bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF COCOA BUTTER EQUIVALENT THROUGH TRANSESTERIFICATION OF PENTADESMA BUTYRACEA BUTTER
Authors: TCHOBO FIDÈLE P. , PIOMBO GEORGES , PINA MICHEL , SOUMANOU MOHAMED M. , VILLENEUVE PIERRE , SOHOUNHLOUE DOMINIQUE C.K.
Published: November 2009

A cocoa butter equivalent through enzymatic transesterification of Pentadesma butyracea butter with ethyl palmitate in an organic medium using immobilized lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosa was produced. The effects of several parameters such as initial ratio of ethyl palmitate – Triacylglycerols (TAGs) of P. butyracea, initial water activity of the enzyme preparation, solvent polarity and the enzyme loading were studied. The best result with regard to target TAGs was obtained in nonpolar solvents and low water activity. Thermograms of the products obtained by scanning differential calorimetry were similar to cocoa butter, but with minor differences, due particularly to the presence of trisaturated TAGs.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

An enzymatic strategy for the synthesis of cocoa butter obtained from an African butter from Pentadesma butyracea as starting material was devised. The product so obtained may be used as a cocoa butter substitute.
Atheism, Secularity, and Well‐Being: How the Findings of Social Science Counter Negative Stereotypes and Assumptions
Authors: Zuckerman Phil
Published: November 2009

What do we currently know about atheists and secular people? In what ways are atheism and secularity correlated with positive societal outcomes? This article offers a thorough presentation and discussion of the latest social scientific research concerning the identities, values, and behaviors of people who don’t believe in God or are non‐religious, and addresses the ways in which atheism and secularity are positively correlated with societal well‐being.
Updating the Critical Perspective on Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Hanlon Gerard , Fleming Prof Peter
Published: November 2009

This paper argues that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a key element of the new neo‐liberalism as it searches for both legitimacy and new sources of innovation. Rather than simply being a fraud or a drain on resources as CSR is often portrayed, we argue that it is one of a suite of practices that corporations are deploying as they seek to shift the nature of social regulation away from collective to more individual solutions. While the criticism that CSR is corporate propaganda has purchase, we explore a deeper development. This development is one wherein as the old ways of capitalist regulation were surpassed in the 1970s and 1980s new social practices such as CSR, Human Resource Management, ethical marketing etc. were deployed as a way of engineering new forms of identity, new expectations of individuals and institutions and new sources of legitimacy and social value. Social criticism needs to take this development more seriously (than the propaganda view) since it frames CSR as a predatory facet of this new neo‐liberalist tendency.
Identity Deployment and Social Change: Understanding Identity as a Social Movement and Organizational Strategy1
Authors: Bernstein Mary , Olsen Kristine A.
Published: November 2009

In this article, we discuss the theoretical implications of empirical elaborations of Bernstein’s (1997) model of identity deployment. New research encompasses a diverse array of venues and targets and elaborates on the mechanisms through which identities may be deployed strategically. Application of the identity deployment model spans a variety of so‐called ‘identity movements’ as well as ethnic, nationalist and indigenous movements, and community mobilization. Identity deployment is also a useful strategy in organizational and professional contexts, as in the micro‐brewery movement or culinary movements, demonstrating the theoretical generalizability of the original model. New research closely examines the relationship between identity and strategy and the conditions that affect activists’ choice of identity strategies as well as the situations where they might avoid identity strategies altogether. Research finds that identities may be deployed performatively, rhetorically or discursively. Identity deployment may be facilitated by emotional displays, music and ritual. The way that power and authority are organized in a given venue determines in part the capacity of activists and organizations to alternate between celebrating and suppressing difference from the majority. Identity deployment influences internal and external outcomes, affecting mobilization and goal achievement. Finally, feedback loops link the different analytic dimensions of identity.
Education Counts: Turning Crisis Into Opportunity for Adolescents
Authors: Kaye Judge Judith S.
Published: November 2009

This essay, adapted from the keynote address delivered at the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges’ 72nd Annual Conference on July 13, 2009, in Chicago, Illinois, focuses on adolescents and education—a strategy that is not only economically sound but also logical, indeed honorable. So just how do we begin to turn the crisis facing too many children and families into opportunity? How do we interrupt, and reroute, that perilous pipeline to prison? How do we help to build off‐ramps from the disastrous destiny that awaits so many young people? How do we regain our leadership role in constructive juvenile justice instead of juvenile incarceration? I believe judges can take a leadership role in addressing these questions. It's our children's future to be sure, but it's ours too. Indeed, it's the very future of our nation that is at stake.
Increasing Family Reunification for Substance‐Abusing Mothers and Their Children: Comparing Two Drug Court Interventions in Miami
Authors: Dakof Gayle A. , Cohen Judge Jeri B. , Duarte Eliette
Published: November 2009

This study provides a quasi‐experimental test of 80 consecutive enrollments in the Miami‐Dade (Florida) Dependency Drug Court in order to examine the impact of a family‐based and gender specific intervention, Engaging Moms Program (EMP), on drug court graduation and family reunification. We compared EMP with case management services (CMS). Results indicated that 72% of mothers in the EMP graduated from drug court, and 70% were reunified with their children. In contrast, 38% of mothers receiving CMS graduated from drug court, and 40% were reunited with their children. EMP, then, appears to be a promising family drug court intervention.
The King County (Washington) Systems Integration Initiative: A First Look at the Kent District Dual System Youth Pilot Program
Authors: Siegel Gene
Published: November 2009

