bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the mesostructure of HDPE under “in situ” uniaxial tensile test by incoherent polarized steady‐light transport
Authors: Blaise A. , Baravian C. , Dillet J. , Michot L.J. , André S.
Published: December 2011

This study presents quantitative results related to in situ investigation of the microstructural evolutions of high‐density polyethylene with deformation. These results were obtained thanks to a novel technique (IPSLT) based on the polarized light scattering transport phenomenon. The heterogeneities produced during whitening of the polymer bulk are characterized at the mesoscale level (from hundred of nanometers to a few micrometers). The technique is described as well as the identified parameters it provides, namely: the average size of the scatterers, the anisotropy developed in the medium, and the light transport length, representative of both the volume fraction and size of the heterogeneities. Results obtained during video‐controlled tensile experiments confirm those obtained previously with X‐ray microtomography. They put forward the role of morphological transformations of the amorphous/crystalline phases (especially regarding the creation of fibrillar assemblies) rather than the cavitation phenomenon. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012
Employee to employer communication skills: balancing cancer treatment and employment
Authors: Brown Richard F. , Owens Myra , Bradley Cathy
Published: December 2011

Background

Cancer patients face difficulties in accessing legally mandated benefits and accommodations when they return to the workplace. Poor employer–employee communication inflates these difficulties. Although proven methods to facilitate physician–patient communication exist, these have not been applied to the workplace. Thus, we aimed to assess the feasibility and utility of applying these methods to educate patients about their workplace rights and provide them with communication skills training to aid their conversations with their employers.

Methods

A DVD was produced to educate patients and facilitate workplace communication. Participants consisted of 28 solid tumor cancer patients (14 women and 14 men) who completed primary cancer treatment in the past 12 months and were employed at the time of diagnosis. Participants watched a communication skills training DVD and completed a telephone interview. The interview elicited information about workplace experiences and evaluation of the DVD training program.

Results

The physician–patient communication skills training model utilized was successfully translated to the employer–employee setting. All but one participant found the DVD useful and easy to understand and indicated a high degree of confidence in using the communication skills to help them ask for workplace accommodations. All participants agreed that it would help newly diagnosed patients in discussions with their employers.

Conclusion

Our data provides promising preliminary evidence that patient communication skills training can be applied to the workplace setting and is a welcomed aid to newly diagnosed cancer patients in their discussions with employers regarding the impact of treatment on their work performance and needs for accommodations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Endobronchial findings of hydatid cyst disease: A report of five pediatric cases
Authors: Kut Arif , Cakir Erkan , Midyat Levent , Cakir Fatma Betul , Ozaydin Erhan
Published: December 2011

Hydatid disease is still an important public health problem throughout the world. Diagnosis of the disease is generally based on clinical and radiological findings. Evaluation of pulmonary disorders by flexible bronchoscopy (FOB) is a rapidly developing facility, but diagnostic and therapeutic FOB for pulmonary hydatid cysts is still controversial. This study examines the findings of endobronchial hydatid cyst disease in five pediatric patients from Turkey, and clinical experience about this subject is reviewed. All our patients presented with unusual symptoms of the disease, and for all of them, diagnosis had been delayed using current diagnostic methods. As a result of our experience, it can be reported that the endobronchial appearance of the hydatid cyst membrane is whitish‐yellow, and it is difficult to differentiate it radiologically from some other common causes of endobronchial lesions in childhood, such as endobronchial tuberculosis, foreign body aspirations, mucous plaques, and granulation scars. The findings of these cases show that, hydatid cyst should also be kept in mind in differential diagnosis of endobronchial lesions. In the diagnosis of pulmonary hydatid cyst in children without typical clinical and radiological findings of the disease, FOB examination is a valuable diagnostic procedure. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012; 47:706–709. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
International survey of physician recommendation for tracheostomy for spinal muscular atrophy Type I
Authors: Benson Renée C. , Hardy Karen A. , Gildengorin Ginny , Hsia Danny
Published: December 2011

The ethics of invasive mechanical ventilation for children with the neurodegenerative disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type I (SMA I) is highly debated, and wide variability in clinical outcomes exists internationally. We conducted this international survey to identify physician characteristics associated with recommendation for tracheostomy and ventilation for SMA I. A cross‐sectional online survey was distributed to 1,772 pediatric pulmonologists and pediatric intensivists from online membership directories of American Thoracic Society, American College of Chest Physicians, and European Respiratory Society. Questions explored physician demographics, attitudes and experience with SMA and end‐of‐life care, knowledge of consensus guidelines, and recommendations for respiratory care of SMA I. A logistic regression model assessed the independent effects of physician variables on the recommendation for invasive ventilation for SMA I. A total of 367 (21%) physicians completed the survey; 82% were pediatric pulmonologists; and 16% pediatric intensivists. Seventy percent of respondents were from the U.S. Fifty percent of physicians were aware of SMA consensus guidelines. Physicians from Commonwealth countries (U.K., Canada, Australia, etc.) were less likely to recommend tracheostomy/ventilation than U.S. physicians (7% vs. 25%, P = 0.005). Logistic regression modeling identified years of experience, pediatric pulmonology specialty, agreement with a pro‐life statement, and recommendation for non‐invasive ventilation as predictive of recommendation for long‐term invasive ventilation for SMA I. In the largest international survey on this topic, we identified regional differences in physician recommendation for invasive ventilation for children with SMA I. Our data demonstrate a need for increased awareness of consensus guidelines and further dialog about the physician role in variability of care for children with SMA I. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012; 47:606–611. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nebulized iloprost and noninvasive respiratory support for impending hypoxaemic respiratory failure in formerly preterm infants: A case series
Authors: Piastra Marco , De Luca Daniele , De Carolis Maria Pia , Tempera Alessia , Stival Eleonora , Caliandro Francesca , Pietrini Domenico , Conti Giorgio , De Rosa Gabriella
Published: December 2011

