bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modified Hybrid Block Iterative Algorithm for Convex Feasibility Problems and Generalized Equilibrium Problems for Uniformly Quasi‐ϕ‐Asymptotically Nonexpansive Mappings
Authors: Saewan Siwaporn , Kumam Poom
Published: July 2010

We introduce a modified block hybrid projection algorithm for solving the convex feasibility problems for an infinite family of closed and uniformly quasi‐ϕ‐asymptotically nonexpansive mappings and the set of solutions of the generalized equilibrium problems. We obtain a strong convergence theorem for the sequences generated by this process in a uniformly smooth and strictly convex Banach space with Kadec‐Klee property. The results presented in this paper improve and extend some recent results.
Datacollection in Event-Driven Wireless Sensor Networks with Mobile Sinks
Authors: Sabbineni Harshavardhan , Chakrabarty Krishnendu
Published: July 2010

We present a two-tier distributed hash table-based scheme for data-collection in event-driven wireless sensor networks. The proposed method leverages mobile sinks to significantly extend the lifetime of the sensor network. We propose localized algorithms using a distributed geographic hash-table mechanism that adds load balancing capabilities to the data-collection process. We address the hotspot problem by rehashing the locations of the mobile sinks periodically. The proposed mobility model moves the sink node only upon the occurrence of an event according to the evolution of current events, so as to minimize the energy consumption incurred by the multihop transmission of the event-data. Data is collected via single-hop routing between the sensor node and the mobile sink. Simulation results demonstrate significant gains in energy savings, while keeping the latency and the communication overhead at low levels for a variety of parameter values.
Fecal Occult Blood Test and Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infection
Authors: Wakid Majed H.
Published: July 2010

Stool specimens of 1238 workers in western region of Saudi Arabia were examined for infection with intestinal parasites and for fecal occult blood (FOB) to investigate the possibility that enteroparasites correlate to occult intestinal bleeding. Direct smears and formal ether techniques were used for detection of diagnostic stages of intestinal parasites. A commercially available guaiac test was used to detect fecal occult blood. 47.01% of the workers were infected with intestinal parasites including eight helminthes species and eight protozoan species. The results provided no significant evidence (P-value=0.143) that intestinal parasitic infection is in association with positive guaiac FOB test.
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors Alpha, Beta, and Gamma mRNA and Protein Expression in Human Fetal Tissues
Authors: Abbott Barbara D. , Wood Carmen R. , Watkins Andrew M. , Das Kaberi P. , Lau Christopher S.
Published: July 2010

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) regulate lipid and glucose homeostasis, are targets of pharmaceuticals, and are also activated by environmental contaminants. Almost nothing is known about expression of PPARs during human fetal development. This study examines expression of PPAR, , and mRNA and protein in human fetal tissues. With increasing fetal age, mRNA expression of PPAR and increased in liver, but PPAR decreased in heart and intestine, and PPAR decreased in adrenal. Adult and fetal mean expression of PPAR, , and mRNA did not differ in intestine, but expression was lower in fetal stomach and heart. PPAR and mRNA in kidney and spleen, and PPAR mRNA in lung and adrenal were lower in fetal versus adult. PPAR in liver and PPAR mRNA in thymus were higher in fetal versus adult. PPAR protein increased with fetal age in intestine and decreased in lung, kidney, and adrenal. PPAR protein in adrenal and PPAR in kidney decreased with fetal age. This study provides new information on expression of PPAR subtypes during human development and will be important in evaluating the potential for the developing human to respond to PPAR environmental or pharmaceutical agonists.
On Second Order of Accuracy Difference Scheme of the Approximate Solution of Nonlocal Elliptic‐Parabolic Problems
Authors: Ashyralyev Allaberen , Gercek Okan
Published: July 2010

A second order of accuracy difference
scheme for the approximate solution of the abstract nonlocal boundary value
problem −d2u(t)/dt2 + Au(t) = g(t), (0 ≤ t ≤ 1), du(t)/dt − Au(t) = f(t), (−1 ≤ t ≤ 0), u(1) = u(−1) + μ for differential equations in a Hilbert space H with a self‐adjoint positive definite
operator A is considered. The well posedness of this difference scheme in Hölder
spaces is established. In applications, coercivity inequalities for the solution of a
difference scheme for elliptic‐parabolic equations are obtained and a numerical
example is presented.
Primary Small Bowel Liposarcoma (Atypical Lipomatous Tumour) with Myogenic Differentiation
Authors: Patel J. , Deb R. , Speake W. , MacCulloch T. A.
Published: July 2010

Primary small intestinal liposarcomas originating in the small bowel are uncommon with a generally poor prognosis due to the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. We describe a case of primary small bowel dedifferentiated liposarcoma presenting as a solid mass in the right iliac fossa. The current case is unusual as the tumour seemingly originated from the bowel and the well-differentiated component was seen extensively infiltrating the bowel wall including the small bowel submucosa.
Absorption Efficiency and Physical Bounds on Antennas
Authors: Gustafsson Mats , Cismasu Marius , Nordebo Sven
Published: July 2010

The all spectrum absorption efficiency appears in the physical bounds on antennas expressed in the polarizability dyadics. Here, it is shown that this generalized absorption efficiency is close to 1/2 for small idealized dipole antennas and for antennas with a dominant resonance in their absorption. Also, the usefulness of this parameter is analyzed for estimation of antenna performance. The results are illustrated with numerical data for several antennas.
Effects of PEEP Ventilation on Liver Metabolism
Authors: Schricker T. , Kugler B. , Schywalsky M. , Braun G. , Träger K. , Georgieff M.
Published: July 2010

