bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
2H‐Azirines as Ligands: Structural Characterization of the First Neutral and Cationic (η5‐C5Me5)Rh(III) 2H‐Azirine Complexes
Authors: Roedel J. Nicolas , Lorenz Ingo‐Peter 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe synthesis and structural characterization of two azirine rhodium(III) complexes are described. The stabilization, N‐coordination and phenylgroup π‐stacking of the highly reactive and strained 3‐phenyl‐2H‐azirine by transition metal coordination is observed. The reaction of the dimeric complex [(η5‐C5Me5)RhCl2]2 with 3‐phenyl‐2H‐azirine (az) in CH2Cl2 at room temperature in a 1:2 molar ratio afforded the neutral mono‐azirine complex [(η5‐C5Me5)RhCl2(az)]. The subsequent reaction of [(η5‐C5Me5)RhCl2]2 with six equivalents of az and 4 equivalents of AgOTf yielded the cationic tris‐azirine complex [(η5‐C5Me5)Rh(az)3](OTf)2. After purification, all complexes have been fully characterized. The molecular structures of the novel rhodium(III) complexes exhibit slightly distorted octahedral coordination geometries around the metal atoms.
Effect of Substrate Morphology on Growth and Field Emission Properties of Carbon Nanotube Films
Authors: Srivastava Sanjay K , Vankar VD , Kumar Vikram , Singh VN 
Published: June 2008

Abstract
Carbon nanotube (CNT) films were grown by microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process on four types of Si substrates: (i) mirror polished, (ii) catalyst patterned, (iii) mechanically polished having pits of varying size and shape, and (iv) electrochemically etched. Iron thin film was used as catalytic material and acetylene and ammonia as the precursors. Morphological and structural characteristics of the films were investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopes, respectively. CNT films of different morphology such as vertically aligned, randomly oriented flowers, or honey-comb like, depending on the morphology of the Si substrates, were obtained. CNTs had sharp tip and bamboo-like internal structure irrespective of growth morphology of the films. Comparative field emission measurements showed that patterned CNT films and that with randomly oriented morphology had superior emission characteristics with threshold field as low as ~2.0 V/μm. The defective (bamboo-structure) structures of CNTs have been suggested for the enhanced emission performance of randomly oriented nanotube samples.
Human-competitive evolved antennas
Authors: Lohn Jason D. , Hornby Gregory S. , Linden Derek S. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractWe present a case study showing a human-competitive design of an evolved antenna that was deployed on a NASA spacecraft in 2006. We were fortunate to develop our antennas in parallel with another group using traditional design methodologies. This allowed us to demonstrate that our techniques were human-competitive because our automatically designed antenna could be directly compared to a human-designed antenna. The antennas described below were evolved to meet a challenging set of mission requirements, most notably the combination of wide beamwidth for a circularly polarized wave and wide bandwidth. Two evolutionary algorithms were used in the development process: one used a genetic algorithm style representation that did not allow branching in the antenna arms; the second used a genetic programming style tree-structured representation that allowed branching in the antenna arms. The highest performance antennas from both algorithms were fabricated and tested, and both yielded very similar performance. Both antennas were comparable in performance to a hand-designed antenna produced by the antenna contractor for the mission, and so we consider them examples of human-competitive performance by evolutionary algorithms. Our design was approved for flight, and three copies of it were successfully flown on NASA's Space Technology 5 mission between March 22 and June 30, 2006. These evolved antennas represent the first evolved hardware in space and the first evolved antennas to be deployed.
Quantitative relationships between benthic diatom assemblages and water chemistry in Macquarie Island lakes and their potential for reconstructing past environmental changes
Authors: Saunders Krystyna M. , Hodgson Dominic A. , McMinn Andrew 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThis study is the first published survey of diatom-environment relationships on sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island. Fifty-eight sites in 50 coastal and inland lakes were sampled for benthic diatoms and water chemistry. 208 diatom species from 34 genera were identified. Multivariate analyses indicated that the lakes were distributed along nutrient and conductivity gradients. Conductivity, pH, phosphate (SRP), silicate and temperature all explained independent portions of the variance in the diatom data. Transfer functions provide a quantitative basis for palaeolimnological studies of past climate change and human impacts, and can be used to establish baseline conditions for assessing the impacts of recent climate change and the introduction of non-native plants and animals. Statistically robust diatom transfer functions for conductivity, phosphate and silicate were developed, while pH and temperature transfer functions performed less well. The lower predictive abilities of the pH and temperature transfer functions probably reflect the broad pH tolerance range of diatoms on Macquarie Island and uneven distribution of lakes along the temperature gradient. This study contributes to understanding the current ecological distribution of Macquarie Island diatoms and provides transfer functions that will be applied in studies of diatoms in lake sediment cores to quantitatively reconstruct past environmental changes.
Genetic structure of East Antarctic populations of the mossCeratodon purpureus
Authors: Clarke Laurence J. , Ayre David J. , Robinson Sharon A. 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe capacity of the polar flora to adapt is of increasing concern given current and predicted environmental change in these regions. Previous genetic studies of Antarctic mosses have been of limited value due to a lack of variation in the markers or non-specificity of the methods used. We examined the power of five microsatellite loci developed for the cosmopolitan mossCeratodon purpureusto detect genetically distinct clones and infer the distribution of clones within and among populations from the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica. Our microsatellite data suggest that the extraordinarily high levels of variation reported in RAPD studies were artificially elevated by the presence of contaminants. We found surprisingly little contribution of asexual reproduction to the genetic structure of the Windmill Islands populations, but more loci are required to determine the distribution of individual clones within and among populations. It is apparent that Antarctic populations ofC. purpureuspossess less genetic diversity than temperate populations, and thus have less capacity for adaptive change in response to environmental variation, but more markers are needed to resolve the total genetic diversity in AntarcticC. purpureusand other mosses.
Social factors and television use during meals and snacks is associated with higher BMI among pre-school children
Authors: Dubois Lise , Farmer Anna , Girard Manon , Peterson Kelly 
Published: June 2008

