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We examined the applicability of the critical-source area (CSA) concept to the dairy-grazed 192-ha Upper Toenepi catchment and its 8·7-ha Kiwitahi sub-catchment, New Zealand. We evaluated if phosphorus (P) transport from land into stream is dominated by saturation-excess (SE) and infiltration-excess (IE) runoff during stormflow and by sub-surface (

A decomposition ={G1, G2,…,Gs} of a graph G is a partition of the edge set of G into edge-disjoint subgraphs G1, G2,…,Gs. If Gi≅H for all i∈{1, 2, …, s}, then is a decomposition of G by H. Two decompositions ={G1, G2, …, Gn} and ℱ={F1, F2,…,Fn} of the complete bipartite graph Kn,n are orthogonal if |E(Gi)∩E(Fj)|=1 for all i,j∈{1, 2, …, n}. A set of decompositions {1, 2, …, k} of Kn, n is a set of k mutually orthogonal graph squares (MOGS) if i and j are orthogonal for all i, j∈{1, 2, …, k} and i≠j. For any bipartite graph G with n edges, N(n, G) denotes the maximum number k in a largest possible set {1, 2, …, k} of MOGS of Kn, n by G. El-Shanawany conjectured that if p is a prime number, then N(p, Pp+ 1)=p, where Pp+ 1 is the path on p+ 1 vertices. In this article, we prove this conjecture. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 17: 369–373, 2009

Summary Background Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) is frequently associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) and affects up to 91% of patients with AR. Desloratadine, an orally administered, non-sedating second-generation antihistamine, has proven efficacy and safety in the control of nasal and non-nasal – including ocular – symptoms of AR. This randomized-controlled trial is the first to evaluate the effects of continuous oral desloratadine treatment on ocular symptoms after conjunctival allergen challenge. Objective To evaluate the impact of administering oral desloratadine 5 mg daily for 7 days on ocular symptoms in conjunctival allergen-challenged subjects. Methods In this crossover study, adults with a history of seasonal AC and a minimal threshold response to allergen challenge were randomized to receive desloratadine 5 mg daily (n=20) or placebo (n=21) for 7 days after which they underwent a second ocular allergen challenge. After a 2-week washout period, subjects crossed over to the other treatment. The primary efficacy parameter was the intra-subject difference from baseline at end-point in the post-challenge mean composite ocular redness score (the sum of redness scores in ciliary, conjunctival, or episcleral vessel beds). Secondary efficacy parameters included the intra-subject and inter-subject differences in individual symptom scores for ciliary, conjunctival, or episcleral redness; pruritus; chemosis; eyelid swelling; and tearing. Results The mean composite ocular redness score was reduced at 10, 15, and 20 min post-challenge with desloratadine treatment compared with placebo, though these differences were not statistically significant (P=NS). Desloratadine was significantly more effective than placebo in preventing post-challenge ocular pruritus (P

The variable source area (VSA) concept provides the underlying paradigm for managing phosphorus losses in runoff in the north-eastern USA. This study sought to elucidate factors controlling runoff along two hillslopes with contrasting soils, including characterizing runoff generation mechanisms and hydrological connectivity. Runoff monitoring plots (2 m x 1 m) were established in various landscape positions. Footslope positions were characterized by the presence of a fragipan that contributed to seasonally perched water tables. In upslope positions without a fragipan, runoff was generated primarily via the infiltration-excess (IE) mechanism (96% of events) and was largely disconnected from downslope runoff. Roughly 80% of total runoff originated from the north footslope landscape position via saturation-excess (SE) (46% of events; 62% of runoff) and IE (54% of events; 38% of runoff) mechanisms. Runoff from the north hillslope was substantially greater than the south hillslope despite their proximity, and apparently was a function of the extent of fragipan representation. Results demonstrate the influence of subsurface soil properties (e.g. fragipan) on surface runoff generation in variable source area hydrology settings, which could be useful for improving the accuracy of existing runoff prediction tools.

