bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Government and Industry During the Ministry of Count Kankrin, 1823-1844
Authors: Pintner Walter M.
Published: April 2006

From even before the time of Peter the Great, and down to the present day, Russia has had a tradition of active state participation in manufacturing and extractive industry. However, both the nature and extent of governmental activity has varied greatly in different periods. The purpose of this essay is to determine what place government policy during the twenty-one-year term of Count Egor Kankrin as minister of finance (1823-44) has in this long-standing “mercantilist” tradition. Both Kankrin and Nicholas I, who usually followed Kankrin's advice on economic policy, were unquestionably conservative in matters of political and social policy, but there is no necessary connection between the political views of Russian rulers and their attitude toward industrial development. Men as different in political outlook as Peter the Great, Witte, and Stalin all favored vigorous state action of one sort or another to promote industrial development, but none of them were political liberals.
Problems and Unproblems in Soviet Social Theory
Authors: Feuer Lewis S.
Published: April 2006

The status of sociology and philosophy in the Soviet Union is radically different from that of the physical and mathematical sciences. The sociologists and philosophers are still regarded by the government as ideologists, whereas the mathematicians and physicists are considered scientists; and the ideologist is in low repute in the Soviet intellectual community. Thirty years ago, Nikolai Bukharin observed in a remarkable essay that the cultural style of the current Soviet period would be technicism, and that the humanities and historical sciences would be relegated to the background. He believed that this “one-sidedness“ was founded on the economic requirements of the time. Probably, however, the hollowness in the life of the Soviet ideologist is equally responsible for his low estate. The sociologists and philosophers are not regarded as independent thinkers; their job as ideological workers is to provide a documentation and footnoted commentary on the decisions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Young men of ability consequently tend to avoid choosing a life work in the social sciences and philosophy. Why, they say, should they sacrifice their intellectual independence at the outset of their lives?
The Partisan Movement in Postwar Lithuania
Authors: Vardys V. Stanley
Published: April 2006

The story of armed resistance to Soviet rule in postwar Lithuania is of interest both to historians and to political scientists. On the one hand, it unveils an important period of modern Lithuanian history and offers a glimpse into the dilemma of East European nationalism, caught between Nazis and Communists in World War II. On the other, it allows an insight into the nature of a movement that seeks to produce political changes by the use of violence. In an age when political practitioners use guerrilla warfare and paramilitary tactics as basic means of struggle for power, justification of a study of partisan movements seems hardly necessary. By showing academic interest, the social scientist merely recognizes their growing practical importance.

The Lithuanian partisan resistance to the Soviet regime now can be analyzed with the help of varied source material, including firsthand testimony of both nationalist and Communist origin.
Three Paradoxes of the Cyrillo-Methodian Mission
Authors: Ševčenko Ihor
Published: April 2006

One book, one article, and a series of archaeological finds have contributed the largest part to the progress of Cyrillo-Methodian studies in the past thirty years. The book was by Father Dvornik: Once and forever its author established the reliability of the Vitae of the Slavic Apostles—our two principal sources for their mission—by carefully fitting them into the framework of Byzantium’s history in the ninth century. The article was by Fathers Meyvaert and Devos: In a few pages it demonstrated more mathematico what many foremost scholars had already suspected—that the Vita of Constantine–Cyril was in existence by 882 (before Methodius’ death), and that, by this time, it existed in Slavic. The latter demonstration was a hard pill for Byzantinists to swallow. The archaeological finds were made in Southern Moravia. By unearthing several ninth-century towns, archaeologists were able to provide an explanation for the strength of the Great Moravian state; by discovering a number of early churches, they were able to demonstrate how well established Christianity was in Great Moravia even before the Cyrillo-Methodian mission had arrived.
Rural Credit in Ming-Qing Jiangnan and the Concept of Peasant Petty Commodity Production
Authors: Pan Ming-te
Published: April 2006

The rural credit system in traditional agrarian societies has long been associated with “usury,” and therefore often considered a hindrance to rural development. Three aspects of the traditional rural credit system are used to substantiate this assertion. First, traditional rural credit often entailed interest rates above the ceiling set by law. As early as 1790b.c., the Laws of Hammurabi established annual interest ceilings of 33.3 percent for grain loans and 20 percent for cash loans. Any loan charging interest beyond the ceiling was illegal (Sowards 1983, 5). To many contemporary scholars, even a ceiling of 20 to 30 percent seems exorbitant: given the low return of traditional farming, peasants could hardly afford to borrow at such high interest rates. Second, from a socioeconomic perspective, high interest rates suggest unequal relations between debtors and creditors. According to Rao, the origin of this unequal relationship lies in market imperfection, or so-called “connectedness”—the link between wealth inequality and the failure-of-markets mechanism (1986). A fragmented and noncompetitive market, this view maintains, facilitates personalized credit transactions which not only extract surplus but also perpetuate peasants' credit dependency on the landlord. This credit dependency, in turn, creates a situation in which compulsive indebtedness gradually deprives the peasantry of the means of production (Bhaduri 1983, chaps. 4, 5). Finally, it is asserted, traditional rural credit had little to do with production. Most peasants used rural credit for consumption purposes, which had destructive effects on agricultural production. Rural credit, in these views, is a siphon that draws resources out of the rural sector, locks peasants into a vicious cycle of debt, creates rural inequality, and hinders production. Scholars who have studied the Chinese peasant economy agree, by and large, that that was the nature of Chinese rural credit system.
Russia's Illegitimate Children Before and After the Revolution
Authors: Madison Bernice
Published: April 2006

