the patient's journey through the need to ‘qualify’ for anti‐TNF therapy, and the fear of failing or discontinuation of therapy, should not be underestimated by clinicians. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Parkin regulates paclitaxel sensitivity in breast cancer via a microtubule‐dependent mechanism
Authors: Wang Hongxia , Liu Bingbing , Zhang Chao , Peng Guoyuan , Liu Min , Li Dengwen , Gu Feng , Chen Quan , Dong Jin‐Tang , Fu Li , Zhou Jun
Published: January 2009

Parkin is an E3 ubiquitin ligase encoded by the Parkin gene (also called PARK2, located at 6q25.2‐q27) and is involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease and the development of cancer. Recently, Parkin has been demonstrated to interact with the microtubule cytoskeleton. However, the biological implication of the Parkin–microtubule axis has been poorly explored. In this study, we report for the first time that Parkin modulates sensitivity of the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel in breast cancer, via a microtubule‐dependent mechanism. Our data reveal that Parkin binds to the outer surface of microtubules and increases paclitaxel–microtubule interaction, resulting in enhanced paclitaxel‐induced microtubule assembly and stabilization. Our data further show that Parkin promotes the activity of paclitaxel to trigger multinucleation and apoptosis, rendering breast cancer cells more sensitive to this drug. Moreover, Parkin expression correlates with the pathological response of tumours to preoperative paclitaxel‐containing chemotherapy. In addition, expression of Parkin also correlates with the sensitivity of paclitaxel in primary cultures of breast cancer cells. Our results identify Parkin as a novel mediator of paclitaxel sensitivity in breast cancer. In addition, our study suggests that patients harbouring tumours with high Parkin level would be more likely to benefit from paclitaxel‐containing regimens. Copyright © 2009 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamic spectrum management for cognitive radio: an overview
Authors: Khozeimeh F. , Haykin S.
Published: January 2009

The currently in use spectrum management policies are responsible for the poor utilization of the electromagnetic radio spectrum. By performing dynamic spectrum management (DSM), cognitive radio (CR) has the potential to increase the radio spectrum efficiency significantly and has gained a lot of attention recently. In this paper, we present an overview of the DSM problem in CR. After describing the CR briefly, the DSM is explained. In order to increase the spectrum utilization efficiency, CR tries to share the spectrum with primary users. We discuss two methods for spectrum‐sharing, namely price‐based spectrum‐sharing and opportunistic spectrum‐sharing. After introducing necessary mathematical definitions, the formulation of the DSM problem is presented. We show that the DSM problem is equivalent to a well‐known graph‐coloring problem (GCP) called list‐coloring. Finding the exact solution for this problem is computationally intensive and various approximate algorithms have been proposed to obtain suboptimum solutions. Finally, we discuss two approaches for solving the DSM problem: centralized approach and decentralized approach. Decentralized approach, although has complicated design and may not achieve the global optimum solution, is more suitable for CR due to scalability and lower complexity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tracheobronchial Lesions Following Esophagectomy: Erosions, Ulcers, and Fistulae, and the Predictive Value of Lymph Node‐Related Factors
Authors: Maruyama Kiyotomi , Motoyama Satoru , Sato Yusuke , Hayashi Kaori , Usami Shuetu , Minamiya Yoshihiro , Ogawa Jun‐ichi
Published: January 2009

Background

Following esophagectomy, tracheobronchial lesions (TBLs) can occur as a result of ischemia caused by extensive dissection around the tracheobronchus. In this study we assessed the causes and clinical features of these complications, paying particular attention to lymph node (LN)‐related factors.

Methods

Between January 2000 and March 2007, 305 consecutive patients underwent subtotal esophagectomy using a transthoracic approach with LN dissection for thoracic esophageal cancer. TBLs, including erosions, ulcers, and fistulae, without traumatic injury during the operation, were detected during bronchoscopic examinations performed twice daily after the operation. The correlation between TBLs and tumor or surgical factors were analyzed.

Results

TBLs were observed in 14 patients, accounting for an overall incidence of 5%; these included 6 fistulae, 5 ulcers, and 3 erosions. Cases with TBLs significantly more often involved three‐field LN dissections (3FLD) than those without TBLs. Six (43%) patients with TBLs had more than four metastatic lymph nodes, while 9 (64%) had cervical and upper‐mediastinal LN metastasis (p = 0.034 and 0.041, respectively). More than 60 LNs were dissected from 10 (71%) patients with TBLs (p = 0.021), and logistic regression analysis revealed that dissection of more than 60 lymph nodes and 3FLD were independent predictors of TBLs.

