bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Analog and Digital Signal Handling
Authors: McGhee Joseph
Published: August 2008

In this article, analog and digital signal handling are compared. The comparison uses models of analog and digital signal propagation/transmission/storage. It is shown in the analog case that the system designer can do little to minimize the influence of noise or interference apart from the use of a conditioning filter at the output. By contrast, the digital case has increased complexity through the inclusion of sampling, quantization, conversion, and encoding at the channel input. Reconstruction of the signal at the receiving end also has a commensurate increase in complexity by the necessary inclusion of decoding, DAC, and filtering. Restoring noisy digital signals provides the concluding part of the article.
Sophistication of Measurement and Its Body of Knowledge
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

An introduction to how knowledge is gathered using science is given. Methods of knowledge classification are discussed in general terms. The problem of finding information on measurement is reviewed in terms of classification difficulties.
Static Considerations of General Instrumentation
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

This article introduces terms used to describe the performance of an instrument from the point of view of its static and/or steady state behavior.
Zero‐Order System Dynamics
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

The nature of a linear system building block will decide how it will respond to various kinds of input signal. The various kinds of block responses are described and the zero‐order type is characterized. How the performance of this type is stated is also given.
First‐Order System Dynamics
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

First‐order linear responses of linear building blocks are described for step, ramp, and sinusoidal inputs. Examples are given along with how to simply specify their behavior.
Second‐Order System Dynamics
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

Second‐order linear responses of linear building blocks are described for step, ramp, and sinusoidal inputs. Examples are given along with how to simply specify their behavior.
Description of Accuracy, Linearity, and Drift
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

Description of the key measurement terms accuracy, linearity, and drift is presented showing how they need to be used with care for they are often simplifications of the real situation.
Elastic Regime of Design—Spring Systems
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

Elasticity of materials can be used to good effect to form many different forms of fine mechanism. This article covers their use to form spring elements that may also serve as guides for limited motion.
Elastic Regime of Design—Plates and Bimorphs
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

Flat‐plate elastic elements are outlined for their use in fine mechanism. The many forms are covered; flat‐plate beams, pressure bellows, nonmechanical elastic, and the bimorph where two materials give deflections as electric fields are changed.
Optical Measuring Instruments
Authors: Sydenham Peter H.
Published: August 2008

Optical measuring instruments have been extensively used for making extremely precise and reliable measurements in many disciplines of science and technology. This article gives a brief description of basic types of such instruments. They are arbitrarily grouped under the names of the commonly used types, namely, refractometers, curvature measurement, autocollimators, focometers, microscopes, telescopes, projectors, spectrophotometers and miscellaneous optical instruments, opto‐medical instruments, and laser‐based instruments.
Fieldbus Systems
Authors: Eren Halit
Published: August 2008

Progress in digital control systems, advances in communication methods, and improvements in the functionality of modern sensors and controllers has resulted in development of sophisticated communication systems for automation, manufacturing, and the process industries. These industrial communication systems, called
fieldbuses
, contain hardware, software, and protocols for interconnecting field devices used in the process plant environment. The variety of systems offered is outlined.
Modeling with
Lab
VIEW
™
Authors: Tłaczała Wiesław
Published: August 2008

Virtual instrumentation based on LabVIEW™ is used worldwide in industry, research, and education. It is widely adopted as a standard for data acquisition, instrument control software, and analysis software. LabVIEW as a tool for the virtual instruments building is presented. Also, some LabVIEW features, useful for the virtual instrumentation, like the VI customizing, data transfer inside and outside the VIs, the application–user communication, and the data flow principle, are discussed.
Basic Principles of Flow Measurement
Authors: Thorn Richard
Published: August 2008

This article considers the basic terminology related to the measurement of flow in a conduit. The meaning of Reynolds number and the importance of the flow's velocity profile to the measurement process are considered. Finally, the principles of operation, advantages, and limitations of the most common types of flowmeter are discussed.
Large‐Scale Metrology
Authors: Kyle Stephen
Published: August 2008

Large‐scale Metrology is concerned with techniques for accurate, three‐dimensional measurement of manufactured objects, which have dimensions typically of a few meters to several 10s of meters. This article concentrates on the geometric methods and optical equipment, which constitute the major part of this field. Much of this technology has its origins in map making and is inherently portable, enabling the on‐site measurement of car body components, aircraft parts, and ship sections, all of which are mentioned.
Virtual Instrumentation in Physics
Authors: Tłaczała Wiesław
Published: August 2008

Virtual instrumentation based on LabVIEW in performing real nuclear physics experiments is presented in this article as a case study. Basic features used for building applications, which simulate real‐world instruments operation or animate measuring systems execution, are presented. Some features used in the virtual instrumentation are discussed. Physics is a scientific discipline where this VI toolset has successfully been used to perform physics experiments, support teaching process in the physics laboratories for student training, and also as a tool in e‐learning.
Calibration Process
Authors: Eren Halit
Published: August 2008

Calibration of instruments and processes is discussed, showing it provides consistency in readings and reduces errors, thus validating the measurements universally. Carefully designed sequential activities are discussed in detail to achieve good calibration results that comply with standards set by the relevant authorities. Trends in calibration are covered including electronic calibration, use of smart sensors, and calibrations made over the Internet.
Alcohols, Polyhydric
Authors: Werle Peter , Morawietz Marcus , Lundmark Stefan , Sörensen Kent , Karvinen Esko , Lehtonen Juha
Published: August 2008

