bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical and pharmaceutical applications of packed‐column supercritical fluid chromatography
Authors: Abbott Eric , Veenstra Timothy D. , Issaq Haleem J.
Published: March 2008

Packed‐column supercritical fluid chromatography (pSFC) is a fast separation technique that combines the properties of HPLC and GC. pSFC with carbon dioxide as the mobile phase and packed silica column as the stationary phase possesses the properties of normal phase mechanism; however, the addition of modifiers to the mobile phase allows the separation of relatively polar compounds. In spite of its many positive attributes, pSFC has not been widely used in areas such as proteomics, where methods such as HPLC dominate. Packed column SFC has been extensively used in clinical and pharmaceutical laboratories, especially for separation of nonpolar and chiral drugs. This review will discuss recently published applications of pSFC, with a specific focus on its advantages and limitations for the analysis of pharmaceuticals with varying chemical properties.
Balance between polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants in nutrition
Authors: Kamal‐Eldin Afaf , Pickova Jana
Published: March 2008

It is recommended that humans increase their consumption of omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) because of many nutritional advantages. However, the oxidative instability of these fatty acids poses a problem regarding the sensory and nutritional quality of foods. It is clear that antioxidants need to be added to stabilize these lipids during food processing and storage, as well as to provide the body with enough antioxidant power to counteract any oxidative stress resulting from the increased intake of PUFA. However, we need more knowledge regarding the levels of antioxidant required for food stability and nutritional adequacy as well as the nature of antioxidant oxidation products and their toxicological significance.
Analysis of a moving boundary value problem arising in biofilm modelling
Authors: Szomolay Barbara
Published: March 2008

We consider a moving boundary value problem associated with a 1‐D biofilm model proposed by Szomolay et al. (Environ. Microbiol. 2005; 8:1186–1191). The new model includes growth and detachment which make it more realistic in a biofilm setting. Global existence and properties of solutions are shown using the method of characteristics. We also study the existence of the corresponding steady‐state solutions and prove their uniqueness for small doses of biocide. In addition, sufficient conditions for the existence of trivial/nontrivial steady states are established. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exponential convergence of the h–p version BEM for mixed boundary value problems on polyhedrons
Authors: Holm H. , Maischak M. , Stephan E. P.
Published: March 2008

We analyze the h–p version of the boundary element method for the mixed Dirichlet–Neumann problems of the Laplacian in polyhedral domains. Based on a regularity analysis of the solution in countably normed spaces, we show that the boundary element Galerkin solution of the h–p version converges exponentially fast on geometrically graded meshes (up to an additional term that converges algebraically with arbitrary high order). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A multilevel programming approach to decentralized (or hierarchical) resource allocation systems
Authors: Mitiku Semu
Published: March 2008

In many decision processes there is a hierarchy of decision‐makers and decisions are taken at different levels in this hierarchy. In business (and many other practical activities) decision making has changed over the last decades. From a single person (the boss!) and a single criterion (e.g. profit), decision environments have developed increasingly to become multi‐person and multi‐criteria and even multi‐level (or hierarchical) situations. In organization with hierarchical decision systems, the sequential and preemptive nature of the decision process makes the problem of selecting an optimum strategy and action very different from the usual operations research methods. Therefore, a multilevel programming approach is considered in modeling such problems. In particular a three‐level mathematical programming model has been proposed for an optimal resource allocation problem in Ethiopian universities. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Cluster synchronization, switching and spatiotemporal coding in a phase oscillator network
Authors: Orosz Gábor , Ashwin Peter , Wordsworth John , Townley Stuart
Published: March 2008

A network of five globally‐coupled identical phase oscillators is considered. Cluster states consisting of two synchronized pairs of oscillators and one singleton are investigated. Forcing the system with non‐uniform constant inputs results in regular switches between cluster states. The resultant cyclic sequences of switches (spatiotemporal codes) are studied for different initial conditions and input configurations. Implications on information coding in neural systems are briefly discussed. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
On the homogenization of the Buckley‐Leverett equation including trapping effects at the micro scale
Authors: Pop Iuliu Sorin , Schweizer Ben
Published: March 2008

We consider a simplified, one dimensional model for two‐phase (oil/water) flow in a porous medium. The medium consist of alternating homogeneous blocks separated by interfaces, where trapping effects may occur. Two effective models are derived in [2] and [7]. In this paper we show that the two models are equivalent. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Mixing modeling for stochastic simulations of turbulent premixed flames
Authors: Stöllinger Michael , Heinz Stefan
Published: March 2008

The use of probability density function (PDF) methods for turbulent combustion simulations is very attractive because arbitrary finite‐rate chemistry can be exactly taken into account. However, many real flames involve a variety of mixing regimes (non‐premixed, partially‐premixed and premixed turbulent combustion), and the development of PDF methods for partiallypremixed and premixed turbulent combustion turned out to be a very challenging task. A promising way to extend the range of applicability of PDF methods to the fast flamelet chemistry of turbulent premixed flames is described here. Simulation results of three turbulent premixed flames demonstrate the suitability of this approach. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Does synergized pyrethrin applied over wetlands for mosquito control affect Daphnia magna zooplankton or Callibaetis californicus mayflies?
Authors: Lawler Sharon P , Dritz Deborah A , Johnson Catherine S , Wolder Mike
Published: March 2008