Objective: To study the influence of positive endexpiratory pressure (PEEP) ventilation on metabolic parameters with specific regard to liver metabolism. Design: Prospective experimental study on the effects of PEEP ventilation on nemo-dynamic gas exchange as well as metabolic parameters i. e. hepatic glucose production, arterial, hepatic and portal venous insulin, glucagons, free fatty acid (FFA), glycerol β-hydroxybutyrate and lactate concentrations. Setting: Experimental Laboratory Unit of the University Hospital. Animals: 10 Labrador Beagle dogs (18-22 kg) were studied. Interventions: Animals were ventilated with PEEP of 0, 7.5, 15, and 0 mmHg, each level lasting 2 h. Results: PEEP 15 significantly increased heart rate from 110(70) to 220(55) beats/min and decreased cardiac output from 2.5 (2.0) to 1.5 (0.8) 1/min. This was associated with significant increases in mean pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, portal and hepatic venous pressure whereas mean systemic pressure did not change. While whole-body oxygen consumption and respiratory quotient remained constant whole-body oxygen delivery significantly decreased from 456(266) to 294(168) ml/min during PEEP 15 concomitant to augmented whole-body oxygen extraction (from 27(34) to 51(33)%). Oxygen extraction from the splanchnic organs increased from 41(31) to 81(30) %. Hepatic venous oxygen tension (PhVO2) hemoglobin oxygen saturation (ShvO2) during PEEP 15 decreased from 41(18) to 28(47) mmHg and from 60(31) to 18(66) % respectively. Hepatic glucose production was significantly stimulated from 3.44(1.44) to 3.92(1.83) mg/kg/min at PEEP 15. Arterial portalvenous glucagon/insulin ratios did not change. FFA and glycerol concentrations depending on PEEP levels were significantly higher in the hepatic artery portal vein than in the hepatic vein. Compared to portal venous and arterial hepatic concentrations, hepatic venous β-hydroxybutyrate significantly increased with rising PEEP levels. Conclusions: Low values of PhvO2 ShvO2 during PEEP 15 gave evidence for hypoxia of the liver. This was associated with a stimulated hepatic glucose production rate accompanied by enhanced hepatic uptake utilization of FFA serving as fuel substrates. As the rate of gluconeogenesis is a major determinant of hepatic oxygen consumption these metabolic effects of PEEP ventilation have to be considered during states of critical illness.
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy Deaths in the USA, 1979–2005
Authors: Yorita Christensen Krista L. , Holman Robert C. , Hammett Teresa A. , Belay Ermias D. , Schonberger Lawrence B.
Published: July 2010

Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a neurological disease most often seen among immunosuppressed patients. The incidence of PML increased with an increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS. We describe recent trends and the epidemiology of PML-associated death in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods: National multiple-cause-of-death data for the USA were used to identify records with PML listed as a cause of death during 1979–2005. Age-adjusted PML-associated death rates were calculated overall and by sex, race, region and HIV status. Results: The PML-associated death rates peaked in the mid-1990s and decreased from 2.76 deaths per 1 million persons in 1992–1995 to 0.66 in 2002–2005. This decrease was mainly due to a decreasing death rate among PML decedents with HIV diagnosis, males and those aged 20–49 years at death. A decline in death rate was also seen among PML decedents without HIV diagnosis, although this trend was not significant. Decedents in the latter time period were more often female, and older. The proportion of HIV-associated deaths from PML decreased between 1992–1995 (1.4%) and 2002–2005 (1.0%). Conclusion: PML mortality has decreased significantly since 1996 when HAART became the standard of care in the USA. This decline likely reflects increased survival among HIV-positive persons who receive HAART.
The German Version of the ‘ICIQ Vaginal Symptoms Questionnaire’ (German ICIQ-VS): An Instrument Validation Study
Authors: Banerjee Carolin , Banerjee Marc , Hatzmann Wolfgang , Schiermeier Sven , Sachse Katrin , Hellmich Martin , Noé Günter Karl
Published: July 2010

Introduction: No validated questionnaire that evaluates vaginal symptoms is currently available in the German language. Here, we report the translation and validation process of the German ICIQ-VS. Subjects: Pilot study: 10 patients without any specific disease. Main study: 58 patients (cases) suffering from genital descensus higher than grade 1 pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POPQ) and 51 patients (controls) without vaginal affections. Methods: To establish a cultural-adaptive equivalent in German, recommendations from Guillemin et al. [J Clin Epidemiol 1993;46:1417–1432] were carefully followed. Participants of the main study were asked to fill in the questionnaire at three time points [baseline (T1), 7 days later (T2) and 1 year later (T3)]. Reliability, validity and sensitivity to change were evaluated. Results: In our pilot study, all questionnaire items were correctly interpreted and answered. In the main study, no changes from the original format were observed after translation and cultural adaptation. For the cases, internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha 0.72–0.79) and test-retest reliability was moderate to near-perfect for single items (weighted kappa 0.67–0.94). Sensitivity to change and content validity were excellent. Construct validity revealed statistically significant differences between groups. Conclusion: The ICIQ-VS has successfully been translated and validated into the German language.
Postoperative Neurological Deficit after Carotid Endarterectomy: A Mid-Term Outcome Analysis
Authors: Attigah Nicolas , Külkens Sonja , Ringleb Peter , Martin Jochen , Allenberg Jens-Rainer , Böckler Dittmar
Published: July 2010