Conclusions

Esophageal cancer patients requiring extensive LN dissection of more than 60 nodes and/or 3FLD have an increased risk of developing a TBL during their postoperative course.
Cultural Predictors of Physical and Mental Health Status among Mexican American Women: A Mediation Model
Authors: Dinh Khanh T. , Castro Felipe González , Tein Jenn-Yun , Kim Su Yeong
Published: January 2009

This study, using secondary data analysis, examined a mediation model of acculturation and ethnic pride as predictors of physical and mental health outcomes in a sample of 561 Mexican American women. Factors postulated as mediators were family support and religiosity. Systematic across‐group comparison analyses were conducted to examine sources of differences in the mediation model between immigrant and non‐immigrant women. The results partially supported the hypothesized mediation model, indicating that family support, but not religiosity, was a significant mediator in the relationship between ethnic pride and mental health problems. In addition, as differences between immigrant and non‐immigrant women were observed only in the variables means, but not in the factor loadings or regression paths, the model tested may capture a common psychosocial process that affects these women and their health outcomes. Overall, this study offers important implications for future research and the design of intervention programs for Mexican American women.
Chemometric Characterization and Classification of Selected Freshwater and Marine Fishes from Turkey Based on their Fatty Acid Profiles
Authors: Diraman Harun , Dibeklioglu Hamdi
Published: January 2009

The fatty acid (FA) profiles of edible muscle of selected commercially important freshwater and marine fish species from Turkey were investigated. The fatty acid compositions of freshwater fish species were 23.00–29.60% saturated (SFA), 25.70–36.50% monounsaturated (MUFAs), and 26.59–31.92% polyunsaturated acids (PUFAs), whereas the fatty acid compositions of marine fish consisted of 21.08–36.90% (SFA), 18.03–51.45% MUFAs, and 20.92–53.17% PUFAs. There was a wide variation and significant (P < 0.05) differences among the fatty acid profiles of the freshwater and marine fish samples, including differences in the SFA, MUFA, PUFA, EPA, DHA, DHA/EPA, total n‐3 PFAs, total n‐6 PUFAs and n‐3/n‐6 values. In addition, the cheap marine fish species such as anchovy and European pilchard, bogue are better dietary sources of n‐3 PUFAs than more expensive species such as bluefish, Atlantic mackerel, sea bream and sea bass. Through the application of two multivariate statistical methods, Principal Component and Hierarchical Analysis, fish species from Turkey waters were classified according to the geographical locations categorized in terms of fatty acid profiles. Clustering by fish species also gave rise to defined groups.
Genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure within a population of an aromatic shrub,Lippia origanoides(Verbenaceae), in the Chicamocha Canyon, northeastern Colombia
Authors: SUÁREZ G. ADRIANA , CASTILLO GENIS , CHACÓN S. MARIA I.
Published: January 2009

The geographical scale of genetic structure in a continuous population is highly dependent on its breeding system and dispersion capabilities, and this knowledge is important for the study of population dynamics as well as for conservation purposes. In the present study, spatial autocorrelation statistics and intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to describe the genetic structure of a natural population of a prominent aromatic plant,Lippia origanoides, native to the Chicamocha Canyon in northeastern Colombia. For this purpose, individuals were sampled from two localities within the Chicamocha Canyon, where the species is abundant and continuously distributed. Cluster (principal coordinate analysis (PCO) and unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages (UPGMA)), analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and Bayesian analyses revealed a low level of genetic differentiation among the two localities, suggesting that they belong to a single population. Genetic diversity levels in this population, described as the percentage of polymorphic loci (P=86·21%) and quantified using Shannon's diversity index (I=0·453) and the average panmictic heterozygosity (HB=0·484), were shown to be comparable to or higher than that in other plant species with allogamous breeding systems and to other related Verbenaceae species. Fine-scale autocorrelation analyses showed a pattern consistent with the classical model of isolation by distance with moderate but significant levels of local spatial structure. Our results suggest that sampling individuals at distances greater than ~1·2 km may result in the collection of different genotypes, which could help preserve the levels of genetic diversity in a propagation programme. The causes of this spatial pattern are currently unknown and could be influenced by many contemporary factors such as restricted seed dispersal and/or short-distance pollen movement, among others.
Changes in the frequency of YMversus IIIMin the housefly,Musca domesticaL., under field and laboratory conditions
Authors: HAMM RONDA L. , SCOTT JEFFREY G.
Published: January 2009

