bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Modernization of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek: F. E. T. Krause, J. C. Smuts, and the Struggle for the Johannesburg Public Prosecutor's Office, 1898–1899
Authors: Van Onselen Charles
Published: February 2007

The southern part of the African continent has, for nearly a hundred and fifty years, been witness to a set of epic struggles to create within it a single unified state and, within that, forms of citizenship that are both identifiably “South African” and more or less collectively owned. The never-ending nature of these twinned tasks has echoes in contemporary mantras about the healthiness of “nation-building,” just as surely as the underlying anemia remains manifest in the name of a place and a people that are, arguably, still more of an expression of geography than a reflection of a collectively lived experience. Perhaps it is significant that it was only a decade after the discovery of diamonds, in the late 1860s, that these struggles first took on recognizably modern political forms. An early attempt to promote federation among the dominant white settlers was, however, thwarted by the still largely separate identities of the two British coastal colonies (the Cape and Natal) and two inland Afrikaner-Dutch or “Boer” republics (the Orange Free State and the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek) that sprawled over southern Africa—enveloping, albeit imperfectly, their distinctive and very different indigenous African, imported Asian, and Colored (people of mixed descent) laboring populations.
Some types and other notable specimens of Hans West (1758–1811) in the Sessé and Mociño Herbarium of the Royal Botanical Expedition to New Spain (1786–1804)
Authors: de Caleya Paloma Blanco Fernández , Mulero Miguel Angel Puig-Samper
Published: February 2007

Notable in the plant collection of the Sessé and Mociño Herbarium of the Royal Botanical Expedition to New Spain, housed in the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid, are plants from the Lesser Antilles that Hans West gave to Martín de Sessé as a result of their friendship following a meeting in 1797 in Puerto Rico. Some are type specimens and perhaps only available in this herbarium.
New species and new combinations in Brazilian Vernonieae (Asteraceae)
Authors: Dematteis Massimiliano
Published: February 2007

Vernonia gertii Dematteis sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Serra da Bodoquena in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. The new species is characterized by the presence of large lanceolate leaf blades, attenuate at the base, and heads with pedicellate and aristate phyllaries, all of which clearly separate it from other South American members of Vernonieae. Vernonia gertii presents a superficial resemblance to V. eriolepis Gardn., which also shows aristate phyllaries and is distributed in Mato Grosso do Sul. However, V. eriolepis has sessile heads, ferrugineous pubescence and ovate­lanceolate leaves that are shortly attenuate at the base. In addition, a new combination in the endemic genus Mattfeldanthus H. Rob. & R. M. King (M. andrade­limae) is also proposed.
Nomenclature of the endemic monoecious fig trees (Moraceae: Ficus L.) of New Caledonia and Vanuatu (Pacific Ocean)
Authors: Ungricht Stefan , Rasplus Jean-Yves , Kjellberg Finn
Published: February 2007

An annotated list is presented of the effectively published names of the monoecious Ficus taxa endemic to the Southwest Pacific islands of New Caledonia and Vanuatu, along with the types of the 62 that are validly published as of 1 January 2003. Twenty­one lectotypes and one epitype are designated in order to fix the application of names at the ranks of species and variety.
Reproductive biology of Deeringothamnus rugelii and D. pulchellus (Annonaceae)
Authors: Norman Eliane M.
Published: February 2007

The genus Deeringothamnus (Annonaceae) comprises two species, D. pulchellus Small and D. rugelii (B. L. Rob.) Small; both are endemic to Florida, and federally listed as endangered. Field observations and experiments in central Florida determined their phenology, pollination, breeding system and germination. The species are protogynous, although there is an overlap of female and male stages in both. They are similar in floral morphology but differ in color and scent. They differ from Asimina in their small flowers with subequal petals and low number of stamens (16‐34) with elongated connectives. They are both spring‐flowering shrubs, but anthesis begins four to five weeks earlier in D. pulchellus. Fire or other disturbances enhances flowering dramatically. Pollinators are few and infrequent and may include flies, tumbling beetles, and thrips. Hand‐pollination (self) resulted in 4.4% fruit set vs. 19.5‐23.5% in hand‐pollination (cross) and 1.6‐1.8 % in open‐pollinated flowers of D. rugelii. Open‐pollinated flowers of D. pulchellus yielded 1.2% fruit set and 11.4% when they were hand‐pollinated (cross). Over a six‐year period, 80.5% of open‐pollinated seeds of D. rugelii germinated and survived, vs. 42.6% in hand cross‐pollinated and 34.8 % in hand self‐pollinated. Two instances of natural intergeneric hybrids are described: A. pygmaea × D. rugelii and A. reticulata × D. pulchellus.
Why the Poles Collaborated So Little—And Why That Is No Reason for Nationalist Hubris
Authors: Connelly John
Published: February 2007