Background: To evaluate the neurological outcome of postoperative neurological deficit (PND) in patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods: A total of 3.7% (n = 48) out of 1,290 consecutive patients developed PND and were assessed neurologically after a mid-term follow-up. Results: After a 4-year follow-up, these patients were neurologically reevaluated. Clinical assessment revealed that 48% (n = 13) of the patients had a Rankin scale score of 0 or 1, 56% (n = 14) had a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 0 or 1, and 68.5% (n = 17) reached the maximum score on the Barthel index. Conclusions: The neurofunctional prognosis of PND is good. Four years after CEA, almost half of the patients had normal or near-normal neuroclinical findings.
IgE-Dependent and IgE-Independent Stimulation of Human Basophils Increases the Presence of Immature FcεRIα by Reversing Degradative Pathways
Authors: Zaidi Asifa K. , MacGlashan, Jr. Donald
Published: July 2010

Background: Expression of the high-affinity IgE receptor, FcεRI, on mast cells and basophils has previously been shown to be sensitive to the presence of IgE or cytokines. The current study examined whether stimulation of human basophils resulted in a change in the expression of FcεRI. Methods: Changes in the well-expressed immature intracellular form of the receptor, FcεRIα (p46), were examined by quantitative PCR, Western blot and the pulse-chase method. Results: Both IgE-dependent (anti-IgE antibody) and IgE-independent stimulation [formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) and C5a] led to increased accumulation of p46. The p46 form of FcεRIα increased 1.52 ± 0.09-, 2.58 ± 0.09- and 1.47 ± 0.07-fold following stimulation with anti-IgE, FMLP and C5a, respectively. There were no changes in the steady-state levels of mRNA for FcεRIα. The kinetics of the increase in p46 was slow following stimulation with anti-IgE antibody, with the earliest increases observed after 8 h. The p46 form was degraded in a bafilomycin A (lysosomal inhibitor)-sensitive process. There was no synergy between treatment with bafilomycin A and anti-IgE or FMLP stimulation, suggesting that the 2 methods of enhancement operate on the same pathway. Pulse-chase studies corroborated this conclusion. In contrast, IL-3 and bafilomycin A synergistically increased p46, suggesting that IL-3 increased synthesis of FcεRIα. Conclusions: Taken together, these results suggest that secretagogue stimulation results in an increase in p46 due to reversal of degradative pathways rather than increased synthesis of FcεRIα. Nevertheless, a decrease in the degradation of FcεRIα at an intermediate step in its processing by non-FcεRI-dependent stimulation may still influence expression of this important receptor.
Transcript Isoforms of Promyelocytic Leukemia in Mouse Male and Female Gametes
Authors: Ebrahimian Mahboobeh , Mojtahedzadeh Mahsa , Bazett-Jones David , Dehghani Hesam
Published: July 2010

Promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies and proteins have been implicated in many functions of the nucleus. It is not known whether the PML gene is transcribed and expressed as PML nuclear bodies in gamete cells or in the early mammalian embryo. In this study using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry we show the presence of PML transcripts and identify their variants in the mature mouse gametes. Mature sperm contains isoform II; however, oocyte contains transcript isoforms I, II, and possibly other unknown isoforms of PML. This indicates that the mature gametes may carry the transcripts to the newly created embryo. We also show that sperm and oocyte cells do not contain PML nuclear bodies. We find that the first appearance of PML nuclear bodies is in the 2-cell-stage mouse embryo. Appearance of PML nuclear bodies in the 2-cell-stage embryo may correspond to the major transcriptional activity of the embryonic genome. In summary, this report emphasizes the necessity to perform further experiments to investigate the presence and function of PML transcripts and nuclear bodies in earlier stages of germ cell and also later stages of the preimplantation development.
A Contemporary Reappropriation of Baconian Common Sense Realism in Renewal Hermeneutics
Authors: McCall Bradford
Published: July 2010

Part one of the following essay will present a brief explication of the Baconian common sense method. The second part will examine the early Pentecostal's Bible Reading Method as characterized by Kenneth J. Archer. It will be noted that early Pentecostals wedded common sense realism to the Baconian scientific method in the Baconian common sense method. Part three will examine various weaknesses and implications of Archer's representation regarding early Pentecostals and their use of the Bible Reading Method. In part four I will propose my own hermeneutic of Scripture in dialogue with Francis Bacon, Thomas Kuhn, Bernard Lonergan, and Vern Poythress in order to construct a modern, Spirit-inspired, scientifically informed hermeneutic for appropriation by the Renewal movement. I will contend that the Renewal movement should adopt such a hermeneutic in order to be taken seriously in today's (somewhat) scientifically literate culture.
The Wizards of Oz: Towards an Institutional Approach to Elites, Expertise and Command Posts
Authors: Zald Mayer N. , Lounsbury Michael
Published: July 2010

