bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and properties of photocurable biodegradable multiblock copolymers based on poly(ε‐caprolactone) and poly(L‐lactide) segments
Authors: Nagata Minoru , Sato Yuki
Published: April 2005

Photocurable biodegradable multiblock copolymers were synthesized from poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) diol and poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA) diol with 4,4′‐(adipoyldioxy)dicinnamic acid (CAC) dichloride as a chain extender derived from adipoyl chloride and 4‐hydroxycinnamic acid, and they were characterized with Fourier transform infrared and 1H NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and tensile tests. The copolymers were irradiated with a 400‐W high‐pressure mercury lamp from 30 min to 3 h to form a network structure in the absence of photoinitiators. The gel concentration increased with time, and a concentration of approximately 90% was obtained in 90–180 min for all the films. The photocuring hardly affected the crystallinity and melting temperature of the PCL segments but reduced the crystallinity of the PLLA segments. The mechanical properties, such as the tensile strength, modulus, and elongation, were significantly affected by the copolymer compositions and gel concentrations. Shape‐memory properties were determined with cyclic thermomechanical experiments. The CAC/PCL and CAC/PCL/PLLA (75/25) films photocured for 30–120 min showed good shape‐memory properties with strain fixity rates and recovery rates of approximately 100%. The formation of the network structure and the crystallization and melting of the PCL segments played very important roles for the typical shape‐memory properties. Finally, the degradation characteristics of these copolymers were investigated in a phosphate buffer solution at 37 °C with proteinase‐k and Pseudomonas cepacia lipase. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2426–2439, 2005
Nucleophilic cosubstitution of poly(dichlorophosphazene) with alkyl ether and amino acid ester
Authors: Zhang Teng , Cai Qing , Wu Zhan Peng , Li Cheng Qiang , Jin Ri Guang
Published: April 2005

The nucleophilic substitution reaction of poly(dichlorophosphazene) with sodium 2‐methoxyethoxide and glycine ethyl ester has been studied in detail. Polymers prepared with different methods have been characterized by 1H NMR, and the results reveal that the addition sequence of the two nucleophilic reagents is an important factor in determining the structure of the resultant polymer. If alkyl ether is added first, the subsequently introduced amino acid ester not only reacts with residual PCl but also attacks the alkyl ether side units present by replacing either the whole group or just OCH3. As a result, a new kind of side group (OCH2CH2NHCH2COOC2H5) can be detected in the macromolecule. To obtain polymers with desired compositions {poly[(methoxyethoxy)x(ethylglycino)yphosphazene]}, the amino acid ester should be introduced initially to react with poly(dichlorophosphazene), and it should be followed by the alkyl ether. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2417–2425, 2005
Perfluoro(methylcyclohexane) plasma polymer thin film: Growth, surface morphology, and properties investigated by scanning thermal microscopy
Authors: Dutta N. K. , Tran N. D. , Choudhury N. R.
Published: April 2005

Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) has been used for the visualization and characterization of an ultrathin plasma polymer film of perfluoro(methylcyclohexane) at a submicrometer level. The morphology, molecular dynamics, and lateral homogeneity of the ultrathin film have all been examined precisely with SThM. The growth of the plasma polymer film on a silicon wafer (Si‐wafer) has also been precisely determined using a new burning‐hole technique. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1392–1400, 2005
Quality of life of husbands of women with breast cancer
Authors: Wagner Christina D. , Bigatti Silvia M. , Storniolo Anna Maria
Published: April 2005

The life‐threatening nature of breast cancer, along with the side effects of treatment, place great strain on patients and their families. Husbands may be especially vulnerable as the main source of support to patients. The present study compared the quality of life (QOL) of husbands of patients with breast cancer (HBC; n=79) to spouses of healthy wives (n=79). Additionally, associations between QOL and caregiver burden, social support, and coping were examined. HBC scored lower on general health, vitality, role‐emotional, and mental health subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) SF‐36 than comparison group participants. No differences were found between groups on the physical functioning, role‐physical, bodily pain, or social functioning subscales. Higher QOL in HBC was associated with less caregiver burden as evidenced by lower burden on the Illness Impact Form, lower use of emotion‐focused coping on the Ways of Coping Questionnaire, and higher social support on the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List. Wife illness characteristics such as stage of disease and time since diagnosis were not related to QOL in husbands. These findings illuminate the need to support HBC, whose QOL suffers during the breast cancer experience. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhanced sampling near the native conformation using statistical potentials for local side‐chain and backbone interactions
Authors: Fang Qiaojun , Shortle David
Published: April 2005