The last tsarist statute to deal with illegitimate children, the law of June 3, 1902, improved the lot of these “untouchables” somewhat but left them still in a most unfavorable economic and social position. It permitted proof of paternity and established the father's civil responsibility for support. But it denied to the father the right to acknowledge his child, and to the child the right to inherit from his father or to use his name. Some of the mother's property but not that of her relatives could be passed on to the illegitimate child if she acknowledged him in writing and if this property had been acquired by “honorable” means. “Legal” status could be conferred by the marriage of the parents or by adoption, but such marriage was permitted only if there were no children from a previous lawful union.
Kantemir and Rolli-Milton's Il Paradiso Perduto
Authors: Boss Valentine J.
Published: April 2006

The heliocentric allusions in Antiokh Kantemir's First Ode make it one of the earliest poetic statements in Russian literature to support the Copernican theory. As such it is often cited, and it is certainly the best known of the poet's four surviving odes. Yet neither the precise date of the poem's composition nor its origin is known, though attempts at solving both these problems have been made with a view to explaining the change in Kantemir's poetic style after he left Russia in January, 1732. Though he was then only twenty-three, some of his best satires had already been written, and his poetic output declined after that date.
The Russian Plague of 1878-79
Authors: Heilbronner Hans
Published: April 2006

In mid-October, 1878, an outbreak of the plague occurred in the obscure village of Vetlianka on the Volga. Eruptions of various virulent diseases were no rarity in the region of the lower Volga, but this particular calamity made a forsaken village world-famous. It embroiled Russia in a violent diplomatic and press campaign with Germany and Austria; it played a major role in the growth of a legacy of mistrust and suspicion of German motives in Russia; it once again made Russians and foreigners painfully or joyfully aware of the lamentable inadequacies of Russian administration; and, above all, it presented Bismarck with a welcome weapon in his campaign for the conclusion of the Dual Alliance of 1879. A purely domestic event, seemingly devoid of any international significance, thus came to play a major role in the development of the foreign policies of a number of great powers.
The Problem of Feudalism in Lithuania , 1506-1548
Authors: Backus Oswald P.
Published: April 2006

Feudalism is difficult to define. One may follow the example of Marc Bloch by stressing what feudalism is not. Clearly the feudal patterns which various scholars have described are always subject to the objection that some available data do not fit. Indeed, this defect is inherent in virtually any attempt to generalize.

However, because scholars have asserted that feudalism existed in sixteenth-century Lithuania, it is of interest to ascertain whether their assertions are reasonably accurate under the more common criteria for determining the existence of feudalism. I have come to the conclusion that when judged by those criteria, the social and political order of sixteenth-century Lithuania may not be regarded as typical feudalism except from a Marxist point of view. I am inclined to regard the early sixteenth century as a period when tendencies were developing which point, rather, in the direction of a dynastic state.
The Russian Voter in the Elections to the Third Duma
Authors: Levin Alfred
Published: April 2006

The intent of the framers of the Electoral Law of June 3, 1907, was, as Peter A. Stolypin would have it, “constitutionalist,” but it was very nearly the antithesis of “democratic.” In reverting from a broadly representational to a Prussian-style, tax-property, categorical basis, Stolypin sought no fundamental revision of the principles underlying the Electoral Law for the Imperial Duma of November 11, 1905. He was committed to the concept of a constitution providing for representative government, but in accordance with his own predilections he wished to revise the terms of representation in a way that would ensure a preponderance of “trustworthy” elements in the Duma while still permitting most major segments of public opinion to be represented.
Agrarian Problems and the Moscow-Peking Axis
Authors: Wittfogel Karl A.
Published: April 2006

Officially the one-centeredness of the Communist world ended in 1943. In that year the Communist International, which had recognized the Communist Party of the Soviet Union as the hegemon, was dissolved, because the new political situation demanded the “great flexibility and independence” of the various “sections.“ The people's democracies that a few years later came into being in Eastern Europe emphasized, as Brzezinski has noted, that they “were to be sovereign—not Soviet. Their relations with the USSR were to be, naturally, ‘friendly’ but founded on mutual recognition of the principles of independence and noninterference in internal affairs.“ Thus ideologically the transformation of international communism into a complex with many allegedly independent power-holding and power-seeking Communist parties was proclaimed long before Togliatti in 1956 asserted that the Communist world was becoming “polycentric.”
Polyaniline‐coated PET conductive yarns: Study of electrical, mechanical, and electro‐mechanical properties
Authors: Kim Bohwon , Koncar Vladan , Dufour Claude
Published: April 2006