Over the past half century, organizational studies scholarship has increasingly drifted away from addressing broader societal and political issues, as well as an interest in developing policy-relevant recommendations. In this paper, we argue that the time is ripe for a systematic re-engagement with how the dynamics of economy and society are fundamentally shaped by various elites, new forms of expertise, and their command posts — centers of societal power that regulate, oversee, and aim to maintain social order. Recalling early efforts by C. Wright Mills and his contemporaries, we call for the development of an institutional approach to the study of elites and command posts that draws on contemporary theories of power and culture to inform the creation of a new body of knowledge to inform our understanding of policy making and implementation. Drawing on a diverse array of sociological literatures and examples, the institutionalist agenda we lay out requires research that goes beyond a focus on any particular nation-state; a cumulative research program that embraces cross-national comparative studies and the study of international elites and command posts that operate across nation-states is crucial.
Science, conscience, consciousness
Authors: Hennig Boris
Published: July 2010

Descartes’ metaphysics lays the foundation for the special sciences, and the notion of consciousness (conscientia) belongs to metaphysics rather than to psychology. I argue that as a metaphysical notion, ‘consciousness’ refers to an epistemic version of moral conscience. As a consequence, the activity on which science is based turns out to be conscientious thought. The consciousness that makes science possible is a double awareness: the awareness of what one is thinking, of what one should be doing, and of the possibility of a gap between the two.
William James on a phenomenological psychology of immediate experience: The true foundation for a science of consciousness?
Authors: Taylor Eugene
Published: July 2010

Throughout his career, William James defended personal consciousness. In his Principles of Psychology (1890), he declared that psychology is the scientific study of states of consciousness as such and that he intended to presume from the outset that the thinker was the thought. But while writing it, he had been investigating a dynamic psychology of the subconscious, which found a major place in his Gifford Lectures, published as The Varieties of Religious Experience in 1902. This was the clearest statement James was able to make before he died with regard to his developing tripartite metaphysics of pragmatism, pluralism and radical empiricism, which essentially asked ‘Is a science of consciousness actually possible?’ James’s lineage in this regard, was inherited from an intuitive psychology of character formation that had been cast within a context of spiritual self-realization by the Swedenborgians and Transcendentalists of New England. Chief among these was his father, Henry James, Sr, and his godfather, Ralph Waldo Emerson. However, James was forced to square these ideas with the more rigorous scientific dictates of his day, which have endured to the present. As such, his ideas remain alive and vibrant, particularly among those arguing for the fusion of phenomenology, embodiment and cognitive neuroscience in the renewed search for a science of consciousness.
Flavonoids Inhibit Heparin-Induced Aggregation of the Third Repeat (R3) of Microtubule-Binding Domain of Alzheimer’s Tau Protein
Authors: Han Lin-Jie , Shi Shuo , Zheng Leng-Feng , Yang Dan-Jing , Yao Tian-Ming , Ji Liang-Nian
Published: July 2010

The abnormal aggregation of tau protein into paired helical filaments (PHFs) is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Although some small molecules capable of inhibiting the aggregation have been discovered, knowledge of relevant mechanisms is fragmentary. In this paper, Alzheimer’s tau fragment R3 corresponding to the third repeat of microtubule-binding domain was selected as the tau model. We, for the first time, reported flavonoids for their ability to inhibit heparin-induced assembly of R3 by thioflavin S (ThS) fluorescence assay. Moreover, we further proposed the possible inhibition mechanism of six flavonoid compounds, applying tyrosine fluorescence quenching and circular dichroism (CD) methods. It was shown that flavonoids could inhibit fibril formation of R3 by deformation of the flexible extended structure, consequently losing its aggregation ability. The inhibitory ability is closely related to their binding modes and binding degree to R3. Finally a specific flavonoid structure was found to play an important role in inhibition.
Structural Transitions and Enzymatic Function of Ribonuclease A Encapsulated in Transparent Porous Silica Gel
Authors: Iwaoka Michio , Sano Nobukazu , Hasegawa Norikazu , Yokokawa Mariko , Kunigami Satoko , Shirai Hiroyuki
Published: July 2010

Transparent porous silica gel encapsulating ribonuclease A (RNase A) in nanoscale pores was prepared on the wall of a quartz cell. The UV and CD spectral changes upon heating showed that the protein unfolds in the pores with apparent heat denaturation temperatures (Tm) at 60 to 64 °C, which are slightly lower than that in solution. The unfolding was irreversible due probably to strong interaction of the unfolded species with the surface of the pores upon prolonged treatment at high temperatures. However, when the gel was subjected to repeated temperature-jump experiments between 40 and 75 °C, RNase A reversibly unfolded and refolded in the pores. The unfolding was not apparently decelerated but the refolding was remarkably slowed. The protein refolded in the porous gel exhibited enzymatic activity toward cytidine 2′,3′-cyclic monophosphate (c-CMP), indicating that small molecules, such as c-CMP and its hydrolyzed species, can go through the holes of the silica gel. These results demonstrated not only that the wet porous gel is useful for the heat denaturation study of proteins but also that the gel encapsulating a protein can be applied as a soft material with enzymatic function.
Theoretical Study of Hypervalent Bonds in 1,6-Diaza-1,6-dihydro- and 1,6-Dihydro-1,6-dioxapentalene Systems with a Heteroatom X at 6a Position (X = 14–16 Group Atoms)
Authors: Atsumi Teruo , Abe Tomohiro , Akiba Kin-ya , Nakai Hiromi
Published: July 2010