In the housefly,Musca domesticaL., sex is usually determined by a dominant factor, M, located on the Y chromosome. However, there are ‘autosomal male’ (AM) populations in which the M factor is located on one or more of the five autosomes (I–V) or on X. We examined changes in the frequency of AMand YMmales in North Carolina populations of houseflies after 4 years in the laboratory (NC Lab 02:06) and after 4 or 5 years in the field (NC 2006 and NC 2007). In 2002, 77·7% of the male houseflies were III/III;XYM, 20% were IIIM/III;XX, and 2·3% were IIIM/III;XYM. After 4 years in the laboratory, IIIM/III males disappeared and 17·4% of the males were XMYM. Conversely, 4 years later, the field population was relatively unchanged from 2002. Thus, there was a strong selection against IIIM/III males in the laboratory, but not in the field. Field-collected flies from 2007 indicated a slight increase in the frequency of XYMmales and a slight decrease in the frequency of IIIM/III males (relative to 2002 and 2006), suggesting that the relative frequency of XYMand IIIM/III can vary slightly over time in field populations. The detection of XMYMmales in 2007 offered the opportunity to evaluate the frequency of the female-determiningFDfactor, which was found to be present in both the laboratory and field populations, but frequencies varied greatly. The present study represents the first report ofFDin houseflies from North America. The significance of these results, relative to observed clines in AMversus YMmales, is discussed.
Cost-effectiveness of magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound for the treatment of uterine fibroids
Authors: O'Sullivan Amy K. , Thompson David , Chu Paula , Lee David W. , Stewart Elizabeth A. , Weinstein Milton C.
Published: January 2009

Objectives:The aim of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) compared with alternative treatments for uterine fibroids in the United States.

Methods:We used techniques of decision analysis and data from secondary sources to develop and estimate an economic model of the management of uterine fibroids among premenopausal women. Patients in the model receive treatment with MRgFUS, uterine artery embolization (UAE), abdominal myomectomy, hysterectomy, or pharmacotherapy. The model predicts total costs (including subsequent procedures) and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for each treatment strategy over a lifetime horizon, discounted at 3 percent, from a societal perspective. Data on treatment efficacy and safety were obtained from published and unpublished studies. Costs (2005 US$) were obtained from an analysis of a large administrative database and other secondary sources. Lost productivity costs were included in the base-case analysis, but excluded in a sensitivity analysis.

Results:UAE was associated with the most QALYs (17.39), followed by MRgFUS (17.36), myomectomy (17.31), hysterectomy (17.18), and pharmacotherapy (16.70). Pharmacotherapy was the least costly strategy ($9,200 per patient), followed by hysterectomy ($19,800), MRgFUS ($27,300), UAE ($28,900), and myomectomy ($35,100). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (cost per QALY gained) were $21,800 for hysterectomy, $41,400 for MRgFUS, and $54,200 for UAE; myomectomy was more costly and less effective than both MRgFUS and UAE. Results were sensitive to MRgFUS recurrence rates, MRgFUS procedure costs, and assumptions about quality of life following hysterectomy.

Conclusions:Our findings suggest that MRgFUS is in the range of currently accepted criteria for cost-effectiveness, along with hysterectomy and UAE.
Assessment of the quality of mini-HTA
Authors: Kidholm Kristian , Ehlers Lars , Korsbek Lisa , Kjærby Rolf , Beck Mickael
Published: January 2009

Objectives:Mini-HTA (health technology assessment) is increasingly being applied in Denmark as an input for decisions on the use of health technologies. Mini-HTA is a form or check list with questions concerning the prerequisites for and consequences of health technologies. At the national level, the National Board of Health uses mini-HTA when hospitals apply for permission to introduce new treatments. Mini-HTA is also compulsory in Danish Regions' annual collection of early warnings. At the local level some hospitals have made mini-HTA compulsory when clinical departments apply for funding for new technologies. The objective of this study is to assess the quality of the information included in mini-HTA used at Danish hospitals and to discuss the consequences of this to decision making.

Methods:The quality of mini-HTA is assessed by use of an INATHA checklist for HTA reports. Data consists of reviews of the quality in fifty-two mini-HTAs produced by Danish hospitals in 2008.

Results:The mini-HTAs generally include descriptions of the assessed technology and the comparator, but information about the selection and interpretation of the clinical literature and other data is often missing. The level of evidence for the clinical effects and the main references are generally included. Only 25 percent of the mini-HTAs include a quantitative estimate of the size of the clinical effects. Organizational consequences inside the clinical department is described in 81percent of the cases and 92 percent includes a cost estimate.

