bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delay in Final Publication Following Abstract Presentation: American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting
Authors: Dyson Doris H. , Sparling Stephanie C.
Published: January 2008

Rationale for the study – A review of abstracts presented at nine annual meetings of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists was undertaken to determine the average time to publication and the differences found between conference abstracts and final publications. Concerns about and advantages of using such abstracts in our teaching are considered.

Methodology – Conference proceedings during the years 1990 through 1999 were considered. Key word and author searches using two common search engines were carried out to find whether abstracts presented had been published. The original article or its abstract was reviewed for consistency with the conference abstract.

Results – Of 283 abstracts examined, 73.5% were published in journals as full articles. The overall delay (±SD) in publication was 24.3 ± 21.0 months. Common reasons for not publishing included too little time, more interest in carrying out the work than in writing it up, and other more demanding tasks. Authors indicated the intention of completing a submission on approximately 10% of the unpublished abstracts. The final articles reviewed showed major differences in key aspects from the abstract presented in 7% of the cases. In half of these cases, clinical action could have been affected by a change in emphasis of the conclusions.

Conclusions – Because of the delay in publication of research, peer review of standardized abstracts should be encouraged. This material can be used to introduce students to new drugs, techniques, and results that may not otherwise become available until after their graduation. However, caution must be exercised in using this information, both because significant differences were noted in final publications and because unpublished research may be poorly interpreted at the time of presentation. This study emphasizes the value of critical review and lifelong learning in our careers.
Enhanced Communication by Developing a Non-anxious Presence: A Key Attribute for the Successful Veterinarian
Authors: Strand Elizabeth B.
Published: January 2008

In the recent past much has been written about non-technical skills in veterinary medical education. This dialogue has focused extensively on competence in behaviorally based communication skills for successful veterinary practice. Other relationship-based communication skills are also useful in communication, such as self-awareness, flexibility, non-judgment (compassion), and being present. All of these relationally based skills are present in the concept of non-anxious presence. This article will review the history of the term “non-anxious presence” (NAP), discuss a proposed model of NAP for the veterinary medical environment, and review some methods useful in teaching NAP in veterinary medical education.
Senior Veterinary Students’ Perceptions of Using Role Play to Learn Communication Skills
Authors: Brandt Jennifer C. , Bateman Shane W.
Published: January 2008

Recent studies of veterinary practice have suggested a correlation between well-developed communication skills and job satisfaction, career retention, customer satisfaction, decreased lawsuits, and financial remuneration for veterinarians. Veterinary educators are under growing pressure to teach functional communication skills to veterinary students; however, the methods employed have not been well evaluated. In this study we have evaluated veterinary student's attitudes to learning communication skills by participating in role play. The study indicates that experiential learning modalities such as role play are perceived as effective by students, despite reluctance to participate and some discomfort surrounding participation.
Communication Education in Veterinary Education in the United Kingdom and Ireland: The NUVACS Project Coupled to Progressive Individual School Endeavors
Authors: Gray C.A. , Blaxter A.C. , Johnston P.A. , Latham C.E. , May S. , Phillips C.A. , Turnbull N. , Yamagishi B.
Published: January 2008

This article reports on the coordination of communications skills training in veterinary schools in the United Kingdom and Ireland and describes the progress and status of training that is occurring in six of these schools.
Two Differentiated Programs of Veterinary Medical Education at the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Czech Republic
Authors: Večerek Vladimír
Published: January 2008

This article describes the two separate programs of veterinary education offered at the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno, Czech Republic, which are directed to clinical veterinary medicine and to veterinary food safety, hygiene, and ecology, respectively. Both programs provide a level of training such that all graduates are competent for veterinary practice in any area of veterinary medicine; however, each offers an extended and deepened emphasis of training in clinical medicine, on the one hand, and food safety, on the other. A key feature is that the cohort of students for each program enters having pre-selected a career in one of these two areas. One of the important end results of this structure is that it fulfills the growing and important mission of providing a critical number of veterinarians in food safety and all of its allied fields.
Undergraduate Veterinary Education at University College Dublin: A Time of Change
Authors: Doherty Michael L. , Jones Boyd R.
Published: January 2008

The final-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (MVB) class of 2005 were the first cohort of students to complete the new curriculum at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin (UCD). The new curriculum is a fundamental departure from the traditional curriculum that had served the veterinary profession in Ireland over many years. The change was not a precipitate action but the outcome of a prolonged and thorough examination of the realities of veterinary medicine, its science and its art, in the first decade of a new millennium. Over recent decades, rapid and fundamental changes have been witnessed in the economic, cultural, and ethical environment in which the veterinary profession operates, and these changes, coupled with the “information explosion,” dictated an examination of the educational paradigm.