Three historians comment on the articles. John Connelly considers the moral and historiographical meanings of "collaboration" and "collaborationism" and suggests that even those cases that Friedrich documents do not make Poland into a collaborationist country. In fact, the Nazis were disappointed that Poles refused to collaborate. Connelly emphasizes the complicated choices and intentions among the Polish population and calls for bringing together both the heroic (and true) tale of Polish resistance with the disturbing (and true) tale of Polish accommodation to the slaughter of the Jews. Tanja Penter adds to the discussion the results of her own research in the records of military tribunals for trials of Soviet citizens accused of collaborating with the Germans. These data confirm the Soviet regime's extremely broad understanding of collaboration and provide in-sight into the collective biography of collaborators. They also suggest which crimes the regime believed most harmful to its integrity. While it is difficult to determine motives and even intentions from these trials, these data, like Jones's, indicate the immense loyalty problem that the Soviet government faced in its occupied territories. Martin Dean calls attention to the difficulties of weeding out collaborators in the postwar Soviet Union and agrees with Jones on the limits of representing the "reality" of collaboration. He notes the reluctance, raised by both Friedrich and Jones, of postwar communist governments and nationalists to deal publicly with the phenomenon. Contrasted to the desire in postwar Europe to deal quickly with war criminals, collaborators, and traitors so that people could move on with their lives, Dean emphasizes the necessity and possibility for historians to write a full history of wartime collaboration, one that recognizes multiple human motives and the responses of hundreds of thousands of individuals who had to take far-reaching decisions under swiftly changing circumstances.
“Discovering” the Galician Borderlands: The Case of the Eastern Carpathians
Authors: Dabrowski Patrice M.
Published: February 2007

What happens when the modern world intrudes upon an isolated mountain region, particularly one that is a borderland par excellence? Patrice Dabrowski examines the moment of “discovery” of the most remote corner of Habsburg Galicia, the Carpathian Mountain region known as the Eastern Beskids and identified with its rugged yet artistically talented highland inhabitants, the Hutsuls. The discovery was facilitated by an ethnographic exhibition in Kołomyja, organized by the Czarnohora branch of the Tatra Society (Towarzystwo Tatrzańskie), which gained renown thanks to the presence of Emperor Franz Joseph at its opening in September 1880. The transformation of the region from terra incognita into a tourist destination for Poles, Ukrainians, and others has local, regional, national, and international dimensions and sheds light on interethnic relations within multiethic Galicia and beyond. This article represents a historiographical meeting point of studies of nations and nationalism, environmental history, and the study of tourism.
How Tolstoevskii Pleased Readers and Rewrote a Russian Myth
Authors: Brooks Jeffrey
Published: February 2007

Jeffrey Brooks argues that Fedor Dostoevskii and Lev Tolstoi drew on and recast a particularly Russian mythology of doomed rebellion in order to explore issues of free will, self-fulfillment, and redemption. The literary giants employed narrative structures similar to popular formulas. They imagined their work and even their lives in terms of an opposition between freedom and order, echoing themes of Aleksandr Pushkin and Nikolai Gogol'. By linking Tolstoi and Dostoevskii to mythologies of banditry, Brooks illuminates the interaction between high and low cultures. He locates their work in the context of social and cultural transformations of the liberal postreform era, showing how readers' expectations changed in a fluid society. Readers increasingly wanted freedom to triumph over the myth's earlier doom, but censors remained vigilant. He shows how Tolstoi and Dostoevskii satisfied both censors and readers by framing tales of adventure and romance with moralistic beginnings and endings conforming to the format of the long serial novel. The formulaic sandwich that frustrated the censors was used with similar effect by N. I. Pastukhov, author of Russia's first modern popular novel,The Bandit Churkin, which was serialized inMoskovskii listokin the early 1880s. Brooks affirms the mastery of Tolstoi and Dostoevskii that transcends time and place, but shows the roots of their work in Russian preoccupations with freedom and order.
The Cable Car at Kasprowy Wierch: An Environmental Debate in Interwar Poland
Authors: Stone Daniel
Published: February 2007

The construction of a cable car in 1935 by Minister Aleksander Bobkowski halted the proclamation of a Polish National Park in the Tatra Mountains near Zakopane. A press and letter-writing campaign organized by Polish environmentalists, headed by Professor Wladyslaw Szafer and the Tatra Society, subsequently convinced the government to create a park. This debate also concerned the architectural aesthetics of the cable car buildings. The episode sheds light on the development of environmentalism in Poland during the partition era and in interwar Poland, as well as related discussions on the role of technology in modern life and aesthetics. Overall, the episode reveals the existence of two competing views of modern society.
The “Secularization” Question and the United States in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Hollinger David A.
Published: February 2007

Why have secular outlooks made so little headway in the United States in the twentieth century? Why did the Congress of the United States impeach Bill Clinton in 1998? Why have so many medical doctors in the United States been intimidated into refusing to provide abortion services to women? Might the answers to these three questions be the same?
Aryl Calcium Compounds: Syntheses, Structures, Physical Properties, and Chemical Behavior
Authors: Westerhausen Matthias , Gärtner Martin , Fischer Reinald , Langer Jens
Published: February 2007

Organocalcium chemistry is still in its infancy. The direct synthesis of activated calcium and (substituted) iodobenzenes allows for the large‐scale and high‐yield synthesis of aryl calcium iodides. The influence of the substitution patterns of the phenyl group, halogen atom, and solvent is discussed. Aryl calcium iodides show a Schlenk equilibrium that enables the isolation of diaryl calcium derivatives. Owing to the high reactivity of aryl calcium halides, low temperatures have to be maintained throughout the preparative procedures in order to avoid side reactions. A decrease of reactivity and, hence, an enhanced stability at higher temperatures can be achieved by shielding of the calcium atom by increasing the coordination number of the metal center or by substitution of the iodide anion by bulky groups.
Solvothermal synthesis of TiO2: anatase nanocrystals and rutile nanofibres from TiCl4 in acetone
Authors: Wu Yu , Liu Hong‐Mei , Xu Bo‐Qing
Published: February 2007