The present study theoretically investigated hypervalent bonding systems with the skeleton of pentalene. Geometries and energetics were examined by density functional theory calculations with triple-zeta class basis sets. The bond energies of the O–X and N–X hypervalent three-center four-electron bonds were estimated. Furthermore, the relationships between the bond-switching equilibration reactions and the stabilities of the hypervalent bonding intermediates were examined.
A Quantitative Examination of the Detection Sensitivities of Proton-Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry for Gaseous 2-Propanol and Acetic Acid
Authors: Inomata Satoshi , Tanimoto Hiroshi
Published: July 2010

The detection sensitivities of proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry for isobaric 2-propanol and acetic acid were examined systematically at five different kinetic energies. The detection sensitivity for acetic acid was in good agreement with the sensitivities calculated from the experimentally and theoretically obtained rate constants for the reaction of H3O+ with acetic acid. However, the detection sensitivity for 2-propanol was quite small compared with the calculated values. In deuterium-labeling studies, the formation of H2DO+ ions at m/z 20 in the reaction of H3O+ with (CD3)2CHOH was clearly observed, whereas the formation of H2DO+ was not observed in the reaction of H3O+ with CD3C(O)OH. We concluded that the difference between the experimental and calculated detection sensitivities for 2-propanol was attributed to a reaction channel that reproduced H3O+ ion during the reaction of H3O+ with 2-propanol.
Synthesis, Properties, and Fuel Cell Performance of Perfluorosulfonated Poly(arylene ether)s
Authors: Shimura Takuya , Miyatake Kenji , Watanabe Masahiro
Published: July 2010

Poly(arylene ether)s containing superacid groups (FSPEs) were synthesized as proton conducting membranes for fuel cell applications. To obtain the title ionomers, a series of brominated poly(arylene ether)s were synthesized and perfluorosulfonated via Ullmann coupling. The chemical structure and the ion exchange capacity (IEC) of the FSPEs were characterized by 1H and 19F NMR spectra. Tough, flexible, and transparent membranes with the IEC ranging from 0.34 to 1.29 mequiv g−1 were obtained by solution casting. The FSPE membranes did not show obvious glass transition behavior up to the decomposition temperature (180 °C). Microscopic analyses revealed homogeneous and well-connected ionic clusters for the high IEC membrane. Compared to conventional sulfonated poly(arylene ether) membranes, the FSPE membranes showed much higher proton conductivity. The highest proton conductivity of 0.07 S cm−1 was achieved at 80 °C and 86% relative humidity (RH) with the IEC = 1.29 mequiv g−1 membrane. A fuel cell using the FSPE membrane showed comparable performance to that of a Nafion cell at 78% RH and 80 °C.
Synthesis of Siloxene Derivatives with Organic Groups
Authors: Sugiyama Yusuke , Okamoto Hirotaka , Nakano Hideyuki
Published: July 2010

Reaction of calcium disilicide (CaSi2) and hydrogen chloride solution with various alcohols yields siloxene derivatives terminated with functional groups that are determined by the alcohol used as the solvent in the reaction. The functional groups terminated on silicon determine the basal spacing of the siloxene derivatives.
NO Insertion Reaction of Ethyl(nitrosyl)ruthenium Complex Having Hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate and Conversion to Acetaldoxime and Acetonitrile Complexes
Authors: Arikawa Yasuhiro , Tashita Shin-ya , Yamaguchi Soseki , Miyahara Hitomi , Asayama Taiki , Umakoshi Keisuke , Onishi Masayoshi
Published: July 2010

Ethyl(nitrosyl)ruthenium [TpRuCl(Et)(NO)] (2) was isolated from the reaction of [TpRuCl2(NO)] (1) with LiBHEt3. NO insertion of 2 was observed from heating a solution of 2. In the presence of PPh3, nitrosoethane complex [TpRuCl{N(=O)Et}(PPh3)] (3) was isolated, but the absence of PPh3 led to nitrosoethane-bridged dimer [(TpRuCl)2{μ-N(=O)Et}2] (6). Also, in complex 3, conversion of the nitrosoethane moiety to acetaldoxime and acetonitrile was observed.
Self-coordinated Phthalocyanine Nanoaggregates
Authors: Kimura Mutsumi , Hatanaka Tatsuya , Tatewaki Yoko , Fukawa Tadashi , Shirai Hirofusa
Published: July 2010

Asymmetric zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) 2, in which one imidazole unit is attached to a ZnPc ring, assembles into supramolecular polymers through intermolecular metal–ligand interactions.
Atypical radiological features of a vaginal mass in pregnancy: a dilemma in diagnosis and management
Authors: Tyagi Veenu , Shamas Ambrin Gull , Cameron Alan
Published: July 2010

A 21-year-old woman presented in her first pregnancy with an asymptomatic vaginal mass which increased significantly in size during the pregnancy. The appearance of the vaginal mass and lack of specific radiological features clouded the diagnosis. The diagnosis of vaginal leiomyoma could only be obtained by histological examination after excision of the mass. We describe the clinical course, difficulty in diagnosis, and management of the case. The dilemma remains as to how to follow up such patients, especially with regard to future pregnancies.
An evaluation of Thiel-embalmed cadavers for ultrasound-based regional anaesthesia training and research
Authors: McLeod Graeme , Eisma Roos , Schwab Andreas , Corner George , Soames Roger , Cochran Sandy
Published: July 2010

