bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Minor Products in Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonation. Comparison Between the Traditional Gravimetric Method and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Procedures Versus High Temperature Gas Chromatography (HT‐GC)
Authors: Bengoechea C. , Fernández A. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractDuring the sulfonation process of the linear alkylbenzene (LAB) other products like sulfones and anhydrides are also formed in addition to the linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (HLAS). Most of them are transformed in different degrees during the aging and hydrolysis steps of the overall sulfonation process [Moreno et al. (2003) J Surfactant Deterg 6(2):137–142]. The use of HPLC technique since 1988 and earlier the use of high temperature gas chromatography (HT‐GC) enable the separation and quantification of all the components of the free oil (FO) of the sulfonic acids—anhydrides; LAB and sulfones. The purpose of this paper is to review the current knowledge about the free oil analysis and to discuss a new analytical procedure based on the HT‐GC to quantify the free oil content. We will compare the results obtained using this new method with other analytical procedures (traditional gravimetry) and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy.
Primary Hydroxyl Content of Soybean Polyols
Authors: Ionescu Mihail , Petrović Zoran S. , Wan Xianmei 
Published: February 2008

AbstractPolyurethanes are obtained by reacting polyols with polyisocyanates. The primary hydroxyl content is a very important characteristic of polyols because it affects their reactivity. Typically primary hydroxyls are approximately threefold more reactive than the secondary hydroxyls when reacting with aromatic isocyanates. This paper presents a simple and convenient kinetic method for determining the primary hydroxyl content in soybean polyols, based on the difference in reactivity of primary and secondary hydroxyls with phenyl isocyanate (PI). The reaction kinetics were studied by following the disappearance of the NCO band at 2260 cm−1 with time in the infrared spectra. The reaction of PI with soybean polyols was carried out in a toluene:dimethylformamide (9:1, v/v) mixture. The relative error of the method is in the range of ±5%. The method is characterized by simplicity and good reproducibility, and it can be applied to all soybean polyols irrespective of their structure.
A NOTE ON A RESULT OF RUZSA
Authors: TANG MIN 
Published: February 2008

AbstractLet σA(n)=∣{(a,a′)∈A2:a+a′=n}∣, where $n\in \mathbb {N}$ and A is a subset of $\mathbb {N}$. Erdös and Turán conjectured that, for any basis A of $\mathbb {N}$, σA(n) is unbounded. In 1990, Ruzsa constructed a basis $A\subset \mathbb {N}$ for which σA(n) is bounded in the square mean. In this paper, based on Ruzsa’s method, we show that there exists a basis A of $\mathbb {N}$ satisfying $\sum _{n\leq N}\sigma _A(n)^2\leq 1\,449\,757\,928N$ for large enough N.
COMPACT DIFFERENCES OF COMPOSITION OPERATORS
Authors: WOLF ELKE 
Published: February 2008

AbstractLet ϕ andψbe analytic self-maps of the open unit disk. Each of them induces a composition operator,CϕandCψrespectively, acting between weighted Bergman spaces of infinite order. We show that the differenceCϕ−Cψis compact if and only if both operators are compact or both operators are not compact and the pseudohyperbolic distance of the functions ϕ andψtends to zero if ∣ϕ(z)∣→1 or ∣ψ(z)∣→1.
Effects of moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia induced by 4 weeks methionine-enriched diet on metabolite profile and mesenteric artery function in rats
Authors: Pexa Annette , Boeger Rainer H. , Henle Thomas , Schwedhelm Edzard , Deussen Andreas 
Published: February 2008

