bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Microbial detection, surface morphology, and thermal stability of cotton and cotton/polyester fabrics treated with antimicrobial formulations by a radiation method
Authors: Zohdy M. H. , Abdel Kareem H. , El‐Naggar A. M. , Hassan M. S. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractCotton and cotton/polyester fabrics were treated with a proposed antimicrobial formulation based on zinc oxide (ZnO), Impron MTP (binder), and Setamol WS (dispersing agent) under the effect of γ irradiation. The effect of this treatment on the growth of certain bacteria (Bacillus subtilis) and fungi (Aspergillus niger) was studied. In general, it has been confirmed that ZnO ratio is an inhibitory factor on the growth of both microbes. As a result of treatment of cotton fabrics, as an example, the B. subtilis counts were decreased by 4 log cycles whereas the A. niger count was decreased by 2 log cycles. This finding was illustrated by observing the surface microstructure of the fabrics after they had been buried in a moist soil for two weeks. The deterioration in the weaving structure of the nontreated was so strong that it could not distinguish the strings forming the fabric. On the basis of microbial detection, it was found that the treatment with ZnO formulation causes a net reduction in the bacterial cells amounts to 78 and 62% in the case of treated cotton and cotton/polyester fabrics while the net reduction in the fungi was calculated to be 80.7 and 32%, respectively. However, it was found that the treatment with ZnO formulation caused a reduction in the thermal stability of the fabrics as indicated by thermogravimetric analysis. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 2604–2610, 2003
H2‐O influence on antigen presentation in H2‐E‐expressing mice
Authors: Alfonso Christopher , Williams G. Stuart , Karlsson Lars 
Published: June 2003

AbstractMHC class II molecules sample peptides generated in the endosomal/lysosomal system for cell surface presentation to CD4+ T cells. Peptide loading requires the endosomal/lysosomal resident HLA‐DM (DM; H2‐DM, mouse), but in B cells, DM is tightly associated with HLA‐DO (DO; H2‐O, mouse). We have previously shown that H2‐O differentially modulates the processing and presentation ofdifferent antigenic epitopes on H2‐Ab molecules. Using H2‐Ead‐transgenic mice, we here show that presentation of different epitopes by H2‐Ed/b molecules is similarly influenced by H2‐O after membrane immunoglobulin‐mediated uptake of antigen. In addition, B cells from H2‐Ead‐transgenic mice (which co‐express H2‐Ab and H2‐Ed/b molecules) show an altered pattern of presentation of H2‐Ab‐restricted epitopes. In H2‐Ead‐transgenic, H2‐O‐deficient mice, further changes in the peptide repertoire were observed. Thus, H2‐Ed/b expression influences the epitopes presented by H2‐Ab, and this effect is further altered by expression of H2‐O.
Health‐seeking behaviour and rural/urban variation in Kazakhstan
Authors: Thompson Robin , Miller Nigel , Witter Sophie 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThis paper seeks to analyse the findings of an extensive household survey, uncovering interesting evidence of variation in health‐seeking behaviour across rural and urban areas due, it is suggested, to differences in real costs, quality of care, and perceptions of the value of health and health care. It is shown that, ceteris paribus, urban households in Kazakhstan are more likely to consult, to be admitted to hospital, to report illness, and will spend relatively more on health care.The data suggest the need for further qualitative study into the factors underlying these patterns leading to strategies to increase the quality, acceptability and affordability of rural health services. This is important given the decline in health indicators such as life expectancy in Kazakhstan and the increased burden on households of funding health care in a time of economic insecurity and deterioration of public services. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design and analysis of unit cost estimation studies: How many hospital diagnoses? How many countries?
