bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Far Slower and More Conflict-Ridden Path to German Social Integration: Toward a Multicausal, Contextual, and Multidirectional Explanatory Framework
Authors: Kalberg Stephen
Published: November 2007

The process of social integration between eastern and western Germans has been significantly slowed by unexpectedly severe tensions along two major axes: the tempo of life and work on the one hand, and interaction patterns on the other. Although distinct explanations for the antagonisms have been offered by easterners and westerners, they share a number of similar weaknesses: a tendency to look outward toward the putative weaknesses of “the other,” a failure to provide multidirectional and broadly multicausal explanations, and a neglect of the manner in which single factors are embedded contextually in configurations of forces. Articulating a series of arguments in opposition to all unidirectional, monocausal, and acontextual modes of analysis, and emphasizing the importance of bringing values, customs, and conventions into the debate, this study calls for an expansion of the parameters of the explanatory framework and a greater acknowledgment of the complexities of east/west social integration.
The Schneider/Schwerte Phenomenon: Falsifying One’s Biography and the Role of the Manipulative Character in Education after Auschwitz
Authors: Richards Earl Jeffrey
Published: November 2007

In May 1995 German academe was rocked by the revelation that one

of its most respected members, Hans Schwerte, the recently deceased

former rector of the University of Aachen and Goethe scholar, was

actually Hans Ernst Schneider, a high-ranking official in Himmler’s

research organization, the SS-Ahnenerbe (“ancestral heritage”). Since

this revelation there has been a veritable explosion of literature, no

less than twelve monographs and essay collections, devoted to the

questions of whether Schneider as Schwerte is an exemplary or symbolic

figure for Germany’s transformation into a democratic society,

whether his career as an “academic manager” in the Third Reich and

his university career in the Federal Republic attest to the well-known

continuity of elites, independent of political beliefs, and whether

Schneider owed his subsequent professional success to connections

with somewhat unsavory (albeit fully legal and quite public) networks

of former Nazis.
Berlin's Holocaust Memorial: A Report to the Bundestag Committee on Media and Culture
Authors: Young James E.
Published: November 2007

The question as to why a national monument to the “Murdered Jews

of Europe” should be erected in Berlin is multi-dimensional, and has

answers in political, cultural, and historical contexts. As most people

already know, I once took a hard stand against actually ever completing

a central memorial in Germany to the Holocaust. “Better a

thousand years of Holocaust memorial competitions in Germany

than any final solution to Germany’s Holocaust memorial problem,”

I wrote many years ago. “Instead of a fixed icon for Holocaust memory

in Germany, the debate itself—perpetually unresolved amid everchanging

conditions—might now be enshrined.”
The 1998 German Election: Gerhard Schröder and the Politics of the New Middle
Authors: Braunthal Gerard
Published: November 2007

How prophetic! Could it be that the famous German pacifist and chief editor of Die Weltbühne was commenting seventy years ago not just on the Weimar SPD but also on the Bonn SPD of 1998? Gerhard Schröder, the party’s chancellor designate in April 1998, insisted that the SPD had to occupy the “New Middle” in the political spectrum if it ever was going to topple Helmut Kohl and his well-entrenched CDU/CSU-FDP government.
The Alliance for Jobs: Social Democracy’s Post-Keynesian/Process-Oriented Employment Creation Strategy
Authors: Silvia Stephen J.
Published: November 2007

A Texas wag once remarked, “Oilmen are like cats. You can’t tell from the sound of them whether they’re fighting or making love.” German industrial relations are not much different. In the heat of collective bargaining, the Federal Republic’s “social partners” (that is, trade unions and employers’ associations) frequently exchange vitriolic barbs in public, while simultaneously engaging in pragmatic, professional negotiations behind closed doors.
Goethe, Buchenwald, and the New Germany
Authors: Neumann Klaus
Published: November 2007

In 1992, at a conference about the 1938 Reichskristallnacht pogrom,

the mayor of Weimar told this anecdote:

Three weeks ago, I was in Paris. I visited the international architecture

exhibition and afterwards went to a small fish restaurant. Nearly all

the places had been taken, [so] tables were joined, and additional

chairs added. I came to sit next to a man more than seventy years of

age, and told him in broken French that I’m from Weimar. He said, “I

know it; I was imprisoned in Buchenwald.”
CFU‐GM Assay for Evaluation of Drug Myelotoxic Activity
Authors: Pessina Augusto , Bonomi Arianna
Published: November 2007

To study hematotoxicity of compounds on the myeloid cell compartment, the authors describe a standard procedure developed as a workable good laboratory practices–compliant protocol to determine the in vitro myelotoxic effect of drugs and chemicals. Specific protocols are presented to prepare human and murine myeloid progenitors (CFU‐GM) for testing in a validated CFU‐GM assay. Details are given for performing a screening test when toxicity data are not available and for passing on to an accurate inhibitory concentration–determination phase. To quantify the potential hematotoxicity of xenobiotics from their direct adverse effects on CFU‐GM, the unit describes how to manage the results by means of an algorithm able to predict the acute xenobiotic exposure levels that cause maximum tolerated decreases (MTD) in absolute neutrophil count (ANC). A protocol describes a miniaturized application of the procedure in 96‐well plates for high‐throughput screening of compounds or for testing compounds that are available in very small quantities. Curr. Protoc. Toxicol. 34:20.2.1‐20.2.18. © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Overview on the Expression of Toxic Gene Products in Escherichia coli
Authors: Saïda Fakhri
Published: November 2007

