bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation of smallest microparticles of poly‐D,L‐lactide by modified precipitation method: Influence of the process parameters
Authors: Jovanović Ivana , Jordović Branka , Petković Marijana , Ignjatović Nenad , Uskoković Dragan 
Published: October 2007

AbstractBiodegradable microspheres such as those made of poly‐D,L‐lactide (PDLLA) are widely investigated delivery systems for drugs or antigens. The aim of this study was to examine experimental conditions in order to produce PDLLA microspheres with the best properties for controlled and sustained drug delivery by the modified precipitation method. For this purpose, the following parameters were varied: co‐solvent (methanol or ethanol), the concentration of stabilizer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chloroform‐to‐water ratio and the speed and time of homogenization. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereological analysis were used to characterize the particles. The average size and morphology of the microspheres varied substantially with preparation conditions from 8.44–1.25 μm. Results showed that the smallest particles were obtained with methanol, 1% PVA and with 10 min of homogenization at 21,000 rpm. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of the surface morphology of durum wheat starch granules using atomic force microscopy
Authors: Neethirajan S. , Thomson D.J. , Jayas D.S. , White N.D.G. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractKnowledge of the structure and properties of microscopic surfaces of durum wheat starch granules is essential for understanding the functional and physico‐chemical properties. The nanoscale surface undulations on the starch granules inside durum wheat macroscopically influence the milling properties. The objective of this study was to visualize the surface morphology and the size of starch grains of vitreous and nonvitreous durum wheat kernels using atomic force microscopy. The distribution of starch granules in the vitreous and nonvitreous durum wheat starch samples were examined and compared. The results of our study confirm the ‘blocklet’ model of the ultrastructure of the starch granule surface. Image contrast enhancement using UV/ozone treatment of microtomed starch samples improved the imaging of growth rings on the starch samples. The observation of growth rings in the nonvitreous starch granule surfaces indicates that amylopectin is more common than amylose in nonvitreous starch when compared with vitreous starch. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An evaluation and comparison of claims made in behavioural investigative advice reports compiled by the National Policing Improvements Agency in the United Kingdom
Authors: Almond Louise , Alison Laurence , Porter Louise 
Published: October 2007

AbstractThis study examined the content of a contemporary sample of behavioural investigative advice reports produced by the National Policing Improvements Agency (NPIA), formally known as the National Centre for Policing Excellence, and compared this sample with previous offender‐profiling samples reported by Alison, Smith, Eastman, and Rainbow in 2003. Forty‐seven reports written in 2005 were content analysed. The reports contained 805 claims, although 96% of the claims contained grounds for their claim, only 34% had any formal support or backing. In terms of confirmability, 70% of the claims were verifiable. However, only 43% were falsifiable, in that they could be objectively measured post‐conviction. Analysis also showed that there were differences when comparing the different types of claims made (i.e. behavioural, temporal) and the different types of reports compiled by the NPIA (i.e. behavioural assessment report, linking report, etc.) Comparisons show that there is a very large positive difference between the contemporary behavioural investigative advice sample and previous non‐NPIA expert advice in terms of the substantiveness of their arguments. Contemporary NPIA behavioural investigative advice has clearer boundaries around the claims made and presents material in a more coherent and evidence‐based format than previous expert advice. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A review of recent climate variability and climate change in southeastern Australia
Authors: Murphy Bradley F. , Timbal Bertrand 
Published: October 2007

AbstractSoutheastern Australia (SEA) has suffered from 10 years of low rainfall from 1997 to 2006. A protracted dry spell of this severity has been recorded once before during the 20th century, but current drought conditions are exacerbated by increasing temperatures. Impacts of this dry decade are wide‐ranging, so a major research effort is being directed to better understand the region's recent climate, its variability and climate change. This review summarizes the conditions of these 10 years and the main mechanisms that affect the climate.Most of the rainfall decline (61%) has occurred in autumn (March–May). Daily maximum temperatures are rising, as are minimum temperatures, except for cooler nights in autumn in the southwest of SEA closely related to lower rainfall. A similar rainfall decline occurred in the southwest of western Australia around 1970 that has many common features with the SEA decline. SEA rainfall is produced by mid‐latitude storms and fronts, interactions with the tropics through continental‐scale cloudbands and cut‐off lows.El Niño‐Southern Oscillation impacts on SEA rainfall, as does the Indian Ocean, but neither has a direct influence in autumn. Trends have been found in both hemispheric (the southern annular mode) and local (sub‐tropical ridge) circulation features that may have played a role in reducing the number and impact of mid‐latitude systems around SEA, and thus reducing rainfall. The role of many of these mechanisms needs to be clarified, but there is likely to be an influence of enhanced greenhouse gas concentrations on SEA climate, at least on temperature. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Recent development of assessment tools for urban climate and heat‐island investigation especially based on experiences in Japan
Authors: Ooka Ryozo 
Published: October 2007