Objective

To describe a series of ex‐preterm infants admitted to pediatric intensive care unit due to impending hypoxaemic respiratory failure complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH) who were treated electively combining noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and nebulized iloprost (nebILO).

Design

Open uncontrolled observational study.

Setting

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital.

Patients

Ten formerly preterm infants with impending hypoxaemic respiratory failure and PH, of whom eight had moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Measurements and Main Results

Median age and body weight were 6.0 (2.75–9.50) months and 4.85 (3.32–7.07) kg, respectively. We observed a significant early oxygenation improvement in terms of PaO2/FiO2 increase (P = 0.001) and respiratory rate reduction (P = 0.01). Hemodynamic also improved, as shown by heart rate (P = 0.002) and pulmonary arterial pressure systolic/systolic systemic pressure (PAPs/SSP) ratio reduction (P = 0.0137). NebILO was successfully weaned in positive response cases: 4 infants were discharged on oral sildenafil. Three patients failed noninvasive modality and needed invasive mechanical ventilation; hypoxic–hypercarbic patients were most likely to fail noninvasive approach. Only one patient requiring invasive ventilation died and surviving babies had a satisfactory 1‐month post‐discharge follow‐up.

Conclusions.

The noninvasive approach combining NIV and nebILO for ex‐preterm babies with impending respiratory failure and PH resulted to be feasible and quickly achieved significant oxygenation and hemodynamic improvements. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012. 47:757–762. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Kähler metrics and gauge kinetic functions for intersecting D6‐branes on toroidal orbifolds – The complete perturbative story
Authors: Honecker G.
Published: December 2011

We systematically derive the perturbatively exact holomorphic gauge kinetic function, the open string Kähler metrics and closed string Kähler potential on intersecting D6‐branes by matching open string one‐loop computations of gauge thresholds with field theoretical gauge couplings in 𝒩 = 1 supergravity. We consider all cases of bulk, fractional and rigid D6‐branes on T6/Ω ℛ and the orbifolds T6/(ℤN × Ω ℛ) and T6/(ℤ2 × ℤ2M × Ω ℛ) without and with discrete torsion, which differ in the number of bulk complex structures and in the bulk Kähler potential. Our analysis includes all supersymmetric configurations of vanishing and non‐vanishing angles among D6‐branes and O6‐planes, and all possible Wilson line and displacement moduli are taken into account. The shape of the Kähler moduli turns out to be orbifold independent but angle dependent, whereas the holomorphic gauge kinetic functions obtain three different kinds of one‐loop corrections: a Kähler moduli dependent one for some vanishing angle independently of the orbifold background, another one depending on complex structure moduli only for fractional and rigid D6‐branes, and finally a constant term from intersections with O6‐planes. These results are of essential importance for the construction of the related effective field theory of phenomenologically appealing D‐brane models. As first examples, we compute the complete perturbative gauge kinetic functions and Kähler metrics for some T6/ℤ2 × ℤ2 examples with rigid D‐branes of [1]. As a second class of examples, the Kähler metrics and gauge kinetic functions for the fractional QCD and leptonic D6‐brane stacks of the Standard Model on T6/ℤ6′T6/ℤ6′ from [2] are given.
Miniature‐dispenser‐based bioassay to evaluate the compatibility of powder formulations used in an entomovectoring approach
Authors: Mommaerts Veerle , Put Kurt , Vandeven Jessica , Smagghe Guy
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Entomovectoring as a plant protection strategy demands the design of an appropriate bioassay to assess the risks of potential side effects of the powder formulations in the dispenser towards the vectoring insect. This study reports on the development of a laboratory miniature‐dispenser‐based bioassay. This bioassay system was used to investigate the compatibility of five model products, Prestop‐Mix, Signum, kaolin, wheat flour and cellulose, with the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris L.