Despite the development of various nonbacterial expression systems, Escherichia coli (E. coli) remains the host of choice for recombinant protein expression. Its culture is simple, fast, inexpensive, and highly efficient (tens of milligrams of pure proteins are typically obtained within 48 hours using as little as 1 liter of culture). Unfortunately, many toxic genes (from various organisms) severely interfere with the physiology of E. coli. As a result, expression yields are dramatically diminished, and sometimes abolished. In fact, some genes are so toxic that E. coli cannot maintain their expression vector during the growth phase (the phase during which recombinant gene expression is presumably repressed). Therefore, modified expression vectors, modified E. coli strains, and appropriate cultivation protocols are needed. This overview discusses several special strategies successfully used to express toxic genes in E. coli. Curr. Protoc. Protein Sci. 50:5.19.1‐5.19.13. © 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
High‐Efficiency and Color Stable Blue‐Light‐Emitting Polymers and Devices
Authors: Huang F. , Zhang Y. , Liu M. S. , Cheng Y.‐J. , Jen A. K.‐Y.
Published: November 2007

Novel fluorene‐based blue‐light‐emitting copolymers with an ultraviolet‐blue‐light (UV‐blue‐light) emitting host and a blue‐light emitting component, 4‐N,N‐diphenylaminostilbene (DPS) have been designed and synthesized by using the palladium‐ catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction. It was found that both copolymers poly [2,7‐(9,9‐dioctylfluorene)‐alt‐1,3‐(5‐carbazolphenylene)] (PFCz) DPS1 and PFCz‐DPS1‐OXD show pure blue‐light emission even with only 1 % DPS units because of the efficient energy transfer from the UV‐blue‐light emitting PFCz segments to the blue‐light‐emitting DPS units. Moreover, because of the efficient energy transfer/charge trapping in these copolymers, PFCz‐DPS1 and PFCz‐DPS1‐OXD show excellent device performance with a very stable pure blue‐light emission. By using a neutral surfactant poly[9,9‐bis(6'‐(diethanolamino)hexyl)‐fluorene] (PFN‐OH) as the electron injection layer, the device based on PFCz‐DPS1‐OXD5 with the configuration of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PVK/polymer/PFN‐OH/Al showed a maximum quantum efficiency of 2.83 % and a maximum luminous efficiency of 2.50 cd A–1. Its CIE 1931 chromaticity coordinates of (0.156, 0.080) match very well with the NTSC standard blue pixel coordinates of (0.14, 0.08). These results indicate that this kind of dopant/host copolymer could be a promising candidate for blue‐light‐emitting polymers with high efficiency, good color purity, and excellent color stability.
Mosaic tetrasomy 12p with triplication of 12p detected by array‐based comparative genomic hybridization of peripheral blood DNA
Authors: Powis Zöe , Kang Sung‐Hae L. , Cooper M. Lance , Patel Ankita , Peiffer Daniel A. , Hawkins Anne , Heidenreich Randall , Gunderson Kevin L. , Cheung Sau W. , Erickson Robert P.
Published: November 2007

A patient whose dysmorphism at birth was not diagnostic for Pallister–Killian syndrome (PKS) was found to have mosaic tetrasomy 12p by an array‐based comparative genomic hybridization of peripheral blood DNA. He was determined to be mosaic for 46,XY,trp(12)(p11.2 → p13) in cultured skin fibroblasts. His appearance was typical for PKS at 4 months of age. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Relationship between dysmorphic features and general cognitive function in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Authors: Ervalahti Nina , Korkman Marit , Fagerlund Åse , Autti‐Rämö Ilona , Loimu Leena , Hoyme H. Eugene
Published: November 2007

Prenatal alcohol exposure may adversely affect fetal development, causing growth restriction, distinctive craniofacial anomalies, and central nervous system dysfunction. The continuum of associated adverse fetal outcomes is most accurately termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The purpose of this study was to further clarify the relationship between dysmorphic features and general cognitive capacity in a study on Finnish children with FASD. Forty‐eight 8‐ to 16‐year‐old children with FASD underwent a dysmorphology examination and an assessment of cognitive capacity. Dysmorphic features and growth deficiency were quantified by assigning each child a total dysmorphology score (TDS). Six subtests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC‐III) were used for assessment of general cognitive capacity. Our results show a significant correlation between the TDS and cognitive capacity was found, suggesting that children with more severe growth deficiency and dysmorphic features have more cognitive limitations. Birth measures of length and weight correlated with general cognitive capacity. Head circumference correlated only with Performance IQ. These findings imply an inverse relationship between growth deficiency/dysmorphic features and cognitive function in children with FASD. Although the correlations are significant, the data suggest that in individual cases, the TDS cannot reliably predict cognitive function in later life. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Raine syndrome: A rare lethal osteosclerotic bone dysplasia. Prenatal diagnosis, autopsy, and neuropathological findings
Authors: Chitayat David , Shannon Patrick , Keating Sarah , Toi Ants , Blaser Susan , Friedberg Tami , Superti‐Furga Andrea , Chong Karen , Unger Sheila
Published: November 2007