The article contains sections titled:

1.General Aspects2.Diols2.1.1,5‐Pentanediol2.2.1,4‐Butanediol2.3.1,3‐Propanediols2.3.1.2,2‐Dimethyl‐1,3‐propanediol (Neopentyl Glycol)2.3.2.Hydroxypivalic Acid Neopentyl Glycol Ester2.3.3.2‐Methyl‐2‐propyl‐1,3‐propanediol and 2‐Butyl‐2‐ethyl‐1,3‐propanediol2.3.3.1.2‐Methyl‐2‐propyl‐1,3‐propanediol2.3.3.2.2‐Butyl‐2‐ethyl‐1,3‐propanediol2.3.4.2‐sec‐Butyl‐2‐methyl‐1,3‐propanediol2.3.5.1,3‐Propanediol2.3.6.2‐Methyl‐1,3‐propanediol2.4.1,6‐Hexanediol2.5.Hexynediols2.5.1.3‐Hexyne‐2,5‐diol2.5.2.2,5‐Dimethyl‐3‐hexyne‐2,5‐diol2.6.1,10‐Decanediol2.7.1,12‐Dodecanediol2.8.2,2‐Bis(4‐hydroxycyclohexyl)propane2.9.1,4‐Bis(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexane2.10.Tricyclodecanedimethanol2.11.2,2,4‐Trimethyl‐1,3‐pentanediol2.12.Vicinal Diols by Hydroxylation of Olefins with Peracids2.12.1.1,2‐Pentanediol2.12.2.Other 1,2‐Diols2.12.2.1.2‐Ethyl‐1,3‐hexanediol2.12.2.2.2,4‐Diethyl‐1,5‐pentanediol3.Triols3.1.Trimethylolpropane3.2.Trimethylolethane4.Tetrols4.1.Ditrimethylolpropane4.2.Pentaerythritol5.Higher Polyols5.1.Dipentaerythritol5.2.Tripentaerythritol6.Toxicology
Nematicides
Authors: Hartwig Jürgen , Sommer Herbert , Müller Franz
Published: August 2008

In Chapter 1 Introduction the historical background of nematology and nematicides is briefly described, and the different nematodes are mentioned. Chapter 2 Plant‐Parasitic Nematodes covers the characteristic properties of plant‐parasitic nematodes, including classification, morphology, anatomy, life cycle, mode of parasitism, and damage caused to plants. Chapter 3 Nematode Management deals with nematode management by nonchemical and chemical measures. Nonchemical measures are the use of resistant plants, if available, cultivation practices, biological control, and hygiene measures. The chemical measures, i.e., the individual nematicides, are presented in Chapter 4 Individual Nematicides together with some physical properties, a brief description of their synthesis, the main uses, formulation types, trade names, and their stability in different environments. The mammalian and environmental toxicological properties of the nematicides are given in Chapter 5 Toxicology. The references (Chap. 6 References) list publications accessible in the public domain.

The article contains sections titled:1.Introduction2.Plant‐Parasitic Nematodes2.1.Characteristics of Plant‐Parasitic Nematodes2.2.Plant Damage3.Nematode Management3.1.Nonchemical Measures3.2.Chemical Measures4.Individual Nematicides4.1.Antibiotic Nematicides4.2.Carbamate Nematicides4.2.1.Oxime Carbamate Nematicides4.3.Organophosphorus Nematicides4.3.1.Organophosphate Nematicides4.3.2.Organothiophosphate nematicides4.4.Unclassified Nematicides5.Toxicology5.1.Antibiotic nematicides5.2.Carbamate Nematicides5.2.1.Oxime Carbamate Nematicides5.3.Organophosphorus Nematicides5.3.1.Organophosphate Nematicides5.3.2.Organothiophosphate nematicides5.4.Unclassified Nematicides6.References
Scale‐Up in Chemical Engineering
Authors: Zlokarnik Marko
Published: August 2008

The article contains sections titled:

1.

Introduction

2.

Dimensional Analysis

2.1.

The Fundamental Principle

2.2.

What Is a Dimension?

2.3.

What Is a Physical Quantity?

2.4.

Base and Derived Quantities, Dimensional Constants

2.5.

Dimensional Systems

2.6.

Dimensional Homogeneity of a Physical Content

2.7.

The Pi Theorem

3.

The Determination of a Pi Set by Matrix Transformation

3.1.

The Establishment of a Relevance List of a Problem

3.2.

Determination of the Characteristic Geometric Parameter

3.3.

Constructing and Solving of the Dimensional Matrix

3.4.

Determination of the Process Characteristics

4.

Fundamentals of the Theory of Models and Scale‐Up

4.1.

Theory of Models

4.2.

Model Experiments and Scale‐Up

5.

Further Procedures To Establish a Relevance List

5.1.

Consideration of the Acceleration Due to Gravity
g

5.2.

Introduction of Intermediate Quantities

5.3.

Scale‐up Procedure at Unavailability of Model Material Systems

5.4.

Partial Similarity

6.