X-Ray diffraction studies and energy-minimization calculations were carried out on two dipeptides, N-tosyl-L-Ser-Gly-OMe monohydrate (C13H18N2O6S � H2O, compound A) and N-tosyl-L-Thr-Gly-OMe (C14H20N2O6, compound B). Compound A crystallized in the monoclinic system, space group P21 with unit cell parameters a = 4.915(1), b = 15.625(4), c = 11.003(1) �, ? = 91.28(1)�, V = 844.8 �3. M(r) = 348.4, d = 1.37(2) g cm-3, Z = 2, ?(Cu K�) = 1.5418 �, ? = 1.99 mm-1, T = 293 K. P = 0.032 for 1451 unique reflections with I > 2�(I). Compound B crystallized in the orthorhombic system, space group P212121, with unit cell parameters a = 5.050(2), b = 16.483(3), c = 20.769(5) �, V = 1729.3 �3, Z = 4. M(r) = 344.4, d = 1.32(2) g cm-3, ?(Cu K�) = 1.90 mm-1. R = 0.040 for 1060 unique reflections with I > 2�(I). The major difference in the backbone conformation of the two compounds is in their glycine residues, with the glycine residue in compound A adopting an extended conformation with ? = -132.6(3)� and ? = 175.3(3)� and that in compound B having a folded conformation with ? = -56.3(6)� and ? = -42.6(7)�. In compound A the oxygen atom of the Ser side-chain and the carbonyl oxygen atom of glycine are bridged by the water of crystallization through O-H ��� O hydrogen bonds, resulting in the relatively rare trans conformation [? = -175.7(2)�] for this side-chain. The Thr side-chain in compound B is in the sterically preferred (tg-) conformation [?1,1 = -179.4(4)� and ?1,2 = -62.3(5)�]. The conformations were found to be in general agreement with those obtained by an energy-minimization procedure. The energy-minimized structure of N-tosyl-L-Ser-Gly-Ome (anhydrous) showed a strong hydrophobic interaction between the methyl substituents of the tosyl group and the methyl ester (C-C = 4.08 �).

An X-ray diffraction study was carried out on a single crystal of N-(N alpha-[(tert.-butyloxy)-carbonyl]-L-alanyl)-N,N'-dicyclohexylur ea belonging to the tetragonal space group P4(1)2(1)2, having cell dimensions a = b = 10.102(3) A, c = 46.067(7) A, V = 4701.2 A3, Z = 8. The crystal structure was solved by direct methods and refined to an R value of 0.056 for 1602 unique reflections with I greater than 2.5 sigma(I). Crystal structure analysis shows the presence of an intramolecular N-H ... O=C H-bond stabilizing the molecule in a folded form similar to that of a beta turn, forming a nine-membered ring. IR and 1H-NMR studies in CDCl3 solution confirm the stable folded conformation found in the crystalline state, as well as the existence of N-H ... O=C H-bonds in the title compound, as in peptides.

Promotion of adherence to healthy-eating norms has become an important element of nutrition policy in the United States and other developed countries. We assess the potential consumption impacts of adherence to a set of recommended dietary norms in the United States using a mathematical programming approach. We find that adherence to recommended dietary norms would involve significant changes in diets, with large reductions in the consumption of fats and oils along with large increases in the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and cereals. Compliance with norms recommended by the World Health Organization for energy derived from sugar would involve sharp reductions in sugar intakes. We also analyze how dietary adjustments required vary across demographic groups. Most socio-demographic characteristics appear to have relatively little influence on the pattern of adjustment required to comply with norms, Income levels have little effect on required dietary adjustments. Education is the only characteristic to have a significant influence on the magnitude of adjustments required. The least educated rather than the poorest have to bear the highest burden of adjustment. Out- analysis suggests that fiscal measures like nutrient-based taxes may not be as regressive as commonly believed. Dissemination of healthy-eating norms to the less educated will be a key challenge for nutrition policy.

The creep behaviour of directionally solidified (DS) Ni-base superalloy GTD 111 has been investigated at various temperatures (649 °C to 982 °C) and stresses (124 MPa to 896 MPa). Specimens machined in longitudinal and transverse directions with respect to the grain orientation from three batches of the material were tested. The specimens in the longitudinal direction consistently exhibited higher creep rupture life and creep ductility than specimens from the transverse direction. There were some systematic variations in creep deformation and rupture behaviour among specimens from different batches. Optical and scanning electron microscopy investigations were conducted to understand the creep rupture behaviour. Various deformation and rupture models were evaluated for representing the creep behaviour of the alloy and a neural network model was applied to creep rupture data to assess its predictive capability.