The new curriculum exposes the first-year class to veterinary information technology and problem-based learning (PBL). In the second year, students are instructed in clinical examination, history taking, and client communication skills, in addition to further exposure to PBL. The third and fourth years are now systems-based, with coordinated input from microbiologists, parasitologists, pathologists, and clinicians in teaching each body system. The first lecture-free final year in the 104-year history of veterinary education in Ireland consists of clinical rotations and a four-week elective pursued within the faculty or at other recognized institutions. Students must also complete a minimum of 24 weeks’ extramural studies (EMS). Critically, the development and assessment of all courses in the new undergraduate degree program has been driven by carefully thought out learning outcomes.

The new curriculum will provide graduates with the essential knowledge and skills required for entry into the veterinary profession. Society expects these qualities from veterinarians in the interests of the communities they serve during their professional careers. In addition, the curriculum should foster the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, instill the desire and ability to work in teams, and develop life skills. It is hoped that the academic innovations will arouse the intellectual curiosity and commitment to lifelong learning that future graduates will require if they are to retain the confidence of the society in which they work in the future.
An Overview of Veterinary Medical Education in China: Current Status, Deficiencies, and Strategy for Improvement
Authors: Yin Jie-chao , Li Guang-xing , Ren Xiao-feng
Published: January 2008

Especially in developing countries, the profession of veterinary medicine is closely tied with agriculture and government economic development, the national structure of education, and national public health. Currently, the Chinese veterinary medical educational system and accreditation standards are distinctly different from those of some more developed countries, such as the United States, Japan, or the countries of the European Union. Chinese veterinary education is still closely based on traditional Chinese education approaches and standards, which has led to some deficiencies in the Chinese system. With the development of a stronger economy in China and the growing trend toward globalization, and particularly since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), some important questions about China's system of veterinary education are being raised: How can veterinary science develop more rapidly in China? How can it meet the needs of the growing Chinese society? How can China bring its veterinary medical practice more in line with that of other, more advanced countries? This article describes some of the realities of veterinary medical education in China, discusses several existing problems, and puts forward some ideas for possible reforms. It is hoped that by this means those outside China may gain insight into our veterinary education program and that this, in turn, will lead to helpful input from international educators and other professionals to help improve our programs.
A Status Report of Veterinary Education in Ethiopia: Perceived Needs, Past History, Recent Changes, and Current and Future Concerns
Authors: Mayen Friederike
Published: January 2008

Ethiopia, which owns the most important livestock resources in Africa, opened its first faculty of veterinary medicine in 1979. In 2003, in response to a government mandate to increase the number of veterinarians, four new veterinary faculties were founded, but these facilities still have very limited resources. Currently, quality standards and controls for veterinary studies are not established in Ethiopia, and the country does not have any type of veterinary council or oversight body to establish such standards or the essential evaluation and credentialing procedures. The veterinary degree, as currently obtained in Ethiopia, is not internationally recognized. A second specific concern for veterinary education in Ethiopia is that it is not well adapted to the special needs of the country. Clearly, quality control of veterinary education needs to be established, and teaching methods and materials need to be adapted to the special needs of the country.

So far, the veterinary faculty in Ethiopia has been more interested in partnerships with universities from developed countries than in partnerships and cooperation with other African universities. In 2002, after six years of cooperation with a German university, the Veterinary Faculty at Addis Ababa started its own post-graduate program, with some key contributions from foreign instructors and some foreign funding. While this has been a service to Ethiopian veterinary medicine, the cooperation of the Ethiopian veterinary schools with African universities must also be strengthened. Overall, the good efforts to date in Ethiopian veterinary medicine have only barely scratched the surface of its critical needs. In order to meet Ethiopia's needs for both a reliable and high-quality veterinary education and a trustworthy animal disease surveillance mechanism, it is important that veterinary education in Ethiopia be improved.
Workload, Study Methods, and Motivation of Students within a BVSc Program
Authors: Parkinson Tim J. , Gilling Marg , Suddaby Gordon T.
Published: January 2008

The workloads, study methods, and motivation of students in a five-year BVSc program were studied using questionnaires and focus groups. Students in each year of the program were asked, on three occasions over an academic year, to record details of their out-of-class study time for each course they were taking and to record the study methods they used, how they prioritized their time between subjects, and how they allocated time to study and leisure activities.

Mean response rates were 57% (range: 43–85%). Overall mean out-of-class study time ranged from 19 hours per week in Year 2 to 28 hours per week in Year 4. Study time was related to the level of interest the student had in the subject, the demands of assessments, and the number of subjects being studied. Study methods were related to students’ perceptions of the requirements of the subject as well as to their interest in it. Reliance on memorization and the use of set study materials were the predominant methods for courses with low interest scores, whereas higher interest was associated with a broad range of study methods. Leisure time was ring-fenced, especially when workloads were high.

