bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identifying predictors of treatment response
Authors: Yoder Paul , Compton Don 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThis article provides a rationale for considering predictors of growth in a treatment group as inadequate to identifying predictors of treatment response. When we interpret predictors of growth in a treatment group as synonymous with predictors of treatment response, we implicitly attribute all of the treated children's growth to the treatment, an untenable assumption under most conditions. We also contend that the use of standard scores in predictors of growth studies does not allow us to differentiate growth from treatment, from growth from other factors. We present two research methodologies that are appropriate methods of identifying predictors of treatment response: (a) single‐subject experimental logic utilized to identify the specific participants in which treatment responses (not just growth) were found, combined with follow‐up group comparison logic to identify the characteristics on which responders and nonresponders differ, and (b) statistical interactions among child/family/context characteristics and randomly assigned group membership. Principles for selecting potential predictors of treatment response are provided. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2004;10:162–168.
The impact of developmental speech and language impairments on the acquisition of literacy skills
Authors: Schuele C. Melanie 
Published: December 2004

AbstractChildren with developmental speech/language impairments are at higher risk for reading disability than typical peers with no history of speech/language impairment. This article reviews the literacy outcomes of children with speech/language impairments, clarifying the differential risk for three groups of children: speech production impairments alone, oral language impairments alone, and speech production and oral language impairments. Children at greatest risk for reading and writing disabilities are children with language impairments alone and children with comorbid speech impairments and language impairments. For children with speech impairments alone, there is limited risk for literacy difficulties. However, even when reading skills are within the average range, children with speech impairments may have difficulties in spelling. Children with language impairments are likely to display reading deficits in word decoding and reading comprehension. It is not clear what role early literacy interventions play in the amelioration of reading difficulties in these populations. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2004;10:176–183.
Self‐injurious behavior and the efficacy of naltrexone treatment: A quantitative synthesis
Authors: Symons Frank J. , Thompson Andrea , Rodriguez Michael C. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractPeople with mental retardation, autism, and related developmental disabilities who self‐injure are treated with a wide array of behavioral techniques and psychotropic medications. Despite numerous reports documenting short‐term and some long‐term changes in self‐injury associated with the opiate antagonist naltrexone hydrochloride, no quantitative review of its efficacy has been reported. We conducted a quantitative synthesis of the peer‐reviewed published literature from 1983 to 2003 documenting the use of naltrexone for the treatment of self‐injurious behavior (SIB). Individual‐level results were analyzed given subject and study characteristics. A sample of 27 research articles involving 86 subjects with self‐injury was reviewed. Eighty percent of subjects were reported to improve relative to baseline (i.e., SIB reduced) during naltrexone administration and 47% of subjects SIB was reduced by 50% or greater. In studies reporting dose levels in milligrams, males were more likely than females to respond. No significant relations were found between treatment outcomes and autism status or form of self‐injury. Results are discussed with respect to future efficacy work related to study outcomes and the pharmacological treatment of self‐injury. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2004;10:193–200.
Importance of treatment efficacy research on language comprehension in MR/DD research
Authors: Gillum Heather , Camarata Stephen 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe purpose of this review is to discuss the importance of treatment efficacy research in language comprehension in MR/DD populations. Although receptive language deficit is an integral part of most MR/DD typologies, there have been relatively few studies evaluating the effectiveness or efficacy of treatment for this condition. Recently, there has been increased attention placed on auditory processing in children with disabilities, an aspect of cognition related to receptive language, but there have also been few studies investigating the effectiveness or efficacy of training designed to improve auditory processing. In addition to arguing that additional studies in this area are needed, the review includes several theoretical frameworks for addressing the treatment of receptive language deficits in MR/DD. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2004;10:201–207.
Joint attention and children with autism: A review of the literature
Authors: Bruinsma Yvonne , Koegel Robert L. , Koegel Lynn Kern 
Published: December 2004

AbstractPreverbal communication and joint attention have long been of interest to researchers and practitioners. Both attending to social partners and sharing attentional focus between objects or events and others precede the onset of a child's first lexicon. In addition, these prelinguistic acts also appear to have important implications with regard to learning to socialize. The construct of joint attention has been noted as an early developing area prior to the transition to symbolic communication. Thus, the importance of joint attention in typically developing children, and the lack thereof in children with autism, has interested researchers for use in diagnosis and intervention for autism. That is, joint attention has been gaining momentum as an area that not only helps characterize children with autism, but also as a prognostic indicator and a potential intervention goal. In this paper, the status of the literature about initiation of joint attention by young typically developing children and young children with autism was examined. Empirical studies regarding joint attention behaviors, including eye gaze alternation, the use of protodeclaratives and protoimperatives, and studies that investigated joint attention as a predictor of language acquisition were reviewed. Possible areas for future research for children with autism are discussed. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2004;10:169–175.