In the preceding article in this issue of Proteins, an empirical energy function consisting of 4 statistical potentials that quantify local side‐chain–backbone and side‐chain–side‐chain interactions has been demonstrated to successfully identify the native conformations of short sequence fragments and the native structure within large sets of high‐quality decoys. Because this energy function consists entirely of interactions between residues separated by fewer than 5 positions, it can be used at the earliest stage of ab initio structure prediction to enhance the efficiency of conformational search. In this article, protein fragments are generated de novo by recombining very short segments of protein structures (2, 4, or 6 residues), either selected at random or optimized with respect this local energy function. When local energy is optimized in selected fragments, more efficient sampling of conformational space near the native conformation is consistently observed for 450 randomly selected single turn fragments, with turn lengths varying from 3 to 12 residues and all 4 combinations of flanking secondary structure. These results further demonstrate the energetic significance of local interactions in protein conformations. When used in combination with longer range energy functions, application of these potentials should lead to more accurate prediction of protein structure. Proteins 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Crystal packing effects on protein loops
Authors: Rapp Chaya S. , Pollack Rena M.
Published: April 2005

The effects of crystal packing on protein loop structures are examined by (1) a comparison of loops in proteins that have been crystallized in alternate packing arrangements, and (2) theoretical prediction of loops both with and without the inclusion of the crystal environment. Results show that in a minority of cases, loop geometries are dependent on crystal packing effects. Explicit representation of the crystal environment in a loop prediction algorithm can be used to model these effects and to reconstruct the structures, and relative energies, of a loop in alternative packing environments. By comparing prediction results with and without the inclusion of the crystal environment, the loop prediction algorithm can further be used to identify cases in which a crystal structure does not represent the most stable state of a loop in solution. We anticipate that this capability has implications for structural biology. Proteins 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
THz‐emitter based on ballistic transport in nano‐pin diodes
Authors: Renner F. , Eckardt M. , Schwanhäußer A. , Klar O. , Malzer S. , Döhler G. H. , Loata G. , Löffler T. , Roskos H. , Hanson M. , Driscoll D. , Gossard A. C.
Published: April 2005

Conventional semiconductor‐based photomixers are limited by the carrier transit‐time‐roll‐off and the RC‐roll‐off of the device‐capacitance. We have developed a THz‐photomixer which can overcome both limitations and proves far superior to a conventional pin‐photomixer. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Growth of highly curved Al1–xInxN nanocrystals
Authors: Radnóczi György Z. , Seppänen Timo , Pécz Béla , Hultman Lars , Birch Jens
Published: April 2005

A materials structure is reported that is characterized by high lattice curvature assigned to a compositional gradient. The phenomenon occurs for physical vapour deposition of Al1–xInxN epitaxial thin films with directional fluxes of Al and In at kinetically limited growth conditions. According to our growth model unit cells are incorporated on the growth surfaces of emerging whiskers (nanowires) with a continuously varying lattice parameter depending on their position with respect to Al‐ and In‐rich sides of the whisker. Such curved crystals are effectively quenched solid solutions. We present a description of this generic, self‐assembled curved crystal structure and its implications. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
In Vitro culture studies of FlorEssence® on human tumor cell lines
Authors: Tai Joseph , Cheung Susan
Published: April 2005

FlorEssence® (FE) is an herbal tea widely used by patients to treat chronic conditions in North America, particularly cancer patients during chemo‐ and radiation therapy. Although individual components of FE have antioxidant, antiestrogenic, immunostimulant and antitumor properties, in vitro evidence of anticancer activity for the herbal tea itself is still lacking. We studied the antiproliferative effect of FE on MCF7 and MDA‐MB‐468 human breast cancer, and Jurkat and K562 leukemia cell lines. We found that FE significantly inhibited the proliferation of both breast and leukemia cells in vitro only at high concentrations, with 50% inhibition of MDA‐MB‐468 cells at about 1[sol ]20 dilution, Jurkat cells at about 1[sol ]10 dilution and MCF7 and K562 cells at less than 1[sol ]10 dilution. Flow cytometry analysis showed that treatment with a high concentration of FE induced G2[sol ]M arrest in MCF7 and Jurkat cells, with also an increased SubG0[sol ]G1 fraction in MCF7 cells. MDA‐MB‐468 cells showed a significantly increased Sub G0[sol ]G1 fraction after treatment with 1[sol ]10 dilution of FE while the cell cycle of K562 was unaffected. When MCF7 and MDA‐MB‐468 breast cancer cells were treated with a combination of FE with either paclitaxel or cisplatin, results showed that only the combination of 1[sol ]20 dilution of FE with 0.5 µM cisplatin resulted in a small but significantly higher MCF7 cell survival than 0.5 µM cisplatin treatment alone. FE at 1[sol ]20 and 1[sol ]50 dilutions did not affect the antiproliferative properties of these two commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. The results suggest that FE at high concentrations show differential inhibitory effect on different human cancer cell lines. Further studies are needed to assess the biological activities of FE. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lipoxygenase inhibitors from natural plant sources. Part 1: Medicinal plants with inhibitory activity on arachidonate 5‐lipoxygenase and 5‐lipoxygenase[sol ]cyclooxygenase
Authors: Schneider Isabella , Bucar Franz
Published: April 2005