Students’ motivation was high when they were studying subjects that were new or were seen as relevant to clinical practice; when working with animals or with enthusiastic faculty members; and when involved in subjects more tightly focused on the ultimate goal of becoming a practitioner. It was poor when students were faced with high workloads, disciplines becoming “stale,” excessive detail, and low perceptions of relevance. Constant assessment activities were also seen as a burden. In terms of good learning practices, workload and the demands of assessment were considered to be antagonistic. A tension between these perceptions of students and the values of faculty in terms of the development of critical thinking skills in the program is evident.
The University of California Veterinary Student Leadership Program: Comparison of a Five-Day with a Three-Day Course
Authors: Moore Dale A. , Klingborg Donald J.
Published: January 2008

Leadership skills can be learned and leadership activities can be stimulated with an effective educational program. The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine has demonstrated and previously reported on the enthusiasm for and outcomes of their five-day leadership program for incoming veterinary students. The course was altered and again offered as a five-day program to the next veterinary class but, because of timing and limited resources, was reduced to three days the following year. Thirty students were accepted each year on a first-come first-served basis. This article compares the five-day and three-day program curricula and post-program evaluations. Although the students decided whether or not to participate, short-term effects of the programs were the introduction of a new vocabulary, improved confidence to become leaders, and stimulation of student participation in veterinary student leadership roles. A course like this can get students off to a good start, but it is very likely that to achieve a long-term effect, continued exposure throughout the veterinary curriculum is needed.
Teaching Non-Technical (Professional) Competence in a Veterinary School Curriculum
Authors: Burns Gilbert A. , Ruby Kathleen L. , DeBowes Richard M. , Seaman Susan J. , Brannan Julia K.
Published: January 2008

Data from focused studies and comprehensive surveys suggest that developing or enhancing non-technical (professional) skills will result in a more satisfied and successful veterinary student or veterinary graduate. The College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University has devoted considerable time, effort, and resources to augmenting the non-technical aspects of its curriculum while maintaining the traditional strengths of its DVM program. Here we summarize pertinent research and best-practice recommendations from a variety of sources and outline the steps that have been taken, with the underlying rationales, to integrate the teaching and modeling of non-technical (professional) competence throughout a four-year course of veterinary study.
Historical Perspective of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine
Authors: Fowler Murray E.
Published: January 2008

Setting the stage for the other 12 articles on Zoological Medical Education in this theme of articles in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, this article provides a brief historical perspective on the foundation of this discipline.
A Model for Teaching Raptor Medicine in the Veterinary Curriculum
Authors: Degernes Laurel A. , Osborne Julie A. Nettifee
Published: January 2008

Injured or sick wild avian species, especially raptors (birds of prey, including hawks, owls, falcons, and eagles), can present different challenges to veterinary students and veterinarians who are trained in companion avian medicine (e.g., parrot medicine). Proper capture and restraint, feeding, housing, and certain diagnostic and treatment techniques involving raptors require different skills, knowledge, and resources than working with parrots. We developed an innovative raptor medicine program that enables students to acquire proficiency in safe capture, restraint, and examination techniques and in common diagnostic and treatment procedures. A self-assessment survey was developed to determine students’ confidence and proficiency in 10 procedures taught in the lab. Groups were compared by class status (Year 1 vs. Year 2 and 3) and level of prior raptor experience (non-experienced or experienced). In surveys conducted before and after teaching two sets of raptor training labs, students rated themselves significantly more proficient in all 10 diagnostic and treatment procedures after completing the two raptor laboratories. The greatest improvements were observed in technical skill procedures such as fluid administration, intramuscular injections, cloacal swabs, venipuncture, and bandaging. Our approach to incorporating elective wildlife learning experiences into the veterinary curriculum may be replicable in other veterinary schools, with or without a wildlife rehabilitation program.
Future Directions in Training Zoological Medicine Veterinarians
Authors: Carpenter James W. , Miller R. Eric
Published: January 2008

The American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM) is dedicated to excellence in furthering the health and well-being of both captive and free-ranging wild animals. Currently there are 14 ACZM-approved residency programs in zoological medicine. In addition, eight non-approved residencies and 15 internships in North America provide training opportunities in this field. This article outlines some of the training opportunities for both veterinary students and graduate veterinarians that would best position them for entry into a zoological medicine training program. Although there is a growing number of opportunities for individuals to serve in captive and free-ranging wildlife health positions, existing training programs are inadequate to meet these needs. It is also acknowledged that there is an increasing number of veterinary students entering veterinary schools with an interest in zoological medicine and that the job market is still limited. However, positions and opportunities in zoological medicine are available for those individuals with the drive, dedication, and passion to succeed.
The Future of Training for Aquatic Animal Health Veterinarians
Authors: Hartman Kathleen Hughes , Yanong Roy P.E. , Harms Craig A. , Lewbart Gregory A.
Published: January 2008