BACKGROUND: Public health agencies may apply aerosolized synergized pyrethrin over wetlands repeatedly to control mosquitoes. This concerns wildlife managers because studies have shown the accumulation of pyrethroids, which are chemically similar to pyrethrin, in sediments in amounts that can be toxic to invertebrates. The authors tested whether repeated applications of synergized pyrethrin over wetlands caused mortality of two aquatic invertebrates: the zooplankton Daphnia magna Straus and a mayfly, Callibaetis californicus Banks. Fifteen wetland mesocosms were either exposed to repeated pyrethrin sprays or were protected by lids. Invertebrates in screened cages were placed in mesocosms before the fifth and eleventh spray, and directly into wetlands before spray 11. Six mesocosms were exposed to spray deposition. Caged adult mosquitoes were used to verify that sprays drifted over mesocosms. Sediments were analyzed for insecticide residues.

RESULTS: There were no detectable effects of synergized pyrethrin on 36 h survival of Daphnia or mayflies, but most exposed adult mosquitoes died. Some exposed sediments yielded pyrethrin (≤34.5 ng g−1); most showed piperonyl butoxide (PBO) (≤14.9 ng g−1).

CONCLUSIONS: Deposition of aerosolized 25% pyrethrin + 5% PBO may contaminate wetlands, but its application at rates used for mosquito control did not produce detectable effects on indicator species. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
The effect of substitution on the intramolecular hydrogen bonding in 3‐hydroxy‐propenethial
Authors: Raissi H. , Jalbout A. F. , Nasseria M. A. , Yoosefian M. , Ghiassi H. , Hameed A. J.
Published: March 2008

The intramolecular hydrogen bond strength of 3‐hydroxy‐propenethial (HPT) as well as the fluoro, chloro, bromo, and methyl derivatives were investigated at the B3LYP/6‐311++G**level of theory. Solvent‐based calculations (in water) for HPT and derivatives were also carried out. The nature of the intramolecular hydrogen bond existing within the molecular under investigation has been studied by means of the Bader theory of atoms in molecules (AIM) that is based upon the use topological properties in terms of the electron density. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008
Rapid full‐scale bioremediation of perchlorate in soil at a large brownfields site
Authors: Evans Patrick J. , Lo Ian , Moore Allen E. , Weaver William J. , Grove William F. , Amini Hassan
Published: March 2008

The former Bermite site north of Los Angeles, California, was used to manufacture various explosives and related products containing energetic compounds, including perchlorate. Remediation of perchlorate in site soil and groundwater is being conducted to meet regulatory requirements and allow planned redevelopment activities to proceed. The general approach to perchlorate remediation of shallow soil at the site includes excavation of affected soils followed by ex situ bioremediation. Glycerin was chosen for use as an electron donor because of its stability, safety, low cost, and regulatory acceptance. However, full‐scale bioremediation operation with glycerin initially resulted in inconsistent results despite consistent perchlorate biodegradation observed in treatability study microcosms. To eliminate the inconsistency and optimize the biotreatment process, additional studies were performed in the field on parallel tracks to determine crucial factor(s) that influenced inconsistent breakdown of perchlorate in site soils. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) was determined to be a significant factor limiting perchlorate biodegradation. The addition of di‐ammonium phosphate (DAP) resulted in the consistent and complete perchlorate removal, generally within two weeks of incubation with a median destruction rate of about 200 μg/kg/day. Soil processing rates were gradually increased over the year, and, by the summer, approximately 2,000 to 2,500 tons of soil were being processed per day with a total of approximately 160,000 tons processed by the end of July. The total unit treatment cost for the process is about approximately $35/ton. The glycerin‐DAP process is playing a major role in the remediation of this 1,000‐acre former industrial site. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Enhanced anaerobic bioremediation in a multicontaminant plume
Authors: Konzuk Julie S. , Duhamel Melanie , Major David W. , Repta Cory
Published: March 2008

The potential application of enhanced in situ bioremediation (EISB) for treatment of a plume containing high concentrations of 1,2‐dichloroethane (1,2‐DCA), as well as lower concentrations of other chlorinated ethanes, chlorinated methanes, and chlorinated ethenes was evaluated through the implementation of four field trials. The field trials confirmed that EISB is an effective technology for treating multiple contaminants, with estimated mass removal rates on the order of several kilograms per day and groundwater concentration reductions nearing 100 percent of the initial concentrations. The field trials also demonstrated that engineering controls could be effectively used to overcome potential inhibitions related to high concentrations of 1,2‐DCA. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Managing residual contaminants—reuse and isolation case studies
Authors: Kostelnik Kevin M. , Clarke James H.
Published: March 2008