Loss of soil nutrients in runoff accelerates eutrophication of surface waters. This study evaluated P and N in surface runoff in relation to rainfall intensity and hydrology for two soils along a single hillslope. Experiments were initiated on 1- by 2-m plots at foot-slope (6%) and mid-slope (30%) positions within an alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)-orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) field. Rain simulations (2.9 and 7.0 cm h(-1)) were conducted under wet (spring) and dry (late-summer) conditions. Elevated, antecedent soil moisture at the foot-slope during the spring resulted in less rain required to generate runoff and greater runoff volumes, compared with runoff from the well-drained mid-slope in spring and at both landscape positions in late summer. Phosphorus in runoff was primarily in dissolved reactive form (DRP averaged 71% of total P), with DRP concentrations from the two soils corresponding with soil test P levels. Nitrogen in runoff was mainly nitrate (NO3-N averaged 77% of total N). Site hydrology, not chemistry, was primarily responsible for variations in mass N and P losses with landscape position. Larger runoff volumes from the foot-slope produced higher losses of total P (0.08 kg ha(-1)) and N (1.35 kg ha(-1)) than did runoff from the mid-slope (0.05 total P kg ha(-1); 0.48 kg N ha(-1)), particularly under wet, spring-time conditions. Nutrient losses were significantly greater under the high intensity rainfall due to larger runoff volumes. Results affirm the critical source area concept for both N and P: both nutrient availability and hydrology in combination control nutrient loss.

A curve number based model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), and a physically based model, Soil Moisture Distribution and Routing (SMDR), were applied in a headwater watershed in Pennsylvania to identify runoff generation areas, as runoff areas have been shown to be critical for phosphorus management. SWAT performed better than SMDR in simulating daily streamflows over the four-year simulation period (Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient: SWAT, 0.62; SMDR, 0.33). Both models varied streamflow simulations seasonally as precipitation and watershed conditions varied. However, levels of agreement between simulated and observed flows were not consistent over seasons. SMDR, a variable source area based model, needs further improvement in model formulations to simulate large peak flows as observed. SWAT simulations matched the majority of observed peak flow events. SMDR overpredicted annual flow volumes, while SWAT underpredicted the same. Neither model routes runoff over the landscape to water bodies, which is critical to surface transport of phosphorus. SMDR representation of the watershed as grids may allow targeted management of phosphorus sources. SWAT representation of fields as hydrologic response units (HRUs) does not allow such targeted management.

Several new substituted oxazaphosphorinyl urea derivatives of the type RR'P(O)NHC(O)NHR'' were synthesized from alpha-(3-chloro-4-fluoroanilino)-o-cresol by reaction with chlorides of aryl/alkyl/cyclohexyl carbamidophosphoric acids in the presence of triethylamine at 0-50 degrees C. Their significant insecticidal and antimicrobial activity and promotion of Rhizobium bacteria growth in the soil without effect on the host tissue suggests their possible commercial application as ecofriendly pesticides and antimicrobial agents.

We have observed a systematic nucleation of misfit dislocations at the InGaN/GaN heterointerface. This occurs when InGaN films are grown on an epitaxially laterally overgrown GaN substrate with a reduced dislocation density. The misfit dislocations are aligned along 〈〉 directions forming a symmetric hexagonal array. Potential wurtzite slip systems were analysed by extending the Matthews-Blakeslee model to include Peierls forces. Due to an inactive basal plane in the c-growth direction, non-basal slip is necessary for plastic relaxation. The active slip system was identified to be {} 〈〉. The possibility of activation of other slip systems is also discussed. (© 2003 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The In x Ga 1-x N system has electronic band gaps extending from under 1eV to 3.4 eV, and as such they are used as the active layer in commercially available visible-light emitting devices. There are many interesting features that make these nitride semiconductor alloys especially useful for efficient light emitters. It has been conjectured that the combination of piezoelectric fields and local composition inhomogeneities may be responsible for the observed high emission efficiencies, in spite of their characteristic high dislocation densities. But it is very difficult to grow In x Ga 1-x N layers with high indium composition. This paper presents an overview of the properties of In x Ga 1-x N epilayers based on a systematic study of thick layers and of quantum well structures. We find that the microstructure of thick films varies significantly with indium composition. For x 0.20, spontaneous phase separation occurs resulting in a polycrystalline, inhomogeneous layer. A correlation between optical properties and microstructure is presented. It is observed that the misfit strain is affected by threading dislocations. Mechanisms of misfit strain relaxation are presented for In x Ga 1-x N layers grown on standard GaN on sapphire and on epitaxial-lateral-overgrowth GaN layers. In addition, we have studied the properties of quantum well structures using several novel techniques. The electrostatic fields across the wells have been profiled using electron holography in the TEM. The effect of well thickness on the strength of the fields is reported. The effects of localization by compositional fluctuations and of internal field screening have been studied using time-resolved cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. In spite of significant progress that has been made in the last ten years, much work remains ahead in order to master the science and technology of these alloys.

