bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In situ polymerization of polyethylene/clay nanocomposites using a novel clay‐supported Ziegler‐Natta catalyst
Authors: Ramazani Ahmad , Tavakolzadeh Fahimeh , Baniasadi Hossein
Published: September 2009

Polyethylene/clay nanocomposites (PECNC) were synthesized via in situ Ziegler‐Natta catalyst polymerization. Activated catalyst for polymerization of ethylene monomer has been prepared at first by supporting of the cocatalyst on the montmorillonite (MMT) smectite type clay and then active complex for polymerization formed by reaction of TiCl4 and aluminum oxide compound on the clay. Acid wash treatment has been used for increasing hydroxyl group and porosity of the clay and subsequently activity of the catalyst. The nanostructure of composites was investigated by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Obtained results show that silica layers of the mineral clay in these polyethylene/nanocomposites were exfoliated, intercalated, and uniformly dispersed in the polyethylene matrix even at very high concentration of the clay. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows good thermal stability of the PECNCs. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) results reveal considerable decrease in the crystalline phase of the PECNC samples. Results of permeability analysis show an increase in barrier properties of PECNC films. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers
Analysis of metabolic variation and galanthamine content in Narcissus bulbs by 1H NMR
Authors: Lubbe Andrea , Pomahačová Barbora , Choi Young Hae , Verpoorte Robert
Published: September 2009

Introduction – Galanthamine is a benzazepine alkaloid used as a drug to relieve symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. For pharmaceutical use this natural product has been extracted from the plant Leucojum aestivum (Amaryllidaceae) or produced synthetically. Limited supply of the natural source and high cost of synthetic production has led to a search for alternative sources of galanthamine. The bulbs of Narcissus pseudonarcissus (Amaryllidaceae) have been identified as a potential source of raw material for galanthamine extraction. Since inconsistent chemical composition can be an issue with medicinal plant material, it is of interest to know whether large variations occur between Narcissus bulbs grown in different geographical locations.

Objective – To evaluate whether large differences exist in the overall metabolic profiles of Narcissus bulbs grown in the two most important cultivation regions.

Methodology – 1H NMR and principal component analysis were used for an unbiased comparison of the bulb samples.

Results – Overall metabolite profiles were quite similar, but galanthamine levels could slightly discriminate samples by geographical region. 1H NMR was used for quantitation of galanthamine, and was found to be comparable to quantitation by HPLC. Compared with conventional chromatographic methods, sample preparation for 1H NMR analysis is simple and rapid, and only a small amount of plant material is required.

Conclusions – Since useful qualitative and quantitative information about the metabolic state of Narcissus bulbs can be obtained by 1H NMR, this method is useful for agricultural applications, and for quality control of raw material used in the pharmaceutical industry. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of magnetic field on electrical properties of nanocrystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) samples
Authors: Shukla Prashant , Gaur Mulayam Singh
Published: September 2009

BACKGROUND: The electrical properties of nanocrystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) samples of 20 µm in thickness were measured in terms of thermally stimulated current (TSC), conduction current and dielectric constant after application of a magnetic field.

RESULTS: TSC shows the release of trapped charges inside the material that enhances the current with magnetic field. The reason for the polarity reversal of the current with reversal of the magnetic field polarity is due to the change in spin of electrons depending upon the direction of the magnetic field.

CONCLUSION: The magnetic field causes trapping of charge carriers in different traps, as the reason for the increase of activation energy with increasing field. The flow of conduction current at constant temperature in magnetically polarized PVDF is governed by Poole–Frenkel and Schottky–Richardson mechanisms. The decrease in dielectric constant at a certain alternating current (AC) frequency and magnetic field with temperature is caused by magnetic polarization in addition to the AC field. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
The effects of antiepileptic drugs on classroom performance
Authors: Titus Jeffrey B. , Thio Liu Lin
Published: September 2009

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in children, and it has been associated with an increased risk of cognitive, psychiatric, and learning problems. Although side effects of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been long studied in adults, an understanding of how they manifest in children is only beginning to emerge. Careful clinical considerations must be made to accurately determine the potential contribution of AEDs to learning problems, and this includes understanding the complex role played by multiple medical, developmental, and psychosocial factors. The present review provides information on common cognitive and psychiatric side effects of AED treatment in children, with consideration of classroom accommodations and strategies that may be helpful to circumvent these difficulties. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The properties of hub proteins in a yeast‐aggregated cell cycle network and its phase sub‐networks
Authors: Wu Xiaomei , Guo Jie , Zhang Da‐Yong , Lin Kui
Published: September 2009