Short Summary of the Essentials of the Dimensional Analysis and Scale‐Up

6.1.

Advantages of Dimensional Analysis

6.2.

Area of Applicability of Dimensional Analysis

6.3.

Experimental Methods for Scale‐Up

6.4.

Carrying Out Experiments under Change of Scales

7.

Treatment of Variable Physical Properties by Dimensional Analysis

7.1.

Dimensionless Representation of the Material Function
µ
(
T
)

7.2.

Standard Representation of Particle Strength σ of Different Materials in Dependence on Particle Diameter
d
p

7.3.

Pi Set for Variable Physical Properties

7.4.

Material Function in Non‐Newtonian Liquids

7.4.1.

Pseudoplastic Flow Behavior

7.4.2.

Viscoelastic Flow Behavior

7.5.

Pi Space in Processes with Non‐Newtonian Fluids

8.

Dimensional Analytical Treatment of Heat‐Transfer Processes

9.

Dimensional Analytical Treatment of Mass‐Transfer Processes

9.1.

Dimensional Analysis of Mass Transfer in the System G/L

9.2.

Dimensional Analysis of Mass Transfer in the System S/L
Analytical Voltammetry and Polarography
Authors: Henze Günter
Published: August 2008

The article contains sections titled:

1.

Introduction

2.

Techniques

2.1.

Direct Current Polarography

2.2.

Pulse Techniques

2.3.

Alternating Current Polarography

2.4.

Linear‐Sweep and Cyclic Voltammetry

2.5.

Chronopotentiometry

2.6.

Stripping Techniques

3.

Instrumentation

4.

Evaluation and Calculation

5.

Sample Preparation

6.

Supporting Electrolyte Solution

7.

Application to Inorganic and Organic TraceAnalysis
Chromatographic Reactors
Authors: Fricke Jörg , Schmidt‐Traub Henner , Schembecker Gerhard
Published: August 2008

Chromatographic reactors integrate chemical reaction and chromatographic separation in one apparatus. This offers potential for process intensification, especially in the case of equilibrium reactions. Different types of discontinuous and continuous processes as well as modeling of chromatographic reactors are described. Synthesis and design of this processes is very much influenced and often restricted by the type of reaction and the operating window which is set by the individual operating conditions for chemical reaction, mass separation, and equipment design. Integrated chromatographic reactors should be considered if chromatography is the favored separation process for a conventional sequential process design. Preparative chromatographic reactors are known for liquid‐ and gas‐phase processes. Laboratory‐scale applications are described. Analytical chromatographic reactors are used to determine reaction rate constants and kinetics, and to screen chromatographic systems and operating conditions for preparative applications.

1.

Introduction

2.

Types of Chromatographic Reactors

3.

Modeling of Chromatographic Reactors

3.1.

Adsorption Isotherm and Reaction Kinetics

3.2.

Modeling the BCR

3.3.

Modeling Simulated Moving Bed Chromatographic Reactors

3.4.

Process control

4.

Synthesis of Preparative Chromatographic Reactors

4.1.

Process Principles

4.2.

Type of Reaction

5.

Design of Preparative Chromatographic Reactors

5.1.

Design of the Process

5.2.

Choice of Operating Conditions

6.

Preparative Chromatographic Reactors

6.1.

Applications of Gas Chromatographic Reactors

6.2.

Application of Liquid Chromatographic Reactors

7.

Analytical Chromatographic Reactors

7.1.

Determination of Rate Constants

7.2.

Enzymatic Reactions

7.3.

Characterization of the Stationary Phase

7.4.

Examination of Fast Equilibrium Reactions

7.5.

Examination of Solvent Effects
Quasicrystals
Authors: Maciá Enrique , Marie Dubois Jean‐ , Ann Thiel Patricia
Published: August 2008

The article contains sections titled:

1.

Introduction

2.

Structural Aspects

3.

Preparation of Quasicrystalline Phases

4.

Chemical Composition

5.

Electrical Conductivity

6.

Thermal Conductivity and Diffusivity

7.

Mechanical and Surface Properties

8.

Potential Applications

8.1.

Composites

8.2.

Coatings

8.3.

Catalysis

8.4.

Other Applications

9.

Acknowledgement
Ceramic Materials for Advanced Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Holtappels Peter , Vogt Ulrich , Graule Thomas
Published: August 2008

Solid oxide fuel cells are ceramic fuel cells that convert chemical into electrical energy at temperatures between 650 °C and 1000 °C. Today, this type of fuel cell is receiving ever‐increasing attention due to its principle capability to provide electricity from both fossil and renewable fuel sources. Systems are currently under development for a variety of applications, including small and large‐scale stationary combined heat and power systems, and power generation systems in the automotive area. Materials involved in advanced SOFC cells and their fabrication techniques are described in this contribution. The trends to enable lowering of the SOFC operating temperatures to around 800 °C and the resulting materials, as well as concept‐related solutions, are addressed in particular.
Conflicts, Choices, and Solutions: Informing Risky Choices
Authors: Ricci Paolo F.
Published: August 2008