Intelligent and multifunctional yarns (textiles) have attracted interest because of their high potential in applications such as flexible displays, batteries, or sensors. The main objective of our research was to obtain the flexible and electrically conducting yarn based on the conductive polymer and polyethylene terephtalate (PET) yarns. Among the conductive polymers, polyaniline (PANI) is considered as a promising material and is well adapted for modifications of textile structure because of its excellent environmental, thermal, and chemical stability. Chemical PANI coating on PET yarns was performed by absorption of yarns through PANI solution. The electrical, mechanical, and electro‐mechanical properties of PET conductive yarns prepared were investigated. The environmental effects on the electrical and mechanical properties of the obtained conductive yarns were also studied. These conductive yarns are expected to be used as fibrous sensors, connection devices in smart clothing, and for electromagnetic shielding applications. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1252–1256, 2006
Unexpected improvement in stability and utility of cytochrome c by solution in biocompatible ionic liquids
Authors: Fujita Kyoko , Forsyth Maria , MacFarlane Douglas R. , Reid Robert W. , Elliott Gloria D.
Published: April 2006

Proteins generally are only stable in vitro for short periods of time. This results in challenges during isolation and purification of recombinant proteins and reduces the shelf life of protein‐based pharmaceuticals. Here we show that certain novel, biocompatible ionic liquids provide a stabilizing solvent for proteins, for example, cytochrome c, such that structure and activity are maintained even after 6 months of storage at room temperature. Normally, this protein would be rendered inactive after only 1 week in buffered aqueous solution. The effect of the ionic liquid solvent appears to be related to protection against hydrolysis. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Kinetics of lactose fermentation using a recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain
Authors: Juraščík M. , Guimarães P. , Klein J. , Domingues L. , Teixeira J. , Markoš J.
Published: April 2006

This work presents a multi‐route, non‐structural kinetic model for interpretation of ethanol fermentation of lactose using a recombinant flocculent Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain expressing both the LAC4 (coding for β‐galactosidase) and LAC12 (coding for lactose permease) genes of Kluyveromyces lactis. In this model, the values of different metabolic pathways are calculated applying a modified Monod equation rate in which the growth rate is proportional to the concentration of a key enzyme controlling the single metabolic pathway. In this study, three main metabolic routes for S. cerevisiae are considered: oxidation of lactose, reduction of lactose (producing ethanol), and oxidation of ethanol. The main bioprocess variables determined experimentally were lactose, ethanol, biomass, and dissolved oxygen concentrations. Parameters of the proposed kinetic model were established by fitting the experimental data obtained in a small lab‐scale fermentor with the initial lactose concentrations ranging from 5 g/dm3 to 50 g/dm3. A very good agreement between experimental data and simulated profiles of the main variables (lactose, ethanol, biomass, and dissolved oxygen concentrations) was achieved. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis and optical properties of a poly(p‐phenylenevinylene) derivative and polyfluorenes with bipolar groups along the main chain
Authors: Barberis Vasilis P. , Mikroyannidis John A.
Published: April 2006

A poly(p‐phenylenevinylene) derivative (PPV–TPA)] and a series of statistical copolyfluorenes (PF–TPA)] containing oxadiazole and triphenylamine segments along the main chain were synthesized by the Heck reaction and nickel‐mediated coupling, respectively. The PF–TPA copolyfluorenes with relatively low contents of oxadiazole and triphenylamine units were readily soluble in common organic solvents, whereas the other copolyfluorenes displayed lower solubility. PPV–TPA showed excellent solubility in solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), dichloromethane, chloroform, and toluene. Thin films of the polymers absorbed light in the range of 375–396 nm and had optical band gaps of 2.76–2.98 eV. They emitted blue‐green light with a maximum at 414–522 nm. The fluorescence quantum yields in THF solutions were 0.08–0.53. The copolyfluorene PF–TPA thin films with high contents of oxadiazole and triphenylamine moieties emitted pure blue light that remained stable even after annealing at 150 °C for 4 h in air. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3556–3566, 2006
Dehydrogenation of poly(1,3‐cyclohexadiene)–polystyrene binary block copolymers
Authors: Natori Itaru , Sato Hisaya
Published: April 2006

The dehydrogenation of poly(1,3‐cyclohexadiene)–polystyrene binary block copolymers obtained by anionic copolymerization with alkyllithium/amine systems was investigated for the first time. The dehydrogenation of the poly(1,3‐cyclohexadiene) block, which was composed of 1,2‐cyclohexadiene (1,2‐CHD) and 1,4‐cyclohexadiene (1,4‐CHD) units, was strongly affected by the polymer chain structure. The existence of 1,2‐CHD units prevented the dehydrogenation of the poly(1,3‐cyclohexadiene) block in the binary block copolymer. The rate of dehydrogenation was fast on a long sequence of 1,4‐CHD units, whereas it was relatively slow for 1,2‐CHD/1,4‐CHD (≈1/1) unit sequences. The bonding of the polystyrene block to the polymer chain effectively improved not only the rate of dehydrogenation of a long sequence of 1,4‐CHD units but also that of the polymer chain with a high content of 1,2‐CHD units. The dehydrogenation of a poly(1,3‐cyclohexadiene) block containing a small number of 1,2‐CHD units progressed via step‐by‐step reactions. The dehydrogenation of a long sequence of 1,4‐CHD units proceeded as the first step. Subsequently, in the second step, the 1,2‐CHD/1,4‐CHD (≈1/1) unit sequences remaining in the polymer chain were dehydrogenated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 3526–3537, 2006
Analyzing large‐scale structural change in proteins: Comparison of principal component projection and sammon mapping
Authors: Mesentean Sidonia , Fischer Stefan , Smith Jeremy C.
Published: April 2006