Raine syndrome is an autosomal recessive condition with generalized osteosclerosis, characteristic facial dysmorphism and brain abnormalities including intracerebral calcifications. We report on a case with Raine syndrome born to nonconsanguineous couple and report the prenatal sonogram/MRI, the fetopathology, and neuropathology findings. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A patient with 22q11.2 deletion and Opitz syndrome‐like phenotype has the same deletion as velocardiofacial patients
Authors: Erickson Robert P. , de Ståhl Teresita Díaz , Bruder Carl E.G. , Dumanski Jan P.
Published: November 2007

Five patients were previously described with the Opitz (GBBB) syndrome (OMIM 145410) phenotype and 22q11.2 deletion determined by FISH but the precise limits of their deletions have not been determined. Since one locus for Opitz syndrome maps to 22q11.2 and chromosomal arrangements are frequently complex and could inactivate such a locus, we performed high‐resolution array‐based comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) on a new Opitz syndrome‐like phenotype patient with a 22q11.2 deletion. He shares the same deletion as patients with velocardiofacial and DiGeorge syndrome. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in genetics
Authors: Buehler Bruce A.
Published: November 2007

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly popular among families. Approximately 50% of children are on herbal preparations, 30% of adolescents take herbal medications, and 70% of adults are involved in some aspect of complementary medicine. The true incidence of CAM use by families who have a family member with special needs or a genetic condition is unknown. Anecdotal evidence suggests that usage may be higher in this group than in the general population. Geneticists and genetic counselors need to be aware of CAM practices with their families and to provide anticipatory guidance. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Obesity: Genetic, molecular, and environmental aspects
Authors: Barness Lewis A. , Opitz John M. , Gilbert‐Barness Enid
Published: November 2007

Obesity has emerged as one of the most serious public health concerns in the 21st century. Obese children tend to become obese adults. The dramatic rise in pediatric obesity closely parallels the rapid increase in the prevalence of adult obesity. As overweight children become adults they face the multitude of health problems associated with obesity at younger ages. The morbidity and mortality associated with obesity continue to increase. Obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable death. Complications of obesity include cardiovascular risks, hypertension, dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction, type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance, acanthosis nigricans, hepatic steatosis, premature puberty, hypogonadism and polycystic ovary syndrome, obstructive sleep disorder, orthopedic complications, cholelithiasis and pseudotumor cerebri. Genetic and molecular and environmental factors play an important role in the assessment and management of obesity. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Infrequently studied congenital anomalies as clues to the diagnosis of maternal diabetes mellitus
Authors: Frías Jaime L. , Frías Juan P. , Frías Patricio A. , Martínez‐Frías María Luisa
Published: November 2007

The aim of this study was to identify congenital anomalies (CA) among infants of women with diabetes mellitus (DM) that, even though infrequent or infrequently reported, may suggest diabetic teratogenesis. Using 1976–2005 data from the Spanish Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECEMC), we compared the frequency of selected CA among 130 infants with CA born to women with pregestational DM (PGDM) and 30,009 infants with CA whose mothers had normal glucose tolerance (NGT). To identify which CA were not only significantly more frequent among infants of mothers with PGDM, but also more specific, we calculated the quotient of their frequencies (frequency ratio: FR). The same analysis was made using data from 927 infants of mothers with gestational DM (GDM). Among the studied defects, several were statistically significantly more frequent among infants of PGDM mothers than among infants of mothers with NGT, although the specificity of their association with DM varied, as indicated by the values of the FR. These included: anorectal atresia/stenosis (FR = 2.81; P = 0.03), hallucal polydactyly (FR = 3.62; P = 0.002), heterotaxy (FR = 5.70; P = 0.049), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) (FR = 61.60; P = 0.000000), multicystic dysplastic kidneys (MDK) (FR = 5.13; P = 0.0002), and thymus aplasia/hypoplasia (FR = 29.62; P = 0.000001). The only CA significantly more frequent among infants of women with GDM were HCM (FR = 8.60; P = 0.002) and MDK (FR = 1.80; P = 0.01). Our results suggest that maternal PGDM should be suspected in children with hallucal polydactyly, anorectal atresia/stenosis, heterotaxy, or aplasia/hypoplasia of the thymus. The presence of transient HCM or MDK in a newborn suggests maternal PGDM or GDM. These observations are important in view of the increasing worldwide frequency of DM and the high proportion of individuals with DM in whom the condition remains undiagnosed. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Status of the human malformation map: 2007
Authors: Carey John C. , Viskochil David H.
Published: November 2007

Paralleling the advances in the identification of disease‐causing genes in most human disease categories, the progress in mapping and gene identification of human congenital malformations and syndromes is considerable. In this review we display the loci currently known for malformations and tabulate the cloned genes as of summer 2007. Currently 73% of the conditions cataloged in the 6th edition of Smith's Recognizable Patterns of Human Malformation [Jones KL, 2006] have had their respective gene or locus identified. This recent progress makes an updating of the human malformation map timely and informative. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The utility of carpals for sex assessment: A preliminary study
Authors: Sulzmann C.E. , Buckberry J.L. , Pastor R.F.
Published: November 2007