This article deals with key aspects of informing decision making of what may be the optimal choice, given a set of potential choices, unpredictable events, the value of the consequences (positive or negative) associated with each choice, and criteria for making the choice. This article introduces some of those criteria, methods and measures that can be used to inform policy maker relative to the set of options included in the analysis, and provides examples.
Risk in Credit Granting and Lending Decisions: Credit Scoring
Authors: Soopramanien Didier G.R. , Finlay Steve
Published: August 2008

The discipline of credit scoring is concerned with the development and application of predictive models of the likelihood that credit obligations will be met. The likelihood that credit obligations will be met represents the risk attached to granting credit. In this paper, the authors present an overview of the context of credit scoring and how it fits in the wider research area of risk analysis and prediction. The interested reader who wishes to pursue further research in this area will develop a pedagogical appreciation of this growing area of research in predictive risk analysis.
Quantitative Reliability Assessment of Electricity Supply
Authors: Billinton Roy
Published: August 2008

This paper illustrates the hierarchical relationship of the basic functional zones of generation, transmission, and distribution in an electric power system. The techniques used to quantitatively assess the reliability of the overall system and the hierarchical levels are briefly discussed. The importance in reliability assessment of consistent and comprehensive data on relevant equipment, load characteristics, and system constraints is illustrated.
Homeland Security and Transportation Risk
Authors: Steffey Duane L.
Published: August 2008

The coordinated hijackings and deliberate crashes of airplanes into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on September 11, 2001, dramatically heightened both the perception and the reality of the threat terrorism poses to public transportation systems. Governments of countries that perceive an elevated level of threat are investing considerable resources to implement comprehensive programs to enhance security in all key modes of transportation, including aviation, maritime traffic, highways, and mass transit.

A systems‐based approach to managing such risks involves the assessment of threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences. Assessments are conducted to identify and evaluate potential threats, recognize weaknesses that may be exploited by identified threats, suggest countermeasures to address those weaknesses, and determine which structures or processes are relatively more important to protect from attack. The characterization of security risk is completed through qualitative or quantitative analysis of the consequences associated with the partial or total loss of critical transportation assets because of intentional harmful attacks. Formal methodologies for assessing and managing risks to transportation security provide a conceptual structure and practical tools for allocating resources in cost‐effective ways to improve public safety.
Criteria‐based content analysis of true and suggested accounts of events
Authors: Blandón‐Gitlin Iris , Pezdek Kathy , Lindsay D. Stephen , Hagen Lisa
Published: August 2008

Worldwide, the criteria‐based content analysis (CBCA) is probably the most widely used veracity assessment technique for discriminating between accounts of true and fabricated events. In this study, two experiments examined the effectiveness of the CBCA for discriminating between accounts of true events and suggested events believed to be true. In Experiment 1, CBCA‐trained judges evaluated participants' accounts of true and suggestively planted childhood events. In Experiment 2, judges analysed accounts of recent events that were experimentally manipulated to be a (a) true experience, (b) false experience believed to be true and (c) deliberately fabricated experience. In both experiments CBCA scores were significantly higher for accounts of true events than suggested events. However, this difference was not significant for participants classified as experiencing ‘full’ memories for the suggested event. Self‐report memory measures supported the findings of the CBCA analyses. Taken together these results suggest that the CBCA discriminative power is greatly constrained. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Consumer contribution to the delivery of genetic health services
Authors: Nisselle Amy , Forbes Robin , Bankier Agnes , Hughes Eilís , Aitken MaryAnne
Published: August 2008

Clinical genetics services have been the focus of evaluation and guidelines since the 1970s. In this study we used consumer satisfaction as the evaluative measure with the aim being to seek feedback from consumers of a genetics service to inform quality measures for client‐centered genetic services. In the first phase of the study issues were identified by consumers and health professionals around delivering genetics services and the priorities ranked into five themes: expectations, information, respect, privacy and logistics. These themes then formed the basis of a questionnaire that was distributed to consumers of a genetics service in Victoria, Australia. Three hundred ninety‐seven out of 821 questionnaires were completed (49.8% response rate). More than 85% of consumers were satisfied in the theme of expectations, with the only issue being waiting times for genetic test results (68.6% satisfied). Over 83% of consumers were satisfied with the information received from the genetics service. The matter of interruptions during appointments was the only area in the theme of respect that rated less than 80% satisfactory (79.1%). In relation to privacy, consumers rated over 95% satisfaction. Logistics was the theme where satisfaction was lowest with ratings of less than 75% for issues such as availability of public transport to the clinic, parking and wheelchair access. Consumer satisfaction was related to the information received before and after consultations and also to the attitudes and behaviors of health professionals. These findings have implications for genetics services both in Australia and internationally and recommendations from the findings are outlined. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical and molecular studies of patients with characteristics of Opitz G/BBB syndrome shows a novel MID1 mutation
Authors: Hsieh Elena W.Y. , Vargervik Karin , Slavotinek Anne M.
Published: August 2008