King County is one of five counties in Washington State participating in the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Models for Change juvenile justice reform initiative. One key aspect of King County's Models for Change participation involves ongoing “systems integration” work intended to improve how youth who have cross‐over involvement in multiple systems—e.g., juvenile justice, child welfare, education, mental health, and/or others—are handled. These cross‐over cases often present a range of challenges to juvenile courts including substantial risk factors that increase their likelihood of continuing system involvement. This article provides a first look at an emerging pilot project in King County that is intended to improve how cross‐over cases are handled by child welfare and juvenile probation with the longer term goal of improving outcomes for these difficult cases.
Snapping Triceps Syndrome: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Vanhees Matthias K.D. , Geurts Ghislain F.A.E. , Van Riet Roger P.
Published: November 2009

Snapping triceps syndrome is a rare and therefore often unknown cause of medial elbow pain. It is a condition in which the distal portion of the triceps dislocates over the medial epicondyle during flexion and extension of the elbow. It can occur, with or without ulnar neuropathy symptoms. The available literature on this subject is scarce and consists mainly of case reports. This report reviews the current literature and will provide guidance in diagnosis and treatment of this uncommon condition.
Anatomic Demarcation of Cells: Genes to Patterns
Authors: Chang Howard Y.
Published: November 2009

An organizing principle of the diverse cell types in multicellular organisms is their anatomic location. In turn, anatomic location is patterned by the positional identities of cells along developmental axes. Recent progress in functional genomics and chromatin biology illustrates how cells use specific gene expression programs to encode location. Dynamic chromatin states of key genes, notably the
Hox
loci, serve as the internal representation in cells of their positional identity within the animal.
Actin, a Central Player in Cell Shape and Movement
Authors: Pollard Thomas D. , Cooper John A.
Published: November 2009

The protein actin forms filaments that provide cells with mechanical support and driving forces for movement. Actin contributes to biological processes such as sensing environmental forces, internalizing membrane vesicles, moving over surfaces, and dividing the cell in two. These cellular activities are complex; they depend on interactions of actin monomers and filaments with numerous other proteins. Here, we present a summary of the key questions in the field and suggest how those questions might be answered. Understanding actin-based biological phenomena will depend on identifying the participating molecules and defining their molecular mechanisms. Comparisons of quantitative measurements of reactions in live cells with computer simulations of mathematical models will also help generate meaningful insights.
Proteome Organization in a Genome-Reduced Bacterium
Authors: Kühner Sebastian , van Noort Vera , Betts Matthew J. , Leo-Macias Alejandra , Batisse Claire , Rode Michaela , Yamada Takuji , Maier Tobias , Bader Samuel , Beltran-Alvarez Pedro , Castaño-Diez Daniel , Chen Wei-Hua , Devos Damien , Güell Marc , Norambuena Tomas , Racke Ines , Rybin Vladimir , Schmidt Alexander , Yus Eva , Aebersold Ruedi , Herrmann Richard , Böttcher Bettina , Frangakis Achilleas S. , Russell Robert B. , Serrano Luis , Bork Peer , Gavin Anne-Claude
Published: November 2009

Simply
Mycoplasma

The bacterium
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
, a human pathogen, has a genome of reduced size and is one of the simplest organisms that can reproduce outside of host cells. As such, it represents an excellent model organism in which to attempt a systems-level understanding of its biological organization. Now three papers provide a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the proteome, the metabolic network, and the transcriptome of
M. pneumoniae
(see the Perspective by

Ochman and Raghavan

). Anticipating what might be possible in the future for more complex organisms,

Kühner
et al.

(p.
1235
) combine analysis of protein interactions by mass spectrometry with extensive structural information on
M. pneumoniae
proteins to reveal how proteins work together as molecular machines and map their organization within the cell by electron tomography. The manageable genome size of
M. pneumoniae
allowed

Yus
et al.

(p.
1263
) to map the metabolic network of the organism manually and validate it experimentally. Analysis of the network aided development of a minimal medium in which the bacterium could be cultured. Finally,

G‡ell
et al.

(p.
1268
) applied state-of-the-art sequencing techniques to reveal that this “simple” organism makes extensive use of noncoding RNAs and has exon- and intron-like structure within transcriptional operons that allows complex gene regulation resembling that of eukaryotes.
Transcriptome Complexity in a Genome-Reduced Bacterium
Authors: Güell Marc , van Noort Vera , Yus Eva , Chen Wei-Hua , Leigh-Bell Justine , Michalodimitrakis Konstantinos , Yamada Takuji , Arumugam Manimozhiyan , Doerks Tobias , Kühner Sebastian , Rode Michaela , Suyama Mikita , Schmidt Sabine , Gavin Anne-Claude , Bork Peer , Serrano Luis
Published: November 2009

Simply
Mycoplasma

The bacterium
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
, a human pathogen, has a genome of reduced size and is one of the simplest organisms that can reproduce outside of host cells. As such, it represents an excellent model organism in which to attempt a systems-level understanding of its biological organization. Now three papers provide a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the proteome, the metabolic network, and the transcriptome of
M. pneumoniae
(see the Perspective by

Ochman and Raghavan

). Anticipating what might be possible in the future for more complex organisms,

Kühner
et al.

