bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Desempenho estrutural de protótipo de alvenaria construída com blocos de terra crua estabilizada
Authors: Melo Aluísio Braz , Barbosa Normando Perazzo , Lima Marçal Rosas Florentino , Silva Elisângela Pereira
Published: July 2011

Uma das dificuldades na difusão de tecnologias de construção não convencionais é a ausência de informações técnicas sobre os sistemas construtivos existentes. Exemplos de construção eco-eficiente, em pequena escala, feita com blocos de terra crua, desenvolvidos pelo Prof. Roberto Mattone, do Politecnico di Torino, Itália, podem ser encontrados no Brasil, Itália e Argentina. Estes blocos feitos com prensa manual apresentam intertravamentos entre si que melhoram a resistência e a rigidez da alvenaria. Testes em protótipos construídos com eles são necessários para atender as exigências técnicas e se obter credibilidade nas agências governamentais financiadoras. Este artigo apresenta resultados referentes a avaliação de desempenho estrutural de alvenaria (protótipo construído em escala real) feita com blocos de terra crua estabilizada, mecânicamente por prensagem e químicamente por adição de cimento Portland. As avaliações de cargas de ocupação e impactos na alvenaria foram realizadas através de ensaios de impactos de corpo mole e de corpo duro, solicitações transmitidas por fechamentos bruscos de porta e solicitações de cargas provenientes de peças suspensas. A partir dos resultados pode-se afirmar que o protótipo apresentou desempenho satisfatório em relação à segurança estrutural. Destaca-se que os blocos avaliados tem grande potencial para reduzir o impacto ambiental das edificações.
Estudo in vitro da resistência ao cisalhamento da colagem direta de tubos ortodônticos em molares
Authors: Vercelino Célia Regina Maio Pinzan , Pinzan Arnaldo , Gurgel Júlio de Araújo , Bramante Fausto Silva , Pinzan Luciana Maio
Published: July 2011

INTRODUÇÃO: apesar da colagem direta despender menor tempo clínico, com maior preservação da integridade gengival, ainda hoje se observa uma alta incidência de bandagem dos molares. Portanto, torna-se interessante a idealização de recursos para o aumento da eficiência desse procedimento para dentes submetidos a maiores impactos mastigatórios, como, por exemplo, os molares. OBJETIVO: esse estudo teve o propósito de avaliar se a resistência à adesão com a aplicação de uma camada de resina adicional na região oclusal da interface tubo/dente aumenta a qualidade do procedimento de colagem direta de tubos em molares. MÉTODOS: selecionou-se uma amostra composta por 40 terceiros molares inferiores, que foram aleatoriamente divididos em 2 grupos: Grupo 1 - colagem direta convencional, seguida pela aplicação de uma camada de resina na oclusal da interface tubo/dente; e Grupo 2 - colagem direta convencional. O teste de resistência ao cisalhamento foi realizado 24 horas após a colagem, utilizando-se uma máquina de ensaio universal, operando a uma velocidade de 0,5mm/min. Os resultados foram analisados por meio do teste t independente. RESULTADOS: os valores médios obtidos nos testes de cisalhamento foram: 17,08MPa para o Grupo 1 e 12,60MPa para o Grupo 2. O Grupo 1 apresentou uma resistência ao cisalhamento estatisticamente significativa mais alta do que o Grupo 2. CONCLUSÃO: a aplicação de uma camada adicional de resina na oclusal da interface tubo/dente aumenta a qualidade da adesão do procedimento de colagem direta de tubos ortodônticos em molares.
Efeitos do tratamento da Classe II divisão 1 em pacientes dolicofaciais tratados segundo a Terapia Bioprogressiva (AEB cervical e arco base inferior), com ênfase no controle vertical
Authors: Tamburús Viviane Santini , Pereira Neto João Sarmento , Siqueira Vânia Célia Vieira de , Tamburús Weber Luiz
Published: July 2011

OBJETIVO: o presente estudo investigou o controle vertical e os efeitos do tratamento ortodôntico em pacientes dolicofaciais, empregando o AEB cervical e o arco base inferior. MÉTODOS: foi realizada a avaliação cefalométrica de 26 pacientes dolicofaciais com Classe II, divisão 1, idade média de 114 meses. O tratamento ortodôntico envolveu a utilização do AEB cervical na arcada superior e arco base na arcada inferior, até a obtenção da chave de oclusão normal dos molares, e finalizado segundo a Terapia Bioprogressiva, com duração média de 56 meses. Foram avaliados os valores de FMA, SN.GoGn, ANB, Fg-S, S-FPm, comprimento maxilar, comprimento mandibular, AFP (altura facial posterior), AFA (altura facial anterior), IAF (índice de altura facial), ângulo do plano oclusal, ângulo do plano palatino, QT (queixo total), LS (lábio superior) e ângulo Z. RESULTADOS: o tratamento promoveu estabilidade dos planos mandibular, oclusal e palatino. Ocorreu a correção anteroposterior das bases apicais, verificada pela redução significativa da grandeza ANB. A maxila apresentou um suave deslocamento anterior,com um suave aumento da dimensão anteroposterior.A mandíbula apresentou melhora de seu posicionamento em relação à base do crânio e sua dimensão anteroposterior aumentou significativamente. As alturas faciais posterior e anterior permaneceram em equilíbrio, não alterando significativamente o IAF. O perfil tegumentar apresentou melhora significativa. CONCLUSÃO: o tratamento realizado promoveu a correção das bases apicais, com controle dos planos horizontais e das alturas faciais, sendo efetivo no controle vertical.
Petroleum Scarcity and Public Health: Considerations for Local Health Departments
Authors: Barnett Daniel J. , Parker Cindy L. , Caine Virginia A. , McKee Mary , Shirley Lillian M. , Links Jonathan M.
Published: July 2011