Arachidonate 5‐lipoxygenase is the key enzyme in leukotriene biosynthesis and catalyses the initial steps in the conversion of arachidonic acid to biologically active leukotrienes. Leukotrienes are considered as potent mediators of inflammatory and allergic reactions and regarding their pro‐inflammatory properties the inhibition of 5‐lipoxygenase pathway is considered to be interesting in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases. Besides 5‐lipoxygenase inhibitors, drugs able to block the 5‐lipoxygenase as well as the cyclooxygenase metabolic pathway are also of therapeutic value. A potential source for new 5‐lipoxygenase inhibitors is undoubtedly provided by the abundance of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine. The present review article reports the results from a comprehensive literature search of plants that have been tested for 5‐lipoxygenase inhibitory activity over the past 15 years. The obtained information is summarized in a tabular format and promising plant species and chemical classes of compounds are presented. Relevant in vitro tests are also described in this article. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ipriflavone modulates IGF‐I but is unable to restore bone in rats
Authors: Deyhim Farzad , Smith Brenda J. , Soung Do Y. , Juma Shanil , Devareddy Latha , Arjmandi Bahram H.
Published: April 2005

Previously it has been reported that ipriflavone can prevent bone loss in ovarian hormone deficient rats. The present study evaluated whether ipriflavone was able to restore bone mass in osteopenic ovariectomized rats. Seventy‐two, 90 day‐old Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into six groups (sham two groups; ovariectomized four groups). Thirty‐five days from the date of surgery, one sham and one ovx group were killed to verify the occurrence of bone loss. The remaining four groups were sham, ovx, ovx + ipriflavone (100 mg[sol ]kg body weight per day), or ovx + 17β‐estradiol (10 µg[sol ]kg body weight daily) for a period of 65 days. Ipriflavone was ineffective in restoring bone density and unlike estrogen did not prevent bone resorption as evidenced by increased (p < 0.05) urinary excretion of hydroxyproline and serum tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase activity. Ipriflavone increased (p < 0.05) the expression of IGF‐I in the femur. These observations suggest that higher doses of ipriflavone or longer‐term studies may be necessary to restore bone mass. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anorectic and behavioural effects of chronic Cissampelos sympodialis treatment in female and male rats
Authors: Almeida R. N. , Melo‐Diniz M. F. F. , Medeiros I. A. , Quintans‐Júnior L. J. , Navarro D. S. , Falcão A. C. G. M. , Duarte J. C. , Barbosa‐Filho J. M.
Published: April 2005

Male and female rats were treated daily for 13 weeks with an ethanol extract of Cissampelos sympodialis leaves (9, 45 and 225 mg[sol ]kg). The food consumption, body weight and behavioural effects in the open‐field test were evaluated by weekly monitoring. The results showed that the extract chronic treatment in female rats (45 and 225 mg[sol ]kg) reduced significantly the food intake and the body weight, and produced several alterations in the open‐field test. These findings indicate that repeated oral administration of the extract may produce a sex‐dependent difference in anoretic and behavioural effects. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hypoglycaemic activity of Retama raetam in rats
Authors: Maghrani Mhamed , Michel Jean‐Baptiste , Eddouks Mohamed
Published: April 2005

The purpose of this study was to determine the underlying mechanism of the hypoglycaemic activity of an aqueous extract perfusion of Retama raetam (RR) in normal and streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats. The aqueous extract was administered intravenously and the blood glucose changes were determined within 4 h after starting the treatment. Plasma insulin concentrations and glycosuria were determined. The aqueous RR extract at a dose of 10 mg[sol ]kg[sol ]h produced a significant decrease in blood glucose levels in normal rats (p < 0.001) and an even more marked decrease in diabetic rats (p < 0.001). This hypoglycaemic effect might be due to an extra‐pancreatic action of the aqueous extract of RR, since the basal plasma insulin concentrations were unchanged after RR treatment. A potent increase of glycosuria was observed both in normal and diabetic rats (p < 0.001).

It is concluded that an aqueous extract perfusion of RR caused a potent inhibition of renal glucose reabsorption. This renal effect is at least one mechanism to explain the observed hypoglycaemic activity of this plant in normal and diabetic rats. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Radical scavenging activity of Alkanna tinctoria root extracts and their main constituents, hydroxynaphthoquinones
Authors: Assimopoulou A. N. , Papageorgiou V. P.
Published: April 2005

Alkannin and shikonin (A[sol ]S) are pharmaceutical substances with a wide spectrum of biological properties. Radical scavenging activity is involved in aging processes, antiinßammatory, anticancer and wound healing activities. Hence, in the present study the DPPH radical scavenging activity of alkannin and shikonin, both monomeric and oligomeric, and extracts of Alkanna tinctoria roots were studied and a structure–activity relationship was approximated.

It was shown that both monomeric and oligomeric alkannin and shikonin and also A[sol ]S esters exhibited extremely high radical scavenging activity. The presence of the naphthoquinone moiety seems to be essential for that activity, while the side chain of A[sol ]S possibly plays a minor role. Esterification of A[sol ]S on the side chain hydroxyl group does not affect radical scavenging activity. Organic solvents and olive oil (extracted at room temperature) extracts of Alkanna tinctoria roots, which contain as active ingredients A[sol ]S esters, exhibited very good antiradical activity.

