bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nondestructive pollution exposure assessment in the european hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus): III. hair as an indicator of endogenous organochlorine compound concentrations
Authors: D'Havé Helga , Scheirs Jan , Covaci Adrian , Schepens Paul , Verhagen Ron , De Coen Wim 
Published: January 2006

Abstract
Concentrations of organochlorine persistent pollutants were investigated in tissues of the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). Road kills and carcasses from wildlife rescue centers were used to characterize organochlorine compound tissue distribution and tissue profile dissimilarities (hair, liver, kidney, muscle, and adipose tissue). The most important contaminants were polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordanes (CHLs), and DDTs, with median concentrations of 75, 5.1, and 1.4 ng/g liver wet weight, respectively. Median levels for the remaining compounds—hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), and octachlorostyrene—were less than 0.5ng/gliver wet weight. Compared to results with other mammalian wildlife, the present results indicate that hedgehogs may accumulate considerable concentrations of organochlorine compounds. Polychlorinated biphenyls and HCB preferably accumulated in liver and muscle tissue. Concentrations of DDTs and HCHs were highest in muscle tissue and hair, respectively. Octachlorostyrene and CHL levels were predominant in liver. The observed positive relationships between concentrations in hair and internal tissues for PCBs, DDTs, HCB, HCHs, and CHLs (0.49 &lt; r &lt; 0.91) and for several individual PCB, DDT, and CHL compounds (0.31 &lt; r &lt; 0.76) indicate the usefulness of hair as a biomonitoring tool of organochlorine compounds. Multivariate profile analyses revealed a higher dominance of less-persistent compounds (p,p′-DDT, α-HCH, and PCBs 95, 101, and 149) in hair compared to internal tissues. The present study demonstrates the suitability of hedgehog hair as a nondestructive biomonitoring tool regarding pollution with organochlorine compounds and the promising role of the hedgehog as a mammalian indicator species of pollution in terrestrial environments.
μ‐XANES and μ‐XRF Investigations of Metal Binding Mechanisms in Biosolids
Authors: Hettiarachchi G. M. , Scheckel K. G. , Ryan J. A. , Sutton S. R. , Newville M. 
Published: January 2006

ABSTRACTMicro‐X‐ray fluorescence (μ‐XRF) microprobe analysis and micro‐X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure (μ‐XANES) spectroscopy were employed to identify Fe and Mn phases and their association with selected metals in two biosolids (limed composted [LC] and Nu‐Earth) before and after treatment to remove organic carbon (OC). Spatial correlations derived from elemental mapping of XRF images showed strong correlations between Fe and Cd, Cr, Pb, or Zn (r2 = 0.65–0.92) before and after removal of most of the OC. The strong correlation between Fe and Cu that was present in intact samples disappeared after OC removal, suggesting that Cu was associated with OC coatings that may have been present on Fe compounds. Except for Fe and Cr, the spatial correlations of metals with Mn were improved after treatment to remove OC, indicating that the treatment may have altered more than the OC in the system. The Fe μ‐XANES spectra of the intact biosolids sample showed that every point had varying mixtures of Fe(II and III) species and no two points were identical. The lack of uniformity in Fe species in the biosolids sample illustrates the complexity of the materials and the difficulty of studying biosolids using conventional analytical tools or chemical extraction techniques. Still, these microscopic observations provide independent information supporting the previous laboratory and field hypothesis that Fe compounds play a major role in retention of environmentally important trace elements in biosolids. This could be due to co‐precipitation of the metals with Fe, adsorption of metals by Fe compounds, or a combination of both mechanisms.
Multiple‐Year Water Balance of Soil Covers in a Semiarid Setting
Authors: Fayer M. J. , Gee G. W. 
Published: January 2006