Recognition of petroleum as a finite global resource has spurred increasing interest in the intersection between petroleum scarcity and public health.

Local health departments represent a critical yet highly vulnerable component of the public health infrastructure. These frontline agencies currently face daunting resource constraints and rely heavily on petroleum for vital population-based health services. Against this backdrop, petroleum scarcity may necessitate reconfiguring local public health service approaches.

We describe the anticipated impacts of petroleum scarcity on local health departments, recommend the use of the 10 Essential Public Health Services as a framework for examining attendant operational challenges and potential responses to them, and describe approaches that local health departments and their stakeholders could consider as part of timely planning efforts.
Adolescent Well-Being in Washington State Military Families
Authors: Reed Sarah C. , Bell Janice F. , Edwards Todd C.
Published: July 2011

Objectives. We examined associations between parental military service and adolescent well-being.

Methods. We used cross-sectional data from the 2008 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey collected in public school grades 8, 10, and 12 (n = 10 606). We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to test associations between parental military service and adolescent well-being (quality of life, depressed mood, thoughts of suicide).

Results. In 8th grade, parental deployment was associated with higher odds of reporting thoughts of suicide among adolescent girls (odds ratio [OR] = 1.66; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19, 2.32) and higher odds of low quality of life (OR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.43, 3.10) and thoughts of suicide (OR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.15, 2.67) among adolescent boys. In 10th and 12th grades, parental deployment was associated with higher odds of reporting low quality of life (OR = 2.74; 95% CI = 1.79, 4.20), depressed mood (OR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.02, 2.20), and thoughts of suicide (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.13, 2.38) among adolescent boys.

Conclusions. Parental military deployment is associated with increased odds of impaired well-being among adolescents, especially adolescent boys. Military, school-based, and public health professionals have a unique opportunity to develop school- and community-based interventions to improve the well-being of adolescents in military families.
Workplace Social Capital and All-Cause Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study of 28 043 Public-Sector Employees in Finland
Authors: Oksanen Tuula , Kivimäki Mika , Kawachi Ichiro , Subramanian S. V. , Takao Soshi , Suzuki Etsuji , Kouvonen Anne , Pentti Jaana , Salo Paula , Virtanen Marianna , Vahtera Jussi
Published: July 2011

Objectives. We examined the association between workplace social capital and all-cause mortality in a large occupational cohort from Finland.

Methods. We linked responses of 28 043 participants to surveys in 2000 to 2002 and in 2004 to national mortality registers through 2009. We used repeated measurements of self- and coworker-assessed social capital. We carried out Cox proportional hazard and fixed-effects logistic regressions.

Results. During the 5-year follow-up, 196 employees died. A 1-unit increase in the mean of repeat measurements of self-assessed workplace social capital (range 1–5) was associated with a 19% decrease in the risk of all-cause mortality (age- and gender-adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.66, 0.99). The corresponding point estimate for the mean of coworker-assessed social capital was similar, although the association was less precisely estimated (age- and gender-adjusted HR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.50, 1.20). In fixed-effects analysis, a 1-unit increase in self-assessed social capital across the 2 time points was associated with a lower mortality risk (odds ratio = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.55, 1.19).

Conclusions. Workplace social capital appears to be associated with lowered mortality in the working-aged population.
Arthritis, Occupational Class, and the Aging US Workforce
Authors: Caban-Martinez Alberto J. , Lee David J. , Fleming Lora E. , Tancredi Daniel J. , Arheart Kristopher L. , LeBlanc William G. , McCollister Kathryn E. , Christ Sharon L. , Louie Grant H. , Muennig Peter A.
Published: July 2011

Objectives. The working poor sometimes delay retirement to survive. However, their higher risk of disease and disability threatens both their financial survival and their ability to work through the retirement years. We used the burden of disease attributable to arthritis by occupational class to illustrate the challenges faced by the older poor.

Methods. We merged data from the National Health Interview Survey, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, and the National Death Index into a single database. We then calculated and compared age- and occupational class–specific quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) between workers with and without arthritis by using unabridged life tables.

Results. White-collar workers have a higher overall health-related quality of life than do other workers, and suffer fewer QALYs lost to arthritis at all ages. For instance, whereas 65-year-old white-collar workers without arthritis look forward to 17 QALYs of future life, blue-collar workers with arthritis experience only 11, and are much less likely to remain in the workforce than are those in service, farming, or white-collar jobs.