Working hours of UK trainee doctors have recently been reduced to 48 hours per week, reducing exposure to clinical cases. As such, there is widespread acceptance that trainees need to train in environments other than the ward or operating theatre in order to gain practical skills. Formalin-fixed cadavers demonstrate gross muscle and nerve anatomy but needle insertion under ultrasound guidance is poor. In contrast, a new development in medical simulation is the use of Thiel-embalmed cadavers, developed by Professor Thiel of the University of Graz, Austria, using a novel preservation technique that retains full flexibility of the limbs. Thiel cadavers have been used to successfully simulate laparoscopic surgery, neurosurgery and oral surgery. This paper investigates, for the first time, the application of ultrasound-based regional anaesthesia to the Thiel cadaver by tracing the course of peripheral nerves, injecting local anaesthetic around nerves, and reproducing inadvertent intraneural injection by injecting preservative directly into the nerve. The Thiel cadaver provides good conditions for anaesthetists to simulate regional anaesthetic block techniques using ultrasound.
Imaging pelvic inflammatory disease
Authors: Healey Priya R , Quinn Deirdre
Published: July 2010

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) encompasses a range of infections of the female genital tract that may be asymptomatic, or range from mild non-specific symptoms to fulminant life-threatening disease. Infection can involve the endometrium, fallopian tubes or ovaries and can occasionally spread to involve the peritoneum. Mostly PID is diagnosed clinically and treated without the need for imaging. Where imaging is required, it is mainly for the assessment of non-specific clinical symptoms and signs in which PID is a differential diagnosis, or for the complications of more severe PID infections. The high resolution of ultrasound makes it highly sensitive for the evaluation of the gynaecological organs including the fallopian tubes when abnormal, and is usually the first imaging investigation obtained. Other types of imaging including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and hysterosalpingography are also used, mainly in more complex cases. The imaging appearances of PID on all modalities are discussed in this review to obtain an overall picture of imaging this disease.
From Expectations to Experiences: Using a Structural Typology to Understand First-Year Student Outcomes in Academically Based Living-Learning Communities
Authors: Wawrzynski Matthew R. , Jessup-Anger Jody E.
Published: July 2010

This longitudinal study investigated to what extent noncognitive variables (e.g., expectations for college) and the college environment (i.e., academically based living-learning communities) influence students' college experience. This research goes beyond grouping all living-learning students into one category, which has dominated much of the literature, by using an empirically derived structural typology for living-learning communities (Inkelas, Longerbeam, Leonard, & Soldner, 2005). Results suggest that being a student in a collaborative living-learning community is more likely to predict greater peer academic interactions and an enriching educational environment. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Revising Race: How Biracial Students are Changing and Challenging Student Services
Authors: Literte Patricia E.
Published: July 2010

This research investigates the relationship between biracial college students and race-oriented student services (e.g., Office of Black Student Services). These services are organized around conventional understandings of race that assume there are five, discrete racial categories, namely, Black/African American, Latino/a, White, Asian American, and Native American. Drawing on interviews (n = 60) with students and administrators at two universities, this article examines the problems that arise when students' racial identities are incongruent with universities' views of race. This study can assist practitioners in the development of services on campuses that are characterized by increasingly fluid racial terrains in the post–Civil Rights era.
High Temperature Aqueous Corrosion and Deuterium Uptake of Coupons Prepared from the Front and Back Ends of Zr-2.5Nb Pressure Tubes
Authors: Nordin H. M. , Elliot A. J. , Bergin S. G.
Published: July 2010

Pressure tubes for CANada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) reactors are extruded from billets of Zr-2.5Nb, at a temperature of ∼815°C, and then cold drawn to give a final length of ∼6 m. The manufacturing process often results in a variation of properties along the length of a tube including grain structure, texture, dislocation density, and phase distribution. This variation affects the mechanical and deformation properties as well as the aqueous oxidation and deuterium uptake behavior along the installed pressure tube. The orientation of the installed pressure tube in the reactor, with its axial variation of properties, is an important factor in the effective optimization of its service life. This work reports on the differences in aqueous oxidation and deuterium uptake between the extruded front- and back-end sections of a number of pressure tubes. The corrosion tests were conducted in heavy water in static autoclaves at Chalk River Laboratories and in a heavy water re-circulating loop in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor. The test conditions, such as water chemistry and temperature, were similar to those in the primary heat transport system of a CANDU reactor. The results indicate that under some exposure conditions, the deuterium uptake may be up to 40 % lower for back-end coupons compared to front-end coupons. Several microstructural factors including texture, grain size, and concentrations of alloying elements may cause the observed differences in deuterium uptake. The results will be discussed within the current mechanistic understandings of Zr-2.5Nb corrosion and deuterium ingress.
Shrinkage Cracking Behavior of Fiber Reinforced Concrete: As Assessed Using the Restrained Ring Test
Authors: Raoufi Kambiz , Bernard E. Stefan , Weiss W. Jason
Published: July 2010

The restrained shrinkage ring test has been used to assess the shrinkage cracking potential of concrete mixtures and to assess the influence of mixture proportions, admixtures, and the use of fiber reinforcement on shrinkage cracking. However, further work is still needed to link the shrinkage cracking performance of fiber reinforced concrete as evaluated using the restrained ring test to the behavior of these mixtures in different size concrete elements in the field. This study used finite element analysis to investigate the cracking behavior of restrained rings of different sizes. The results indicated that due to damage localization the crack widths that develop in the restrained rings are greatly dependent on the size of the restrained ring, the degree of restraint, and the softening behavior of the concrete. This size dependence would influence the performance that would be expected in the field.
Package Localization in a Warehouse Environment by Means of RFID
Authors: Bouzakis Antonios , Overmeyer Ludger
Published: July 2010