Synthesis and characterization of novel photosensitive polyimide based on 5‐(2,5‐dioxotetrahydrofuryl)‐3‐methyl‐3‐cyclohexene‐1,2‐dicarboxylic anhydride
Authors: Chung Eun Young , Choi Sung Mook , Sim Hyun Bo , Kim Kwang Kyu , Kim Dong Suck , Kim Kyung Jun , Yi Mi Hye 
Published: December 2004

AbstractA negative type photosensitive polyimide with alicyclic moiety (NPI) was synthesized from 5‐(2,5‐dioxotetrahydrofuryl)‐3‐methyl‐3‐cyclohexene‐1,2‐dicarboxylic anhydride and 4,4‐diaminobenzophenone by one‐step polymerization in m‐cresol. Properties of the polyimides were characterized and a photo‐crosslinking mechanism was investigated using DEPT 13C‐NMR and FT‐IR spectroscopy. The negative polyimide showed good photosensitivity on exposure to UV light from a mercury xenon lamp. The polyimide showed remarkable solubility difference after photo‐ irradiation with an exposure dose of 500 mJ/cm2. The resulting negative pattern of the photo‐cured NPI exhibited 10 μm resolution. Glass transition temperature of the photo‐crosslinked polyimide was about 307°C, which increased by 10°C compared to that of the polyimide before UV exposure. Transmittance of NPI after photo‐irradiation was about 87% at 500 nm. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis of new hydrogels based on the macromolecular reaction of citraconic anhydride copolymers with γ‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS)
Authors: Barsbay Murat , Can Hatice Kaplan , Güner Ali , Rzaev Zakir M. O. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThis work describes the synthesis and macromolecular reactions of citraconic anhydride (CA)–acrylamide (AAm) binary reactive copolymers with γ‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) as a polyfunctional crosslinker. Copolymers with given composition of poly(CA‐alt‐AAm) were synthesized by radical binary copolymerization with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as an initiator in benzene at 70°C in nitrogen atmosphere with initial monomer ratio 1 : 1. It was shown that the network structure is formed in poly(CA‐alt‐AAm)/APTS in water by intermolecular reactions between the anhydride unit and the amine group, as well as between the ethoxysilyl fragment and free carboxyl groups of the CA unit and amide unit of AAm. Swelling parameters such as beginning time of the hydrogel‐formation, initial rate of the swelling, swelling rate constant, equilibrium swelling and equilibrium water content were determined for the copolymer/APTS/water system with certain (2.75 : 1) copolymer/crosslinker ratio. Formation of a hyperbranched network structure through the fragmentation of side‐chain reactive groups in studied systems was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) method. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface modification of epoxy‐functionalized acrylate colloids
Authors: Kramer Thomas , Röder Thorsten , Huber Klaus , Kitzerow Heinz‐Siegfried 
Published: December 2004

AbstractA synthetic route towards surface modified, monodisperse, spherical particles is presented. The precursor particles exhibit epoxy‐functionalities which can be opened afterwards with an appropriate nucleophile. Via this route, dye labeled particles are obtained. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pyroelectric investigations of a hydrogen bonded ferroelectric liquid crystal gel by LIMM
Authors: Li Jianjun , Geschke Dieter 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe laser intensity modulation method (LIMM) is employed to determine spatially resolved polarization distributions in sandwich cells containing a hydrogen‐bonded ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) gel. At no external electric fields, contributions to the distributions at the surface of the FLC layer are dominating in all the samples with different concentration of gel former. These are attributed to non‐vanishing polarization due to surface interaction. In this case, the effect of hydrogen‐bonded network on the polarization distribution is not visible. In external electric fields, additional contribution to the resulting distribution caused by the induced polarization due to unwinding the FLC helix has been observed. Furthermore, the influence of hydrogen‐bonded network on the polarization distribution is also detected when the gel former content is increased up to 5.0 wt%. Therein the shape of the measured pyrospectra is completely different to other FLC gel samples with lower gel former concentration, where their maximum distributions still locate at the surface of FLC layer which is comparable to the initial field‐free state. These result indicate that the helical structure and orientation director of FLC are able to be stabilized effectively by the gel network even under strong external electric field. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Crystallization of bisphenol‐A polycarbonate by a vacuum process
Authors: Mochizuki Hiroyuki , Mizokuro Toshiko , Tanigaki Nobutaka , Hiraga Takashi , Ueno Ichiro 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe surface of bisphenol‐A‐polycarbonate (BAPC) showing a stable amorphous state can be crystallized by the “vapor transportation method”. Crystallized BAPC was employed as the novel simple storage medium and bit patterns were recorded on its surface by laser irradiation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Copolymers of (2‐oxo‐2‐tert‐butylamino)ethylene methacrylate and styrene: synthesis, characterization and monomer reactivity ratios