In many developing countries, there is concern that a conventional system of plant breeders' rights provides no rewards to farmers for their role in the conservation and enhancement of agro-biodiversity. To redress this imbalance, developing countries are incorporating farmers' rights provisions in their plant variety protection legislation. This article examines the feasibility of farmers' rights provisions based on intellectual property rights. It argues that the farmers' rights provisions crafted by some developing countries will involve enormous operational difficulties, while IPR-based farmers' rights are unlikely to provide significant economic returns to farmers or farming communities. At the same time, farmers' rights provisions, as currently conceived, are likely significantly to dilute the incentives for innovation provided to institutional plant breeders.

The authors investigate the impact of satisfaction on loyalty in the context of electronic commerce. Findings of this research indicate that although e-satisfaction has an impact on e-loyalty, this relationship is moderated by (a) consumers' individual level factors and (b) firms' business level factors. Among consumer level factors, convenience motivation and purchase size were found to accentuate the impact of e-satisfaction on e-loyalty, whereas inertia suppresses the impact of e-satisfaction on e-loyalty. With respect to business level factors, both trust and perceived value, as developed by the company, significantly accentuate the impact of e-satisfaction on e-loyalty. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The difficulties involved in calibration of physically based erosion models have been partly attributable to the lack of robust optimization tools. This paper presents the essential concepts and application to optimize channel and plane parameters in an erosion model, with a global optimization method known as the SCE-UA (Duan et al., 1992. Water Resources Research 28(4): 1015-1031), which has recently shown promise as an effective and efficient optimization method for calibrating watershed models. It is based on the simplex method, and in order to improve its efficiency by making the simplex expand in a direction of more favourable conditions, or contract if a move was taken in a direction of less favourable conditions, new evolution steps have been introduced. The physically based erosion model that was chosen is called WESP (watershed erosion simulation program), developed by Lopes and Lane (1988. In Sediment Budgets, Bordas MP, Walling DE (eds). IAHS Publication no. 174. IAHS: Wallingford). The optimization technique was tested with the field data collected in an experimental watershed located in a semi-arid region of Brazil. On the basis of these results, the recommended erosion parameter values for a semi-arid region are given, which could serve as an initial estimate for other similar areas.

The properties of semi-insulating thick films of Zn-doped GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy have been studied using cathodoluminescence, transmission electron microscopy and electron holography techniques. We have mapped the depletion region in the vicinity of threading dislocations and we show that it is associated with sharp drops in cathodoluminescence (CL) intensity. The monochromatic CL images showed considerable intensity variations across the sample surface. These long-range variations in luminescence intensity were also found to be related to potential fluctuations in the regions between dislocations. Such variations could be due to surface states caused by polarization effects of dislocations and/or various surface treatments.

A4 0 mð 20 m mowed, grass hillslope adjacent to a headwater stream within a 26-ha watershed in east-central Pennsylvania, USA, was instrumented to identify and map the extent and dynamics of surface saturation (areas with the water table at the surface) and surface runoff source areas. Rainfall, stream flow and surface runoff from the hillslope were recorded at 5-min intervals from 11 August to 22 November 1998, and 13 April to 12 November 1999. The dynamics of the water table (0 to 45 cm depth from the soil surface) and the occurrence of surface runoff source areas across the hillslope were recorded using specially designed subsurface saturation and surface runoff sensors, respectively. Detailed data analyses for two rainfall events that occurred in August (57Ð7 mm in 150 min) and September (83Ð6 mm in 1265 min) 1999, illustrated the spatial and temporal dynamics of surface saturation and surface runoff source areas. Temporal data analyses showed the necessity to measure the hillslope dynamics at time intervals comparable to that of rainfall measurements. Both infiltration excess surface runoff (runoff caused when rainfall intensity exceeds soil infiltration capacity) and saturation excess surface runoff (runoff caused when soil moisture storage capacity is exceeded) source areas were recorded during these rainfall events. The August rainfall event was primarily an infiltration excess surface runoff event, whereas the September rainfall event produced both infiltration excess and saturation excess surface runoff. Occurrence and disappearance of infiltration excess surface runoff source areas during the rainfall events appeared scattered across the hillslope. Analysis of surface saturation and surface runoff data showed that not all surface saturation areas produced surface runoff that reached the stream. Emergence of subsurface flow to the surface during the post-rainfall periods appeared to be a major flow process dominating the hillslope after the August rainfall event. Copyright  2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this paper, we report the measurements of indium composition of thick InGaN epilayers by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). In order to account for the biaxial stress in the InGaN epilayers, we determined both a and c lattice parameters in a θ/2θ scan. Indium composition was determined by simultaneous application of Vegard's law to both lattice parameters and by considering the relationship between the lattice parameters under strain. These composition values are compared with values determined by RBS. The value of elastic constants used in these calculations is critical and we show that by careful choice we can obtain a good correlation between the XRD and RBS measurements.

Cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements were performed on a set of thick InGaN layers covering systematically a wide range of indium concentrations (x = 0.03-0.20). These thick InGaN layers are exceptionally specular for low indium concentrations (x 0.1. While in CL mappings the size of the areas with constant emission wavelength decreases with indium content, a similar change of domain size is observed by AFM. For low indium content, statistical fluctuations of the local indium concentration lead to a Gaussian broadening of a single emission line. In contrast, for x > 0.1 phase separation results in a multimodal distribution of the peak wavelength, leading to additional low-energy peaks in CL overview spectra. In highly spatially resolved CL measurements we correlate these low-energy emissions to characteristic structural defects.

The emergence of terminator technology has generally been viewed with a great deal of apprehension on account of its potential to bring far-reaching changes in the seed industry and in long-standing agricultural practices. This paper argues that terminator technology must be seen as an induced response to the inadequacies and weaknesses of existing intellectual property rights institutions. The technology could have a significant impact on the appropriability of returns from investment in plant breeding and consequently on the development of new plant varieties. The potential of this technology for accelerating innovations in plant breeding needs to be carefully harnessed by public policy. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A 45-year-old man was referred from a primary health care center to our hospital in November 2005 with features of necrotizing fascitis of the right shoulder and upper back. He had been admitted to the previous hospital following an injury, sustained in an accident, while driving a tractor. He was treated for fracture of the right clavicle followed by wound debridement of the right shoulder at the health center. Examination of the wound in our hospital revealed a large, 15 × 15 cm, raw area over the upper back, extending to the right upper arm and shoulder. The wound was grossly infected with slough and purulent discharge. The margin of the wound was indurated. No other abnormality was detected on general examination, except for the fracture of the clavicle. Laboratory investigation revealed a hemoglobin level of 7.5 g/dL and a total leukocyte count of 19,600/mm3, with a differential count of 82% polymorphs, 16% lymphocytes, and 2% eosinophils. The blood glucose was 80 mg%, blood urea 36 mg/dL, and serum creatinine 0.9 mg/dL. Culture of a sample of tissue from the wound yielded a mixture of Escherichia coli, which was sensitive to imipenem, cefoperazone/sulbactam, and amikacin, and resistant to ampicillin, gentamicin, cefazolin, cefotaxime, ticarcillin, ofloxacin, amoxyclavulanic acid, and ciprofloxacin, together with a multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which was sensitive to imipenem only. As the patient had features of impending septicemia, he was managed with daily cleaning of the wound, with intravenous imipenem 500 mg eight hourly. Seven days later, the wound showed pockets of white cheesy material extruding out as strands. Microscopic examination of scrapings from this cheesy material showed broad aseptate hyphae suggestive of a zygomycete (Fig. 1). A culture of the tissue on Sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA) yielded a white fluffy growth after 48 h of incubation at both 25 °C and 37 °C (Fig. 2a). The microscopic morphology of the fungus stained with lactophenol cotton blue revealed broad, ribbon-like, aseptate hyphae. Sporulation was very poor on the routine SDA medium. Stimulation of sporulation was attempted on 1% water agar.1 After 1 week of incubation, sporulation occurred, and microscopy revealed a sporangiophore measuring around 200–300 µm in length, arising at right angles with a septate basal segment, or foot cell, as it is called. The sporangia were multispored, small (20–50 µm in diameter), typically pyriform in shape, and with hemispherical columellae. The apophysis was funnel shaped (Fig. 2b). The fungus was identified as A. elegans on the basis of these characteristic features. Figure 1. Photomicrograph of 10% KOH mount showing broad aseptate hyphae together with tissue debris (magnification, ×400) Download figure to PowerPoint Figure 2. (a) Sabouraud's dextrose agar plate showing gray–white cottony growth completely filling the Petri dish. (b) Photomicrograph of lactophenol cotton blue mount showing funnel-shaped apophyses with broad aseptate hyphae and thickened foot cell (magnification, ×400) Download figure to PowerPoint After confirmation of the zygomycotic infection, intravenous amphotericin B, 25 mg, was given on alternate days, as the patient showed an elevated serum creatinine level. Wound debridement was performed twice, followed by local application of gentian violet daily, and a full course of imipenem was given, followed by cefoperazone/sulbactam, 1 g 12 hourly for 2 weeks. Five units of blood were given during this period. This regimen improved the wound remarkably. Split-thickness skin grafting was performed 15 days later. A complete take of the graft with healthy skin was achieved. The patient was discharged in good general condition.