Currently, most researches on the properties of interacting proteins, hubs in particular, are mainly based on an aggregated network of binary interactions. Here, by projecting a yeast‐aggregated cell cycle network into four phase (G1, S, G2 and M) sub‐networks, we explored the properties of the hubs of the aggregated network. We found, as expected that only 69% (103 of 149) of hubs still act as hubs in at least one of the four sub‐networks. Interestingly, those (19%) that are not hubs in any phase tend to perform multiple functions and differ from the others in their network positions. We also analyzed the potential biological features among the dynamic and static hubs. Finally, we investigated the dynamic properties of two complexes, the anaphase‐promoting complex and the chromatin‐remodeling complex. The dynamic function of the anaphase‐promoting complex is represented by its interactions with CDC28 at different stages of mitotic cell cycle. The chromatin‐remodeling complex is assembled when its dynamic component, ARP7, is periodically expressed in S phase to function in chromatin remodeling, which could reflect the just‐in‐time assembly of protein complexes. In conclusion, the study of decomposing the aggregated network and characterizing the hubs in decomposed sub‐networks is useful for further understanding the dynamic functions of yeast cell cycle.
Inoculation‐density‐dependent responses and pathway shifts in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Cheng Jing‐Sheng , Ding Ming‐Zhu , Tian Hong‐Chi , Yuan Ying‐Jin
Published: September 2009

The cell‐density‐dependent responses of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to inoculation sizes were explored by a proteomic approach. According to their gene ontology, 100 protein spots with differential expression, corresponding to 67 proteins, were identified and classed into 17 different functional groups. Upregulation of eight heat shock, oxidative response and amino acid biosynthesis‐related proteins (e.g. Hsp78p, Ssa1p, Hsp60p, Ctt1p, Sod1p, Ahp1p, Met6p and Met17p), which may jointly maintain the cell redox homeostasis, was dependant on inoculation density. Significant increases in the levels of five proteins involved in glycolysis and alcohol biosynthesis pathways (e.g. Glk1p, Fba1p, Eno1p, Pdc1p and Adh1p) might play critical roles in improving ethanol productivity of the fermentation process and shortening the fermentation time when inoculation sizes were increased. Cell‐density‐dependent glycolytic variations of proteins involved in trehalose, glycerol biosynthesis and pentose phosphate pathway revealed shifts among metabolic pathways during fermentation with different inoculation sizes. Upregulation of three signal transduction proteins (Bmh1p, Bmh2p and Fpr1p) indicated that adequate cell–cell contacts improved cellular communication at high inoculation sizes. These findings provide insights into yeast responses to inoculation size and optimizing the direct inoculation of active dry yeast fermentation, so as to improve the ethanol production.
Yeast proteome map (last update)
Authors: Perrot Michel , Moes Suzette , Massoni Aurélie , Jenoe Paul , Boucherie Hélian
Published: September 2009

The identification of proteins separated on 2‐D gels is essential to exploit the full potential of 2‐D gel electrophoresis for proteomic investigations. For this purpose we have undertaken the systematic identification of Saccharomyces cerevisiae proteins separated on 2‐D gels. We report here the identification by mass spectrometry of 100 novel yeast protein spots that have so far not been tackled due to their scarcity on our standard 2‐D gels. These identifications extend the number of protein spots identified on our yeast 2‐D proteome map to 716. They correspond to 485 unique proteins. Among these, 154 were resolved into several isoforms. The present data set can now be expanded to report for the first time a map of 363 protein isoforms that significantly deepens our knowledge of the yeast proteome. The reference map and a list of all identified proteins can be accessed on the Yeast Protein Map server (www.ibgc.u‐bordeaux2.fr/YPM).
Dispersion interactions in density‐functional theory
Authors: Johnson Erin R. , Mackie Iain D. , DiLabio Gino A.
Published: September 2009

Density‐functional theory (DFT) allows for the calculation of many chemical properties with relative ease, thus making it extremely useful for the physical organic chemistry community to understand and focus on various experiments. However, density‐functional techniques have their limitations, including the ability to satisfactorily describe dispersion interactions. Given the ubiquitous nature of dispersion in chemical and biological systems, this is not a trivial matter. Recent advances in the development of DFT methods can treat dispersion. These include dispersion‐corrected DFT (using explicit, attractive dispersion terms), parameterized functionals, and dispersion‐correcting potentials, all of which can dramatically improve performance for dispersion‐bound species. In this perspective, we highlight the achievements made in modeling dispersion using DFT. We hope that this will provide valuable insight to both computational chemists and experimentalists, who aim to study physical processes driven by dispersion interactions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enols of 2‐nitro‐ and related 2‐substituted malonamides
Authors: Basheer Ahmad , Mishima Masaaki , Rappoport Zvi
Published: September 2009

The structures of 2‐substituted malonamides, YCH(CONR1R2)CONR3R4 (Y = Br, SO2Me, CONH2, COMe, and NO2) were investigated. When Y = Br, R1R2 = R3R4 = HEt; Y = SO2Me, R1–R4 = H and for Y = CONH2 or CONHPh, R1–R4 = Me, the structure in solution is that of the amide tautomer. X‐ray crystallography shows solid‐state amide structures for Y = SO2Me or CONH2, R1–R4 = H. Nitromalonamide displays an enol structure in the solid state with a strong hydrogen bond (O…O distance = 2.3730 Å at 100 K) and d(OH) ≠ d(O…H). An apparently symmetric enol was observed in solution, even in appreciable percentages in highly polar solvents such as DMSO‐d6, but Kenol values decrease on increasing the solvent polarity. The N,N′‐dimethyl derivative is less enolic. Acetylmalonamides display a mixture of enol on the acetyl group and amide in non‐polar solvents, and only the amide in DMSO‐d6. DFT calculations gave the following order of pKenol values for Y: H > CONH2 > COMe ≥ COMe (on acetyl) ≥ MeSO2 > CN > NO2 in the gas phase, CHCl3, and DMSO. The enol on the CO group is preferred to the aci‐nitro compound, and the NOH…OC is less favored than the COH…OC hydrogen bond. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Role of Surface Chemistry at Ceramic/Electrolyte Interfaces in the Generation of Pulsed Corona Discharges in Water Using Porous Ceramic‐Coated Rod Electrodes
Authors: Lukes Petr , Clupek Martin , Babicky Vaclav , Sunka Pavel
Published: September 2009