Conclusions:The results show that the quality of the information in many cases is insufficient. There is a strong need for quality assurance of mini-HTAs to improve the accuracy of the information, however, without harming the timeliness and the limited use of resources in producing the reports.
‘Motz el Son’: Pound’s musical modernism and the interpretation of medieval song
Authors: MUNDYE CHARLES
Published: January 2009

The article explores an interdisciplinary conjunction of music, literature and modernism. I examine the relationship between aspects of early music scholarship and modernism, with specific reference to Ezra Pound’s critical and editorial work on medieval song, and to the composition, in the 1920s, of his modernist opera Le Testament. This analysis places Pound’s work as editor and composer not only in the context of recent critical reflections on the idea of authenticity, but also in relation to the histories and methodologies of medieval music interpretation. First, in drawing attention to Pound’s much–neglected collaborative edition of medieval songs entitled Hesternae Rosae, I contextualise his experiments in rhythmic reconstruction with reference to early and late twentieth-century musicologists working in this field. I make particular reference to the work of Pierre Aubry and rhythmic mode theory, and the later perspectives of Hendrik van der Werf. Secondly, I proceed to analyse Pound’s monophonic and dance song compositions in Le Testament, exploring the way in which serious medieval musicological scholarship prepared for, and is allied to, the development of a rhythmically and dramatically complex musical style.
Encoreun: variation dans la prononciation deundans le sud-est de la France
Authors: VIOLIN-WIGENT ANNE
Published: January 2009

Dans le sud-est de la France, la voyelle de l'article indéfini masculin singulier [] coexiste avec une variante réduite []. Après une brève recherche de justification de la variabilité de cette voyelle dans son évolution historique et ses caractéristiques articulatoires et acoustiques, l'analyse statistique d'un corpus de 12 informateurs montre que deux facteurs linguistiques semblent influencer le choix de la voyelle de l'article indéfini: le nombre de syllabes entre l'article et l'accent tonique et le type de syntagme dontunfait partie. En outre, l'âge et le sexe des informateurs indiquent une forte tendance à favoriser la voyelle réduite parmi les hommes entre 25 et 55 ans et les femmes de moins de 20 ans mais une tendance à la rétention de [] pour les autres groupes.
Promiscuous drugs as therapeutics for chemokine receptors
Authors: Horuk Richard
Published: January 2009

Chemokine receptor antagonists that held much promise for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases have recently performed poorly in clinical trials, resulting in disappointment for both pharmaceutical companies and patients. This review focuses on the redundancy of the molecular target as one potential reason for the failure of some of these antagonists to fulfil their initial promise, and discusses the use of drugs that are capable of interacting with more than one drug target – so-called promiscuous drugs – as possible approaches to overcome this difficulty. Several clinically approved promiscuous drugs, such as aspirin and olanzapine, are already used successfully. This review discusses examples of promiscuous drugs for G-protein-coupled receptors, including progress in developing dual-specific chemokine receptor antagonists, and considers evidence for the possible therapeutic utility of such drugs.
Quantification of effects of climate variations and human activities on runoff by a monthly water balance model: A case study of the Chaobai River basin in northern China
Authors: Wang Gangsheng , Xia Jun , Chen Ji
Published: January 2009

The Chaobai River basin in northern China consists of two major tributaries, the Chao River and Bai River. Monthly observations of precipitation, streamflow, and panevaporation data are available for 35 years (1961–1966 and 1973–2001). Using the annual time series of the observed streamflow, one break point at 1979 is detected and is adopted to divide the data set into two study periods, the “before” and “after” periods marking the onset of significant anthropogenic alteration of the flow (reservoirs and silt retention dams, five times increase in population) and significant changes in land use (conversion to terraced fields versus sloping fields). The distributed time‐variant gain model (DTVGM) was used to evaluate the water resources of the area. Furthermore, the Bayesian method used by Engeland et al. (2005) was used in this paper to evaluate two uncertainty sources (i.e., the model parameter and model structure) and for assessing the DTVGM's performance over the Chaobai River basin. Comparing the annual precipitation means over 13 years (1961–1966 and 1973–1979), the means of the second period (1980–2001) decreased by 5.4% and 4.9% in the Chao River and Bai River basins, respectively. However, the related annual runoff decreased by 40.3% and 52.8%, respectively, a much greater decline than exhibited by precipitation. Through the monthly model simulation and the fixing‐changing method, it is determined that decreases in runoff between the two periods can be attributed to 35% (31%) from climate variations and 68% (70%) from human activities in the Chao River (Bai River). Thus, human impact exerts a dominant influence upon runoff decline in the Chaobai River basin compared to climate. This study enhances our understanding of the relative roles of climate variations and human activities on runoff.
A regional analysis of event runoff coefficients with respect to climate and catchment characteristics in Austria
Authors: Merz Ralf , Blöschl Günter
Published: January 2009

