bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Homelessness, Health Status, and Health Care Use
Authors: Schanzer Bella , Dominguez Boanerges , Shrout Patrick E. , Caton Carol L.M.
Published: February 2007

Objectives. Little is known about the health status of those who are newly homeless. We sought to describe the health status and health care use of new clients of homeless shelters and observe changes in these health indicators over the study period.

Methods. We conducted a longitudinal study of 445 individuals from their entry into the homeless shelter system through the subsequent 18 months.

Results. Disease was prevalent in the newly homeless. This population accessed health care services at high rates in the year before becoming homeless. Significant improvements in health status were seen over the study period as well as a significant increase in the number who were insured.

Conclusion. Newly homeless persons struggle under the combined burdens of residential instability and significant levels of physical disease and mental illness, but many experience some improvements in their health status and access to care during their time in the homeless shelter system.
The Creation of Industry Front Groups: The Tobacco Industry and “Get Government Off Our Back”
Authors: Apollonio Dorie E. , Bero Lisa A.
Published: February 2007

We investigated how industries use front groups to combat public health measures by analyzing tobacco industry documents, contemporaneous media reports, journal articles, and press releases regarding “Get Government Off Our Back,” a coalition created by the tobacco industry.

RJ Reynolds created Get Government Off Our Back in 1994 to fight federal regulation of tobacco. By keeping its involvement secret, RJ Reynolds was able to draw public and legislative support and to avoid the tobacco industry reputation for misrepresenting evidence.

The tobacco industry is not unique in its creation of such groups. Research on organizational background and funding could identify other industry front groups. Those who seek to establish measures to protect public health should be prepared to counter the argument that government should not regulate private behavior.
Housing Instability Among Current and Former Welfare Recipients
Authors: Phinney Robin , Danziger Sheldon , Pollack Harold A. , Seefeldt Kristin
Published: February 2007

Objectives. We examined correlates of eviction and homelessness among current and former welfare recipients from 1997 to 2003 in an urban Michigan community.

Methods. Longitudinal cohort data were drawn from the Women’s Employment Study, a representative panel study of mothers who were receiving cash welfare in February 1997. We used logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for both eviction and homelessness over the survey period.

Results. Twenty percent (95% confidence interval [CI]=16%, 23%) of respondents were evicted and 12% (95% CI=10%, 15%) experienced homelessness at least once between fall 1997 and fall 2003. Multivariate analyses indicated 2 consistent risk factors: having less than a high school education and having used illicit drugs other than marijuana. Mental and physical health problems were significantly associated with homelessness but not evictions. A multivariate screening algorithm achieved 75% sensitivity and 67% specificity in identifying individuals at risk for homelessness. A corresponding algorithm for eviction achieved 75% sensitivity and 50% specificity.

Conclusions. The high prevalence of housing instability among our respondents suggests the need to better target housing assistance and other social services to current and former welfare recipients with identifiable personal problems.
Association of the Built Environment With Physical Activity and Obesity in Older Persons
Authors: Berke Ethan M. , Koepsell Thomas D. , Moudon Anne Vernez , Hoskins Richard E. , Larson Eric B.
Published: February 2007

Objective. We examined whether older persons who live in areas that are conducive to walking are more active or less obese than those living in areas where walking is more difficult.

Methods. We used data from the Adult Changes in Thought cohort study for a cross-sectional analysis of 936 participants aged 65 to 97 years. The Walkable and Bikable Communities Project previously formulated a walkability score to predict the probability of walking in King County, Washington. Data from the cohort study were linked to the walkability score at the participant level using a geographic information system. Analyses tested for associations between walkability score and activity and body mass index.

Results. Higher walkability scores were associated with significantly more walking for exercise across buffers (circular zones around each respondent’s home) of varying radii (for men, odds ratio [OR]=5.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.01, 34.17 to OR=9.14; CI=1.23, 68.11; for women, OR=1.63; CI=0.94, 2.83 to OR=1.77; CI=1.03, 3.04). A trend toward lower body mass index in men living in more walkable neighborhoods did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions. Findings suggest that neighborhood characteristics are associated with the frequency of walking for physical activity in older people. Whether frequency of walking reduces obesity prevalence is less clear.
Availability of Recreational Resources and Physical Activity in Adults
Authors: Roux Ana V. Diez , Evenson Kelly R. , McGinn Aileen P. , Brown Daniel G. , Moore Latetia , Brines Shannon , Jacobs David R.
Published: February 2007

Objectives. Using data from a large cohort of adults aged 45 to 84 years-old, we investigated whether availability of recreational resources is related to physical activity levels.

Methods. Data from a multiethnic sample of 2723 adult residents of New York City, NY; Baltimore, Md; and Forsyth County, NC, were linked to data on locations of recreational resources. We measured the availability (density) of resources within 0.5 (0.8 km), 1, 2, and 5 miles of each participant’s residence and used binomial regression to investigate associations of density with physical activity.