AbstractIn recent years, problems concerning the urban climate–including the urban heat‐island effect and urban air pollution—have attracted much attention in terms of the widespread urbanization in many parts of the world, including Japan. Assessment tools for urban climate are very important to understand effective countermeasures for heat‐island mitigation. In this paper, various assessment tools are introduced and classified according to corresponding modelling scales. Special attention is given to the recent progress in Japan. It is shown that these assessment tools are very powerful at estimating the effectiveness of countermeasures. Furthermore, these assessment tools should become design tools for practical applications in the future. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Recent trends in the frequencies of extreme values of daily maximum atmospheric pressure at ground level in the central zone of the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Labajo J. L. , Martín Q. , Labajo A. L. , Piorno A. , Ortega M. , Morales C. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractUsing data sets on the daily data of maximum atmospheric pressure at ground level collected at 14 weather stations located in the central zone of the Iberian Peninsula [Spanish central plateau (SCP)], the series of daily maximum pressure anomalies at each station, together with the difference between the daily value and mean daily value for each day of the year for the period between 1961 and 2003, have been established. The regional series of such anomalies were constructed for the whole study zone and for two differentiated parts of the same. As thresholds for the extreme values of the anomaly series, the values corresponding to the P05 and P95 percentiles were used. The series of annual frequencies of days with anomaly values below and above the threshold values were constructed for each of the weather stations, together with the average series for the whole study zone and each of its two parts. The corresponding regional average series of seasonal frequencies were also constructed.From an analysis of the trend of the series of the annual frequency of extreme anomaly values in daily maximum pressure it may be deduced that the lowest values show a decreasing annual trend, while the highest ones show an increasing frequency. This indicates that between 1961 and 2003 the number of days per year on the SCP with the highest extreme atmospheric pressure values at ground level increased along the study period. In contrast the number of days per year with lower extreme values decreased. Additionally, analysis of the seasonal frequency series indicated that it was the winter that dictated such behaviour. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
A comparison of flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamin C in commercial organic and conventional marinara pasta sauce
Authors: Koh Eunmi , Wimalasiri Kuruppa MS , Renaud Erica NC , Mitchell Alyson E 
Published: October 2007

AbstractBACKGROUND: Characterising the levels of key phytochemicals in foods commonly consumed in the Western diet is critical for database development, estimating intake and assessing the potential health benefits associated with the consumption of these products. This paper describes a market‐basket evaluation of the key flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamin C in commercial organic (five brands) and conventional (five brands) marinara pasta sauces.RESULTS: Levels of ascorbic acid ranged from undetected up to 6.87 mg per 100 g fresh weight. The levels of total vitamin C in six of the ten samples were significantly lower than the amount listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel (P < 0.001 or P < 0.01). The contents of total vitamin C, flavonoids and lycopene were not statistically different between organic and conventional samples. Conventional pasta sauces demonstrated a significantly higher level of all‐trans‐β‐carotene (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: This suggests that any beneficial differences in levels of flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamin C gained through cultivation practices are not measurable at the consumer level in processed tomato products. Additionally, the results point to a large disparity between the actual vitamin C content of these products and the content listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Strategy matters: strategic positioning and performance in the education services sector
Authors: Mazzarol Timothy W. , Soutar Geoffrey N. 
Published: October 2007

Abstract

The present study explored the strategic positioning behaviour of Australian educational services institutions to see whether their choice of strategy impacted their competitiveness in international markets. A sample of schools, colleges and universities, were asked which of Porter's generic positioning strategies they used. Correspondence and cluster analysis were used to examine these relationships and discriminant analysis was used to see whether there was a relationship between strategy choice and performance. The results showed institutions that lacked a coherent strategy did not perform well, highlighting the importance of educational administrators to develop clear and coherent strategies that position their offerings effectively to targeted market segments. Indeed, a failure to apply strategic principles may risk the long term sustainability of the institution.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Social marketing with challenging target groups: smoking cessation in prisons in England and Wales
Authors: MacAskill Susan , Lindridge Andrew , Stead Martine , Eadie Douglas , Hayton Paul , Braham Mark 
Published: October 2007

Abstract

Smoking levels among prisoners are much higher than amongst the UK population as a whole. Our research focuses on the development and implementation of a pilot smoking cessation project:

Using a social marketing process combined with the Health Behaviour Model, 159 participants, drawn from four prisons, undertook a smoking cessation programme.
Data was collected using a case study approach, with a variety of research methods: primarily depth individual and mini‐group qualitative interviews, but also document analysis and observation.
The findings draw on prisoners' perspectives in the context of the marketing mix in elements of the strategy design, implementation and evaluation.
The discussion identifies the need to maintain a consumer perspective, feeding into the marketing mix, and to identify and promote aspects of mutually beneficial exchange over and above basic health and monetary costs.