RESULTS: The laboratory one‐way miniature‐dispenser bioassay showed that the fungicides and the carrier/diluent kaolin caused a worker mortality of > 70% after 5 weeks of exposure, while worker loss with wheat flour and cellulose was no higher than in the blank control (i.e. empty miniature dispenser) (<25%). The laboratory two‐way miniature‐dispenser bioassay comprised separated passageways and demonstrated that only kaolin was toxic (89 ± 11%). These results were also confirmed in a flight‐cage experiment. In addition, a negative effect was observed against reproduction/colony development when nests were exposed to kaolin (P < 0.05) in the two‐way miniature‐dispenser and flight‐cage bioassays.

CONCLUSIONS: In the context of entomovectoring technology, the developed laboratory two‐way miniature‐dispenser bioassay gives a reliable prediction of the hazards associated with powder products. Additionally, the present data indicate the possibility of using cellulose and kaolin as respective negative and positive control carriers/diluents in future risk assessment experiments. Overall, the results show that, apart from kaolin, the tested fungicides and carriers/diluents are safe to be used with B. terrestris. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Development of single‐dispenser pheromone suppression of Epiphyas postvittana, Planotortrix octo and Ctenopseustis obliquana in New Zealand stone fruit orchards
Authors: Suckling David M , McLaren Gillian F , Manning Lee‐Anne M , Mitchell Vanessa J , Attfield Bernie , Colhoun Kate , El‐Sayed Ashraf M
Published: December 2011

BACKGROUND: Pheromones of two native leafrollers of economic importance to the New Zealand horticulture industry, Planotortrix octo [(Z)‐8‐tetradecenyl acetate and tetradecyl acetate] and Ctenopseustis obliquana [(Z)‐5‐tetradecenyl acetate and (Z)‐8‐tetradecenyl acetate], were reinvestigated and combined with pheromone of Epiphyas postvittana [light‐brown apple moth, (E)‐11‐tetradecenyl actetate and (E, E)‐9,11‐tetradecen‐1‐yl acetate] to develop a single dispenser for mating disruption of three pest species for integrated pest management.

RESULTS: Additional compounds identified from pheromone gland extracts were characterised as repellents for P. octo. However, for C. obliquana from Central Otago, a change in ratio of (Z)‐5‐tetradecenyl acetate and (Z)‐8‐tetradecenyl acetate and the addition of three compounds found in the gland (dodecyl acetate, tetradecyl acetate and hexadecanal) led to a significant improvement in catch over previous lures. Males from Central Otago showed antennal electrophysiological responses to hexadecanal, unlike C. obliquana from Auckland, which did not. Three multiple‐species disruption blends were devised in a single dispenser to target E. postvittana, P. octo and C. obliquana. Disruption of traps was recorded in single‐tree replicates with all three blends, but the five‐component blend was overall most effective at disruption and was deployed area wide in commercial orchard plots.

CONCLUSIONS: Deployment of single dispensers into commercial stone fruit orchards led to disruption of trapping for the three species and measurable reductions in insecticide use in cherries, peaches and nectarines without increased fruit damage (assessed in apricots). Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Bonding of low temperature co‐fired ceramics to copper and to ceramic blocks by reactive aluminum/nickel multilayers
Authors: Grieseler Rolf , Welker Tilo , Müller Jens , Schaaf Peter
Published: December 2011

Reactive multilayers of nickel and aluminum were deposited by magnetron sputtering directly onto low temperature co‐fired ceramics (LTCCs) and copper plate for an easy bonding process. The morphology, interface structure, and exact composition of the nanolaminate films were investigated before and after reaction. It was possible to ignite the reaction for all deposited films by electrical spark discharge or by a laser pulse. It was found that the high roughness of the LTCCs enhances the adhesive force of the multilayers to the ceramic. Apart from the directly deposited multilayers, commercially available Nanofoils® covered with 5 µm tin on each side were used for comparison to join two ceramic carriers and also to join LTCCs to copper. In some cases, acceptable resulting bond strengths of the joint were found, a problem being the still poor reproducibility. The tests with the commercial Nanofoils® also showed a mixing of the tin coatings with the used silver based thick film metallization. The latter was printed on the LTCCs. Thus, the experiments confirm that directly deposited reactive multilayers are a promising possibility for joining ceramic devices, either to other ceramics or also to thermally mismatched metallic devices. A careful preparation of the multilayers in composition and total thickness is necessary to adjust the maximal temperature and the heat load to the bonding task in order to achieve best results.
Half metallicity through wide range of lattice constants in Heusler alloys Co2MnGa1−xGex: First‐principles calculations
Authors: Huang H. M. , Luo S. J. , Yao K. L.
Published: December 2011

The electronic and magnetic properties of Heusler alloys Co2MnGa1−xGex (x = 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00) have been investigated using first‐principles density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) scheme. The calculations reveal that with increasing x the lattice constants slightly decrease. When x ≥ 0.5, alloys are half‐metallic (HM) ferromagnets and the total magnetic moments obey Slater‐Pauling rule quite well. Mn atoms show high spin states due to the special sites in compounds. The ferromagnetic couplings are observed in Co2MnGa1−xGex alloys. The sensitivity of half‐metallicity and the change of HM gap for specific lattice constants are also discussed in detail. Calculated results show the half‐metallicity of Co2MnGa0.25Ge0.75 can be maintained in a wider lattice constant range.
INFLUENCE OF SCALE ON THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS IN A LARGE MONTANE RIVER BASIN
Authors: Imholt C. , Soulsby C. , Malcolm I. A. , Hrachowitz M. , Gibbins C. N. , Langan S. , Tetzlaff D.
Published: December 2011

