bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Venous and Arterial Conduit Patency by 16-Slice Spiral Computed Tomography
Authors: Martuscelli E. , Romagnoli A. , D’Eliseo A. , Tomassini M. , Razzini C. , Sperandio M. , Simonetti G. , Romeo F. , Mehta J.L.
Published: November 2004

Background—

Computed tomography has been shown to be useful in the evaluation of aortocoronary bypass grafts (CABG). This is the first prospective study to evaluate the accuracy of a new-generation scanner in the detection of patency and significant stenoses (>50% decrease in diameter) of venous and arterial grafts in patients with previous CABG.

Methods and Results—

In 96 patients (80 males, mean age 62 years) with previous CABG, a multislice computed tomography (MSCT) scan was performed (collimation 16×0.625 mm). Patients with atrial fibrillation, renal failure, severe respiratory disease, severe heart failure, heart rate >70 bpm despite therapy, or unstable angina were excluded. A total of 285 conduits implanted on the native coronary arteries at the time of CABG were evaluated. MSCT data were analyzed by 2 independent radiologists and compared with the results of conventional angiography. Three patients were excluded from analysis. All conduits were judged evaluable in 84 patients. Among these patients, MSCT correctly diagnosed 54 occluded grafts and 4 significant stenoses on the body of the grafts. Of the 17 significant anastomotic lesions, MSCT correctly diagnosed 15. For these 84 patients, diagnostic accuracy was 99%, sensitivity was 97%, and specificity was 100%. When all 93 patients were considered, the sensitivity of MSCT in diagnosing significant stenoses was 96%.

Conclusions—

MSCT with the new-generation scanner allows for accurate assessment of venous and arterial conduits in patients with previous CABG with a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. Exclusion criteria and radiation exposure remain limitations of the method.
Presence of Left-to-Right Atrial Frequency Gradient in Paroxysmal but Not Persistent Atrial Fibrillation in Humans
Authors: Lazar Sorin , Dixit Sanjay , Marchlinski Francis E. , Callans David J. , Gerstenfeld Edward P.
Published: November 2004

Background—

Recent studies have demonstrated spatiotemporal organization in atrial fibrillation (AF), with a left-to-right atrial frequency gradient during AF in isolated sheep hearts. We hypothesized that human AF would also manifest a left-to-right atrial frequency gradient.

Methods and Results—

Thirty-one patients aged 56.7±10.5 years with a history of paroxysmal or persistent (>1 month) AF were included. Recordings were made at each pulmonary vein (PV) ostium and simultaneously from the coronary sinus (CS) and posterior right atrium (RA) during AF. Sequential fast Fourier transforms (FFTs) were performed. FFT profiles were analyzed to determine the dominant frequency (DF). There were 18 patients with paroxysmal AF and 13 with persistent AF. In the paroxysmal group, there was a significant left-to-right atrial DF gradient, with DF highest at the PV/left atrial (LA) junction, intermediate at the CS, and lowest in the RA (6.2±0.8, 5.5±0.7, and 5.1±0.6 Hz, respectively;
P
<0.001). There were no patients in whom DF was greater at the RA than the PV/LA junction. In the persistent group, there was no significant difference between DF recorded from the LA/PV junction, CS, and RA (6.1±0.7, 5.8±0.6, and 5.8±0.6 Hz, respectively;
P
=NS).

Conclusions—

In humans with paroxysmal AF, DFs are highest at the PV/LA junction, intermediate in the CS, and slowest in the posterior RA. These findings agree with animal models that suggest that the posterior LA may play an important role in maintaining paroxysmal AF. The role of the posterior LA in persistent AF requires further study.
Assessment of Systemic Right Ventricular Function in Patients With Transposition of the Great Arteries Using the Myocardial Performance Index
Authors: Salehian Omid , Schwerzmann Markus , Merchant Naeem , Webb Gary D. , Siu Samuel C. , Therrien Judith
Published: November 2004

Background—

Assessment of systemic right ventricular (RV) function is a key point in the follow-up of patients with transposition of the great arteries (TGA). Current echocardiographic assessment of RV function is at best an estimate, and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is considered the gold standard. However, this technique is expensive, has limited availability, and requires significant expertise to acquire and interpret the images. The myocardial performance index (MPI) has recently been studied for assessment of pulmonary RV function and shows promise as a simple yet powerful tool for assessing patients with RV dysfunction of various origins. We set out to compare MPI and CMR assessment of systemic RV function in patients with TGA.

Methods and Results—

Data from patients with TGA (11 with congenitally corrected TGA, 18 with surgically corrected TGA) who had CMR within 6 months of their echocardiogram were reviewed. The average systemic RV ejection fraction (RVEF) by CMR was 39.4±11.4%, and the systemic RVMPI for this group was 0.56±0.21. There was a strong negative correlation between the systemic RVMPI and systemic RVEF by CMR (
r
=−0.82,
P
<0.01). The systemic RVEF can be estimated from this formula: RVEF=65%−(45.2×MPI).