Methionine is an essential amino acid and methyl donor for most transmethylation reactions in mammals. The product of transmethylation reactions is homocysteine, which is associated with enhanced risk for CVD. The aim of this study was to analyse metabolic and vascular functional consequences of a methionine-enriched diet in rats. The dose of methionine was chosen to reflect the range of over-nutrition in man. We quantified plasma levels of homocysteine, asymmetrical dimethylarginine and adenosine, determined methionine and its metabolites in tissues and blood plasma and assessed relaxation of mesenteric arteries toward acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. A methionine-enriched diet for 4 weeks elevated homocysteine levels in plasma 2-fold and in spleen by 70 %. The level ofS-adenosylhomocysteine was increased in liver only, while methionine andS-adenosylmethionine were unchanged in all organs studied. Plasma adenosine and asymmetrical dimethylarginine levels were unchanged, as were vessel relaxations. A 2-fold elevation of plasma homocysteine, which is assigned a risk indicator for cardiovascular events, did not impair mesenteric artery vasodilatation during 4 weeks of a methionine-rich diet. Furthermore, asymmetrical dimethylarginine and adenosine, which have been shown to be changed in more severe degrees of hyperhomocysteinaemia, remained unaltered.
Olfactory conditioning in mate searching by the parasitoidAphidius ervi(Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Authors: Villagra C.A. , Vásquez R.A. , Niemeyer H.M. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractDespite the fact that insect learning capacity has been broadly demonstrated, the role that this process plays during mate searching has been scarcely explored. We studied whether the sexual behaviour of a male parasitic wasp can be conditioned to the odours from two alternative host plant complexes (HPCs) present during its first copulation. The experimental subjects were newly emerged males of the aphid parasitoid,Aphidius ervi, and two alternative HPCs (alfalfa or wheat). In the training protocol, copulation experience corresponded to an unconditioning stimulus and HPC odours to the conditioning stimuli. The initial (just after eclosion) and trained responses were assessed in a glass Y-olfactometer. The results showed that neither alfalfa HPC nor wheat HPC stimuli elicited sexual-related behaviours in initial male responses. Conversely, both HPCs triggered strong attraction and wing fanning courtship behaviour in trained responses when the male was exposed to a female plus HPC during training. In males trained with females plus a given HPC but tested with the alternative HPC in the olfactometer, trained response showed a similar trend to the non-associative treatments. Hence, through learning, the olfactory stimulus context present during copulation could become a predictive cue for further mate searching. These results are discussed in terms of parasitic wasp ecology and host fidelity.
Native parasitoids and their potential to control the invasive leafminer,Cameraria ohridellaDESCH. & DIM. (Lep.: Gracillariidae)
Authors: Klug T. , Meyhöfer R. , Kreye M. , Hommes M. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractIn spite of the fact that since the end of the eighties, the horse chestnut leafminer,Cameraria ohridella, has established itself throughout Europe, native predators such as ants and birds are not attuned to this neozoic species. In contrast, several parasitic wasp species already started to exploit the invasive horse chestnut leafminer, but until now parasitation rates are quite low, mainly because of asynchrony in the lifecycles of parasitoids and host. Only the removal of leaf litter, in which pupae hibernate, is at the moment a strategy to reduce the infestation level in the next year. Unfortunately, not only hibernating horse chestnut leafminers but also parasitoids are removed, and important resources for biocontrol are unused. In the current study, we investigated the potential efficiency of the horse chestnut leafminer parasitoid complex extracted from leaf litter in defined environments. Parasitoids were released at different densities to investigate density dependence in parasitation rates.Although seven different species were released in our experiments, onlyPnigalio agraulesturned out to be responsible for biocontrol ofC. ohridella. We recorded parasitation rates of up to 35%. Overall, parasitation rates were independent of the leafminer density but increased fourfold if ten times more parasitoid individuals were released. Unfortunately, none of the parasitoid species could be established in the experimental units in the long run. Results are compared to other parasitoid-leafminer systems, and promotion of horse chestnut leafminer parasitoids to support natural selection and biological control of the horse chestnut leafminer is discussed.
Seasonal abundance and reproductive output of the dung fliesNeomyia cornicinaandN. viridescens(Diptera: Muscidae)
Authors: Wall R. , Anderson E. , Lee C.M. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThe seasonal abundance and reproductive output of two common, but little studied, dung-breeding flies,Neomyia cornicinaandN. viridescens, were examined in artificial cow pats in pastures in southwest England in 2001 and 2004. In 2001, the numbers of bothNeomyiaspecies increased slowly over summer to show a sharp seasonal peak in late August and early September. There was no significant effect of mean temperature, mean relative humidity or dung water content on abundance or seasonally de-trended abundance. High levels of aggregation were seen between pats and, when present, greater numbers ofN. cornicinaemerged thanN. viridescens.Neomyia cornicinawas present in 13% of 240 artificial standardized pats put out in 2001, at a median of 19 adults per colonized pat;N.viridescenswas present in 8% of artificial pats at a median of three adults per colonized pat. In 2004,N. cornicinaemerged from 46% of the 94 artificial pats put out at a median of three adults per colonized pat, whileN. viridescensemerged from only 12% of pats at a median of one adult per colonized pat. Flies were also collected in 2004, using sticky-traps and hand nets. Again, free-flyingN. cornicinaappeared to be more abundant in the field thanN. viridescens; 162N. cornicinawere caught compared to 44N. viridescensover the same sampling period. The size of each adult female was recorded and ovarian dissection was used to determine the numbers of eggs matured. FemaleN. viridescenswere significantly larger than theN. cornicinaand matured significantly higher numbers of eggs. GravidN. viridescensmatured a mean of 37.1 (±16.9) eggs, whereas gravidN. cornicinamatured a mean of 28.8 (±13.2) eggs. The reasons why the larger, more fecund,N. viridescensadults are less abundant in the field or emerging from pats thanN. cornicinaare unknown. Further work is required to identify the nature and cause of the mortality experienced by the larvae of these species and the ecological differences and functional specialisation which allows co-existence to be maintained.
Resource allocation and bionomics of indigenous and exoticCotesia(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) species reared onSesamia calamistis
Authors: Hailemichael Y. , Schulthess F. , Smith J. , Overholt W. , Chabi-Olaye A. 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThe braconid larval parasitoidsCotesia chilonis(Matsumura),C. flavipesCameron and a strain ofCotesia sesamiae(Cameron) from coastal Kenya, reared at the International Centre of Insect Ecology and Physiology, were introduced at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in the Republic of Benin for suitability testing on West African stemborers prior to release.C. chiloniswas originally collected in Japan whileC. flavipeswas imported into Kenya from Pakistan. The host species used was the noctuidSesamia calamistis(Hampson), the most important noctuid maize pest in the region. All threeCotesiaspecies attacked and successfully developed in 2nd to 6th larval instar ofS.calamistisbut parasitoid-induced mortality was highest on second instars. On most instars,C. sesamiaeandC. flavipesproduced larger broods thanC. chilonis. Larvae parasitized byC. sesamiaedeveloped to the 6th instar and attained an average larval weight of 353 mg, while larvae parasitized byC. chilonisonly molted to the 4th instar and attained a maximum weight of 107 mg. The lower developmental threshold estimated from the non-linear regression of temperature on developmental rate was 15.9, 15.9 and 14.9°C forC. chilonis,C.sesamiaeandC. flavipes, respectively, while the maximum temperature was 34.2, 35.2 and 33.8°C, respectively. A maximum of four ovipositions were observed per female during a life span ranging from 1.3 days forC. chilonisandC. flavipesto 1.6 days forC.sesamiae. The largest adult progeny, intrinsic rate of increase and net reproductive rates were recorded at 28°C for all species. However, across temperatures,C. flavipesyielded the highest number of offspring, followed byC.sesamiaeandC. chilonis. The sex ratios did not vary significantly with species and temperature. Thus, the reproductive potentials ofC.sesamiaeandC. flavipeswere greater than that ofC. chilonis.
Comparative real-time PCR and enzyme analysis of selected gender-associated molecules inSchistosoma japonicum
Authors: MOERTEL L. , GOBERT G. N. , McMANUS D. P. 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARYSchistosomes are complex parasitic helminths with discrete life-cycle stages, adapted for survival in their mammalian and snail hosts and the external aquatic environment. Recently, we described the fabrication and use of a microarray to investigate gender-specific transcription inSchistosoma japonicum. To address transcriptional differences, 8 gender-associated gene transcripts identified previously by the microarray analysis were selected for further study. First, differential transcription patterns were investigated in 4 developmental stages using real-time PCR. Subsequently, we undertook functional analysis of a subset of 4 transcripts encoding metabolic enzymes, so as to correlate gender-associated transcript levels with enzyme activity in protein extracts from adult worms. The 8 characterized molecules serve as a basis for further investigation of differential gene expression during the schistosome life-cycle and for studying the sexual dimorphism of adult worms. Continual refinement and annotation of the microarray used in the current study should support future work on these aspects.
Dissociative responses to conscious and non-conscious fear impact underlying brain function in post-traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Felmingham K. , Kemp A. H. , Williams L. , Falconer E. , Olivieri G. , Peduto A. , Bryant R. 
Published: February 2008