(p.
1235
) combine analysis of protein interactions by mass spectrometry with extensive structural information on
M. pneumoniae
proteins to reveal how proteins work together as molecular machines and map their organization within the cell by electron tomography. The manageable genome size of
M. pneumoniae
allowed

Yus
et al.

(p.
1263
) to map the metabolic network of the organism manually and validate it experimentally. Analysis of the network aided development of a minimal medium in which the bacterium could be cultured. Finally,

G‡ell
et al.

(p.
1268
) applied state-of-the-art sequencing techniques to reveal that this “simple” organism makes extensive use of noncoding RNAs and has exon- and intron-like structure within transcriptional operons that allows complex gene regulation resembling that of eukaryotes.
Climate-Driven Basin-Scale Decadal Oscillations of Oceanic Phytoplankton
Authors: Martinez Elodie , Antoine David , D’Ortenzio Fabrizio , Gentili Bernard
Published: November 2009

Untangling the Web

Chlorophyll-containing phytoplankton is at the core of the marine food web.

Martinez
et al.

(p.
1253
) combined satellite data about upper ocean chlorophyll and sea surface temperatures to demonstrate a clear connection between phytoplankton and sea surface temperatures on a multidecadal time scale. Basin-scale ocean dynamic processes such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation connect the physical, climate-related variability to changes in phytoplankton distribution and amount. Thus, improving the reliability of forecasts of large-scale ocean dynamics may help to improve predictions of changes in ocean community ecology.
Impact of Genome Reduction on Bacterial Metabolism and Its Regulation
Authors: Yus Eva , Maier Tobias , Michalodimitrakis Konstantinos , van Noort Vera , Yamada Takuji , Chen Wei-Hua , Wodke Judith A. H. , Güell Marc , Martínez Sira , Bourgeois Ronan , Kühner Sebastian , Raineri Emanuele , Letunic Ivica , Kalinina Olga V. , Rode Michaela , Herrmann Richard , Gutiérrez-Gallego Ricardo , Russell Robert B. , Gavin Anne-Claude , Bork Peer , Serrano Luis
Published: November 2009

Simply
Mycoplasma

The bacterium
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
, a human pathogen, has a genome of reduced size and is one of the simplest organisms that can reproduce outside of host cells. As such, it represents an excellent model organism in which to attempt a systems-level understanding of its biological organization. Now three papers provide a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of the proteome, the metabolic network, and the transcriptome of
M. pneumoniae
(see the Perspective by

Ochman and Raghavan

). Anticipating what might be possible in the future for more complex organisms,

Kühner
et al.

(p.
1235
) combine analysis of protein interactions by mass spectrometry with extensive structural information on
M. pneumoniae
proteins to reveal how proteins work together as molecular machines and map their organization within the cell by electron tomography. The manageable genome size of
M. pneumoniae
allowed

Yus
et al.

(p.
1263
) to map the metabolic network of the organism manually and validate it experimentally. Analysis of the network aided development of a minimal medium in which the bacterium could be cultured. Finally,

G‡ell
et al.

(p.
1268
) applied state-of-the-art sequencing techniques to reveal that this “simple” organism makes extensive use of noncoding RNAs and has exon- and intron-like structure within transcriptional operons that allows complex gene regulation resembling that of eukaryotes.
Visualizing the 3D Internal Structure of Calcite Single Crystals Grown in Agarose Hydrogels
Authors: Li Hanying , Xin Huolin L. , Muller David A. , Estroff Lara A.
Published: November 2009

Crystal Growing Kit

For single crystals to remain intact, there is a limit to the size and number of defects that can be included before the underlying lattice is destroyed. Biological crystals, however, are known to include large macromolecules.

H. Li
et al.

(p.
1244
; see the Perspective by

Hollingsworth

) used electron tomography to study the crystallization of calcium carbonate inside an agarose gel, observing that the crystals physically entrapped the agarose macromolecules. To accommodate the curvature induced by the polymer chains, both high- and low-energy facets formed at the fiber-crystal interfaces. Thus, physical interactions alone may be sufficient for the incorporation of macromolecules in biological crystals and it may be possible to grow unusually shaped single crystals.
Extensive, Recent Intron Gains in
Daphnia
Populations
Authors: Li Wenli , Tucker Abraham E. , Sung Way , Thomas W. Kelley , Lynch Michael
Published: November 2009

Inserting Introns

Introns—noncoding regions that interrupt coding gene sequences—are widespread throughout eukaryotic genomes, but intron gains and losses within and among species have been assumed to be rare. However,