Conclusions. To meet the needs of the aging workforce, more extensive health and disability insurance will be needed.
Peak Oil, Urban Form, and Public Health: Exploring the Connections
Authors: Kaza Nikhil , Knaap Gerrit-Jan , Knaap Isolde , Lewis Rebecca
Published: July 2011

We assessed the relationships between peak oil and urban form, travel behavior, and public health.

Peak oil will affect the general economy, travel behavior, and urban form through income and substitution effects; however, because of the wide range of substitution possibilities, the impacts are likely to be gradual and relatively small. Furthermore, we suggest that changes in travel behavior and increases in urban density will have both favorable and unfavorable effects on public health.

To mitigate the adverse impacts and to maximize the positive effects of peak oil, we recommend that careful attention should be paid to urban design and public health responses for a range of urbanization patterns.
Informing the National Public Health Accreditation Movement: Lessons From North Carolina's Accredited Local Health Departments
Authors: Davis Mary V. , Cannon Margaret M. , Stone David O. , Wood Brittan W. , Reed Joy , Baker Edward L.
Published: July 2011

To advance understanding of public health accreditation, we analyzed data on the North Carolina Local Health Department Accreditation program. We surveyed accredited health departments on barriers to and supports of accreditation preparation, performance on accreditation standards, and benefits and improvements after accreditation.

All 48 accredited agencies responded to the survey. All agencies improved policies to prepare for accreditation and met most accreditation standards. Forty-six percent received local funds for accreditation preparation. The most common barrier to accreditation preparation was time and schedule limitations (79%). Fifty percent of agencies acted on suggestions for improvement, and 67% conducted quality improvement activities. Benefits of accreditation included improvements in local partnerships.

Agencies of all sizes conducted accreditation activities, were successfully accredited, and experienced benefits resulting from accreditation.
Petroleum and Health Care: Evaluating and Managing Health Care's Vulnerability to Petroleum Supply Shifts
Authors: Hess Jeremy , Bednarz Daniel , Bae Jaeyong , Pierce Jessica
Published: July 2011

Petroleum is used widely in health care—primarily as a transport fuel and feedstock for pharmaceuticals, plastics, and medical supplies—and few substitutes for it are available. This dependence theoretically makes health care vulnerable to petroleum supply shifts, but this vulnerability has not been empirically assessed. We quantify key aspects of petroleum use in health care and explore historical associations between petroleum supply shocks and health care prices. These analyses confirm that petroleum products are intrinsic to modern health care and that petroleum supply shifts can affect health care prices. In anticipation of future supply contractions lasting longer than previous shifts and potentially disrupting health care delivery, we propose an adaptive management approach and outline its application to the example of emergency medical services.
Technological Decision Making: Fused Shale Tool Production in California
Authors: Arnold Jeanne E.
Published: July 2011

Close examination of lithic raw material characteristics in conjunction with regional and diachronic artifact analyses is essential to our understanding of human technological decision making. I explore technological features and performance characteristics of a major lithic raw material type, fused shale, used by Chumash and Tongva toolmakers of southern California for making spear and arrow points. The primary source for this material was the Grimes Canyon vicinity, 35 km inland from Ventura, California. Fused shale was one of several cryptocrystalline materials favored regionally for making projectile points, along with various cherts from the Monterey and Franciscan formations and, more rarely, non-local obsidians. I discuss physical characteristics of fused shale, the chronological and spatial distribution of fused shale artifacts, the propensity of fused shale points to fracture, and results of a preliminary portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) trace elemental analysis on source material from the Grimes Canyon quarry as well as archaeological specimens from Middle through Historic period components at northern Channel Islands sites.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Mortality among Individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Jolly Stacey E. , Burrows Nilka Ríos , Chen Shu-Cheng , Li Suying , Jurkovitz Claudine T. , Norris Keith C. , Shlipak Michael G.
Published: July 2011

Background and objectives

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is prevalent in minority populations and racial/ethnic differences in survival are incompletely understood.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Secondary analysis of Kidney Early Evaluation Program participants from 2000 through 2008 with CKD, not on dialysis, and without previous kidney transplant was performed. Self-reported race/ethnicity was categorized into five groups: non-Hispanic white, African American, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic. CKD was defined as a urinary albumin to creatinine ratio of ≥30 mg/g among participants with an estimated GFR (eGFR) ≥60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 or an eGFR of <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2. The outcome was all-cause mortality. Covariates used were age, sex, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, albuminuria, baseline eGFR, heart attack, stroke, smoking, family history, education, health insurance, geographic region, and year screened.

Results

19,205 participants had prevalent CKD; 55% (n = 10,560) were White, 27% (n = 5237) were African American, 9% (n = 1638) were Hispanic, 5% (n = 951) were Asian, and 4% (n = 813) were American Indian/Alaska Native. There were 1043 deaths (5.4%). African Americans had a similar risk of death compared with Whites (adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR) 1.07, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.27). Hispanics (AHR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.94) and Asians (AHR 0.63, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.97) had a lower mortality risk compared with Whites. In contrast, American Indians/Alaska Natives had a higher risk of death compared with Whites (AHR 1.41, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.84).