Effects associated with the electrical breakdown of water using porous ceramic‐coated rod electrodes were investigated for two types of ceramics, oxide (corundum) and silicates (almandine). Properties of the ceramic layer and its interaction with the electrolyte were found as important factors in the generation of electrical discharges in water. Initiation of the discharge depended not only on the permittivity and porosity of the ceramic, but also the surface charge formed on the ceramic, which was determined by the polarity of the applied voltage, and the pH and chemical composition of aqueous solution. An electrical double layer associated with the buildup of surface charge at ceramic/electrolyte interface affected the electric field distribution on the ceramic electrode. Using monopolar high voltage pulses, this layer became polarized, which, under certain experimental conditions, eventually quenched the electrical discharge in water. Applying bipolar pulses eliminated these effects.

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Influence of Substrate Biasing on the Structural and Electrical Properties of Sputtered Zirconia Thin Films
Authors: Rebib Farida , Bousquet Angélique , Tomasella Eric , Micheli Victor , Gottardi Gloria , Laidani Nadhira
Published: September 2009

ZrOx thin films were deposited by sputtering a pure zirconia target under argon–oxygen atmosphere and soft conditions: low substrate temperature and applied power. An anode biasing was added for different time durations in order to modify the substrate/layer interface. Auger profiling showed a sub‐stochiometric character that increases with the ion bombardment. The latter treatment led to the formation of an oxygen rich interface. XPS analysis revealed that all the zirconium was bonded to oxygen. Moreover, using the energy loss from the O 1s photoelectron signal, the optical band gap was found to increase with the biasing time. Capacitance–voltage measurement showed a high dielectric constant for all the deposits and defect formation in the film bulk when the ion bombardment was added during the layer growth.
Evolving understanding of the evolution of herbicide resistance
Authors: Gressel Jonathan
Published: September 2009

A greater number of, and more varied, modes of resistance have evolved in weeds than in other pests because the usage of herbicides is far more extensive than the usage of other pesticides, and because weed seed output is so great. The discovery and development of selective herbicides are more problematic than those of insecticides and fungicides, as these must only differentiate between plant and insect or pathogen. Herbicides are typically selective between plants, meaning that before deployment there are already some crops possessing natural herbicide resistance that weeds could evolve. The concepts of the evolution of resistance and the mechanisms of delaying resistance have evolved as nature has continually evolved new types of resistance. Major gene target‐site mutations were the first types to evolve, with initial consideration devoted mainly to them, but slowly ‘creeping’ resistance, gradually accruing increasing levels of resistance, has become a major force owing to an incremental accumulation of genetic changes in weed populations. Weeds have evolved mechanisms unknown even in antibiotic as well as other drug and pesticide resistances. It is even possible that cases of epigenetic ‘remembered’ resistances may have appeared. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Mechanical relaxation in tetragonal and orthorhombic phases of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 ceramics
Authors: Wang H. Y. , Chen L. , Meng H. , Xiong X. M. , Zhang J. X.
Published: September 2009

Two broad relaxation peaks in the tetragonal and orthorhombic phases, respectively, of BaxSr1–xTiO3 (x = 0.8 and 1) ceramics were investigated via internal friction and modulus measurements. The activation energy calculated from the Arrhenius relation shows that the relaxation process depends on the thermal history. A possible explanation is proposed that the relaxation during heating is associated with the motion of domain walls, the migration of oxygen vacancies and the interaction between oxygen vacancies and domain walls. In addition, the activation energies of Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 are smaller than those of BaTiO3, possibly resulting from the larger interspaces of the two neighbouring Ba2+ and Sr2+ along the c‐axis.
Cooling‐field dependence of exchange bias and asymmetric reversal modes in a nanoparticles system with ferromagnetic core and antiferromagnetic matrix morphology
Authors: Hu Yong , Du An
Published: September 2009