W. Li
et al.

(p.
1260
) suggest that intron insertions can be relatively frequent within a population or species. By examining intron polymorphisms within genomes of different accessions of
Daphnia pulpex
(the water flea), and comparisons within the genus
Daphnia
, several instances of recent intron gains were observed, which appear to have occurred multiple times at the same site. Because intron insertions tend to be flanked by repetitive sequences, they may be the result of DNA damage repair mechanisms.
Selective Phenol Hydrogenation to Cyclohexanone Over a Dual Supported Pd–Lewis Acid Catalyst
Authors: Liu Huizhen , Jiang Tao , Han Buxing , Liang Shuguang , Zhou Yinxi
Published: November 2009

Cooperative Reduction

Selective redox transformation remains a general challenge in chemical synthesis. All too often, the most readily available precursor to a compound must be over-reduced (or over-oxidized) and then carefully coaxed back to a desired intermediate state. Such is the case with the synthesis of cyclohexanone, which is mass-produced for use in the preparation of nylon: Access by direct reduction of phenol is plagued by the rapid addition of too many hydrogen atoms to the substrate, producing an alcohol (cyclohexanol) in place of the ketone.

Liu
et al.

(p.
1250
) have discovered that the unexpected cooperation of supported palladium and a Lewis acid such as aluminum trichloride—two catalysts widely used alone but rarely in concert—facilitates highly selective conversion of phenol to cyclohexanone near room temperature. The key appears to be inhibition of the undesired ketone-to-alcohol reduction step by the Lewis acid.
Tetrathiomolybdate Inhibits Copper Trafficking Proteins Through Metal Cluster Formation
Authors: Alvarez Hamsell M. , Xue Yi , Robinson Chandler D. , Canalizo-Hernández Mónica A. , Marvin Rebecca G. , Kelly Rebekah A. , Mondragón Alfonso , Penner-Hahn James E. , O’Halloran Thomas V.
Published: November 2009

Targeting Copper Clusters

Tetrathiomolybdate (TM) is a copper-depleting agent that has potential in treating copper-dependent diseases.

Alvarez
et al.

(p.
331
, published online 26 November) used spectroscopic and structural studies to show that TM inhibits the yeast copper chaperone Atx1 by forming a TM-Cu-ATx1 complex that is stabilized by a sulfur-bridged copper-molybdenum cluster. Cluster formation prevents transfer of copper from the chaperone to target enzymes. The results provide a basis for developing drugs that target metallation pathways.
Asking About Origins

Social Structures
by John Levi Martin

Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2009. 408 pp. $39.50, £27.95. ISBN 9780691127118.
Authors: Sood Gagan D. S.
Published: November 2009

To consider how social relations structure individual behavior and vice versa, Martin examines relationships over scales ranging from families and gangs to armies and nation-states.
Quantum Theory's Silent Pioneer
The Strangest Man
The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Quantum Genius

by Graham Farmelo

Faber and Faber, London, 2009. 557 pp. £22.50. ISBN 9780571222780.
The Strangest Man
The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom

by Graham Farmelo

Basic Books (Perseus), New York, 2009. 557 pp. $29.95, C$37.95. ISBN 9780465018277.
Authors: Nye Mary Jo
Published: November 2009

Farmelo explores the life and science of the brilliant and reticent theoretical physicist Paul A. M. Dirac.
What Can Virtual Worlds and Games Do for National Security?
Authors: Subrahmanian V. S. , Dickerson John
Published: November 2009

Virtual environments based on behavorial models allow analysts to explore different outcomes of proposed actions in military conflicts.
Calcite Biocomposites Up Close
Authors: Hollingsworth Mark D.
Published: November 2009

Electron tomography is used to probe the processes involved in the formation of biomineral composite structures.
Moving Forward in HIV Vaccine Development
Authors: Letvin Norman L.
Published: November 2009

Clinical trial results of a vaccine regimen to prevent HIV infection show modest protection and suggest that changes are needed in the direction of future research.
Excavating the Functional Landscape of Bacterial Cells
Authors: Ochman Howard , Raghavan Rahul
Published: November 2009

Functional analyses of a reduced bacterial genome suggest levels of complexity and control previously assumed to be restricted to eukaryotes.
Bankruptcy Won't Stop deCODE, Says Its Founder, Stefánsson
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: November 2009

deCODE genetics Inc. filed for bankruptcy last week, but the company will continue operations with a loan from a potential buyer. And its flamboyant leader, Kari Stefánsson, says he hopes to stay on as leader of deCODE's hunt for disease-causing genes.
Schedule Concerns Delay ITER's Go-Ahead
Authors: Clery Daniel
Published: November 2009

The scientific and engineering team building the ITER fusion reactor failed to win an expected endorsement from the project's governing council last week. The council sent the team back to do more work on the proposed construction schedule for the mammoth undertaking.
Asia Grapples With Unexpected Wave of HIV Infections
Authors: Normile Dennis
Published: November 2009

Across Asia-Pacific, a region so far largely spared the worst of the AIDS epidemic, HIV infections are rising rapidly, primarily among men having sex with men (MSM). With this concern in mind, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the United Nations Development Programme this week sponsored a meeting in Bangkok to bolster the region's HIV prevention, treatment, and care for MSM.
Shovel-Ready Science Drives DOE Decisions
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: November 2009

The Recovery Act enhanced the ability of the Department of Energy's national laboratories to tackle big problems and got the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy off to a fast start.
NIH Hopes Stimulus Isn't a Roller-Coaster Ride
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: November 2009