A hydrologic modeling study, using the Hydrologic Simulation Program - FORTRAN (HSPF), was conducted in two glaciated watersheds, Purdy Creek and Ariel Creek in northeastern Pennsylvania. Both watersheds have wetlands and poorly drained soils due to low hydraulic conductivity and presence of fragipans. The HSPF model was calibrated in the Purdy Creek watershed and verified in the Ariel Creek watershed for June 1992 to December 1993 period. In Purdy Creek, the total volume of observed streamflow during the entire simulation period was 13.36 x 106 m 3 and the simulated streamflow volume was 13.82 x 10 6 m 3 (5 percent difference). For the verification simulation in Ariel Creek, the difference between the total observed and simulated flow volumes was 17 percent. Simulated peak flow discharges were within two hours of the observed for 30 of 46 peak flow events (discharge greater than 0.1 m 3 /sec) in Purdy Creek and 27 of 53 events in Ariel Creek. For 22 of the 46 events in Purdy Creek and 24 of 53 in Ariel Creek, the differences between the observed and simulated peak discharge rates were less than 30 percent. These 22 events accounted for 63 percent of total volume of streamflow observed during the selected 46 peak flow events in Purdy Creek. In Ariel Creek, these 24 peak flow events accounted for 62 percent of the total flow observed during all peak flow events. Differences in observed and simulated peak flow rates and volumes (on a percent basis) were greater during the snowmelt runoff events and summer periods than for other times.

The authors investigate how different segments of consumers react to different coupon characteristics, such as face value and method of distribution. They utilize a latent segmentation approach to identify the underlying segments. The empirical analysis suggests that different segments of consumers place varying emphasis with regard to economic benefits, psychic benefits, effort costs, and substitution costs. A further examination of the derived segments with respect to consumer correlates such as psychological, attitudinal, behavioral, and demographic characteristics reveals that coupon-related consumer characteristics, rather than demographics, exhibit significant and meaningful differences across these segments. Implications of the segment-level analysis for evaluating coupon drops and managing promotional expenditures are also discussed. ©1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. With 269 billion coupons distributed in 1996 in the United States, and approximately 5.3 billion coupons redeemed, for a total savings of $3.7 billion (Brown, 1997), coupons continue to be among the most important promotional vehicles being used today. To improve the profitability of promotions, an in-depth understanding of the impact of promotions

A cyclic poly(aryl ether phenylquinoxaline) was prepared via the self-polymerization of 1 in an N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) solution containing base using a pseudo-high dilution polymerization condition. The macrocycle formation of I was carried out in the presence of potassium carbonate in a NMP/toluene solvent mixture at a solids content of 1%. The water generated by phenoxide formation was removed as an azeotrope with toluene 170 °C. A concentrated solution of the macrocycle was added to the reaction mixture over an 8 hour period. The reaction was allowed to proceed for an additional 24h to ensure quantitative reaction. A number of characterization techniques were used to study the cyclization of I including GPC, HPLC, H NMR and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectroscopy. The MALDI-TOF mass spectrum of the cyclization of 1 clearly showed that a mixture of macrocycles is obtained, with the expected distribution of molecular weights. Facile ring opening polymerization of the cyclic poly(aryl ether phenylquinoxaline) oligomers was accomplished with a nucleophilic initiator. High polymer was obtained for each polymerization temperature (n =0.4-0.5 dl/g in NMP), however, prolonged reaction time resulted in significant gel formation. The Tg's were high and commensurate with the high molecular weight linear analog (250 °C).