Conclusions—

MPI can be used in patients with systemic RVs to assess global function and to estimate an EF with good accuracy.
Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Clinical Trial of Azimilide for Prevention of Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias in Patients With an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator
Authors: Dorian Paul , Borggrefe Martin , Al-Khalidi Hussein R. , Hohnloser Stefan H. , Brum Jose M. , Tatla Daljit S. , Brachmann Johannes , Myerburg Robert J. , Cannom David S. , van der Laan Michael , Holroyde Michael J. , Singer Igor , Pratt Craig M.
Published: November 2004

Background—

Although implanted cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) effectively treat sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias, up to 50% of ICD recipients eventually require concomitant antiarrhythmic drug therapy to prevent symptomatic arrhythmia recurrences and hence reduce the number of device therapies.

Methods and Results—

A total of 633 ICD recipients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effect of daily doses of 75 or 125 mg of azimilide on recurrent symptomatic ventricular tachyarrhythmias and ICD therapies. Total all-cause shocks plus symptomatic ventricular tachycardia (VT) terminated by antitachycardia pacing (ATP) were significantly reduced by azimilide, with relative risk reductions of 57% (hazard ratio [HR]=0.43, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.69,
P
=0.0006) and 47% (HR=0.53, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.83,
P
=0.0053) at 75- and 125-mg doses, respectively. The reductions in all-cause shocks with both doses of azimilide did not achieve statistical significance. The incidence of all appropriate ICD therapies (shocks or ATP-terminated VT) was reduced significantly among patients taking 75 mg of azimilide (HR=0.52, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.89,
P
=0.017) and those taking 125 mg of azimilide (HR=0.38, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.65,
P
=0.0004). Five patients in the azimilide groups and 1 patient in the placebo group had torsade de pointes; all were successfully treated by the device. One patient taking 75 mg of azimilide had severe but reversible neutropenia.

Conclusions—

Azimilide significantly reduced the recurrence of VT or ventricular fibrillation terminated by shocks or ATP in ICD patients, thereby reducing the burden of symptomatic ventricular tachyarrhythmia.
An Evaluation of the Factor Structure of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale
Authors: Harvey Bronwyn , Pallant Julie , Harvey David
Published: November 2004

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the six-factor structure of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale could be replicated in a community-based sample. A sample of 255 adult participants (55.7% female, 44.3% male) ranging in age from 18 to 78 (mean = 37.0) completed the questionnaire. Based on the scree test and parallel analysis, four factors were selected for rotation. Varimax and oblimin rotation yielded four clearly interpretable subscales: Negative Projections, Organization, Parental Influences, and Achievement Expectations. Similarities between the original factor analysis and alternative solutions are discussed, as are the reasons for the suggested renaming of the factors.
The Short Internalized Homonegativity Scale: Examination of the Factorial Structure of a New Measure of Internalized Homophobia
Authors: Currie Matthew R. , Cunningham Everarda G. , Findlay Bruce M.
Published: November 2004

The purpose of the study was to develop a short measure of internalized homophobia (IH), one that reflected contemporary attitudes toward homosexuality and included items designed to assess the domain of sexual comfort with gay men, a domain that has been notably absent from other measures of IH. The Short Internalized Homonegativity Scale (SIHS) was informed by the Reactions to Homosexuality Scale (RHS) and the contention that currently available measures of IH were outdated in their assessment of the construct and/or failed to assess its covert manifestations. A geographically diverse sample of gay men completed an online questionnaire ( N = 1,307), and the 677 respondents from the United States formed the sample for the study. Confirmatory factor analyses supported a single higher order construct of IH comprising the lower order factors of Public Identification as Gay, Sexual Comfort With Gay Men, and Social Comfort With Gay Men.
Reliability Generalization of Responses by Care Providers to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale
Authors: O’rourke Norm
Published: November 2004

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale is among the most commonly used measures of depressive symptomatology. Despite this, a paucity of research has been undertaken to examine the psychometric properties of responses to this scale. This meta-analytic study examined previously published studies of caregiving to identify factors that predict variance in reliability estimates (i.e., reliability generalization). The results suggest that the type of care recipient, the relationship to the care recipient, and CES-D Scale length each statistically affect reliability estimates. Only the number of items, however, appears to have a substantive effect. It is thus recommended that the original 20-item scale be used. Overall, it appears that responses to the CES-D Scale by care providers are largely reliable across these populations. The findings of an informal survey of authors suggest an incomplete awareness and appreciation for issues regarding reliability induction.
Why Induction Matters
Authors: Kelley Linda Molner
Published: November 2004

Retention of a competent teaching force is a growing concern among the nation’s educators and policy makers. Providing new teachers with quality induction programs may mitigate significant teacher attrition and teacher staffing issues now facing many school districts in the United States. This article reports positive results in the long-term retention of novice teachers who participated in an induction partnership jointly administered by the University of Colorado and six school districts. The study tracks 10 cohorts of inductees into their 5th year of teaching and researches components of the program that impact retention. The article also describes program characteristics— initially developed from prior research and refined by data from ongoing program evaluations— that have proven effective in raising teacher competence and retention rates. Finally, the author suggests how this induction research might inform the decisions of local and national policy makers.
Three Worlds of Working Time: The Partisan and Welfare Politics of Work Hours in Industrialized Countries
Authors: Burgoon Brian , Baxandall Phineas
Published: November 2004