Authors: Glick Henry A. , Orzol Sean M. , Tooley Joseph F. , Polsky Daniel , Mauskopf Josephine O. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractWe evaluated three questions that commonly arise when unit costing exercises for multinational trials are conducted: (1) In countries where investigators plan to collect hospital unit cost estimates for a selected set of diagnoses, how should one estimate unit costs for the remaining diagnoses observed in the trial for which cost data were not collected? (2) For how many hospital diagnoses should estimates be obtained? (3) For how many countries should they be obtained? We addressed these questions using unit cost data collected in four western European countries and three relative value measures from the US Medicare diagnosis‐related group (DRG) payment system.We found that the arithmetic mean length of stay from the US DRG payment system was a good predictor of unit costs in four countries in Europe. We also found that the imputation error decreased as the number of hospital diagnoses and countries sampled increased, but that the rate of reduction in error shrank. Finally, we found that – given the existence of a reliable method for cost imputation – from a pure information standpoint, it is better to obtain estimates for fewer hospital diagnoses from more countries than the reverse. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An inquiry into the different perspectives that can be used when eliciting preferences in health
Authors: Dolan Paul , Olsen Jan Abel , Menzel Paul , Richardson Jeff 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThere are a number of perspectives that an individual could be asked to adopt in studies designed to elicit preferences for use in informing resource allocation decisions in health care. This paper develops a conceptual framework that clearly distinguishes between six different perspectives. It is argued that the appropriate perspective to use depends on normative considerations and the particular policy context to which it will be applied. We suggest a future research agenda that explicitly addresses these considerations and which involves direct empirical investigation into the effect of perspective on preferences. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increasing incidence of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma in Canada, 1970–1996: age–period–cohort analysis
Authors: Liu Shiliang , Semenciw Robert , Mao Yang 
Published: June 2003

AbstractPrevious studies have shown that the incidence of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) has increased in many parts of the world in recent decades. Using data obtained from the Canadian Cancer Registry, the present study examined time trends in NHL incidence in Canada between 1970 and 1996 and the effects of age, period of diagnosis and birth cohort on incidence patterns for each sex separately. Results showed that overall age‐adjusted incidence rates increased substantially, from 7.3 and 5.2 per 100 000 in 1970–1971 to 14.0 and 10.0 per 100 000 in 1995–1996 in males and females, respectively. Diffuse lymphoma was the major histological subtype, accounting for approximately 76% of NHL cases over the 27‐year period. The data suggest that period effects have played a major role, although birth cohort effects may also have been involved. Sex‐specific patterns of the incidence were similar over the time period of diagnosis but were distinct among recent birth cohorts. In conclusion, there is in fact a marked increase in NHL in Canada which cannot be explained in terms of improvements in diagnosis, changes in NHL classification and the increase in AIDS‐associated NHL alone. The birth cohort effect in NHL suggests that changes in risk factors may have contributed to the observed increase. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biodistribution study of phosphonolipids: a class of non‐viral vectors efficient in mice lung‐directed gene transfer
Authors: Delépine P. , Guillaume C. , Montier T. , Clément J. C. , Yaouanc J. J. , Des Abbayes H. , Berthou F. , Le Pape A. , Férec C. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractBackgroundA multitude of cationic lipids have been synthesized since they were first proposed for use in gene therapy. Cationic lipids are able to efficiently transfect cells both in vitro and in vivo. Whereas most research groups have focused their investigations on the toxicity of these molecules, and on the location of expression of the DNA transferred by these vectors, little has been done to determine their biodistribution and elimination pathways. Our group has developed a family of cationic lipids termed phosphonolipids. Following a large in vitro screening experiment, we have selected several molecules for in vivo testing, with some of these phosphonolipids forming lipoplexes efficient in transfecting mouse lungs. It was thus of interest to study their fate after intravenous injection.MethodsThe respective biodistributions of both the GLB43 phosphonolipid and plasmid DNA were investigated and compared with DNA expression sites. Using the optimal conditions determined for phosphonolipids, we followed the gene transfer agent and plasmid DNA distributions versus time by radiolabeling them with 14C and 32P, respectively. Otherwise, we performed imaging by radiolabeling plasmid DNA with 99mTc.ResultsThe lipoplexes appear to be directly located in the lung after administration. Secondly, the plasmid is released mainly into the lungs and the phosphonolipid vector is rapidly degraded. The hydrophilic moiety of the phosphonolipid is eliminated in the urine, as is the free plasmid.ConclusionsThis study reveals that there are slight differences in the observed results depending on the technique used to label the DNA; secondly, results show that the residence time of phosphonolipids in the mouse body is related to the DNA binding time. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Variations of the climatological growing season (1951–2000) in Germany compared with other countries