Contaminants remaining onsite after regulatory‐approved environmental remediation operations are complete represent continued risk to human health and the environment. Many sites require continued management efforts to: (1) protect the integrity of the engineered remedy/control, (2) limit the exposure of individuals to residual contamination by limiting reuse activities, (3) maintain ready access to accurate records/information, and (4) protect against vulnerabilities from intentional threats/actions. This article presents performance information from selected case studies to provide insight into various management approaches employed for addressing the risks associated with residual contaminants. The case studies involve sites remediated within the U.S. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act framework and illustrate two prevailing management approaches for addressing the risks. Sacrifice zones are sites that are purposefully isolated to prevent human access onto the property. Reuse sites provide limited access for specific use. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Literature overview: Microbial metabolism of high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Authors: Husain Saleha
Published: March 2008

High molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HMW PAHs) increase in hydrophobicity with increases in their molecular weight and ring angularity. Microbial strategies to deal with PAH hydrophobicity include biofilm formation, enzyme induction, and biosurfactants, the effect of which is variable on PAH metabolism depending on the surfactant type and concentration, substrate, and microbial strain(s). Aerobic HMW PAH metabolism proceeds via mineralization, partial degradation, and cometabolic transformations. Generally, bacteria and nonlignolytic fungi metabolize PAHs via initial PAH ring oxidation by dioxygenases to form cis‐dihydrodiols, which are transformed to catechol compounds by dehydrogenases and other mono‐ and dioxygenases to substituted catechol and noncatechol compounds, all ortho‐ or metacleaved and further oxidized to simpler compounds. However, lignolytic fungi form quinones and acids to CO2. This review discusses the pathways for HMW PAH microbial metabolism. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Remediation and review: Developing groundwater strategy at the hanford site
Authors: Abbotts John , Weems Charles
Published: March 2008

The U.S. Department of Energy's (US DOE's) environmental challenges include remediation of the Hanford Site in Washington State. The site's legacy from nuclear weapons “production” activities includes approximately 80 square miles of contaminated groundwater, containing radioactive and other hazardous substances at levels above drinking water standards. In 1998, the U.S. General Accounting Office (US GAO), the auditing arm of Congress, concluded that groundwater remediation at Hanford should be integrated with a comprehensive understanding of the “vadose zone,” the soil region between the ground surface and groundwater. The US DOE's Richland Operations Office adjusted its program in response, and groundwater/vadose‐zone efforts at Hanford have continued to develop since that time. Hanford provides an example of how a federal remediation program can be influenced by reviews from the US GAO and other organizations, including the US DOE itself. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The river Vecht fish community after rehabilitation measures: a comparison to the historical situation by using the river Biebrza as a geographical reference
Authors: Winter H. V. , Lapinska M. , de Leeuw J. J.
Published: March 2008

Setting ecological goals for restoring fish communities in larger rivers is hampered by a lack of knowledge of the natural reference conditions. The lowland river Vecht has become highly regulated since 1850. Since the 1970s, measures have been taken to improve water quality followed by the construction of fishways along weirs in the 1990s to rehabilitate migration. We aim to assess the degree of deviation of the current fish community in the river from its pre‐regulation state. The assessment is based on a comparison with the less impacted river Biebrza in Poland as a geographical reference, involving a semi‐quantitative stepwise reconstruction based on available historic evidence. Electrofishing was used to describe the current quantitative species compositions of the fish communities in the rivers Vecht and Biebrza and historical records of the Vecht region were used to crosscheck the reconstructed fish community around 1850 after correcting for zoogeographical differences. Despite various rehabilitation measures, the deviation from the natural reference is still large. Currently, perch Perca fluviatilis and bream Abramis brama are much more abundant, and bleak Alburnus alburnus, white bream Blicca bjoerkna and most rheophilic species are far less abundant, than before. The main reasons for this deviation appears to be the present quality of the habitats and, for some species, the poor connectivity with the sea as well as with small tributaries. The approach used should be widely applicable to derive natural references, assess rehabilitation success or improve the ecological assessment of integrity as imposed by the European Water Framework Directive. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Downstream benthic responses to small dam removal in a coldwater stream
Authors: Orr Cailin H. , Kroiss Steve J. , Rogers Kristy L. , Stanley Emily H.
Published: March 2008

Increased awareness of the negative effects of dams combined with an aging dam infrastructure has led to an increase in dam removals. However, ecological responses of downstream biota to such actions are poorly understood. We examined the influence of a pair of small dam removals on downstream periphyton and macroinvertebrates in Boulder Creek, WI (USA). The dams were 180 m apart and both were removed on 9 July 2003. We monitored algae and macroinvertebrates as well as habitat characteristics for approximately 2 months before and after the removals upstream and downstream from the two dams, and continued our observations over a similar period (mid‐May to mid‐July) the following summer. After the removals, an initial release of sediment significantly increased the proportion of fine sediments in the downstream reach and buried benthic substrate. This burial led to a 60% reduction in chlorophyll in the downstream reach the week following removal, while concentrations increased in the upstream reference reach. Similarly, macroinvertebrate densities 2 weeks post‐removal were lower relative to pre‐removal densities and were associated with declines of ephemeropterans, trichopterans and dipterans. Examination of Trichoptera genera demonstrated substantial changes in this assemblage associated with diminished densities of the formerly dominant genus Brachycentrus. Algal and invertebrate populations increased in the weeks after the dam removal, but did not reach densities similar to the upstream reference reach. In the following year, both periphyton and invertebrate densities were lower in the downstream reach, suggesting a long‐term effect of the removal. Thus, effects of the dam removal were alternatively positive or negative over time, and indicate that the time scale of consideration has a strong effect on the interpretation of the consequences of this management activity. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of large woody debris on surface structure and aquatic habitat in forested streams, southern interior British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Chen Xiaoyong , Wei Xiaohua , Scherer Rob , Hogan Dan
Published: March 2008