This work reports a new synthetic approach for single‐phase TiO2 nanomaterials by solvothermal treatment of titanium tetrachloride in acetone at 80–110 °C. Small, uniform, and yet size‐tunable (5–10 nm) anatase titania nanocrystallites were obtained using a low concentration of TiCl4 in acetone (i.e., at molar ratios of TiCl4/acetone ≤ 1:15) in the temperature range of 80–110 °C, while rutile nanofibers were synthesized using a high concentration of TiCl4 (e.g., TiCl4/acetone = 1:10) at 110 °C. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Methotrexate as an alternative therapy for chronic calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease: An exploratory analysis
Authors: Chollet‐Janin Amélie , Finckh Axel , Dudler Jean , Guerne Pierre‐André
Published: February 2007

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of methotrexate (MTX), which works not only as an immunosuppressant, but also as a potent antiinflammatory agent, as an alternative therapeutic option for patients with severe calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPDD) who fail to respond to standard therapy with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and/or glucocorticoids.

Methods

We analyzed, in 2 university hospitals in Switzerland, consecutive patients with CPDD that was resistant to classic treatment and were subsequently treated with MTX. Before and after initiation of MTX therapy, we quantified the frequency of pseudogout attacks, pain intensity, the number of swollen and tender joints, and inflammatory biomarkers. Clinical and biologic side effects of MTX and patients satisfaction with MTX treatment were also evaluated.

Results

The study included 5 patients treated with low dosages of MTX (5–20 mg/week). The mean followup time with MTX was 50.4 months (range 6–81 months). All patients reported an excellent clinical response, with marked improvement within a mean period of 7.4 weeks. A significant decrease in pain intensity (P < 0.0001), swollen and tender joint counts (P < 0.0001), and frequency of attacks was observed. The biomarkers of inflammation decreased markedly when systematically analyzed (3 patients). No significant side effects were reported.

Conclusion

This study suggests that MTX could be a valuable therapeutic option for severe CPDD that is refractory to conventional therapy.
Ranking of Simultaneously Presented Choice Options in Animal Preference Experiments
Authors: Halekoh Ulrich , Jørgensen Erik , Bak Jensen Margit , Juul Pedersen Lene , Studnitz Merete , Højsgaard Søren
Published: February 2007

We considered experiments where animals chose one of all possible simultaneously presented options. The animals might be observed at repeated occasions.

In the ethological literature the analysis is often focused on testing the global hypothesis of no difference in preferences by non‐parametric methods. This fails to address the estimation of a ranking. Often this approach cannot adequately reflect the experimental setting and the repeated measurement structure.

Therefore, we propose to model the choice probabilities for the options with a multinomial logistic model. The correlation induced by repeated measurements is incorporated by animal specific random intercepts. The ranking of the options is taken as the order of the choice probabilities. Adopting a Bayesian approach samples from the posterior distribution of the choice probabilities provide directly samples from the posterior of the rankings. Based on this an estimate of the ranking and description of its variability can be derived. The computation was performed via Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling and was implemented using WinBUGS.

We illustrate our approach with an experiment to determine the preference of pigs for three different rooting materials. The proposed method allowed deriving an overall ranking for different combinations of the materials and the spatial positioning. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Selective loss of extracellular matrix proteins is linked to biophysical properties of varicose veins assessed by ultrasonography
Authors: Jeanneret C , Baldi T , Hailemariam S , Koella C , Gewaltig J , Biedermann B C
Published: February 2007

Background

Dilatation and enhanced distensibility are specific biophysical properties of varicose veins. Both can be assessed by ultrasonography. The aim of this study was to analyse correlations between the vein wall protein content and these two biophysical properties of varicose veins.

Methods

Twenty-seven patients having surgery for varicose veins and six control patients with normal veins undergoing arterial bypass surgery were examined clinically and with ultrasonography the day before surgery. Fifty-two varicose and six control vein rings were harvested and analysed histopathologically and morphometrically; vascular tissue microarrays incorporated 116 vein wall sectors.

Results

Elastin loss in the adventitia (P = 0·010) and reduction of type III collagen in the intima and media (P = 0·004) were observed in varicose veins. Elastin loss correlated negatively with vein diameter at rest (P = 0·005), whereas loss of type III collagen in the intima correlated negatively with the increase in vein diameter at the Valsalva manoeuvre (P < 0·001).

Conclusion

Loss of elastin and type III collagen occurs in varicose veins and can be assessed with ultrasonography in vivo by measuring vein diameter and distensibility.
Disseminated tuberculosis with multiple intracerebral tuberculomas in a patient with anorexia nervosa
Authors: Ahn Jung Yong , Chang Jong Hee , Kim Keun Su , Kim Won Joo
Published: February 2007

Objective:

Multiple tuberculous mycobacterial infections infrequently occur in immunocompromised patients. The malnutrition resulted from anorexia nervosa may contribute to the significant impairment of immunity. The authors present a 23‐year‐old female patient initially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.