Results. After adjustment for potential confounders, individuals in the tertile of participants residing in areas with the highest density of resources were more likely to report physical activity during a typical week than were individuals in the lowest tertile. Associations between availability of recreational resources and physical activity levels were not present for the smallest area assessed (0.5 miles) but were present for areas ranging from 1 to 5 miles. These associations were slightly stronger among minority and low-income residents.

Conclusions. Availability of resources may be 1 of several environmental factors that influence individuals’ physical activity behaviors.
Placement, Gender, Pedagogy: Virgil's Fourth Georgic in Print*
Authors: Wallace Andrew
Published: February 2007

The article examines the narrative conclusion of the Georgics, in which the nymph Cyrene distills from Proteus' tale of Orpheus and Eurydice a set of practical instructions for her son to carry out. It argues that the tendency to minimize or ignore Cyrene's crucial role at the end of the poem is inseparable from Virgil's attempt to inspect the mechanics of instruction. Renaissance editors, commentators, and illustrators grappled uneasily with Virgil's attempt to make gender and placement integral components of Cyrene's pedagogy, and with the notion that successful instruction would culminate in a scene in which the teacher might still need to be present.
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Company (NTT) and the Building of a Telecommunications Industry in Japan
Authors: Anchordoguy Marie
Published: February 2007

The state's role in building Japan's telecommunications industry is illustrated by the history of the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Company (NTT) in the post–World War II period. Several factors explain the state's success in developing one of the world's most reliable and technologically advanced industries: a strong desire for technological self-sufficiency; a favorable international environment; an ability to legally reverse-engineer foreign products; and the existence of a business sector that was willing and able to invest heavily in the human resources and facilities necessary to become global players. Japan also benefited from a consensus among its state and business elite on how to use NTT for the purpose of national development.
California Banking in the Nineteenth Century: The Art and Method of the Bank of A. Levy
Authors: White Eugene N.
Published: February 2007

An 1890s loan book of the Bank of A. Levy permits a detailed examination of the lending operations of a private bank in California during the National Banking Era (1864–1914). This period has been intensively analyzed at the national and state level, but there are few studies of banks at the firm level. This unregulated bank was integrated into money markets and lent to a broad cross section of the community. Although the bank appeared to adhere to the real bills doctrine, it provided businesses with medium-term, uncollateralized financing. The bank priced risk carefully, offering rates equal to the lowest in the country to its best customers while charging extraordinarily high rates to borrowers deemed risky. In the absence of modern accounting, the bank's close scrutiny of borrowers' businesses and personal lives enabled it to fulfill a special intermediary role.
Plant traits as predictors of woody species dominance in climax forest communities
Authors: Koike Fumito
Published: February 2007

Abstract. The dominance of a given tree or shrub species in a particular forest community may be determined by many ecological traits of the target species, as well as those of the surrounding species as its potential competitors. The present study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of predicting community status (species composition and dominance) on the basis of traits of local flora using statistical methods, and to visualize the mathematical function which determines species dominance. A general linear model and logistic regression were used for the statistical analysis. Dependent variables were designated as dominance and presence/absence of species in climax forest, with independent variables as vegetative and reproductive traits. Subalpine, cool‐temperate, warm‐temperate and subtropical climax rain forests in East Asia were studied. Quantitative prediction of climax community status could readily be made based on easily measured traits of local flora. Species composition and 74.6% of the total variance of species dominance were predicted based on two traits; maximum height and shade tolerance. Through application of this method, the capacity of an alien species to invade a climax forest community could possibly be predicted prior to introduction of the alien species.
Typology and ecology of Californian serpentine annual grasslands
Authors: Rodríguez‐Rojo M.P. , Sánchez‐Mata D. , Gavilán R.G. , Rivas‐Martínez S. , Barbour M.G.
Published: February 2007

Abstract. A first classification for serpentine annual grasslands distributed throughout northern and central California is proposed. This study has followed the Braun‐Blanquet phyto‐sociological system based on floristical, biogeographical and bioclimatic features of the sampled areas. Numerical analyses of classification and ordination were applied to the floristic relevés. Minimum Variance Clustering grouped relevés into basic classification units that allowed us to define low‐hierarchical syntaxonomical units (associations) and ‘communities’. A Principal Coordinate Analysis was used to extract those ecological parameters related to the axes that separate those classification units from the previous dendrogram. The results showed that differences in species composition was mainly due to a continentality gradient and the shady effect of an overstory vegetation. On the basis of both analyses we propose a first syntaxonomic scheme on ultramafic (mainly serpentine) annual plant communities of the biogeographical Californian Region that comprises four associations, two subassociations and some provisional communities.
Determinants of distribution of six Pinus species in Catalonia, Spain
Authors: Rouget Mathieu , Richardson David M. , Lavorel Sandra , Vayreda Jordi , Gracia Carles , Milton Suzanne J.
Published: February 2007