This article describes educational approaches for training veterinary students, veterinary graduates, and practicing veterinarians in the area of aquatic animal health and lists a range of general research, training, internship/residency, and continuing-education resources.
The Global Veterinarian: The Why? The What? The How?
Authors: Brown Corrie , Thompson Sharon , Vroegindewey Gary , Pappaioanou Marguerite
Published: January 2008

Globalization has created an entirely new landscape for veterinarians. Opportunities abound to meet the formidable challenges presented as animals, people, and microbes travel at a previously unimagined speed, fueled by the engine of commerce, resulting in a plethora of new diseases, issues, and partnerships. Re-tooling our profession to ensure that we can continue to fulfill our veterinary oath in the face of these changes will require both short- and long-term changes. It is essential that a single overarching, non-affiliated organization be formed to tie together all entities, providing the structure to create needed synergy to enhance our currently fragmented professional responses and to solicit funds to effect necessary changes.
An Electronic Instructor for Gross Anatomy Dissection
Authors: Josephson Eleanor M. , Moore Larry J.
Published: January 2008

Gross anatomy is time consuming to teach and to learn. Because the process of dissection takes up so much student time, assistance in the form of an in-lab instructional DVD program might improve student performance. The DVD could be viewed with a portable device by individual dissection groups at their tables. Groups could dissect at their own pace, with access to step-by-step demonstrations and answers to frequently asked anatomical questions. We created an instructional DVD program demonstrating dissection of the canine ventral neck and thoracic limb. The effect on student exam scores of using the DVD versus not using it was measured in a controlled, two-sample study using incoming first-year veterinary students as volunteers. Volunteers were told the study was of two different dissection methods; the DVD was not specifically mentioned until after the students were separated into two groups (Blue/DVD group and Orange/No DVD group), and then only to volunteers in the Blue group. Except for the DVD, the two groups had the same resources. The difference in scores on an exam given after a single dissection period did not differ sufficiently to conclude that DVD use raised the mean score; however, 73% of the DVD group scored 60% or higher, while only 38% of the No DVD group scored 60% or higher. The difference in mean scores overall was 2.3 points out of a possible 49, suggesting that the DVD helped students, especially those with lower scores, to earn two to three more points than they would have otherwise.
Veterinarians in the Production Setting: Where Do Veterinarians Fit in? What Can They Provide? What Skills Do They Need?
Authors: Wustenberg Mark
Published: January 2008

This article examines the changing direction of needed competencies for the veterinary medical professional in food-supply veterinary medicine.
Work Conditions, Job Preparation, and Placement Strategies for Food-Animal Veterinarians
Authors: Andrus David M. , Prince J. Bruce , Gwinner Kevin
Published: January 2008

This study examines the responses of 1,047 human-resources personnel who recruit veterinarians for positions in their organizations. Work conditions in the organization, lifestyle and time-management issues, job benefits, job expectations, supervisor relations, and the physical demands of veterinary work are studied. Comparisons are made between four different occupational areas: food animals, mixed animals, companion animals, and industry positions in veterinary medicine. The findings portray a career in food animal medicine as very positive. Recruiters also make recommendations to colleges of veterinary medicine for strategies to improve the preparation and placement of their graduates.
Veterinary Medical Education for Modern Food Systems: Past, Present, and Brainstorming a Future
Authors: Morishita Teresa Y. , Kahrs Robert F. , Prasse Keith W. , Maccabe Andrew , Dierks Richard
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT AND EDITOR'S NOTE

Concepts presented here were derived from breakout sessions constituted by the 90 attendees of the Veterinary Medical Education for Modern Food Systems symposium, held in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, in October 2005. The attendees were food-animal educators, veterinary faculty, college deans and administrators, and veterinarians employed in government, industry, and private practice. Discussions at these breakout sessions focused on four primary areas: (1) determining the data needed to document the current demand for food-supply veterinarians (FSVs); (2) defining the information/skills/abilities needed within veterinary school curricula to address the current demands on FSVs; (3) outlining pre-DVM educational requirements needed to support FSVs; and (4) considering the role of post-DVM programs in meeting the demand for FSVs.
Veterinary School Consortia as a Means of Promoting the Food-Supply Veterinary Medicine Pipeline
Authors: Moore Dale A.
Published: January 2008