In this paper we analyze the controls on the spatiotemporal variability of event runoff coefficients. A total of about 64,000 events in 459 Austrian catchments ranging from 5 to 10000 km2 are analyzed. Event runoff coefficients vary in space, depending on the long‐term controls such as climate and catchment formation. Event runoff coefficients also vary in time, depending on event characteristics such as antecedent soil moisture and event rainfall depth. Both types of controls are analyzed separately in the paper. The spatial variability is analyzed in terms of a correlation analysis of the statistical moments of the runoff coefficients and catchment attributes. Mean runoff coefficients are most strongly correlated to indicators representing climate such as mean annual precipitation and the long‐term ratio of actual evaporation to precipitation through affecting long‐term soil moisture. Land use, soil types, and geology do not seem to exert a major control on runoff coefficients of the catchments under study. The temporal variability is analyzed by comparing the deviation of the event runoff coefficients from their mean depending on event characteristics. The analysis indicates that antecedent soil moisture conditions control runoff coefficients to a higher degree than does event rainfall. The analysis also indicates that soil moisture derived from soil moisture accounting schemes has more predictive power for the temporal variability of runoff coefficients than antecedent rainfall.
An EPR tool box for exploring the formation and properties of ordered template mesoporous materials
Authors: Ruthstein Sharon , Goldfarb Daniella
Published: January 2009

The formation of templated mesoporous materials (TMM), where highly ordered mesoporous materials are prepared using surfactant self-assemblies as templates, is an intriguing process. It depends on a delicate interplay between several concomitant basic processes; the self-assembly of the surfactant molecules forming structures that serve as templates, the sol-gel chemistry that generates the inorganic silica network, and the specific interaction at the interface between the organic and forming inorganic phases. In this review we briefly describe the properties of TMM and review some basic principles underlying their formation mechanism. After a short description of the various methods that can be used to investigate the details of such reactions at the molecular level and the mesoscale we focus on the unique contribution of various EPR techniques. This is achieved by introducing nitroxide spin-probes, designed to examine different regions in the forming mesostructure, into the reaction mixture. Continuous wave (CW) EPR measurements, carried out in situ, give information on the polarity and microviscosity in the close environment of the spin-probe. These are complemented by electron-spin echo modulation (ESEEM) experiments that follow the water content, presence of additives and interaction with ions and provide an understanding of their effect on the structure of the final material. Finally, double electron-electron resonance (DEER) measurements are used to explore size variation of the micelles during the initial stages of the reaction.
Measurement of interspin distances by EPR
Authors: Eaton Gareth R. , Eaton Sandra S.
Published: January 2009

The determination of electron–electron interspin distances by continuous wave (CW) and pulsed EPR is reviewed for the period from late 2003 to early 2008. Papers that provide new methodology are highlighted. The wide range of applications is summarized in tables.
Generics in Latin America: Trends and Regulation
Authors: González Claudia Patricia Vacca , Fitzgerald James F. , Rovira Joan
Published: January 2009

The purpose of this study was to establish regulatory trends related to competing drugs in several Latin American and Caribbean countries and to review regulations and national policies on generic drugs in these countries. Furthermore, information on the incentives to register and produce competing drugs, the promotion of international non-proprietary name (INN) use, the regulation of bioequivalence studies and the substitution of drugs prescribed by lower price alternatives to the public was also obtained. The results showed three regulatory categories: those countries that favour financing of competing drugs and the extended promotion of INN use, without restricting the substitution of innovative drugs with competitors; those that have a scheme oriented to the demonstration of the therapeutic equivalence, that is, countries that restrict the substitution of the original drugs to some authorised competing drugs; and those that are in an incipient stage of their regulation process. This variety causes difficulties in the characterisation of the pharmaceutical markets and can generate fictitious segmentations. In conclusion, harmonisation efforts should take into account the possible relationship among the definitions adopted by the countries, the national pharmaceutical markets development and their incentive policies for competition.
Turning back from the brink: Detecting an impending regime shift in time to avert it
Authors: Biggs Reinette , Carpenter Stephen R. , Brock William A.
Published: January 2009