BackgroundDissociative reactions in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been regarded as strategic responses that limit arousal. Neuroimaging studies suggest distinct prefrontal responses in individuals displaying dissociative and hyperarousal responses to threat in PTSD. Increased prefrontal activity may reflect enhanced regulation of limbic arousal networks in dissociation. If dissociation is a higher-order regulatory response to threat, there may be differential responses to conscious and automatic processing of threat stimuli. This study addresses this question by examining the impact of dissociation on fear processing at different levels of awareness.MethodFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with a 1.5-T scanner was used to examine activation to fearful (versusneutral) facial expressions during consciously attended and non-conscious (using backward masking) conditions in 23 individuals with PTSD. Activation in 11 individuals displaying non-dissociative reactions was compared to activation in 12 displaying dissociative reactions to consciously and non-consciously perceived fear stimuli.ResultsDissociative PTSD was associated with enhanced activation in the ventral prefrontal cortex for conscious fear, and in the bilateral amygdala, insula and left thalamus for non-conscious fear compared to non-dissociative PTSD. Comparatively reduced activation in the dissociative group was apparent in dorsomedial prefrontal regions for conscious fear faces.ConclusionsThese findings confirm our hypotheses of enhanced prefrontal activity to conscious fear and enhanced activity in limbic networks to non-conscious fear in dissociative PTSD. This supports the theory that dissociation is a regulatory strategy invoked to cope with extreme arousal in PTSD, but this strategy appears to function only during conscious processing of threat.
The development of fears from early adolesence to young adulthood: a multivariate study
Authors: Kendler K. S. , Gardner C. O. , Annas P. , Lichtenstein P. 
Published: February 2008