Authors: Menzel Annette , Jakobi Gert , Ahas Rein , Scheifinger Helfried , Estrella Nicole 
Published: June 2003

AbstractWe analyse how variations in the climatological growing season, defined by single‐value thresholds of daily minimum and mean air temperature, mirror recent changes in plant phenological phases. In Germany (1951–2000, 41 climate stations), the dates of last spring frost Tmin < 0 °C (<−3 °C and <−5 °C) advance by 0.24 (0.23 and 0.32) days per year on average, and the first day when the daily mean temperature constantly exceeds 5 °C (7 °C and 10 °C) advances by 0.13 (0.21 and 0.09) days per year. The respective autumn dates are delayed up to 0.25 days per year; in total, the climatological growing season is lengthened by 0.11 to 0.49 days per year, depending on the criterion analysed. However, a certain station‐to‐station variability is displayed. Mean trends of phenological phases correspond well to those measures of the climatological growing season having similar seasonal occurrence. Thus, for example, the extension of the growing seasons of trees (up to 0.22 days per year) averages the lengthening of the period where the daily mean temperature constantly exceeds 5 °C (0.23 days per year). However, the greatest changes result for the lengthening of the frost‐free period (0.49 days per year) due to the observed stronger increase in daily minimum rather than maximum temperatures. Consequently, trees may not take advantage of the frost‐free season as before, but may profit from a reduced risk of damage by late spring frosts.A parallel evaluation of trends in the climatological growing season in other European countries (Austria, Switzerland, Estonia) supports this finding of a stronger lengthening of the frost‐free period than that of the growing season based on daily mean air temperature. The mean lengthening of the frost‐free period of 0.50 days per year in Austria and Switzerland (1951–99, 18 stations <950 m a.s.l.) and 0.34 days per year in Estonia (1951–2000, two stations) is quite similar to that in Germany. The lengthening of the growing season (Tmean≥7 °C) in Austria and Switzerland (0.39 days per year) also approximates the respective result for Germany (0.36 days per year). However, in several cases, the trends increase with altitude (up to 500–900 m a.s.l.), but at high‐elevation climate stations (>950 m a.s.l.) weaker trends are again generally observed. Copyright © 2003 Royal Meteorological Society
Testing consumers' motivation and linguistic ability as moderators of advertising readability
Authors: Chebat Jean‐Charles , Gelinas‐Chebat Claire , Hombourger Sabrina , Woodside Arch G. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe present study focuses on testing rival hypotheses regarding the effects of advertising readability: Are the effects of readability on cognitive responses and attitudes moderated by the readers' motivation or by their linguistic ability? A two (low/high involvement) by two (strong/weak arguments) by two (low/high readability) factorial design was used to test the hypotheses. The findings support the hypothesis that readers' linguistic ability is the dominant influence factor, because low readability significantly reduces the effects of argument strength under both low and high involvement. Psycholinguistic theory provides explanation for the findings. The implications for advertising practice relate to consumers' levels of literacy. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An examination of perceived behavioral control: Internal and external influences on intention
Authors: Kidwell Blair , Jewell Robert D. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractWe explore the dimensionality and structure of internal and external perceived behavioral control, extending research on the relationship between these control components. Two conceptual models were identified and tested in Study 1. External control was manipulated in Study 2 to further explicate hypothesized variation in perceived internal control. The results from both studies provide support for an antecedent relationship between control constructs with external control as an antecedent and internal control as the more proximate determinant of behavioral intent. Theoretical implications of findings are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impaired adrenal function after glucocorticoid therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Petersen Kamilla B. , Müller Jørn , Rasmussen Mette , Schmiegelow Kjeld 
Published: June 2003