Method:

Immunological study revealed that helper T‐cell (CD4) and cytotoxic T‐cell (CD8) comprised 25 and 32%, respectively, with a CD4 to CD8 ratio of 0.78. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed various multiple rings enhancing lesions with edematous change in both cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres.

Results:

Open biopsy disclosed palisading epithelioid granuloma surrounded by inflamed granulation tissue. After anti‐tuberculous therapy for 12 months, her weight was completely restored, but multiple intracranial tuberculomas were not completely disappeared.

Conclusion:

Disseminated tuberculous mycobacterial infections including multiple intracranial tuberculomas may be attributed to immunocompromised status in anorexia nervosa. © 2007 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2007
Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Characterization of Cytochrome P450st‐DDAB Films on a Plastic‐Formed Carbon Electrode
Authors: Wiwatchaiwong Supranee , Matsumura Hirotoshi , Nakamura Nobuhumi , Yohda Masafumi , Ohno Hiroyuki
Published: February 2007

We have studied the characterization of thermophilic cytochrome P450 (P450st)‐didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) films by using UV‐vis absorption, resonance Raman spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. The observed Raman spectrum indicated near‐native conformation of the heme iron in DDAB film on the surface of a glass slide, while on the surface of a plastic‐formed carbon (PFC) electrode, the conformation of P450st‐DDAB was very similar to that of heme‐DDAB film, suggesting the release of heme from P450st in DDAB films on PFC electrodes. When NaBr was added as salt to the casting solution, the result of Raman spectrum indicated near‐native conformation of P450st in DDAB film even on the PFC electrode, but no redox potential of P450st which has near native structure was observed. This study suggests the essential experimental conditions when working with heme protein‐DDAB films as, in some cases, heme iron from proteins is released on the surface of the electrode.
Flexible Ultrathin PolyDVB/EVB Composite Membranes for the Optimization of a Lactate Sensor
Authors: Bridge Kerry , Davis Frank , Collyer Stuart D. , Higson Séamus P. J.
Published: February 2007

An ultrathin composite membrane has been developed as the outer covering barrier in a model amperometric lactate oxidase enzyme electrode. The membrane was formed by cathodic electropolymerization of divinylbenzene/ethylvinylbenzene at the surface of a gold coated polyester support membrane. Permeability coefficients were determined for O2 and lactate across membranes with a range of polymer thicknesses. Anionic interferents (such as ascorbate) were screened from the working electrode by the composite membrane. The composite enzyme electrode showed an increased working concentration range and extended linearity of responses in comparison to an uncoated enzyme electrode.
Impact of root architecture on the erosion‐reducing potential of roots during concentrated flow
Authors: Baets S. De , Poesen J. , Knapen A. , Galindo P.
Published: February 2007

Many studies focus on the effects of vegetation cover on water erosion rates, whereas little attention has been paid to the effects of the below ground biomass. Recent research indicates that roots can reduce concentrated flow erosion rates significantly. In order to predict this root effect more accurately, this experimental study aims at gaining more insight into the importance of root architecture, soil and flow characteristics to the erosion‐reducing potential of roots during concentrated flow. Treatments were (1) bare, (2) grass (representing a fine‐branched root system), (3) carrots (representing a tap root system) and (4) carrots and fine‐branched weeds (representing both tap and fine‐branched roots). The soil types tested were a sandy loam and a silt loam. For each treatment, root density, root length density and mean root diameter (D) were assessed. Relative soil detachment rates and mean bottom flow shear stress were calculated. The results indicate that tap roots reduce the erosion rates to a lesser extent compared with fine‐branched roots. Different relationships linking relative soil detachment rate with root density could be established for different root diameter classes. Carrots with very fine roots (D < 5 mm) show a similar negative exponential relationship between root density and relative soil detachment rate to grass roots. With increasing root diameter (5 < D < 15 mm) the erosion‐reducing effect of carrot type roots becomes less pronounced. Additionally, an equation estimating the erosion‐reducing potential of root systems containing both tap roots and fine‐branched roots could be established. Moreover, the erosion‐reducing potential of grass roots is less pronounced for a sandy loam soil compared with a silt loam soil and a larger erosion‐reducing potential for both grass and carrot roots was found for initially wet soils. For carrots grown on a sandy loam soil, the erosion‐reducing effect of roots decreases with increasing flow shear stress. For grasses, grown on both soil types, no significant differences could be found according to flow shear stress. The erosion‐reducing effect of roots during concentrated flow is much more pronounced than suggested in previous studies dealing with interrill and rill erosion. Root density and root diameter explain the observed erosion rates during concentrated flow well for the different soil types tested. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cav1.2, Cav1.3, and Cav2.1 in the mouse hippocampus during and after pilocarpine‐induced status epilepticus
Authors: Xu Jie Hua , Long Li , Tang Yong Cheng , Hu Hai Tao , Tang Feng Ru
Published: February 2007