Abstract. This study explores the determinants of distribution, abundance and regeneration of six Pinus species (P. halepensis, P. nigra, P. pinaster, P. pinea, P. sylvestris and P. uncinata) that occur naturally in Catalonia, northeastern Spain. The aim of this study was to generate accurate predictions of the distribution of each species using simple and readily available environmental variables. We used recursive partitioning and GIS analyses to relate the data base of 10 600 field plots from the Forestry Inventory of Catalonia with abiotic and biotic characteristics of each plot. We present general patterns of distribution, dominance and regeneration for the six species and then focus on P. halepensis, the most abundant pine species in the western Mediterranean Basin. For all six species, the models correctly classified more than 80% of the distribution using abiotic factors, mainly altitude and rainfall variability. Biotic factors such as the basal area of other pine species were necessary to accurately predict patterns of pine species dominance. Biotic factors, especially the basal area of evergreen species (mainly Quercus ilex), were of overriding importance when predicting patterns of seedling occurrence. Potentially important factors such as land use and fire history were of little significance for predicting distribution at the scale of our study. Our models failed to predict accurately which species (and in which numbers) co‐occur with P. halepensis. Factors not included in this study, such as stand age, disturbance (cutting, clearing) and other human‐induced factors, are probably the main determinants of co‐existence patterns.
Patch dynamics and local succession in a sandstone area with frequent disturbance
Authors: Gutzerová Naděžda , Herben Tomáš
Published: February 2007

Abstract. A system of sand talus cones in a small forested rocky sandstone area was investigated to determine the importance of disturbance‐related dynamics and mesoclimate to vegetation differentiation. These cones (usually 3–12 m long) are formed by the accumulation of sand at the foot of sandstone rocks and are subject to frequent disturbance by the transport of sand. Vegetation was recorded both at the whole‐cone level and at the within‐cone level; the latter was approached by means of a transect of small squares along each cone. Soil profiles were recorded at the upper, centre and bottom parts of the cones. To express mesoclimatic differentiation among the cones within the rocky area, the potential insolation was calculated from the horizon angular height and the likelihood of thermal inversions was estimated by the height of the cones above the valley bottom.

The major environmental factor correlated with variation in cone vegetation is the disturbance dynamics as determined by the structure of the soil profile; active cones (with sand at the surface) are colonized by different species as compared with non‐active cones (with surface covered by humus sediments). There is a clear primary succession gradient from plants able to cope with continuous sand transport to stands of tall bryophytes, small shrubs and herbs. Quite often the same gradient is found within cones, with late successional vegetation confined to the lower, stabilized parts of the cones, while the upper part is still being affected by sand transport. The differentiation along the gradient of disturbance is much stronger than the differentiation due to climatic or other gradients.

Indirect data indicate that the long‐term average rate of sand accumulation is ca. 1 mm/yr. If sand transport ceases, Sphagnum peat accumulates on some of the cones; the depth of accumulated Sphagnum remains may reach 50 cm. The development of the peat layer is but weakly correlated with the measured variables suggesting that random processes at the beginning of Sphagnum establishment may be a driving force. By measuring Sphagnum growth and decomposition, and the peat density, we estimated the time needed for their development to be several hundreds of years.
Exploring the Ubiquitous through the Unusual: Color Symbolism in Pueblo Black-on-White Pottery
Authors: Plog Stephen
Published: February 2007

One of the common design characteristics on black-on-white pottery from the eleventh and twelfth centuries in the northern American Southwest is the use of thin, parallel lines (hachure) to fill the interior of bands, triangles, or other forms. This essay explores a proposal offered by Jerry Brody that hachure was a symbol for the color blue-green. Brody's proposal is examined by exploring colors and color patterns used to decorate nonceramic material from the Chaco Canyon region of northwestern New Mexico. His proposal is supported and the implications of this conclusion for Chaco Canyon and for future studies of this nature are discussed.
Beyond the Margin: American Indians, First Nations, and Archaeology in North America
Authors: Watkins Joe E.
Published: February 2007

In North America, American Indians and First Nations have often been at odds with archaeologists over the status of their relationships, about who should have control over research designs and research questions, the interpretation of information about past cultures, and the ways past cultures are represented in the present. While the influence of the voice of Indigenous Nations in the discipline has risen, in many ways their voices are as stifled now as they were in the 1960s. This paper gives an American Indian perspective on the current practice of archaeology in North America and offers suggestions for improving relationships.
Disaster or Catastrophe: Human Adaptation to High- and Low-Frequency Landscape Processes—A Reply to Ensor, Ensor, and Devries
Authors: Waters Michael R. , Ravesloot John C.
Published: February 2007

A regional episode of erosion between A.D. 1020 and 1160 coincides with social, political, economic, and demographic changes in the Hohokam culture. This regional erosional event was of such magnitude that it accelerated cultural changes that were already underway. The Ensor et al. (2003) commentary and attempt to layer a number of hypotheses on our original interpretations are fraught with problems.
ChenopodiumCultivation and Formative Period Agriculture at Chiripa, Bolivia
Authors: Bruno Maria C. , Whitehead William T.
Published: February 2007