Interest in exchange bias (EB) in magnetic nanoparticles has increased in the past few years by virtue of its potential for application in fields such as ultrahigh‐density magnetic recording. A modified Monte Carlo Metropolis method is performed to simulate the effect of cooling field on EB and asymmetric reversal modes of a granular system of ferromagnetic (FM) nanoparticles embedded in an antiferromagnetic (AFM) matrix, based on three‐dimensional classical Heisenberg model. The results show that the EB first decreases slightly due to the energy barriers in the antiferromagnet, while the coercivity and vertical magnetization shift increase with the increase of cooling field, finally, they all level off as the cooling field is strong enough. Whereas the cooling‐ and measuring‐field angular dependence of asymmetric reversal modes reveal asymmetric reversal mechanism and interesting rotation process of FM spins, confirming the existence of the net magnetization on the surface of AFM matrix. The reason may be due to the energy competition and geometric frustration of system. However, the strong interfacial coupling may change the intrinsic atomic configuration of antiferromagnet to influence the EB and reversal modes.
Engineering of the Fluorescent‐Energy‐Conversion Arm of Phi29 DNA Packaging Motor for Single‐Molecule Studies
Authors: Lee Tae Jin , Zhang Hui , Chang Chun‐Li , Savran Cagri , Guo Peixuan
Published: September 2009

The bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor contains a protein core with a central channel comprising twelve copies of re‐engineered gp10 protein geared by six copies of packaging RNA (pRNA) and a DNA packaging protein gp16 with unknown copies. Incorporation of this nanomotor into a nanodevice would be beneficial for many applications. To this end, extension and modification of the motor components are necessary for the linkage of this motor to other nanomachines. Here the re‐engineering of the motor DNA packaging protein gp16 by extending its length and doubling its size using a fusion protein technique is reported. The modified motor integrated with the eGFP‐gp16 maintains the ability to convert the chemical energy from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis to mechanical motion and package DNA. The resulting DNA‐filled capsid is subsequently converted into an infectious virion. The extended part of the gp16 arm is a fluorescent protein eGFP, which serves as a marker for tracking the motor in single‐molecule studies. The activity of the re‐engineered motor with eGFP‐gp16 is also observed directly with a bright‐field microscope via its ability to transport a 2‐µm‐sized cargo bound to the DNA.
Laser therapy of twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome in triplet pregnancies
Authors: Diemert A. , Diehl W. , Huber A. , Glosemeyer P. , Hecher K.
Published: September 2009

Objective

Laser coagulation of placental anastomoses in twin pregnancies complicated by severe twin‐to‐twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) has been shown to be superior to serial amniodrainage, and has emerged as the standard therapy for this condition. We report the outcome of triplet pregnancies treated with laser therapy for severe TTTS.

Methods

From a database containing information on all multiple pregnancies referred to our center we identified 20 triplet pregnancies with severe TTTS. Sixteen of them were dichorionic, four monochorionic and all cases were triamniotic. Perinatal outcome was obtained in all cases.

Results

Fetoscopy was performed in 18 out of 20 cases at a median gestational age of 19.7 (range, 17.0–23.3) weeks. Delivery occurred at a median of 31.9 (range, 24.7–36.4) weeks with an overall fetal survival rate of 65%, at least one surviving fetus in 83% of cases and all three fetuses surviving in 39%.

Conclusion

Laser coagulation is an effective treatment for severe TTTS in triplets. However, survival rates are lower than in twin pregnancies. Copyright © 2009 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wind climate from the regional climate model REMO
Authors: Larsén Xiaoli Guo , Mann Jakob , Berg Jacob , Göttel Holger , Jacob Daniela
Published: September 2009

Selected outputs from simulations with the regional climate model REMO from the Max Planck Institute, Hamburg, Germany were studied in connection with wind energy resource assessment. It was found that the mean wind characteristics based on observations from six mid‐latitude stations are well described by the standard winds derived from the REMO pressure data. The mean wind parameters include the directional wind distribution, directional and omni‐directional mean values and Weibull fitting parameters, spectral analysis and interannual variability of the standard winds. It was also found that, on average, the wind characteristics from REMO are in better agreement with observations than those derived from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) re‐analysis pressure data. The spatial correlation of REMO surface winds in Europe is consistent with that of the NCEP/NCAR surface winds, as well as published observations over Europe at synoptic scales. Therefore, REMO outputs are well suited for wind energy assessment application in Northern Europe. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Chewing‐Gum Therapy in the Reduction of Postoperative Paralytic Ileus Following Gastrointestinal Surgery
Authors: Fitzgerald J. Edward F. , Ahmed Irfan
Published: September 2009

Background

Postoperative ileus has long been considered an inevitable consequence of gastrointestinal surgery. It prolongs hospital stay, increases morbidity, and adds to treatment costs. Chewing is a form of sham feeding reported to stimulate bowel motility. This analysis examines the value of chewing‐gum therapy in treatment of postoperative ileus.

Methods

A search for randomized, controlled trials studying elective gastrointestinal surgery was undertaken using MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and reference lists. Outcomes were extracted including time to first flatus and bowel motion, length of stay, and complications. Statistical analysis was undertaken using the weighted mean difference (WMD) and random‐effects model with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

Seven studies with 272 patients were included. For time to first flatus the analysis favored treatment with a WMD of 12.6 h (17%) reduction (95% CI −21.49 to −3.72; P = 0.005). For time to first bowel motion, treatment was favored with a WMD of 23.11 h (22%) reduction (95% CI −34.32 to −11.91; P < 0.001). For length of stay, the analysis showed a nonsignificant trend toward treatment with WMD of 23.88 h (12%) reduction (95% CI −53.29 to +5.53; P = 0.11). There were no significant differences in complication rates.