AbstractAimThe present paper examines the relationship between social factors, food consumption during television viewing, and overall television viewing and how these are associated with BMI when the role of familial and social factors are considered in a population-based birth cohort of pre-school children from Québec (Canada).MethodsThe analyses were performed using data from the Longitudinal Study of Child Development in Québec (1998–2002) (LSCDQ). The study follows a representative sample (n2103) of children born in 1998 in the Canadian province of Québec. A nutrition assessment was conducted on 1549 children aged 4·5 years and included a 24 h dietary recall, an eating behaviour and television viewing questionnaire, and a measurement of children’s heights and weights. Statistical analyses were performed.ResultsNearly one-quarter of children ate at least twice daily in front of the television. Children who consumed snacks while watching television on a daily basis had higher BMI than children who did so less frequently. Children who ate snacks in front of the television every day, or some times during the week, ate more carbohydrates (total), more fat and less protein, fewer fruits and vegetables, and drank soft drinks more often than children who never ate snacks in front of the television.ConclusionsHealth professionals should target parents of children at risk of overweight/obesity with focused strategies to help children change the types of foods consumed during television viewing and to reduce the time spent watching television, particularly during meal times, which may change children’s dietary intake and eating patterns.
Aurora: Observing and Recording Nature's Spectacular Light Show
Authors: Akasofu Syun‐Ichi 
Published: June 2008

There have been many popular books on the aurora that include beautiful photographs with lyrical descriptions. Aurora by Neil Bone is different from other popular books in that it describes not only the aurora but also various sky phenomena, including noctilucent clouds, halos, and meteors.Chapter 2, entitled “Causes of the aurora,” describes the Sun and various solar activities, including sunspots, coronal holes, solar flares, the solar wind, and coronal mass ejections. Chapters 3 and 4, entitled “Auroral forecasting” and “Observing the aurora,” respectively, provide a good background for, and guide to, observing the aurora.
Overweight Is Associated With Decreased Cognitive Functioning Among School‐age Children and Adolescents
Authors: Li Yanfeng , Dai Qi , Jackson James C. , Zhang Jian 
Published: June 2008