Alkannin and shikonin and their esters and also extracts of Alkanna tinctoria roots could be used promisingly in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations for their radical scavenging activity and probably for their antiaging activity. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double‐blind, randomized and placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Akhondzadeh Shahin , Tahmacebi‐Pour Najaf , Noorbala Ahamad‐Ali , Amini Homayoun , Fallah‐Pour Hassan , Jamshidi Amir‐Hossein , Khani Mousa
Published: April 2005

Depression is a serious disorder in today's society, with estimates of lifetime prevalence as high as 21% of the general population in some developed countries. As a therapeutic plant, saffron is considered excellent for stomach ailments and as an antispasmodic, to help digestion and to increase appetite. It is also used for depression in Persian traditional medicine. Our objective was to assess the efficacy of the stigmas of Crocus sativus (saffron) in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a 6‐week double‐blind, placebo‐controlled and randomized trial.

Forty adult outpatients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM IV participated in the trial. Patients had a baseline Hamilton rating scale for depression score of at least 18. In this double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, single‐centre and randomized trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive a capsule of saffron 30 mg[sol ]day (BD) (Group 1) or a capsule of placebo (BD) (Group 2) for a 6‐week study. At 6 weeks, Crocus sativus produced a significantly better outcome on the Hamilton depression rating scale than the placebo (d.f. = 1, F = 18.89, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the two groups in terms of the observed side effects.

The results of this study indicate the efficacy of Crocus sativus in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. A large‐scale trial is justified. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of antiprotozoal and plasmodial enoyl‐ACP reductase inhibition potential of turkish medicinal plants
Authors: Tasdemir D. , Brun R. , Perozzo R. , Dönmez A. A.
Published: April 2005

A total of 58 extracts of different polarity were prepared from various organs of 16 species of Turkish plants and screened for their antitrypanosomal, antileishmanial and antiplasmodial activities. No significant activity was observed against Trypanosoma cruzi, whereas many extracts showed appreciable trypanocidal potential against T. brucei rhodesiense, with the CHCl3‐soluble portion of Phlomis kurdica being the most active (IC50 2.7 µg[sol ]mL). Almost all extracts, particularly the CHCl3 phases, exhibited growth inhibition activity against Leishmania donovani amastigotes. The CHCl3‐solubles of Putoria calabrica roots (IC50 1.9 µg[sol ]mL), Wendlandia ligustroides leaves (IC50 2.1 µg[sol ]mL) and Rhododendron luteum leaves (IC50 2.3 µg[sol ]mL) displayed the highest leishmanicidal potential. The majority of the extracts also possessed antiplasmodial activity against the multi‐drug resistant K1 Plasmodium falciparum strain. The most potent antiplasmodial activity was observed with the CHCl3 extracts of Phlomis kurdica (IC50 1.5 µg[sol ]mL), P. leucophracta (IC50 1.6 µg[sol ]mL), Scrophularia cryptophila (IC50 1.8 µg[sol ]mL), Morina persica (IC50 1.9 µg[sol ]mL) and the aqueous root extract of Asperula nitida subsp. subcapitellata (IC50 1.6 µg[sol ]mL). Twenty‐one extracts with significant antimalarial activity (IC50 < 5 µg[sol ]mL) were also tested for their ability to inhibit the purified enoyl‐ACP reductase (FabI), a crucial enzyme in the fatty acid biosynthesis of P. falciparum. The CHCl3 extract of Rhododendron ungernii leaves (IC50 10 µg[sol ]mL) and the H2O‐soluble portion of Rhododendron smirnovii leaves (IC50 0.4 µg[sol ]mL) strongly inhibited the FabI enzyme. The preliminary data indicate that some (poly)phenolic compounds are responsible for the FabI inhibition potential of these extracts. The presented work reports for the first time the antiprotozoal activity of nine different genera as well as a target specific antimalarial screening for the identification of P. falciparum FabI inhibitors from medicinal plant extracts. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Siberian ginseng reduces infarct volume in transient focal cerebral ischaemia in Sprague‐Dawley rats
Authors: Bu Yungmin , Jin Zhen Hua , Park Sun Young , Baek Sunkyung , Rho Sungju , Ha Nina , Park Seong Kyu , Sun Yeo Kim  , Kim Hocheol
Published: April 2005

Siberian ginseng, the root and stem bark of Acanthopanax senticosus Harms, has been used as a tonic and adaptogen to strengthen qi in traditional Korean medicine. The neuroprotective effects of water extracts of A. senticosus (ASW) were investigated in transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo, 90 min occlusion, 24 h reperfusion) of Sprague‐Dawley rats. The infarct volume was significantly reduced by 36.6% after the peritoneal injection of ASW (100 mg[sol ]kg) compared with the control. In the immunohistochemical study, ASW markedly inhibited both cyclooxygenase‐2 and OX‐42 expressions in the penumbral region at 24 h after MCAo. These results suggest that A. senticosus has a neuroprotective effect by inhibiting inflammation and microglial activation in brain ischaemia. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ionization potentials of MgO clusters containing a substitutional atom
Authors: Coudray C.
Published: April 2005