Conclusions

Chewing‐gum therapy following open gastrointestinal surgery is beneficial in reducing the period of postoperative ileus, although without a significant reduction in length of hospital stay. These outcomes are not significant for laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery.
Simple Methods to Detect Triacylglycerol Biosynthesis in a Yeast‐Based Recombinant System
Authors: Siloto Rodrigo M. P. , Truksa Martin , He Xiaohua , McKeon Thomas , Weselake Randall J.
Published: September 2009

Standard methods to quantify the activity of triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesizing enzymes DGAT and PDAT (TAG‐SE) require a sensitive but rather arduous laboratory assay based on radio‐labeled substrates. Here we describe two straightforward methods to detect TAG production in baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. First we demonstrate that a quadruple knockout yeast strain deficient in storage lipids has a reduced growth rate in a medium supplemented with fatty acids. This phenotype is rescued by restoring TAG biosynthesis and can be thus used to select yeast cells expressing a recombinant TAG‐SE. In the second method, the activity of the recombinant enzyme is measured in a fluorescent in situ assay using Nile red dye that is specific for neutral lipids. Correlation between Nile red fluorescence and enzyme activity is demonstrated with several mutants of a TAG synthesizing enzyme. This yeast live‐cell‐based assay is rapid, inexpensive, sensitive, and is amenable to high‐throughput applications. The methods can be used for a variety of applications such as isolation of novel genes, directed evolution, gene‐specific drug screening and will facilitate novel approaches in the research of TAG‐SE.
The Effect of Phospholipids on Butter Physical and Sensory Properties
Authors: Fedotova Yuliya , Lencki Robert W.
Published: September 2009

The addition of phospholipids (PL), either in the form of the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) or soy lecithin, had a significant influence on butterfat crystal morphology. At low concentrations, PL addition increased spherulite size, but as PL levels reached 2 wt%, spherulite formation was inhibited and the microstructure consisted of well dispersed individual crystals. This change in crystal structure made the butter harder, less grainy at low temperatures, and less prone to oiling‐off above room temperature. PL addition was also shown to affect the relative concentrations of the various species created during crystallization. Of the two 2L β′ species that form at crystallization onset, the presence of PL shifted the balance towards the first species at the expense of the second. PL also facilitated the polymorphic transition of the 3L α species to a 2L β′ structure. It is unclear, however, whether the inhibition of spherulite formation was due directly to the inhibition of secondary nucleation by PL at the crystal surface, or indirectly by the reduction of supercooling resulting from a more rapid polymorphic transition. Evidently, PL concentration must be properly controlled during manufacturing in order to optimize butter functional properties.
Distinct kinetics of (H/K/N)Ras glucosylation and Rac1 glucosylation catalysed by Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin
Authors: Huelsenbeck Stefanie C. , Klose Ilona , Reichenbach Maria , Huelsenbeck Johannes , Genth Harald
Published: September 2009

MINT‐7261784: TcsL (uniprotkb:Q46342) enzymaticly reacts (MI:0414) N‐RAS (uniprotkb:P01111) by enzymatic studies (MI:0415)
Mesoproterozoic sulphidic ocean, delayed oxygenation and evolution of early life: sulphur isotope clues from Indian Proterozoic basins
Authors: SARKAR A. , CHAKRABORTY P. P. , MISHRA B. , BERA M. K. , SANYAL P. , PAUL S.
Published: September 2009

Analyses of sulphur isotope compositions in sedimentary pyrites from the Vindhyan, Chattisgarh and Cuddapah basins show heavy δ34S (> +25 ‰) values during the Mesoproterozoic. The data provide evidence in support of a hypothesized global Proterozoic sulphidic anoxic ocean where very low concentrations of marine sulphate, bacterially reduced in closed systems, produced δ34S values in pyrites similar to or even heavier than marine sulphate. The extreme environmental conditions induced by these anoxic oceans could have been responsible for the delayed oxygenation of the biosphere and retarded evolution of multicellular life.
A bioclimatic model for forecasting olive yield
Authors: RIBEIRO H. , CUNHA M. , ABREU I.
Published: September 2009

The aim of the present study was to develop a hierarchical bioclimatic model for forecasting olive crop yields in the Alentejo region of south-eastern Portugal. The model was estimated for three different developmental stages: (1) at flowering, using only the regional pollen index (RPI); (2) at fruit growth using RPI and a plant water requirements index (PWRI) and (3) at fruit maturing using RPI plus a water requirements index plus a phytopathological index (PPI). Olive airborne pollen was sampled from 1999 to 2007, using a Cour trap installed in Reguengos de Monsaraz. The meteorological parameters used in the calculation of the post-flowering indices corresponded to data from a meteorological station located near the airborne sampling point. At the flowering stage, 0·66 of the regional olive yield can be explained by the RPI with an average deviation between observed and predicted production of 0·15 for the forecast model internal validation and of 0·19 for the cross-validation. The addition of the variable PWRI to the forecasting model explained an additional 0·26 of the variation, while the PPI explained an additional 0·05. The final bioclimatic model, with all the three variables tested, explained 0·97 of the regional olive fruit yield being the average deviation between observed and predicted production of 0·04 for the internal validation of the model and of 0·07 for the external validation. The hierarchical nature of this bioclimatic model, along three different development stages, enabled the prediction to be updated as the growing season progressed.
A spatial analysis of the spread of mumps: the importance of college students and their spring-break-associated travel
Authors: POLGREEN P. M. , BOHNETT L. C. , YANG M. , PENTELLA M. A. , CAVANAUGH J. E.
Published: September 2009