This study monitored stream temperatures over two hydrological years at various nested scales within the large, unregulated river Dee catchment (North East Scotland). These scales were (i) the whole catchment (11 sites along main stem Dee); (ii) the tributary (single sites in main tributaries); (iii) the Girnock (five sites in one subcatchment); and (iv) the reach (26 points across single reach). The aim was to characterize the thermal regime of all locations and compare the magnitude of variation between each scale. The controls on this variation were assessed via a multiple linear regression model using Geographic Information System‐derived catchment data. Temperatures were collected at 15‐min resolution and for further analysis and discussion combined to daily means. At the catchment and subcatchment scales, a west to east gradient in mean and minimum temperatures was observed, largely paralleling changes in altitude. Temperature differences between subcatchments were generally greater than between the sites along the main stem of the Dee. Differences between tributaries reflected differences in their morphology and land use. However, some tributaries had similar thermal regimes, despite different catchment and riparian characteristics. Subcatchment differences in thermal regimes of one of the tributaries corresponded to riparian vegetation reduced diurnal variability in sections dominated by broadleaf woodland. Compared with the larger scales, reach differences in thermal regime were small (e.g. mean temperatures of riffle, pool and margin habitats were within 0.3°C). The most noticeable difference was in relation to the point samples within the backwater area, which has a more constant thermal regime, most probably reflecting its groundwater source. The regression analysis indicated that monthly mean temperatures can be predicted well using elevation and catchment area. Forest cover was a significant explanatory variable during the summer months. However, some of the empirical temperature data from the Dee indicate that similar thermal regimes can result from different physical controls and processes that have important implications for the extrapolation of such predictive models. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Applications of tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) in electrochemiluminescence
Authors: Li Jing , Wang Erkang
Published: December 2011

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) [Ru(bpy)32+] has received considerable interest over broad applications due to its remarkably high sensitivity and extremely wide dynamic range. After a brief introduction of the ECL of Ru(bpy)32+, an overview of our recent research on enhanced ECL, fabrication of solid‐state ECL sensors, analytical application of an effective bioassay, and alignment of ECL with capillary electrophoresis (CE) and microchip CE is discussed in detail. Finally, we conclude with a look at the future challenges and prospects of the development of ECL. DOI 10.1002/tcr.201100017
Survival after Lung Metastasectomy in Colorectal Cancer Patients with Previously Resected Liver Metastases
Authors: Gonzalez Michel , Robert John Henri , Halkic Nermin , Mentha Gilles , Roth Arnaud , Perneger Thomas , Ris Hans Beat , Gervaz Pascal
Published: December 2011

Background

Resection of hepatic metastases is indicated in selected stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A minority will eventually develop pulmonary metastases and may undergo lung surgery with curative intent. The aims of the present study were to assess clinical outcome and identify parameters predicting survival after pulmonary metastasectomy in patients who underwent prior resection of hepatic CRC metastases.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 27 consecutive patients (median age 62 years; range: 33–75 years) who underwent resection of pulmonary metastases after previous hepatic metastasectomy from CRC in two institutions from 1996 to 2009. All patients underwent complete resection (R0) for both colorectal and hepatic metastases.

Results

Median follow‐up was 32 months (range: 3–69 months) after resection of lung metastases and 65 months (range: 19–146 months) after resection of primary CRC. Three‐ and 5‐year overall survival rates after lung surgery were 56 and 39%, respectively, and median survival was 46 months (95% CI 35–57). Median disease‐free survival after pulmonary metastasectomy was 13 months (95% CI 5–21). At the time of last follow‐up, seven patients (26%) had no evidence of recurrent disease and 6 of these 7 patients presented initially with a single lung metastasis.

Conclusions

Resection of lung metastases from CRC patients may result in prolonged survival, even after previous hepatic metastasectomy. Yet, prolonged disease‐free survival remains the exception, and seems to occur only in patients with a single lung lesion.
Prior reproduction and weather affect berry crops in central Ontario, Canada
Authors: Howe Eric J. , Obbard Martyn E. , Bowman Jeff
Published: December 2011