Objective: Childhood overweight and obesity have increased substantially in the past two decades, raising concerns about their psychosocial and cognitive consequences. We examined the associations between academic performance (AP), cognitive functioning (CF), and increased BMI in a nationally representative sample of children.Methods and Procedures: Participants were 2,519 children aged 8–16 years, who completed a brief neuropsychological battery and measures of height and weight as a part of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross‐sectional survey conducted between 1988 and 1994. Z‐scores were calculated for each neuropsychological test, and poor performance was defined as z‐score <2.Results: The association between BMI and AP was not significant after adjusting for parental/familial characteristics. However, the associations between CF remained significant after adjusting for parental/familial characteristic, sports participation, physical activity, hours spent watching TV, psychosocial development, blood pressure, and serum lipid profile. Z‐scores on block design (a measure of visuospatial organization and general mental ability) among overweight children and children at risk of overweight were below those of normal‐weight children by 0.22 (s.e. = 0.16) and 0.10 (s.e. = 0.10) unit, respectively (P for trend <0.05). The odds of poor performance on block design were 1.97 (95% confidence interval: 1.01–3.83) and 2.80 (1.16–6.75), respectively, among children at risk or overweight compared to normal‐weight peers.Discussion: Increased body weight is independently associated with decreased visuospatial organization and general mental ability among children. Future research is needed to determine the nature, persistence, and functional significance of this association.
Effect of magnesium sulphate on urinary catecholamine excretion in severe tetanus
Authors: Thwaites C. L. , Yen L. M. , Cordon S. M. , Thwaites G. E. , Loan H. T. , Thuy T. T. D. , White N. J. , Soni N. , Macdonald I. A. , Farrar J. J. 
Published: June 2008

SummarySevere tetanus is characterised by muscle spasms and autonomic dysfunction. We recently reported the results of a randomised placebo controlled trial of magnesium sulphate infusions for the treatment of severe tetanus which showed magnesium was associated with improved muscle spasm and cardiovascular control. We hypothesised that magnesium controlled autonomic dysfunction by reducing catecholamine release and thus urinary excretion. Urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations were measured during the first 24 h of therapy in 180 adults with severe tetanus randomised to treatment with magnesium (n = 92) or placebo (n = 88). Magnesium therapy was associated with lower urinary adrenaline excretion and higher urinary noradrenaline excretion. High urinary adrenaline concentrations were associated with documented autonomic dysfunction. Patients given magnesium had significantly less autonomic dysfunction, required less cardiovascular stabilising drugs, and had lower urinary concentrations of adrenaline. These findings suggest adrenaline is important in the pathophysiology of severe tetanus and magnesium controls autonomic dysfunction by reducing adrenaline release.
Lessons learnt in the pharmacokinetic analysis of the effect of haemoperfusion for acute overdose with sustained‐release diltiazem
Authors: Roberts D. M. , Roberts J. A. , Boots R. J. , Mason R. , Lipman J. 
Published: June 2008

SummaryThe effect of charcoal haemoperfusion on the pharmacokinetics of diltiazem is described in a patient with severe clinical toxicity following acute overdose. The patient presented within 3 h following acute ingestion of multiple medications including sustained‐release diltiazem. Routine resuscitation and supportive care were administered, but hypotension did not resolve despite intravenous fluids and infusions of calcium, adrenaline, noradrenaline and vasopressin. Multiple‐doses of activated charcoal, haemodialysis and charcoal haemoperfusion were prescribed to expedite the elimination of diltiazem. The maximum diltiazem concentration (577 μg.l−1) was recorded 7 h post ingestion which was followed by an erratic and prolonged elimination phase. The maximum clearance of diltiazem due to haemoperfusion was calculated to be 19.4 and 15.1 ml.min−1 at different times, equating to removal of approximately 1.5 mg diltiazem during 4 h of haemoperfusion. Haemoperfusion did not appear to remove sufficient diltiazem to recommend its routine use in the treatment of patients with acute diltiazem overdose.
Comparison of fibreoptic‐guided intubation through ILMA versus intubation through LMA‐CTrach*
Authors: Sreevathsa S. , Linga Nathan P. , John B. , Danha R. F. , Mendonca C. 
Published: June 2008