Opitz G/BBB syndrome is characterized by midline abnormalities such as hypertelorism, cleft palate, and hypospadias. This syndrome is heterogeneous with an X‐linked recessive form caused by mutations in the MID1 gene at band Xp22.3. However, mutations in MID1 have only been identified in 47% of familial cases of X‐linked Opitz G/BBB syndrome, and 13% of sporadic cases. We performed a phenotype–genotype analysis of a group of nine new patients with clinical characteristics commonly seen in Opitz G/BBB syndrome, and of previously reported patients. We identified a novel mutation in exon 9 of the MID1 gene, c.1941insTGAGTCATCATCC, leading to a premature termination codon at amino acid 514 in a patient with hypertelorism, apparently low‐set ears, a short philtrum, bilateral cleft of lip and palate and hypospadias. This mutation affects the PRY domain of the C‐terminus of the MID1 protein. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Chiralitätserkennung zwischen neutralen Molekülen in der Gasphase
Authors: Zehnacker Anne , Suhm Martin A.
Published: August 2008

Nichtkovalente Wechselwirkungen sind bei Beteiligung chiraler Moleküle faszinierend, da sie sich auf subtile Weise ändern, wenn einer der Partner durch sein Spiegelbild ersetzt wird. Die Konsequenzen der Chiralitätserkennung sind in der Biologie, in der organischen Synthese und beim Design von Polymeren bedeutsam. Sie lassen sich danach einteilen, ob die Chiralität der wechselwirkenden Partner kurz‐ oder langlebig ist. Dies ermöglicht die Unterscheidung zwischen Chiralitätsdiskriminierung, Chiralitätsinduktion und Chiralitätssynchronisation. Für kleine neutrale Moleküle sind genaue quantenchemische Beschreibungen solcher Vorgänge möglich. Für einen Brückenschlag zwischen Theorie und Experiment empfiehlt sich ihre Untersuchung im Vakuum bei tiefen Temperaturen mit Rotations‐, Schwingungs‐, elektronischer und Photoionisationsspektroskopie. Dieser Aufsatz gibt einen Überblick über Anwendungen solcher Techniken. Dabei liegt der Schwerpunkt auf Dimeren permanent chiraler Moleküle und auf dem Einfluss der Molekülkonformation. Es werden Analogien zwischen molekularen Mechanismen und makroskopischen Phänomenen sowie zwischen intra‐ und intermolekularen Beispielen aufgezeigt.
Chirality Recognition between Neutral Molecules in the Gas Phase
Authors: Zehnacker Anne , Suhm Martin A.
Published: August 2008

Noncovalent interactions are particularly intriguing when they involve chiral molecules, because the interactions change in a subtle way upon replacing one of the partners by its mirror image. The resulting phenomena involving chirality recognition are relevant in the biosphere, in organic synthesis, and in polymer design. They may be classified according to the permanent or transient chirality of the interacting partners, leading to chirality discrimination, chirality induction, and chirality synchronization processes. For small molecules, high‐level quantum chemical calculations for such processes are feasible. To provide reliable connections between theory and experiment, such phenomena are best studied in vacuum isolation at low temperature, using rotational, vibrational, electronic, and photoionization spectroscopy. We review these techniques and the results which have become available in recent years, with special emphasis on dimers of permanently chiral molecules and on the influence of conformational flexibility. Analogies between the microscopic mechanisms and macroscopic phenomena and between intra‐ and intermolecular cases are drawn.
Palladium–dppb–borate‐catalyzed regioselective synthesis of cinnamate esters by alkoxycarbonylation of phenylacetylene
Authors: Tijani Jimoh , Suleiman Rami , El Ali Bassam
Published: August 2008

The regioselective alkoxycarbonylation of phenylacetylene into various cinnamate esters was achieved with a catalyst system formed from palladium (II), 1,4‐bis(diphenylphosphino) butane (dppb) and salicylborate complex in acetonitrile as a solvent. The influence of various parameters on the overall conversion of phenylacetylene and the selectivity of the reaction were studied systematically by varying the type of palladium complex, acids promoter, CO pressure, temperature and the reaction time. This investigation allowed us to obtain the predominant formation of cinnamate esters with excellent selectivity (90–96%). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition of WO3 thin films from a volatile fluorinated tungsten oxo‐alkoxide precursor, W(O)(OCH2CF3)4
Authors: Molloy K. C. , Williams P. A.
Published: August 2008

The monomeric tungsten oxo‐fluoroalkoxide W(O)(CH2CF3)4 (1) was synthesized from W(O)Cl4 and CF3CH2OH in the presence of ammonia. It was used in atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition experiments to deposit non‐stoichiometric WO2.9 when used as a single‐source precursor or stoichiometric WO3 when O2 was used as co‐reagent. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Two novel Ag(I) coordination polymers with triazoles derivatives: synthesis, crystal structures and biological activity
Authors: Han Xinli , An Changxue , Zhang Zhihui
Published: August 2008

Two novel coordination polymers, [Ag(L1)(NO3)]n 1 and [Ag(L2)2(ClO4)]n 2 [L1 = 1‐(1‐benzotriazole‐yl‐)triazole, L2 = 1‐(4‐chloro‐pyridazine‐yl‐)triazole] have been synthesized and characterized. Single‐crystal X‐ray analyses show that the Ag(I) atom is in a four‐coordinated distorted tetrahedron environment, which are linked by the coordinated nitrate group and L1 into a two‐dimensional network in complex 1. While in the complex 2, the Ag(I) is also in a distorted tetrahedron environment consisting of four N atoms to present a one‐dimensional infinite chain, the intermolecular π− π stacking action extends further the repeated units into three‐dimensional topological framework. The biological activities of the title compounds have been studied. The results indicate that two ligands exhibit excellent radical‐scavenging activities and certain fungicidal activities, and both Ag(I) complexes only have good antibacterial activities. Furthermore, the studies on luminescent properties of the complexes in the solid state indicate that the Ag(I) complexes exhibit weaker fluoresce intensity than that of ligands at room temperature. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kinetics of neutral hydrolytic depolymerization of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) waste at higher temperature and autogenious pressures
Authors: Zope Vishvanath S. , Mishra Satyendra
Published: August 2008