Conclusions

Significant differences in mortality among some minority groups were found among persons with CKD detected by community-based screening.
Flow-Mediated Vasodilation in End-Stage Renal Disease
Authors: Verbeke Francis H. , Pannier Bruno , Guérin Alain P. , Boutouyrie Pierre , Laurent Stephane , London Gérard M.
Published: July 2011

Background and objectives

An intact endothelium is essential for adaptations between arterial vasomotor tone and shear stress (SS), i.e., flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). Endothelial dysfunction occurs in hypertension, cardiac insufficiency, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, whose renal failure is associated with many of those cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Using a progressive hand-warming protocol and repeated measures ANOVA, we analyzed SS-mediated increase of brachial artery diameter (ΔBA) in 22 healthy controls, 18 CVD-negative ESRD patients (ESRD-CVD−), and 17 CVD-positive ESRD patients (ESRD-CVD+) to analyze the role of uremia versus CVD on FMD.

Results

Hand-warming increased SS (P < 0.001) and ΔBA (P < 0.001). Negative interactions were observed between ΔBA and ESRD (P < 0.001), and between ΔBA and CVD
+
(P < 0.02), but there was no interaction between ESRD and CVD+ (P = 0.69). For low and mild SS increases, ESRD-CVD− patients were characterized by similar ΔBA as controls, but it was lower than controls at higher SS (P < 0.01). In ESRD-CVD+ patients, brachial artery diameter did not respond to mild and moderate SS increases, and showed “paradoxical” vasoconstriction at higher SS (P < 0.05). In ESRD, a positive and independent interaction was observed between ΔBA and 25(OH) vitamin D3 insufficiency (≤15 μg/L; P < 0.02).

Conclusions

These observations indicate that, independently of each other, ESRD and CVD+ history are associated with endothelial dysfunction. They also suggest the importance of considering the relationships between SS and endothelial function in different clinical conditions.
Should Living Kidney Donor Candidates with Impaired Fasting Glucose Donate?
Authors: Vigneault Christine Buchek , Asch William Stuart , Dahl Neera Kanhouwa , Bia Margaret Johnson
Published: July 2011

As the kidney transplant waiting list grows, the willingness of transplant centers to accept complex donors increases. Guidelines for the evaluation of living kidney donors exist but do not provide clear guidance when evaluating the complex donor. Although few transplant centers will approve donor candidates with impaired glucose tolerance and most, if not all, will deny candidates with diabetes, many will approve candidates with impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Furthermore, the demographic of living donors has changed in the past 10 years to increasingly include more nonwhite and Hispanic individuals who are at greater risk for future diabetes and hypertension. IFG may be more of a concern in potential donors whose nonwhite and Hispanic ethnicity already places them at greater risk. We review the definition of diabetes, diabetes prediction tools, and transplant guidelines for donor screening and exclusion as it pertains to impaired glucose metabolism, and additional ethnic and nonethnic factors to consider. We offer an algorithm to aid in evaluation of potential living donors with IFG in which ethnicity, age, and features of the metabolic syndrome play a role in the decision making.
Chronic Kidney Disease in Kidney Stone Formers
Authors: Rule Andrew D. , Krambeck Amy E. , Lieske John C.
Published: July 2011

Recent population studies have found symptomatic kidney stone formers to be at increased risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although kidney stones are not commonly identified as the primary cause of ESRD, they still may be important contributing factors. Paradoxically, CKD can be protective against forming kidney stones because of the substantial reduction in urine calcium excretion. Among stone formers, those with rare hereditary diseases (cystinuria, primary hyperoxaluria, Dent disease, and 2,8 dihydroxyadenine stones), recurrent urinary tract infections, struvite stones, hypertension, and diabetes seem to be at highest risk for CKD. The primary mechanism for CKD from kidney stones is usually attributed to an obstructive uropathy or pyelonephritis, but crystal plugs at the ducts of Bellini and parenchymal injury from shockwave lithotripsy may also contribute. The historical shift to less invasive surgical management of kidney stones has likely had a beneficial impact on the risk for CKD. Among potential kidney donors, past symptomatic kidney stones but not radiographic stones found on computed tomography scans were associated with albuminuria. Kidney stones detected by ultrasound screening have also been associated with CKD in the general population. Further studies that better classify CKD, better characterize stone formers, more thoroughly address potential confounding by comorbidities, and have active instead of passive follow-up to avoid detection bias are needed.
Numerical analysis of natural convection in a prismatic enclosure
Authors: Aich Walid , Hajri Imen , Omri Ahmed
Published: July 2011

Natural convection heat transfer and fluid flow have been examined
numerically using the control-volume finite-element method in an isosceles
prismatic cavity, submitted to a uniform heat flux from below when inclined
sides are maintained isothermal and vertical walls are assumed to be perfect
thermal insulators, without symmetry assumptions for the flow structure. The
aim of the study is to examine a pitchfork bifurcation occurrence. Governing
parameters on heat transfer and flow fields are the Rayleigh number and the
aspect ratio of the enclosure. It has been found that the heated wall is not
isothermal and the flow structure is sensitive to the aspect ratio. It is
also found that heat transfer increases with increasing of Rayleigh number
and decreases with increasing aspect ratio. The effects of aspect ratio
become significant especially for higher values of Rayleigh number.
Eventually the obtained results show that a pitchfork bifurcation occurs at a
critical Rayleigh number, above which the symmetric solutions becomes
unstable and asymmetric solutions are instead obtained.
Experimental investigation on the performance of thermosyphon solar water heater in the South Caspian Sea
Authors: Riahi Abdollah , Taherian Hessam
Published: July 2011