Populations of many perennial plants intermittently produce large seed crops—a phenomenon referred to as mast seeding or masting. Masting may be a response to spatially correlated environmental conditions (the Moran effect), an adaptive reproductive strategy reflecting economies of scale, or a consequence of the internal resource budgets of individual plants. Fruit production by endozoochorous plants representing eight genera varied synchronously over much of central Ontario, Canada, 1998–2009. We tested for effects of weather and prior reproduction on fruit production by comparing AICc values among regression models fit to time series of fruit production scores and partitioning contributions by different predictors to multiple R2 into independent and joint contributions. Fruit production by mountain ash (Sorbus spp.), juneberry (Amelanchier spp.), dogwoods (Cornus spp.), nannyberry (Viburnum lentago), and possibly cherries (Prunus spp.) was inversely related to production in the previous year. These effects were independent of weather conditions, suggesting that intrinsic factors such as internal resource budgets or an adaptive strategy of variable reproductive output influenced fruit production. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence of masting in members of the genera Cornus, Viburnum, and Amelanchier, and in members of Prunus and Sorbus in North America. All species produced fewer fruits when weather conditions were dry, so the Moran effect could have synchronized fruit production both within and among species. Patterns and causes of variation in berry crops have implications for ecosystem dynamics, particularly in boreal and subArctic environments where berry crops are important wildlife foods.
Increased arterial stiffness is associated with high cardiovascular mortality in male Fabry patients
Authors: Nicholls Kathleen
Published: December 2011

Cardiovascular survival in a cohort of 33 male Fabry patients followed for a median of 7.3 years at a single centre was most strongly associated in a Cox proportional hazard regression model with age and elevated arterial stiffness at baseline. Seven patients died of cardiovascular causes. The presence of cardiomyopathy and renal involvement (either clinical nephropathy or CKD stage >1) were also negatively associated with survival when analysed as single factors. In this small study, presence of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia at baseline did not significantly predict cardiovascular death. The significant effect of elevated arterial stiffness, especially in a small cohort, argues for its clinical utility in individual patient risk assessment and for further intervention studies focusing on therapeutic reduction.
Groundwater Resources Management through Flow Modeling in Lower Part of Bhagirathi - Jalangi Interfluve, Nadia, West Bengal
Authors: Kumar Sudhir , Halder Subrata , Singhal D. C.
Published: December 2011

Groundwater utilization in Nadia district, West Bengal has been subjected to rapid exploitation in the wake of increasing urbanization and production of agricultural commodities. It is, therefore, necessary to evaluate the existing trend and availability of groundwater in time and space and its movement for proper planning in future. In the present study, an attempt has been made develop a groundwater management model using Visual MODFLOW software. The groundwater flow model for the study area was formulated by using input hydrogeological data and appropriate boundary conditions. The groundwater flow pattern of the study area indicates the occurrence of base flow which feed both the Rivers Bhagirathi and Jalangi throughout the year. The computed hydraulic heads were calibrated by comparing with observed groundwater level data for years 2004 to 2006 and were verified with the data of 2007. The outcome of modeling shows that this model can be used for prediction purpose in the future by updating input boundary conditions and hydrologic stresses during the preceding year. The model optimized unit draft for deep tube well as 556.5 m3/day and the same for shallow tube well as 41 m3/day keeping the existing tube well structures in running condition and maintaining the present and recent past trends of groundwater level. The model can be further improved if more spatial and temporal input parameters are available and can be incorporated into the model for more realistic characterization of groundwater flow.
Landslide Susceptibility along NH-39 between Karong and Mao, Senapati District, Manipur
Authors: Singh C. D. , Behera K. K. , Rocky W. S.
Published: December 2011

National Highway-39 is the only lifeline of the state of Manipur. The sector between Karong and Mao is highly landslide prone and frequently blocked the NH-39. The area is represented by Disang and Barail Groups of rock. Considering the importance of NH-39, landslide susceptibility zonation studies along NH-39 between Karong and Mao were carried out following GSI guideline, a modified form of BIS (1998).

Landslide susceptibility zonation map reveals that 57% of the facets belong to low susceptible zone. It is followed by moderate susceptible zone (33%), high susceptible zone (9%) and very low susceptible zone (1%). All the facets of high susceptible zone are concentrated along the road section of NH-39, especially Maram-Mao sector. The landslide susceptibility zonation map gives an overall picture of the stability condition of the hill slopes so it can be used as a base map for planning any developmental scheme or maintenance of the existing one.
Application of Multivariate Statistical Techniques in the Assessment of Water Quality in Sakarya River, Turkey
Authors: Yerel Suheyla , Ankara Huseyin
Published: December 2011

In this paper, the surface water quality of the Sakarya River in Turkey is assessed by using multivariate statistical techniques. These techniques were applied to the chemical parameters obtained from the five different surface water quality observation stations. Factor and principal component analysis results reveal that the agricultural, anthropogenic and domestic pollution caused differences in terms of water quality. Cluster analysis revealed two different clusters of similarities between the stations, reflecting different chemical properties and pollution levels in the studied river. Surface water quality downstream of the river was different from the water quality upstream. Thus, this study shows the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques for analysis and interpretation in the surface water quality problem.
Characterisation of Groundwater Chemistry in an Eastern Coastal Area of Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu
Authors: Srinivasamoorthy K. , Vasanthavigar M. , Chidambaram S. , Anandhan P. , Sarma V.S.
Published: December 2011