The positive outcomes and insights gained show that using a social marketing strategy, as part of a smoking cessation programme, has important policy and practice implications. Lessons could be applied to other health issues and in similar settings such as forensic mental health.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How UK universities engage with their local communities: a study of employer supported volunteering
Authors: Bussell Helen , Forbes Deborah 
Published: October 2007

Abstract

In 2000, the UK Prime Minister pledged that employers should be encouraged to release staff for 1 day a year to undertake volunteering activity. Many and varied programmes are being set up to assist employees to volunteer, whether during work hours or in their own time. This is called employer supported volunteering (ESV). This paper discusses the increasing use of ESV and aims to provide an understanding of the key concepts of this phenomenon. An E‐mail survey was completed of all 122 universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. University websites linked to volunteering for staff and students were also examined. Responses were received from 65 institutions (a response rate of 53%). This initial research reveals that university commitment to ESV varies across the sector. Many universities support staff volunteering and informally encourage links with the local community through voluntary activity but only seven institutions had developed a formal policy allowing staff time off work to volunteer. From this initial research, three best practice universities have emerged and their activities are discussed. The next stage in this project is to research the areas identified and to explore the extent of volunteering by university staff and staff attitudes to volunteering with a view to provide a full picture of ESV in the UK university sector.
Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Interfacial polymerization of morphologically modified polyaniline: from hollow microspheres to nanowires
Authors: Li Jinbo , Jia Qingming , Zhu Jiewu , Zheng Maosheng 
Published: October 2007

AbstractBACKGROUND: Polyaniline (PANI) has attracted much attention in many fields due to its chemical and physical properties, and different nanostructures of PANI changing from one‐dimensional to three‐dimensional have been obtained. By changing the concentration of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), the morphology of hydrochloric acid‐doped polyaniline could be changed from one‐dimensional nanoneedles or nanowires with a network structure (50–100 nm in diameter) to three‐dimensional hollow microspheres (ca 400 nm in outer diameter) via combining interfacial polymerization and self‐assembly process.RESULTS These different nanostructures of PANI were proved using scanning electron and transmission electron microscopies. A plausible mechanism of the formation of the changeable nanostructures of PANI may be different from that of interfacial polymerization without surfactant or a traditional homogenous reaction system using CTAB as surfactant.CONCLUSION The results obtained from Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X‐ray diffraction and the four‐probe method showed that the molecular structure of PANI does not change with increasing CTAB concentration, but crystallinity and conductivity of PANI increase with surfactant concentration. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
The graviton propagator with a non‐conserved external generating source
Authors: Manoukian E.B. , Sukkhasena S. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractA novel general expression is obtained for the graviton propagator from Lagrangian field theory by taking into account the necessary fact that in the functional differential approach of quantum field theory, in order to generate non‐linearities in gravitation and interactions with matter, the external source Tμν, coupled to the gravitational field, should a priori not be conserved ∂μ Tμν≠ 0, so variations with respect to its ten components may be varied independently. The resulting propagator is the one which arises in the functional approach and does not coincide with the corresponding time‐ordered product of two fields and it includes so‐called Schwinger terms. The quantization is carried out in a gauge corresponding to physical states with two polarization states to ensure positivity in quantum applications.
Some aspects of c = ‐2 theory
Authors: Rajabpour M.A. , Rouhani S. , Saberi A.A. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractWe investigate some aspects of the c = ‐2 logarithmic conformal field theory (LCFT). At first, we calculate some correlators of logarithmic conformal fields which have third order singular OPE with the energy‐momentum tensor. Then, we argue about the fields in the c = ‐2 model which are associated with this kind of more general logarithmic primary fields. We go on to find fermionic representations for all the fields in the extended Kac table, in particular the untwisted sector. Moreover, we calculate the various OPEs of the fields, especially for the logarithmic energy‐momentum tensor and by using these OPEs we find the exact finite transformation of this field. We briefly discuss about the important role of the zero modes in the c = ‐2 model. Finally we consider the perturbation of this theory and its relationship with integrable models, and generalization of Zamalodchikov's c‐theorem.
Isolation of nucleotide binding site‐leucine rich repeat and kinase resistance gene analogues from sugarcane (Saccharum spp.)
Authors: Glynn Neil C , Comstock Jack C , Sood Sushma G , Dang Phat M , Chaparro Jose X 
Published: October 2007