To characterize the association between county-level risk factors and the incidence of mumps in the 2006 Iowa outbreak, we used generalized linear mixed models with the number of mumps cases per county as the dependent variable. To assess the impact of spring-break travel, we tested for differences in the proportions of mumps cases in three different age groups. In the final multivariable model, the proportion of Iowa's college students per county was positively associated (P<0·0001) with mumps cases, but the number of colleges was negatively associated with cases (P=0·0002). Thus, if the college students in a county were spread among more campuses, this was associated with fewer mumps cases. Finally, we found the proportion of mumps cases in both older and younger persons increased after 1 April (P=0·0029), suggesting that spring-break college travel was associated with the spread of mumps to other age groups.
Risk, resilience, and recovery: Perspectives from the Kauai Longitudinal Study
Authors: Werner Emmy E.
Published: September 2009

This article summarizes the major findings of a longitudinal study that traced the developmental paths of a multiracial cohort of children who had been exposed to perinatal stress, chronic poverty, and a family environment troubled by chronic discord and parental psychopathology. Individuals are members of the Kauai Longitudinal Study, which followed all children born in 1955 on a Hawaiian island from the perinatal period to ages 1, 2, 10, 18, and 32 years. Several clusters of protective factors and processes were identified that enabled most of these high-risk individuals to become competent and caring adults. Implications of the findings for developmental theory and social action programs are discussed, and issues for future research are identified.
Families at risk for psychopathology: Who becomes affected and why?
Authors: Rende Richard , Plomin Robert
Published: September 2009

We examine resilience in relation to one type of risk — familial risk — from a genetic perspective. Specifically, we ask why only some children growing up with the same familial risk develop psychopathology. Unlike environmental theories, genetics predicts that children in the same family will differ in their outcomes. That is, some children in a family at risk are unaffected not because they are resilient but because they are not at risk genetically. Eventually, some of the genes responsible for genetic risk will be identified, making it possible to predict which children in a family will be affected. Resilience from a genetic perspective can be viewed as the extent to which children at genetic risk are not affected. In addition, there may be genetic contributions to resilience that protect some individuals in high-risk families. Finally, genetic research has shown that salient environment influences often operate in a nonshared manner, making children in the same family different. Research on nonshared environmental factors will advance our understanding of environmental origins of resilience by focusing on environmental reasons why children growing up in high-risk families have such different outcomes.
Resilience and levels of reserve capacity in later adulthood: Perspectives from life-span theory
Authors: Staudinger Ursula M. , Marsiske Michael , Baltes Paul B.
Published: September 2009

The goal of this article is to explore the utility of integrating two lines of research on questions of modifiability or plasticity of human development. The first line, dealing with the notion of resilience, originated within the field of clinical developmental research. The second line, concerned with developmental reserve capacity, evolved primarily within the field of life-span developmental psychology. Resilience addresses questions of maintenance and recovery of adaptation in the face of stress. In addition, ideas about levels of reserve capacity, rooted in life-span developmental psychology, emphasize the potential for growth. A review of research in the areas of cognitive and self-related functioning provides evidence for resilience as well as developmental reserve capacity in adulthood and old age. It is argued that across the life span reserve capacity is increasingly allocated to resilience-related processes (maintenance of functioning and recovery from dysfunction) rather than growth. A model of successful aging is discussed which suggests that, by means of selective optimization with compensation, old age nevertheless continues to hold the potential for selective growth.
Protective and resource factors in highand low-risk children: A comparison of children with unipolar, bipolar, medically ill, and normal mothers
Authors: Conrad Marilyn , Hammen Constance
Published: September 2009

This study distinguished between factors that were protective for children at high risk and those that were resources for children regardless of risk level and determined the generality of these factors across three different risk definitions: school-age children of mothers with (a) unipolar depression (n = 22), (b) bipolar disorder (n = 18), and (c) medical illness (n = 18), each compared to a low-risk control group (n = 38). Results were verified at a 1-year follow-up. Positive self-concept, academic success, social competence, and positive perceptions of the mothers were resource factors associated with lower diagnostic ratings for children in all risk groups. Maternal social competence and having a healthy father in the home were resource factors for maternal unipolar risk but, unexpectedly, were vulnerability factors for maternal bipolar risk. Children's friendships were protective for children of medically ill mothers; however, frequent contact with an adult friend was a risk factor for unipolar offspring. The latter finding suggests that such contact might be a consequence of poor parent-child relationships. Findings are discussed in terms of possible interventions for children at risk, and suggestions for additional research are offered.
Parenting quality, adversity, and conduct problems in adolescence: Testing process-oriented models of resilience
Authors: Gest Scott D. , Neemann Jennifer , Hubbard Jon J. , Masten Ann S. , Tellegen Auke
Published: September 2009