This article argues that annual hours per employed person and per working-age person capture important dimensions of political-economic success that should be weighed against aggregate employment and wealth patterns. It also argues that partisan-driven work-time policies and welfare-regime institutions give rise to diverging Social Democratic, Liberal, and Christian Democratic “worlds” of work time in terms of these two measures. Descriptive statistics for eighteen Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries reveal broad clustering and trends suggestive of the Three Worlds, while panel estimation suggests the influence of partisan and welfare-institutional conditions underlying them. Case study of Finland, the United States, and the Netherlands further illustrates the political process and sequence of the Three Worlds.
The Force of Political Argument
Authors: Panagia Davide
Published: November 2004

In this essay, the author examines the tensions that emerge between the practice of essay writing and a commitment to philosophical justification as themodel for political argument in contemporary political thought. He focuses on Jürgen Habermas’s adoption of the performative contradiction as an ideal for communicative exchange and shows the unacknowledged role that sincerity plays in Habermas’s argument. He then links this account to his explorations of the rise of aesthetic criticism in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and its contribution to democratic thought. Turning to one of the key literary and political critics of the period, William Hazlitt, the author shows how his theory of essay composition lends itself to a radical democratic imaginary that complicates the account of political argument Habermas sets out. Hazlitt’s essays, the author concludes, are exemplary in their embracing of contradiction as a condition of democratic life.
Coming to Terms with Our Past, Part II
Authors: McCarthy Thomas
Published: November 2004

There has recently been a surge of interest, theoretical and political, in reparations for slavery. This essay takes up several moral-political issues from that intensifying debate: how to conceptualize and justify collective compensation and collective responsibility, and how to establish a plausible connection between past racial injustices and present racial inequalities. It concludes with some brief remarks on one aspect of the very complicated politics of reparations: the possible effects of hearings and trials on the public memory and political culture of a historically racist society. The hope is that these arguments, taken together, draft a coherent case for slavery reparations as pursued by the Reparations Coordinating Committee.
Gender, Social Class, and the Subjective Experience of Aging: Self-Perceived Personality Change From Early Adulthood to Late Midlife
Authors: Miner-Rubino Kathi , Winter David G. , Stewart Abigail J.
Published: November 2004

This study explored the applicability of previous research (obtained with groups of college-educated women) about the subjective experience of aging in midlife to men and less-educated people. Two-hundred fifty-nine men and women who graduated from a public high school in 1955-1957 retrospectively assessed their feelings of identity certainty, confident power, generativity, and concern about aging for their 60s, 40s, and 20s. Participants reported higher levels of identity certainty, confident power, and concern about aging at each age, and a leveling off of generativity in their 60s. There were some gender and social class differences. Although men and women recalled the same trajectory of these feelings, men reported higher levels of identity certainty and confident power across age. Non-college-educated men recalled the highest levels of concern about aging across age. We discuss how these findings add to our understanding of the experience of aging in these domains.
Essentialist Beliefs about Personality and Their Implications
Authors: Haslam Nick , Bastian Brock , Bissett Melanie
Published: November 2004

Two studies examine implicit theories about the nature of personality characteristics, asking whether they are understood as underlying essences. Consistent with the hypothesis, essentialist beliefs about personality formed a coherent and replicable set. Personality characteristics differed systematically in the extent to which they were judged to be discrete, biologically based, immutable, informative, consistent across situations, and deeply inherent within the person. In Study 1, the extent to which characteristics were essentialized was positively associated with their perceived desirability, prevalence, and emotionality. In Study 2, essentialized characteristics were judged to be particularly important for defining people’s identity, for forming impressions of people, and for communicating about a third person. The findings indicate that people understand some personality attributes in an essentialist fashion, that these attributes are taken to be valued elements of a shared human nature, and that they are particularly central to social identity and judgment.
Interference and Facilitation among Personal Goals: Differential Associations with Subjective Well-Being and Persistent Goal Pursuit
Authors: Riediger Michaela , Freund Alexandra M.
Published: November 2004

Three studies demonstrate that mutual facilitation and interference among personal goals are distinct characteristics rather than mutually exclusive opposites and have different functions for psychological well-being and goal pursuit. The three studies vary in design (cross-sectional, short-termlongitudinal) and follow a multimethod approach using questionnaires, diaries, and objective behavioral information. Results show that interference among goals (resulting from resource constraints and incompatible goal attainment strategies) is negatively associated with trait and state well-being, whereas mutual facilitation among goals (resulting from instrumental goal relations and overlapping goal attainment strategies) is positively associated with involvement in goal pursuit.
When What You Know Is Not Enough: Expertise and Gender Dynamics in Task Groups
Authors: Thomas-Hunt Melissa C. , Phillips Katherine W.
Published: November 2004

This study investigates how the contribution, identification, and consideration of expertise within groups are affected by gender differences. The authors examined the effects of member expertise and gender on others’ perceptions of expertise, actual and own perceptions of influence, and group performance on a decision-making task. The authors’ findings are consistent with social role theory and expectation states theory. Women were less influential when they possessed expertise, and having expertise decreased how expert others perceived them to be. Conversely, having expertise was relatively positive for men. These differences were reflected in group performance, as groups with a female expert underperformed groups with a male expert. Thus, contrary to common expectations, possessing expertise did not ameliorate the gender effects often seen in workgroups. The findings are discussed in light of their implications for organizational workgroups in which contribution of expertise is critical to group performance.
Marco Polo: International Marketing Pioneer
Authors: Nevett Terence R.
Published: November 2004