Ideas about centers of emphasis and veterinary medical teaching consortia have resurfaced to attract students into food-supply veterinary medicine (FSVM). From 1988 to 2000 a multiple veterinary school consortium approach to food-animal production medicine (FAPM) teaching was conducted to handle regional differences in case load, faculty strengths, and student interests. Six universities developed a memorandum of understanding to provide a wide variety of in-depth, species-specific clinical experiences in FAPM to balance their individual strengths and weakness in addressing food-animal agriculture, to provide for student exchange and faculty development, and to conduct research in food safety. Changes in leadership, redirection of funds, failure to publicize the program to faculty and students, and a focus on research as opposed to teaching led to dissolution of the consortium. However, this approach could work to improve recruitment and retention of students in FSVM if it focused on student exchange, fostered a more integrated curriculum across schools, encouraged faculty involvement, garnered institutional support, and used modern technology in teaching. Private veterinary practices as well as public/corporate practices could be integrated into a broader food-animal curriculum directed at building competency among FSVM students by providing the in-depth training they require. Requirements for the success of this type of program will include funding, marketing, leadership, communication, coordination, integration, and dedicated people with the time to make it work.
The Concept of Rural Community Practice (RCP)
Authors: Ole Nielsen N. , Evans Brian , King Lonnie J.
Published: January 2008

The need to devote more human resources to veterinary public practice to cope with escalating threats to biological security, public health, and economic prosperity, while also addressing societal value changes, has been widely recognized and supported. Most envisage increasing the numbers of veterinarians in government employment. Why not at least combine this initiative, wherever possible, with far greater involvement of rural practitioners to deliver contractual public-practice services and provide an enhanced community interface? This could make the difference between having a local practice in a community or none at all, as well as promising to be more cost effective.

The concept of rural community practice (RCP) envisages combining traditional services provided in a “mixed-animal” veterinary practice with an expanded portfolio of public-practice and communication services that meet the emerging animal, public, and ecosystem health needs of the collective community, not just those of animal owners. These services could include those involving active sentinel surveillance programs for both domestic animal and wildlife diseases; on-farm food safety; bio-security; traceability and export certification and audit programs; disease investigation, including foreign animal diseases; surge capacity emergency response; managing for ecosystem health; and client and community education. An expanded practice team of animal-health professionals and technologists, led by veterinarians, would deliver these services.

This RCP approach should have the potential to make rural practice more attractive from economic, lifestyle, and job-satisfaction perspectives; to enhance the visibility and recognition of the profession; and to respond to changing and new societal needs. It also promises to maintain a stable network of veterinary practices in rural communities. In addition, the recognition of veterinary medicine as a public good should provide for consideration of increased investment by levels of government. At the same time, this new model could help meet the demands of animal and public-health government agencies that face expanding responsibilities during a sustained climate of reduced budgetary resources.
Hidden Costs of Food Production: The Veterinarian's Role
Authors: Hewson Caroline J.
Published: January 2008

Veterinarians who work in food-animal production and food safety help to deliver food policy by enabling farmers to supply safe, affordable food. However, existing food policy reflects a production bias and is increasingly being criticized for its hidden costs. These costs include reduced animal welfare, the inflated risk of anti-microbial resistance, and the current pandemic of human obesity and overweight. Veterinarians do not generally recognize that this is the context within which they do their work. In this article, I review this context and argue that veterinary students should be taught about it. I also argue that the profession should join with food-policy analysts, ethicists, and others who are already calling for a rethinking of food policy, so that new policy might meet the full wealth of problems and not just some.
The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) as a Determinant of Veterinary Clinical Skills
Authors: Davis Margery H. , Ponnamperuma Gominda G. , McAleer Sean , Dale Vicki H.M.
Published: January 2008

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) has become an excellent tool to evaluate many elements of a student's clinical skills, especially including communication with the patient (human medicine) or client (veterinary medicine); eliciting clinical information from these conversations; some aspects of the physical examination; and many areas of clinical evaluation and assessment. One key factor is that the examination can be structured to compare different students’ abilities.
Survey of the Large-Animal Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Regarding Knowledge and Clinical Use of Polymerase Chain Reaction: Implications for Veterinary Education
Authors: Pusterla Nicola , Mapes Samantha , Leutenegger Christian M.
Published: January 2008