Calcium binding proteins are well known to be expressed by different groups of hippocampal interneurons; however, whether voltage‐dependent calcium channels (Cav) are also localized in these neurons, changed during and after status epilepticus (SE), and involved in epileptic activity have not been reported. In the present study, we showed the colocalization of three subtypes of voltage‐gated calcium channels (Cav1.2, Cav1.3, or Cav2.1) with different calcium binding proteins such as calbindin (CB), calretinin (CR), and parvalbumin (PV). At early stages during and after pilocarpine‐induced status epilepticus (PISE), significant changes of expression of Cav1.2, Cav1.3 (L‐type), and Cav2.1 (P/Q‐type) were found in different groups of hippocampal neurons. Induced expression of Cav1.3 or Cav2.1 in reactive astrocytes was shown at 1 week and 2 months after PISE. At the latter time point, higher percentages of colocalization of PV and Cav1.2, CB, or PV and Cav1.3 or Cav2.1, lower percentages of CR and Cav1.3 or Cav2.1 immunoposivie neurons were observed in gliotic CA1 area. We therefore conclude that voltage‐gated calcium channels are expressed by different groups of hippocampal interneurons in the mouse. At acute stages during and after PISE, up‐ or down‐regulation of Cav1.2, Cav1.3, or Cav2.1 in functionally different groups of interneurons in CA1 area may be related to the changes of their plasticity. Up‐regulation of Cav1.2, Cav1.3, or Cav2.1 in granule cells may be directly related to the occurrence of SE. The induced expression of Cav1.3 or Cav2.1 in reactive astrocytes at 1 week and 2 months after PISE suggests that Cav1.3 or Cav2.1‐related calcium signaling in reactive astrocytes may be involved in initiation, maintenance or spread of seizure activity. In gliotic CA1 area at chronic stage (i.e., 2 months after PISE), the occurrence of higher percentages of colocalization of PV and Cav1.2, CB, or PV and Cav1.3 or Cav2.1, lower percentages of CR and Cav1.3 or Cav2.1 immunopositive neurons may suggest that such colocalizations may be linked to the survival or loss of particular group of hippocampal neurons. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Use of fused airborne scanning laser altimetry and digital map data for urban flood modelling
Authors: Mason David C. , Horritt Matthew S. , Hunter Neil M. , Bates Paul D.
Published: February 2007

Flood modelling of urban areas is still at an early stage, partly because until recently topographic data of sufficiently high resolution and accuracy have been lacking in urban areas. However, digital surface models (DSMs) generated from airborne scanning laser altimetry (LiDAR) having sub‐metre spatial resolution have now become available, and these are able to represent the complexities of urban topography. This paper describes the development of a LiDAR post‐processor for urban flood modelling based on the fusion of LiDAR and digital map data. The map data are used in conjunction with LiDAR data to identify different object types in urban areas, though pattern recognition techniques are also employed. Post‐processing produces a digital terrain model (DTM) for use as model bathymetry, and also a friction parameter map for use in estimating spatially distributed friction coefficients. In vegetated areas, friction is estimated from LiDAR‐derived vegetation height, and (unlike most vegetation removal software) the method copes with short vegetation less than ∼1 m high, which may occupy a substantial fraction of even an urban floodplain. The DTM and friction parameter map may also be used to help to generate an unstructured mesh of a vegetated urban floodplain for use by a two‐dimensional finite element model. The mesh is decomposed to reflect floodplain features having different frictional properties to their surroundings, including urban features (such as buildings and roads) and taller vegetation features (such as trees and hedges). This allows a more accurate estimation of local friction. The method produces a substantial node density due to the small dimensions of many urban features. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamics of suspended sediment transport at field‐scale drain channels of irrigation‐dominated watersheds in the Sonoran Desert, southeastern California
Authors: Gao Peng , Pasternack Gregory
Published: February 2007

Suspended sediment is a major source of pollution in irrigation‐dominated watersheds. However, little is known about the process and mechanisms of suspended sediment transport in drain channels directly connected to agricultural fields. This paper explains sediment dynamics using averaged 5 min flow discharge Q (m3 s−1) and suspended sediment concentration C (mg l−1) collected during one crop season in a small catchment containing a first‐order drain channel and its connected six agricultural fields within the Salton Sea watershed. The statistical properties and average trends of Q and C were investigated for both early (i.e. November) and late (i.e. January) stages of a crop season. Further in‐depth analysis on sediment dynamics was performed by selecting two typical single‐field irrigation events and two multiple‐field irrigation events. For each set of irrigation events, the process of suspended sediment transport was revealed by examining hydrograph and sediment graph responses. The mechanisms underlying suspended sediment transport were investigated by analysing the types of corresponding hysteresis loop. Finally, sediment rating curves for both hourly and daily data at early and late stages and for the entire crop season were established to seek possible sediment‐transport predictive model(s). The study suggests that the complicated processes of suspended sediment transport in irrigation‐dominated watersheds require stochastic rather than deterministic forecasting. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Children's performance on the ‘give x’ task: a microgenetic analysis of ‘counting’ and ‘grabbing’ behaviour
Authors: Chetland Elizabeth , Fluck Michael
Published: February 2007