Ecological regime shifts are large, abrupt, long-lasting changes in ecosystems that often have considerable impacts on human economies and societies. Avoiding unintentional regime shifts is widely regarded as desirable, but prediction of ecological regime shifts is notoriously difficult. Recent research indicates that changes in ecological time series (e.g., increased variability and autocorrelation) could potentially serve as early warning indicators of impending shifts. A critical question, however, is whether such indicators provide sufficient warning to adapt management to avert regime shifts. We examine this question using a fisheries model, with regime shifts driven by angling (amenable to rapid reduction) or shoreline development (only gradual restoration is possible). The model represents key features of a broad class of ecological regime shifts. We find that if drivers can only be manipulated gradually management action is needed substantially before a regime shift to avert it; if drivers can be rapidly altered aversive action may be delayed until a shift is underway. Large increases in the indicators only occur once a regime shift is initiated, often too late for management to avert a shift. To improve usefulness in averting regime shifts, we suggest that research focus on defining critical indicator levels rather than detecting change in the indicators. Ideally, critical indicator levels should be related to switches in ecosystem attractors; we present a new spectral density ratio indicator to this end. Averting ecological regime shifts is also dependent on developing policy processes that enable society to respond more rapidly to information about impending regime shifts.
Risk Factors Associated With Surgical Site Infection After Pediatric Posterior Spinal Fusion Procedure
Authors: Linam W. Matthew , Margolis Peter A. , Staat Mary Allen , Britto Maria T. , Hornung Richard , Cassedy Amy , Connelly Beverly L.
Published: January 2009

Objective.

To identify risk factors associated with surgical site infection (SSI) after pediatric posterior spinal fusion procedure by examining characteristics related to the patient, the surgical procedure, and tissue hypoxia.

Design.

Retrospective case-control study nested in a hospital cohort study.

Setting.

A 475-bed, tertiary care children's hospital.

Methods.

All patients who underwent a spinal fusion procedure during the period from January 1995 through December 2006 were included. SSI cases were identified by means of prospective surveillance using National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system definitions. Forty-four case patients who underwent a posterior spinal fusion procedure and developed an SSI were identified and evaluated. Each case patient was matched (on the basis of date of surgery, ± 3 months) to 3 control patients who underwent a posterior spinal fusion procedure but did not develop an SSI. Risk factors for SSI were evaluated by univariate analysis and multivariable conditional logistic regression. Odds ratios (ORs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) andPvalues, were calculated.

Results.

From 1995 to 2006, the mean annual rate of SSI after posterior spinal fusion procedure was 4.4% (range, 1.1%—6.7%). Significant risk factors associated with SSI in the univariate analysis included the following: a body mass index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile (OR, 3.5 [95% CI, 1.5–8.3]); antibiotic prophylaxis with clindamycin, compared with other antibiotics (OR, 3.5 [95% CI, 1.2 10.0]); inappropriately low dose of antibiotic (OR, 2.6 [95% CI, 1.0–6.6]); and a longer duration of hypothermia (ie, a core body temperature of less than 35.5°C) during surgery (OR, 0.4 [95% CI, 0.2–0.9]). An American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of greater than 2, obesity (ie, a BMI greater than the 95th percentile), antibiotic prophylaxis with clindamycin, and hypothermia were statistically significant in the multivariable model.

Conclusion.

An ASA score greater than 2, obesity, and antibiotic prophylaxis with clindamycin were independent risk factors for SSI. Hypothermia during surgery appears to provide protection against SSI in this patient population.
A Milestone in Codifying the Wisdom of Traditional Oriental Medicine: TCM, Kampo, TKM, TVM—WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific Region
Authors: Choi Seung-Hoon , Chang Il-Moo
Published: January 2009

The WHO published a dictionary‐type book entitled ‘WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific Region’ which has a total of 3259 technical terms which have been commonly used in traditional Chinese (TCM), Japanese (Kampo), Korean (TKM) and Vietnamese (TVM) medicines. In this comprehensive guide, each term has the English expression, the original Chinese character and a concise English definition. The book covers 3106 terms from basic theories, diagnostics, diseases, various therapeutics including acupuncture and moxibustion and even the English wording of 153 titles which are considered the most important traditional medical classics published in these four countries. A prominent feature of the compilation is the codification format that assigns numbers in hundred decimal units for each category of the section. This type of coding system provides the flexibility for adding more terminologies in the future and is useful for constructing a database for the retrieval of various published scientific articles. Overall, the usage of these standard terminologies is highly desirable to deliver accurate meanings, and ultimately to avoid a variety of expressions for a single term in different scientific manuscripts on Oriental medicine.
William Congreve's rational rockets
Authors: Werrett Simon
Published: January 2009