A once-in-a-lifetime increase is a lifesaver for thousands of scientists. But will it also give them a false sense of hope?
NSF Boosts Success Rates, But at What Price?
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: November 2009

Dipping into a backlog of highly rated proposals is a safe bet. But are there enough high-risk, high-reward ideas in the pot?
Medicine Under the Microscope
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: November 2009

A billion dollars in stimulus money will go to evaluating which medical treatments and procedures work best.
Scalp Acupuncture Effects of Stroke Studied with Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Different Actions in the Two Stroke Model Rats
Authors: Inoue Isao , Fukunaga Mari , Koga Keiko , Wang Hong-Du , Ishikawa Makoto
Published: November 2009

Background

Scalp acupuncture (SA) therapy on strokes has been empirically established and widely used in clinics in China. The evidence from clinical studies suggests that SA produces significant benefits for some patients with stroke.

Methods

The effect of scalp acupuncture was studied using MRI for two different stroke models: spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone (SHR-SP) rats and rats with transiently induced focal cerebral ischaemia by middle cerebral artery occlusion for 2 h (MCAO rats).

Results

Stroke onset in SHR-SP rats was characterised by a development of vasogenic oedema without any appearance of cytotoxic oedema. Scalp acupuncture reduced rapidly neurological dysfunction in SHR-SP rats and reduced the volume of the vasogenic oedema during the same period. In contrast, in MCAO rats, focal cerebral ischaemia caused an immediate development of cytotoxic oedema without any appearance of vasogenic oedema. Vasogenic oedema developed after reperfusion. Scalp acupuncture had no significant effects on the cytotoxic oedema, vasogenic oedema or neurological dysfunction of the MCAO rats within the time span examined.

Conclusion

Scalp acupuncture had a rapid and strong effect on neurological dysfunction only in the hypertensive stroke-model by reducing the vasogenic oedema. Our results suggest that, if there are similar underlying mechanisms in human strokes, scalp acupuncture may be more beneficial for patients with strokes of hypertension-caused vasogenic origin than ischaemic origin.
A Prospective Randomised Controlled Study on Efficacies of Acupuncture and Steroid in Treatment of Idiopathic Peripheral Facial Paralysis
Authors: Tong Fu Man , Chow Shun Kit , Chan Patrick Yiu Bong , Wong Alex Kam Wah , Wan Sambo Shuk Ying , Ng Rebecca Ka Wah , Chan Geoffrey , Chan Wing Shan , Ng Angela , Law Chi Keung
Published: November 2009

Objective

A randomised controlled trial was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in comparison with steroid in treatment of idiopathic peripheral facial paralysis (Bell's palsy).

Methods

A total of 119 patients attending Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital from February 2003 to December 2005 were randomly allocated to groups of acupuncture, steroid and control (conventional expectant treatment). There were 53 in the steroid group, 28 in the acupuncture group and 38 in the control group. Patients were assessed weekly by blinded assessors, using the House–Brackmann facial nerve grading system.

Results

The efficacy of treatment in three groups was compared, in terms of degree of recovery and speed of recovery. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed. Results were analysed with SPSS software. Distribution of initial grade on presentation was analysed with the Pearson chi-square test and showed uneven distribution in the three groups in the intention-to-treat analysis. The overall improvement (grade 3 or better) was 86.9% in the steroid group, 96.4% in the acupuncture group and 89.5% in the control group respectively. However, the difference in degree of recovery and speed of recovery in the three groups was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

The efficacies of acupuncture, steroid and conventional expectant treatment (natural course of recovery) in idiopathic peripheral facial palsy (Bell's palsy) in the study were the same with respect to the degree of recovery and speed of recovery.
Acupuncture and Reflexology for Insomnia: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Hughes Ciara M , McCullough Carey A , Bradbury Ian , Boyde Carol , Hume Diane , Yuan Jiang , Quinn Fionnuala , McDonough Suzanne M
Published: November 2009

Objective

To assess the feasibility of patient recruitment and retention, logistics of intervention and outcome measure sensitivity for a study designed to investigate the use of acupuncture and reflexology for the management of insomnia.

Design

Feasibility study for a randomised controlled trial.

Setting

University of Ulster Clinic.

Patients

Thirteen participants with sleep disturbances.

Interventions

Participants were randomised to receive one of three treatments, either: acupuncture (n = 5), reflexology (n = 4) or music therapy (n = 4). These treatments were administered six times over a 3-week period.

Main outcome measures

The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2) were recorded at baseline, post-treatment and follow-up. Each participant also completed a Sleep Diary.

Results

Ten participants completed treatment. In the acupuncture and reflexology groups, a clinically relevant improvement in two out of three participants was observed on the PSQI following treatment. Music therapy produced no clinically important improvements. This study has demonstrated the feasibility of conducting an RCT on the effect of acupuncture and reflexology in primary insomnia using PSQI as the primary outcome measure. Modifications for a more rigorous study design have been discussed. Results from such a study would address the lack of high-quality evidence for the effectiveness of such therapies.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Acupuncture Treatment and Local Anaesthetic Injection for Low Back Pain: A Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Inoue Motohiro , Hojo Tatsuya , Nakajima Miwa , Kitakoji Hiroshi , Itoi Megumi
Published: November 2009

Objective

To compare the effectiveness of repeated acupuncture stimulation and local anaesthetic injection at the most painful points in patients with low back pain.