Children's understanding of the cardinal significance of counting is often assessed by the ‘give x’ task, in which they are categorized as ‘counters’ or ‘grabbers’. Previous research indicates a sudden stage‐like shift, implying insight into a principle. Employing a microgenetic approach, the present study was designed to explore whether this dichotomy masks a more subtle pattern. Fifty‐five 39‐ to 58‐month‐olds received five ‘give x’ trials, involving 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 objects, within a single session counterbalanced across individuals, each child participating in two similar sessions one week apart. Children's spontaneous strategies were recorded. They also completed a simple verbal counting test. Participants seldom simply ‘grabbed’; even those who never counted gave items one‐by‐one. Some gave correct amounts by starting off counting then taking the remainder silently, suggesting internal counting. There was also evidence of children taking correctnon‐subitizable quantities without overtly counting. Individuals' strategy choice and the way they employed particular strategies varied, both within and between sessions. Furthermore, after achieving procedural mastery, children continued to refine their use of strategies. The results are discussed in relation to Karmiloff‐Smith's RR model and Siegler's overlapping waves model. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wobbles, humps and sudden jumps: a case study of continuity, discontinuity and variability in early language development
Authors: van Dijk Marijn , van Geert Paul
Published: February 2007

Current individual‐based, process‐oriented approaches (dynamic systems theory and the microgenetic perspective) have led to an increase of variability‐centred studies in the literature. The aim of this article is to propose a technique that incorporates variability in the analysis of theshapeof developmental change. This approach is illustrated by the analysis of time serial language data, in particular data on the development of preposition use, collected from four participants. Visual inspection suggests that the development of prepositions‐in‐contexts shows a characteristic pattern of two phases, corresponding with a discontinuity. Three criteria for testing such discontinuous phase‐wise change in individual data are presented and applied to the data. These are: (1) the sub‐pattern criterion, (2) the peak criterion and (3) the membership criterion. The analyses rely on bootstrap and resampling procedures based on various null hypotheses. The results show that there are some indications of discontinuity in all participants, although clear inter‐individual differences have been found, depending on the criteria used. In the discussion we will address several fundamental issues concerning (dis)continuity and variability in individual‐based, process‐oriented data sets. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hepatotoxic effect of cyclosporin A in the mitochondrial respiratory chain
Authors: Rodríguez Lilia Cristina De la Cruz , Araujo Carmen Rosa , Posleman Sara Emilia , Rey María del Rosario
Published: February 2007

Cyclosporin A (CyA), a potent immunosuppressant, was used to determine the hepatotoxic effect in long‐term treatments. Male Wistar rats were used in these experiments. They were given CyA chronically at doses used in patients for 120 days, and at doses of 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg kg−1day−1. These doses amount to CyA values in blood of 200 ± 24, 314 ± 40, 445 ± 33 and 598 ± 53 ng ml−1, respectively. A significant increase in glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) was found in the groups treated with 15 and 20 mg kg−1day−1, which would point to mitochondria as the potential target of the toxic action of CyA. The mitochondrial respiratory chain of rat livers was studied in enzyme complexes I and II. Enzyme complex I was determined by spectrophotometry at 340 nm using NADH oxidase with the respirable substrate 10 mmNADH; enzyme complex II was determined by monitoring succinate dehydrogenase by oxymetry using the respirable substrate 10 mmsuccinate. The results show the inhibition of NADH oxidase in the groups treated with 10, 15 and 20 mg kg−1day−1, an effect dependent both on time and on CyA concentration. Enzyme complex II showed a decrease in oxygen consumption. These findings were confirmed by histological studies (hematoxylin‐eosin technique).

Conclusions: Long‐term treatment with CyA at doses of 15 and 20 mg kg−1day−1, amounting to concentrations in blood of 445 ± 33 and 598 ± 53 ng ml−1, causes alterations in the mitochondria, revealed by the increase in serum GLDH and by the functional alteration of enzyme complexes I and II of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of nuclear factor‐kappa B activation in the adverse effects induced by air pollution particulate matter (PM2.5) in human epithelial lung cells (L132) in culture
Authors: Dagher Zeina , Garçon Guillaume , Billet Sylvain , Verdin Anthony , Ledoux Frédéric , Courcot Dominique , Aboukais Antoine , Shirali Pirouz
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT: To contribute to improving knowledge on the adverse health effects induced by particulate matter (PM) air pollution, an extensive investigation was undertaken of the underlying mechanisms of action activated by PM2.5 air pollution collected in Dunkerque, a strongly industrialized French seaside city. Their chemical and physical characteristics have been previously determined, and earlier in vitro short‐term studies have shown them to cause dose‐dependent and time‐dependent oxidative damage, gene expression and protein secretion of inflammatory mediators, and apoptotic events in human lung epithelial cells (L132) in culture. Hence, this work studied the activation of nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB)/inhibitory kappa B (IκB) by Dunkerque city PM2.5 in these target cells, by determination of phosphorylated p65 and phosphorylated IκBα protein levels in cytoplasmic extracts, and p65 and p50 DNA binding in nuclear extracts. In PM‐exposed L132 cells, there were concentration‐ and/or time‐dependent increases in nuclear p65 and cytoplasmic IkB‐α phosphorylation, and nuclear p65 and p50 DNA binding. Taken together, these results showed that Dunkerque city PM2.5 were involved in the activation of the NF‐κB/IκB complex, notably through the occurrence of oxidative stress conditions, and, therefore, in the gene expression and protein secretion of inflammatory mediators in target L132 cells. Hence, these findings suggested that the activation of the NF‐κB/IκB complex preceded cytotoxicity in Dunkerque city PM‐exposed L132 cells. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Paraoxon has only a minimal effect on pralidoxime brain concentration in rats
Authors: Petroianu G. A. , Lorke D. E. , Hasan M. Y. , Adem A. , Sheen R. , Nurulain S. M. , Kalasz H.
Published: February 2007