Structural equation modeling was used (a) to determine the extent to which parent-related and non-parent-related adversity were associated with increases in conduct problems between childhood and adolescence and (b) to evaluate the possible preventive, compensatory, and moderating effects of parenting quality in this regard. Subjects were 180 boys and girls from the Project Competence longitudinal study of adversity, competence, and resilience (Garmezy & Tellegen, 1984). Conduct problems, parenting quality, and socioeconomic status were assessed when subjects were in the third through sixth grades, and adversity and conduct problems were assessed again 7 years later. Results were consistent with the view that parentrelated adversity experienced between the two assessment times was associated with a small increase in conduct problems. Adversity involving siblings, extended family, and friends was not associated with changes in conduct. Effective parenting was associated with less parent-related adversity during adolescence. Effective parenting, however, did not directly compensate for the negative effects of adversity; nor did it moderate the effects of adversity. Structural equation modeling was helpful in testing for several of these effects simultaneously. Short-term longitudinal studies with baseline measures, more frequent assessments, and adequate sample size are necessary to clarify the processes suggested by these results.
Acute myocardial infarction as the first manifestation of the incomplete Kawasaki disease in a young male
Authors: Javadzadegan Hassan , Mehdizadeh Baghbani Jafar , Farhang Sara
Published: September 2009

Kawasaki disease is a systemic vasculitis occurring in children of all ages. Coronary arterial aneurysms are one of the main fatal complications of the disease, and are usually observed with the onset of coronary arterial disease in adults. We report a young male presenting with myocardial infarction due to coronary arterial aneurysms, but in the absence of previous symptoms of Kawasaki disease.
Wisdom of crowds versus wisdom of linguists – measuring the semantic relatedness of words
Authors: ZESCH TORSTEN , GUREVYCH IRYNA
Published: September 2009

In this article, we present a comprehensive study aimed at computing semantic relatedness of word pairs. We analyze the performance of a large number of semantic relatedness measures proposed in the literature with respect to different experimental conditions, such as (i) the datasets employed, (ii) the language (English or German), (iii) the underlying knowledge source, and (iv) the evaluation task (computing scores of semantic relatedness, ranking word pairs, solving word choice problems). To our knowledge, this study is the first to systematically analyze semantic relatedness on a large number of datasets with different properties, while emphasizing the role of the knowledge source compiled either by the ‘wisdom of linguists’ (i.e., classical wordnets) or by the ‘wisdom of crowds’ (i.e., collaboratively constructed knowledge sources like Wikipedia).

The article discusses benefits and drawbacks of different approaches to evaluating semantic relatedness. We show that results should be interpreted carefully to evaluate particular aspects of semantic relatedness. For the first time, we employ a vector based measure of semantic relatedness, relying on a concept space built from documents, to the first paragraph of Wikipedia articles, to English WordNet glosses, and to GermaNet based pseudo glosses. Contrary to previous research (Strube and Ponzetto 2006; Gabrilovich and Markovitch 2007; Zeschet al. 2007), we find that ‘wisdom of crowds’ based resources are not superior to ‘wisdom of linguists’ based resources. We also find that using the first paragraph of a Wikipedia article as opposed to the whole article leads to better precision, but decreases recall. Finally, we present two systems that were developed to aid the experiments presented herein and are freely available1for research purposes: (i) DEXTRACT, a software to semi-automatically construct corpus-driven semantic relatedness datasets, and (ii) JWPL, a Java-based high-performance Wikipedia Application Programming Interface (API) for building natural language processing (NLP) applications.
The Decline and Fall of the Mongol Empire
Authors: MORGAN DAVID
Published: September 2009

When historians explain the end of empires, they often follow a ‘decline and fall’ paradigm which owes its fame to Edward Gibbon's great book on the Roman Empire. Recent historians of Late Antiquity, however, have tended to doubt its validity. This article considers the reasons for the end of the Mongol Empire of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It examines the division of the empire into four khanates, the eventual collapse of each of which is then studied. It suggests that the khanates which retained more of their original nomadic ethos – the Golden Horde in the Pontic steppes and the Chaghatai Khanate in Central Asia – were able to survive longer than those – in the Ilkhanate in Persia and the Great Khanate in China and Mongolia – which had their centres in sedentary lands. It concludes that in all cases, ‘fall’ was the result of internal factors, about which there was nothing that was inevitable, and that there is little evidence of a long ‘decline’. Hence the ‘decline and fall’ paradigm does not seem to provide an adequate explanatory framework.
Annual General Meeting 7th May 2009, President's Address
Authors: Stockwell Anthony
Published: September 2009