With the help of a DFT‐LDA method, computations of the ionization potentials of MgO clusters were made. Starting from (5 × 5 × 5) cubic pieces of a crystal, these clusters were obtained by optimization. In order to study the influence of a substitutional atom, their central atom—either Mg or O—was removed and replaced by other atoms of different valences. These clusters were charged in order to reproduce the density of states of a neutral crystal (full valence band, empty conduction band), then one and two electrons were successively added and removed. When the substitutional atom does not give rise to an impurity level in the bandgap, a linear law of the ionization potentials with respect to the valence of this atom was observed. This law results from the Coulomb interaction between the cluster and the electrons and from the structure of the density of states of the cluster. This allows us to foresee the values of the ionization potentials of an MgO cluster possessing a substitutional atom, according to the valence of this atom. A similar law would probably appear in any cluster of a crystalline insulator. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
Theoretical investigation of weakly interacting molecular systems using the virial theorem
Authors: Kozmutza Cornelia , Tfirst Ernő
Published: April 2005

In this work we examine some H‐bonded systems using the method of separated molecular orbitals (SMOs) at the Hartree‐Fock level. Several geometry‐optimized configurations of the water hexamer were chosen for the study. The energetic components for the monomers in the whole structures and also in the contributing subunits of the supersystems were calculated. Five different basis sets were applied and the fulfillment of the virial theorem was assessed. A two‐parameter geometry dependence of these energetic components in a model water dimer was also investigated. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
Generation of the C2H3O+ ion in reactions of O(3P) with 2‐butyne
Authors: Metropoulos Aristophanes
Published: April 2005

We investigated the feasibility of formation of the C2H3O+ chemiion during collisions of O(3P) with the CH3C (ã4A2), CH2CH (ã4A″), CH3C (X2A″), and CH2CH (X2A′) radicals, which are possible intermediates in the oxidation of 2‐butyne. We determined the C–O bond dissociation energies and the ionization energies of the neutral C2H3O species as well as the C–O bond dissociation energies of C2H3O+. We conclude that the CH3C (ã4A2) radical is the most probable precursor of the chemiion, in agreement with experimental evidence. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
Care-home closures in England: causes and implications
Authors: NETTEN ANN , WILLIAMS JACQUETTA , DARTON ROBIN
Published: April 2005

In the United Kingdom, as in many other developed countries, there is an established market in the provision of long-term care-homes for older people. Implicit in the market mechanism is the assumption that homes will close, but it was not until 1999–2000 that closures of care-homes received widespread public attention. This paper draws on a multi-method study that investigated home closures in England from several perspectives. The rate of home closures rose substantially between 1998 and 2000 and, although sources give different estimates, it subsequently appears to have remained at about five per cent each year. The net result has been a reduction in capacity, particularly in smaller homes. While their emphases differed, both regulators and providers broadly pointed to the same factors behind the closures: the local authorities, the majority purchasers of care-home places, were under pressure to keep fees down, and national policies that raised costs were coming into force or were anticipated, notably the National Minimum Wage and the National Care Standards. Other factors, such as problems in recruiting suitable staff, particularly those with nursing qualifications, also played a role. The government's response, driven primarily by concerns about the effect on delayed discharges from acute hospital beds, was to retreat on the Standards and to increase funding to local authorities. While this has been a helpful step, more needs to be done to prevent good homes closing and to provide incentives that will retain and promote diverse provision.
Financial transfers between generations in Sweden
Authors: FRITZELL JOHAN , LENNARTSSON CARIN
Published: April 2005

This study has examined the flow of financial transfers between generations in Sweden, measured as financial support in the form of relatively large money transactions or gifts over 12 months. Two questions are considered: is there a net downward flow in the Swedish welfare state and, if so, are there differences according to gender and social class? The questions were tested using data from two linked and nationally representative large-scale surveys. The results show that almost all inter-generational transfers are downward, from older to younger generations. Unlike earlier studies of inter-generational transfers, the analysis focuses on inequality, and the results reveal clear class and income gradients. Both giving and receiving were more common among people in the higher social strata. A gender gradient among unmarried (single) recipients was also found, whereby unmarried women more often received financial support than unmarried men. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the results for social stratification and inequality. From a static or cross-sectional perspective, the results suggest that financial transfers are neutral or even equality promoting, but a dynamic or lifecourse interpretation suggests that financial transfers transmit or even reinforce class inequalities over generations.
The impact of adult mortality on the living arrangements of older people in rural South Africa
Authors: HOSEGOOD VICTORIA , TIMÆUS IAN M.
Published: April 2005

This paper examines changes in households with older people in a northern rural area of KwaZulu Natal province, South Africa, between January 2000 and January 2002. The focus is the impact of adult deaths, especially those from AIDS, on the living arrangements of older people. The longitudinal data are from the Africa Centre Demographic Information System. In 2000, 3,657 older people (women aged 60 years or older, men 65 years or older) were resident in the area, and 3,124 households had at least one older member. The majority (87%) of older people lived in three-generation households. Households with older people were significantly poorer, more likely to be headed by a woman, and in homesteads with poorer quality infrastructure than households without older members. By January 2002, 316 (8%) of the older people in the sample had died. Of all the households with an older person, 12 per cent experienced at least one adult death from AIDS. The paper shows that older people, particularly those living alone or with children in the absence of other adults, were living in the poorest households. They were also coping with an increasing burden of young adult deaths, the majority of which were attributable to AIDS.
IDENTIFYING THE IMPACT OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AND LEARNERS'
RESPONSES ON ESL QUESTION DEVELOPMENT
Authors: McDonough Kim
Published: April 2005