Marco Polo’s Travels is an account of a journey he made with his father and uncle to the court of Mongol emperor Kublai Khan. As such, it has long been recognized as one of the world’s great travelogues and an important source for historians of the medieval period. In addition, however, it is a seminal work for the study of marketing history. After reviewing some textual concerns related to the Travels, this article examines the environment for international trade in the late thirteenth century, then analyzes the categories of marketing information that Marco presented. In conclusion, it offers an assessment of the Travels as a treatise on international marketing and as an important stimulus to the development of international trade in the centuries that followed its first appearance.
Understanding Environmental Governance
Authors: Davidson Debra J. , Frickel Scott
Published: November 2004

This article presents an historical sketch of the insights and applications provided by social science scholars on environmental governance. The authors begin with a review of the conceptual developments during the past 50 years characterized in terms of six conceptual perspectives: pluralism, agency capture, ecological Marxism, ecological modernization, social constructionism, and global environmentalism. This section is followed by an empirical analysis of academic journal coverage of research on environmental governance from 1963 to 2001 listed in the database Sociological Abstracts . The authors conclude that an understanding of the potential for environmental improvement could be advanced by the treatment of works that fall within the conceptual typology described herein, as a cumulative body of interdisciplinary knowledge. Advancements in this area could, furthermore, be facilitated through a broadening of empirical and methodological treatment of environmental governance and a greater attention to macro-structural relations among state and societal forces and environmental phenomena.
Managing Relational Exchanges
Authors: Fruchter Gila E. , Sigué Simon Pierre
Published: November 2004

The authors propose an analytic model that deals with both behavioral considerations between exchange partners and the determination of relational marketing efforts over time. On the basis of the behavioral marketing literature, they consider three main factors that drive the levels of relational commitments between two exchange partners: the trust/distrust component, the opportunism component, and the relational marketing effort of the seller. Incorporating these factors in a well-known model used in appliedmathematics for “love dynamics,” the authors claim that the issue of managing relational exchanges is an optimal control problem. Their analysis shows that the seller’s optimal policy for determining relational marketing effort over time is either time-invariant or time-variant, depending on whether or not the exchange partners are conservative and the structural and contextual environment of the relationship remains unchanged over time.
The impact of two multiple-choice question formats on the problem-solving strategies used by novices and experts
Authors: Coderre Sylvain P , Harasym Peter , Mandin Henry , Fick Gordon
Published: November 2004

Background

Pencil-and-paper examination formats, and specifically the standard, five-option multiple-choice question, have often been questioned as a means for assessing higher-order clinical reasoning or problem solving. This study firstly investigated whether two paper formats with differing number of alternatives (standard five-option and extended-matching questions) can test problem-solving abilities. Secondly, the impact of the alternatives number on psychometrics and problem-solving strategies was examined.

Methods

Think-aloud protocols were collected to determine the problem-solving strategy used by experts and non-experts in answering Gastroenterology questions, across the two pencil-and-paper formats.

Results

The two formats demonstrated equal ability in testing problem-solving abilities, while the number of alternatives did not significantly impact psychometrics or problem-solving strategies utilized.

Conclusions

These results support the notion that well-constructed multiple-choice questions can in fact test higher order clinical reasoning. Furthermore, it can be concluded that in testing clinical reasoning, the question stem, or content, remains more important than the number of alternatives.
Prenylation inhibitors stimulate both estrogen receptor α transcriptional activity through AF-1 and AF-2 and estrogen receptor β transcriptional activity
Authors: Cestac Philippe , Sarrabayrouse Guillaume , Médale-Giamarchi Claire , Rochaix Philippe , Balaguer Patrick , Favre Gilles , Faye Jean-Charles , Doisneau-Sixou Sophie
Published: November 2004

Introduction

We showed in a previous study that prenylated proteins play a role in estradiol stimulation of proliferation. However, these proteins antagonize the ability of estrogen receptor (ER) α to stimulate estrogen response element (ERE)-dependent transcriptional activity, potentially through the formation of a co-regulator complex. The present study investigates, in further detail, how prenylated proteins modulate the transcriptional activities mediated by ERα and by ERβ.

Methods

The ERE-β-globin-Luc-SV-Neo plasmid was either stably transfected into MCF-7 cells or HeLa cells (MELN cells and HELN cells, respectively) or transiently transfected into MCF-7 cells using polyethylenimine. Cells deprived of estradiol were analyzed for ERE-dependent luciferase activity 16 hours after estradiol stimulation and treatment with FTI-277 (a farnesyltransferase inhibitor) or with GGTI-298 (a geranylgeranyltransferase I inhibitor). In HELN cells, the effect of prenyltransferase inhibitors on luciferase activity was compared after transient transfection of plasmids coding either the full-length ERα, the full-length ERβ, the AF-1-deleted ERα or the AF-2-deleted ERα. The presence of ERα was then detected by immunocytochemistry in either the nuclei or the cytoplasms of MCF-7 cells. Finally, Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme treatment was used to determine the involvement of Rho proteins in ERE-dependent luciferase activity.