In the present study, a natural circulation closed thermosyphon flat plate
solar water heater has been tested at the Faculty of Engineering of
University of Mazandaran located in Babol city (36N, 52E). Data were
collected for several sunny and cloudy days. Dynamic response of the system
to variations in solar insolation was studied and analyzed. It was found that
such systems can provide ample energy to satisfy the demand for hot water,
contrary to misperception among locals.
Hall-current effects on unsteady MHD flow between stretching sheet and an oscillating porous upper parallel plate with constant suction
Authors: Changal Raju , Ananda Reddy , Vijaya Kumar
Published: July 2011

The unsteady MHD flow of an incompressible viscous electrically conducting
fluid between two horizontal parallel non conducting plates, where the lower
one is stretching sheet and the upper one is oscillating porous plate, is
studied in the presence of a transverse magnetic field and the effects of
Hall current. Fluid motion is caused by the stretching of the lower sheet and
a constant suction is applied at the upper plate which is oscillating in its
own plane. The stretching velocity of the sheet is assumed to be a linear
function of distance along the channel. The expressions relating to the
velocity distribution are obtained and effects of different values of various
physical parameters are calculated numerically and shown graphically.
Determination of submillimolar concentration of ferrate(VI) in alkaline solutions by amperometric titration
Authors: Golovko Dmitriy , Sharma Virender , Pavlova Olga. , Belyanovskaya Elena. , Golovko Igor. , Suprunovich Victoria. , Zboril Radek
Published: July 2011

A new amperometric titration method was developed for quantitative determination of ferrate(VI) (FeVIO42−) in the 7.06×10−5−5.73×10−3 M concentration range. Chromium(III) hydroxide solution was used as the titrant. The diffusion current (Id) had a linear relationship with the concentration of ferrate(VI) and slopes were dependent on the concentration of NaOH. The amperometric titration could detect a lower concentration of ferrate(VI) than could potentiometric and colorimetric titrations. The method was applied successfully to determine concentrations of ferrate(VI), generated electrochemically, in strong alkaline solutions.
Synthesis of 1-aryl-1-phenylpropenes using an alkylation-rearrangement-methylation-isomerization one-pot reaction sequence
Authors: Maraš Nenad , Perdih Franc , Kočevar Marijan
Published: July 2011

(Z/E)-1-(2-Methoxyaryl)-1-phenylpropenes have been prepared in good yields by heating a mixture of a phenolic substrate, cinnamyl chloride, tetramethylammonium chloride and K2CO3 in polyethyleneglycol at 180°C. The one-pot synthesis proceeds through four discrete reaction steps: alkylation of the phenol with cinnamyl chloride, Claisen rearrangement, O-methylation and double-bond migration. The configuration of one crystalline product was determined using a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The thermodynamic and structural features of the products were evaluated using computational chemistry techniques.
Structure-reactivity relationships in organosilicon chemistry revisited
Authors: Ploom Anu , Tuulmets Ants , Järv Jaak
Published: July 2011

Available quantitative data of the reactivity of organosilicon compounds were subjected to correlation analysis. As an alternative to the carbon chemistry values, the scale of steric constants E S (Si) can be used for organosilicon compounds and the inductive effect is best expressed by two terms, involving the parameter of electronegativity of substituents. Alkyl substituents contribute to the reactivity exclusively through their steric effects, steric and polar effects in silicon compounds are additive and the resonance effect is insignificant. The correlation analysis can be employed in investigations of organosilicon reactions along with other methods.
Interfacing a microchip-based capillary electrophoresis system with a microwave induced plasma spectrometry for copper speciation
Authors: Matusiewicz Henryk , Ślachciński Mariusz
Published: July 2011

A microchip-based capillary electrophoresis (µCE) system was interfaced with a microwave induced plasma optical emission spectrometry (MIP-OES) to provide copper species separation capabilities. This system uses an extremely low flow demountable direct injection high efficiency nebulizer (D-DIHEN) sited directly at the liquid exit of the chip. A supplementary flow of buffer solution at the channel exit was used to improve nebulization efficiency. A small evaporation chamber has been incorporated into the interface in order to prevent the losses associated with traditional spray chambers, allowing the entire aerosol sample to enter the plasma. Syringe pumps were used to manipulate the flow rate and flow direction of the sample, buffer, and supplementary buffer solution. Sample volumes of 25 nL can be analyzed. With application of an electric field up to 500 V cm−1, species such as Cu(II) and Cu(EDTA)2− were separated in acidic solution within 90 s using a 26 mm long separation channel etched in a glass base. Resolution of the Cu(II) and Cu(EDTA)2− peaks was 1.1 using the chip-based µCE-MIP-OES system.
Macro- and micro- elements in some herbal drug raw materials and their water extracts consumed in Poland
Authors: Arceusz Agnieszka , Wesolowski Marek , Radecka Iwona
Published: July 2011