Swain's (1985, 1995, 2000) output
hypothesis states that language production is facilitative of second
language (L2) learning. An important component of the output hypothesis
involves pushing learners to produce appropriate, accurate,
and complex language (Swain, 1993), which may
occur when interlocutors provide learners with negative feedback (Gass,
1997, 2003; Long, 1996; Mackey, in press;
Pica, 1994; Swain &
Lapkin, 1995). When learners modify their previous utterances in
response to negative feedback, learning opportunities are created by
both the provision of negative feedback and the production of modified
output. Consequently, it is difficult to determine how these
interactional features—alone or in combination—positively
impact L2 development. The current study examines the impact of
negative feedback and learners' responses on English as a second
language (ESL) question development, which is operationalized as stage
advancement in Pienemann and Johnston's developmental sequence for
ESL question formation (Pienemann & Johnston,
1987; Pienemann, Johnston, & Brindley,
1988). Thai English as a foreign language (EFL) learners
(n = 60) carried out a series of communicative tasks with
native English speakers in four conditions that provided different
negative feedback and modified output opportunities and also completed
four oral production tests over an 8-week period. Analysis of the
treatment data identified the amount of modified output involving
developmentally advanced question forms produced by the learners, and
analysis of the test data revealed whether the learners' stage
assignment changed over time. Logistic regression indicated that the
only significant predictor of ESL question development was the
production of modified output involving developmentally advanced
question forms in response to negative feedback.
COMPUTER LEARNER CORPORA, SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, AND FOREIGN
LANGUAGE TEACHING
Authors: Zwier Lawrence J.
Published: April 2005

COMPUTER LEARNER CORPORA, SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, AND FOREIGN
LANGUAGE TEACHING. Sylviane Granger, Joseph Hung, and Stephanie
Petch-Tyson (Eds.). Amsterdam: Benjamins, 2002. Pp. x + 246.
$42.95 paper.

Insights derived from language corpora have influenced countless
aspects of language teaching, testing, research, and materials
development. Granger, Hung, and Petch-Tyson have created an
indispensable testament to the specific value of corpora in SLA
research. A great virtue of this volume is that the corpus is treated
as a tool, and the tool does not distract from the job at hand. The
focus is where it should be—on features of native language,
interlanguage, and target language as elucidated by corpus-based study.
The corpora stand in the background, ready to serve.
BILINGUALISM: BEYOND BASIC PRINCIPLES
Authors: Cenoz Jasone
Published: April 2005

BILINGUALISM: BEYOND BASIC PRINCIPLES. Jean-Marc Dewaele, Alex
Housen, and Li Wei (Eds.). Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters,
2003. Pp. ix +233. £49.90 cloth, £22.95 paper.

This volume is a festschrift in honor of Hugo Baetens Beardsmore on
the occasion of his sixtieth birthday and the twentieth anniversary of
the publication of his book Bilingualism: Basic principles
(1982). The volume includes 12 articles in addition to an introduction
and a laudatio. The volume reflects the important developments of
studies in bilingualism in the last 20 years and covers a great variety
of areas related to the sociolinguistic, educational, and
psycholinguistic dimensions of bilingualism. The first chapter is a
reprint of one of Baetens Beardsmore's lesser known publications
(1988) and discusses the fears of bilingualism at different levels.
Fifteen years later, this chapter still addresses the most important
issues related to bilingualism often discussed by teachers, parents,
and policy makers. The next three chapters focus on the social aspects
of bilingualism: Edwards discusses bilingualism and identity in chapter
2, Clyne addresses the role of intrinsic motivation and metalinguistic
awareness in bilingualism in chapter 3, and Cummins examines the
differences between the criticism against bilingual education in the
American press and the positive results of research on the outcomes of
bilingualism in chapter 4. These three chapters each have a different
focus but taken together provide an interesting perspective of the
social factors affecting bilingualism. Chapter 5 by Martin and chapter
7 by Jones discuss multilingual education in Brunei. These two chapters
describe the languages used in schools, the educational context, and
the most recent changes in education in Brunei and could be of interest
for educators in other bilingual contexts. Chapter 6 by Baker and
chapter 8 by Wei and Milroy both discuss language and society but focus
on minority languages in two completely different settings—Wales
and Singapore. Both chapters discuss interesting theoretical aspects
that are then applied to specific settings. Chapter 9 (Fraser Gupta)
has a very weak link to the rest of the chapters in the book and
analyzes seven self-study books of Malay from different periods.
Chapter 10 (Lüdi) and chapter 11 (Myers-Scotton) discuss
interesting theoretical aspects of codeswitching, and the last chapter
(Genesee) focuses on the similarities and differences between early
monolingual and bilingual acquisition. These three chapters are more
research oriented than the rest of the chapters in the book, both
because of their theoretical basis and the empirical data they discuss.
They may also be the most interesting for researchers in SLA.
PDO, ENSO and the early summer monsoon rainfall over south China
Authors: Chan Johnny C. L. , Zhou Wen
Published: April 2005