The emergence of agriculture during the Formative period in the southern Lake Titicaca Basin played a crucial role in the development of the region’s first complex societies. Our study ofChenopodiumseeds from the site of Chiripa, Bolivia, sheds light on some of the small-scale processes contributing to the development of agricultural systems between 1500 B.C. and A.D. 100. Using a combination of scanning electron and light microscopy, we identified the crop/weed complex of the domesticate, quinoa (C. quinoaWilld.), and its weedy relative, quinoa negra (C. quinoavar.melanospermumHunziker), at Chiripa by 1500 B.C. Analyses of quinoa/quinoa negra morphometry and seed frequencies suggest that during the Early Formative period, farmers maintained gardens where both the crop and weed grew and were harvested for consumption. Around 800 B.C., however, we find samples almost entirely of quinoa at Chiripa’s social and political center, the Montículo. The paucity of quinoa negra seeds suggests that Middle Formative period farmers became more meticulous cultivators of quinoa, perhaps through weeding, careful seed selection, and construction of fields. This study complements previous investigations of settlement patterns, landscape modification, and stone tool use in this region, providing a richer understanding of Formative period agriculture.
Maya Calendar Reform? Evidence from Orientations of Specialized Architectural Assemblages
Authors: Aveni Anthony F. , Dowd Anne S. , Vining Benjamin
Published: February 2007

Long before they devised a written calendar, the Maya articulated their seasons by means of an “orientation calendar” that consisted of visual alignments involving their architecture. One specialized set of buildings, Group Eat Uaxactún, Guatemala, in the Petén lowlands, has been regarded as the prototype of such a calendar. We present new data based on precise measurements made in the field at 12 Group E complexes and obtained for a number of additional sites from reliable maps where on-site astronomical fixes were acquired. Statistical analysis of the resulting 99 alignments supports the hypothesis that, at least at some stage of development, certain of these specialized complexes did indeed function astronomically. The earliest version of the orientation calendar seems to have developed in the Petén; it was focused on the solstices. A later orientation calendar seems to have functioned principally during the season leading up to the onset of rain and crop planting. It consisted of a division of the dry season into 20-day months prior to the first annual passage of the sun across the zenith (approximately May 10 in the Christian calendar). We argue that this later orientation calendar was derived from Teotihuacan during the Early Classic period (A.D. 278–593).
High Victorian Gothic and the Architecture of Normandy
Authors: Stamp Gavin
Published: February 2007

High Victorian Gothic in England was an exotic style, and the importance of Italian Gothic precedents in its development has long been recognized, as has the interest in thirteenth-century French Gothic in the 1850s. What has received much less attention is the influence of the medieval buildings of Normandy. In this article, I examine the historical and cultural connections between England and Normandy, which were stimulated by the Napoleonic Wars and the threat of invasion, and were further encouraged by the ease of crossing the English Channel. Seeking the origins of English Gothic and Romanesque architecture, antiquaries and artists explored Normandy in the decades after Waterloo, anticipating the interest of architects. Whether the results of travel or study of a growing number of publications on the medieval architecture of Normandy, numerous midcentury buildings show intimate acquaintance with thirteenth-century churches in Normandy-old village churches with saddleback towers or distinctive spires, which, paradoxically, resemble High Victorian designs in their rugged austerity.
Centrifuges, Filtering
Authors: Peuker Urs A.
Published: February 2007

The article contains sections titled:

1.

Introduction

2.

Fundamentals

2.1.

Description of the Pore Liquid

2.2.

Cake Formation

2.3.

Washing of the Centrifuge Cake

2.4

Dewatering of the Centrifuge Cake

2.4.1.

Equilibrium of Centrifugal Dewatering

2.4.2.

Kinetics of Dewatering

3.

Discontinuous Filtering Centrifuges

3.1.

Cycles of the Discontinuous Centrifugation Process

3.2.

Filling Strategies of the Centrifuge Drum

3.3.

Peeler/Scraper Centrifuge

3.3.1.

Horizontal Construction

3.3.2.

Vertical Construction: Three Column Centrifuge

3.3.3.

Siphon Centrifuge

3.4.

Inverting Filter Centrifuge

3.5.

Centrifugal Dryer

4.

Filtering Centrifuges with Continuous Feed

4.1.

Conical Screen Centrifuge

4.2.

Vibrating Conical Screen Centrifuge

4.3.

Tumbler Centrifuge

4.4.

Screen Scroll Centrifuge

4.5.

Pusher Centrifuge

4.5.1.

Cake conveyance – Transport model

4.5.2.

Washing on the Pusher Centrifuge

4.5.3.

Feeding – Danger of Basket Flooding

4.5.4.

Multistage Pusher Centrifuges

4.5.5.

Special Pusher Centrifuges

4.6.

Decanting Centrifuge/Solid Bowl Centrifuge

4.6.1.