Sex assessment is key when investigating human remains either from medicolegal contexts or archaeological sites. Sex is usually assessed by examination of the skull and pelvis, but this may not always be possible if skeletal material is fragmented or incomplete. The present study investigated the potential for using carpals to assess sex, utilizing 100 individuals of known‐sex from the Christ Church, Spitalfields Collection, curated at the Natural History Museum (London). A series of newly‐defined measurements are applied to all eight carpals. Inter and intraobserver error tests show that all measurements are satisfactorily reproduced by the first author and another observer. Paired t‐tests to investigate side asymmetry of the carpals reveal that some, but not all, measurements are consistently larger on the right hand side than the left. Independent t‐tests confirm that all carpals are sexually dimorphic. Univariate measurements produce accuracy levels that range from 64.6 to 84.7%. Stepwise discriminant function analysis, devised separately for left and right sides, provides reliable methods for assessing sex from single and multiple carpals, with an accuracy range of 71.7 to 88.6%. All functions derived are tested for accuracy on a sample of 20 additional individuals from the Christ Church, Spitalfields Collection. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Patterns of paternity and group fission in wild multimale mountain gorilla groups
Authors: Nsubuga Anthony M. , Robbins Martha M. , Boesch Christophe , Vigilant Linda
Published: November 2007

To understand variation among social systems, it is essential to know the relative reproductive success of individuals in group‐living species. Particularly interesting for such studies are taxa such as mountain gorillas in which both one‐male and multimale groups are common, because of the opportunity to estimate the costs and benefits to males of pursuing different reproductive strategies. We genotyped 68 individuals from two groups of multimale mountain gorilla groups in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda to determine the distribution of paternity among the males. In both groups, the dominant male sired the majority of offspring. One group underwent a fission, and we found that the eight offspring assigned to the dominant silverback (and their mothers) remained with their father, while the two offspring of unknown paternity ended up in the small group headed by the formerly subordinate silverback. This is consistent with the proposal that the outcome of group fission in primates is not only influenced by maternal relationships among individuals, but also by patrilineal relationships. Results of this study show that subordinate males may gain reproductive benefits even while queuing for dominance status. Despite ecological differences between Bwindi and the Virunga Volcanoes, male mountain gorillas living in both populations benefit from remaining in multimale groups. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Leprosy in the early medieval Lauchheim community
Authors: Boldsen Jesper L.
Published: November 2007

Leprosy was a well‐recognized and dreaded disease in medieval Europe (5th–15th century AD). It is reported to have reached Germany with the Roman invasion. A much larger fraction than previously assumed appears to have been affected by leprosy in the medieval period. This article estimates the frequency (i.e., the prevalence at death) of leprosy among adult people buried in the Lauchheim early medieval cemetery. Seven different dichotomous osteological lesions indicative of leprosy are analyzed, and it is possible to score at least one of these conditions on 110 adult skeletons (aged 15 or more). The scores were transformed to a statistic—λ (lambda)—indicating the likelihood that the person to whom the skeleton belonged suffered from leprosy. The analyses indicate that 16% (95% confidence interval: 9–23%) of adult people in Lauchheim died with osteological signs of leprosy. Leprosy was significantly more prevalent among men than women. The λ statistic indicates that people who died with signs of leprosy did not differ in the distribution of age at death from those who did not have such signs. Some of the leprosy‐related lesions had a statistically significant nonrandom dispersal on the cemetery; but there is no clear pattern to this and the significant results could be easily attributed to a type‐1 error in the statistical analysis. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Isothermal kinetics of (E)‐4‐(4‐metoxyphenyl)‐4‐oxo‐2‐butenoic acid release from a poly(acrylic acid‐co‐methacrylic acid) hydrogel
Authors: Adnadjevic Borivoj , Jovanovic Jelena , Krkljus Ivana
Published: November 2007

A kinetic study of the release of the drug (E)‐4‐(4‐metoxyphenyl)‐4‐oxo‐2‐butenoic acid (MEPBA) from a poly(acrylic acid‐co‐methacrylic acid) (PAA‐co‐MA) hydrogel was performed. The isothermal kinetic curves of MEPBA release from the PAA‐co‐MA hydrogel in bidistilled water at different temperatures ranging from 20 to 40°C were determined. The reaction rate constants of the investigated process were determined with the initial rate, the saturation rate, and Peppas's semiempirical equation. Also, a model‐fitting method for the determination of the kinetics model of drug release was applied. The influence of α at the values of the kinetic parameters and the presence of a compensation effect was established. A procedure for the determination of the distribution function of the activation energies was developed. This procedure was based on the experimentally determined relationship between the activation energy and α. The mechanism of active compound release is discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Microparticle‐enhanced cultivation of filamentous microorganisms: Increased chloroperoxidase formation by Caldariomyces fumago as an example
Authors: Kaup Bjoern‐Arne , Ehrich Kristina , Pescheck Michael , Schrader Jens
Published: November 2007