Method

This randomised controlled clinical trial involved 26 patients with low back pain randomly allocated to either an acupuncture group (n = 13) or a local anaesthetic injection group (n = 13). Both acupuncture and anaesthetic injection were performed at two to five of the most painful points on the lower back once weekly for 4 weeks. In the acupuncture group, a 0.18 mm diameter stainless steel needle was inserted to a depth of 10–20 mm and manual stimulation was applied. In the local anaesthetic injection group, a 0.5 mm diameter needle was inserted to a depth of 10–20 mm and a local anaesthetic was injected. Participants evaluated pain using a Visual Analogue Scale immediately before and after the first treatment, before each subsequent treatment, and at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after completion of treatment.

Results

There was a significant difference between the two groups in the change in Visual Analogue Scale pain scores (p<0.01), with acupuncture providing more favourable results than local anaesthetic injection. The reduction in pain score from baseline calculated at each time period was significantly different between the two groups after the first (p<0.05) and final (p<0.01) treatments, and during the follow-up period (after 2 weeks (p<0.01) and 4 weeks (p<0.05)).

Conclusion

Both injection and acupuncture relieved pain, but acupuncture was superior for the immediate and sustained effects, suggesting that it is a useful treatment for low back pain. The difference in the effects may be attributable to differences in the mechanism of pain suppression.
Changes in the active layer of a subarctic right-of-way as a result of a crude-oil spill
Authors: Seburn David C. , Kershaw G. Peter
Published: November 2009

The active layer of three distinct environments (undisturbed forest, moderately disturbed right-of-way, and severely disturbed trench) was examined during each of the 3 years following an experimental crude-oil spill in a black spruce forest in the Northwest Territories. The first year after the spill, the active layer in the oiled forest increased by >150%, in the oiled right-of-way by >80%, and in the oiled trench it did not change. By the third year, the active layers in all oiled environments were significantly deeper than their unoiled counterparts, and the active layer in the oiled trench was significantly deeper than that in the oiled forest. When compared with other studies for a crude-oil spill in a subarctic forested environment, this oil spill caused the greatest increase in thaw depths. This dramatic and persistent increase in thaw depth was likely a function of the high oil concentration, especially in areas where oil had pooled on the ground.
Crustal-scale flexural slip folding during late tectonic amplification of an orogenic boundary perturbation in the Paleoproterozoic Torngat Orogen, northeastern Canada
Authors: Kranendonk M. J. Van , Wardle R. J.
Published: November 2009

Large variations in metamorphic grade over short distances, disparate orientations and diverse kinematics of contemporaneous structures, and a previously unexplained, 90° counterclockwise bend in the orogenic boundary of the amphibolite- to granulite-facies northern segment of the Paleoproterozoic Torngat Orogen are shown to be the result of multiple tectonic events acting upon an orogenic boundary perturbation. The perturbation was initiated when a promontory on the Nain Province margin, composed of a 1910–1885 Ma continental magmatic arc (Burwell domain), indented the Rae Province hinterland during the onset of collisional orogeny at ca. 1870 Ma (Dn+1). Sinistral transpression at ca. 1845–1822 Ma (Dn+2) caused formation of the orogen-parallel Abloviak shear zone and oblique burial of the Nain Province margin beneath a tilted section of the hot, buoyant magmatic arc. Reactivation of the orogen at ca. 1798–1770 Ma (Dn+3) involved crustal-scale flexural slip folding of the perturbation and simultaneous exhumation of the Burwell domain and the previously buried Nain crust across the Komaktorvik shear zone, which represents a sheared, tightened fold train localized along the western limit of thinned Nain crust affected by preorogenic rifting, but which does not represent a fundamental plate boundary. The along-strike heterogeneities in the Torngat Orogen document the influence of geometrical and competency heterogeneities in the colliding margins on subsequent deformation and the fact that heterogeneities in the deep crust persist through high-grade metamorphism.
Reconstruction of the Red Dog Zn–Pb–Ba orebody, Alaska: implications for the vent environment during the mineralizing event
Authors: Edgerton David
Published: November 2009