Interdecadal variations in the early (May–June) summer monsoon rainfall over South China (SCMR) are found to be related to the ENSO (El Niño/Southern Oscillation) and the PDO (Pacific Decadal Oscillation). An interdecadal variation in SCMR can be identified, with more dry (wet) monsoon years during the periods of high (low) PDO index. Such variations are also related to ENSO in association with PDO. When ENSO and PDO are in phase, i.e. high PDO phase/El Niño events, or low PDO phase/La Niña events, the SCMR tends to be below or above normal respectively more often. But when the ENSO and PDO are out‐of‐phase, the SCMR has no wet or dry preference. Such relationships appear to be related to the intensity of the subtropical high determined by the superposition of the effects of ENSO and PDO.
A high time resolution study of boundary layer ozone chemistry and dynamics over the Arctic Ocean near Alert, Nunavut
Authors: Morin S. , Hönninger G. , Staebler R. M. , Bottenheim J. W.
Published: April 2005

During the field campaign “Out On The Ice” (OOTI) in the spring of 2004 at Alert, Nunavut (N82°30′, W62°19′) an event occurred where surface ozone (O3) and reactive bromine species in the boundary layer showed dramatic changes on a timescale of minutes and a spatial scale of a few kilometers. In apparent direct response to changes in surface wind speed and direction, surface O3 mole fractions of >30 nmol.mol−1 replaced stable, O3 depleted boundary layer conditions for about 5 hours. High time resolved (seconds to minutes) chemical and meteorological observations on the ice and on land, as well as synoptic weather maps and routine radiosonde data are used to constrain the unfolding of the event. It is hypothesized that the bromine oxide (BrO) distribution in the troposphere over the frozen ocean features a maximum in a narrow transition layer that separates the boundary layer from free tropospheric air above.
Mechanisms of climate anomalies in the equatorial Indian Ocean
Authors: Hastenrath Stefan , Polzin Dierk
Published: April 2005

Building on earlier work on the interannual variability of the boreal autumn equatorial westerlies (UEQ) over the Indian Ocean and concomitant rainfall anomalies at the coast of East Africa and in Indonesia, the inherent circulation mechanisms are here explored further from long‐term surface and upper air data. Fast UEQ and deficient East African rainfall come with positive sea level pressure (P) and negative sea surface temperature (T) departures in a domain (W) at the northwestern extremity and opposite departures in a domain (E) at the southeastern extremity of the equatorial Indian Ocean. However, there is no seesaw between W and E in either P or T and no indication of local forcing of T on P. The large‐scale pressure field, in particular the zonal pressure gradient along the equator and the South Indian Ocean pressure and southern tradewinds, control the evolution of UEQ. Fast UEQ steepens the zonal temperature gradient, thus tightening the inverse relationships between the zonal gradients of pressure and temperature. The rainfall anomalies associated with the interannual variability of UEQ, surface manifestation of a zonal circulation cell along the Indian Ocean equator, are favored by the kinematic and thermodynamic conditions in W and E. Thus, with fast UEQ the domain W features departure lower tropospheric divergence and subsidence and, favored by the cold T and subsidence, reduced precipitable water, all conducive to deficient precipitation. By contrast, E has departure lower tropospheric convergence and ascending motion and, favored by the warm T and ascending motion, enhanced precipitable water, in conjunction conducive to abundant rainfall. The interannual variability of the boreal autumn equatorial westerlies, dominated as it is by the large‐scale pressure field, is crucial in the climate dynamics of the equatorial Indian Ocean region. This leads to the question: What controls the pressure pattern over the Indian Ocean basin?
Ice formation in Saharan dust over central Europe observed with temperature/humidity/aerosol Raman lidar
Authors: Ansmann Albert , Mattis Ina , Müller Detlef , Wandinger Ulla , Radlach Marcus , Althausen Dietrich , Damoah Richard
Published: April 2005

Three gravity‐wave‐induced clouds and a glaciating altocumulus layer were continuously monitored with lidar at Leipzig, Germany, on 21 November 2003. The midtropospheric clouds formed in Saharan dust at heights from 3.5 km (−9°C) to 6.5 km (−27°C). Distinct ice formation in the altocumulus was triggered by the gravity wave. For the first time, an aerosol/cloud study presents height profiles of temperature, water vapor mixing ratio, relative humidity, dust, and cloud optical properties (volume extinction and backscatter coefficients, lidar ratio, depolarization ratio) within the same air column, solely derived from lidar data. The three gravity‐wave‐induced clouds did not show any sign of ice formation. The aged dust particles below 4.5‐km height were probably partly coated and mixed with hygroscopic material and thus deactivated concerning ice nucleation. Ice crystals were generated in isolated air parcels at the cloud edges of a young, optically thin altocumulus layer between 5‐ and 6.5‐km height. An aged altocumulus deck composed of a geometrically thin liquid water layer at cloud top and an extended ice crystal layer (ice virga) was observed 2 hours later in the same height range. Strong ice formation occurred in the altocumulus during the downdraft induced by the gravity wave. Contact freezing was probably the main reason for the observed ice formation on dust particles. Ice depolarization ratios were relatively low with values from 10 to 15% in the altocumulus and indicate plate‐like crystals.
Natural variability and sampling errors in solar radiation measurements for model validation over the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains region
Authors: Li Zhanqing , Cribb M. C. , Chang Fu‐Lung , Trishchenko Alexander , Luo Yi
Published: April 2005

