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Interesting
Kinds of Interesting Terms modified by Interesting Selected AbstractsWHY ARE SOME SCIENCE MUSEUM EXHIBITS MORE INTERESTING THAN OTHERS?CURATOR THE MUSEUM JOURNAL, Issue 3 2000Jay Rounds First page of article [source] IS METAPHYSICAL NIHILISM INTERESTING?PACIFIC PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2009DAVID EFIRD Suppose nothing exists. Then it is true that nothing exists. What makes that true? Nothing! So it seems that if nothing existed, then the principle that every truth is made true by something (the truthmaker principle) would be false. So if it is possible that nothing exists, a claim often called ,metaphysical nihilism', then the truthmaker principle is not necessary. This paper explores various ways to resolve this conflict without restricting metaphysical nihilism in such a way that it would become trivial and uninteresting. [source] De Novo Malignant Eccrine Spiradenoma with an Interesting and Unusual LocationDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 4 2001Serkan Yildirim MD Background. Reports in the literature reveal that malignant eccrine spiradenomas (MES) are exceedingly rare, and represent aggressive tumors arising in long-standing benign eccrine spiradenomas (ES). Objective. We present a de novo case of MES of the nose, in contrast to reports in the literature of progression from long-standing benign lesions. Methods. Case report and brief review of the literature. Results. Our case was accepted as de novo MES because there was no evidence of ES on pathologic examination. It was treated by surgical excision with 1 cm tumor-free margins. No recurrence or complications were observed for 2 months, but long-term follow-up could not be performed because the patient died of adenocarcinoma of the colon. Conclusion. Although previously reported lesions have arisen in long-standing benign ESs, usually on the trunk or extremities, this report shows that MES may occur as a primary malignant tumor and may occur in unusual locations such as the nose. [source] Evaluation of putative hazard tests under background risk heterogeneityENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 3 2009Yuan Liu Abstract In this paper, an evaluation of some tests for adverse health effects around fixed locations (putative hazard sites) is made. We address the situation where a heterogeneous background is included both in terms of correlated and uncorrelated heterogeneity (UH). In addition, we examine a set of tests for case event data (residential case addresses) including both distance and directional effects. The tests include distance and directional score tests (DIR), integrated intensity tests, the Besag & Newell (BES) test, and Kulldorff's focus clustering scan test. Monte Carlo power of the tests is evaluated and power curves are finally presented. Interesting results from this work include the lack of power found when correlated heterogeneity (CH) is present. This is not found with UH. The BES and Scan tests have lower power than the integrated intensity tests and score tests in general. The integrated intensity test demonstrates its omnibus ability to detect either distance or directional effects. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Using ancient DNA analysis in palaeopathology: a critical analysis of published papers, with recommendations for future workINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OSTEOARCHAEOLOGY, Issue 6 2008C. Roberts Abstract Despite an observable increase in the number of studies using ancient DNA analysis to diagnose disease in human remains, there remain issues to be addressed about the quality of the resulting publications. This paper describes the qualitative analysis of published papers that describe the detection of pathogenic DNA in human skeletal and mummified remains from archaeological sites. Its ultimate goal is to provide an overview of the main problematic issues in relationship to standards developed in molecular biology and to make recommendations for future work. Sixty-five papers published between 1993 and 2006 were surveyed and the quality of each was assessed using 15 criteria. Interesting results emerged. Of particular note was the high number of papers that did not acknowledge the use of even basic contamination control (90%) or procedures to validate results independently (85%). This study illustrates that attention to contamination control and authentication of results is needed in future research, if confidence in aDNA analysis in palaeopathology is to be increased. Additionally, methods of analysis must be described in published papers to ensure transparency in processes utilised to generate the data. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] What's Interesting about Karl Barth?