ABSTRACTSurface covers are used to isolate contaminants in hazardous and low‐level radioactive sites for time frames ranging from hundreds of years to millennia or more. In the absence of data for such durations, the long‐term performance of surface barriers can only be represented with short‐term tests or inferred from analogs and modeling. This paper provides evidence of field performance of soil covers for periods up to 17 yr. The results of lysimeter studies from a semiarid site in Washington State show that a cover design known as the Hanford Barrier, which consists of 1.5 m of silt loam above a sand–gravel capillary break, can nearly eliminate drainage. The results were similar if plants were present or not, demonstrating the robustness of the design. Furthermore, reducing the silt loam thickness to 1.0 m (as might occur via erosion), with or without plants, did not lead to drainage. When irrigated to mimic 3× average precipitation conditions, the vegetated Hanford Barrier continued to prevent drainage. Overall, the results showed no loss in performance during the 17 yr of testing. Only when plants were eliminated completely from the 3× precipitation test did drainage occur (rates ranged from 6 to 16 mm yr−1). In a separate test, replacing the top 0.2 m of silt loam with dune sand and reducing the plant cover did not lead immediately to the onset of drainage, but soil matric heads within the silt loam noticeably increased. This observation suggests that dune sand migration onto a surface cover has the potential to reduce a cover's ability to minimize deep drainage.
Spatial Patterns of Labile Forms of Phosphorus in a Subtropical Wetland
Authors: Grunwald S. , Corstanje R. , Weinrich B. E. , Reddy K. R. 
Published: January 2006

ABSTRACTPhosphorus (P) has been identified as the key constituent defining wetland productivity, structure, and function. Our goal was to investigate the spatial patterns of total P and three labile forms of P (labile organic, inorganic, and microbial biomass P) across a subtropical wetland located in east‐central Florida, the Blue Cypress Marsh Conservation Area (BCMCA), and link spatial patterns to ecosystem processes. The wetland received a continual input of nutrients primarily from the south and intermittently from the west and east, respectively, which ceased in the mid‐1990s. Since then the marsh system has been undergoing natural succession. We used (i) ordinary kriging to characterize the spatial patterns of total P and labile P forms across the wetland, (ii) local, moving spatial correlations to investigate relationships between total P and labile P forms, and (iii) a clustering technique to link the identified spatial patterns to biogeochemical processes. The spatially explicit analyses revealed patterns of total P and labile P forms as well as changing relationships between variables across the marsh. We were able to distinguish P‐enriched areas from unaffected (“natural”) areas and intermediate zones that are currently undergoing change as P is mobilized and translocated. We also identified areas that are at risk, showing a shift toward a more P‐enriched status. Our results improve our understanding of P and its labile components within a spatially explicit context.
Homo Faber
Authors: Burry Mark 
Published: January 2006

AbstractProfessor Mark Burry's extraordinary and devoted work is nothing short of a measure by which standards for architectural research are set. Known for his investigative use of computational techniques to unravel the mysteries of Gaudí's Sagrada Família Church, he here takes a moment to reflect on where computational technologies in architecture are taking us. His experience suggests that before we abandon old tools for new, this is a good moment to put the brakes on. Hybrid activity, he remarks, demonstrates unequivocal benefits to the design process, and slow design has proven to be indispensable for success. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Walter Pichler
Authors: Dunster David 
Published: January 2006

AbstractThroughout his lifetime, the Austrian‐born artist, maker and recluse Walter Pichler has defied an easy understanding of his work or its purpose. ‘Coming into contact with any product [of Pichler's],’ writes critic David Dunster, ‘elicits for me the sensation of a chilling proximity to the inevitable.’ Pichler, the practitioner of personal obsessions, ‘created a commentary that is far from private but retains the nature of an archetypal investigation’. In a rare look at his work, Dunster here offers us an eloquent personal insight that stirs a potent array of emotion. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Learning in Newbern: Rural Studio in Year Ten
Authors: Forney John 
Published: January 2006

AbstractAmidst the regulated and increasingly fraught business of architectural practice, particularly within its homestead of the town of Newbern, Hale County, Alabama, Rural Studio has entered its second decade as a force to contradict normative modes of architectural education and practice. In the coming years, we will see if the wider consequences triggered by this innovative organisation will take root elsewhere. In the meantime, John Forney's reflective examination of its roots substantiates the condition that, in times of change, the periphery is a place that matters greatly. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Architecture Ensemble
Authors: Johnson Steve 
Published: January 2006

