bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular basis of two novel and related high‐prevalence antigens in the Kell blood group system, KUCI and KANT, and their serologic and spatial association with K11 and KETI
Authors: Velliquette Randall W. , Hue‐Roye Kim , Lomas‐Francis Christine , Gillen Barbara , Schierts Jennifer , Gentzkow Kristie , Peyrard Thierry , von Zabern Inge , Flegel Willy A. , Rodberg Karen , Debnath Asim K. , Lee Soohee , Reid Marion E.
Published: April 2013

Background

The numerous antigens in the Kell blood group system result from missense nucleotide changes in KEL. Antibodies to antigens in this system can be clinically important. We describe six probands whose plasma contained antibodies to high‐prevalence Kell antigens and discuss their relationship.

Study Design and Methods

Polymerase chain reaction amplification, direct sequencing, restriction fragment length polymorphism assays, hemagglutination, flow cytometry, and protein modeling were performed by standard methods.

Results

Proband 1 (KUCI) and her serologically compatible sister were heterozygous for a nucleotide change in Exon 11 (KEL*1271C/T; Ala424Val). Proband 2 (KANT) was heterozygous for KEL*1283G/T (Arg428Leu) and KEL*1216C/T (Arg406Stop) in Exon 11. Red blood cells (RBCs) from Proband 1 and her sister were not agglutinated by plasma from Proband 2; however, RBCs from Proband 2 were agglutinated by plasma from Proband 1. Probands 3, 4, 5, and 6 had the KEL*1391C>T change associated with the previously reported KETI– phenotype. Proband 5 was also homozygous for KEL*905T>C encoding the K11–K17+ phenotype. Hemagglutination studies revealed an association between KUCI, KANT, KETI, and K11. Protein modeling indicated that whereas Ala424 and Arg428 are clustered, Val302 and Thr464 are not.

Conclusion

Ala424 in the Kell glycoprotein is associated with the high‐prevalence Kell antigen, KUCI (ISBT 006032), which is detected by the antibody of Proband 1. Arg428 is associated with the high‐prevalence Kell antigen, KANT (ISBT 006033). The association between KUCI, KANT, KETI, and K11 and the results of protein modeling are discussed.
Infants' name recognition in on- and off-channel noise
Authors: Newman Rochelle S. , Morini Giovanna , Chatterjee Monita
Published: April 2013

Previous work by Polka, Rvachew, and Molnar [Infancy 13(5), 421-439 (2008)] has reported that infants are poor at focusing their attention on a particular frequency range, and, as a result, are distracted by maskers that are outside of the target frequency range. The current study explores this effect of irrelevant distractors further and finds that 8-month-old infants are significantly less affected by maskers outside the frequency range (off-channel maskers) than by on-channel maskers. Thus while infants may display difficulty ignoring irrelevant distractors, they are able to do so to at least some degree, suggesting some ability to perceive speech from spectrally remote maskers, despite the demonstrated presence of greater informational masking at this age.
A community cohort study about childhood social and economic circumstances: racial/ethnic differences and associations with educational attainment and health of older adults
Authors: Yen Irene H , Gregorich Steven , Cohen Alison K , Stewart Anita
Published: April 2013

Objectives

Typical measures of childhood socioeconomic status (SES), such as father's occupation, have limited the ability to elucidate mechanisms by which childhood SES affects adult health. Mechanisms could include schooling experiences or work opportunities. Having previously used qualitative methods for concept development, we developed new retrospective measures of multiple domains of childhood social and economic circumstances in ethnically diverse older adults. We administered the new measures in a large sample and explored their association with adult SES.

Design

We used a cross-sectional survey design with a community sample.

Setting

The San Francisco Bay Area in California.

Participants

400 community-dwelling adults from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds (Whites, African Americans, Latinos and Asians/Pacific Islanders) aged 55 and older (mean=67 years); 61% were women.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

We measured attitudes towards schooling, extracurricular activities and adult encouragement and discouragement during the childhood/teen years. Bivariate analysis tested racial/ethnic differences on the various measures. Multivariate regression models estimated the extent to which retrospective circumstances were independently associated with adult educational attainment and adult health.