The concentrations of seven macro- and microelements (K, Mg, Ca, Na, Fe, Zn, Mn) in 59 herbs (herbs, leaves, flowers, fruits, roots), which are commercially available and frequently used in Poland for medical purposes as well as in their water extracts (infusions and decoctions), were determined after microwave mineralization. The data obtained show that all herbal raw materials analysed contain macroelements in the range of mg g−1 on d.w. whereas microelements in the range of mg kg−1 on d.w. and that elemental concentrations varied widely. On the basis of a comparison of concentrations of elements in herbal raw materials examined and water extracts prepared from them, the extraction efficiency was expressed as a percent of the total content of each element present in the infusion or decoction. The percentages of macro- and micro- elements leaching from different morphological parts of plants into water extracts varied across a wide range of values, from 1% in the case of Na to 56% in the case of K. Real daily intake of the macro- and microelements elements through one cup of infusions or decoctions were shown that water extracts from herbal raw materials are not an important source of bioelements in human diet.
YEAST two-hybrid and itc studies of alpha and beta spectrin interaction at the tetramerization site
Authors: Sevinc Akin , Witek Marta , Fung Leslie
Published: July 2011

Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) methods were used to further study the mutational effect of non-erythroid alpha spectrin (αII) at position 22 in tetramer formation with beta spectrin (βII). Four mutants, αII-V22D, V22F, V22M and V22W, were studied. For the Y2H system, we used plasmids pGBKT7, consisting of the cDNA of the first 359 residues at the N-terminal region of αII, and pGADT7, consisting of the cDNA of residues 1697–2145 at the C-terminal region of βII. Strain AH109 yeast cells were used for colony growth assays and strain Y187 was used for β-galactosidase activity assays. Y2H results showed that the C-terminal region of βII interacts with the N-terminal region of αII, either the wild type, or those with V22F, V22M or V22W mutations. The V22D mutant did not interact with βII. For ITC studies, we used recombinant proteins of the αII N-terminal fragment and of the erythroid beta spectrin (βI) C-terminal fragment; results showed that the Kd values for V22F were similar to those for the wild-type (about 7 nM), whereas the Kd values were about 35 nM for V22M and about 90 nM for V22W. We were not able to detect any binding for V22D with ITC methods. This study clearly demonstrates that the single mutation at position 22 of αII, a region critical to the function of nonerythroid α spectrin, may lead to a reduced level of spectrin tetramers and abnormal spectrin-based membrane skeleton. These abnormalities could cause abnormal neural activities in cells.
Mass-transfer in pertraction of butyric acid by phosphonium ionic liquids and dodecane
Authors: Marták Ján , Schlosser Štefan , Blahušiak Marek
Published: July 2011

Transport of butyric acid (BA) through a supported liquid membrane (SLM) containing phosphonium ionic liquid (IL) Cyphos IL-104 and dodecane occurs by two mechanisms. The first is related to the physical solubility of undissociated acid in dodecane in the form of a monomer or dimer and the second to the reactive extraction of acid by IL. Although the model of pertraction indicates that increasing the mean concentration of acid in the feed, c F,lmv, increases the participation of pertraction based on the physical solubility; in the tested range of c F,lmv from 0 kmol m−3 to 0.45 kmol m−3 it does not play an important role and at the highest c F,lmv value, less than 10 % of the overall BA transport were achieved. The presence of IL in SLM considerably increases the value of the overall mass transfer coefficient in pertraction at low BA concentrations. However, at c F,lmv > 0.4 kmol m−3 its values are similar for SLMs with and without IL. Compared to lactic acid, the pertraction of BA through the same SLM is about five times faster. Reactive transport of BA is connected with the back transport of water via reverse micelles decomposition and formation on the extraction and stripping interfaces.
Comparison studies of infrared photodetectors with a quantum-dot and a quantum-wire base
Authors: El_Tokhy M. , Mahmoud I. , Konber H.
Published: July 2011

This paper mainly presents a theoretical analysis for the characteristics of quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) and quantum wire infrared photodetectors (QRIPs). The paper introduces a unique mathematical model of solving Poisson’s equations with the usage of Lambert W functions for infrared detectors’ structures based on quantum effects. Even though QRIPs and QDIPs have been the subject of extensive researches and development during the past decade, it is still essential to implement theoretical models allowing to estimate the ultimate performance of those detectors such as photocurrent and its figure-of-merit detectivity vs. various parameter conditions such as applied voltage, number of quantum wire layers, quantum dot layers, lateral characteristic size, doping density, operation temperature, and structural parameters of the quantum dots (QDs), and quantum wires (QRs). A comparison is made between the computed results of the implemented models and fine agreements are observed. It is concluded from the obtained results that the total detectivity of QDIPs can be significantly lower than that in the QRIPs and main features of the QRIPs such as large gap between the induced photocurrent and dark current of QRIP which allows for overcoming the problems in the QDIPs. This confirms what is evaluated before in the literature. It is evident that by increasing the QD/QR absorption volume in QDIPs/QRIPs as well as by separating the dark current and photocurrents, the specific detectivity can be improved and consequently the devices can operate at higher temperatures. It is an interesting result and it may be benefit to the development of QDIP and QRIP for infrared sensing applications.
Synthesis and Reactions of 2-Chlorovinyl Sulfones
Authors: Višņevska J. , Ābele E.
Published: July 2011