AbstractThe full intent and scope of design is rarely iterated by information alone. Ultimately, it is a team that ensures the work is executed with skill and care. Steve Johnson, project architect for the acclaimed Weald & Downland Gridshell, illustrates how its construction generated an enthusiastic partnership of hands‐on expertise that has since led to the establishment of a new visionary organisation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Local Probing of Photocurrent and Photoluminescence in a Phase‐Separated Conjugated‐Polymer Blend by Means of Near‐Field Excitation
Authors: Riehn R. , Stevenson R. , Richards D. , Kang D.‐J. , Blamire M. , Downes A. , Cacialli F. 
Published: January 2006

AbstractIn this paper scanning near‐field microscopy is used to characterize polymer blends for photovoltaic applications, and fluorescence imaging and photoconductivity are combined to elucidate the spatial distribution and relative efficiency of current generation and photoluminescence in different domains of compositionally heterogeneous films. Focus is placed on a binary system consisting of poly[(9,9‐dioctylfluorene)‐alt‐benzothiadiazole] (F8BT) and poly[(9,9‐dioctylfluorene)‐alt‐(bis(N,N′‐(4‐butylphenyl))‐bis(N,N′‐phenyl‐1,4‐phenylenediamine))] (PFB), spun from xylene solutions, so as to obtain phase separation on micrometer and nanometer length scales. Protruding regions with diameters of about 5 μm in the topography image coincide with regions of high photocurrent (PC) and luminescence; these regions are identified as being F8BT‐rich. A general method to estimate the photoluminescence efficiency in the different domains of phase‐separated blends is proposed. As expected, lack of enhancement of the PC signal at the boundaries between protruding and lower‐lying phases indicate that these microscale boundaries play a small role in the charge generation by exciton splitting. This is consistent with the domains compositional inhomogeneity, and thus with finer phase separation within the domains. We also provide an analysis of the extent to which the metallized probe perturbs the near‐field photocurrent signal by integrating Poisson's equation. Finally, by using a Bethe–Bouwkamp model, the energy absorbed by the polymer film in the different regions is estimated.
Self‐Organized Monolayers: A Route to Conformational Switching and Read‐Out of Functional Supramolecular Assemblies by Scanning Probe Methods
Authors: Hermann B. A. , Scherer L. J. , Housecroft C. E. , Constable E. C. 
Published: January 2006

AbstractSelf‐organized molecular layers provide a promising route to constructing new (switchable) nanodevices and optimizing nanosensors. The design of such molecules involves control of structure and stabilization on the surface, as well as control of functionality. The search for a potentially universal “adapter”, which can control the self‐organization and stabilization on a particular type of surface, is a unique challenge. High‐quality nanoscale imaging using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) provides the means to further such studies. This article reviews our recent STM work on single molecules, self‐assembled monolayers, and self‐organized monolayers, highlighting our application of a general “self‐organizer” for graphite surfaces, i.e., a Fréchet‐type dendron. How powerfully this self‐organizing motif can affect various central components (catalytic, switchable, redox‐active) on a graphite surface is addressed by analyzing self‐organized monolayers of nine different molecules, each containing at least one first‐ or second‐generation Fréchet‐type dendron. In molecular layers containing a “switchable” core, we can detect a large conformational change upon protonation with HCl gas. Last, but not least, the dynamic surface organization properties of the Fréchet‐type dendrons are described.
Synthesis and Characterization of Carbon‐Based Nanoparticles and Highly Magnetic Nanoparticles with Carbon Coatings
Authors: Nesper R. , Ivantchenko A. , Krumeich F. 
Published: January 2006