It is well known that large woody debris (LWD) plays an important functional role in aquatic organisms' life. However, the influence of LWD on channel morphology and aquatic environments at watershed levels is still unclear. The relationships between wood and surface structure and aquatic habitat in 35 first through fifth order streams of southern interior British Columbia were investigated. Study streams in the channel networks of the study watersheds were classified into four size categories based on stream order and bankfull width: Stream size I: bankfull width was less than 3 m, Stream size II: 3–5 m, Stream size III: 5–7 m, Stream size IV: larger than 7 m. We found the number of functional pieces increased with stream size and wood surface area in stream sizes I, II and III (24, 28 and 25 m2/100 m2, respectively) was significantly higher than that in stream size IV (12 m2/100 m2). The contribution of wood pieces to pool formation was 75% and 85% in stream sizes II and III, respectively, which was significantly higher than those in stream size I (50%) and size IV (25%). Between 21% and 25% of wood pieces were associated with storing sediment, and between 20% and 29% of pieces were involved in channel bank stability in all study streams. Due to long‐term interactions, LWD in the intermediate sized streams (Size II and III) exhibited much effect on channel surface structure and aquatic habitats in the studied watersheds. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Soil seed banks of degraded riparian zones in southeastern Australia and their potential contribution to the restoration of understorey vegetation
Authors: Williams Laura , Reich Paul , Capon Samantha J. , Raulings Elisa
Published: March 2008

Although soil seed banks are understood to be integral to the vegetation dynamics and restoration of many ecosystems, little is known of their role in riparian zones. In this study, we investigated soil seed banks of riparian zones of contrasting condition in an agricultural landscape and evaluated their potential to influence riparian restoration. We examined the composition and structure of germinable soil seed banks along lateral gradients from stream channels in both cleared and wooded riparian zones of three lowland creeks within the Goulburn Broken catchment in temperate southeastern Australia. Environmental correlates of soil seed bank characteristics and similarity to extant vegetation were also examined. We found an abundant and species‐rich soil seed bank mostly comprising propagules of perennial rushes and sedges and annual and perennial grasses with many species of annual forbs. While the majority of identifiable germinants and species were native, exotic species were common at all locations. Soil seed bank composition was relatively homogeneous among streams and along lateral gradients from the channel. Riparian condition (i.e. cleared or wooded), however, had a strong influence on soil seed bank composition and structure with cleared reaches containing more species, more germinable annual grasses and higher total numbers of germinable seeds. Soil seed bank composition was correlated with site openness suggesting that extant vegetation structure plays an important role in soil seed bank dynamics. Recruitment from the in situ soil seed bank will help restore only some components of the riparian plant community and may hinder restoration by introducing undesirable species. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Suicide and its impact on campus
Authors: Levine Heidi
Published: March 2008

Death by suicide can magnify and complicate bereavement, leaving community members struggling to sort through grief, anger, guilt, and the overwhelming feeling that they should somehow have been able to prevent the death.
Bacterial hydrolytic dehalogenases and related enzymes: Occurrences, reaction mechanisms, and applications
Authors: Kurihara Tatsuo , Esaki Nobuyoshi
Published: March 2008

Dehalogenases catalyze the cleavage of the carbon–halogen bond of organohalogen compounds. They have been attracting a great deal of attention partly because of their potential applications in the chemical industry and bioremediation. In this personal account, we describe occurrences, reaction mechanisms, and applications of bacterial hydrolytic dehalogenases and related enzymes, particularly L‐2‐haloacid dehalogenase, DL‐2‐haloacid dehalogenase, fluoroacetate dehalogenase, and 2‐haloacrylate reductase. L‐2‐Haloacid dehalogenase is a representative enzyme of the haloacid dehalogenase (HAD) superfamily, which includes the P‐type ATPases and other hydrolases. Structural and mechanistic analyses of this enzyme have yielded important insights into the mode of action of the HAD superfamily proteins. Fluoroacetate dehalogenase is unique in that it catalyzes the cleavage of the highly stable CF bond of a fluorinated aliphatic compound. In the reactions of L‐2‐haloacid dehalogenase and fluoroacetate dehalogenase, the carboxylate group of Asp performs a nucleophilic attack on the α‐carbon atom of the substrate, displacing the halogen atom. This mechanism is common to haloalkane dehalogenase and 4‐chlorobenzoyl‐CoA dehalogenase. DL‐2‐Haloacid dehalogenase is unique in that a water molecule directly attacks the substrate, displacing the halogen atom. The occurrence of 2‐haloacrylate reductase was recently reported, revealing a new pathway for the degradation of unsaturated aliphatic organohalogen compounds. © 2008 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 8: 67–74; 2008: Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20141
Two dimensional stagnation point flow of an elastico‐viscous fluid with partial slip
Authors: Ariel P.D.
Published: March 2008