Synthesis and Reactions of 2-Chlorovinyl Sulfones

Methods for the preparation of unsubstituted (E)-2-chlorovinyl sulfo-nes are reviewed. Literature data on substitution of chlorine atom in 2-chlorovinyl sulfones leading to formation of different types of disub-stituted ethenes are presented also. Synthesis of novel heterocyclic compounds directly from 2-chlorovinyl sulfones is also included in the present review.
Survey method choice for wildlife management: the case of moose Alces alces in Sweden
Authors: Månsson Johan , Hauser Cindy E. , Andrén Henrik , Possingham Hugh P.
Published: July 2011

We need to monitor wildlife populations to determine whether management goals are achieved and to improve future decisions. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the cost and accuracy of monitoring strategies in the context of management. Using a computer simulation of a harvested population, we tested the relative performance of three survey methods: aerial survey, pellet‐group counts and hunters' observations, to inform about the management of Swedish moose Alces alces populations. Where more than one survey method was used in a single year, we used Bayes' theorem to combine information and estimate population size. We used two measures of performance: the fraction of time in which the population had an ‘undesirable’ size and inter‐annual variation in harvest. Furthermore, we traded these performance measures against their cost. An annual aerial survey was the most costly monitoring method (27,000€) and maintained the population within the desired range 72% of the time. The least expensive monitoring strategy (hunters' observations; 1,600€) maintained the population within a desired range of 66% of the time. A combination of two relatively inexpensive survey methods (i.e. pellet‐group counts and hunters' observations; at an expense of 10,000€) maintained the population within the desired range in 76% of the simulated years. Thus, a combination of annual pellet‐group counts and hunters' observations performed better than annual aerial surveys, but was considerably less expensive. Furthermore, the annual combination of pellet‐group counts and hunters' observations also performed best regarding the inter‐annual harvest variation. Management actions only maintained the population within the desired range 81% of the time, even when population size was observed without error, mainly due to variable net growth rates. In wildlife management systems, where a variety of monitoring methods are used, the overall performance generally improves with monitoring expenditure, but very few studies explicitly account for expenditure. However, our study shows that combinations of inexpensive methods can reduce monitoring costs substantially while yielding an equal or an increased performance.
Space use of sympatric deer in a riparian ecosystem in an area where chronic wasting disease is endemic
Authors: Walter W. David , Baasch David M. , Hygnstrom Scott E. , Trindle Bruce D. , Tyre Andrew J. , Millspaugh Joshua J. , Frost Charles J. , Boner Justin R. , VerCauteren Kurt C.
Published: July 2011

Knowledge of movements, range size and spatial overlap of sympatric deer is integral to understanding chronic wasting disease (CWD) in endemic areas and can assist resource managers in modeling the spread of the disease. We radio‐collared 70 deer (30 mule deer Odocoileus hemionus and 40 white‐tailed deer O. virginianus) in the North Platte River Valley in western Nebraska, USA, from 2004 to 2007 to document movements, size and spatial overlap of home range and resource selection of these sympatric species of deer. We compared home‐range size and overlap and resource selection among male and female mule deer and white‐tailed deer to examine relative use of space in order to understand the potential for indirect spread of CWD better. We identified forested, riparian habitats as high selection of use and these habitats could likely contribute to the potential spreading of CWD between sympatric deer that concentrate in these areas. We found that migration, size of home range of female mule deer, and similarities in resource selection could contribute to sustaining or spreading CWD in Nebraska. The role of female mule deer in the spread of CWD coupled with selection for riparian corridors by both species should be investigated further, because these factors may be a primary determinant of disease spread in the historical range of mule deer.
Estimating population size and trends of the Swedish brown bear Ursus arctos population
Authors: Kindberg Jonas , Swenson Jon E. , Ericsson Göran , Bellemain Eva , Miquel Christian , Taberlet Pierre
Published: July 2011