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Barth as Polemical, Descriptive Theologian Much of the interest in Karl Barth's theology has been found in the formal elements of his theology, whether a single thought-form or multiple forms. Most of that interest focuses on Barth's epistemology or his ,actualism'. This article suggests that material theological loci, expounded descriptively, and often with a polemical intent, were at the heart of Barth's work, and are still the richest vein of his theology. Metaphysics and epistemology were subservient to material dogmatic affirmations. The article closes with some observations on the continuing relevance of Barth's theology. [source] Nitrotyrosinylation, remodeling and endothelial-myocyte uncoupling in iNOS, cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) knockouts and iNOS/CBS double knockout miceJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 1 2009Soumi Kundu Abstract Increased levels of homocysteine (Hcy), recognized as hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), were associated with cardiovascular diseases. There was controversy regarding the detrimental versus cardio protective role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in ischemic heart disease. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the Hcy generated nitrotyrosine by inducing the endothelial nitric oxide synthase, causing endothelial-myocyte (E-M) coupling. To differentiate the role of iNOS versus constitutive nitric oxide synthase (eNOS and nNOS) in Hcy-mediated nitrotyrosine generation and matrix remodeling in cardiac dysfunction, left ventricular (LV) tissue was analyzed from cystathionine beta synthase (CBS) heterozygote knockout, iNOS homozygote knockout, CBS,/+/iNOS,/, double knockout, and wild-type (WT) mice. The levels of nitrotyrosine, MMP-2 and -9 (zymographic analysis), and fibrosis (by trichrome stain) were measured. The endothelial-myocyte function was determined in cardiac rings. In CBS,/+ mice, homocysteine was elevated and in iNOS,/, mice, nitric oxide was significantly reduced. The nitrotyrosine and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) levels were elevated in double knockout and CBS,/+ as compared to WT mice. Although MMP-2 levels were similar in CBS,/+, iNOS,/,, and CBS,/+/iNOS,/,, the levels were three- to fourfold higher than WT. The levels of collagen were similar in CBS,/+ and iNOS,/,, but they were threefold higher than WT. Interesting, the levels of collagen increased sixfold in double knockouts, compared to WT, suggesting synergism between high Hcy and lack of iNOS. Left ventricular hypertrophy was exaggerated in the iNOS,/, and double knockout, and mildly increased in the CBS,/+, compared to WT mice. The endothelial-dependent relaxation was attenuated to the same extent in the CBS,/+ and iNOS,/,, compared to WT, but it was robustly blunted in double knockouts. The results concluded that homocysteine generated nitrotyrosine in the vicinity of endothelium, caused MMP activation and endothelium-myocyte uncoupling. The generation of nitrotyrosine was independent of iNOS. J. Cell. Biochem. 106: 119,126, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Complete graph conjecture for inner-core electrons: Homogeneous index caseJOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY, Issue 9 2003Lionello Pogliani Abstract The complete graph conjecture that encodes the inner-core electrons of atoms with principal quantum number n , 2 with complete graphs, and especially with odd complete graphs, is discussed. This conjecture is used to derive new values for the molecular connectivity and pseudoconnectivity basis indices of hydrogen-suppressed chemical pseudographs. For atoms with n = 2 the new values derived with this conjecture are coincident with the old ones. The modeling ability of the new homogeneous basis indices, and of the higher-order terms, is tested and compared with previous modeling studies, which are centered on basis indices that are either based on quantum concepts or partially based on this new conjecture for the inner-core electrons. Two similar algorithms have been proposed with this conjecture, and they parallel the two "quantum" algorithms put forward by molecular connectivity for atoms with n > 2. Nine properties of five classes of compounds have been tested: the molecular polarizabilities of a class of organic compounds, the dipole moment, molar refraction, boiling points, ionization energies, and parachor of a series of halomethanes, the lattice enthalpy of metal halides, the rates of hydrogen abstraction of chlorofluorocarbons, and the pED50 of phenylalkylamines. The two tested algorithms based on the odd complete graph conjecture give rise to a highly interesting model of the nine properties, and three of them can even be modeled by the same set of basis indices. Interesting is the role of some basis indices all along the model. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 9: 1097,1109, 2003 [source] Concentration polarization in a narrow reverse osmosis membrane channelAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2010Lianfa Song Abstract Concentration polarization in a narrow reverse osmosis channel is bounded by the channel height and under the influence of variable transverse velocity. An attempt was made in this article to quantify concentration polarization in such a narrow membrane channel. The transverse velocity in the membrane channel was first determined and its impact on concentration polarization was investigated. Based on the concept of retained salt, analytical equations were developed for the wall salt concentration at an arbitrary point in the narrow membrane channel. Finally, development of concentration polarization in typical reverse osmosis channels under various conditions was numerically simulated and discussed. Interesting results on the details of concentration polarization in the narrow reverse osmosis channel that had never been reported before were revealed with this mechanistic model. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010 [source] 11 Dawn Patrol Patient Follow-up ProtocolACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2008Justin Williams Follow-up of patients after their emergency department course provides a rich educational experience for residents, but due to time and logistical constraints, is infrequently performed in a scheduled and rigorous manner. The Dawn Patrol initiative was added to our residency curriculum to facilitate and protocolize patient follow-up for education and feedback on patient care. It also strives to improve communication with inpatient services, and provides a means of collection for morbidity / mortality and risk management cases. Our process functions by charging the clinical senior resident who is going off-shift, with reviewing the admission record for the past 24 hours. Interesting, clinically important, or cryptic case presentations are selected via our electronic medical record for review at the end of Morning Report. Generally, 1-3 new cases are selected for review each weekday morning. These cases are then recorded on a dry erase board in the Morning Report room, and the cases are followed until inpatient discharge, or are no longer of clinical interest. Visits to the inpatient wards are encouraged. Patient callbacks of outpatients are also eligible for inclusion. The cases are updated daily, and generally 5-10 cases are reviewed per day in approximately 10 minutes. The staff member attending Morning Report is responsible for providing bulleted teaching points on each case. The Dawn Patrol patient follow-up initiative seeks to improve emergency medicine resident education by facilitating and protocolizing patient follow-up, and provides real-time feedback on patient care performed in the emergency department. [source] Understanding chemical shielding tensors using group theory, MO analysis, and modern density-functional theoryCONCEPTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE, Issue 2 2009Cory M. Widdifield Abstract In this article, the relationships between molecular symmetry, molecular electronic structure, and chemical shielding (CS) tensors are discussed. First, a brief background on the CS interaction and CS tensors is given. Then, the visualization of the three-dimensional nature of CS is described. A simple method for examining the relationship between molecular orbitals (MOs) and CS tensors, using point groups and direct products of irreducible representations of MOs and rotational operators, is outlined. A number of specific examples are discussed, involving CS tensors of different nuclei in molecules of different symmetries, including ethene (D2h), hydrogen fluoride (C,v), trifluorophosphine (C3v), and water (C2v). Finally, we review the application of this method to CS tensors in several interesting cases previously discussed in the literature, including acetylene (D,h), the PtX42, series of compounds (D4h) and the decamethylaluminocenium cation (D5d). © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 34A: 91,123, 2009. [source] HAYEKIAN ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE AS A FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINED PROSPERITYCONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 1 2001JL Jordan Rather than debate whether technical advances have created a ,new economy', economists should focus on the more interesting and useful question: How do we create the sort of environment in which innovation and the productive use of new technology thrive, thereby creating economic prosperity? Such an environment is the product of government laying the appropriate infrastructure, manifested in the culture of the institutions it supports. This article discusses the features governments must incorporate into their institutions in order to build an economic infrastructure that promotes prosperity. [source] Evaluation of a treatment programme for alcohol-related aggressionCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2008Anna McCulloch Background,The development of effective treatments for alcohol-related aggression and violence is important in binge drinking cultures, as in parts of the UK. Aim,The aim was to evaluate the progress and experience of 10 participants in Control of Violence for Angry Impulsive Drinkers (COVAID) using a single case methodology. Method,Participants completed 10 individual weekly sessions with trained facilitators following the COVAID manual. Change scores on psychometric questionnaires were examined by calculating clinical significance and reliability of change. Self-reports of alcohol consumption and aggression were examined. Follow-up data on convictions were collected. Participants were asked their opinions about COVAID. Results,Scores on the Alcohol-Related Aggression Questionnaire (ARAQ) improved for nine participants; change was both clinically significant and reliable in five cases. Nine participants improved on the Controlled Drinking Self-Efficacy Scale (CDSES), with seven showing clinically significant improvement. Six participants reported a reduction in alcohol consumption from the first to the second half of the programme. At a mean of 29 weeks post-treatment, none of the participants had been reconvicted for a violent offence. Participants reported finding COVAID useful and interesting. Conclusion,Overall, our findings support the possibility that COVAID may assist in reducing alcohol-related violence and violent offending. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Revisiting the Storied Landscape of Language Policy Impact Over Time: A Case of Successful Educational ReformCURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 3 2005JANNA FOX ABSTRACT The many failures of large-scale top-down educational reforms are well documented in the reform literature. These failures are most evident when they are reviewed from the advantageous perspective of hindsight. What are less well documented are the extraordinarily interesting, centrally driven educational changes that have had important and lasting impacts over time, not only because they are rare, but also because they have often occurred outside the mainstream (North American) focus of the reform literature. This article provides a retrospective review of one such educational reform as unique as the tropical island country in which it occurred. Revisiting this storied landscape (Clandinin & Connelly, 1995) provides insight into the process and potential of a systemwide educational reform. [source] Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lower Lip: Exact Location Match in SiblingsDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 12 2005Dogan Tuncali MD Background. In recent years, genetic contribution to the development of skin cancers is under the magnifying glass of several authors and is now regarded as the main initial etiology in carcinogenesis. Objective. Two siblings who had squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip showing an exact location match are presented. Patients. They did not share common environmental factors, and there was no history of tobacco and/or alcohol abuse. Conclusions. It would be scientifically deceptive to draw generous conclusions for the cases here, other than being a very interesting and unusual coincidence, because further evaluation could not be done to scientifically prove a possible genetic contribution. DOGAN TUNCALI, MD, NURTEN YAVUZ, MD, AHMET TERZIOGLU, MD, AND GÜRCAN ASLAN, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS. [source] Aggressive and Neglected Basal Cell CarcinomaDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 11 2005Ali Asilian MD Background. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cutaneous malignancy and usually has a benign coarse. Rarely, examples of aggressive and neglected types of this tumor are seen. Objective. To present an interesting and dramatic example of how some people neglect their tumors and how devastating the sequelae can be. Methods. We report a 58-year-old man with an extensive BCC and signs of cranial nerve involvement. Results. The patient had a large, infected ulcer on his scalp. He also had skull bone destruction, osteomyelitis, mastoiditis, cranial nerve paralysis, and radiographic features of the skull base and upper cervical soft tissue involvement. Pathologic studies revealed an infiltrating form of BCC. Conclusions. If left untreated and neglected, as in this case, BCC can become inoperable and complicated. ALI ASILIAN, MD, AND BANAFSHE TAMIZIFAR, MD, HAVE INDICATED NO SIGNIFICANT INTEREST WITH COMMERCIAL SUPPORTERS. [source] Design differentiation for global companies: Value exporters and value collectorsDESIGN MANAGEMENT REVIEW, Issue 4 2001Clive Grinyer In the global marketplace, should companies maintain uniform product profiles,some with strong national characteristics,or adapt regionally? Most companies tend toward one end or the other, concludes Clive Grinyer. Clearly distinguishing between "value exporters" and "value collectors," he articulates the advantages and disadvantages of each. Companies must strike their own strategic balance, hopefully without diluting the regional diversity that makes life and consumer choices so interesting. [source] The role of IGF-I and its binding proteins in the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseaseDIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM, Issue 3 2008Vivienne A. Ezzat Patients with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes have an excessive risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); this increased risk is not fully explained by traditional risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidaemias. There is now compelling evidence to suggest that abnormalities of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and one of its binding proteins, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), occur in insulin-resistant states and may be significant factors in the pathophysiology of CVD. We reviewed articles and relevant bibliographies following a systematic search of MEDLINE for English language articles between 1966 and the present, using an initial search strategy combining the MeSH terms: IGF, diabetes and CVD. Our aim was first to review the role of IGF-I in vascular homeostasis and to explore the mechanisms by which it may exert its effects. We also present an overview of the physiology of the IGF-binding proteins, and finally, we sought to summarize the evidence to date