One of the key components in computational mechanics procedures using global/local methods is the specification of the global/local interface. Global/local interfaces are usually specified by visually examining some measure of response such as colour-coded contour plots of stresses or strain energy. However, when both global and local domains are modelled in three dimensions, such a specification is not as obvious, and it lacks objectivity and uniqueness. An Objective Search Method (OSM) is presented to specify the global/local interface in three dimensions in a precise, repeatable and automated manner. The OSM performs the search incrementally in all directions in three dimensions radiating from a location of interest until certain generalized guidelines are satisfied and the global/local interface is identified. The OSM is suited to problems where localized phenomena exist but where their domains are not known a priori. The generalized guidelines for the OSM require the identification of nodes lying on the external surfaces of the model. As an important component of the OSM, a unique method to identify surface nodes has been developed and is also presented. Finally, the uniqueness, sensitivity and versatility of the OSM is illustrated using two example problems and the computational effort involved with the OSM is discussed in the context of a third example problem.

In this paper we report a time-resolved investigation of transients derived from curcumin, which may be intimately involved in the processes leading to its biological activity. Fluorescence and triplet quantum yields are respectively 0.06 and 0.11. The high percentage of internal conversion is proposed to proceed via H-transfer within the thermodynamically favored enol structure of what is formally a 1,3-diketone. The triplet energy (191 +/- 2 kJ mol-1), natural lifetime (1.5 microseconds) and self-quenching rate constant (5.0 x 10(8) L mol-1 s-1) have been determined. Oxygen quenching of the triplet leads to the production of singlet oxygen with unit efficiency. Curcumin quenches the latter species very inefficiently (2.5 x 10(5) L mol-1 s-1). The curcumin radical has been produced via three mechanistically distinct methods. This species is unreactive toward oxygen but is repaired by vitamins C and E and anthralin.

This study was conducted over a period of 18 months in a medical college hospital in southern India. Of 313 children of age 5 and above referred for detailed psychiatric evaluation, 101 were found to have a mental disorder according to DSM-III-R criteria; the remaining had organic disorders. Children above 8 years (74%) registered higher morbidity. There was no sex difference in overall morbidity. Precipitating factors were discernible in half of these cases, of which school-related problems were found in the majority. Almost two-thirds had multiple stressors, of which chronic family and social adversity (39%) and learning disabilities (28%) were common. Mental disorders were significantly related to urban background, middle-class socioeconomic status and literate parents compared with age- and sex-matched controls. There was no significant relationship with the type of family and number of siblings. Conversion disorder (31%) was the commonest, followed by conduct disorders (16%). The symptoms, stressors, response to treatment and the transcultural aspects are also discussed.

Summary: A study was undertaken in Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, South India, to understand the relation between congenital developmental disorders and consanguinity and also reproductive wastage and consanguinity. Four hundred children with existing congenital developmental disorders were studied with regard to their consanguineous parentage and compared with 1,000 randomly selected patients attending the paediatric outpatient department. There was a significantly higher prevalence of consanguinity in the study group (p < 0.001) and greater frequency in rural areas. The common types of consanguineous marriages were between first cousins (50.6%) and uncle and niece (42.4%). Frequency of consanguinity was not significantly related to religion and caste. The mean coefficient of inbreeding was 0.056. Consanguinity had no significant effect on average pregnancy rate and reproductive wastage. The frequency of consanguinity was significantly higher especially with autosomal recessive disorders (p< 0.001), congenital heart diseases (p < 0.001), multiple malformations (p < 0.001), neurological malformations (p < 0.005), chromosomal disorders (p< 0.01), genitourinary disorders (p< 0.02) and mental retardation-developmental disorders (p< 0.02). These observations stress the need for communicating the deleterious effects of inbreeding to the public through regular health education.

Thiosemicarbazones of benzaldehydes, acetophenones and benzophenones are oxidatively hydrolysed by potassium bromate, {Brv}, in the presence of mercury(II) acetate, as HgII forms a complex with sulphur atoms, increasing the lability of the N–H bond. The rates of these reactions are less susceptible to the electronic influence of the substituents at the phenyl ring compared with other oxidants, showing that N-bromate ester formation is the rate-determining step of this reaction. Such N-bromate ester formation seems to occur more readily with HgII-sulphur complexes.

1,4,4a,5,8,8a,9,9a,10,10a-Decahydro-10-oxo-1,4:5,8-dimethanoanthracen-9-yl acetate (A), C 18 H 20 O 3 , M r =284.37, orthorhombic, Pbca, a=12.036 (3), b=28.753 (3), c=8.451 (3) A, V=2924.96 A 3 , Z=8, D m =1.28 (4), D x =1.296 Mg m -3 , λ(Mo Kα)=0.71069 A μ=0.081 mm -1 , F(000)=1216, T=293 K, R=0.054, wR=0.057 for 1207 reflections. (1aα,2β,2aβ,3α,3aα,4α,4aβ,5aβ,6α,6aα,7α,7aβ,8β,8aα)-tetradecahydro-7-hydroxy-2,8:4,6-dimethanoanthra[2,3-b:6,7-b']bisoxiren-3-yl acetate (B), C 18 H 22 O 5 , M r =318.37, monoclinic, P2 / c, a=8.741 (1), b=20.477 (2), c=9.890 (1)A, β=92.17 (1)°, V=1768.93A 3 , Z=4, D m =1.18 (3), D x =1.195 Mg m -3 , λ(CuKα)=1.54178A, μ=0.677 mm -1 , F(000)=680, T=293K, R=0.023, wR=0.029 for 2141 reflections.