Effective analysis of large‐scale conformational transitions in macromolecules requires transforming them into a lower dimensional representation that captures the dominant motions. Herein, we apply and compare two different dimensionality reduction techniques, namely, principal component analysis (PCA), a linear method, and Sammon mapping, which is nonlinear. The two methods are used to analyze four different protein transition pathways of varying complexity, obtained by using either the conjugate peak refinement method or constrained molecular dynamics. For the return‐stroke in myosin, both Sammon mapping and PCA show that the conformational change is dominated by a simple rotation of a rigid body. Also, in the case of the T→R transition in hemoglobin, both methods are able to identify the two main quaternary transition events. In contrast, in the cases of the unfolding transition of staphylococcal nuclease or the signaling switch of Ras p21, which are both more complex conformational transitions, only Sammon mapping is able to identify the distinct phases of motion. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Global mean cloud feedbacks in idealized climate change experiments
Authors: Ringer M. A. , McAvaney B. J. , Andronova N. , Buja L. E. , Esch M. , Ingram W. J. , Li B. , Quaas J. , Roeckner E. , Senior C. A. , Soden B. J. , Volodin E. M. , Webb M. J. , Williams K. D.
Published: April 2006

Global mean cloud feedbacks in ten atmosphere‐only climate models are estimated in perturbed sea surface temperature (SST) experiments and the results compared to doubled CO2 experiments using mixed‐layer ocean versions of these same models. The cloud feedbacks in any given model are generally not consistent: the sign of the net cloud radiative feedback may vary according to the experimental design. However, both sets of experiments indicate that the variation of the total climate feedback across the models depends primarily on the variation of the net cloud feedback. Changes in different cloud types show much greater consistency between the two experiments for any individual model and amongst the set of models analyzed here. This suggests that the SST perturbation experiments may provide useful information on the processes associated with cloud changes which is not evident when analysis is restricted to feedbacks defined in terms of the change in cloud radiative forcing.
A steep fan at Coprates Catena, Valles Marineris, Mars, as seen by HRSC data
Authors: Di Achille G. , Ori G. G. , Reiss D. , Hauber E. , Gwinner K. , Michael G. , Neukum G.
Published: April 2006

We investigate a steep fan‐like deposit in the Coprates Catena region, using the new High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) data and other Martian data sets. Water flowing in a 45‐km‐long sapping valley entered a deep trough and formed a stepped fan 1100‐m‐high above the trough floor with a mean slope of 7.4°. The origin of the fan is uncertain. However, we favor an alluvial, sheetflood‐dominated deposition for the sedimentary feature, though there is weak evidence for a possible stationary water level (∼500 m above the floor) and a fan‐delta origin. Regional morphotectonics and previous geological mapping suggest that groundwater‐related aqueous sedimentation could have been active from Hesperian to Early Amazonian implying favorable climatic conditions for the flow and possible ponding of water during that period.
Stable carbon isotopic composition of low‐molecular‐weight dicarboxylic acids and ketoacids in remote marine aerosols
Authors: Wang Haobo , Kawamura Kimitaka
Published: April 2006

We determined stable carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of C2 to C9 dicarboxylic acids (DCAs) and some ketoacids in the marine aerosols from the western Pacific and Southern Ocean (35°N to 65°S). On average, oxalic (mean, −16.8‰), adipic (−17.2‰), and glyoxylic (−17.6‰) acids showed heavier δ13C, whereas maleic (−24.2‰), methylmalonic (−23.6‰), and phthalic (−23.1‰) acids were more depleted in 13C. Oxalic acid presented very diverse δ13C values (−27 to −7‰), which increased from midlatitudes toward the equator. A similar latitudinal trend of δ13C was also found for malonic, succinic, and adipic acids. However, such a trend was not observed for phthalic, maleic, and glyoxylic acids. We suggest that the δ13C increase toward the equator is associated with photochemically aged air masses, in which kinetic isotope effects for photochemical degradation of DCAs may be important. Differences in δ13C of some saturated DCAs were also found to increase from midlatitudes to the equator.
Influence of dense nonaqueous phase liquid pool morphology on the performance of partitioning tracer tests: Evaluation of the equilibrium assumption
Authors: Moreno‐Barbero Elena , Illangasekare Tissa H.
Published: April 2006

Partitioning tracer techniques, initially developed in the petroleum industry, are promoted as a way to determine entrapped dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) mass in source zones. A suite of chemical tracers, some of which partition into the DNAPL phase, is injected into the source zone to estimate the entrapped saturation of contaminant. Current application of the technique can determine DNAPL at residual saturation but does not provide reliable mass estimates of DNAPL in high‐saturation areas (e.g., pools) that may occur in some source zones. To evaluate this technique's limitations in characterizing source zones with complex entrapment architectures that may contain pools, we investigated estimation errors associated with well‐characterized single‐isolated DNAPL pools. X‐ray attenuation was used to determine the spatial distribution of saturation within the pool under different total DNAPL mass entrapment while the DNAPL was subjected to tracer tests. Model analysis used showed that the partitioning tracer breakthrough simulations based on equilibrium partition coefficient (Kp, from equilibrium batch tests) fit the experimental data poorly, suggesting nonequilibrium partitioning that is controlled by the water flow velocity through the NAPL entrapment zone. In order to relax the requirement of partitioning to be at equilibrium, we investigated the use of “effective partition coefficients” (Kpe). A comparison of the saturation estimates using method of moments and inverse modeling with both equilibrium and effective partition coefficients was conducted. Results demonstrated that the incorporation of nonequilibrium behavior in the analysis can improve DNAPL mass estimation by tracers in high‐saturation zones.
Apparent critical thickness versus temperature for InAs quantum dot growth on GaAs(001)
Authors: Patella F. , Arciprete F. , Fanfoni M. , Balzarotti A. , Placidi E.
Published: April 2006