Clinical experience with oximes, cholinesterase reactivators used in organophosphorus poisoning, has been disappointing. Their major anatomic site of therapeutic action and their ability to pass the blood–brain barrier (BBB) are controversial. Although their physico‐chemical properties do not favour BBB penetration, access of oximes to the brain may be facilitated by organophosphates. The effect of the organophosphate paraoxon (POX) on pralidoxime (2‐PAM) brain entry was therefore determined. Rats either received 50 µmol 2‐PAM only (G1) or additionally 1 µmol POX (≈ LD75) (G2). Three animals each were killed after 5, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 360, 480 min, and 2‐PAM concentrations in the brain and plasma were measured using HPLC. Moreover, the effect of brain perfusion with isotonic saline on subsequent 2‐PAM measurements was assessed.

The maximal 2‐PAM concentration (Cmax) in G1 brain was 6% of plasma Cmax, while in G2 brains it was 8%. Similarly, the ratio of the area under the curve (AUC) brain to plasma was 8% in G1 and 12% in G2. Brain tmax (15 min) was slightly higher than plasma tmax (5 min). The AUC of plasma 2‐PAM did not differ between G1 and G2. However, in G1, AUC brain was significantly lower than in G2, the differences probably being clinically irrelevant. In perfused brains, 2‐PAM concentrations were very close to those of non‐perfused brains. The results indicate that brain penetration of 2‐PAM is poor and that organophosphates only have a modest effect on 2‐PAM BBB penetration. Brain perfusion does not significantly alter 2‐PAM measurements and is therefore considered unnecessary. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chitosan–thioglycolic acid conjugate: An alternative carrier for oral nonviral gene delivery?
Authors: Martien Ronny , Loretz Brigitta , Thaler Marlene , Majzoob Sayeh , Bernkop‐Schnürch Andreas
Published: February 2007

Regarding safety concerns, nonviral gene delivery vehicles that have the required efficiency and safety for use in human gene therapy are being widely investigated. The aim of this study was to synthesize and evaluate a thiolated chitosan to improve the efficacy of oral gene delivery systems. Thiolated chitosan was synthesized by introducing thioglycolic acid (TGA) to chitosan via amide bond formation mediated by a carbodiimide. Based on this conjugate, nanoparticles with pDNA were generated at pH 4.0 and 5.0. Cytotoxicity of the thiolated chitosan/pDNA nanoparticles on Caco‐2 cells was evaluated. The diameter of thiolated chitosan/pDNA nanoparticles was in the range of 100–200 nm. The zeta potential was determined to be 5–6 mV. Due to stability toward nucleases, the transfection rate of thiolated chitosan/pDNA nanoparticles was fivefold higher than that of unmodified chitosan/pDNA nanoparticles. Lactate dehydrogenase tests for thiolated chitosan/pDNA (pH 4.0 and 5.0) showed that (3.79 ± 0.23)% and (2.9 ± 0.13)% cell damage. According to these results, thiolated chitosan represents promising excipients for preparation DNA nanoparticles in nonviral gene delivery system. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Mid infrared microspectroscopic mapping and imaging: A bio‐analytical tool for spatially and chemically resolved tissue characterization and evaluationof drug permeation within tissues
Authors: Garidel Patrick , Boese Matthias
Published: February 2007

The combination of the two classical biophysical methods, microscopy and infrared spectroscopy, has led to the development of a potent analytical technology termed infrared microspectroscopy. It combines high lateral resolution as obtained by microscopy and the chemical identification of the sample components by infrared spectroscopy. The two approaches mainly utilized in microspectroscopy are the mapping and the imaging techniques, which are introduced and presented. Especially, since the development of so called focal plane array detectors, which are implemented in the imaging methods (microspectroscopic imaging) has become a promising bio‐analytical tool for ultrastructural medical diagnostics, due to the fact that the time required for analyzing a sample has been reduced dramatically and the lateral resolution improved to ∼4 μm. Mid infrared microscopy allows a direct access to spatially resolved molecular and structural information of the analyzed area. The image contrast is generated on the basis of the tissue's intrinsic biochemical composition. The current investigation shows how mid infrared microspectroscopic mapping and imaging is used for the bio‐analytical characterization and identification of specific molecular components of a tissue sample at high lateral resolution of a few microns (approaching the mid infrared diffraction limit). Furthermore, the potential of these methods for monitoring the penetration and distribution of drugs within biological tissues are presented. Due to the fact, that mid infrared microspectroscopy is a noninvasive, nondestructive technique for the analyzed sample, requiring no complicated and time consuming staining procedures, it is a convenient method for histological and pathological investigations, allowing the generation of a huge amount of biochemical information not yet available with other nonvibrational techniques. The strength of the presented microscopic technique is the fact that the infrared images are directly comparable to outcomes of classical histological staining procedures and can be interpreted by nonspectroscopists. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A combined atomic force/fluorescence microscopy technique to select aptamers in a single cycle from a small pool of random oligonucleotides
Authors: Peng Lu , Stephens Bryan J. , Bonin Keith , Cubicciotti Roger , Guthold Martin
Published: February 2007

