2-Methylpropylacetate synthesis via catalytic distillation

The paper deals with a 2-methylpropylacetate synthesis process development. The process is based on esterification of acetic acid with 2-methylpropanol by the reactive distillation method. A column in which separation of the reaction products takes place together with esterification in catalytic active separation packing is utilized in this process. Computer simulation of catalytic distillation has been performed to study the process and to evaluate the pilot plant experimental data. KATAPAK^® S structural packing was used in the reaction zone, while stripping and rectifying sections of the column were packed by CY^® packing. A good agreement between the simulation results and pilot plant data has been achieved.     

Conference proceedings as a matter of bibliometric studies: the Academy of International Business 2006–2008

This study does a bibliometric analysis based on keywords of conference proceedings. Scientometric investigations of conference proceedings are a new and innovative, not very common approach. The studies and papers presented may be interpreted as early indicators of scientific development. The Academy of International Business (AIB) was chosen for being the leading organization for studies in international business with contributions covering a 3-year period (2006–2008). The study presents the general structure of current scholarly interest in international business studies, clusters the keywords and reflects details on the focused research areas of the papers analyzed. The bibliometric analysis indicates three clusters: the core, the semi-periphery and the periphery. The five most occurring keywords were found to be multinational enterprise, emerging markets, foreign direct investment, internationalization and knowledge management in descending order. The analyses focus on concepts building the core (in total ten keywords), the semi-periphery which is coined by performance and related topics (60 keywords) and the periphery of the studies with governance and specific facets of it (199 keywords).     

Injury severity scoring: a comparison of early clinical versus discharge diagnosis

The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and the Injury Severity Score (ISS) are objective means of assessing injury. Accepted methodology involves retrospective scoring of injury based on discharge diagnoses. Recently, early clinical scoring, supplemented by review at discharge, has been introduced. A prospective study was instituted to compare these methodologies. Four hundred sixty consecutive victims of blunt trauma were scored using both clinical and retrospective methodologies by independent, blinded observers. Of these, 333 patients had a change in ISS, 174 with a change of greater than four points. The population mean ISS remained unchanged; however, paired values were significantly different (p less than .03). We conclude that either methodology is applicable for studies of large populations of trauma victims. When accurate individual AIS or ISS scoring is required, the clinical method combined with discharge review is most appropriate.