Application for Filtration Dewatering

4.6.2.

Dewatering Model

4.7.

Screen‐Bowl Centrifuge

5.

Hybrid Processes

5.1.

Hyperbaric Centrifugation/Jet‐Stream Centrifugation

5.2.

Steam‐Enhanced Centrifugation/Steam‐Pressure Centrifugation

6.

Laboratory‐Scale Testing

6.1.

Laboratory Centrifuges

7.

Applications

8.

References
Uniform Magnetic Chains of Hollow Cobalt Mesospheres from One‐Pot Synthesis and Their Assembly in Solution
Authors: Guo L. , Liang F. , Wen X. , Yang S. , He L. , Zheng W. , Chen C. , Zhong Q.
Published: February 2007

Magnetic chains up to 10 μm in length formed of hollow cobalt mesospheres (480–850 nm) with a 60 nm thick shell are synthesized by a new soft‐assembly protocol. The obtained chains show a saturation magnetization of 37.5 emu g–1, a remnant magnetization of 1.55 emu g–1, and a coercivity of ca. 66 Oe at 300 K. A possible mechanism for the formation of the chainlike hollow structures is proposed.
Biochemical Synthesis and Manipulation of a 70 nm DNA Linker for the Assembly of DNA‐Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Hazarika P. , Irrgang J. , Spengler M. , Niemeyer C. M.
Published: February 2007

DNA oligonucleotides are extraordinarily well suited as linkers for the programmable assembly of nanoparticles. To extend the scope of DNA‐directed particle assembly, a 70 nm DNA linker molecule for the DNA‐directed assembly of gold nanoparticles is synthesized by biochemical reactions. In particular, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent restriction and ligation reactions are employed to synthesize the DNA linker, comprising a 178 base pair (bp) double helical core region supplemented with two sticky‐end binding sites of 12 nucleotides in length, attached to one of the core‐forming strands. The linker is used for the assembly of DNA‐functionalized gold nanoparticles employing yet another biochemical reaction, namely covalent linkage through the enzyme DNA ligase. The resulting nanoparticle assemblies are characterized by using atomic force microscopy. The methodology described here represents a general way of synthesizing programmable DNA linker molecules with dimensions that exceed those presently available by using chemical synthetic methods, and thus, supplements the synthetic toolbox of nanobiotechnology to asses complex and functional nanoparticle/linker architectures for potential applications in sensing and materials science.
Luminescence Properties of Aminobenzanthrones and Their Application as Host Emitters in Organic Light‐Emitting Devices
Authors: Yu M.‐X. , Chang L.‐C. , Lin C.‐H. , Duan J.‐P. , Wu F.‐I. , Chen I‐C. , Cheng C.‐H.
Published: February 2007

A series of aminobenzanthrone derivatives, possessing a keto and an amino group on the aromatic ring, are synthesized and their photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) properties are studied in detail. These compounds emit strongly in solution and in the solid state, with the emission maxima in the range of 528–668 nm resulting from charge‐transfer transitions from the amino group to the keto moiety. The emission wavelength depends greatly on the polarity of the solvent. A red shift of nearly 100 nm is observed from n‐hexane to dichloromethane for each of these compounds. The PL quantum yields of these molecules also depend tremendously on the solvent. The values are between 88 and 70 % in n‐hexane and decrease as the polarity of the solvent increases. The single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data reveal that the aminobenzanthrone planes of these molecules stack in the crystals in an antiparallel head‐to‐tail fashion. This strong dipole–dipole interaction accounts for the observed red‐shifted emissions of the aminobenzanthrone molecules in powders and in films relative to those in nonpolar solvents. Electroluminescent devices using aminobenzanthrone derivatives as the host emitters or dopants emit orange to red light in the range 590–645 nm. High brightness, current efficiency, and power efficiency are observed for some of these devices. For example, the device using N‐(4‐t‐butylphenyl)‐N‐biphenyl‐3‐benzanthronylamine as the emitter gives saturated red light with a current efficiency of 1.82 cd A–1, brightness of 11 253 cd m–2, and Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.64,0.36); the device using N‐(2‐naphthyl)‐N‐phenyl‐3‐benzanthronylamine as the emitter gives orange–red light with a current efficiency of 3.52 cd A–1, brightness of 25 000 cd m–2, and CIE coordinates of (0.61,0.38).
Cover Picture: n‐Channel, Ambipolar, and p‐Channel Organic Heterojunction Transistors Fabricated with Various Film Morphologies (Adv. Funct. Mater. 3/2007)
Authors: Shi J. W. , Wang H. B. , Song D. , Tian H. K. , Geng Y. H. , Yan D. H.
Published: February 2007

Simultaneous introduction of short‐range repulsive interactions between dissimilar colloidal particles and attractive interactions between like particles provides a general new route to fabricating self‐organizing bipolar devices. By identifying combinations of conductive device materials between which short‐range repulsive forces exist in the presence of an intervening liquid, electrochemical junctions can be self‐formed, as reported by Chiang and co‐workers on p. 379.