Results

FTI-277 and GGTI-298 only stimulate ERE-dependent luciferase activity in stably transfected MCF-7 cells. They stimulate both ERα-mediated and ERβ-mediated ERE-dependent luciferase activity in HELN cells, in the presence of and in the absence of estradiol. The roles of both AF-1 and AF-2 are significant in this effect. Nuclear ERα is decreased in the presence of prenyltransferase inhibitors in MCF-7 cells, again in the presence of and in the absence of estradiol. By contrast, cytoplasmic ERα is mainly decreased after treatment with FTI-277, in the presence of and in the absence of estradiol. The involvement of Rho proteins in ERE-dependent luciferase activity in MELN cells is clearly established.

Conclusions

Together, these results demonstrate that prenylated proteins (at least RhoA, RhoB and/or RhoC) antagonize the ability of ERα and ERβ to stimulate ERE-dependent transcriptional activity, potentially acting through both AF-1 and AF-2 transcriptional activities.
Autologous and Allogeneic Stem-Cell Transplantation As Salvage Treatment of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Initially Treated With All-Trans-Retinoic Acid: A Retrospective Analysis of the European Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Group
Authors: de Botton S. , Fawaz A. , Chevret S. , Dombret H. , Thomas X. , Sanz M. , Guerci A. , San Miguel J. , de la Serna J. , Stoppa A.M. , Reman O. , Stamatoulas A. , Fey M. , Cahn J.Y. , Sotto J.J. , Bourhis J.H. , Parry A. , Chomienne C. , Degos L. , Fenaux P.
Published: November 2004

Purpose

To retrospectively determine the outcome of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) patients who underwent autologous or allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (SCT) during second complete remission.

Patients and Methods

Of 122 relapsing patients included in two successive multicenter APL trials who achieved hematological second complete remission (generally after a salvage regimen of all-trans-retinoic acid [ATRA] combined with chemotherapy), 73 (60%) received allogeneic (n = 23) or autologous (n = 50) SCT.

Results

Seven-year relapse-free survival (RFS), event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS) in the autologous SCT group were 79.4%, 60.6%, and 59.8%, respectively, with a transplant-related mortality (TRM) of 6%. Of the 28 and two patients autografted with negative and positive, respectively, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction before auto SCT, three (11%) and one relapsed, respectively. In the allogeneic SCT group, 7-year RFS, EFS, and OS were 92.3%, 52.2%, and 51.8%, respectively, with 39% TRM. OS was significantly better in the autologous SCT group than in the allogeneic SCT group (P = .04), whereas RFS and EFS did not differ significantly (P = .19 and P = .11, respectively). In patients not receiving transplantation, 7-year RFS, EFS, and OS were 38%, 30.4%, and 39.5%, respectively.

Conclusion

These retrospective data suggest that autologous SCT is very effective in APL relapsing after treatment with ATRA if performed in molecular remission. Allogeneic SCT yields few relapses, but it is associated with high TRM when performed after salvage with very intensive chemotherapy. Salvage with arsenic trioxyde, which has lower toxicity, should further improve the outcome of relapsing APL, especially before allogeneic SCT.
Generating optimal multiple-segment cutting patterns for rectangular blanks
Authors: Cui Y , Huang L , He D
Published: November 2004

This paper considers the unconstrained two-dimensional guillotine-cutting problem of rectangular blanks. It suggests the application of multiple-segment cutting patterns. A multiple-segment pattern consists of one or more segments that have the same width as that of the stock sheet. The lengths of the segments may be different. Strips in each segment are of the same length and direction. An algorithm based on dynamic programming is presented for generating the optimal multiple-segment patterns. Computations are performed both on benchmark problems and on random problems. The algorithm can solve most small-scale problems to optimality. For problems of larger scale, it can give solutions very close to optimal, and the time efficiency is much more higher than that of the exact algorithm for non-staged cutting. Furthermore, the algorithm can consider the restriction of the cutting process and generate cutting patterns that are easy to cut.
New synthesis of PNA–3′DNA linker monomers, useful building blocks to obtain PNA/DNA chimeras
Authors: Musumeci Domenica , Roviello Giovanni N. , Valente Margherita , Sapio Roberto , Pedone Carlo , Bucci Enrico M.
Published: November 2004

A new synthetic strategy to get the PNA–3′DNA linker with the monomethoxytrityl (Mmt) group as temporary protection of the backbone to be used for the synthesis of PNA/DNA chimeras was employed and a convenient strategy to obtain Mmt PNA monomers was developed. The synthetic strategies take advantage of the introduction of the acid‐labile Mmt‐protecting group in the first step. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci), 2004
Thermophilic biohydrogen production from glucose with trickling biofilter
Authors: Oh You‐Kwan , Kim Seo Hyoung , Kim Mi‐Sun , Park Sunghoon
Published: November 2004