SummaryWe compared the time taken to intubate the trachea of a manikin by fibreoptic‐guided intubation through an intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA‐FOS) with intubation through a laryngeal mask airway CTrach (LMA‐CTrach). Forty‐two anaesthetists participated in this randomised crossover study. Although the insertion time was similar, the time taken to intubate the trachea was significantly shorter with the LMA‐CTrach as compared with the ILMA‐FOS, with a mean time (SD) for ILMA‐FOS and CTrach 84 (32) and 53 (21) s, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean difference in the total time between the two techniques was 31 s, with a 95% confidence interval of 22 to 39 s. Thirty (71%) anaesthetists preferred LMA‐CTrach as compared with ILMA‐FOS (p = 0.008). We conclude that LMA‐CTrach is a suitable alternative to fibreoptic‐guided intubation through ILMA for the management of unanticipated failed intubation.
Severe hypophosphataemia mimicking Guillain–Barré syndrome
Authors: Sebastian S. , Clarence D. , Newson C. 
Published: June 2008

SummaryA 42 year‐old woman presented with neurological symptoms suggestive of Guillain–Barré syndrome and required ventilatory support. She was found to have severe hypophosphataemia that was corrected promptly after which her trachea was extubated. She then revealed that she had undergone a prolonged religious fast and had just started eating again when her symptoms started. Over the next 2 weeks she made a complete recovery.
Delirium is associated with early postoperative cognitive dysfunction
Authors: Rudolph J. L. , Marcantonio E. R. , Culley D. J. , Silverstein J. H. , Rasmussen L. S. , Crosby G. J. , Inouye S. K. 
Published: June 2008

SummaryThe purpose of this analysis was to determine if postoperative delirium was associated with early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (at 7 days) and long‐term postoperative cognitive dysfunction (at 3 months). The International Study of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction recruited 1218 subjects ≥ 60 years old undergoing elective, non‐cardiac surgery. Postoperatively, subjects were evaluated for delirium using the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Subjects underwent neuropsychological testing pre‐operatively and postoperatively at 7 days (n = 1018) and 3 months (n = 946). Postoperative cognitive dysfunction was defined as a composite Z‐score > 2 across tests or at least two individual test Z‐scores > 2. Subjects with delirium were significantly less likely to participate in postoperative testing. Delirium was associated with an increased incidence of early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (adjusted risk ratio 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.1), but not long‐term postoperative cognitive dysfunction (adjusted risk ratio 1.3, 95% CI 0.6–2.4). Delirium was associated with early postoperative cognitive dysfunction, but the relationship of delirium to long‐term postoperative cognitive dysfunction remains unclear.
Relationship between ghrelin and the metabolic syndrome in the elderly: a longitudinal population‐based study
Authors: Serra‐Prat Mateu , Alfaro Sergio Rueda , Palomera Elisabet , Casamitjana Roser , Buquet Xavier , Fernández‐Fernández Cristián , Puig‐Domingo Manuel ,   the Mataró Ageing Study Group
Published: June 2008