Microparticle‐enhanced cultivation (MPEC) was applied as a novel method for improved biomass and product formation during cultivation of filamentous microorganisms. Exemplarily, chloroperoxidase (CPO) formation by Caldariomyces fumago was analyzed in the presence and absence of microparticles of different size. Particles of ∼500 µm in diameter had no effect on growth morphology or productivity of CPO formation by C. fumago. In contrast particles of ≤42 µm in diameter led to the dispersion of the C. fumago mycelia up to the level of single hyphae. Under these conditions the maximum specific productivity of CPO formation was enhanced about fivefold and an accumulated CPO activity in the culture supernatant of more than 1,000 U mL−1 was achieved after 10–12 days of cultivation. In addition, the novel cultivation method also showed a positive effect on growth characteristics of other filamentous microorganisms proven by the stimulation of single hyphae/cell formation. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 491–498. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Using model membranes for the study of amyloid beta:lipid interactions and neurotoxicity
Authors: Vestergaard Mun'delanji , Hamada Tsutomu , Takagi Masahiro
Published: November 2007

One of the major tasks in understanding the etiopathogenesis of amyloid beta‐induced neurotoxicity of Alzheimer's disease (AD), is in fully capturing the large number of the biochemical processes that influence each other during the course of the disease, in vivo. Model membranes possess, as their main strength, the ability to enable the researcher to manipulate a ‘biological’ micro‐vesicle under a controlled environment. This review narrowly focuses on discussing the exploitation of model membranes for improved understanding of some of the mechanisms governing AD's amyloid beta‐induced neurotoxicity. Amyloid beta (Aβ) is cleaved from a membrane‐located amyloid precursor protein by membrane‐located enzymes. The relative spatial localization of the involved biomolecules within the membrane bilayer is crucial in influencing Aβ production, its aggregation on the membrane surface or insertion into the membrane, and fibril formation: all important processes in causing neurotoxicity. The lipid composition of the bilayer is similarly important. The review also attempts to highlight current and future challenges in using model membranes for studying biochemical processes. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 753–763. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Simultaneous determination of saponins in flower buds of Panax notoginseng using high performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Gao Xianfu , Dan Mo , Zhao Aihua , Xie Guoxiang , Jia Wei
Published: November 2007

The flower buds of Panax notoginseng have been commonly used for the treatment of hypertension, vertigo, tinnitus and acute faucitis in China. The amount of total saponins in the flower buds is higher than in any other parts of P. notoginseng. However, the compositions of flower buds have not been quantified clearly until now. A sensitive and efficient high‐performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet (HPLC‐UV) method was developed for the first time to simultaneously quantify eight active saponins in the flower buds of P. notoginseng, including notoginsenoside R1 and ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rd and F2. The analysis was performed on a reversed‐phase C18 column with gradient elution of acetonitrile and 0.01% aqueous formic acid. The proposed method provided good linearity, reproducibility and sensitivity for the simultaneous quantification of the investigated saponins with overall intra‐ and inter‐day precision and accuracy of better than 4.1% (RSD) and higher than 95% (accuracy), respectively. The recoveries for all the saponins determined were in the range 94.7–104.8% with RSD better than 3.1%. Using the optimized method, we were able to analyze samples from different villages of Wenshan Prefecture, China, which is helpful for quality control of flower buds of P. notoginseng. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Theory of mind functioning in mentally disordered offenders detained in high security psychiatric care: its relationship to clinical outcome, need and risk
Authors: Murphy David
Published: November 2007

Background Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the cognitive mechanisms that allow us to infer our own mental states and those of others. Whilst ToM deficits are frequently observed among individuals with schizophrenia, little is known about their relationship to functional outcome.

Aims Among patients with schizophrenia in a high security hospital, to test whether ToM performance, in relation to other cognitive and clinical variables, is related to measures of subsequent clinical outcome.

Methods ToM was assessed using the modified advanced test (MAT) and the revised eyes task (RET). Outcome, including ongoing need and risk, was assessed using the HoNOS secure, CANFOR and HCR‐20 respectively three years post ToM assessment.

Results Performance on the RET was the only variable to be significantly correlated with the symptom ratings of the HoNOS secure and the HCR‐20 total scores. Performance on the RET also accounted for approximately half of the variance in the CANFOR ratings and a third in the risk management item ratings of the HCR‐20. Age, number of years diagnosed with schizophrenia and other aspects of cognition were also significantly correlated with the HoNOS security scale.

Conclusions The results suggest that social perceptual ToM may be a useful prognostic indicator, but also that ToM impairments may represent an unmet need. Replication of the work with larger and more diverse samples of people with schizophrenia is necessary, as well as trials of therapeutic effort directed at improvement of ToM impairments. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photoinduced FeCp Bond Cleavage and Insertion Reactions of Strained Silicon‐ and Sulphur‐Bridged [1]Ferrocenophanes in the Presence of Transition‐Metal Carbonyls
Authors: Ieong Nga Sze , Chan Wing Yan , Lough Alan J. , Haddow Mairi F. , Manners Ian
Published: November 2007