Thermophilic H2 production from glucose was studied at 55–64°C for 234 days using a continuous trickling biofilter reactor (TBR) packed with a fibrous support matrix. Important parameters investigated included pH, temperature, hydraulic retention time (HRT), and glucose concentration in the feed. The optimal pH and temperature were 5.5 and 60°C, respectively. With decreasing HRT or increasing inlet glucose concentration, volumetric H2 production rate increased but the H2 production yield to glucose decreased gradually. The biogas composition was almost constant at 53 ± 4% (v/v) of H2 and 47 ± 4% (v/v) of CO2. No appreciable CH4 was detected when the reactor was under a normal operation. The carbon mass balance showed that, in addition to cell mass, lactate, n‐butyrate, CO2, and acetate were major products that comprised more than 85% of the carbon consumed. The maximal volumetric H2 production rate and H2 yield to glucose were 1,050 ± 63 mmol H2/l·d and 1.11 ± 0.12 mol H2/mol glucose, respectively. These results indicate that the thermophilic TBR is superior to most suspended or immobilized reactor systems reported thus far. This is the first report on continuous H2 production by a thermophilic TBR system. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Self‐Assembly of the Octanuclear Cluster [Cu8(OH)10(NH2(CH2)2CH3)12]6+ and the One‐Dimensional N‐Propylcarbamate‐Linked Coordination Polymer {[Cu(O2CNH(CH2)2CH3)(NH2(CH2)2CH3)3](ClO4)}n
Authors: Bramsen Fabienne , Bond Andrew D. , McKenzie Christine J. , Hazell Rita G. , Moubaraki Boujemaa , Murray Keith S.
Published: November 2004

The reaction of Cu(ClO4)2⋅6 H2O and n‐propylamine in methanol gives two high‐nuclearity products of well‐defined compositions. At amine concentrations greater than seven equivalents compared to copper ion concentration, the system fixes carbon dioxide from air to form the one‐dimensional carbamate‐bridged coordination polymer, {[Cu(μ2‐O,O′‐O2CNH(CH2)2CH3)(NH2(CH2)2CH3)3](ClO4)}n ({1‐ClO4}n). Lower relative amine concentrations lead to the self‐assembly of an octanuclear copper‐amine‐hydroxide cluster [Cu8(OH)10(NH2(CH2)2CH3)12]6+ (2). Both compounds exhibit unique structures: {1‐ClO4}n is the first μ2‐O,O′‐mono‐N‐alkylcarbamate‐linked coordination polymer and 2 is the largest copper‐hydroxide‐monodentate amine cluster identified to date. The crystal structures indicate that the size of the n‐propyl group is probably crucial for directing the formation of these compounds. Magnetic susceptibility studies indicate very weak antiferromagnetic coupling for 1. The octanuclear cluster 2 displays slightly stronger net antiferromagnetic coupling, despite the presence of a number of Cu‐O(H)‐Cu angles below the value of about 97° that would normally be expected to yield ferromagnetic coupling.
Supported Ionic Liquid Catalysis
Authors: Mehnert Christian P.
Published: November 2004

Supported ionic liquid catalysis is a concept which combines the advantages of ionic liquids with those of heterogeneous support materials. The viability of this concept has been confirmed by several studies which have successfully confined various ionic phases to the surface of support materials and explored their potential catalytic applications. Although the majority of the evaluated supports were silica based, several studies focused on polymeric materials including membranes. The preparation of these materials was achieved by using two different immobilization approaches. The first approach involves the covalent attachment of ionic liquids to the support surface whereas the second simply deposits the ionic liquid phases containing catalytically active species on the surface of the support. Herein recent advances made in this area are described.
Structural and Magnetic Investigations of the Mixed‐Valence FeII,III Two‐Dimensional Layer Complex, [Fe2IIFe2III(HCOO)10(C6H7N)6]n
Authors: Overgaard Jacob , Rentschler Eva , Timco Grigore A. , Larsen Finn K.
Published: November 2004

The structure of the complex, [Fe2IIFe2III(HCOO)10(C6H7N)6]n, (1) exhibits a neutral two‐dimensional layer network of alternating iron(II) and iron(III) ions, bridged equatorially by formate groups. All iron atoms are octahedrally coordinated, with iron(III) coordinating axially to one γ‐picoline and one formate group, while the iron(II) centers interact axially with two γ‐picoline groups, above and below the layer plane. The complex crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 at all studied temperatures [at 120 K, the cell dimensions are: a=10.228(1), b=12.071(1), c=12.072(1) Å, α=89.801(2), β=71.149(2), γ=73.371(2)°]. An intralayer antiferromagnetic exchange interaction of J=−2.8 cm−1 between iron(II) and iron(III) was observed in the magnetic studies. Decreasing the temperature to close to 20 K causes a magnetic‐ordering phenomenon to occur and a low‐temperature phase with a long‐range antiferromagnetic spin orientation appears. The magnetic phase transition was confirmed by Mössbauer spectroscopic studies at temperatures above and below the critical temperature. Structural information of 1 from synchrotron X‐ray diffraction data collected at room temperature and 16 K suggests that the antiferromagnetic ordering is caused by an enhanced π–π interaction between χ‐picoline groups from adjacent layers.
Light‐Scattering Study of the Aggregation of Syndiotactic Poly(methyl methacrylate) in Solution
Authors: Chen Wenna , Zhao Yue , Jiang Yong , Yan Dadong , Han Charles C.
Published: November 2004

Syndiotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (s‐PMMA) may undergo aggregation in n‐butyl chloride (n‐BuCl) at temperatures below the θ temperature. The aggregation behavior of the s‐PMMA with weight‐average molecular weight Mw=6.06×105 g mol−1 was studied by a combination of static and dynamic laser‐light‐scattering experiments. A solution of concentration 1.12×10−4 g mL−1 was quenched from 50 °C (above the θ temperature in n‐BuCl, 35 °C) to 12 °C, and the aggregation process was measured over 60 h. The time dependence of Mw, the root‐mean‐square z‐average radius of gyration , and the average hydrodynamic radius  were used to monitor the growth of the aggregates, with the result Mw∼ (where df=1.98±0.02), which implies the formation of a fractal aggregate. The observed fractal dimension, df, is close to that expected for a reaction‐limited cluster aggregation for which df=2.1. In addition, atomic force microscopy was used to image the aggregates.
Investigation of Redox Properties of Different PtSn/Al2O3 Catalysts
Authors: Olivier‐Fourcade Josette , Womes Manfred , Jumas Jean‐Claude , Le Peltier Fabienne , Morin Stéphane , Didillon Blaise
Published: November 2004

Alumina‐supported Sn and PtSn particles are studied by 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy after oxidation and reduction under various conditions. The observed species of SnIV, SnII and Sn0 are grouped in several categories, each being characterised by distinct structural properties. Tin phases in contact with the support or with platinum are identified. The results are used to establish a model describing the phase transformations occurring in PtSn particles under oxidising or reducing conditions. Particular attention is paid to the reduction/reoxidation mechanisms governing H2/O2 double titrations. An increased reactivity of tin towards oxygen, induced by the contact with platinum, is demonstrated. It is shown that tin contributes to the oxygen uptake VO1 of a first titration cycle by platinum‐catalysed transformation of SnII into an oxometallic phase PtxSn(O). The oxygen titre VO2 of a second cycle is due to O2 chemisorption on platinum only.
Oxygenolysis of Flavonoid Compounds: DFT Description of the Mechanism for Quercetin
Authors: Fiorucci Sébastien , Golebiowski Jerôme , Cabrol‐Bass Daniel , Antonczak Serge
Published: November 2004

Flavonoids are naturally occurring phenol derivatives present in substantial amounts in a large variety of plants, fruits and vegetables daily eaten by humans. Most of these compounds exhibit several interesting biological activities, such as antiradical and antioxidant actions. Indeed, by complexation with specific enzymes, flavonoids are notably liable to metabolize molecular dioxygen. On the basis of experimental results describing oxygenolysis of the flavonoid quercetin, activated by the enzyme quercetin 2,3‐dioxygenase (2,3‐QD), our attention has focused on the role of metal center in the activation of the substrate quercetin. Thus, in the present study, by means of DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6‐31(+)G* level on model molecular systems, we describe different mechanisms for dioxygen metabolization by quercetin. Stationary points are described, and energetic and structural analyses along the reaction paths are reported. Our calculations show that the copper cation must act as an oxidant towards the substrate and that the reaction proceeds through a 1,3‐cycloaddition.
Ligand Dynamics in Myoglobin: Calculation of Infrared Spectra for Photodissociated NO
Authors: Nutt David R. , Meuwly Markus
Published: November 2004

We present molecular dynamics simulations of the photodissociated state of MbNO performed at 300 K using a fluctuating charge model for the nitric oxide (NO) ligand. After dissociation, NO is observed to remain mainly in the centre of the distal haem pocket, although some movement towards the primary docking site and the xenon‐4 pocket can be seen. We calculate the NO infrared spectrum for the photodissociated ligand within the haem pocket and find a narrow peak in the range 1915–1922 cm−1. The resulting blue shift of 1 to 8 cm−1 compared to gas‐phase NO is much smaller than the red shifts calculated and observed for carbon monoxide (CO) in Mb. A small splitting, due to NO in the xenon‐4 pocket, is also observed. At lower temperatures, the spectra and conformational space explored by the ligand remain largely unchanged, but the electrostatic interactions with residue His64 become increasingly significant in determining the details of the ligand orientation within the distal haem pocket. The investigation of the effect of the L29F mutation reveals significant differences between the behaviour of NO and that of CO, and suggests a coupling between the ligand and the protein dynamics due to the different ligand dipole moments.
Cover Picture: Probing Ligand–Protein Recognition with Sum‐Frequency Generation Spectroscopy: The Avidin–Biocytin Case (ChemPhysChem 11/2004)
Authors: Dreesen Laurent , Sartenaer Yannick , Humbert Christophe , Mani Alaa A. , Méthivier Christophe , Pradier Claire‐Marie , Thiry Paul A. , Peremans André
Published: November 2004