In the title compound, 1-benzamido-β-d-glucopyranose, C13H17NO6, the pyranose ring adopts the 4C1(D) conformation and the N-acetyl group exists in the Z-anti conformation. The primary alcohol group is disordered between the two permitted orientations, gg and gt.

In this work, we report the synthesis and characterization of Zn(BH4)2, a new class of complex borohydrides for on-board hydrogen storage. The thermal decomposition of Zn(BH4)2 comprises of not only the evolution of H2, but also an appreciable amount of B–H (borane) compounds. Lowering the decomposition temperature by catalytic doping may lead to negligible release of boranes. An amount of 1.5 mol% nanoNi was estimated and found to be the optimum concentration for nanocatalyst doping of Zn(BH4)2. Significance of the nanoNi doping, lowers the melting and thermal decomposition temperatures (at least 20–40 °C) of Zn(BH4)2 as evidenced from the calorimetric analysis. At these low temperatures, the nanocatalyzed Zn(BH4)2 exhibits reduction in the amount of borane gases released by a factor of 20 as compared to the undoped sample.

Single crystals of potassium ferrocyanide trihydrate, K4[Fe(CN)6·3H2O (KFCT), a ferroelectric material with Curie temperature 251K were grown in silica gel at room temperature for the first time by the solubility reduction method. Resorcinol and ethyl alcohol were used for the purpose of gel setting and supernatant liquid respectively. Optical and mechanical properties were studied for the grown crystal. The structure of the grown crystal was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and FT Raman spectral analysis of the crystalline samples reveal that the crystalline sample consist consists of all functional groups. Thermal analysis of the crystalline sample was performed by TGA and DTA methods. The Vicker's micro hardness value was measured for KFCT crystals. The square etch pits with a hopper-like structure is an indicative of 2D nucleation mechanism. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

A simple and an efficient synthesis route, solvent mediated milling of NaH and Al with 2 mol% of the dopant precursor, Ti(OBu)4 followed by hydrogenation, has been developed and employed to synthesize Ti-doped NaAlH4. The long-term hydrogenation and dehydrogenation, up to 100 cycles were carried out systematically. Reversibility of about 3.4 wt.% hydrogen release was obtained during the first dehydrogenation (160 °C) run after the initial hydrogenation of Ti-doped (NaH+Al) at 150 °C; ∼11.4 MPa H2 for 12 h. In the subsequent cycles, the storage capacity increased, reaching an optimum of 4.0 wt.%. This capacity was retained for 40 cycles with the dehydrogenation kinetic curves showing remarkable reproducibility. Comparison of the X-ray diffraction profiles of Ti-doped (NaH+Al) from initial and final stages of the cycling study reveals a growing resistance to the hydrogenation of Na3AlH6 to NaAlH4.

The rates of the dehydrogenation of the sodium alanates NaAlH4 and Na3AlH6 doped with 2 mol % Ti or Zr have been measured over the temperature range 363−423 K. NaAlH4 and Na3AlH6 undergo dehydrogenation at equal rates upon direct doping with titanium. However, Na3AlH6 arising from the dehydrogenation of Ti-doped NaAlH4 undergoes dehydrogenation at much slower rates. Rate constants were determined from the slopes of the dehydrogenation profiles. On the basis of Eyring theory, the enthalpies of activation, ΔH⧧, for the dehydrogenation reactions were determined to be ∼100 kJ·mol-1 for both Ti-doped NaAlH4 and Na3AlH6 and ∼135 kJ·mol-1 for both Zr-doped NaAlH4 and Na3AlH6. These results suggest that the dehydrogenation reaction pathways are highly sensitive to the nature and distribution of the dopant but not to differences in the Al−H bonding interactions in [AlH4]- and [AlH6]3- complex anions. Furthermore, we conclude that the kinetics are probably influenced by processes such as nucleation and growth and/o...