We studied the temperature dependence of the two-dimensional to three-dimensional growth transition in InAs∕GaAs(001) heteroepitaxy by means of reflection high energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The observed shift of the transition to higher InAs deposition times, at temperatures above 500°C, is not a change of critical thickness for islanding, which instead, is constant in the 450–560°C range. Consequently, In-Ga intermixing and surface and interface strain have a negligible dependence on temperature in this range.
General method to solution-process multilayer polymer light-emitting diodes
Authors: Tseng Shin-Rong , Lin Shi-Chang , Meng Hsin-Fei , Liao Hua-Hsien , Yeh Chi-Hung , Lai Huan-Chung , Horng Sheng-Fu , Hsu Chain-Shu
Published: April 2006

An intermediate liquid buffer layer is introduced to overcome the dissolution problem of solution-processed multilayer conjugated polymer light-emitting diodes. This method can be applied to arbitrary combinations of polymers with no restriction on solvents. As an example, a hole-blocking layer is successfully spin coated on the common p-type emissive polymer layers. One green- and two blue-emitting polymers are chosen as the emissive layers. The electron-hole balance and efficiency are significantly improved by the addition of hole-blocking layer. The electroluminescence efficiency can be increased up to nine times, while the luminance up to seven times. In particular, 1.5cd∕A is obtained for deep blue emission from poly(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene) with 1,3,5-tris(N-phenylbenzimidazol-2-yl)benzene spin coated as the hole-blocking material.
Surface plasmon-polariton mediated emission from phosphorescent dendrimer light-emitting diodes
Authors: Yates C. J. , Samuel I. D. W. , Burn P. L. , Wedge S. , Barnes W. L.
Published: April 2006

We present experimental results showing electroluminescence from a dendrimer based organic light-emitting diode (OLED) mediated via surface plasmon polariton (SPP) modes. A combination of angle dependent electroluminescence, photoluminescence, and reflectance measurements is used to identify emission originating from the guided modes of the device. It is found that the SPP modes, which are usually nonradiative, are coupled to light by a wavelength scale periodic microstructure. It is demonstrated that the necessary microstructure can be readily fabricated by solvent-assisted micromoulding. Our results indicate that such an approach may offer a means to increase the efficiency of dendrimer based OLEDs.
Ultrafast carrier dynamics in pentacene, functionalized pentacene, tetracene, and rubrene single crystals
Authors: Ostroverkhova O. , Cooke D. G. , Hegmann F. A. , Anthony J. E. , Podzorov V. , Gershenson M. E. , Jurchescu O. D. , Palstra T. T. M.
Published: April 2006

We measure the transient photoconductivity in pentacene, functionalized pentacene, tetracene, and rubrene single crystals using optical pump-terahertz probe techniques. In all of the samples studied, we observe subpicosecond charge photogeneration and a peak photoconductive response that increases as the temperature decreases from 297 down to 20K, indicative of bandlike transport. Similar decay dynamics are observed at room temperature, but at low temperatures the decay dynamics measured in pentacene, rubrene, and tetracene crystals are much faster than those observed in functionalized pentacene crystals, revealing different charge trapping properties.
Heterojunction solar cell with 2% efficiency based on a Cu2O substrate
Authors: Mittiga Alberto , Salza Enrico , Sarto Francesca , Tucci Mario , Vasanthi Rajaraman
Published: April 2006

We report on the fabrication of heterojunction solar cells made by deposition of transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films on Cu2O substrates. The TCO films have been grown by ion beam sputtering on good quality Cu2O sheets prepared by oxidizing copper at a high temperature. The best solar cell has reached an open-circuit voltage of 0.595V, a short-circuit current density of 6.78mA∕cm2, a fill factor of 50%, and a conversion efficiency of 2% under simulated AM1.5G illumination, which is the highest efficiency value reported for this kind of heterojunction devices. These devices represent a good starting point for the development of very low cost solar cells.
Temperature-dependent shifts of three emission bands for ZnO nanoneedle arrays
Authors: Cao Bingqiang , Cai Weiping , Zeng Haibo
Published: April 2006

The photoluminescence properties of ZnO nanoneedle arrays, grown on silicon substrate by electrodeposition, are studied over the temperatures from 10K to 300K. There exist three emission bands in ultraviolet, violet, and green regions, respectively. With increasing temperature, these bands show different temperature dependences: A normal redshift for the ultraviolet emission, S-shaped shift for the violet emission, and blueshift for the green one. The origins of these three bands and their temperature-dependent shifts are explained based on defect levels (zinc interstitial and oxygen vacancy levels) and carrier localization effect at the defect levels in addition to band-gap shrinkage.
Ultracompact cladding-pumped 35-mm-short fiber laser with 4.7-W single-mode output power
Authors: Li L. , Schülzgen A. , Temyanko V. L. , Morrell M. M. , Sabet S. , Li H. , Moloney J. V. , Peyghambarian N.
Published: April 2006