Authors: Erol Ibrahim , Yavuz Fuat 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe free‐radical copolymerization of (2‐oxo‐2‐tert‐butylamino)ethylene methacrylate (TBAMA) with styrene was carried out in 1,4‐dioxane at 65 ± 1 °C. The copolymers were characterized by FTIR, 13C‐NMR and 1H‐NMR spectroscopic methods. The copolymer compositions were determined by elemental analysis. The weight‐average and number‐average molecular weights of the copolymers were obtained by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thermal properties of the polymers were also studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The monomer reactivity ratios were calculated according to the general copolymerization equation using Kelen–Tüdõs and Fineman–Ross linearization methods. The thermal decomposition activation energies of the polymers were evaluated by the multiple heating rate kinetics (MHRK) method. The antibacterial and antifungal effects of the copolymers were also investigated on various bacteria and fungi. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry
Kinetic solvent deuterium isotope effect in transesterification of RNA models
Authors: Virtanen Noora , Polari Lauri , Välilä Maria , Mikkola Satu 
Published: December 2004

Abstract2‐Methylbenzimidazole ribonucleoside arylphosphates (1a,b) and alkylphosphates (2a,b) were synthesized as RNA model compounds containing a minimised number of exchangeable protons. Intramolecular transesterification of these substrates was studied in H2O and D2O solutions over a wide pL range and apparent kinetic solvent deuterium isotope effects of the alkaline cleavage of both substrates and of the cleavage and isomerisation of 2a under neutral and acidic conditions were determined. The observed k/k of 4.9 obtained for the alkaline cleavage of the arylphosphate 1b can be primarily attributed to the ΔpK of the attacking nucleophile. The alkyl leaving group in 2a brings about an additional 1.5‐fold isotope effect (k/k of 7.1 observed), which, considering the pL–dependence of the reaction, can not be explained by a process involving a proton transfer. Differences in solvation of the transition state are tentatively suggested as a source of the difference. In contrast to alkaline cleavage, under neutral and acidic conditions the cleavage and isomerisation of 2a showed no apparent solvent isotope effect. Several examples found in the literature show that intramolecular proton transfer from phosphate to the leaving group in pre‐equilibria may not necessarily result in an observable solvent isotope effect. This may also explain the results obtained in the present work, since intramolecular proton transfer processes take place in transesterification reactions of 2a under neutral and acidic conditions. Relevance of the results obtained in the base catalysed cleavage to hammerhead ribozyme reaction is briefly discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
‘Induced‐fit’ binding of an aryl phosphate by a macrobicyclic dicationic cyclodextrin derivative
Authors: Hauser Steven L. , Smith Paul J. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBinding of an aryl phosphate ester with a dicationic cyclodextrin derivative was compared to that with an analogous, more conformationally restricted cyclodextrin. Binding of the latter host occurs with an unexpected increase in binding free energy, resulting from an increase in binding enthalpy. A structural basis for this difference involving ‘induced‐fit’ binding is proposed based on NMR experiments with the free host and the complex. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Alpha2 macroglobulin, a PSA binding protein, is expressed in human prostate stroma
Authors: Lin Victor K. , Wang Shih‐Ya , Boetticher Nicholas C. , Vazquez Dolores V. , Saboorian Hossein , McConnell John D. , Roehrborn Claus G. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBACKGROUNDBenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is characterized as a stromal process. The stroma smooth muscle (SM) may alter its phenotype during the progression of BPH. We have identified gene transcripts that may be differentially expressed in BPH using a differential display method. Among the fragments isolated, α2 macroglobulin (α2‐M) is one of the most interesting. α2‐M is a binding protein of a variety of proteinases, including prostatic specific antigen (PSA). It also plays roles in molecular trapping and targeting. In this study, we characterized α2‐M expression in the human prostate.METHODSDifferential display was used to identify and isolate the differentially expressed transcripts between normal prostate and BPH tissues. RT‐PCR, Western blot, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry were utilized to confirm and characterize α2‐M expression in the prostate.RESULTSReal‐time RT‐PCR results revealed that a 3.2‐fold increase in α2‐M mRNA expression is observed in BPH compared with normal prostate tissue. A 1.9‐fold increase at protein level was also observed. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed that α2‐M expression is primarily localized to the stromal compartment. Cultured primary stroma cells maintained α2‐M expression, while prostate epithelial cells had a significantly lower level of α2‐M expression. Furthermore, stromal cells in culture produce and secrete α2‐M in the medium.CONCLUSIONSWe identified α2‐M expression in the human prostate. An increased α2‐M expression appears to be associated with BPH. Considering the unique features of its protein binding and targeting properties, α2‐M expressed in the prostate may play an important role in regulating benign and malignant prostatic growth. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Contribution of the functional dyad of animal toxins acting on voltage‐gated Kv1‐type channels