The steady, laminar flow of an elastico‐viscous fluid impinging normally upon a wall has been investigated when there is a partial slip of the fluid at the wall. The governing equations of motion admit a similarity solution in terms of η, the dimensionless distance normal to the wall. The boundary value problem characterizing the flow has been solved without making any assumption on the size of either the viscoelastic fluid parameter or the partial slip parameter. The solutions are shown to exist only up to a critical value of viscoelastic fluid parameter. The effect of the partial slip is to enhance this critical value.
Growth after renal transplantation
Authors: Harambat Jérôme , Cochat Pierre
Published: March 2008

Growth may be severely impaired in children with chronic renal insufficiency. Since short stature can have major consequences on quality of life and self-esteem, achieving a ‘normal’ height is a crucial issue for renal transplant recipients. However, despite successful renal transplantation, the final height attained by most recipients is not the calculated target height. Catch-up growth spurts post-transplantation are usually insufficient to compensate for the retardation in growth that has occurred during the pre-transplant period. Longitudinal growth post-transplantation is therefore influenced by the age at transplantation but also by subsequent allograft function and steroid exposure, both of which interfere with the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor axis. The management of growth retardation in renal transplant recipients includes adequate nutritional intake, correction of metabolic acidosis, prevention of bone disease, steroid-sparing strategies and a supraphysiological dose of recombinant human growth hormone in selected cases.
GCG‐Rich Tea Catechins are Effective in Lowering Cholesterol and Triglyceride Concentrations in Hyperlipidemic Rats
Authors: Lee Sang Min , Kim Chae Wook , Kim Jung Kee , Shin Hyun Jung , Baik Joo Hyun
Published: March 2008

The (−)‐gallocatechin gallate (GCG) concentration in some tea beverages can account for as much as 50% of the total catechins, as a result of sterilization. The present study aims to examine the effects of GCG‐rich tea catechins on hyperlipidemic rats and the mechanisms associated with regulating cholesterol metabolism in the liver. By performing heat epimerization of (−)‐epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), we manufactured a mixture of catechins that had a GCG content of approximately 50% (w/w). In sucrose‐rich diet‐induced hyperlipidemic rats, the GCG‐rich tea catechins exhibited strong activity in reducing plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Furthermore, the hepatic cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations that had increased as a result of the sucrose‐rich diet were reduced due to GCG‐rich tea catechins consumption. In order to investigate the hyperlipidemic mechanism of GCG‐rich tea catechins, we examined the hepatic expressions of LDL receptor and HMG‐CoA reductase in hyperlipidemic rats. We further evaluated the action of purified GCG on LDL receptor activity, which is a key contributor to the regulation of cholesterol concentrations. We found that purified GCG increased LDL receptor protein level and activity to a greater extent than EGCG. In conclusion, our study indicates that GCG‐rich tea catechins in tea beverages may be effective in preventing hyperlipidemia by lowering plasma and hepatic cholesterol concentrations.
Unusual Fatty Acids in the Fat Body of the Early Nesting Bumblebee, Bombus pratorum
Authors: Cvačka Josef , Kofroňová Edita , Vašíčková Soňa , Stránský Karel , Jiroš Pavel , Hovorka Oldřich , Kindl Jiří , Valterová Irena
Published: March 2008

Unusual fatty acids with 24, 26, and 28 carbon atoms were found in triacylglycerols (TAGs) isolated from fat body tissue of bumblebee Bombus pratorum. The most abundant one was (Z,Z)‐9,19‐hexacosadienoic acid. Its structure was determined by mass spectrometry after derivatization with dimethyl disulfide and by infrared spectroscopy. ECL (equivalent chain length) values of its methyl ester were determined on both DB‐1 and DB‐WAX capillary columns. (Z,Z)‐9,19‐Hexacosadienoic acid is quite rare in nature. So far it has been identified only in marine sponges, and this work is the first evidence of its occurrence in a terrestrial organism. HPLC/MS analysis of the bumblebee TAGs showed that (Z,Z)‐9,19‐hexacosadienoic acid is present in one third of all TAG molecular species. As it was found in all sn‐TAG positions, it is likely that (Z,Z)‐9,19‐hexacosadienoic acid is transported to tissues. Interestingly, labial gland secretion of B. pratorum was found to contain (Z,Z)‐7,17‐pentacosadiene, a hydrocarbon with markedly similar double bond positions and geometry. Possible biosynthetic relationships between these two compounds are discussed.
Temporary hemiepiphyseal arrest using a screw and plate device to treat knee and ankle deformities in children: A preliminary report
Authors: Burghardt Rolf D. , Herzenberg John E. , Standard Shawn C. , Paley Dror
Published: March 2008

Purpose

Traditionally, angular deformities are treated by means of osteotomy. In patients who are skeletally immature, this major intervention can be avoided by influencing or guiding the growth of the affected physis. Recently, a new device was presented as an alternative to the widely used Blount staple. Stevens developed a technique using a two-hole, non-locking plate with two screws to perform temporary hemiepiphysiodesis in children. We studied the effectiveness of this new device in correcting angular deformities in children even younger than 5 years of age.