Estimating population size and trends are key issues in the conservation and management of large carnivores. The rebounding brown bear Ursus arctos population in Sweden is monitored by two different systems, both relying on voluntary resources. Population estimates have been calculated using Capture‐Mark‐Recapture methods, based on DNA‐based scat surveys in five of the six Swedish counties with established bear populations. A total of 1,358 genotypes were identified using DNA extracted from collected scats. An independent ongoing programme, the Large Carnivore Observation Index (LCOI), was initiated in 1998. The LCOI uses effort‐corrected observations of bears by moose Alces alces hunters during the moose hunt (> 2 million observation hours/year) and has shown a good correlation with relative population density of bears using the DNA‐based method. From this, we have calculated population trends during the period 1998‐2007. Using an exponential model, we estimated the yearly increase in the bear population to be 4.5% at the national level, varying between 0 and 10.2% in different counties. We used the regional population estimates and the trends from the LCOI, taking the variation from both systems into account using parametric bootstrapping, to calculate the regional as well as the national population size in Sweden in fall 2008. In one case (the northernmost county; Norrbotten) a DNA‐scat survey was lacking, so we used assumptions based on data from the neighbouring county to estimate population size. We estimated the Swedish brown bear population to be 3,298 individuals (2,968‐3,667; 95% confidence intervals) in 2008. Our results suggest that reliable information, necessary for the management of the brown bear population can be obtained from volunteers using standardised methods.
Preserving Self in the City of the Imagination: Georg Simmel and Dark City1
Authors: Gerlac Neil , Hamilton Sheryl N.
Published: July 2011

A city ~~~its architecture constantly mutating, where it is always night, where memories last for twelve hours, where aliens walk among city dwellers and yet everyone is a stranger~~~a description we suggest applies as easily to Georg Simmel's work on the city as it does to Alex Proyas' 1998 film, Dark City. Both are cities of the imag- ination. Vivian Sobchak suggests that a city of the imagination, "Owjes] no necessary allegiance to representational verisimilitude, such a metropolis serves as a hypnogogic site where the anxieties, desires, and fetishes of a culture's waking world and dream world converge and are resolved into a substantial and symbolic architec- ture" (123). It is through an examination of this substantial and sym- bolic architecture in popular culture and theory that we can interpret the experience of modern metropolitan life.
Hiram Powers's America: Shackles, Slaves, and the Racial Limits of Nineteenth-Century National Identity
Authors: Nelson Charmairie
Published: July 2011

The allegorical theme of the four continents has functioned for centuries as a visual representation of a world conveniently compartmentalized into racialized geographical categories. The western cultural tradition of the four continents provides an important site for the reading of colonial ideals of race~~~what differ- ences were understood to separate Europeans from other peoples and the process through which these racial differences were signified and visualized. Although, most obviously, the allegorical tradition of the four continents reflects western ideals of a feminized nature and geographical space, art works in the tradition also reveal the continents as a thematic tool for the representation of colonial ideals of race. The confluence of race and geography is critical, since, within colonial discourse, differences~~~and indeed the presumed racial inferiority~~~of colonized populations was often explained as a by-product of the peculiar climatic and natural differences among the colonized regions they inhabited. The allegorical tradition of the four continents was a cultural conflation of the colonial idea of race and racial difference as a product of geographical location.
Utility of the Late Life Function and Disability Instrument as an Outcome Measure in Patients Participating in Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Preliminary Study
Authors: LaPier Tanya Kinney
Published: July 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the concurrent validity of the Late Life Function and Disability Instrument (LLFDI) in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and to evaluate the accuracy of information obtained through self-report questionnaire versus interview formats. Methods: The study included 29 patients older than 60 years attending an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program. Participants completed the LLFDI, three additional self-report criterion measures, and six performance-based tests; they completed the LLFDI a second time via interview. We used descriptive statistics, correlations, and t-tests to analyze the data. Results: All LLFDI components were correlated (rs=0.36–0.83) with the self-report criterion measures. The Function Component of the LLFDI was moderately correlated with the 6-Minute Walk Test (r=0.62), timed up-and-go (r=−0.58), walking speed (r=−0.57), and timed sit-to-stand (r=−0.56) scores. The LLFDI demonstrated a ceiling effect (10%) only in the Disability Limitation component. All LLFDI component scores obtained via self-report questionnaire were correlated with scores obtained via interview; except in a single subcategory, there was no difference between LLFDI scores obtained through self-report questionnaire and those obtained through interview. Conclusions: Results indicate that the LLFDI has appropriate validity for older patients (>60 years) with CHD and can be completed independently by patients rather than administered by clinicians.
Comparing Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Rehabilitation Professionals among Hospital and Home Care Employers
Authors: Tran Diem , Davis Aileen , McGillis Hall Linda , Jaglal Susan B.
Published: July 2011

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare hospital and home care employers' rankings of both the importance and the feasibility of workforce strategies for recruiting and retaining rehabilitation professionals. Methods: An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all employers of rehabilitation professionals in Ontario hospitals (n=144) and Community Care Access Centre home care providers (n=34). Importance and feasibility rankings were based on the percentage of high ratings; 95% CIs were used to determine significant differences between hospital and home care rankings of recruitment and retention strategies. Results: The response rate was 50% (72/144) from hospitals and 73.5% (25/34) from home-care settings. The recruitment and retention strategies considered most important and feasible for rehabilitation therapists, regardless of setting, were communication between employer and worker, compensation packages, access to research, and professional development in budget planning. Tangible resources, support personnel, work safety, and marketing rehabilitation careers to high school students were ranked significantly higher by hospitals than by home care providers. Conclusions: Similarities exist between hospital and home care employers in terms of the importance and feasibility of recruitment and retention strategies for rehabilitation professionals. However, when developing a rehabilitation health human resources plan, the strategies identified as different between hospital and home care settings should be taken into account.