We develop a method, which utilizes a combined atomic force microscope (AFM)/fluorescence microscope and small copy number polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to affinity‐select individual aptamer species in a single cycle from a small pool of random‐sequence oligonucleotides (oligos). In this method, a library of small beads, each of which is functionalized with fluorescent oligos of different sequences, is created. This library of oligo‐functionalized beads is flowed over immobilized target molecules on a glass cover slip. High‐affinity target‐specific aptamers bind tightly to the target for prolonged periods and resist subsequent washes, resulting in a strong fluorescence signal on the substrate surface. This signal is observed from underneath the sample via fluorescence microscopy. The AFM tip, situated above the sample, is then directed to the coordinates of the fluorescence signal and is used to capture a three‐dimensional high‐resolution image of the surface‐bound bead and to extract the bead (plus attached oligo). The extracted oligo is PCR‐amplified, sequenced, and may then be subjected to further biochemical analysis. Here, we describe the underlying principles of this method, the required microscopy instrumentation, and the results of proof‐of‐principle experiments. In these experiments, we selected aptamers in eight trials from a binary pool containing a 1:1 mixture of thrombin aptamer oligo and a nonsense oligo. In each of the eight trials, the positive control aptamer was successfully detected, imaged, extracted, and characterized by PCR amplification and sequencing. In no case was the nonsense oligo selected, indicating good selectivity at this early stage of technology development. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inhibitory effects of blueberry extract on the production of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide‐activated BV2 microglia
Authors: Lau Francis C. , Bielinski Donna F. , Joseph James A.
Published: February 2007

Sustained microglial activation in the central nervous system (CNS) has been extensively investigated in age‐related neurodegenerative diseases and has been postulated to lead to neuronal cell loss in these conditions. Recent studies have shown that antiinflammatory drugs may suppress microglial activation and thus protect against microglial overactivation and subsequent cell loss. Research also suggests that fruits such as berries may contain both antioxidant and antiinflammatory polyphenols that may be important in this regard. Our previous research showed that blueberry extract was effective in preventing oxidant‐induced calcium response deficits in M1 (muscarinic receptor)‐transfected COS‐7 cells. Extrapolating from these findings, the current study investigated the effect of blueberry extract on preventing inflammation‐induced activation of microglia. Results indicated that treatments with blueberry extract inhibited the production of the inflammatory mediator nitric oxide (NO) as well as the cytokines interleukin‐1β and tumor necrosis factor‐α, in cell conditioned media from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐activated BV2 microglia. Also, mRNA and protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase‐2 in LPS‐activated BV2 cells were significantly reduced by treatments with blueberry extract. The results suggest that blueberry polyphenols attenuate inflammatory responses of brain microglia and could be potentially useful in modulation of inflammatory conditions in the CNS. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Risk of venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing cancer surgery and options for thromboprophylaxis
Authors: Bergqvist David
Published: February 2007

Patients with cancer have an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) due to a hypercoagulable state associated with malignancy. This risk is further complicated in patients undergoing cancer‐related surgery due to immobility, other cancer treatments, and biologic changes associated with surgery. Despite this relatively high risk of VTE, many patients are not prescribed adequate prophylaxis in the pre‐ or post‐operative periods. This article reviews available measures for thromboprophylaxis in light of current guidelines. J. Surg. Oncol. 2007;95:167–174. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Alter Mut und neue Märkte – Ein Gespräch mit dem ehemaligen Vorstandsvorsitzenden der Lambda Physik AG Dr. Dirk Basting
Authors: Basting Dirk
Published: February 2007

Vor über 30 Jahren hat Dirk Basting in Göttingen zusammen mit Bernd Steyer die Laserfirma Lambda Physik gegründet. Aus dem Zweimannbetrieb von 1971 ist inzwischen ein Aktienunternehmen und ein weltweit führender Anbieter von UV‐Lasern geworden. Mit dem ehemaligen Vorstandsvorsitzenden der Lambda Physik AG Dirk Basting sprach Andreas Thoß. Holger Kock hat den Dialog zusammengefasst.
Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies of titanium and its alloys in saline medium
Authors: Tamilselvi S. , Murugaraj R. , Rajendran N.
Published: February 2007

The influence of potential on electrochemical behaviour of pure Ti, Ti‐6Al‐7Nb, and Ti‐6Al‐4V ELI alloy under saline conditions were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). All measurements were carried out in saline solution (0.9% NaCl) at different impressed potentials (corrosion potential (Ecorr), 0 mV (SCE) and + 500 mV (SCE)) for 1 h. The experimental results were compared with those obtained by potentiodynamic polarization curves. The corrosion current densities obtained for the titanium alloys showed lower values than for pure Ti, indicating the formation of a stable passive film with time. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic studies indicated that the resistance of the passive film increased with the impressed potential. The impedance spectra were fitted using a non‐linear least square (NLLS) fitting procedure. The magnitude of the corrosion resistance of titanium alloys under saline solution was compared and results are presented.