The cover picture shows an artistic representation of the recognition of a protein (avidin) by a self‐assembled monolayer of ligand molecules (biocytin) using sum‐ frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. This recognition is mainly highlighted by the occurrence of two additional SFG resonances denoted α and β on the cover picture. In the related Article on page 1719, Dreesen et al. discuss the origin of these two peaks and deduce information on the conformational order and orientation of the adsorbed biological species.
Linking evaluation and reform strategies
Authors: Haug Peder
Published: November 2004

The current philosophy and politics of social reform strategies in Norway pose unique challenges and opportunities for evaluation theory.
Evaluation as a strategy of modernization
Authors: Andersen Linda
Published: November 2004

The meaning of modernization as a strategy for reforming the Danish welfare state must be deconstructed in order to reveal a proper role for evaluation practice.
Random‐effects Cox proportional hazards model: General variance components methods for time‐to‐event data
Authors: Pankratz V. Shane , de Andrade Mariza , Therneau Terry M.
Published: November 2004

Proportional hazards regression models are commonly used to study factors associated with time‐to‐event data. Because many complex genetic diseases exhibit variation in age at onset, it is important to have the capability to perform survival analyses on data collected from individuals whose observations are correlated due to shared genes or environment. While there are widely accepted methods for variance components analysis for simple quantitative traits, a parallel methodology for survival data has not been available. This manuscript outlines a method to perform variance component analyses under general random effects proportional hazards models. This method is based on a Laplace approximation, and makes computation for correlated time‐to‐event data feasible. The correlated frailty models described here can be used to perform genetic analyses, and other analyses with structured random effects, on age‐at‐onset data in a manner analogous to standard variance components methods for quantitative traits. We illustrate the use of the method by examining the heritability of breast cancer in a large familial cohort study. We also perform variance components linkage analyses on data simulated for the Twelfth Genetic Analysis Workshop (GAW12), and further examine the performance of this method for linkage analysis in a simulation study. The breast cancer analyses support significant heritability of disease age‐at‐onset that is of moderate size. The variance component linkage analyses successfully identify the location of the disease genes that were simulated to have a direct impact on age‐at‐onset. The methods outlined here make it possible to perform general variance components analyses on time‐to‐event endpoints, even on large data sets, in a computationally efficient manner.Genet. Epidemiol.28:97–109, 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Religious attendance and depressive symptoms among community dwelling elderly in Taiwan
Authors: Hahn Cheng‐Yi , Yang Mei‐Sang , Yang Ming‐Jen , Shih Chun‐Hua , Lo Hsin‐Yi
Published: November 2004

Background

The purpose of this study was to investigate the unique association between religious attendance and the prevalence of depressive symptoms among community dwelling elderly persons.

Methods

Employing a multilevel stratified sampling strategy, a total of 1000 subjects, aged 65–74 and living in Taiwan, were recruited for this interview survey during the year 2001. Aside from background information, the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire (TDQ) and the Neighborhood Quality Index were used to assess degree of depression and its correlates.

Results

Altogether, 863 subjects (age, M = 69.4, SD = 2.7) had complete data for analysis; 215 (24.8%) had had depressive symptoms in the past week. Among them, those who were female, (OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.59–2.97), illiterate(OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.76–3.33), unemployed (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.24–2.61), or not married (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.22–2.38), or those who had less family income (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.24–2.73), physical illness (OR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.86–3.86), or less social capital (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.88–0.94), were at higher risk of being depressed. Moreover, those (95.2% with religious belief ) who had not attended religious activities during the past 6 months were at higher risk of being depressed than those (100% with religious belief ) who had (OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.41–4.91). Multivariate logistic regression disclosed that those never attending religious activities were 2.70 times more likely to be depressed when compared to those who had, after taking into consideration sociodemographics and social capital.

Conclusion

The attending of religious activities is a protective factor for geriatric depression. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Older people with schizophrenia: a community study in a rural catchment area
Authors: Rodriguez‐Ferrera Silvia , Vassilas Christopher A. , Haque Sayeed
Published: November 2004

Background

An increasing number of older people with schizophrenia are living in the community but we still have little data on their clinical presentation, service use and functioning.

Methods

All patients over the age of 60 years with a primary diagnosis of a non‐affective psychotic disorder who were known to health services were identified in a rural area of East England. Subjects were interviewed with the Present State Examination and other standardised interview instruments.

Results

Seventy‐two subjects fulfilled study inclusion criteria. Forty‐six of these had first become ill before the age of 60 years and 26 after (the very late onset group (VLO)). Eighty per cent were women and 26% had never married. Eighty‐seven per cent lived in their own homes and 51% alone. In the preceding month, 41% of the sample had experienced psychotic symptoms and 15% depressive symptoms. Twenty‐seven per cent of the sample were cognitively impaired. The earlier onset group had significantly higher rates of tardive dyskinesia and negative symptoms of schizophrenia and were treated with higher doses of neuroleptics. The VLO group had higher rates of hearing impairment (54% vs 15% p = 0.001) and of partial or no insight (93% vs 55% p = 0.004).

Conclusions

Despite significant differences in presentation, elderly patients with schizophrenia and very late onset schizophrenia‐like psychosis have much in common. Both groups are vulnerable with high levels of psychopathology, poor insight, sensory impairment and social isolation. The needs of older people with schizophrenia must be taken into account when services for older adults are planned. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.