The groundwater quality detoriation due to various geochemical processes like saline water intrusion, evaporation and interaction of groundwater with brines is a serious problem in coastal environments. Understanding the geochemical evolution is important for sustainable development of water resources. A detailed investigation was carried out to evaluate the geochemical processes regulating groundwater quality in Cuddalore district of Tamilnadu, India. The area is entirely underlined by sedimentary formations, which include sandstone, clay, alluvium, and small patches of laterite soils of tertiary and quaternary age. Groundwater samples were collected from the study area and analyzed for major ions. The electrical conductivity (EC) value ranged from 962 to 11,824 µS/cm, with a mean of 2802 µS/cm. The hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater in the study area starts from Mg–HCO3 type to Na–Cl type indicating the cation exchange reaction along with seawater intrusion. The Br/Cl ratio indicates the evaporation source for the ion. The Na/Cl ratios indicate groundwater is probably controlled by water-rock interaction, most likely by derived from the weathering of calcium–magnesium silicates. The plot of (Ca+Mg) versus HCO3 suggests ions derived from sediment weathering. The plot of Na+K over Cl reflects silicate weathering along with precipitation. Gibbs plot indicates the dominant control of rock weathering. Factor analysis indicates dominance of salt water intrusion, cation-exchange and anthropogenic phenomenon in the study.
Signature of a Paleogene Submarine-fan from the Jenam Formation, Barail Group, Assam-Arakan Orogen, Northeastern India
Authors: Biswas Ananya , Mukhopadhyay Bhabani Prasad
Published: December 2011

Geological domains in northeastern India evolved though time after the rupture of the Gondwanaland. Collision of the Indian and the Burmese plates took place during the middle part of Cretaceous. Evolution of the Paleogene Barail trough, Neogene Surma and Tipam Groups took place gradually. The Barail trough originated at the active margin of the Indo-Burmese plate convergence. Previously, the Barail sedimentary wedge was interpreted to have been deposited in a deltaic to shallow-marine environment. Latter studies have proposed a new depositional model. The Barail Group, a part of the Assam-Arakan Orogen comprises the lowermost Laisong Formation, middle Jenam and upper Rinji Formation. Most of the Paleogene strata of the Barail Group carry imprints of a deep-water submarine fan near an active subduction zone. A deep-water proximal- to mid-fan depositional setting has been ascribed to the lower Laisong strata. Facies analysis of the extensive exposures of the Jenam Formation, near the Jenamghat, Assam, have enabled a detailed reconstruction of a proximal to mid-part of a submarine fan under an overall influence of turbidity currents and debris flow, ultimately evolving into turbidity currents. The Jenam sedimentary wedge bears tell-tale preservation of olistostromes (chaotic facies) with abundant volcaniclastics and basic rock fragments, massive sandstones, conglomeratic sandstone to sandstone-siltstone-shale and sandstone-siltstone-mudstones with profuse turbidites. Facies attributes amply signal the inherent instability of the Barail trough owing to its location near an active subduction zone. The Jenam suite of rocks containing a strong impress of volcanogenic materials along with quartzo-feldspathic rocks were mixed up by turbidity currents and shed into the submarine environment as the Jenam deep-water turbidites.
Petrogenesis of Gabbro and Orthopyroxene Gabbro from the Phenai Mata Igneous Complex, Deccan Volcanic Province: Products of Concurrent Assimilation and Fractional Crystallization
Authors: Hari K. R. , Chalapathi Rao N. V. , Swarnkar Vikas
Published: December 2011

We report the occurrence of orthopyroxene gabbro from the Phenai Mata Igneous Complex (containing thoeliitic and alkaline rocks) that occur within Deccan Traps. The P-T calculations based on two pyroxene thermometry vary from 8.5±1.0 kbar and 963±39 °C. These gabbroic rocks exhibit high Mg# (0.67 to 0.71). But their primary magma signature can be negated due to their high SiO2 (> 50 wt %), low Ni (32-35 ppm) and Cr (105-182 ppm) contents. Further, simple fractional crystallization was not responsible for the modification of the magma. Modeling carried out using trace element concentrations revealed that concurrent assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC) was responsible for the genesis of these rocks. Small pods of magma could have accumulated in the crustal portions and concurrent assimilation and fractional crystallization have taken place in the generation of gabbro and orthopyroxene gabbro in the present study area.
Clinical relevance of the risk factors for coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease
Authors: Weng Ken‐Pen , Hsieh Kai‐Sheng , Huang Shih‐Hui , Ou Shan‐F. , Ma Chun‐Yen , Ho Tsyr‐Yuh , Lai Chung‐Ren , Ger Luo‐Ping
Published: December 2011