The photochemical reactions of the moderately strained sila[1]ferrocenophane [Fe(η‐C5H4)2SiPh2] (1) and the highly strained thia[1]ferrocenophane [Fe(η‐C5H4)2S] (8) with transition‐metal carbonyls ([Fe(CO)5], [Fe2(CO)9] and [Co2(CO)8]) have been studied. The use of metal carbonyls has allowed the products of photochemically induced Fe‐cyclopentadienyl (Cp) bond cleavage reactions in the [1]ferrocenophanes to be trapped as stable, characterisable products. During the course of these studies the synthesis of 8 from [Fe(η‐C5H4Li)2⋅TMEDA] (TMEDA=N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine) and S(SO2Ph)2 has been significantly improved by a change of reaction solvent and temperature. Photochemical reaction of 1 with excess [Fe(CO)5] in THF gave the dinuclear complex [Fe2(CO)2(μ‐CO)2(η‐C5H4)2SiPh2] (9). The analogous photolytic reaction of 8 with [Fe(CO)5] in THF gave cyclic dimer [Fe(η‐C5H4)2S]2 (10) and [Fe2(CO)2(μ‐CO)2(η‐C5H4)2S] (11), with the former being the major product. Photolysis of 1 with [Co2(CO)8] afforded the remarkable tetrametallic dimer [(CO)2Co(η‐C5H4)SiPh2(η‐C5H4)Fe(CO)2]2 (13). The corresponding photochemical reaction of 8 with [Co2(CO)8] gave a trimetallic insertion product in high conversion, [Co(CO)4(CO)2Fe(η‐C5H4)S(η‐C5H4)Co(CO)2] (14). These reactivity studies show that UV light promotes FeCp bond cleavage reactions of both of the [1]ferrocenophanes 1 and 8. We have found that, whereas the less strained sila[1]ferrocenophane 1 requires photoactivation for FeCp bond insertions to occur, the highly strained thia[1]ferrocenophane 8 undergoes both irradiative and non‐irradiative insertions, although the latter occur at a slower rate. Our results suggest that such photoinduced bond cleavage reactions may be general and applicable to other related strained organometallic rings with π‐hydrocarbon ligands.
Generation and Utilization of Bio‐Fuels – National and International Trends
Authors: Munack Axel , Krahl Jürgen
Published: November 2007

The utilization of plants as an energy source is an important contribution to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. Biodiesel (rapeseed oil methyl ester) is the main commercially available biogenic fuel in Germany; however, pure vegetable oil and bio‐ethanol are becoming more and more important. Further classical pathways for energy production from biological sources are the burning of wood and straw as well as the production of biogas. Future fuels for combustion engines must be especially composed in order to meet the more stringently regulated exhaust gas limits. The so‐called Fischer‐Tropsch synthesis provides an opportunity to produce such fuels. This process enables the production of fuel from syngas (CO and H2). Syngas can be created from natural gas, a pathway that is used in the Shell Middle Distillate Synthesis (SMDS) process. Alternatively, syngas can also be generated using whole plants. Thus the farmer becomes an energy producer. This paper discusses potentials and limits of the above‐mentioned biogenic energy sources in principle and in detail, based on the example of Germany and the European Union. A maximum share of 25% of all fuels consumed can be estimated for bio‐fuels by summing up the various biogenic sources.
Probing Novel 1‐Aza‐9‐oxafluorenes as Selective GSK‐3β Inhibitors
Authors: Voigt Burkhardt , Krug Martin , Schächtele Christoph , Totzke Frank , Hilgeroth Andreas
Published: November 2007

Within the histopathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) certain hallmarks are beeing observed. The occurance of protein deposits belong to such characteristic features. Such deposits can be found extracellular as β‐amyloid (Aβ) plaques and intracellular as neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). In the search for novel AD therapeutics it became of great interest to investigate the formation of NFTs and their contribution to the AD symptomatic. NFTs consist of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. Within the phosphorylation process of tau protein two kinases are of great importance: cyclin dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) and its truncated regulatory subunit p25 and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK‐3β). The role of both kinases within the NFT formation process is still under debate. To better understand the pathophysiological process highly selective inhibitors of both kinases are of value. Known inhibitors lack the necessary selectivity. We developed novel 1‐aza‐9‐oxafluo‐renes as selective GSK‐3β inhibitors. Structure–activity relationships of a series of 4‐phenyl substituted derivatives are discussed. Variation of the 3‐side chain led to selective carbonyl amide derivatives with selectivity factors of more than 100 at the tested ATP competitor concentrations. Such selectivities permit specific investigation of the role of GSK‐3β within the NFT formation processes.
State self‐esteem ratings in women with bulimia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in remission
Authors: Daley Karen A. , Jimerson David C. , Heatherton Todd F. , Metzger Eran D. , Wolfe Barbara E.
Published: November 2007

Objective:

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is associated with low self‐esteem. This study was designed to assess whether low self‐esteem persists in nondepressed individuals who have recovered from BN (BN‐R).

Method:

Study groups included BN (n = 22), BN‐R (n = 20), and healthy controls (n = 42). Participants were medication‐free, and none met criteria for current major depression. Assessment instruments included the State Self‐Esteem Scale (SSES), a self‐rating scale designed to measure state‐related changes in self‐esteem.

Results:

Consistent with previous reports, SSES scores for BN were lower than for controls (p < .001). For BN‐R, SSES scores were higher than for BN (p < .001), but lower than for controls (p < .025). For BN‐R, scores on the SSES Appearance subscale were inversely correlated with ratings of dietary restraint (p < .005).