Fellows of the Society and guests. At each Anniversary General Meeting we commemorate the inauguration of the Society in 1823 and reaffirm our founders’ commitment to the encouragement of research and the dissemination of learning in relation to Asia. In his address at the first meeting, Henry Colebrooke declared that Britain owed a “debt of gratitude” to Asia and had a duty to repay its “obligation” by “promoting an interchange of benefits”. It was a time of vigorous British expansion in Asia; but it was also a time of woeful indifference in Britain to Asian societies and cultures. In those days universities did little to make good such neglect. Indeed, lamenting the ignorance of Asia in British public life, another founder-member of the Society, Sir George Staunton, would later emphasise its educational function. It was, he said “the province of the Royal Asiatic Society . . . to bring together into one focus those who are able to impart this knowledge, and those who are desirous to receive it”. Clearly the RAS was established to meet a national need, as were other learned societies of the same era, such as the Royal Astronomical Society formed three years earlier, the Zoological Society of London formed three years later and the Royal Geographical Society which came into being in 1830.
Die Entwicklung der deutschen Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und die Marburger Klinik 1Festvortrag auf der Akademischen Feier aus Anlass des 50-jährigen Jubiläums der Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und -psychotherapie der Philipps-Universität Marburg am 6.6.2008.
Authors: Remschmidt Helmut
Published: September 2009

Die Entwicklung der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie zu einer eigenständigen medizinischen Disziplin erstreckt sich über einen Zeitraum von mehr als 100 Jahren. Ihre Wurzeln sind jedoch weit älter. Psychiatrie und Pädiatrie können als ihre Mutterdisziplinen angesehen werden. Aber auch außerhalb der Medizin waren Pädagogik, Philosophie, Psychologie, Rechts- und Sozialwissenschaften für ihre Entwicklung bedeutsam. Im Nationalsozialismus unterlag die Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie einer verheerenden Fehlentwicklung, die mit systematischen Tötungsaktionen von Kindern in so genannten «Kinderfachabteilungen» einherging. Diese Vorgeschichte erschwerte ihre Entwicklung in der Nachkriegszeit, die, entsprechend den vorherrschenden Zeitströmungen in Westdeutschland, chronologisch in mehrere sich teilweise überlappende Phasen eingeteilt werden kann: (1) Orientierungssuche und Reorganisation, (2) Jahrzehnt des Aufbaus und der Verunsicherungen, (3) Jahrzehnt der Sozialpsychiatrie und antipsychiatrischer Strömungen, (4) Jahrzehnt der Psychiatriereformen, (5) Jahrzehnt der Rückbesinnung auf die biologische Psychiatrie und (6) Jahrzehnt der Integration unterschiedlicher Denk- und Handlungsweisen. 1968 wurde die Selbstständigkeit des Faches durch eine eigene Gebietsbezeichnung untermauert, die sich positiv auf die Weiterentwicklung des Faches auswirkte. In der Nachkriegsentwicklung der deutschen Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie spielte die Marburger Universitätsklinik eine wesentliche Rolle (erster Lehrstuhl für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie 1958 in Westdeutschland), die sich in wichtigen Impulsen zur Verbesserung der Versorgung, in Forschungsinitiativen, in Initiativen in der Lehre sowie im Aufbau internationaler Kooperationen zeigte. Ausdruck dieser waren u. a. die Organisation des 11. ESCAP-Kongresses 1999 in Hamburg und des 16. IACAPAP-Weltkongresses 2004 in Berlin.
Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) und Straßenverkehr
Authors: Ludolph Andrea G. , Kölch Michael , Plener Paul L. , Schulze Ulrike M. , Spröber Nina , Fegert Jörg M.
Published: September 2009

Die Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) besteht bei ca. einem Drittel der Betroffenen auch noch in der Adoleszenz und im jungen Erwachsenenalter fort. Relevante Auswirkungen der Störung können die weiterhin bestehende Unaufmerksamkeit, Konzentrationsschwäche und auch gesteigertes impulsives Verhalten im Straßenverkehr sein: Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene mit ADHS verursachen im Vergleich zu Gleichaltrigen insgesamt mehr als doppelt so häufig Verkehrsunfälle mit Kraftfahrzeugen. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit soll ein kurzer Abriss der rechtlichen Situation und der aktuellen Studienlage zum Fahrverhalten von jungen Menschen mit ADHS gegeben werden. Stimulanzien gehören nach der Straßenverkehrsordnung (StVO) zu den verbotenen Rauschmitteln, verbessern aber nach heutiger Studienlage die Fahrleistung von ADHS-Patienten signifikant. Für Atomoxetin, das als nicht BtM-rezeptpflichtiges Arzneimittel problemlos gegeben werden kann, da es nicht in der StVO aufgeführt ist, sind die Forschungsergebnisse noch nicht so eindeutig. Die Psychoedukation jugendlicher ADHS Betroffener bezüglich ihres erhöhten Risikos im Straßenverkehr, Verhaltensempfehlungen und Aufklärung über die rechtliche Lage werden in der klinischen Praxis oft vernachlässigt. Unter dem Gesichtspunkt der Prävention ist eine Beratung aber angesichts der hohen Zahlen der Verkehrstoten in dieser Altersgruppe von höchster Relevanz.