Ground‐based radiation measurements are frequently used for validating the performance of a model in simulating clouds. Such important questions are often raised as: (1) How well do the measurements represent model grid mean values?; (2) How much of model‐observation differences can be attributed to inherent sampling errors?; and (3) What scale does modeling need to be performed in order to capture the cloud variation? We attempt to address these questions using surface solar irradiance data retrieved from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) and measured at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) site. The satellite retrievals are used to mimic ground measurements with various spatial densities and temporal frequencies, from which the sampling errors of the ground observations are quantified and characterized. Most of the differences between point‐specific measurements and area‐mean satellite retrievals originate from ground sampling errors. We quantify these errors for different months, model grid sizes, and integration intervals. In March 2000, for example, the sampling error is 16 W m−2 for instantaneous irradiances averaged over an area of 10 × 10 km2. It increases to 46 and 64 W m−2 if the model grid size is enlarged to 200 × 200 km2 and 400 × 400 km2, respectively. The sampling uncertainties decrease rapidly as the time‐averaging interval increases up to 24 hours and then level off to a relatively small and stable value. Averaging over periods greater than 5 days reduces the error to a magnitude of less than 15 W m−2 over all grid sizes. The sampling error also decreases as the number of ground stations increases inside a grid, but the most substantial reduction occurs as the number of ground sites increases from 1 to 2 or 3 for a grid size of 200 × 200 km2. This means that for computing grid‐mean surface solar irradiance, there is no need for an overly dense network of observation stations.
A statistical comparison of deep convective cloud objects observed by an Earth Observing System satellite and simulated by a cloud‐resolving model
Authors: Eitzen Zachary A. , Xu Kuan‐Man
Published: April 2005

The single scanner footprint (SSF) data product produced by the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite is used to diagnose 68 deep convective cloud objects observed in March 1998. The probability density functions (PDFs) of several observed and retrieved fields from the CERES SSF data product are used to evaluate two sets of simulations produced by a cloud‐resolving model. The simulations that use an improved microphysics scheme are found to produce more realistic distributions of albedo, outgoing longwave radiation, cloud top temperature, and cloud height than the control simulations, using an objective measure of the differences between the simulated and observed PDFs. The distribution of cloud optical depth produced by the new simulations is further from that observed than the control simulations. Using a bootstrapping technique, these differences are found to be statistically significant. The reflectivities and precipitation rates associated with the cloud objects observed with the TRMM precipitation radar and TRMM microwave imager are also used to evaluate the two sets of simulations. Both sets are found to produce similar distributions of the precipitation rate. The simulated radar reflectivities produced by the new simulations are somewhat more realistic than those of the control simulations, although both sets produce reflectivities that are too high at altitudes above the freezing level.
Moisture and temperature balances at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains Site in forecasts with the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM2)
Authors: Williamson D. L. , Boyle J. , Cederwall R. , Fiorino M. , Hnilo J. , Olson J. , Phillips T. , Potter G. , Xie S. C.
Published: April 2005

We compare the balance of terms in moisture and temperature prediction equations during short forecasts by the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM2) with observed estimates at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains site for two intensive observing periods (IOPs). The goal is to provide insight into parameterization errors which ultimately should lead to model improvements. The atmospheric initial conditions are obtained from high‐resolution numerical weather prediction (NWP) analyses. The land initial conditions are spun up to be consistent with those analyses. Three cases are considered: (1) June/July 1997 when the atmosphere is relatively moist and surface evaporation corresponds to 90% of the precipitation with advection accounting for the remainder; (2) rainy days in April 1997 when the atmosphere is less moist and horizontal advection accounts for much of the precipitation with a small contribution from surface evaporation and the balance being derived from the water already present in the column; and (3) nonrainy days of the April 1997 when the moist process parameterizations are inactive and the planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterization is dominant. For the first case the Zhang‐McFarlane deep convective parameterization drives the model to a wrong state. For the second the Hack shallow convective parameterization appears to be not acting deep enough. During both periods inconsistencies between CAM2 and ARM surface fluxes, land surface conditions and the net surface radiative fluxes indicate that the exchange parameterizations should be examined further. For the third case the PBL parameterization does not appear to create the correct vertical structure. In addition, the individual components of the dynamical tendency are very different between CAM2 and ARM, although the total dynamical tendency is similar in the two. Although these observations do not imply that those components are themselves wrong since they may be responding to other errors, each of these components should be examined further to determine the cause of their behaviors.