Neutral hydrolytic depolymerization of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) waste was studied using 0.5‐L high pressure autoclave at the temperatures 100, 150, 200, 230, and 250°C at autogenious pressures 15, 80, 230, and 451 psi (pound per square inch) and time intervals of 60, 90, 120, and 150 min, respectively. The obtained terephthalic acid (TPA) was characterized by measuring its acid value and recording FTIR spectra. Depolymerization of the PET by neutral hydrolysis was found to be first order with velocity constant in the order of 10−2 min−1. Energy of activation and frequency factor were obtained by slope and intercept of Arrhenius plot, which were found to be 99.58 KJ mole−1 and 2.9 × 108 min−1respectively. Effect of temperature on rate of depolymerization reaction was also studied and optimized: rate of reaction increased drastically on increase in temperature from 150 to 200°C. Modified shrinking core model based on acid values focused the light on depolymerization of the PET into TPA by fragmentation due to formation of pores and cracks. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Online near‐infrared measurements of an epoxy cure process compared to mathematical modeling based on differential scanning calorimetry measurements
Authors: Friis‐Pedersen H.‐H. , Houmøller L. P. , Storm B. K.
Published: August 2008

An epoxy resin containing diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, dicyandiamide, and an accelerator (diurone) was investigated under different cure cycles. The mathematical prediction of the degree of cure in a thermoset as a function of time and temperature was investigated and compared to measured data. Near‐infrared analysis was used to measure the conversion of epoxy and primary amine and the production of hydroxyl. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry was used to measure the changes in the heat capacity during cure. The measurements revealed differences in the primary amine conversion and hydroxyl production, and close relations to the measurements of heat capacity were found. The measurements of the degree of cure revealed that cure cycles initiated at 80°C produced a lower degree of cure than cure cycles initiated at 90°C, although all cure cycles were postcured at 110°C. These findings were to some degree supported by measurements of the primary amine conversion and hydroxyl production. The characteristics found were attributed to differences in the cure mechanisms. The mathematical model did not incorporate these differences, and this may have led to discrepancies between the predicted and actual values of the degree of cure. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Ultraviolet‐curable epoxidized sunflower oil/organoclay nanocomposite coatings
Authors: Jiratumnukul Nantana , Intarat Ravivan
Published: August 2008

Hybrid nanocomposite coating films, prepared by the incorporation of epoxidized sunflower oil into organoclay, can be cured by ultraviolet radiation with either cationic or hybrid initiation. The organoclay used in this study was prepared by a cationic exchange process in which sodium ions were replaced by alkyl ammonium ions. The effects of types of photoinitiators on energy consumption in the curing process were studied. Formulations with a hybrid photoinitiator required less energy in the curing process than those with a cationic photoinitiator. Moreover, the physical properties of dried films were examined as a function of the organoclay incorporation, and it was found that the hardness of the films increased as the amount of organoclay in the formulation increased. The X‐ray diffraction patterns of an ultraviolet‐curable organoclay‐incorporated film showed an exfoliated structure of the organoclay in the ultraviolet‐curable coating film. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Synthesis, characterization, and degradation of a novel L‐tyrosine‐derived polycarbonate for potential biomaterial applications
Authors: Xia Huang , Suo Zheng Yuan , Qiang Gao Ji , Chang Cheng Jia
Published: August 2008

A novel class of pseudo‐poly(amino acid)s was synthesized with a cyclic dipeptide as new diphenole. Nonpeptide bonds alternating with a peptide bond structure were introduced into the backbone of the pseudo‐poly(amino acid)s. The cyclic dipeptide in this study was obtained from natural L‐tyrosine. L‐Tyrosine is a major nutrient amino acid with a phenolic hydroxyl group, so a polycarbonate derived from the cyclic dipeptide should possess more optimum mechanical properties, bioactivity, and biocompatibility. The hydrolytic specimen of the resulting polycarbonate was prepared by a modified solvent evaporation process. Under strongly alkaline conditions, degradation testing was performed. The tyrosine‐derived polycarbonate possessed a low glass‐transition temperature value and a high thermal decomposition temperature value, which formed a broad mean thermal processing range. The most important results of our study were the effects of the polycarbonate degradation on the local pH values, which were smaller than those of other biodegradable polymers [e.g., poly(lactic acid), poly(glycolic acid), and poly(lactic glycolic acid)]. The synthesized polymer and cyclic dipeptide were characterized with Fourier transform infrared, 13C‐NMR, and 1H‐NMR spectroscopy to determine their chemical structures; by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis to determine the thermal properties of the polymer; by gel permeation chromatography to determine the polymer's molecular weight; and by X‐ray diffraction to determine the polymer's morphology. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Thermal degradation behavior of poly(vinyl chloride) in the presence of poly(glycidyl methacrylate)
Authors: Sabaa Magdy W. , Farag Zeinab R. , Mohamed Nadia A.
Published: August 2008