AbstractBackgroundGlucocorticoids are commonly used in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of adrenal insufficiency and the time for children with ALL to recover after treatment with the glucorticoids prednisolone or dexamethasone.ProcedureSeventeen children, 2–15 years, with ALL were studied after receiving prednisolone (60 mg/m2/day, n = 10) for 5 weeks during remission induction therapy or dexamethasone (10 mg/m2/day, n = 7) for 3 weeks during reinduction therapy. Both drugs were tapered over 9 days. The adrenal function was assessed by an ACTH stimulation test within 2 weeks after discontinuing glucocorticoid therapy. In case of adrenal insufficiency, the ACTH test was repeated at 3–5 weeks interval, and patients were put on hydrocortisone substitution therapy.ResultsThree out of ten patients had a normal adrenal function within the first 2 weeks after prednisolone therapy. Another three patients recovered within 7 weeks, whereas the remaining four patients still showed adrenal insufficiency at the end of follow‐up after 2.5–4 months. For dexamethasone, two out of seven patients showed a normal adrenal function within the first 2 weeks. Of the remaining patients, two recovered within 7 weeks, whereas three patients still had a demonstrated adrenal insufficiency at the end of follow‐up after 4–8 months.ConclusionsAdrenal insufficiency occurs and may persist for several months in children with ALL after treatment with high doses of prednisolone or dexamethasone. Med Pediatr Oncol 2003;41:110–114. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Schur complement preconditioning for elliptic systems of partial differential equations
Authors: Loghin D. , Wathen A. J. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractOne successful approach in the design of solution methods for saddle‐point problems requires the efficient solution of the associated Schur complement problem. In the case of problems arising from partial differential equations the factorization of the symbol of the operator can often suggest useful approximations for this problem. In this work we examine examples of preconditioners for regular elliptic systems of partial differential equations based on the Schur complement of the symbol of the operator and highlight the possibilities and some of the difficulties one may encounter with this approach. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A latency tolerant hybrid sparse solver using incomplete Cholesky factorization
Authors: Raghavan Padma , Teranishi Keita , Ng Esmond G. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractConsider the solution of large sparse symmetric positive definite linear systems using the preconditioned conjugate gradient method. On sequential architectures, incomplete Cholesky factorizations provide effective preconditioning for systems from a variety of application domains, some of which may have widely differing preconditioning requirements. However, incomplete factorization based preconditioners are not considered suitable for multiprocessors. This is primarily because the triangular solution step required to apply the preconditioner (at each iteration) does not scale well due to the large latency of inter‐processor communication. We propose a new approach to overcome this performance bottleneck by coupling incomplete factorization with a selective inversion scheme to replace triangular solutions by scalable matrix–vector multiplications. We discuss our algorithm, analyze its communication latency for model sparse linear systems, and provide empirical results on its performance and scalability. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation and properties of high molecular weight polyethoxysiloxanes stable to self‐condensation by acid‐catalyzed hydrolytic polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane
Authors: Abe Yoshimoto , Shimano Ryosuke , Arimitsu Koji , Gunji Takahiro 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe acid‐catalyzed controlled hydrolytic polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) provided polyethoxysiloxanes with weight‐average molecular weights of 2300–11,700, which depended on the reaction molar ratios of the water, catalyst, and solvent to TEOS. They were soluble in common organic solvents and stable to self‐condensation and were characterized with high silica contents of up to 67%. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2250–2255, 2003
Photocrosslinkable liquid‐crystalline block copolymers with coumarin units synthesized with atom transfer radical polymerization
Authors: Tian Yanqing , Kong Xiangxing , Nagase Yu , Iyoda Tomokazu 
Published: June 2003

AbstractA new class of liquid‐crystalline (LC) homopolymers of poly{11‐[4‐(3‐ethoxycarbonyl‐coumarin‐7‐oxy)‐carbonylphenyloxy]‐undecyl methacrylate} containing a coumarin moiety as a photocrosslinkable unit with various polymerization degrees and their LC‐coil diblock and LC‐coil‐LC triblock copolymers with polystyrene as the coil segment was synthesized with the atom transfer radical polymerization method. All the homopolymers and block copolymers synthesized here exhibited narrow polydispersities, indicating well‐controlled living polymerization. Differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction confirmed that all the homopolymers and block copolymers exhibit a monolayer smectic A phase. Coumarin moieties in the polymers can be photodimerized under λ > 300 nm light irradiation to yield crosslinked network structures, which improve the thermal stability of a polymer nanostructure because of microphase separation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2197–2206, 2003
Long‐range order in two‐dimensional ferromagnets: Magnetoelastic effects
Authors: Spirin Denis V. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe influence of single‐site anisotropy, dipolar interaction and magnetoelastic coupling on the stabilization of long‐range magnetic order in two‐dimensional ferromagnets is investigated. Emphasis is placed on the magnetoelastic effect. It is shown that in spite of the weakness of this interaction it makes an essential contribution to the stabilization of long‐range ferromagnetic order. Numerical calculations are performed.