The relationship between the performance characteristics of organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) with 2,5‐bis(4‐biphenylyl)bithiophene/copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (BP2T/F16CuPc) heterojunctions and the thickness of the BP2T bottom layer is investigated. Three operating modes (n‐channel, ambipolar, and p‐channel) are obtained by varying the thickness of the organic semiconductor layer. The changes in operating mode are attributable to the morphology of the film and the heterojunction effect, which also leads to an evolution of the field‐effect mobility with increasing film thickness. In BP2T/F16CuPc heterojunctions the mobile charge carriers accumulate at both sides of the heterojunction interface, with an accumulation layer thickness of ca. 10 nm. High field‐effect mobility values can be achieved in continuous and flat films that exhibit the heterojunction effect.
Hemoglobin SE disease—A concise review
Authors: Masiello David , Heeney Matthew M. , Adewoye Adeboye H. , Eung Shawn H. , Luo Hong‐Yuan , Steinberg Martin H. , Chui David. H.K.
Published: February 2007

An infant with Hb SE disease is reported. He was clinically well. Review of the literature shows that patients aged 18 and younger are usually well. On the other hand, more than half of those aged 20 and older developed sickling‐related complications, including potentially life‐threatening acute chest syndrome. These patients have 60–65% Hb S, similar to the percent Hb S in patients with Hb S/β+‐thalassemia. Their hematological features and clinical course appear to parallel those of Hb S/β+‐thalassemia. Patients have variable levels of anemia, and some develop clinical complications. With population migrations and increasing racial intermarriages, Hb SE disease is expected to be encountered more often around the globe. Patients with Hb SE disease should be followed and managed in a similar fashion as those with Hb S/β+‐thalassemia, and treated appropriately when they develop sickling‐related symptoms and complications. Am. J. Hematol., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Osteoporosis in young haemophiliacs from western India
Authors: Nair Anish P. , Jijina Farah , Ghosh Kanjaksha , Madkaikar Manisha , Shrikhande Mitu , Nema Manish
Published: February 2007

Arthropathies and joint deformities in patients with severe hemophilia result in prolonged immobilization, reduced physical activity, and predispose them for osteoporosis. This can lead to an increasing tendency of bone fragility and fractures in patients after trivial trauma. The aim of this study was to find out (i) the prevalence of osteoporosis in hemophilia patients and (ii) the association of osteoporosis with hemophilic arthropathy and related restricted physical activity. In this case–control study, 50 consecutive severe hemophilia patients aged between 20 and 50 years were evaluated for osteoporosis with measurement of bone mass density (BMD) by a DEXA scan and values were compared with that of 50 sex matched normal healthy controls. Major joints of the limbs were evaluated to determine the extent of joint damage and related disability. Forty‐two patients had severe hemophilia A and 8 patients severe hemophilia B (efficient factor activity < 0.01 U/ml). BMD values (gms/cm2) of lumbar spine and left hip of the patients were significantly lower than that of controls (0.825 vs. 0.939; P < 0.0001 and 0.725 vs. 0.938; P < 0.0001, respectively). The incidence of osteoporosis (T score: −2.5 or more) was significantly higher in hemophiliacs. Incidence of fractures in adult life was also significantly higher in hemophiliacs compared to controls (12% vs. 0%). There was statistically significant correlation between joint evaluation scores and BMD of hip, but not with that of the lumbar spine. There was no correlation between Hepatitis‐C virus status and BMD of any site. This shows that development of osteoporosis is a significant problem in patients with severe hemophilia in this country. Hence appropriate preventive measures such as early treatment and adequate mobilization, exercises, encouragement to participate in sporting activities, early assessment of bone density, and administration of anti‐osteoporotic therapy is recommended. Am. J. Hematol., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Desmosomes are unaltered during infections by attaching and effacing pathogens
Authors: Guttman Julian A. , Kazemi Pooya , Lin Ann E. , Vogl A. Wayne , Finlay B. Brett
Published: February 2007

The human attaching and effacing (A/E) intestinal pathogens enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), and the murine A/E pathogen Citrobacter rodentium cause serious diarrhea in their hosts. These bacteria alter numerous host cell components, including organelles, the host cell cytoskeleton, and tight junctions during the infectious process. One of the proteins that contribute to the intermediate filament network in host cells, cytokeratin‐18, is extensively altered during EPEC infections. Based on this, we tested the hypothesis that desmosomes, the only intercellular junctions that interact with intermediate filaments, are also influenced by A/E pathogen infections. We found that the desmosomal transmembrane proteins desmoglein and desmocollin, as well as the desmosome plaque protein desmoplakin, all remain unchanged during EPEC infection in vitro. This evidence is corroborated by the unaltered localization of desmoglein and desmoplakin in vivo in mice infected with C. rodentium for 7 days. Electron microscopic analysis of 7‐day C. rodentium‐infected murine colonocytes also show no observable differences in the desmosomes when compared to uninfected controls. Our data suggest that, unlike tight junctions, the desmosome protein levels and localization, as well as desmosome morphology, are unaltered during A/E pathogenesis. Anat Rec 290:199–205, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nerve terminal contributes to acetylcholine receptor organization at the dystrophic neuromuscular junction of mdx mice
Authors: Marques Maria Julia , Taniguti Ana Paula Tiemi , Minatel Elaine , Neto Humberto Santo
Published: February 2007