Methods

We evaluated our first series of 11 patients (17 eight-Plates) who underwent treatment for angular deformities of various origins and were followed to completion of correction. The average age at hemiepiphysiodesis was 10 years and 2 months (age range 4 years and 11 months–13 years and 8 months). The device was inserted in the lateral distal femur (two cases), the medial distal femur (eight cases), the lateral proximal tibia (two cases), the medial proximal tibia (four cases), and the medial distal tibia (one case).

Results

The eight-Plate was inserted for an average of 9.5 months (range 5–13 months). The joint orientation angles and the mechanical axis improved in all patients, with the exception of one 13-year and 8-month-old boy with a resected osteosarcoma and a compromised growth plate. In valgus cases (12 limbs, 13 eight-Plates), the mechanical axis deviation improved by an average of 30.7 mm (range 13–55 mm). In varus cases (four limbs, four eight-Plates), the mechanical axis deviation improved by an average of 38.8 mm (range 0–74 mm). No hardware failures, extrusion, growth arrest, or other complications were observed. None of our patients required an osteotomy or repeat eight-Plate insertion.

Conclusions

We consider the eight-Plate to be an ideal tool for treatment of angular deformities in growing children. It allows for precise insertion and is reliable. It is also less likely to extrude like the Blount staple.
Structurally stable perturbations of polynomials in the Riemann sphere
Authors: Iglesias J. , Portela A. , Rovella A.
Published: March 2008

The perturbations of complex polynomials of one variable are considered in a wider class than the holomorphic one. It is proved that under certain conditions on a polynomial

p

of the plane, the

C^{r}

conjugacy class of a map

f

in a

C^{1}

neighborhood of

p

depends only on the geometric structure of the critical set of

f

. This provides the first class of examples of structurally stable maps with critical points and nontrivial nonwandering set in dimension greater than one.

Nous considérons les perturbations des polynômes complexes en une variable dans une classe plus vaste que la classe holomorphe. Si

f

est une application appartenant à un voisinage

C^{1}

d'un polynôme

p

du plan, nous prouvons, sous certaines conditions sur

p

, que la classe de conjugaison

C^{r}

de

f

ne dépend que de la structure géométrique du lieu critique de

f

. Ceci fournit la première classe d'exemples, en dimension supérieure à une, d'applications structurellement stables ayant des points critiques et un ensemble nonerrant nontrivial.
Regulation of extranuclear PtdIns5P production by phosphatidylinositol phosphate 4‐kinase 2α
Authors: Wilcox Andrew , Hinchliffe Katherine A.
Published: March 2008

Cellular levels of the phosphoinositide PtdIns5P are regulated by agonist stimulation, but the mechanisms controlling turnover of this lipid, and the subcellular location of the regulated PtdIns5P pool(s), remain poorly understood. Here we show that enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation robustly increases cellular PtdIns5P levels. Moreover, unlike PtdIns5P production enhanced by cell stress, we show that this pool of PtdIns5P is specifically regulated by the inositol lipid kinase PIP4K2a.
Transforming growth factor Β3 increases chondrocyte proliferation and decreases apoptosis in murine cricoid cartilage in vitro
Authors: Martinez‐Alvernia Efrain A. , Rudnick Jennifer A. , Mankarious Leila A.
Published: March 2008

Objective

To determine if the luminal epithelium and/or exogenous transforming growth factor beta (TGFΒ) affects growth of the cricoid.

Design

Subglottises from 20 neonatal mice were subdivided into four groups: A, five subglottises with luminal epithelium grown in basic medium; B, five epithelium‐free subglottises in basic medium; C, five epithelium‐free subglottises in basic medium with supplemental TGFΒ1, and D, five epithelium‐free subglottises in basic medium with supplemental TGFΒ3.

Results

Groups A and D demonstrated the greatest luminal area expansion. Group A rings demonstrated statistically higher chondrocyte proliferation than Groups B and C and lesser amounts of luminal apoptosis. Groups B and C rings demonstrated the least amount of cell proliferation, and greater luminal apoptosis relative to Group A. Groups A and D rings had similar apoptotic and proliferative results.

Conclusions

Luminal epithelium exerts influence over the cricoid by increasing chondrocyte proliferation and decreasing the relative proportion of luminal chondrocytes that undergo apoptosis. Exogenous TGFΒ3, not TGFΒ1, also increases chondrocyte proliferation within the cricoid and appears to influence apoptosis as well.
Influence of topical application of basic fibroblast growth factor upon inner ear
Authors: KaseKei‐Ichi Kei‐Ichi , Iwanaga Tetsu , Terakado Mariko , Tanaka Fujinobu , Takasaki Kenji , Kumagami Hidetaka , Takahashi Haruo
Published: March 2008

Background

Basic fibroblast growth factor (b‐FGF) has recently been shown to have a positive effect on the treatment of postoperative mastoid cavity problem, but its ototoxicity has not been investigated.