We aimed to investigate which factors are associated with coronary artery lesions (CALs) during the acute and chronic stages in Taiwanese children with Kawasaki disease (KD). A total of 216 children with KD were enrolled. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained for each child within 7 days of illness. The patients were classified into KD children without acute CALs (n = 135) and those with acute CALs (n = 81) according to echocardiography data at Week 2 after treatment. Then, KD children with acute CALs were further divided into those without chronic CALs (n = 55) and with chronic CALs (n = 26) according to annual echocardiography data. During acute stage of KD, neutrophil count (<54%) [odds ratio (OR) = 0.44, p = 0.041]; second dose of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment (OR = 5.01, p = 0.009); and platelet count (≤400,000) (OR = 0.42, p = 0.006) were correlated with the risk of acute CALs. During chronic stage of KD, age (12–60 months) (OR = 0.25, p = 0.042); first dose of IVIG treatment (OR = 0.12, p = 0.005); and band count (≥3%) (OR = 3.51, p = 0.032) were correlated with the risk of chronic CALs. Our results suggest that the effects of neutrophil count, doses of IVIG treatment, and platelet count on CALs in acute KD are important. Age, doses of IVIG treatment, and band count are related to the persistence of CALs in chronic stage of KD.
Returning to Nothing
Authors: Read Peter
Published: December 2011

Feelings about lost or destroyed places rouse our deepest emotions. Losing a home or a suburb or leaving a homeland can be like losing a loved one. This book examines what it means to lose a place forever and why we return, and keep on returning, to these places so large in our memories. It considers many lost towns, suburbs, and homes: Darwin after Cyclone Tracy, the flooding of the town of Adaminaby in New South Wales, the inundation of Lake Pedder in Tasmania, bushfire at Macedon in Victoria, migration from other countries, the clearing of neighbourhoods for freeways and the everyday circumstances which force people from their land. Peter Read establishes how important the places we live in are, and how much we grieve when we lose them. It tells a human story, which is disturbing, poetic, and often inspiring. Everyone who has lost a place of importance to them will find it unforgettable.
Beneficial effects of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on carbohydrate metabolism in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats
Authors: Abdulrazaq Nafiu Bidemi , Cho Maung Maung , Win Ni Ni , Zaman Rahela , Rahman Mohammad Tariqur
Published: December 2011

Zingiber officinale(ZO), commonly known as ginger, has been traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. Several studies have reported the hypoglycaemic properties of ginger in animal models. The present study evaluated the antihyperglycaemic effect of its aqueous extract administered orally (daily) in three different doses (100, 300, 500 mg/kg body weight) for a period of 30 d to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. A dose-dependent antihyperglycaemic effect revealed a decrease of plasma glucose levels by 38 and 68 % on the 15th and 30th day, respectively, after the rats were given 500 mg/kg. The 500 mg/kg ZO significantly (P < 0·05) decreased kidney weight (% body weight) in ZO-treated diabetic ratsv.control rats, although the decrease in liver weight (% body weight) was not statistically significant. Kidney glycogen content increased significantly (P < 0·05) while liver and skeletal muscle glycogen content decreased significantly (P < 0·05) in diabetic controlsv.normal controls. ZO (500 mg/kg) also significantly decreased kidney glycogen (P < 0·05) and increased liver and skeletal muscle glycogen in STZ-diabetic rats when compared to diabetic controls. Activities of glucokinase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase in diabetic controls were decreased by 94, 53 and 61 %, respectively, when compared to normal controls; and ZO significantly increased (P < 0·05) those enzymes' activities in STZ-diabetic rats. Therefore, the present study showed that ginger is a potential phytomedicine for the treatment of diabetes through its effects on the activities of glycolytic enzymes.
Sugar and Copper: Postcolonial Experiences of Australian Multinationals
Authors: Merrett David
Published: December 2011

Between 1973 and 2002, three of Australia's largest multinational companies exited from postcolonial Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Although neither host government wished the companies to leave, the tensions that arose during the course of decolonization made their departure inevitable. Prior to independence, conflicts between Fijians and Indians and decisions about grants of land and mineral rights to foreign firms had been mediated by colonial administrators. After independence, these contentious issues were resolved through domestic political processes. Ultimately, the companies were unable to overcome the limitations of their shared administrative heritage, based on nationalistic chauvinism, that desensitized them to the importance of race relations and communal rights to land within their host countries.
From Diaspora Traders to Shipping Tycoons: The Vagliano Bros.
Authors: Harlaftis Gelina
Published: December 2011

This study traces the origins of the twentieth-century Greek shipping tycoons and their global business to the nineteenth-century Greek diaspora traders. It examines the distinct characteristics of a diaspora firm, which can be treated partially as a multinational or “free standing firm” with distinctive features. Based in the main European financial centers, diaspora traders were international operators who developed ethnic-religious networks with their own unofficial international market, enabling them to operate independently of the countries or states in which they were established. The Vagliano house is a prime example of a diaspora trading house that transformed itself into a major shipping and ship-management firm, paving the way for the global success of twentieth-century Greek-owned shipping. The Vagliano network integrated the Greek shipping sector into the international shipping production system by creating an institutional framework based on trust that minimized transaction costs and entrepreneurial risk and provided information flow.
Before the EEOC: How Management Integrated the Workplace
Authors: Delton Jennifer
Published: December 2011