Changes in the distribution of acetylcholine receptors have been reported to occur at the neuromuscular junction of mdx mice and may be a consequence of muscle fiber regeneration rather than the absence of dystrophin. In the present study, we examined whether the nerve terminal determines the fate of acetylcholine receptor distribution in the dystrophic muscle fibers of mdx mice. The left sternomastoid muscle of young (1‐month‐old) and adult (6‐month‐old) mdx mice was injected with 60 μl lidocaine hydrochloride to induce muscle degeneration‐regeneration. Some mice had their sternomastoid muscle denervated at the time of lidocaine injection. After 10 days of muscle denervation, nerve terminals and acetylcholine receptors were labeled with 4‐Di‐2‐ASP and rhodamine‐α‐bungarotoxin, respectively, for confocal microscopy. In young mdx mice, 75% (n = 137 endplates) of the receptors were distributed in islands. The same was observed in 100% (n = 114 endplates) of the adult junctions. In denervated‐regenerated fibers of young mice, the receptors were distributed as branches in 89% of the endplates (n = 90). In denervated‐regenerated fibers of adult mice, the receptors were distributed in islands in 100% of the endplates (n = 100). These findings show that nerve‐dependent mechanisms are also involved in the changes in receptor distribution in young dystrophic muscles. In older dystrophic muscles, other factors may play a role in receptor distribution. Anat Rec 290:181–187, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A randomized controlled trial of early intervention with intraarticular corticosteroids followed by sulfasalazine versus conservative treatment in early oligoarthritis
Authors: Marzo‐Ortega Helena , Green Michael J. , Keenan Anne‐Maree , Wakefield Richard J. , Proudman Susanna , Emery Paul
Published: February 2007

Objective

To determine the outcome after 52 weeks of early intervention with intraarticular corticosteroid injections followed by sulfasalazine versus conservative therapy in patients with recent‐onset oligoarthritis in a randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Patients with ≤4 joints with clinical synovitis (disease duration ≤12 months) were randomized to early intervention (EI) with intraarticular methylprednisolone into all synovitic joints or to conservative treatment (CT) with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs alone. Sulfasalazine was administered in both groups for persistent disease or disease that evolved into a polyarthritis. Primary outcome was complete response (CR) defined as the absence of synovitis at 52 weeks. Secondary outcomes included CR at weeks 4 and 12, function (Health Assessment Questionnaire), pain (0–100‐mm visual analog scale), and work status.

Results

Fifty‐nine patients (34 men, 25 women; mean age 32.9 years; median early morning stiffness 30 minutes) were randomized. At baseline, two‐thirds reported that they were work impaired. At 52 weeks, 81% of patients in the EI group achieved CR compared with 57% in the CT group (χ2 = 3.833, 1 df, P = 0.05). In addition, 45% of patients in the EI group received sulfasalazine as opposed to 14% in the CT group (χ2 = 5.156, 1 df, P = 0.019). There were no differences in physical disability or work impairment between the treatment groups.

Conclusion

Oligoarthritis has a significant impact on function and work ability. Patients treated with EI using intraarticular corticosteroids followed by sulfasalazine therapy if resistant demonstrated reduced synovitis 12 months after treatment compared with those initially treated with more conservative therapy.
Assessing disability and quality of life in systemic sclerosis: Construct validities of the Cochin Hand Function Scale, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Systemic Sclerosis HAQ, and Medical Outcomes Study 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey
Authors: Rannou François , Poiraudeau Serge , Berezné Alice , Baubet Thierry , Le‐guern Véronique , Cabane Jean , Guillevin Loïc , Revel Michel , Fermanian Jacques , Mouthon Luc
Published: February 2007

Objective

To assess the construct validity of the Cochin Hand Function Scale (CHFS) and the relevance of using aggregate scores for the scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (sHAQ) and Medical Outcomes Study 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey (SF‐36) in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods

We evaluated 50 patients with SSc (mean ± SD age and disease duration 54 ± 12 years and 9 ± 8 years, respectively), of which 26 had limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and 23 diffuse SSc (dSSc). Quality of life was assessed by the SF‐36, global disability by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and sHAQ, and hand disability by the CHFS. Construct validity was assessed by convergent and divergent validity (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient) and factor analysis.