A questionnaire was developed to document the knowledge base of large-animal diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) regarding polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology and to identify the common use of this technology in equine practice. Ninety-three of the 278 mailed questionnaires were returned, for an overall response rate of 33.4%. Ninety respondents (99%) reported being familiar with the general principles of nucleic acid probe technology; however, only 52 (57%) knew the difference between conventional (traditional) and real-time (second-generation) PCR. The majority of the respondents (88%) emphasized the need for continuing education on molecular diagnostics. Eighty-four (92%) of the respondents regularly use PCR (conventional and/or real-time) for the detection of equine pathogens, and 80 (88%) commonly submit their samples to university/state veterinary laboratories. Blood, nasal swabs, and feces are the three equine specimens most commonly submitted for PCR analysis of Streptococcus equi, Lawsonia intracellularis, Neorickettsia risticii, equine herpesvirus 1/4, Rhodococcus equi, Sarcocystis neurona, and equine influenza virus. Diplomates reported costs associated with molecular diagnostics and unreliability of PCR as the most common limitations of PCR. Didactic training in veterinary curricula and during continuing-education opportunities continues to be necessary to produce veterinarians who have an understanding of the clinical applications of molecular diagnostics.
Palladium‐Catalyzed Diastereoselective and Enantioselective Allylic Alkylations of Ketone Enolates
Authors: Braun Manfred , Meier Thorsten , Laicher Frank , Meletis Panos , Fidan Mesut
Published: January 2008

Lithium and magnesium enolates of cyclohexanone undergo palladium‐catalyzed allylic alkylations under mild conditions. Diastereoselectivity and enantioselectivity are observed when the diphenyl‐ and dimethyl‐substituted allylic substrates 1a and 1b are reacted with cyclohexanone or ethyl mesityl ketone. The lithium enolates of cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone and α‐tetralone lead to the alkylations products 12–14 in an enantioselective manner. Axially chiral biphenyl‐ and binaphthyl‐bisphosphanes provide high enantioselectivity and/or diastereoselectivity. In the case of the lithium enolates, the presence of lithium chloride is also crucial to reactivity and stereoselectivity. The stereochemical outcome of the allylic alkylation of cyclohexanone and acetophenone has been investigated by the palladium‐catalyzed reaction of their lithium enolates with the cis/trans isomeric alkenes (Z)‐18 and (E)‐19. It turns out that the preformed, non‐stabilized enolates attack π‐allyl‐palladium complexes generated in situ from the face opposite to the noble metal thus following the stereochemical pathway of soft, stabilized carbanions.
The impact of race on outcomes of autologous transplantation in patients with multiple myeloma
Authors: Verma Pramvir S. , Howard Robin S. , Weiss Brendan M.
Published: January 2008

Multiple myeloma is the most common hematologic malignancy in African‐Americans, with twice the mortality of Caucasians according to population based data. In the pretransplantation era, comparable conventional therapy has resulted in similar outcomes between African‐Americans and Caucasians. However, there has been limited data on outcomes after high dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). A retrospective analysis of Caucasian (n = 55) and African‐American (n = 36) myeloma patients who underwent ASCT in an equal access health care system in the Department of Defense was performed. Presenting demographic variables, pre/post ASCT characteristics, overall mortality and relapse rates after ASCT were obtained. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated by Kaplan‐Meier, and compared via log‐rank testing. The median age at diagnosis for African‐Americans = 52 years, Caucasians = 56 years (P = 0.009). There were no differences in presenting ISS stage, hemoglobin, calcium, or creatinine. African‐Americans presented with higher CRP levels (P = 0.005), and a trend for less skeletal involvement (P = 0.10). Response to induction and ASCT was similar. Median PFS was 60.5 months (95% CI: 31.3–89.8 months) for African‐Americans, 43.7 months (95% CI: 33.9–53.5 months) for Caucasians, HR of 1.3 (95% CI: 0.7–2.4), P = 0.46. Median OS was 95.2 months (95% CI: N/A) for African‐Americans, 68.5 months (95% CI: 14.2–122.9 months) for Caucasians, HR of 1.4 (95% CI: 0.7–2.9), P = 0.41. In a cohort of myeloma patients who received autologous transplantation in an equal access health care system, there was comparable survival between African‐Americans and Caucasians, suggesting that the historical increased mortality for African‐Americans may be due to inequalities in access to care. Am. J. Hematol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Modeling the melt transesterification of polycarbonate
Authors: Hsu Jyh‐Ping , Wong Jinn‐Jong , Tseng Shiojenn
Published: January 2008

A mathematical model of the melt transesterification of polycarbonate in a mechanically agitated reactor system without a distillation column is proposed. Penetration theory is applied to the mass‐transfer operation of volatile components in both a transesterification reactor and a polymerization reactor by simplification of the flow pattern. The applicability of the proposed model is examined by the comparison of its predictions with experimental data of the collected condensate of volatile components, the end‐group ratio, and the weight fraction distribution of the resulting polymer. The end‐group ratios have been determined by carbon‐13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the distribution of weight fractions has been measured by gel permeation chromatography. It is shown that the model's predictions are very consistent with the experimental data. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Structure control of asymmetric poly(vinyl butyral)‐TiO2 composite membrane prepared by nonsolvent induced phase separation
Authors: Fu Xunyao , Matsuyama Hideto , Nagai Hideki
Published: January 2008

Poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB)‐TiO2 composite hollow fiber membranes were prepared via nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS). The membrane had a skin layer on both the outer and inner surface at the initial stage after membrane preparation. However, the outer surface became porous with the passage of time, as the polymer in the membrane's outer surface was decomposed by the photocatalysis of TiO2. The initial water permeability increased with the increase of TiO2 content. Furthermore, for all the membranes, as time elapsed the water permeabilities increased and became constant after about 15 days, which was in accordance with the alteration on the membrane's outer surface. Despite decomposition of the polymer on the outer surface, particle rejection hardly changed because the inner surface kept the original structure. Thus, addition of TiO2 to the membrane is a useful way to improve water permeability while maintaining particle rejection. The clear asymmetric structure with both porous structure at the outer surface and skin layer at the inner surface was achieved by the addition of TiO2. Therefore, the addition of TiO2 is a new method for achieving the high porosity at the outer surface of the hollow fiber membrane. In addition, tensile strength and elasticity kept constant over time and were higher than those of original PVB membranes. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Preparation of star polymers of hyperbranched polyglycerol core with multiarms of PS‐b‐PtBA and PS‐b‐PAA
Authors: Liu Chao , Wang Guowei , Zhang Yi , Huang Junlian
Published: January 2008

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was applied to synthesize a new kind of star polymers of hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG) core with multiarms of PS‐b‐PtBA and PS‐b‐PAA by using the “core first” technique. The HPG core was obtained by anionic polymerization of glycerol first, and then the pendant hydroxyl groups of HPG were esterified with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide to yield the HPG‐g‐Br, which was used as macroinitiator for ATRP of the first monomer (St) and then second monomer (tBA). After hydrolysis of the PtBA block, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) side chains were formed. The final products and intermediates were characterized by GPC, NMR, and FTIR in detail. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Synthesis and Cytotoxic Activity of Imidazo[1,2‐a]‐1,3,5‐triazine Analogues of 6‐Mercaptopurine
Authors: Saczewski Franciszek , Maruszak Magdalena , Bednarski Patrick J.
Published: January 2008

A series of 2‐substituted imidazo[1,2‐a]‐1,3,5‐triazines with various aliphatic and aromatic amines has been prepared and characterized by IR, 1H‐NMR, and elemental analysis. The initial in‐vitro cytotoxicity studies with five human cancer cell lines showed that all but one of the compounds are without cytotoxic activity. The one active compound, 2‐(indolin‐1‐yl)‐7,8‐dihydroimidazo[1,2‐a]‐1,3,5‐triazine‐4(6H)‐thione 12, was tested on 12 human cancer cell lines. Of these, two lines, RT‐4 and MCF‐7, were the most sensitive to the compound, with IC50 values of 6.98 μM and 8.43 μM, respectively. When compared with the reference anticancer drug 6‐mercaptopurine, only the RT‐4 urinary bladder and KYSE‐70 oesophagus cancer cell lines were more sensitive to the new compound. The antimetabolite thioguanine was more cytotoxic than 12 for all common cell lines tested.
Random walk search procedures for reliability optimization of systems with fault tolerance
Authors: Alkhamis Talal M.
Published: January 2008

In this paper we develop two efficient discrete stochastic search methods based on random walk procedure for maximizing system reliability subjected to imperfect fault coverage where uncovered component failures cause immediate system failure, even in the presence of adequate redundancy. The first search method uses a sequential sampling procedure with fixed boundaries at each iteration. We show that this search process satisfies local balance equations and its equilibrium distribution gives most weight to the optimal solution. We also show that the solution that has been visited most often in the first m iterations converges almost surely to the optimal solution. The second search method uses a sequential sampling procedure with increasing boundaries at each iteration. We show that if the increase occurs slower than a certain rate, this search process will converge to the optimal set with probability 1. We consider the system where reliability cannot be evaluated exactly but must be estimated through Monte Carlo simulation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using peptides to study the interaction between the p53 tetramerization domain and HIV‐1 tat
Authors: Gabizon Ronen , Mor Michal , Rosenberg Masha M. , Britan Lena , Hayouka Zvi , Kotler Moshe , Shalev Deborah E. , Friedler Assaf
Published: January 2008