Objective

To investigate the effect of b‐FGF on the inner ear of guinea pigs.

Study Design and Setting

In groups A (n = 10) and B (n =11), b‐FGF was applied into the left external auditory canal and the middle ear, respectively. The right ear served as a control. At 1 week after b‐FGF administration, the endocochlear DC potential (EP) was measured, and morphology of the cochleae was examined by scanning electron microscopy.

Results

In group A, the EP values of experimental ears and controls were 90.0 ± 8.4 (mV, mean ± SD) and 89.4 ± 4.3 (P < 0.05). In group B, the values were 86.5 ± 11.4 and 87.5 ± 6.1, respectively, (P < 0.05). Morphological findings showed no damage on the cochlear.

Conclusion

Application of b‐FGF to the external and middle ears does not seem to have an apparent risk of ototoxicity.
Tinnitus treatment with memantine
Authors: Figueiredo Ricardo Rodrigues , Langguth Berthold , de Oliveira Patricia Mello , de Azevedo Andréia Aparecida
Published: March 2008

Objective

To evaluate efficacy and safety of memantine in the treatment of tinnitus.

Study Design

Prospective, randomized, double‐blind crossover study.

Subjects and Methods

A total of 60 patients with tinnitus were randomized into a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, prospective crossover study. Patients each received up to 20 mg memantine and placebo for 90 days, separated by a 30‐day washout period. Treatment effects were assessed by using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI). A total of 43 patients completed the trial.

Results

There was no significant improvement of THI score after memantine treatment compared with placebo. A possible tendency for delayed effects of memantine was observed. The incidence of side effects during memantine treatment was 9.4 percent, leading to interruption of treatment in all cases.

Conclusion

This study does not provide evidence to recommend memantine for the treatment of tinnitus. A possible late effect of the drug should be evaluated in further studies with longer observation periods.
Novel 3‐D video for quantification of facial movement
Authors: Mehta Ritvik P. , Zhang Song , Hadlock Tessa A.
Published: March 2008

Objectives

To evaluate a novel 3‐D geometry video acquisition system (3‐D VAS) for quantifying facial movement.

Methods

Ten normal subjects and four patients with facial paralysis underwent recording of facial movement during three facial expressions. Facial feature points of interest were digitally marked on selected images. The maximum 3‐D displacement of the brow and oral commissure and palpebral fissure width were determined.

Results

Test‐retest reliability using the 3‐D VAS in normal subjects was high (Spearman correlation coefficients 0.661–0.830, P > 0.05). The predicted ratio of left to right facial measurements was 1.00 in normal subjects, and measured mean ratios were 1.05 (brow excursion), 1.01 (palpebral fissure width), and 1.03 (oral commissure excursion), respectively, matching the prediction. The 3‐D VAS reliably quantified facial movement on both sides in patients with facial paralysis.

Conclusions

The novel 3‐D VAS can accurately and reliably quantify facial movement in healthy subjects. It is promising as a clinical tool to quantify facial movement in patients with facial paralysis.
Transnasal esophagoscopy: A position statement from the American Bronchoesophagological Association (ABEA)
Authors: Amin Milan R. , Postma Gregory N. , Setzen Michael , Koufman Jamie A.
Published: March 2008

Objective

To review and summarize the current literature on transnasal esophagoscopy, and to compare information with conventional esophagoscopy.

Data Sources

Medline (Ovid), book chapters.

Review Methods

A thorough review of the literature using the Medline database was performed with the following search terms: esophagoscopy, transnasal esophagoscopy, ultrathin endoscopy, and esophagoscope.

Results

The literature seems to support the equivalence of transnasal esophagoscopy and conventional esophagoscopy in image quality and diagnostic capability. It also points to some potential advantages of transnasal esophagoscopy.

Conclusions

Transnasal esophagoscopy is a useful tool for accurate diagnosis and can be used in a variety of office procedures.
THE LIMITS OF THE CONFESSIONAL STATE: ELECTORAL RELIGION IN THE REIGN OF CHARLES II
Authors: GIBSON WILLIAM
Published: March 2008

From 1670 there were sustained attempts to use excommunication as a tool to influence parliamentary elections. Excommunicants could not qualify for membership of municipal corporations under the Test and Corporation Acts. Towards the end of Charles II's reign, as fear of protestant dissent grew, excommunication was, however, used to deny voters the right to exercise their franchise. There was a concerted attempt, encouraged by the king, to ensure the election of a compliant tory parliament through the use of excommunication in elections in borough seats. The attempt, reliant on bishops and spiritual courts, represented the high water mark of the ‘confessional state’. Of questionable legality, the exclusion of excommunicants from the right to vote was short-lived. The accession of James II, and his Catholicizing policies, created new alliances between Anglicans and dissenters and eroded the willingness of bishops to use excommunication as an electoral instrument. In 1689, the Toleration Act removed the principal cause of the persecution of dissent. The use of excommunication, nevertheless, represented an important attempt to unite the church and state for electoral reasons.
NATION, GOVERNMENT, AND ‘ANTI-SEMITISM’ IN EARLY NINETEENTH-CENTURY AUSTRIA
Authors: GODSEY WILLIAM D.
Published: March 2008