Results

The CHFS had good construct validity and its total score explained 75% of the variance of the HAQ. The HAQ had better construct validity than the aggregate sHAQ and their scores correlated well (r = 0.88). The aggregate sHAQ was no better than the HAQ in discriminating between lcSSc and dSSc. SF‐36 physical and mental components had acceptable convergent and divergent validity. Factor analysis of the 8 subscales extracted 3 factors explaining 72% of the variance, which differed from the a priori stratification with physical and mental subscales extracted in the same factor.

Conclusion

In patients with SSc, the CHFS has good construct validity, the HAQ should be preferred over the aggregate sHAQ for assessing physical functioning, and use of SF‐36 physical and mental components aggregate scores is questionable.
Epidemiology and clinical course of Behçet's disease in the Reggio Emilia area of Northern Italy: A seventeen‐year population‐based study
Authors: Salvarani Carlo , Pipitone Nicolò , Catanoso Maria Grazia , Cimino Luca , Tumiati Bruno , Macchioni Pierluigi , Bajocchi Gianluigi , Olivieri Ignazio , Boiardi Luigi
Published: February 2007

Objective

To investigate the epidemiology and clinical course of Behçet's disease (BD) over a 17‐year period in a defined area of northern Italy.

Methods

All patients with incident BD diagnosed over a 17‐year period (from January 1, 1988 to December 31, 2004) living in the Reggio Emilia area were identified through the following sources: physicians at Reggio Emilia Hospital, medical practitioners, and community‐based specialists. We identified all patients registered in a centralized index and in the Reggio Emilia district database for rare diseases. Patients were followed up from the time of diagnosis until either their death or April 1, 2005.

Results

Eighteen patients (9 men and 9 women) had complete BD. Mean ± SD age at diagnosis was 33 ± 7 years. The incidence rate of BD was 0.24 per 100,000. The prevalence of BD on January 1, 2005 was 3.8 per 100,000. No patients died during the followup period. Although all patients developed oral ulceration during the disease course, 22.2% had no oral lesions at disease onset. Eye disease occurred in 55.6%. Ocular disease was more common in men and appeared at disease onset or within the first few years of disease onset (median 3 years). Only 1 patient had loss of useful vision in at least 1 eye at the end of followup. In all affected patients, visual acuity improved once treatment was started.

Conclusion

This population‐based study is the first to report the prevalence and incidence of BD in Italy. In Italian patients, BD is nonfatal and the prognosis of eye disease is good.
Time resolved images from the center of the Galaxy appear to counter General Relativity
Authors: Dowdye E. H.
Published: February 2007

Intense observations of the galactic center since 1992 have revealed the presence of a supermassive object located there, some 26 000 light years from Earth. The mass of the galactic center was determined using time resolved astrometry over a time span of 13 years, from 1992 to present. The observations clearly show that the stars in the immediate vicinity of the supermassive galactic center, denoted as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), move along purely Keplerian orbits around Str A*. Observation of the rapidly moving stars permitted astrophysicists to determine a mass for the galactic center of around 3.6 million solar masses. Time resolved images of the Keplerian motions of these stars has exhibited to date no evidence of distortions in the images due to gravitational light bending effects, as predicted by General Relativity. In this paper, a well known tool commonly used by astrophysicists for estimating the effect of gravitation on light rays was examined. The results reveal flaws in the understanding of fundamental principles in mathematical physics applied to gravitational effects on rays of light, as predicted by General Relativity, at the site of a point‐like gravitating masses such as the galactic center mass. Application of the Gauss Law to point‐like gravitating masses shows that a requirement for the colinear alignment of the light source, the lensing and the observer is not necessary for an observation of gravitational lensing as predicted by General Relativity. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Optical observations of the Be/X‐ray transient system KS 1947+300
Authors: Kızıloğlu Ü. , Baykal A. , Kızıloğlu N.
Published: February 2007

ROTSE‐IIId observations of the Be/X‐ray transient system KS 1947+300 obtained between September 2004 and December 2005 make it possible to study the correlation between optical and X‐ray activity. The optical outburst of 0.1 mag was accompanied by an increase of the X‐ray flux in the 2004 observations. A strong correlation between the optical and X‐ray light curves suggests that the neutron star directly accretes from the outflowing material of the Be star. The nearly zero time lag between X‐ray and optical light curves suggests a heating of the disk of Be star by X‐rays. No optical brightening and X‐ray enhancement was seen in the 2005 observations. There is no indication of an orbital modulation in the optical light curve. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A photometric study of the contact binary AZ Virginis
Authors: Liu Q. , Yang Y.
Published: February 2007

New light curves and photometric solutions of the contact binary AZ Vir are presented in this paper. The light curves appear to exhibit a typical O'Connell effect, with Maximum I being 0.021 mag (V) and 0.023 mag (B) brighter than Maximum II, respectively. From the observations, six times of minimum light were determined and from the present times of minimum light and those collected from the references, the light elements of the system were improved. The light curves were analyzed by means of the Wilson‐Devinney program. The results suggest that AZ Vir is a W‐subtype contact binary with a mass ratio of q = 0.623(2). The asymmetry of the light curves is explained by star spot models. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)