This paper reviews how RFID-assisted geometry recognition can compete conventional methods for automated package handling. It demonstrates how RFID tags used for product identification can be implemented into automated handling processes to improve warehousing efficiency. Therefore, tag positioning for the HF band is investigated based on two distinct localization principles and different RFID systems. RFID-assisted package localization and positioning is discussed based on the results and the impact it could have on warehouse automation and other industrial applications.
Folgeregelung nichtlinearer Eingrößensysteme mittels linearer zeitvarianter Ausgangsrückführung
Authors: Antritter Felix , Deutscher Joachim
Published: July 2010

Dieser Beitrag behandelt den Entwurf von Folgereglern für nichtlineare Eingrößensysteme mittels linearer zeitvarianter dynamischer Ausgangsrückführung, die anhand der Linearisierung der Strecke um die Solltrajektorie bestimmt wird. Der Folgeregler besteht aus einem reduzierten Beobachter zur Rekonstruktion der Stellsignale einer linearen zeitvarianten Zustandsrückführung, welche eine stabile Folgefehlerdynamik sicherstellt. Beim Entwurf wird direkt die Ein-/Ausgangsdifferentialgleichung des Reglers durch Eigenwertvorgabe für lineare zeitinvariante Fehlerdifferentialgleichungen bestimmt, was den Entwurf vereinfacht. Anhand eines Laboraufbaus zur Regelung der Drehzahl eines Gleichstrommotors wird gezeigt, dass sich mit der vorgestellten Entwurfsmethodik ein linearer zeitvarianter Folgeregler niedriger Ordnung sowie vergleichsweise einfacher Struktur berechnen lässt.
Schnelle Regelung linearer Systeme mit Stellgrößen- und Stellratenbegrenzungen
Authors: Kefferpütz Klaus , Adamy Jürgen
Published: July 2010

In diesem Artikel wird eine nichtlineare Zustandsrückführung für Regelstrecken mit linearer Dynamik unter Verwendung eines hinsichtlich Stellgröße und Stellrate beschränkten Stellgliedes vorgestellt. Dabei wird die Sättigung von Stellgröße und Stellrate zugelassen, wodurch sehr schnelle Regelvorgänge ermöglicht werden. Zur Bestimmung der Reglerparameter wird ein LMI-basiertes Entwurfsverfahren angegeben.
Ein neues Verfahren zum Entwurf von flachheitsbasierten Regelungen
Authors: Zirkel Daniel , Liu Steven , Wiedemann Gunter
Published: July 2010

Der Beitrag beschreibt ein neues Regelungskonzept für flache, nichtlineare Systeme. Es wird dargestellt, dass eine serielle Verschaltung von Regler und flacher Vorsteuerung die Benutzung linearer Werkzeuge für den Reglerentwurf ermöglicht. Dabei wird ebenfalls ein Vergleich zu den bekannten flachheitsbasierten Konzepten der exakten Zustands-Linearisierung, der Steuerungs-Linearisierung und der flachheitsbasierten IMC-Regelung durchgeführt. Abschließend erfolgt die Untersuchung des Konvergenzverhaltens der Fehlerdynamik des geschlossenen Regelkreises mit Hilfe von Linearisierung und polytoper Darstellung. Alle Analysen erfolgen beispielhaft anhand der Druckregelung eines einfachen Brennstoffzellen-Luftsystems 1. Ordnung.
Fault Models and Test Algorithms for Nanoscale Technologies
Authors: Polian Ilia , Becker Bernd
Published: July 2010

In the age of Nanoscale Integration (NSI), state-of-the-art integrated circuits with gate length under 100 nm consist of hundreds of millions of transistors. This implies new challenges for their reliability. Novel NSI defect mechanisms require special test methods to sort out faulty chips. We present modeling approaches and efficient test algorithms for fundamental NSI defect mechanisms enabling the handling of industrial multi-million-gate circuits.
Building a Green Dam: Environmental Modernism and the Canadian-American Libby Dam Project
Authors: Huizen Philip Van
Published: July 2010

This article examines a fundamental shift in ideas about development, from high modernism in the early twentieth century to environmental modernism after 1960, illustrated by the promotion and construction of the Libby Dam Project in the Canadian-American Kootenay River Basin. In the 1940s Canadian and U.S. planners originally promoted the dam by stressing the rational conquest of nature through science and technology. When construction began in 1966, however, pressure from a growing environmental movement changed how planners designed and constructed the Libby Dam and its reservoir, Lake Koocanusa. The later planners implemented mitigation measures, "blended" the dam and reservoir into the landscape, and appropriated First Nations' symbols to make the project seem like a natural part of the Canadian-American Kootenay Basin. Thus, in both countries, planners reflected the shift from high modernism to environmental modernism.
A method to obtain a Ragone plot for evaluation of carbon nanotube supercapacitor electrodes
Authors: Raut Akshay S. , Parker Charles B. , Glass Jeffrey T.
Published: July 2010