describing the changes in the insulin/IGF-I/IGFBP-1 axis that occur in type 2 diabetes and CVD; in particular, we have focused on the potential vasculoprotective effects of both IGF-I and IGFBP-1. We conclude that this system represents an interesting and novel therapeutic target in the prevention of CVD in type 2 diabetes. [source] Estimation of strength reduction factors via normalized pseudo-acceleration response spectrumEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 6 2007Debasis Karmakar Abstract Estimation of design forces in ductility-based earthquake-resistant design continues to be carried out with the application of response modification factors on elastic design spectra, and it remains interesting to explore how best to estimate strength reduction factors (SRFs) for a design situation. This paper considers the relatively less explored alternative of modelling SRF spectrum via a given response spectrum. A new model is proposed to estimate the SRF spectrum in terms of a pseudo-spectral acceleration (PSA) spectrum and ductility demand ratio with the help of two coefficients. The proposed model is illustrated for an elasto-plastic oscillator, in case of 10 recorded accelerograms and three ductility ratios. The proposed model is convenient and is able to predict SRF spectrum reasonably well, particularly at periods up to 1.0 s. Coefficients of the proposed model may also be determined in case of a given design spectrum when there is uncertainty in SRF spectrum due to uncertainty in temporal characteristics of the ground motion. This is illustrated with the help of 474 accelerograms recorded in western U.S.A. and different scaled PSA spectra. It is shown that probabilistic estimates may be obtained in this situation for SRF spectrum by assuming the error residuals to be log normally distributed with period-dependent parameters. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Species abundance distributions over timeECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 5 2007Anne E. Magurran Abstract It has been known for 50 years that the time period over which data are collected affects the shape of empirical species abundance distributions. However, despite a recent resurgence of interest in characterizing and explaining these patterns the temporal component of species abundance distributions has been largely ignored. I argue that it is essential to take account of time, and not only because sampling duration can have a profound influence on the perceived shape of the distribution. Partitions of species abundance distributions based on temporal occurrence in the record will facilitate tests of both biological and neutral models and may lead to a better understanding of rarity. These temporal partitions also have interesting, but as yet barely explored, parallels with spatial ones such as the core-satellite division. Moreover, changes in abundance distributions across all three of Preston's temporal scales (sampling time, ecological time and evolutionary time) present rich opportunities for ecological research. [source] Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., brown trout Salmo trutta L. and Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.): a review of aspects of their life historiesECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER FISH, Issue 1 2003A. Klemetsen Abstract ,,,Among the species in the family Salmonidae, those represented by the genera Salmo, Salvelinus, and Oncorhynchus (subfamily Salmoninae) are the most studied. Here, various aspects of phenotypic and life-history variation of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L., brown trout Salmo trutta L., and Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.) are reviewed. While many strategies and tactics are commonly used by these species, there are also differences in their ecology and population dynamics that result in a variety of interesting and diverse topics that are challenging for future research. Atlantic salmon display considerable phenotypic plasticity and variability in life-history characters ranging from fully freshwater resident forms, where females can mature at approximately 10 cm in length, to anadromous populations characterised by 3,5 sea-winter (5SW) salmon. Even within simple 1SW populations, 20 or more spawning life-history types can be identified. Juveniles in freshwater can use both fluvial and lacustrine habitats for rearing, and while most smolts migrate to sea during the spring, fall migrations occur in some populations. At sea, some salmon undertake extensive oceanic migrations while other populations stay within the geographical confines of areas such as the Baltic Sea. At the other extreme are those that reside in estuaries and return to freshwater to spawn after spending only a few months at sea. The review of information on the diversity of life-history forms is related to conservation aspects associated with Atlantic salmon populations and current trends in abundance and survival. Brown trout is indigenous to Europe, North Africa and western Asia, but was introduced into at least 24 countries outside Europe and now has a world-wide distribution. It exploits both fresh and salt waters for feeding and spawning (brackish), and populations are often partially migratory. One part of the population leaves and feeds