Ferroelectric properties of lanthanum and titanium modified SBN ceramic system
Authors: Venet M. , Garcia D. , Eiras J. A. , M'Peko J.‐C. , Amorín H. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe dielectric properties of lanthanum (La) and titanium (Ti) modified SBN ceramics were investigated in this work. The ferroelectric to paraelectric transition temperature is found to be sensitive to the substitution degree of host ions. In particular, high values of permittivity at room temperature and a stable dielectric response in a wide range of temperature, along with low values of dielectric losses, are reported for the solid solution nominally involving the highest lattice vacancies required for electrical neutrality.
Nonlinear effects in domino dynamics of photoinduced phase transitions
Authors: Mykhaylovskyy V. V. , Ogawa T. , Sugakov V. I. 
Published: June 2003

AbstractNonlinear effects on photoinduced phase‐transition domino dynamics in one‐dimensional electron–lattice systems are studied under a condition of the two‐site photoexcitation. The system parameters, i.e. the interaction between atoms, the friction constant, and the distance between the two excited sites, for the domino process to emerge are clarified numerically. It is shown that a region of the existence of the domino dynamics increases significantly in comparison with the case of the single‐site photoexcitation.
Green function study of a mixed spin‐2 and spin‐5/2 Heisenberg ferrimagnetic system on a honeycomb lattice
Authors: Li Jun , Du An , Wei Guozhu 
Published: June 2003

AbstractThe magnetic properties of a mixed spin‐2 and spin‐5/2 Heisenberg ferrimagnetic system on a layered honeycomb lattice are investigated theoretically by a multisublattice Green‐function technique which takes into account the quantum nature of Heisenberg spins. We calculate the sublattice magnetization and the transition temperature of the system as functions of the interlayer coupling and the single‐ion anisotropy, and find that the compensation phenomenon exists in some parameter regime.
First principles total energy calculations of the structural and electronic properties of ScxGa1–xN
Authors: Moreno‐Armenta Maria Guadalupe , Mancera Luis , Takeuchi Noboru 
Published: June 2003

AbstractIn this issue's Editor's Choice [1], results of structural and electronic properties calculations of ScxGa1–xN in the full range of scandium concentrations are presented. Investigations on the relative stability of various configurations have revealed that for x < 0.65, the favoured structure is wurtzite (right figure on the cover) whereas for x > 0.65 it is the rocksalt‐like structure (left figure).The first author, Maria Guadalupe Moreno‐Armenta, received her Ph.D. in Materials Physics from the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada in 2000. She is currently assistant professor at the Centro de Ciencias de la Materia Condensada‐UNAM, México. Her research interests are in the area of solid state science, focused on first principles calculations of electronic structure from bulk semiconductors, mainly nitrides, with the main concern to propose materials for potential technological applications. She has recently started studies about the interaction mechanisms of molecules with the solid surface.