Electrochemical double layer capacitors, also referred to as supercapacitors, are a promising technology in the field of energy storage. Carbon nanotube (CNT)-based supercapacitors are particularly interesting because of CNTs' high surface area and conductivity. CNT supercapacitors can potentially be used in hybrid electric vehicles due to their higher power density. Comparing energy storage systems that store energy in different ways, such as batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, and flywheels, requires that an appropriate set of performance data be collected. A Ragone plot is a log-log plot of a device's energy density versus power density, giving insight into its operational range. A method to obtain Ragone plots for CNT-based supercapacitors in a three-terminal electrochemical cell was adapted from a technique to test commercial capacitors for electric vehicles. Ragone plots for different types of as-grown CNT electrodes in different electrolytes are presented, along with the procedural details of this new method to obtain electrode-specific energy and power densities. Additionally, a theoretical weight calculation for a carbon nanotube film was derived and validated with a direct weight measurement of a CNT film. This weight was used in the specific energy and power densities for the Ragone plot.
Properties of lithium phosphorus oxynitride (Lipon) for 3D solid-state lithium batteries
Authors: Xu Fan , Dudney Nancy J. , Veith Gabriel M. , Kim Yoongu , Erdonmez Can , Lai Wei , Chiang Yet-Ming
Published: July 2010

The thin film electrolyte known as Lipon (lithium phosphorous oxynitride) has proven successful for planar thin film battery applications. Here, the sputter deposition of the amorphous LiPON electrolyte onto more complex 3D structures is examined. The 3D structures include off-axis alignment of planar substrates and also 10–100 μm arrays of pores, columns, and grooves. For magnetron sputtering in N2gas at 2.6 Pa, the Lipon film deposition is not restricted to be line-of-sight to the target, but forms conformal and dense films over the 3D and off-axis substrates. The deposition rate decreases for areas and grooves that are less accessible by the sputtered flux. The composition varies, but remains within the range that gives sufficient Li+ionic conductivity, 2 ± 1 μS/cm.
Curvature effects in carbon nanomaterials: Exohedral versus endohedral supercapacitors
Authors: Huang Jingsong , Sumpter Bobby G. , Meunier Vincent , Yushin Gleb , Portet Cristelle , Gogotsi Yury
Published: July 2010

Capacitive energy storage mechanisms in nanoporous carbon supercapacitors hinge on endohedral interactions in carbon materials with macro-, meso-, and micropores that have negative surface curvature. In this article, we show that because of the positive curvature found in zero-dimensional carbon onions or one-dimensional carbon nanotube arrays, exohedral interactions cause the normalized capacitance to increase with decreasing particle size or tube diameter, in sharp contrast to the behavior of nanoporous carbon materials. This finding is in good agreement with the trend of recent experimental data. Our analysis suggests that electrical energy storage can be improved by exploiting the highly curved surfaces of carbon nanotube arrays with diameters on the order of 1 nm.
Highly porous activated glassy carbon film sandwich structure for electrochemical energy storage in ultracapacitor applications: Study of the porous film structure and gradient
Authors: Braun Artur , Seifert Soenke , Ilavsky Jan
Published: July 2010

Glassy carbon plates were thermochemically gas phase oxidized to obtain monolithic sandwichlike electrode assemblies with high surface area porous films for electrochemical energy storage applications. Film thicknesses were varied by variation of oxidation parameters time, temperature, and oxygen concentration and measured with electron microscopy. The mass density of the porous carbon film material was estimated by fitting a geometrical model to experimental gravimetric data. Optical Raman spectroscopy line scans suggest that the porosity has a gradient between the surface and the film/bulk interface, which is supported by pore-size distribution data obtained from small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) on slightly oxidized and fully oxidized samples. Detailed inspection of the power law behavior of SAXS data suggests that the internal surface area of well-oxidized glassy carbon (GC) is compact and extends over the entire probed volume and thus has optimal pore connectivity. This effect goes along with pore enlargement and a relative decrease of internal surface area per volume. Slightly oxidized carbon has no pore space with a compact, high connectivity internal surface area. The corresponding SAXS power law and the x-ray density suggest that this high volumetric surface area must be interpreted as a result of surface roughness, rather than true geometric or volumetric surface area. In consequence, is this surface area of limited use for electrochemical energy storage?
Electrochemical performance of all-solid-state lithium secondary batteries using Li4Ti5O12 electrode and Li2S–P2S5 solid electrolytes
Authors: Kitaura Hirokazu , Hayashi Akitoshi , Tadanaga Kiyoharu , Tatsumisago Masahiro
Published: July 2010

All-solid-state Li–In/Li4Ti5O12 cells using Li2S–P2S5 solid electrolytes were assembled to investigate their electrochemical properties in the wide voltage range of 0–3 V (versus Li). The Li/Li4Ti5O12 cells using 1 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate were fabricated for comparison with the all-solid-state cells. The capacity of the all-solid-state cell using the 70Li2S·27P2S5·3P2O5 (mol%) solid electrolyte decreased with an increase in the current density as well as the cell using the liquid electrolyte. However, the all-solid-state cell was charged and discharged even at a high current density of 10 mA/cm2. The all-solid-state cell was cycled at 1.3 mA/cm2 and retained 90% of the first reversible capacity of about 120 mAh/g after 500 cycles. The all-solid-state cell cycling at 100 °C showed the small overpotential and reversible capacity of about 120 mAh/g at 13 mA/cm2.