AbstractThe metal carbides Li2C2, NaHC2, and CaC2, as well as acetylene, have been decomposed thermally and by metathesis reactions with selected transition‐metal halogenides as catalyst precursors in the temperature range of 550–1000 °C. All reactions have been performed in selected salt fluxes which dissolve the ionic carbides and the transition‐metal halogenides and which act as a thermal sink. While the decomposition reactions proceed at the upper temperature range, the metathesis reactions run well at the lower boundary, leading to a large variety of carbonaceous nanomaterials. Optimizations for carbon nanotube and nanofiber formation have been pursued, with the best yields resulting from the use of lithium carbide and acetylene precursors at the lower temperature limit. An influence of an external magnetic field on the carbon‐fiber morphology was found. Highly magnetic iron colloids have been stabilized against air and acids by carbon coating through similar reaction routes. Specific magnetizations of up to 150 emu g–1 (1 emu g–1 = 1 A m2 kg–1) have been found when iron powder was added to the salt melt prior to the decomposition reactions.
Using feasible regions to design and optimize reactive distillation columns with ideal VLE
Authors: Hoffmaster Warren R. , Hauan Steinar 
Published: January 2006

AbstractThe design and optimization of reactive distillation columns using feasibility analysis is addressed. Based on the feasible regions identified in previous work, we present two examples to illustrate the benefits of having feasibility information when locating design alternatives for systems with ideal vapor–liquid equilibrium. The examples include a reactive column for the metathesis of 2‐pentene and a multifeed reactive column with a constant volatility mixture. In the first example, we use the feasible regions to initialize an optimization‐based design strategy. For the second example, we characterize the feasible regions to determine feasible placement strategies for side streams and reactive stages. The design insights gained from feasibility analysis are highlighted for each example. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006
Investigation of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene and tardive dyskinesia
Authors: Richardson Mary Ann , Chao Helen M. , Read Laura L. , Clelland James D. , Suckow Raymond F. 
Published: January 2006

AbstractPhenylketonuria (PKU), an inborn error of phenylalanine metabolism, has been shown to be a risk factor for tardive dyskinesia (TD). In male psychiatric patients there was a significant relationship between TD and measures of plasma phenylalanine following ingestion of a standardized phenylalanine dose that was indicative of higher brain availability of phenylalanine in patients with TD. In addition, a medical food formulation consisting of branched chain amino acids, which compete with phenylalanine for transport across the blood–brain barrier, has been demonstrated to be an efficacious treatment for TD. Cumulatively these findings suggested that TD was related to phenylalanine metabolism and thus that sequence variants in the gene for phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), the rate‐limiting enzyme in the catabolism of phenylalanine, could be associated with TD susceptibility. Genetic screening of PAH in a group of 123 psychiatric patients revealed ten sequence polymorphisms and two mutations, but none appeared to be a significant risk factor for TD. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mitochondrial dysfunction as a cause of axonal degeneration in multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Dutta Ranjan , McDonough Jennifer , Yin Xinghua , Peterson John , Chang Ansi , Torres Thalia , Gudz Tatyana , Macklin Wendy B. , Lewis David A. , Fox Robert J. , Rudick Richard , Mirnics Karoly , Trapp Bruce D. 
Published: January 2006

AbstractObjectiveDegeneration of chronically demyelinated axons is a major cause of irreversible neurological disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Development of neuroprotective therapies will require elucidation of the molecular mechanisms by which neurons and axons degenerate.MethodsWe report ultrastructural changes that support Ca2+‐mediated destruction of chronically demyelinated axons in MS patients. We compared expression levels of 33,000 characterized genes in postmortem motor cortex from six control and six MS brains matched for age, sex, and postmortem interval. As reduced energy production is a major contributor to Ca2+‐mediated axonal degeneration, we focused on changes in oxidative phosphorylation and inhibitory neurotransmission.ResultsCompared with controls, 488 transcripts were decreased and 67 were increased (p < 0.05, 1.5‐fold) in the MS cortex. Twenty‐six nuclear‐encoded mitochondrial genes and the functional activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I and III were decreased in the MS motor cortex. Reduced mitochondrial gene expression was specific for neurons. In addition, pre‐synaptic and postsynaptic components of GABAergic neurotransmission and the density of inhibitory interneuron processes also were decreased in the MS cortex.Interpretation Our data supports a mechanism whereby reduced ATP production in demyelinated segments of upper motor neuron axons impacts ion homeostasis, induces Ca2+‐mediated axonal degeneration, and contributes to progressive neurological disability in MS patients. Ann Neurol 2006
Main‐chain liquid crystalline poly(ester‐amide)s containing lithocholic acid units
Authors: Shaikh V. A. E. , Ubale V. P. , Maldar N. N. , Lonikar S. V. , Rajan C. R. , Ponrathnam S. 
Published: January 2006