The thermal degradation behavior of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in presence of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) has been studied using continuous potentiometric determination of the evolved HCl gas from the degradation process from one hand and by evaluating the extent of discoloration of the degraded samples from the other. The efficiency of blending PGMA with dibasic lead carbonate (DBLC) conventional thermal stabilizer has also been investigated. A probable radical mechanism for the effect of PGMA on the thermal stabilization of PVC has been suggested based on data reported by FTIR and elemental analyses. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Poly(butylene terephthalate)/clay nanocomposite compatibilized with poly(ethylene‐co‐glycidyl methacrylate). I. Isothermal crystallization
Authors: Huang Jiann‐Wen
Published: August 2008

Poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/clay nanocomposite was prepared by blending PBT and commercial modified montmorillonite clays via a extruder by using poly(ethylene‐co‐glycidyl methacrylate) (PEGMA) as a compatibilizer (PBT/PEGMA/Clay). PEGMA and clay were also blended with PBT to prepare PBT/PEGMA and PBT/Clay, respectively. The morphology was investigated by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The clays were aggregated together and phase separation was observed in PBT/Clay. The clays were exfoliated in PBT/PEGMA/Clay. The equilibrium melting temperature was estimated by linear and nonlinear Hoffman‐Weeks relation. The influence of the PEGMA and clay on the PBT crystallizable ability was also investigated by Avrami model and undercooling (difference between crystallization and equilibrium melting temperature). Hoffman‐Lauritzen relation was used to estimate chain fold surface free energy. The exfoliated silicates cause a large number nucleus center to enhance the crystallization in PBT/PEGMA/Clay. The presence of PEGMA can react with the PBT and an increase in viscosity would reduce molecular mobility and crystallization in PBT/PEGMA. The aggregated clays have a confinement effect on the segmental motion of PBT and hinder the crystallization in PBT/Clay. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Gender differences in ondansetron pharmacokinetics in rats
Authors: Yang Si H. , Yang Kyung H. , Lee Myung G.
Published: August 2008

It has been reported that ondansetron is primarily metabolized via hepatic CYP2D and 3A1/2 in male Sprague–Dawley rats, and CYP2D1 and 3A2 are male dominant and male specific isozymes, respectively, in rats. Thus, it could be expected that the pharmacokinetics of ondansetron would be changed in male rats compared with those in female rats. Thus, gender‐different ondansetron pharmacokinetics were evaluated after its intravenous or oral administration at a dose of 8 mg/kg to male and female Sprague–Dawley rats. After intravenous administration of ondansetron to male rats, the AUC and time‐averaged non‐renal clearance (Clnr) of the drug were significantly smaller (22.6% decrease) and faster (27.3% increase), respectively, than those in female rats. This probably could be due to faster hepatic blood flow rate in male rats. After oral administration of ondansetron to male rats, the AUC of the drug was also significantly smaller (58.8% decrease) than that in female rats, and this could have been due mainly to increased intestinal metabolism of ondansetron in addition to increased hepatic metabolism of the drug in male rats. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dose‐independent pharmacokinetics of ondansetron in rats: contribution of hepatic and intestinal first‐pass effects to low bioavailability
Authors: Yang Si H. , Lee Myung G.
Published: August 2008

The pharmacokinetic parameters of ondansetron were evaluated after its intravenous (at doses of 1, 4, 8 and 20 mg/kg) and oral (4, 8 and 20 mg/kg) administration to rats. The gastric, intestinal and hepatic first‐pass effects of ondansetron were also evaluated after its intravenous, oral, intraportal, intragastric and intraduodenal administration at a dose of 8 mg/kg to rats. After intravenous and oral administration of ondansetron, the drug exhibits dose‐independent pharmacokinetics in rats. After oral administration of ondansetron at a dose of 8 mg/kg, the unabsorbed fraction was 0.0158 of the dose, the extent of absolute oral bioavailability (F) value was 0.0407, and the hepatic and intestinal first‐pass effects were 40.0% and 34.2% of the oral dose, respectively. The lowFof ondansetron in rats was mainly due to considerable hepatic and intestinal first‐pass effects. The lowerFof ondansetron in rats (4.07%) than that in humans (62 ± 15%) was mainly due to greater hepatic metabolism of the drug in rats. Ondansetron was stable in the rat gastric juices and various buffer solutions having pHs ranging from 1 to 13. The equilibrium plasma‐to‐blood cells partition ratio of ondansetron was 1.74–5.31. Protein binding of ondansetron to fresh rat plasma was 53.2%. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Agent‐based human behavior modeling for crowd simulation
Authors: Luo Linbo , Zhou Suiping , Cai Wentong , Low Malcolm Yoke Hean , Tian Feng , Wang Yongwei , Xiao Xian , Chen Dan
Published: August 2008