This article examines the early development of military rockets devised by the English inventor and Royal Society Fellow William Congreve in the first decade of the nineteenth century. Congreve's efforts to imitate Indian war rockets used against the British in Mysore are set within a number of local and global contexts that saw increasing attempts by Europeans to imitate eastern pyrotechnics while applying economic and scientific principles to reform pyrotechnic production. Congreve viewed his rockets as ‘rational’, operated via an experimental system that dispensed with the need for any skilled labour, save Congreve's own inventive capacities. But when rockets were put to the test, naval officers, artisans and other inventors all disputed this claim, and this article shows how their various skills proved indispensable in making the rocket work. Congreve responded by erasing both distant Indian and local British contributions to the rocket system. The career of Congreve rockets thus demonstrates how local processes of disciplinary reform around 1800, entailing rational management based on scientific and economic principles, were intimately connected with orientalizing tendencies in Britain, which sought to portray distant cultures of the East as backward and static, justifying imperial domination.
Optical Properties of Gold‐Dispersed Barium Titanate Thin Films Prepared by Sol‐Gel Processing
Authors: Otsuki Shirou , Nishio Keishi , Kineri Tohru , Watanabe Yuiichi , Tsuchiya Toshio
Published: January 2009

Gold‐dispersed BaTiO3 thin films were prepared by the sol‐gel process using spin coating, after which the effects of the gold particle size and shape on nonlinear optical properties were investigated. The BaTiO3 matrix was amorphous up to 500°C. Polycrystalline BaTiO3 thin films were obtained by heating at 650°C for 1 h. The mean gold particle size, which was calculated from the Au(111) diffraction peak according to Scherrer's formula, was ∼8‐10 nm in the range of 300° to 550°C, but rapidly increased thereafter with increasing temperature up to 650°C. From 650° to 800°C, however, particle size was almost constant at ∼16 nm. For those gold particles heated to 500°C, the particle‐size distribution was small and centered at ∼10 nm. However, for gold particles heated at 650°C, a broad particle‐size distribution ranging from 10 to 100 nm could be observed in the BaTiO3 thin films from TEM observation. The peak position of the surface plasmon resonance of the gold particles shifted to a longer wavelength as temperature increased. An absorption peak position was calculated that was in very good agreement with Maxwell‐Garnet (MG) theory, using the dielectric constant of the gold particles by Kreibig theory to calculate the absorption coefficient, α, of each distribution (each 2.5 nm) of the gold particle size, and these values were then averaged. BaTiO3 thin films heat‐treated at 650°C for 1 h exhibited third‐order optical nonlinear susceptibility values (chi(3)) of 1.09 × 10‐6 esu and chi(3)/α= 4.31 × 10‐11 esu·cm at a wavelength of 532 nm. The values of chi(3)/α of gold‐dispersed BaTiO3 thin films were 10 times larger than those of gold‐dispersed SiO2 thin films.
Determination of Surface Residual Stresses in Brittle Materials by Hertzian Indentation: Theory and Experiment
Authors: Roberts Steve G. , Lawrence Charles W. , Bisrat Yordanos , Warren Paul D. , Hills David A.
Published: January 2009

Hertzian indentation has been used to determine the surface residual stress levels in brittle materials. In this method, a hard sphere is pressed into the surface of the material: at a critical load a preexisting surface‐breaking crack in the neighborhood of the contact will propagate. There is a threshold load below which no such crack, of whatever size, can be propagated. The presence of a residual stress in the surface will lead to a shift in this threshold load. The effects of residual stresses on the minimum load to produce Hertzian fracture are predicted for alumina and glass, assuming that the variation of the residual stress over the length of the crack is small. Two methods of analysis (one approximate, one more general) are presented that enable the residual stress to be calculated from the shift in threshold load; the only further information required is a knowledge of the radius of the sphere, the elastic constants of the sphere and substrate, and also the fracture toughness of the substrate (or use of a stress‐free specimen as a reference). No measurement of any crack length is necessary. Experimental results are presented for the residual stress levels determined in glass strengthened by ion exchange. Indenting balls of a variety of materials with a range of elastic mismatch to the glass substrate were used, so as to evaluate the effects of elastic mismatch and interfacial frictional tractions on the results obtained. The results obtained by Hertzian indentation are consistent with residual stress levels determined by differential surface refractometry. We also present results on alumina specimens with induced surface stresses.
SiC Recession Caused by SiO2 Scale Volatility under Combustion Conditions: I, Experimental Results and Empirical Model
Authors: Robinson Raymond C. , Smialek James L.
Published: January 2009