Peptides are valuable tools for studying protein–protein interactions, especially in cases of isolated protein domains and natively unfolded proteins. Here, we used peptides to quantitatively characterize the interaction between the natively unfolded HIV‐1 Tat protein and the tetramerization domain of the cellular tumor suppressor protein p53. We used peptide mapping, fluorescence anisotropy, and NMR spectroscopy to perform a detailed structural and biophysical characterization of the interaction between the two proteins and elucidate its molecular mechanism, which have so far been studied using cell‐based methods. We show that the p53 tetramerization domain, p53(326–355), binds directly to residues 1–35 and 47–57 in Tat. We have characterized the interaction between p53(326–355) and Tat(47–57) in detail. The p53 residues that are mainly involved in binding to Tat(47–57) are E343 and E349, which bind to the positively charged arginine‐rich motif of Tat by a partly electrostatic mechanism. All oligomerization states of p53(326–355) bind Tat(47–57) without inhibiting p53 tetramerization, since the residues in p53(326–355) that bind Tat(47–57) face away from the tetramerization interface. We conclude that p53 is able to bind Tat as a transcriptionally active tetramer. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 90: 105–116, 2008.

This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Reviewing the vascular supply of the anterior abdominal wall: Redefining anatomy for increasingly refined surgery
Authors: Rozen W.M. , Ashton M.W. , Taylor G.I.
Published: January 2008

The abdominal wall integument is becoming the standard donor tissue for postmastectomy breast reconstruction, with its vascular supply of key importance to the reconstructive surgeon. Refinements in tissue transfer, from pedicled to free flaps and musculocutaneous to perforator flaps, have required increasing understanding of finer levels of this vascular anatomy. The widespread utilization of the deep inferior epigastric artery (DIEA) perforator flap, particularly for breast reconstruction, has rekindled clinical interest in further levels of anatomical detail, in particular the location and course of the musculocutaneous perforators of the DIEA. Advances in operative techniques, and anatomical and imaging technologies, have facilitated an increase in this understanding. The current review comprises an appraisal of both the anatomical and clinical literature, with a view to highlighting the key anatomical features of the abdominal wall vasculature as related to reconstructive flaps. Clin. Anat. 21:89–98, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Probing Defect Sites on TiO2 with [Re3(CO)12H3]: Spectroscopic Characterization of the Surface Species
Authors: Suriye Kongkiat , Lobo‐Lapidus Rodrigo J. , Yeagle Gregory J. , Praserthdam Piyasan , Britt R. David , Gates Bruce C.
Published: January 2008

Samples of the anatase phase of titania were treated under vacuum to create Ti3+ surface‐defect sites and surface O− and O2− species (indicated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra), accompanied by the disappearance of bridging surface OH groups and the formation of terminal Ti3+OH groups (indicated by IR spectra). EPR spectra showed that the probe molecule [Re3(CO)12H3] reacted preferentially with the Ti3+ sites, forming Ti4+ sites with OH groups as the [Re3(CO)12H3] was adsorbed. Extended X‐ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra showed that these clusters were deprotonated upon adsorption, with the triangular metal frame remaining intact; EPR spectra demonstrated the simultaneous removal of surface O− and O2− species. The data determined by the three complementary techniques form the basis of a schematic representation of the surface chemistry. According to this picture, during evacuation at 773 K, defect sites are formed on hydroxylated titania as a bridging OH group is removed, forming two neighboring Ti3+ sites, or, when a Ti4+O bond is cleaved, forming a Ti3+ site and an O− species, with the Ti4+OH group being converted into a Ti3+OH group. When the probe molecule [Re3(CO)12H3] is adsorbed on a titania surface with Ti3+ defect sites, it reacts preferentially with these sites, becoming deprotonated, removing most of the oxygen radicals, and healing the defect sites.
Molecular characterization of axonemal proteins and signaling molecules responsible for chemoattractant‐induced sperm activation in Ciona intestinalis
Authors: Hozumi Akiko , Padma Potturi , Toda Tosifusa , Ide Hiroyuki , Inaba Kazuo
Published: January 2008

Spermatozoa undergo dramatic physiological changes at fertilization. In the ascidian Ciona intestinalis, an egg‐derived substance named SAAF induces both sperm activation and chemotaxis to the egg. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying these phenomena, whole sperm proteins before and after SAAF‐treatment were analyzed by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis. By comparison of spot patterns before and after activation, we found twelve proteins that changed the isoelectric points. Seven proteins were shown to be axonemal proteins and others were suggested to be non‐axonemal components. Analysis of these proteins by MS‐based proteomic system revealed that components of several substructures of the axonemes underwent the changes in isoelectric point at sperm activation, including WD‐repeat intermediate chains of outer and inner arm dyneins and a radial spoke protein LRR37, as well as novel axonemal proteins with armadillo repeats or SMC domain. Molecules for cell signaling such as 14‐3‐3 proteins, Skp1 and VCP/p97 also showed isoelectric changes at sperm activation. These results show a comprehensive feature for signaling mechanism of the activation of spermatozoa at fertilization and also shed new lights on the regulation of ciliary and flagellar movements. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.