Human crowd is a fascinating social phenomenon in nature. This paper presents our work on designing behavior model for virtual humans in a crowd simulation under normal‐life and emergency situations. Our model adopts an agent‐based approach and employs a layered framework to reflect the natural pattern of human‐like decision making process, which generally involves a person's awareness of the situation and consequent changes on the internal attributes. The social group and crowd‐related behaviors are modeled according to the findings and theories observed from social psychology (e.g., social attachment theory). By integrating our model into an agent execution process, each individual agent can response differently to the perceived environment and make realistic behavioral decisions based on various physiological, emotional, and social group attributes. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our model, a case study has been conducted, which shows that realistic human behaviors can be generated at both individual and group level. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adding variation to path planning
Authors: Karamouzas Ioannis , Overmars Mark H.
Published: August 2008

Path planning in computer games, whether these are serious or entertainment games, plays an important role in the immersion of a player. Recently, the concept of path planning inside corridors has been introduced and a novel approach under the name Corridor Map Method (CMM) has been proposed. In this paper, we extend the original CMM by creating alternative paths that a character can follow within a corridor. This not only presents a more challenging and less predictable opponent for the player, but also enhances the realism of the gaming and/or training experience. We also discuss how variation in the speed of the animated characters can be integrated into our extended framework, leading to convincing characters that exhibit human like path planning. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Video completion and synthesis
Authors: Xiao Chunxia , Liu Shu , Fu Hongbo , Lin Chengchun , Song Chengfang , Huang Zhiyong , He Fazhi , Peng Qunsheng
Published: August 2008

This paper presents a new exemplar‐based framework for video completion, allowing aesthetically pleasing completion of large space‐time holes. We regard video completion as a discrete global optimization on a 3D graph embedded in the space‐time video volume. We introduce a new objective function which enforces global spatio‐temporal consistency among patches that fill the hole and surrounding it, in terms of both color similarity and motion similarity. The optimization is solved by a novel algorithm, calledweighted priority belief propagation(BP), which alleviates the problems of slow convergence and intolerable storage size when using the standard BP. This objective function can also handle video texture synthesis by extending an input video texture to a larger texture region. Experiments on a wide variety of video examples with complex dynamic scenes demonstrate the advantages of our method over existing techniques: salient structures and motion information are much better restored. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient lip‐synch tool for 3D cartoon animation
Authors: Kawamoto Shin‐ichi , Yotsukura Tatsuo , Anjyo Ken , Nakamura Satoshi
Published: August 2008

We propose a set of algorithms to efficiently make speech animation for 3D cartoon characters. Our prototype system is based on blendshapes, a linear interpolation technique, which is widely used in facial animation practice. In our system, a few base target shapes of the character, prerecorded voice, and its transcription are required as input. We describe a simple technique that amplifies the target shapes from few inputs using a generic database of viseme mouth shapes. We also introduce additional lip‐synch editing parameters that allow designers to quickly tune the lip movements. Based on these, we implement our prototype system as a Maya plug‐in. The demonstration movies created with this system illustrate well the practicality of our approach. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Style subspaces for character animation
Authors: Liu Gengdai , Pan Zhigeng , Lin Zuoyan
Published: August 2008

In this paper, we present a novel method for editing stylistic human motions. We represent styles as differences between stylistic and introduced neutral motions, including timing differences and spatial differences. Timing differences are defined as time alignment curves, while spatial differences are found by a machine learning technique: independent feature subspaces analysis, which is the combination of multidimensional independent component analysis and invariant feature subspaces. This technique is used to decompose two motions into several subspaces. One of these subspaces can be defined as style subspace that describes the style aspects of the stylistic motion. In order to find the style subspace, we compare norms of the projections of two motions on each subspace. Once the time alignment curves and style subspaces of several motion clips are obtained, animators can tune, transfer, and merge the style subspaces to synthesize new motion clips with various styles. Our method is easy to use since manual manipulations and large training data sets are not necessary. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perspective‐aware cartoon clips synthesis
Authors: Zhuang Yueting , Yu Jun , Xiao Jun , Chen Cheng
Published: August 2008

In this paper we propose an approach, which allows the users to synthesize cartoon clips according to the perspective of the background image. In order to construct the cartoons smoothly, the character's edge distance and motion direction distance are demonstrated to be the factors affecting the human perception in similarity evaluation, and utilized in cartoon clips synthesis. When applying the generated cartoons to the background image, in which the perspective exists, the size of the character is coordinated according to the scaling factor calculated from the vanishing line. The experiment results demonstrate that our approach can synthesize the cartoon clips more smoothly compared with other single frame reusing strategies. The generated cartoons, which are applied to the background image, can be accepted by the human perception well. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Managing coherent groups
Authors: Silveira Renato , Prestes Edson , Nedel Luciana P.
Published: August 2008

The animation of groups of characters involves the generation of some interesting steering behaviors like following a single path, moving toward a common objective, and moving while keeping a formation. This paper presents a new approach to manage the movement of groups in dynamic environments using a simple and robust algorithm that includes a strategy to keep formations during the displacement of the group. Our method is based on a boundary value problem (BVP) involving Laplace's equation and has two layers. In the first one, agroup mapis built to allow for local control of each individual, while in the second one a path planning is performed for each group as a whole. Results show that our technique is robust to several situations and can be implemented on GPU, which results in real‐time performance for large groups. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.