The Red Dog orebody (western Brooks Range, Alaska) contains reserves of approximately 150 Mt at an average grade of 16.2% Zn, 4.4% Pb, and 110 g/t Ag. Three mineralization facies can be identified within the orebody on the basis of mineralogical, textural, and paragenetic variations. The mineralization facies are termed breccia, transitional, and stratiform, representing a variation from a predominantly early epigenetic style of mineralization (breccia and transitional facies) to features that are more characteristic of syngenetic mineralization (stratiform facies). The primary relationship between the orebody and host rocks has been obscured by postmineralization deformation events that occurred during the Cretaceous Brooks Range orogeny. Therefore, reconstruction of the orebody was established using the mineralization facies model, determining local fault strain kinematics, drawing sections, and contouring the orebody's footwall, which is also a structural horizon. The reconstructed vent field is approximately 2400 m by 400 m, and contains four principal vents: the Hilltop, Main, West, and Aqqaluk. All vents are characterized by breccia facies mineralization that grades rapidly to transitional facies. The stratiform facies defines the periphery of the orebody. The development of the orebody began in the Upper Mississippian when early-stage metal-rich fluids were initially focused into the Main and West vents. All four vents were active during main-stage mineralization, which is characterized by extensive brecciation and sulfide-bearing barite rock and bitumen formation. Near the end of main-stage mineralization, the Aqqaluk vent became the main discharge zone, and fluid flow ceased entirely at the Hilltop vent. During late-stage mineralization, minor sulfide and sulfide-bearing and unmineralized barite rock were deposited. Upper Pennsylvanian strata do not host Zn–Pb mineralization, and they define the end of the ore-forming event at Red Dog. However, stratiform barite rock continued to be deposited, suggesting fluids were discharged at the sea floor until the end of the Pennsylvanian.
Paleomagnetic and isotopic evidence for the diagenesis and alteration of evaporites in the Paleozoic Elk Point Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada
Authors: Koehler G. , Kyser T. K. , Enkin R. , Irving E.
Published: November 2009

In the Paleozoic Elk Point Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, hematite in evaporite rocks of the Middle Devonian Prairie Formation records two magnetizations that are very different from those expected when the evaporites were originally deposited. The first (X magnetization) corresponds to Cretaceous or Cenozoic paleofield directions and contains both normal and reversed polarities. The second (Y magnetization) appears to be a composite of Cretaceous–Cenozoic and late Paleozoic (Kiaman) reversed polarity directions. The X magnetization occurs in anomalous ores and is associated with fine-grained hematite occurring predominantly along grain boundaries. The Y magnetization occurs in normal ore and is associated with sylvite that has hematite both along grain boundaries and within sylvite crystals, the latter inferred to be of Kiaman age. K–Ar ages of the host sylvites are also composite, and are consistent with those inferred from paleomagnetic directions. Stable isotopic compositions of fluid inclusions in halite and the associated hematite in the Prairie Formation indicate that the hematite carrying the X magnetization formed at low temperature (about 60 °C) by fluids similar to those currently resident in overlying formations. The hematite carrying the inferred late Paleozoic magnetization was also formed at low temperatures by fluids having δD and δ18O values significantly lower than Paleozoic seawater. Paleomagnetic, petrographic, and isotopic data, and K–Ar ages indicate that evaporites in the Elk Point Basin have been affected by major fluid events that occurred during the late Paleozoic and Cretaceous–Cenozoic. These fluids are most probably related to brines mat have their origins within the basin, which were mobilized by major tectonic events.
Slope instability and valley formation in Canadian soft clay deposits
Authors: Lefebvre Guy
Published: November 2009

The purposes of the paper are to examine the deepening of valleys in clay deposits of Eastern Canada and in particular to look at the changes in the groundwater regime and slope stability conditions during valley formation. Field observations and laboratory testing indicate that the rate of valley deepening in Champlain clay deposits is of the order of only a few millimetres a year, owing to the low erodibility of the intact clay. The clay banks are, however, more erodible, owing to alteration and fissuration.The stratigraphy of Eastern Canadian clay deposits can be simplified by considering it to be a stratum of low permeabilityconfined between two boundary layers of relatively high permeability, which are the till layer at the base and a weathered crust or coarse-grained layer at the top. As the valley bottom get closer to the bottom till layer, the groundwater regime, and consequently the stability conditions, are modified. During the process of valley formation, the groundwater regime passes through astage where the conditions are rather detrimental to slope stability as it evolves toward conditions that enhance bank stability. Those changes in stability conditions happen over geological time more rapidly or less, depending on clay erodibility. Key words: soft clay, valley formation, slope stability, groundwater, erosion, erodibility.
Lateral soil pressures and displacements of rigid piles in homogeneous soils under eccentric and inclined loads
Authors: Sastry V. V. R. N. , Meyerhof G. G.
Published: November 2009

The lateral soil pressures, tip load, and displacements of instrumented single rigid model piles in homogeneous loose sand and soft clay under vertical eccentric and central inclined loads have been investigated. A comparison of the test results with theoretical pressure distributions and displacements of the pile for the working load range has been made. Reasonable agreement has been found between the observed and predicted displacements and suggested nondimensional p–y curves. The analyses are also compared with the results of some field case records. Key words: displacements, clay, eccentric load, horizontal load, lateral soil pressure, instrumentation, model test, pile, sand.
An interslice force function for limit equilibrium slope stability analysis
Authors: Fan K. , Fredlund D. G. , Wilson G. W.
Published: November 2009