AbstractA series of poly(ester‐amide)s based on an ester group containing lithocholic acid derivative [3‐(3‐carboxypropionyl) lithocholic acid] and several aromatic diamines (naphthalene‐1,5‐diamine, 4,4′‐diaminodiphenyl ether, 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane, 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylsulfone, benzidine, m‐phenylenediamine, p‐phenylenediamine, and tetraphenylthiophene diamine) was synthesized and characterized by solubility, viscosity, IR, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and optical microscopy. The polymers were soluble in most of the organic solvents and had inherent viscosities in the range of 0.21–0.38 dL/g. All the polymers exhibited a nematic mesophase, but only on shearing. Thermal transitions due to mesophase formation were not seen in the differential scanning calorimetry thermograms. However, the liquid crystalline character of the polymers was observed under an optical microscope. Thermogravimetric analyses revealed the maximum decomposition temperature was 390–435°C for these polymers. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 73–80, 2006
Extranodal metastasis is an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with gastric carcinoma
Authors: Etoh T , Sasako M , Ishikawa K , Katai H , Sano T , Shimoda T 
Published: January 2006

Abstract

Background
The aim of this study was to determine the clinical significance and prognostic impact of extranodal metastasis (EM) in gastric carcinoma.

Methods
The study included 1023 patients who underwent gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy for primary gastric carcinoma between January 1993 and December 1996. EM was defined as the presence of tumour cells in extramural soft tissue that was discontinuous with either the primary lesion or locoregional lymph nodes.

Results
EM was detected in 146 (14·3 per cent) of the 1023 patients and in 1060 (3·0 per cent) of the 35 811 nodules that were retrieved as ‘lymph nodes’ from adipose connective tissues. The incidence of EM was significantly higher in patients with tumours that were large (diameter 10 cm or more), infiltrative, deeply invading or undifferentiated and in those with lymph node, peritoneal or liver metastases, or lymphatic or vascular involvement. After curative operation overall survival was significantly worse for patients with EM than those without (P &lt; 0·001). Multivariate analysis identified EM as an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio 1·82 (95 per cent confidence interval 1·23 to 2·71); P = 0·003).

Conclusion
EM is an independent prognostic factor and should therefore be included in the tumour node metastasis (TNM) staging system.
Randomized clinical trial comparing scan-directed unilateral versus bilateral cervical exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism due to solitary adenoma
Authors: Russell C F J , Dolan S J , Laird J D 
Published: January 2006

Abstract

Background
It was shown in a previous retrospective study that scan-directed unilateral cervical exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) can be carried out without an increase in the incidence of persistent or recurrent hypercalcaemia. This randomized clinical trial was conducted to test the hypothesis that focused unilateral operation leaves the patient no more vulnerable to persistent HPT than standard bilateral neck exploration.

Methods
Patients with HPT routinely underwent preoperative dual-isotope subtraction scintigraphy in an attempt to localize the presumed solitary parathyroid adenoma. Individuals with a positive scan (one residual focus of activity following subtraction) were deemed suitable for focused unilateral cervical exploration. At operation, if a single tumour was identified at the site suggested by the scan, the patient was randomized to unilateral or bilateral neck exploration.

Results
Between April 1998 and December 2003, 190 patients underwent first-time cervical exploration for HPT. Of these, 100 qualified for randomization. Fifty-four patients were randomized to unilateral neck exploration and 46 to bilateral operation. All 100 patients were cured following operation, as assessed by return of the serum calcium level to normal. Two patients randomized to bilateral exploration were found to have an unsuspected additional enlarged parathyroid on the contralateral side.

Conclusion
Scan-directed unilateral cervical exploration for HPT does not significantly increase the incidence of persistent hypercalcaemia compared with standard bilateral operation.