BackgroundCommon fears change over development. Genetic and environmental risk factors for fears are partly shared across fears and partly fear-specific. The nature of the changes in common and fear-specific genetic and environmental risk factors over time is unknown.MethodSelf-reported fears were obtained at ages 13–14, 16–17 and 19–20 from 2404 twins in the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development. A multivariate longitudinal twin analysis was conducted with Mx.ResultsEighteen individual items formed four fear factors: animal, blood-injury, situational, and social. The best-fit model had no quantitative or qualitative sex effects or shared environmental effects, but included a strong common factor with a stable cross-time structure with highest loadings on situational and lowest loadings on social fears. New common and fear-specific genetic risk factors emerged over development. With increasing age, genetic effects declined in overall importance and became more fear-specific. Cross-time continuity in specific genetic effects was highest for animal and lowest for social fears. Social fears had a ‘burst’ of specific genetic effects in late adolescence. Individual-specific environmental factors impacted both on the general fear factor and on specific fears. Compared to genetic effects, the impact of the unique environment was more time-specific.ConclusionsGenetic and environmental risk factors for individual fears are partly mediated through a common fear factor and are partly fear-specific in their effect. The developmental pattern of these risk factors is complex and dynamic with new common and specific genetic effects arising in late adolescence and early adulthood.
Life events, anxious depression and personality: a prospective and genetic study
Authors: Middeldorp C. M. , Cath D. C. , Beem A. L. , Willemsen G. , Boomsma D. I. 
Published: February 2008