We report on ultracompact cladding-pumped fiber lasers, fabricated from single-mode phosphate glass microstructured optical fibers, with several watts of cw output at 1.5μm. A maximum cw output power of 4.7W has been achieved from a fiber laser that is only 35mm in length, corresponding to a yield of 1.34W∕cm of active microstructured fiber.
Quantifying archaeal community autotrophy in the mesopelagic ocean using natural radiocarbon
Authors: Ingalls Anitra E. , Shah Sunita R. , Hansman Roberta L. , Aluwihare Lihini I. , Santos Guaciara M. , Druffel Ellen R. M. , Pearson Ann
Published: April 2006

An ammonia-oxidizing, carbon-fixing archaeon,
Candidatus
“
Nitrosopumilus maritimus
,” recently was isolated from a salt-water aquarium, definitively confirming that chemoautotrophy exists among the marine archaea. However, in other incubation studies, pelagic archaea also were capable of using organic carbon. It has remained unknown what fraction of the total marine archaeal community is autotrophic
in situ
. If archaea live primarily as autotrophs in the natural environment, a large ammonia-oxidizing population would play a significant role in marine nitrification. Here we use the natural distribution of radiocarbon in archaeal membrane lipids to quantify the bulk carbon metabolism of archaea at two depths in the subtropical North Pacific gyre. Our compound-specific radiocarbon data show that the archaea in surface waters incorporate modern carbon into their membrane lipids, and archaea at 670 m incorporate carbon that is slightly more isotopically enriched than inorganic carbon at the same depth. An isotopic mass balance model shows that the dominant metabolism at depth indeed is autotrophy (83%), whereas heterotrophic consumption of modern organic carbon accounts for the remainder of archaeal biomass. These results reflect the
in situ
production of the total community that produces tetraether lipids and are not subject to biases associated with incubation and/or culture experiments. The data suggest either that the marine archaeal community includes both autotrophs and heterotrophs or is a single population with a uniformly mixotrophic metabolism. The metabolic and phylogenetic diversity of the marine archaea warrants further exploration; these organisms may play a major role in the marine cycles of nitrogen and carbon.
In vivo
oxidative metabolism of a major peroxidation-derived DNA adduct, M
1
dG
Authors: Otteneder Michael B. , Knutson Charles G. , Daniels J. Scott , Hashim Muhammed , Crews Brenda C. , Remmel Rory P. , Wang Hao , Rizzo Carmelo , Marnett Lawrence J.
Published: April 2006

3-(2-Deoxy-β-
d
-
erythro
-pentofuranosyl)pyrimido[1,2-α]purin-10(3
H
)-one (M
1
dG) is a DNA adduct arising from the reaction of 2-deoxyguanosine with the lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde, or the DNA peroxidation product, base propenal. M
1
dG is mutagenic in bacteria and mammalian cells and is present in the genomic DNA of healthy human beings. It is also detectable, albeit at low levels, in the urine of healthy individuals, which may make it a useful biomarker of DNA damage linked to oxidative stress. We investigated the possibility that the low urinary levels of M
1
dG reflect metabolic conversion to derivatives. M
1
dG was rapidly removed from plasma (
t
1/2
= 10 min) after i.v. administration to rats. A single urinary metabolite was detected that was identified as 6-oxo-M
1
dG by MS, NMR spectroscopy, and independent chemical synthesis. 6-Oxo-M
1
dG was generated
in vitro
by incubation of M
1
dG with rat liver cytosols, and studies with inhibitors suggested that xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase are involved in the oxidative metabolism. M
1
dG also was metabolized by three separate human liver cytosol preparations, indicating 6-oxo-M
1
dG is a likely metabolite in humans. This represents a report of the oxidative metabolism of an endogenous DNA adduct and raises the possibility that other endogenous DNA adducts are metabolized by oxidative pathways. 6-Oxo-M
1
dG may be a useful biomarker of endogenous DNA damage associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, and certain types of cancer chemotherapy.
Clinical Features and Epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii Colonization and Infection in Spanish Hospitals
Authors: Rodríguez-Baño Jesús , Cisneros Jose M. , Fernández-Cuenca Felipe , Ribera Anna , Vila Jordi , Pascual Alvaro , Martínez-Martínez Luis , Bou Germán , Pachón Jerónimo ,   Grupo de Estudio de Infección Hospitalaria (GEIH)
Published: April 2006

Objective:

To investigate the clinical features and the epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii in Spanish hospitals.

Design:

Prospective multicenter cohort study.

Setting:

Twenty-seven general hospitals and one paraplegic center in Spain.