Authors: Mouhat Stephanie , De Waard Michel , Sabatier Jean‐Marc 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe ‘functional dyad’, a well‐defined pair of amino acid residues (basic and hydrophobic residues), is a key molecular determinant present in most animal toxins acting on voltage‐gated Kv1 channels. It is increasingly used as a working concept to explain how toxins are able to recognize and block their specific ion channel targets. However, other crucial toxin determinants are emerging and the actual role of this ‘functional dyad’ ought to be clarified, which is the object of the present mini‐review. Copyright © 2004 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Absorption and luminescence characteristics of optically thin conjugated polymer films
Authors: Yang L. , Wu P. , Yeh H. , Zeng L. , Zhang Q. , Liu X. , Gu P. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractPoly[(2‐methoxy,5‐octoxy)1,4‐phenylenevinylene] (MO‐PPV) optically thin films have been prepared from their chloroform solutions of different concentrations. Then their UV–Vis absorption (Abs), photoluminescence (PL), and selective‐excitation photoluminescence (SEPL) spectra have been measured at room temperature. The position of S0 → S1 absorption peak shows red shift and broadened relative to that in MO‐PPV solution form due to solidation effect, while no relative shifts between the absorption spectra of these film samples are observed. A “long‐wavelength tail” appears in Abs spectra which should attribute to the disorder morphology of these thin films. A long‐wavelength emission component near 630 nm has been identified as S2 → S0 vibronic band through Gaussian decomposition method and confirmed by below‐gap PL and selective‐excitation PL experiments. This absorption tail and the second vibronic band cannot be observed in thick films. The PL efficiency of MEH‐PPV thin film and that of MO‐PPV thin film are also compared and explained by the side substituent effect, which can be proved both by theoretical simulation of interchain interactions and by comparing their morphology in film forms. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Optical characteristics of thin rf sputtered Ta2O5 layers
Authors: Babeva Tz. , Atanassova E. , Koprinarova J. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe optical properties of rf sputtered (30; 52 nm) Ta2O5 before and after O2 annealing at 1173 K have been investigated in the terms of storage capacitor applications for high density dynamic memories. Refractive index and thickness of the films are determined from transmittance and reflectance measurements at normal light incidence in the spectral range 400–800 nm. The film density explored by refractive index is improved with increasing film thickness as well as after annealing. The optical band gap is found to be 4.20 eV for 30 nm and 4.12 eV for 52 nm Ta2O5 regardless of the amorphous status of the layers‐amorphous (as‐deposited) or polycrystalline (annealed layers). (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Photo‐ and radioluminescence of Pr‐doped Lu3Al5O12 single crystal
Authors: Nikl M. , Ogino H. , Krasnikov A. , Beitlerova A. , Yoshikawa A. , Fukuda T. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractPhoto‐ and radioluminescence characteristics of the Pr3+‐doped Lu3Al5O12 single crystal are reported and compared with those of Pr‐doped Y3Al5O12. With respect to the Y3Al5O12 host, lower emission quenching and better temperature stability round 300 K is obtained for the Pr3+ 5d–4f emission peaking round 308 nm and about a factor 2 higher radioluminescence intensity is observed around this temperature. The photoluminescence decay time is of about 17 ns, while the scintillation decay is dominated by the component of about 25 ns. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Intangible benefits of CMM‐based software process improvement
Authors: Hyde Kevin , Wilson David 
Published: December 2004

AbstractMany software organisations today are endeavouring to improve their software development processes to improve product quality, project team productivity and reduce development cycle times, thereby increasing their competitiveness and profitability.The Sydney‐based development section of a telecommunications outsourced organisation selected the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) as their model‐based approach to software process improvement. CMM‐based software process improvement may deliver both tangible and intangible benefits to an organisation. Both types of benefits have been reported in the literature by organisations that have undertaken CMM‐based software process improvement. The objective of this study is to investigate whether the case study development organisation, having recently been assessed at Level 2 on the CMM, is realising any intangible benefits.Survey‐based research was conducted in the development organisation during the early 2000s to find out from software professionals if they believed the intangible benefits were being realised. The survey results showed that the organisation had experienced improvements in the quality of work life, organisation communications, organisation learning and efficiencies, the ability to attract, retain and develop software professionals and the coherency of its organisation culture. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.