SummaryContext  Ghrelin regulates energy homeostasis and may contribute to the development of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in the elderly.Objective  To study the relationship between ghrelin and the MS, IGF‐I and life style factors over a 2‐year follow‐up.Design  Longitudinal population‐based study, starting from 2002; 2 years follow‐up.Participants  Three hundred and thirteen (153 men/160 women) individuals living independently older than 70 years.Results  MS was found in 54·9% of men and 61% of women. In the 229 subjects available at follow‐up, ghrelin was higher in men than in women at basal (P = 0·002) and 2‐year follow‐up (P = 0·004). Ghrelin decreased over time in both genders (P < 0·01). Ghrelin was lower in individuals showing MS compared to non‐MS (P = 0·08), but this difference was more evident at 2‐year follow‐up (P = 0·016), mostly due to men with MS (P = 0·002) and even after adjustment for BMI, gender and age. Individuals with MS had an OR of 1·67 (95% CI: 1·0–2·78) for low ghrelin (< first tertile); when adjusting by BMI, gender and age, only high triglycerides with OR 1·8 (1·0–3·3), remained statistically significant among the MS components. IGF‐I showed a positive correlation with ghrelin only in individuals without MS (rs 0·403, P < 0·001) with no gender differences; this relationship was not found in MS (rs 0·120, P = 0·129). A positive association of ghrelin was found with academic level, alcohol consumption and smoking.Conclusions  Ghrelin is higher in old men in comparison to women and decreases over time with a steeper decline in subjects with MS; moreover, in these subjects ghrelin/IGF‐I correlation is lost.
Novel germline mutations of the MEN1 gene in Greek families with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1
Authors: Peppa Melpomeni , Boutati Eleni , Kamakari Smaragda , Pikounis Vasilios , Peros Georgios , Koutsodontis Georgios , Metaxa‐Mariatou Vassiliki , Economopoulos Theofanis , Raptis Sotirios A. , Hadjidakis Dimitrios 
Published: June 2008

SummaryIntroduction  Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disorder associated with mutations of the MEN1 gene and characterized by the combined occurrence of tumours of the parathyroid glands, the pancreatic islet cells and the anterior pituitary.Aim  To identify MEN1 gene mutations and characterize clinical manifestations in Greek patients with MEN1.Patients and methods  We studied four unrelated index patients with MEN1, 17 relatives and 100 control subjects. Among the relatives, seven were clinically and/or biochemically affected, while 10 were unaffected. DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing of the MEN1 exons 2–10 and exon/intron boundaries were performed according to standard procedures.Results  We identified novel MEN1 gene mutations in three out of four index patients (75%) and in all affected (100%) relatives. Novel mutations included: a frameshift mutation in exon 4 (c.684_685insG) at codon 229 (index patient A); a frameshift mutation in exon 8 (c.1160_1170dupAGGAGCGGCCG) involving codons 387–390 (index patient B); and a missense mutation in exon 4 (c.776T > C), which substitutes leucine with proline at codon 259 (L259P) (index patient C). In the fourth index patient, a common polymorphism (D418D) was detected.Conclusions  This is the first report to reveal a high prevalence of novel MEN1 gene mutations among Greek MEN1 patients with apparent absence of genotype–phenotype correlation. Because of the small number of patients examined, the high prevalence detected might be a chance phenomenon.
Collaboration at risk: registered nurses’ experiences on orthopaedic wards
Authors: Skei Kristin 
Published: June 2008

Aim. To extract meaning from registered nurses’ lived experiences in their professional collaboration with orthopaedic surgeons.Background. Interprofessional collaboration between registered nurses and orthopaedic surgeons faces challenges on many levels. The literature offers theories on collaboration, but reality seems to be in conflict with theory, especially in somatic hospitals. Little empirical research on lived experience has been conducted in these settings.Method. I conducted narrative interviews with five registered nurses who work on orthopaedic wards in two different hospitals in Norway. I analysed the data using a phenomenological hermeneutical method inspired by Ricoeur’s theory of interpretation.Results. The registered nurses emphasised disparate expectations and priorities when they described collaboration. They felt their performance was hindered and had difficulty in being assertive about their own area of work. Collaboration was perceived from the perspective of relations with orthopaedic surgeons, which were perceived as difficult as indicated by the themes identified: disparate expectations and priorities; feeling emotionally burdened; keeping a distance; accepting difficult relations; and being confident in difficult relations.Conclusions. Registered nurses seem to focus on relations in work settings where chaos and unpredictability set the background for collaboration. They perceived relations through their focus on behaving responsibly. This highlights their resources and their ability to see and to meet others, as well as difficulties they experience in asserting the importance of their own professional sphere. Acknowledging strengths and weaknesses could help to strengthen nursing identity and make it more explicit.Relevance to clinical practice. Both resources and weaknesses are revealed that could be used by all healthcare workers to improve collaboration with colleagues, thereby enhancing patient care.