Methods:

All cases of A. baumannii colonization or infection detected by clinical samples during November 2000 were included. Isolates were identified using phenotypic and genotypic methods. The molecular relatedness of the isolates was assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Results:

Twenty-five (89%) of the hospitals had 221 cases (pooled rate in general hospitals, 0.39 case per 1,000 patient-days; range, 0 to 1.17). The rate was highest in intensive care units (ICUs). Only 3 cases were pediatric. The mean age of the patients in the general hospitals was 63 years; 69% had a chronic underlying disease and 80% had previously received antimicrobial treatment. Fifty-three percent of the patients had an infection (respiratory tract, 51%; surgical site, 16%; and urinary tract, 11%). Crude mortality was higher in infected than in colonized patients (27% vs 10%; relative risk, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.2 to 2.0; P = .003). Molecular analysis disclosed 79 different clones. In most hospitals, a predominant epidemic clone coexisted with other sporadic clones. Imipenem resistance was present in 39% of the hospitals.

Conclusions:

A. baumannii was present in most participating Spanish hospitals (particularly in ICUs) with different rates among them. The organisms mainly affected predisposed patients; half of them were only colonized. Epidemic and sporadic clones coexisted in many centers.
Reduced Use of Third-Generation Cephalosporins Decreases the Acquisition of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Lee Sang-Oh , Lee Eun Sun , Park Shin Young , Kim Sue-Yun , Seo Yiel-Hae , Cho Yong Kyun
Published: April 2006

Objectives:

To identify risk factors for the respiratory acquisition of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae among patients admitted to a neurosurgical intensive care unit (NSICU) and to modify them without changing general infection control measures.

Design:

Nested case-control and intervention study.

Setting:

A 1,200-bed, tertiary-care teaching hospital with a 17-bed NSICU.

Methods:

Sputa of all patients admitted to the NSICU were cultured weekly during the study. From October 2002 through February 2003, 29 case-patients from whose sputum ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae was isolated were detected and 59 controls-patients were randomly selected among patients without any positive isolate of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae. After analyzing the risk factors, we intervened to modify them and compared the acquisition rate of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae before (October 2002 to February 2003) and after (April to August 2003) the intervention.

Results:

Multivariate analysis showed that prior exposure to third-generation cephalosporins (TGCs) (OR, 6.0; CI95, 1.9 to 18.6; P= .002) was an independent risk factor of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae acquisition. The neurosurgical team was notified of the result, and the infectious diseases specialist visited the NSICU three times a week to regulate TGC use during the intervention period. Patients admitted before the intervention were older than patients admitted after. The respiratory acquisition of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae per 1,000 patient-days (13.5 [CI95, 8.9 to 18.1] vs 2.7 [CI95, 0.9 to 4.6]) and the antimicrobial use density of TGCs (38.2 ± 5.0 vs 17.3 ± 2.6; P < .001) decreased significantly after the intervention.

Conclusion:

Prior exposure to TGCs was an independent risk factor for the respiratory acquisition of ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae, and less use of TGCs was associated with a decrease in acquisition.
Attitudes and Practices Regarding Influenza Vaccination Among Healthcare Workers Providing Services to Individuals With Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders
Authors: LaVela Sherri L. , Smith Bridget , Weaver Frances M. , Legro Marcia W. , Goldstein Barry , Nichol Kristin
Published: April 2006

Objective:

To examine influenza vaccination status and predictors for vaccine receipt among healthcare workers (HCWs)
caring for patients with spinal cord injuries and disorders.

Design:

Cross-sectional, nationwide anonymous survey.

Setting:

Twenty-three Veterans Affairs spinal cord injury centers.

Participants:

One thousand five hundred fifty-six HCWs.

Methods:

The primary outcome was staff vaccination status. Independent variables included staff demographic and employment characteristics, health status, attitudes and beliefs about the vaccine, and implications for its use.

Results:

The staff vaccination rate was 51%. Leading motivators of vaccine receipt were self-protection (77%) and patient protection (49%). The most common reasons for nonreceipt were concerns about side effects (49%), preventive quality (20%), and inconvenience (14%). Logistic regression results suggested that age of 50 years or older (OR, 1.47; P = .021), male gender (OR, 2.50; P < .001), strong belief in vaccine effectiveness (OR, 19.03; P = .008), and importance of HCW vaccination (OR, 20.50; P = .005) significantly increased the probability of vaccination. Recommending the vaccine to coworkers, patients, or patients' families was also associated with HCW vaccination (OR, 3.20; P < .001). Providers who did not believe the vaccine was protective (P < .001) or effective P < .001) were less likely to recommend it to patients.

Conclusions:

Strategies to increase vaccination rates among HCWs should address concerns about side effects, effectiveness, and protective value of the vaccine and access to it. The impact of provider recommendations should be stressed. Vaccination and subsequent prevention of illness may limit morbidity and mortality, thus benefiting HCWs, healthcare facilities, and patients.
Impact of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia on Resource Utilization and Patient Outcome
Authors: Hugonnet Stéphane , Eggimann Philippe , Borst François , Maricot Patrice , Chevrolet Jean-Claude , Pittet Didier
Published: April 2006

Objective:

To assess the effect of ventilator-associated pneumonia on resource utilization, morbidity, and mortality.

Design:

Retrospective matched cohort study based on prospectively collected data.

Setting:

Medical intensive care unit of a university teaching hospital.

Patients:

Case-patients were all patients receiving mechanical ventilation for 48 hours or more who experienced an episode of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Control-patients were matched for number of discharge diagnoses, duration of mechanical support before the onset of pneumonia among case-patients, age, admission diagnosis, gender, and study period.