In 1808, an Estate of the lesser nobility of the Lower Austrian diet approved a statute barring from membership persons of Jewish descent in the ‘third degree’ regardless of confession. It is the only documented instance in Europe for the revolutionary era of such a paragraph that, in its rejection of Jewish ancestry in both the paternal and maternal lines, resembled the early modern Spanish statutes of ‘blood purity’ and the twentieth-century Nuremberg laws. The Josephian patent of toleration of 1782 had not allowed Jews to become members of the corporate nobility (the first Jew was only ennobled in 1789), but had relieved some of the worst aspects of discrimination. By the early nineteenth century, the archduchy of Lower Austria (including the imperial capital at Vienna) contained the largest, wealthiest, and most self-confident Jewish community in the Hapsburg Monarchy. The statute of 1808 was a reaction to Jewish acculturation to the upper class (including conversion, intermarriage, concessions of property-rights, the existence of salons in which Jews and new Christians mixed with the nobility) that presented a perceived threat to the status of its marginal members (lesser landed nobles, ennobled officialdom, and ennobled professionals). The statute was also a product of the politically and nationally charged atmosphere in Vienna between the Austrian defeat by Napoleon at Austerlitz (1805) and the renewed war against France (1809). No simple ideological continuum connects the Lower Austrian paragraph to either the early modern Spanish or the late modern Nazi ordinances. But it was the first such statute to take shape in a political context fraught with recognizably late modern concepts of ‘nation’. The statute of 1808 furthermore evidences the continuing fractured nature of public authority and lack of thorough-going state-formation in Austria.
REINTERPRETING ‘FACTORY POLITICS’ IN BURY, LANCASHIRE, 1868–1880
Authors: BARBARY V. C.
Published: March 2008

Using Bury as a case study, this article reassesses the mechanism of the formation of political opinion in Lancashire factory towns in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This subject has heretofore been dominated by sociological explanations of the 1970s and early 1980s. A re-examination of the ‘Three Lancashires’ paradigm, the socio-economic model that has underpinned most Lancashire studies for this period, demonstrates that the socio-economics of urban Lancashire were more diverse than previously thought. From this basis, the article challenges the empirical basis of one of the most enduring tenets of Lancashire politics: the deferential ‘factory politics’ model. To provide an alternative explanation, this article reasserts the importance of ‘issues’ to the debate, and underlines the contingent nature of the relationship between representative and constituents. An important strand is whether political activists integrated their plebeian rank and file into new party structures, thus neutralizing threats to status quo. This interpretation has been central to much recent revisionist history; however, this article demonstrates that the ‘rise of party’ during the mid-Victorian period was contingent upon political activists acquiescing to certain requirements of their followers.
THE EMERGENCE OF STATUTORY HYGIENE PRECAUTIONS IN THE BRITISH MINING INDUSTRIES, 1890–1914
Authors: MILLS CATHERINE
Published: March 2008

It will be fifty years in 2008 since Oliver MacDonagh suggested that the adoption of new responsibilities by the state in the early nineteenth century was an inevitable response to the social consequences of the industrial revolution, and impervious to ideological and philosophical influences. This article revisits MacDonagh's model by examining the emergence of occupational health reform in the British mining industry in the early twentieth century. Until the introduction of statutory measures in 1905 to protect miners against developing silicosis and basic sanitation provisions to prevent cross-contamination of disease, state regulation of working conditions prioritized the prevention of accidental injuries. It is argued that this decisive shift in the scope and nature of government intervention can be understood as part of a process of institutional expansion of mining regulations that broadly parallels MacDonagh's model. Yet the precise details of when, and how, health reform emerged and the nature of these specific regulatory controls were influenced by a variety of factors, including visibility of risk, human agency, economic performance of the industry, and contemporary thinking in political economy.
THE MODERNIST MOMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, 1957–1977
Authors: WHYTE WILLIAM
Published: March 2008

Between 1957 and 1977 the University of Leeds engaged in a massive programme of rebuilding. Employing the architects Chamberlin, Powell, and Bon, Leeds transformed itself – becoming, in the words of one commentator, ‘Our first contemporary urban university’. Previously ignored by historians, this development in the history of the university illustrates a number of important themes. In the first place, it exemplifies the significance of architecture in defining higher education. Secondly – and more particularly – it shows how both academics and architects hoped to use Brutalist architecture to express the modernity of the University of Leeds. Thus the decision to employ avant-garde designers in the late 1950s and the resolution to dismiss them twenty years later both came from the same modernizing impulse. Thirdly, it shows how personal connection secured architectural patronage in this period. The Development Plan also highlights the way in which architects of the British modern movement used universities as laboratories in which to experiment with ideas about community and proper urban design. The modernist moment at Leeds, then, can be seen as representative of wider trends in British building, not least because it lasted for such a short period of time.