The equations of statical equilibrium and the failure criterion for the soil are insufficient to render a slope stability analysis determinate. Generally, the problem is resolved by making assumptions regarding the interslice forces. Calculated safety factors generally do not vary widely as a result of different assumptions. However, difficulties are sometimes associated with the convergence of the nonlinear solution when assumptions deviate excessively from realistic in situ stress conditions.This paper presents the results of an elastic analysis for the computation of interslice normal and shear forces acting within a soil mass. The directions of the resultant interslice forces were computed using a two-dimensional, finite element analysis with constant strain elements. Simpson's method of integration was used to develop a function, f(x), describing the directions of the resultant interslice forces. The function was found to be bell-shaped with the peak occurring approximately at mid-slope (i.e., halfway between the crest and the toe). A generalized empirical function has been proposed. The equation takes the form of an extended error function in which the constants c and n are functions of the slope inclination, and the K-constant is a function of the slope inclination and the depth of the slip surface. Slope analyses using the proposed function show a line of thrust near the one-third point. No problems have been observed with convergence of the solution. Key words: slope stability, safety factor, method of slices, interslice forces, finite elements, interslice force functions, clay, slopes.
Thermal expansion and pore pressure generation in oil sands
Authors: Agar J. G. , Morgenstern N. R. , Scott J. D.
Published: November 2009

The prediction of stress changes and deformations arising from ground heating requires the coupled solution of the heat transfer and consolidation equations. Heat consolidation as a class of problems is distinct from other thermally induced consolidation problems involving processes such as frost heave and thaw consolidation in that it involves heating to elevated temperatures well above normal ground temperatures. Two of the important parameters required in analyses of heat consolidation problems are thermal expansion coefficients and a coefficient of thermal pore pressure generation.Relationships describing thermal expansion behaviour and thermal pore pressure generation in oil sands are presented. Both drained and undrained thermal expansion coefficients for Athabasca oil sand were determined by means of heating experiments in the temperature range 20–300 °C. The thermal pore pressure generation coefficient was evaluated in undrained heating experiments under constant total confining stresses and under constant effective confining stresses. The equipment and experimental methods developed during this study are appropriate for determination of thermal expansion and pore pressure generation properties of oil sands and other unconsolidated geologic materials. Key words: thermal expansion, oil sand, tar sand, thermal pore pressure generation, heat consolidation, thermal consolidation, coefficient of thermal expansion, thermal stresses, ground heating, thermally enhanced oil recovery, thermoelasticity, undrained heating.
Centrifuge model tests on backfill stability
Authors: Mitchell Robert J.
Published: November 2009

The 6 m diameter, 30 g-tonne geotechnical centrifuge at Queen's University is described. Results from eight model tests, carried out on plain cemented sand samples representing mine backfills, are presented. These data show that the stable prototype backfill heights obtained from centrifuge tests exceed the failure heights predicted from unconfined compression testing by factors averaging about 1.8. This factor is explained by a combination of geometrical and behavioural effects. Still photographs of typical backfill failures in the centrifuge are included and these indicate that unacceptable ore dilution and recovery costs would be associated with the prototype failures in plain cemented tailings backfills. Key words: geotechnical centrifuge, mine backfill, model tests, cemented sand.
Ice cover deformations at Adams Island, winter 1982–1983
Authors: Sayed M. , Frederking R. M. W. , Bradford D.
Published: November 2009

Measurements of horizontal movements of the ice cover near Adams Island, March to June 1983, and in Eclipse Sound, December 1982 to June 1983, indicate no apparent coupling between movement direction and wind or current. Average strain rates in the plane of the ice cover were 10−10 s−1, with a maximum of 10−8 s−1. Similar strain rate values were obtained on Eclipse Sound. Movement rates at Eclipse Sound were of the same magnitude as those at Adams Island, but the direction was quite different. Maximum calculated and measured ice pressures were 500 and 140 kPa, respectively. Key words: ice movements, ice pressures, Canadian Arctic Ocean, oceanography, wind.
Cyclic axial loads on piles: Analysis of existing data
Authors: Briaud Jean-Louis , Felio Guy Y.
Published: November 2009

A data base is collected to study the behavior of piles in clay under cyclic axial loads generated by ocean waves. The data base includes 9 studies on the cyclic behavior of clay samples in laboratory tests, 10 studies on cyclic model pile load tests in clay, and 16 studies on cyclic full-scale pile load tests in clay of which 4 studies are proprietary. First, general conclusions are drawn from inspection of these studies. Then a power law model is used to quantify the soil stiffness degradation as the number of cycles increases. The parameter for the model is back-figured for each case of the data base and general trends are observed. Key words: pile load tests, cyclic loads, laboratory tests, clay.
Geophysical modelling and mapping of contaminated groundwater around three waste disposal sites in southern Ontario
Authors: Greenhouse John P. , Slaine David D.
Published: November 2009

We present an approach to the use of electomagnetic geophysical methods for delineating groundwater contamination, and test the concepts at three waste disposal sites. The approach includes a technique for modelling a site's response to a variety of instruments, and a device-independent method of contouring the data. The modelling attempts to account for the noise inherent in the measurement process, particularly the effects of lateral variations in stratigraphy. These concepts are evaluated by comparing the geophysical response to groundwater conductivities measured in sampling wells. We conclude that geophysics offers a cost-effective supplement to drilling, and that it is best used in a reconnaissance mode to map the general distribution of contamination prior to a detailed sampling program. The correlation between the observed and predicted geophysical response as a function of groundwater conductivity is as good as can be expected given the uncertainties in the process. The methodology proposed is simple to use and practical. Key words: groundwater, contamination, geophysics, electromagnetic, mapping, modelling.