Results:

One hundred six cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia were identified in 452 patients receiving mechanical ventilation. The matching procedure selected 97 pairs. Length of stay in the intensive care unit and duration of mechanical ventilation were greater among case-patients by a mean of 7.2 days (P< .001) and 5.1 days (P< .001), respectively. Median costs were $24,727 (interquartile range, $18,348 to $39,703) among case-patients and $17,438 (interquartile range, $12,261 to $24,226) among control-patients (P< .001). The attributable mortality rate was 7.3% (P = .26). The attributable extra hospital stay was 10 days with an extra cost of $15,986 per episode of pneumonia.

Conclusion:

Ventilator-associated pneumonia negatively affects patient outcome and represents a significant burden on intensive care unit and hospital resources.
Klebsiella pneumoniaeBloodstream Infections Among Neonates in a High-Risk Nursery in Cali, Colombia
Authors: Richards Chesley , Alonso-Echanove Juan , Caicedo Yolanda , Jarvis William R.
Published: April 2006

Objectives:

To determine the cause of an outbreak ofKlebsiella pneumoniaebloodstream infections (BSIs) among neonates in a high-risk nursery and to institute control measures.

Design:

During the on-site investigation, a cohort study to identify risk factors forK. pneumoniaeBSI, a point-prevalence study to assessK. pneumoniaecolonization, a maternal cohort study to determine maternalK. pneumoniaecolonization, and an observational study to evaluate healthcare worker (HCW) compliance with infection control practices were conducted.

Patients And Setting:

Neonates in a 40-bed high-risk nursery in a 700-bed university hospital in Cali, Colombia.

Intervention:

Cohorting of neonates colonized withK. pneumoniae.

Results:

The overallK. pneumoniaeBSI attack rate was 10 of 105 (9.5%). In the retrospective cohort study, the number of blood transfusions (OR, 3.1 per transfusion;P= .02; CI95,1.4–9.7) and intravenous injections (OR, 1.2 per injection;P =.04; CI95, 1.0–1.5) were independently associated withK. pneumoniaeBSI. The overall prevalence ofK. pneumoniaecolonization was 61% among neonates and 7% among mothers. During the HCW assessment, suboptimal intravenous therapy practices were observed. A cohorting intervention resulted in a significant reduction inK. pneumoniaecolonization (12% vs 61%; RR, 0.19;P< .001). During the intervention period, noK. pneumoniaeBSIs occurred.

Conclusions:

This investigation suggested that the outbreak probably occurred due to widespread colonization and suboptimal infection control and intravenous therapy practices. Cohorting successfully reduced the overall prevalence ofK. pneumoniaecolonization and, along with improved infection control practices, probably preventedK. pneumoniaeBSIs.
Epidemic Parenteral Exposure to Volatile Sulfur-Containing Compounds at a Hemodialysis Center
Authors: Selenic Dejana , Alvarado-Ramy Francisco , Arduino Mathew , Holt Stacey , Cardinali Fred , Blount Benjamin , Jarrett Jeff , Smith Forrest , Altman Neil , Stahl Charlotte , Panlilio Adelisa , Pearson Michele , Tokars Jerome
Published: April 2006

Objective:

To determine the cause of acute illness on August 30, 2000, among patients at an outpatient dialysis center (center A).

Design:

We performed a cohort study of all patients receiving dialysis on August 30, 2000; reviewed dialysis procedures; and analyzed dialysis water samples using microbiologic and chemical assays.

Setting:

Dialysis center (center A).

Patients:

A case-patient was defined as a patient who developed chills within 5 hours after starting hemodialysis at center A on August 30, 2000.

Results:

Sixteen (36%) of 44 patients at center A met the case definition. All case-patients were hospitalized; 2 died. Besides chills, 15 (94%) of the case-patients experienced nausea; 12 (75%), vomiting; and 4 (25%), fever. Illness was more frequent on the second than the first dialysis shift (16 of 20 vs 0 of 24, P < .001); no other risk factors were identified. The center's water treatment system had received inadequate maintenance and disinfection and a sulfurous odor was noted during sampling of the water from the reverse osmosis (RO) unit. The water had elevated bacterial counts. Volatile sulfur-containing compounds (ie, methanethiol, carbon disulfide, dimethyldisulfide, and sulfur dioxide) were detected by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry in 8 of 12 water samples from the RO unit and in 0 of 28 samples from other areas (P < .001). Results of tests for heavy metals and chloramines were within normal limits.

Conclusions:

Parenteral exposure to volatile sulfur-containing compounds, produced under anaerobic conditions in the RO unit, could have caused the outbreak. This investigation demonstrates the importance of appropriate disinfection and maintenance of water treatment systems in hemodialysis centers.
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Nasal Colonization With Staphylococcus aureus Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Outpatients in Singapore
Authors: Villacian J. S. , Barkham T. , Earnest A. , Paton N. I.
Published: April 2006

We studied the prevalence of and risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization in HIV-positive outpatients in Singapore. Overall prevalence was 23% (45 of 195), with 3% (6 of 195) being MRSA. Recent antibiotic use and hospitalization were independent predictors of MRSA colonization. Isolates were genotypically identical to our hospital's inpatient circulating strain.