elsewhere, while another part stays as residents. In large, complex systems, the species is polymorphic with different size morphs in the various parts of the habitat. Brown trout feed close to the surface and near shore, but large individuals may move far offshore. The species exhibits ontogenetic niche shifts partly related to size and partly to developmental rate. They switch when the amount of surplus energy available for growth becomes small with fast growers being younger and smaller fish than slow growers. Brown trout is an opportunistic carnivore, but individuals specialise at least temporarily on particular food items; insect larvae are important for the young in streams, while littoral epibenthos in lakes and fish are most important for large trout. The sexes differ in resource use and size. Females are more inclined than males to become migratory and feed in pelagic waters. Males exploit running water, near-shore and surface waters more than females. Therefore, females feed more on zooplankton and exhibit a more uniform phenotype than males. The Arctic charr is the northernmost freshwater fish on earth, with a circumpolar distribution in the Holarctic that matches the last glaciation. Recent mtDNA studies indicate that there are five phylogeographic lineages (Atlantic, Arctic, Bering, Siberian and Acadian) that may be of Pleistocene origin. Phenotypic expression and ecology are more variable in charr than in most fish. Weights at maturation range from 3 g to 12 kg. Population differences in morphology and coloration are large and can have some genetic basis. Charr live in streams, at sea and in all habitats of oligotrophic lakes, including very deep areas. Ontogenetic habitat shifts between lacustrine habitats are common. The charr feed on all major prey types of streams, lakes and near-shore marine habitats, but has high niche flexibility in competition. Cannibalism is expressed in several cases, and can be important for developing and maintaining bimodal size distributions. Anadromy is found in the northern part of its range and involves about 40, but sometimes more days in the sea. All charr overwinter in freshwater. Partial migration is common, but the degree of anadromy varies greatly among populations. The food at sea includes zooplankton and pelagic fish, but also epibenthos. Polymorphism and sympatric morphs are much studied. As a prominent fish of glaciated lakes, charr is an important species for studying ecological speciation by the combination of field studies and experiments, particularly in the fields of morphometric heterochrony and comparative behaviour. [source] Fast immobilization of probe beads by dielectrophoresis-controlled adhesion in a versatile microfluidic platform for affinity assayELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 19 2005Janko Auerswald Dr. Abstract The use of probe beads for lab-on-chip affinity assays is very interesting from a practical point of view. It is easier to handle and trap beads than molecules in microfluidic systems. We present a method for the immobilization of probe beads at defined areas on a chip using dielectrophoresis (DEP)-controlled adhesion. The method is fast, i.e., it takes between 10 and 120,s , depending on the protocol , to functionalize a chip surface at defined areas. The method is versatile, i.e., it works for beads with different types of probe molecule coatings. The immobilization is irreversible, i.e., the retained beads are able to withstand high flow velocities in a flow-through device even after the DEP voltage is turned off, thus allowing the use of conventional high-conductivity analyte buffers in the following assay procedure. We demonstrate the on-chip immobilization of fluorescent beads coated with biotin, protein,A, and goat,antimouse immunoglobulin G (IgG). The number of immobilized beads at an electrode array can be determined from their fluorescence signal. Further, we use this method to demonstrate the detection of streptavidin and mouse IgG. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility of the parallel detection of different analyte molecules on the same chip. [source] Examining the Link Between "Familiness" and Performance: Can the F-PEC Untangle the Family Business Theory Jungle?ENTREPRENEURSHIP THEORY AND PRACTICE, Issue 6 2008Matthew W. Rutherford Family business research appears to be caught in a "jungle" of competing theories in regards to familiness and performance. This study provides a further empirical examination into that relationship. We employ a family influence scale (the familiness-power, experience, and culture scale [F-PEC]) presented by Klein, Astrachan, and Smyrnios in an attempt to assess the relationship between familiness and performance in 831 family businesses. The resulting regression analysis adds to the current state of the literature by demonstrating significant and interesting results. Specifically, familiness showed associations with revenue, capital structure, growth, and perceived performance; however, the relationships were both positive and negative, thus casting doubt upon the F-PEC as a vehicle for untangling the jungle. We conclude with discussion and implications. [source] Monitoring of DNA breakage in embryonic stages of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) after exposure to lead nitrate using alkaline comet assayENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 6 2008Alaa G. M. Osman Abstract Increasing lead contamination in Egyptian ecosystems and high lead concentrations in food items have raised concern for human health and stimulated studies on monitoring ecotoxicological impact of lead-caused genotoxicity. In this work, the alkaline comet assay was modified for monitoring DNA strand breakage in sensitive early life stages of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus. Following exposure to 100, 300, and 500 ,g/L lead nitrate, DNA strand breakage was quantified in embryos at 30, 48, 96, 144, and 168 h post-fertilization (PFS). For quantitative analysis, four commonly used parameters (tail % DNA, %TDNA; head % DNA, %HDNA; tail length, TL; tail moment, TM) were analyzed in 96 nuclei (in triplicates) at each sampling point. The parameter %TDNA revealed highest resolution and lowest variation. A strong correlation between lead concentration, time of exposure, and DNA strand breakage was observed. Here, genotoxicity detected by comet assay preceded the manifested malformations assessed with conventional histology. Qualitative evaluation was carried out using five categories are as follows: undamaged (%TDNA , 10%), low damaged (10% < %TDNA , 25%), median damaged (25 < %TDNA , 50%), highly damaged (50 < %TDNA , 75%), and extremely damaged (%TDNA > 75%) nuclei confirming a dose and time-dependent shift towards increased frequencies of highly and extremely damaged nuclei. A protective capacity provided by a hardened chorion is a an interesting finding in this study as DNA damage in the prehatching stages 30 h-PFS and 48 h-PFS was low in all treatments (qualitative and quantitative analyses). These results clearly show that the comet assay is a sensitive tool for the detection of genotoxicity in vulnerable early life stages of the African catfish and is a method more sensitive than histological parameters for monitoring genotoxic effects. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2008. [source] PRECLINICAL STUDY: Changes in leptin, ghrelin, growth hormone and neuropeptide-Y after an acute model of MDMA and methamphetamine exposure in ratsADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Firas H. Kobeissy ABSTRACT Club drug abuse is a growing problem in the United States. Beyond addiction and toxicity are endocrine effects which are not well characterized. Specifically, the changes in appetite following exposure to drugs of abuse are an interesting but poorly understood phenomenon. Serum hormones such as leptin, ghrelin, growth hormone (GH), and neuropeptide-Y (NP-Y) are known to affect appetite, but have not been studied extensively with drugs of abuse. In this work, we examine the effects of club drugs 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) (ecstasy) and methamphetamine (METH) (doses of 5, 20 and 40 mg/kg) on serum concentrations of these hormones in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after drug administration. In a dose-dependent manner, MDMA was shown to cause transient significant decreases in serum leptin and GH followed by a base line recovery after 24 hours. Conversely, serum ghrelin increased and normalized after 24 hours. Interestingly, serum NP-Y showed a steady decrease in both treatment of MDMA and METH at different time points and dosages. In humans, abuse of these drugs reduces eating. As evident from these data, acute administration of METH and MDMA had significant effects on different serum hormone levels involved in appetite regulation. Future studies should be performed to see how chronic, low dose drug administration would affect hormone levels and try to answer questions about the physiological mechanisms involved in the anorexic paradigm observed in drug use. [source] Designing Ionic Liquids: 1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Cations with Substituted Tetraphenylborate CounterionsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 15 2003Joep van den Broeke Abstract The hydrophobic, low melting, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium (BMIm) salts [BMIm][BPh4] (1), [BMIm][B(C6H4Me-4)4] (2), [BMIm][B{C6H4(CF3)-4}4] (3), [BMIm][B{C6H3(CF3)2 -3,5}4] (4), [BMIm][B{C6H4(C6F13)-4}4] (5), [BMIm][B{C6H4(SiMe3)-4}4] (6), [BMIm][B(C6H4{SiMe2(CH2CH2CF3)}-4)4] (7), [BMIm][B{C6H4(SiMe2C8H17}-4}4] (8) and [BMIm][B(C6H4{SiMe2(CH2CH2C6F13)}-4)4] (9) have been prepared. Systematic variation of the substituents on the tetraphenylborate anion allowed an assessment of their influence on the physical properties of the imidazolium salts. Structural investigations using NMR and IR spectroscopy, combined with single crystal X-ray structure determinations for 2, 3, 5 and 6, revealed hydrogen-bonding interactions between the imidazolium ring protons and the borate anion, both in the solid state and in solution. These interactions are weakened upon the introduction of electron-withdrawing substituents in the anion and follow the order 3,5-(CF3)2 < ,C6F13 < ,CF3 < ,SiMe2CH2CH2C6F13 < ,SiMe2CH2CH2CF3 < ,H < ,Me < ,SiMe3. The melting points of the salts depend primarily on the bulk of the lipophilic substituents, and decrease with increasing size. Bulky lipophilic substituents dramatically enhance the solubility of the imidazolium borates 8 and 9 in hexane and reduce their relative polarity. These unique properties make imidazolium borates 8 and 9 interesting as amphiphilic ionic liquids with low polarity. Attempts to crystallise 7 resulted in decomposition. A single-crystal X-ray structure determination of the product, isolated in 6% yield, showed that a carbene,tris[4-{dimethyl(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)silyl}phenyl]borane adduct was formed. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2003) [source] Tailoring Materials Properties by Accumulative Roll Bonding,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 8 2010Tina Hausöl Accumulative roll bonding (ARB) as a method of severe plastic deformation (SPD) is an interesting established process to produce ultrafine-grained (UFG) sheet materials with high potential for light weight constructions. The ARB process offers a high flexibility for tailored material design. Al2O3 particles, carbon fibers and titanium foils are used as reinforcement of aluminum sheets introduced during accumulative roll bonding. Furthermore multicomponent materials are produced by cladding of different aluminum alloys. These sandwich-like structures allow to combine desired properties of the materials involved. Post-ARB heat treatment offers another possibility for tailoring materials properties of graded structures as shown by formation of TiAl3 in Al/Ti laminates. The tailored materials are investigated by means of SEM, EDX, nanoindentation experiments and tensile testing. [source] 1,8-Bis(dialkylamino)-4,5-dinitronaphthalenes and 4,5-Bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1,8-dicarbaldehyde as "Push,Pull" Proton Sponges: When and Why Formyl Groups Become Stronger ,-Electron Acceptors than Nitro GroupsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2009Valery A. Ozeryanskii Abstract Single-crystal X-ray studies of four representatives of "push,pull" proton sponges, namely 1,8-bis(dimethylamino)-, 1,8-bis(diethylamino)-, 1,8-bis(dipropylamino)-4,5-dinitronaphthalenes and 4,5-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene-1,8-dicarbaldehyde have been performed at low and ambient temperatures. The most interesting and unexpected result is that the formyl groups in the peri -dialdehyde display stronger ,-acceptor effects than the nitro groups. This phenomenon is ascribed to smaller steric demands of the CHO groups, their lower electrostatic repulsion, and specific packing forces. The naphthalene cores of all but one of the molecules are markedly twisted (21,26°) while that of the diethylamino derivative is not (<5°), providing different and somewhat unpredictable ways of resonance stabilization and steric relaxation. The through-conjugation in the above compounds is also discussed for gas and solution phases on the basis of theoretical calculations, UV/Vis and 1H NMR spectra.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009) [source] The Authority of Avowals and the Concept of BeliefEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHILOSOPHY, Issue 1 2000Andy Hamilton The pervasive dispositional model of belief is misguided. It fails to acknowledge the authority of first-person ascriptions or avowals of belief, and the "decision principle", that having decided the question whether p, there is, for me, no further question whether I believe that p. The dilemma is how one can have immediate knowledge of a state extended in time; its resolution lies in the expressive character of avowals , which does not imply a non-assertoric thesis , and their non-cognitive status. The common claim that there are higher-order beliefs concerning ones present beliefs is rejected as unintelligible. The decision principle is defended against claims of "unconscious belief"; there is no interesting such category, since all beliefs are liable at some time to be considered, but mostly to be out of mind. Belief is not constituted by a disposition, but is connected with dispositions , it is an "attitude concept". [source] On the fundamental communication abstraction supplied by P2P overlay networksEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, Issue 1 2006Curt Cramer The disruptive advent of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing in 2000 attracted significant interest. P2P networks have matured from their initial form, unstructured overlays, to structured overlays like distributed hash tables (DHTs), which are considered state-of-the-art. There are huge efforts to improve their performance. Various P2P applications like distributed storage and application-layer multicast were proposed. However, little effort was spent to understand the communication abstraction P2P overlays supply. Only when it is understood, the reach of P2P ideas will significantly broaden. Furthermore, this clarification reveals novel approaches and highlights future directions. In this paper, we reconsider well-known P2P overlays, linking them to insights from distributed systems research. We conclude that the main communication abstraction is that of a virtual address space or application-specific naming. On this basis, P2P systems build a functional layer implementing, for example lookup, indirection and distributed processing. Our insights led us to identify interesting and unexplored points in the design space. Copyright © 2004 AEI. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||