This article examines how the human-relations managerial techniques of the 1950s prepared large companies for the mandated racial integration required by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after 1964. Drawing from management's “howto” publications, as well as archival materials from the Lukens Steel Company and the Du Pont Corporation, the article expands on recent work that has emphasized the importance of internal labor markets, training programs, and managerial policies in determining the shape and pace of integration.
The End of Family Business? The Mittelstand and German Capitalism in Transition, 1949–2000
Authors: Berghoff Hartmut
Published: December 2011

TheMittelstandsector of the German economy, which is made up of small and medium-sized family firms, is generally not mentioned in debates about German capitalism. This article makes the case that the focus of research on the German economy should shift from large corporate structures to these smaller firms. The classic Mittelstand model, which dominated the economy until about 1970, was characterized by identity of ownership and management, strong emotional investment by owners and staff, and an emphasis on continuity, paternalism, and independence. Beginning in the 1960s, this model was undermined by fundamental changes in the country's economic and sociocultural environment. In response, the firms abandoned a number of their traditional attributes, a process that led to the demise of some businesses and the regeneration of others. Although the modern form adopted by the surviving Mittelstand firms allows them to be less dependent on individual families, to enjoy more access to external capital, and to display more openness and international orientation, they can no longer rely on the prospect of long-term stability, as they did in the past.
Styling Synthetics: DuPont's Marketing of Fabrics and Fashions in Postwar America
Authors: Lee Blaszczyk Regina
Published: December 2011

Scholars have studied innovation from various perspectives, but few have considered the interaction between big business and the fashion marketplace. This study examines the efforts of E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company to create and expand the American synthetic-fibers market after World War II. DuPont described this work as transforming the “relatively simple ‘art’ of selling fabric” into the “complicated ‘science’ of marketing.” This process involved developing in-house marketing expertise and reaching out to sources as disparate as American fabric designers, Parisian couturiers, Seventh Avenue manufacturers, southern textile giants, and mass-market retailers. To promote the “wonders” of synthetic fibers, DuPont relied on “fashion intermediaries” to determine what customers wanted and how its fibers could meet those needs. This study suggests that the mass-market success of DuPont's synthetic fibers owed as much to creative marketing, styling, and performance as it did to industrial research and organizational innovation.
Regulatory Regimes and Multinational Insurers before 1914
Authors: Pearson Robin , Lönnborg Mikael
Published: December 2011

At the end of the twentieth century, the global diffusion of one important financial service, insurance, was encouraged by deregulation, but it also encountered difficulties where deregulation remained incomplete and where there were many nonregulatory barriers to entry. International insurance was already well developed before 1914. The growth in the global insurance trade, however, occurred against a background of increasing national regulation and fiscal burdens in many countries, making international business affordable only for the largest companies with the deepest reserves. This paper offers some preliminary estimates of the extent of the international insurance trade during the half-century before the First World War, and assesses the impact of national regulatory regimes and nonregulatory factors on the development of this business. The analysis is placed within the framework of modern theories of regulation and multinational enterprise.
Turner, Beard, Chandler: Progressive Historians
Authors: John Richard R.
Published: December 2011

For almost half a century, Alfred D. Chandler Jr. has enjoyed an enviable reputation as the most influential business historian in the world. Chandlerian business history is a mainstay of the “new” institutionalism that John Higham discerned over four decades ago in a justly admired survey of American historical writing; in addition, it has long been a cornerstone of the “organizational synthesis” that Louis Galambos championed in three widely discussed essays. Even in history departments that have shifted their primary focus from politics and economics to society and culture, Chandler remains required reading.
Measuring Chandler's Impact on European Business Studies since the 1960s
Authors: Iversen Martin Jes
Published: December 2011

Recently, a number of groups sponsored large international research projects that are concerned with business history. Harm G. Schröter's group investigated the European integration that followed the Treaty of Rome in 1957 in order to discover whether it had led to the appearance of a characteristically “European” corporation. Franco Amatori, Camilla Brautaset, and Youssef Cassis coordinated an analysis with the ambitious title “The Performance of European Business in the Twentieth Century.” The projects shared some common “Chandlerian” features: they were problem-oriented, comparative studies of the long-term development of large enterprises, and their goal was to propose illuminating generalizations. Such Chandler-inspired studies are likely to undergo a renaissance in the next couple of years. Still, as the term “renaissance” implies, Chandler's impact on European business studies has undergone upswings and downturns over the past four decades.
Chandler and Business History in Japan
Authors: Anchordoguy Marie
Published: December 2011

The work and ideas of Alfred D.Chandler Jr. have enriched the field of Japanese business history and our understanding of that nation's industrial development. Chandler's studies about the rise of the large, professionally managed, multidivisional firm in the United States highlight factors critical not only to the United States' capitalist system but also to Japan's. Indeed, large firms played a dominant role in Japan's economic takeoff in the late 1800s. As these companies grew, they were transformed into professionally managed corporations. Managers, operating in a clear hierarchical chain of command, built up huge companies, such as Nihon Denki (NEC), Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric, Hitachi, Nippon Steel, Matsushita, and Toyota. In Japanese as in U.S. firms, the visible hand of management was critical to controlling the flow of work, from the input of raw materials to the production of finished goods.