A high‐pressure burner rig was developed to evaluate the response of chemical‐vapor‐deposited SiC material during exposure to simulated gas turbine combustor conditions. Linear weight loss and surface recession rates of SiC were observed in both fuel‐lean and fuel‐rich gas mixtures. This response was shown to result from SiO2 scale volatility. Arrhenius‐type temperature dependence was demonstrated. In addition, the effects of pressure and gas velocity were defined in terms of a gaseous‐diffusion‐controlled process for volatile reaction products (such as SiO, Si(OH)4, and iO(OH)x). Accordingly, multiple linear regression was used to develop empirical recession relationships of the form exp(‐DeltaQ/RT)Pxvyfor both lean and rich combustion conditions. Part II of this paper discusses the thermodynamics and gaseous‐diffusion model of this recession. The empirical models discussed here enable prediction of SiC recession for any combination of T, P, and vin turbine environments. For typical combustion conditions, recession of 0.2‐2 µm/h was predicted at 1200°‐1400°C. Thus, long‐term, high‐temperature, high‐velocity exposure may degrade silicon‐based or SiO2‐forming material by recession in combustion gas environments.
Transformation of X‐Phase SiAlON to Mullite
Authors: Schmücker Martin , Schneider Hartmut
Published: January 2009

The transformation of X‐phase SiAlON (a composition of approximately Si3Al6O12N2) to 3/2 mullite (3Al2O3·2SiO2) plus vitreous silica (SiO2) at temperatures >1200°C has been studied in polycrystalline ceramics via transmission electron microscopy. The transformation of X‐phase SiAlON to mullite is observed to be topotactical. Analyses of electron‐diffraction patterns and lattice‐fringe images reveal the following orientation relationship between X‐phase SiAlON (X) and mullite (Mu): (110)Mu∥ (100)X and [001]Mu∥ [010]X. The observed orientation relationship between mullite and X‐phase SiAlON and the close similarities between both structures‐especially the occurrence of the same type of octahedral chains‐suggest that these types of structural units are preserved during the transformation process. Excess noncrystalline SiO2 is exsolved between the mullite crystallites and is transported to the sample surface in later transformation stages.
Assessment of Forchheimer's Equation to Predict the Permeability of Ceramic Foams
Authors: Innocentini Murilo D. M. , Salvini Vania R. , Pandolfelli Victor C. , Coury José R.
Published: January 2009

Correct estimation of the pressure drop in filtration processes that involve fluid velocity variations is of major importance, because it allows the filtration rate and/or the energy consumed on fluid flow to be more accurately controlled. Permeability of porous filters has been often described by Forchheimer's equation, which establishes a nonlinear dependence between pressure drop and fluid velocity. Two constants, k1 and k2, dependent only on the medium, quantify the viscous and inertial effects on the pressure drop curve. In this work, experimental data of airflow through 10 pores per linear inch ceramic foam filters are used to show that a single sample may have completely distinct permeability constants depending on the data range chosen for analysis. The Darcian permeability constant k1 displays higher variation than the non‐Darcian permeability constant k2. The conclusion is that special attention must be taken to represent permeability of highly porous structures in a large velocity range. The predictability of Forchheimer's equation generally worsens when less data are included in the curve fitting, particularly at low velocities. Careful consideration should be made if constants k1 and k2 are intended to be used for permeability estimation beyond the fitting range.
Microstructural Control of a 70% Silicon Nitride– 30% Barium Aluminum Silicate Self‐Reinforced Composite
Authors: Yu Feng , Nagarajan Nandakumar , Fang Yi , White Kenneth W.
Published: January 2009

The processing response of a 70% silicon nitride–30% barium aluminum silicate (70%‐Si3N4–30%‐BAS) ceramic‐matrix composite was studied using pressureless sintering, at temperatures ranging from 1740°C, which is below the melting point of BAS, to 1950°C. The relationship between the processing parameters and the microstructural constituents, such as morphology of the β‐Si3N4 whisker and crystallization of the BAS matrix, was evaluated. The mechanical response of this array of microstructures was characterized for flexural strength, as well as fracture behavior, at test temperatures up to 1300°C. The indentation method was used to estimate the fracture resistance, and R‐curves were obtained from modified compact‐tension samples of selected microstructures at room temperature.
Influence of Green Formulation and Pyrolyzable Particulates on the Porous Microstructure and Sintering Characteristics of Tape Cast Ceramics
Authors: Corbin Stephen F. , Lee Joyce , Qiao Xin
Published: January 2009

Porous morphology and total porosity produced in sintered ceramic tapes was controlled by the amount and distribution of pyrolyzable graphite particles added to a colloidal suspension during a tape casting operation. A conceptual model of the green tape microstructure was used to explain the influence of graphite and tape formulation on sintering characteristics. The creation of a connected, open porous network in the sintered body was the result of graphite particle percolation within the green body. Additional voidage introduced by particle bridging was the source of excess porosity and also resulted in a bimodal pore size distribution. Sintering shrinkage was determined by the ceramic packing density, which was primarily determined by the tape formulation.