AbstractBACKGROUND: Resistance gene analogues (RGAs) have been isolated from many crops and offer potential in breeding for disease resistance through marker‐assisted selection, either as closely linked or as perfect markers. Many R‐gene sequences contain kinase domains, and indeed kinase genes have been reported as being proximal to R‐genes, making kinase analogues an additionally promising target. The first step towards utilizing RGAs as markers for disease resistance is isolation and characterization of the sequences.RESULTS: Sugarcane clone US01‐1158 was identified as resistant to yellow leaf caused by the sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) and moderately resistant to rust caused by Puccinia melanocephala Sydow & Sydow. Degenerate primers that had previously proved useful for isolating RGAs and kinase analogues in wheat and soybean were used to amplify DNA from sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) clone US‐01‐1158. Sequences generated from 1512 positive clones were assembled into 134 contigs of between two and 105 sequences. Comparison of the contig consensuses with the NCBI sequence database using BLASTx showed that 20 had sequence homology to nuclear binding site and leucine rich repeat (NBS‐LRR) RGAs, and eight to kinase genes. Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences with similar sequences from the NCBI database allowed the identification of several conserved domains. The alignment and resulting phenetic tree showed that many of the sequences had greater similarity to sequences from other species than to one another.CONCLUSION: The use of degenerate primers is a useful method for isolating novel sugarcane RGA and kinase gene analogues. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of these genes in disease resistance. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preference of birds for zinc phosphide bait formulations
Authors: Jacob Jens , Leukers Angela 
Published: October 2007

AbstractBACKGROUND: Zinc phosphide baits are used for controlling pest rodents but are also highly toxic to other vertebrates. The base for rodent baits containing zinc phosphide is usually wheat kernels which are highly attractive to birds. In this study, wheat‐based pellets of different shapes and colours without zinc phosphide were tested for their attractiveness for pigeons (Columba livia Gmelin) and Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica Temm. & Schleg.) in aviaries and for pigeons and corvids (Corvus monedula L., Corvus corone L., Pica pica L.) in the field.RESULTS: In aviaries, wheat was clearly preferred over other bait. In the field, some bait formulations were avoided by birds in certain conditions. However, no formulation was avoided consistently across species to lower the potential uptake of zinc phosphide below the LD50 for highly susceptible bird species (8 mg kg−1 body weight). The formulations that were not rapidly eaten by birds (blue granules, red lentil‐shaped pellets) were not avoided consistently at low and high vegetative cover.CONCLUSIONS: The bait formulations tested may not considerably enhance the safety of birds when using zinc phosphide for rodent control. Field testing other combinations of bait colour and shape to minimise background contrast may result in bait with higher potential for bird protection. Copyright Jens Jacob and Angela Leukers, employees of the Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Germany. Printed with permission
Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of YbSb2Te4
Authors: Guloy Amado S. , Gascoin Franck , Chamoire Audrey , Tedenac Jean Claude , Snyder G. Jeffrey 
Published: October 2007

AbstractThe study of the ternary phase diagram Yb–Sb–Te has led to the synthesis of YbSb2Te4 as a pure phase by way of high energy ball milling followed by annealing, whereas typical high temperature powder metallurgy leads to multiphase sample with impurities of the very stable YbTe. The Hall mobility, Seebeck coefficient, electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of the layered compound YbSb2Te4 were measured in the range of 20–550 °C. The thermoelectric figure of merit peaks at 525 K and reaches 0.5. Of particular interest is the very low lattice thermal conductivity (as low as a glass) which makes YbSb2Te4 and related compounds promising thermoelectric materials. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Study on [(4‐substituted benzoylamino)phenylmethyl]phosphonic acid diisopropyl esters under electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric conditions
Authors: Fang Hua , Fang Mei‐juan , Zhu Chang‐jin , Liu Lin‐na , Zhao Yu‐Fen 
Published: October 2007

AbstractPhosphonate esters were synthesized and investigated by positive ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) in conjunction with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). It was found that for the sodiated adduct there were two novel rearrangement reactions, in which the phosphoryl oxygen atom migrated to the carbonyl carbon and a cleavage occurred at the amide bond, or a benzylamine fragment was lost and the phosphorus was reduced. However, when the methyl group substituted for the isopropyl group, these migrations were inhibited. A possible mechanism was proposed, and high‐resolution mass spectrometry was applied to identify the formula of these novel ions. These results showed that ESI‐MS is a useful tool for the structural determination of phosphonate esters. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.