Conclusion:

This study provides new evidence for persistent low self‐esteem following recovery from BN. Follow‐up studies are needed to assess whether low self‐esteem contributes to recurrent dieting and risk for relapse. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2008
Changes in psychopathology and symptom severity in bulimia nervosa between 1993 and 2003
Authors: Vaught Amanda S. , Agras W. Stewart , Bryson Susan W. , Crow Scott J. , Halmi Katherine A. , Mitchell James E.
Published: November 2007

Objective:

This study investigated changes in symptom severity and the psychopathology of patients with bulimia nervosa between 1993 and 2003.

Method:

Pretreatment data of patients diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, collected between 1993 and 1997 from two multisite studies (N = 263), and from 2001 to 2003 from a third multisite study (N = 233) were compared for differences in psychopathology, eating disorder symptoms, and demographic characteristics.

Results:

There was a significant increase in baseline age between the cohorts (1993M = 28.7 ± 7.9, 2001M = 30.3 ± 8.7, p = 0.036) together with a decrease in personality disorders and in several aspects of eating disorder psychopathology. After controlling for age however, significant pretreatment differences were found only in the restraint subscale on the EDE.

Conclusion:

Results suggest that the presentation of individuals with bulimia nervosa has changed between 1993 and 2003, in that participants were older and demonstrated less dietary restraint. Hence, comparisons between samples and treatment trials over time must be made with caution. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2008
Acute liver damage and subsequent hypophosphatemia in malnourished patients: Case reports and review of literature
Authors: Saito Takatoshi , Tojo Katsuyoshi , Miyashita Yumi , Tominaga Mitsutoshi , Masai Akiko , Tajima Naoko
Published: November 2007

Objective:

The relationship between liver damage and subsequent hypophosphatemia in malnourished patients will be discussed.

Method:

The authors report two malnourished females who developed severe liver damage and subsequent hypophosphatemia. Liver damage commenced suddenly after over a week of hospitalization and deteriorated rapidly. Although the precise pathology of the liver damage could not be determined and the specific cause was not identified, steatohepatitis associated with fatty liver might be considered.

Results:

Hypophosphatemia following liver damage was considered to be the result of hepatocyte regeneration and replacement of phosphorus was an effective treatment.

Conclusion:

Hypophosphatemia in these cases suggested improvement from liver damage; however, it is commonly known that hypophosphatemia has a central role in refeeding syndrome in malnourished patients. Therefore, it was concluded that attention should be paid to hypophosphatemia after liver damage. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2008
A design‐variable‐based inelastic hysteretic model for beam–column connections
Authors: Yun Gun Jin , Ghaboussi Jamshid , Elnashai Amr S.
Published: November 2007

This paper presents a design‐variable‐based inelastic hysteretic model for beam–column connections. It has been well known that the load‐carrying capacity of connections heavily depends on the types and design variables even in the same connection type. Although many hysteretic connection models have been proposed, most of them are dependent on the specific connection type with presumed failure mechanisms. The proposed model can be responsive to variations both in design choices and in loading conditions. The proposed model consists of two modules: physical‐principle‐based module and neural network (NN)‐based module in which information flow from design space to response space is formulated in one complete model. Moreover, owing to robust learning capability of a new NN‐based module, the model can also learn complex dynamic evolutions in response space under earthquake loading conditions, such as yielding, post‐buckling and tearing, etc. Performance of the proposed model has been demonstrated with synthetic and experimental data of two connection types: extended‐end‐plate and top‐ and seat‐angle with double‐web‐angle connection. Furthermore, the design‐variable‐based model can be customized to any structural component beyond the application to beam–column connections. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Forecasting the price of crude oil via convenience yield predictions
Authors: Knetsch Thomas A.
Published: November 2007

The paper develops an oil price forecasting technique which is based on the present value model of rational commodity pricing. The approach suggests shifting the forecasting problem to the marginal convenience yield, which can be derived from the cost‐of‐carry relationship. In a recursive out‐of‐sample analysis, forecast accuracy at horizons within one year is checked by the root mean squared error as well as the mean error and the frequency of a correct direction‐of‐change prediction. For all criteria employed, the proposed forecasting tool outperforms the approach of using futures prices as direct predictors of future spot prices.Vis‐à‐visthe random‐walk model, it does not significantly improve forecast accuracy but provides valuable statements on the direction of change. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Publicly funded medical savings accounts: expenditure and distributional impacts in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Hurley Jeremiah , Guindon G. Emmanuel , Rynard Vicki , Morgan Steve
Published: November 2007