BackgroundThe association between life events and anxious depression might be due to causality or to gene–environment correlation. We examined unidirectional and reciprocal causality and a gene–environment correlation model, in which genes that influence the vulnerability for anxious depression also increase the risk of exposure to life events. The effect of genes that influence environmental exposure might be mediated through personality and we therefore also examined the association between life events and personality (neuroticism and extraversion).MethodInformation on life events, anxious depression, neuroticism and extraversion was collected in 5782 monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins who participated in a longitudinal survey study of the Netherlands Twin Register. To examine causality, data were analysed longitudinally. To examine gene–environment correlation, the co-twin control method was used.ResultsAnxious depression and, to a lesser extent, neuroticism scores increased after exposure to life events. Anxious depression and neuroticism also predicted the experience of life events. Prospectively, extraversion was not associated with life events. Anxious depression, neuroticism and extraversion scores did not differ between the non-exposed subjects of MZ and DZ twin pairs and unrelated subjects discordant for life events.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that reciprocal causation explains the relationship between life events and anxious depression and between life events and neuroticism. Extraversion is not related to life events. No evidence was found for gene–environment correlation, i.e. the genes that influence anxious depression, neuroticism or extraversion do not overlap with the genes that increase the risk of exposure to life events.
Analysis of rubella antibody distribution from newborn dried blood spots using finite mixture models
Authors: HARDELID P. , WILLIAMS D. , DEZATEUX C. , TOOKEY P. A. , PECKHAM C. S. , CUBITT W. D. , CORTINA-BORJA M. 
Published: February 2008

SUMMARYEluted dried blood spot specimens from newborn screening, collected in 2004 in North Thames and anonymously linked to birth registration data, were tested for maternally acquired rubella IgG antibody as a proxy for maternal antibody concentration using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Finite mixture regression models were fitted to the antibody concentrations from 1964 specimens. The Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) was used as a model selection criterion to avoid over-fitting the number of mixture model components. This allowed investigation of the independent effect of maternal age and maternal country of birth on rubella antibody concentration without dichotomizing the outcome variable using cut-off values set a priori. Mixture models are a highly useful method of analysis in seroprevalence studies of vaccine-preventable infections in which preset cut-off values may overestimate the size of the seronegative population.
Cultural Memories of the Expulsion of the Moriscos
Authors: González García José M. 
Published: February 2008

Violins are weeping over the Arabs leaving al-Andalus,Violins are weeping over lost time which will never come back(Palestinian poet Mahmud Darwish1)In 2009 it will have been 400 years since Philip III expelled the Moriscos from Spain. It is therefore time to consider what remains of this tragedy in present-day Spanish collective memory. As opposed to the history as written by the victors it is necessary to also listen to the voice of the descendants of the victims, recovering their own historical memory. As a symbol of the reparation of an historical injustice the present-day Spanish state may grant the descendants of the expelled Moriscos the right to Spanish citizenship, as has already happened with the descendants of the Sephardim or Spanish Jews. In this article I consider four forms of memory of the expulsion of the Moriscos, embodied respectively in History, Literature, Art and Popular Culture. In the section on History, I analyze the works of Gregorio Marañón and Henry Kamen. Literary memory will be represented by the figure of the Morisco Ricote in Part II of Cervantes’ Quixote. For Art, I will look at a series of paintings commissioned by Philip III and at a painting competition held in Madrid under Philip IV. Popular culture is represented by the celebrations of ‘moros y cristianos,’ or ‘Moors and Christians,’ an old tradition that is still alive.