This paper presents the findings from simulations of the introduction of publicly funded medical savings accounts (MSAs) in the province of Ontario, Canada. The analysis exploits a unique data set linking population‐based health survey information with individual‐level information on all physician services and hospital services utilization over a four‐year period. The analysis provides greater detail along three dimensions than have previous analyses: (1) the distributional impacts of publicly funded MSAs across individuals of differing health statuses, incomes, ages, and current expenditures; (2) the impact of differing degrees of risk adjustment for MSA contributions; and (3) the impact of MSA funding over multiple years, incorporating year‐to‐year variation in spending at the individual level. In addition, it analyses more plausible designs for publicly funded MSAs than the existing studies. Government uses information available from year t − 1 to allocate its budget for year t in a manner that is ex ante fiscally neutral for the public sector: the government first withholds funds equal to expected catastrophic insurance payments under the MSA plan, and then allocates only the balance to individual MSA accounts. The government captures the savings associated with reduced health‐care utilization under MSAs and we examine deductibles that vary by income rather than by current health‐care expenditures. The impacts on public expenditures under these designs are more modest than in the previous studies and under plausible assumptions MSAs are predicted to decrease public expenditures. MSAs, however, are also predicted to have unavoidable negative distributional consequences with respect to both public expenditures and out‐of‐pocket spending. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Up‐regulation of p21CIP1 expression mediated by ERK‐dependent and ‐independent pathways contributes to hepatocyte growth factor‐induced inhibition of HepG2 hepatoma cell proliferation
Authors: Shirako Erika , Hirayama Naoki , Tsukada Yu‐ichi , Tanaka Toshiaki , Kitamura Naomi
Published: November 2007

Strong activation of the ERK signal is required for hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to inhibit proliferation of the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. However, it is still to be elucidated whether the activation alone is sufficient to induce the inhibitory effect. In this study, we constructed HepG2 cell clones expressing a high level of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and examined the effect of the strong activation of ERK on the proliferation of the cell clones. EGF treatment of the cell clones induced strong activation of ERK similar to HGF treatment, but did not inhibit cell proliferation. HGF treatment of the cell clones up‐regulated the expression of a Cdk inhibitor p16INK4a, which has previously been shown to be required to inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells, but EGF treatment did not. Furthermore, EGF treatment of the cell clones did not induce the up‐regulation of another Cdk inhibitor p21CIP1, whereas HGF treatment did. Knockdown of p21 by siRNA restored the proliferation of HepG2 cells inhibited by HGF, and restored Cdk2 activity suppressed in HGF‐treated HepG2 cells. These results suggest that strong activation of ERK alone is not sufficient, and some other pathway(s), which is activated through the HGF receptor but not through EGFR, is also required to induce the up‐regulation of p16 and p21 expression, and also suggest that in addition to the up‐regulated expression of p16, that of p21 contributes to the suppression of Cdk2 activity leading to the inhibition of proliferation of HGF‐treated HepG2 cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 176–188, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fused‐core particle technology as an alternative to sub‐2‐μm particles to achieve high separation efficiency with low backpressure
Authors: Cunliffe Jennifer M. , Maloney Todd D.
Published: November 2007

Fused‐Core particles have recently been introduced as an alternative to using sub‐2‐μm particles in chromatographic separations. Fused‐Core particles are composed of a 1.7 μm solid core surrounded by a 0.5 μm porous silica layer (dp = 2.7 μm) to reduce mass transfer and increase peak efficiency. The performance of two commercially available Fused‐Core particles (Advanced Materials Technology Halo C18 and Supelco Ascentis Express C18) was compared with sub‐2‐μm particles from Waters, Agilent, and Thermo Scientific. Although the peak efficiencies were only ∼︁80% of those obtained by the Waters Acquity particles, the 50% lower backpressure allowed columns to be coupled in series to increase peak efficiency to 92 750 plates. The low backpressure and high efficiencies of the Fused‐Core particles offer a viable alternative to using sub‐2‐μm particles and very‐high‐pressure LC instrumentation.
Magnetic resonance microneurography of rabbit sciatic nerve on a 1.5‐T clinical MR system correlated with gross anatomy
Authors: Shen Jun , Wang Hua‐Qiao , Zhou Cui‐Ping , Liang Bi‐Ling
Published: November 2007

This study was performed to investigate the feasibility and accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) microneurography of the rabbit sciatic nerve on a 1.5‐T clinical MR system by correlation with the gross anatomy. The 3D T2‐weighted imaging (3D‐T2WI), 3D T2‐weighted imaging plus spectral presaturation with inversion recovery (SPIR), and T1‐weighted imaging (T1WI) of the sciatic nerve in ten rabbits were performed on a 1.5‐T MR system. The radiological anatomy of the sciatic nerve was observed and correlated with the gross anatomy. The anterior–posterior diameter of the sciatic nerve trunk was measured on 3D T2WI and on gross anatomy. The T1 and T2 relaxation times were also measured with multiecho spin echo and mixed sequence, respectively. The tibial nerve and peroneal nerve in the sciatic nerve trunk in all ten rabbits could be clearly displayed on T2WI and T2WI. The fine branches of the gastrocnemius nerve, posterior femoral cutaneous nerve, and the posterior gluteal nerve could be clearly depicted on T2WI. The T1 and T2 relaxation times of the sciatic nerves were 915 and 40 ms, respectively. The anterior–posterior diameter of sciatic nerve trunk was measured grossly, and on T2WI was 3.17 ± 0.21 mm and 3.15 ± 0.19 mm, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (t = 0.768, P = 0.462). With the 1.5‐T clinical MR system, the microneurography of the sciatic nerve could be revisualized, and the finer structure of the sciatic nerve trunk could be clearly and accurately delineated. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2008.