Results

Most of the childhood circumstances measures differed across racial/ethnic groups. In general, Whites reported more positive circumstances than non-Whites. Family financial circumstances, respondent's perception of schooling as a means to get ahead, high school extracurricular activities, summer travel and summer reading were each statistically significantly associated with adult SES. Family composition, age began work, high school extracurricular activities, attitudes towards schooling and adult discouragement were associated with adult health.
Pharmacist-led management of chronic pain in primary care: results from a randomised controlled exploratory trial
Authors: Bruhn Hanne , Bond Christine M , Elliott Alison M , Hannaford Philip C , Lee Amanda J , McNamee Paul , Smith Blair H , Watson Margaret C , Holland Richard , Wright David
Published: April 2013

Objectives

To compare the effectiveness of pharmacist medication review, with or without pharmacist prescribing, with standard care, for patients with chronic pain.

Design

An exploratory randomised controlled trial.

Setting

Six general practices with prescribing pharmacists in Grampian (3) and East Anglia (3).

Participants

Patients on repeat prescribed pain medication (4815) were screened by general practitioners (GPs), and mailed invitations (1397). 196 were randomised and 180 (92%) completed. Exclusion criteria included: severe mental illness, terminally ill, cancer related pain, history of addiction.

Randomisation and intervention

Patients were randomised using a remote telephone service to: (1) pharmacist medication review with face-to-face pharmacist prescribing; (2) pharmacist medication review with feedback to GP and no planned patient contact or (3) treatment as usual (TAU). Blinding was not possible.

Outcome measures

Outcomes were the SF-12v2, the Chronic Pain Grade (CPG), the Health Utilities Index 3 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Outcomes were collected at 0, 3 and 6 months.

Results

In the prescribing arm (n=70) two patients were excluded/nine withdrew. In the review arm (n=63) one was excluded/three withdrew. In the TAU arm (n=63) four withdrew. Compared with baseline, patients had an improved CPG in the prescribing arm, 47.7% (21/44; p=0.003) and in the review arm, 38.6% (17/44; p=0.001), but not the TAU group, 31.3% (15/48; ns). The SF-12 Physical Component Score showed no effect in the prescribing or review arms but improvement in TAU (p=0.02). The SF-12 Mental Component Score showed no effect for the prescribing or review arms and deterioration in the TAU arm (p=0.002). HADS scores improved within the prescribing arm for depression (p=0.022) and anxiety (p=0.007), between groups (p=0.022 and p=0.045, respectively).

Conclusions

This is the first randomised controlled trial of pharmacist prescribing in the UK, and suggests that there may be a benefit for patients with chronic pain. A larger trial is required.

Trial registration:www.isrctn.org/ISRCTN06131530. Medical Research Council funding.
A retrospective cohort study: 10-year trend of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biological agents use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis at Veteran Affairs Medical Centers
Authors: Ng Bernard , Chu Adeline , Khan Myrna M
Published: April 2013

Objectives

To evaluate the trends in patterns of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biological agents use from 1999 to 2009 and to identify patient characteristics associated with different patterns of their use in a national sample of Veterans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Settings

Administrative databases of the USA Department of Veterans Affairs.

Participants

An incident cohort of 13 254 patients with newly diagnosed RA was identified.

Primary outcome measures

Trends and choice of DMARDs and biological agents’ usage, and time intervals between RA diagnosis and treatment

Results

Methotrexate use as first-line agent increased from 39.9% to 57.2% over the study period (p<0.001). Although biological dispensations increased over other DMARDs and biological agents, from 3.4% to 25% from 1999 to 2009, the percentage of RA patients diagnosed between 1999 and 2007 who had biologics dispensations remained steady at 23.3–26.7%. Compared with Caucasian, African Americans were less likely to receive biologics (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.81). Patients aged 75 and older were less likely to receive biologics than those younger than 45 (HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.36). The time interval between RA diagnosis and treatment with DMARDs and biological agents decreased significantly over time (median: 51 days in 1999–2001 to 28 days in 2006–2007).

Conclusions

Methotrexate use increased as it became the preferred first-line agent, while other traditional agents declined. Dispensation of biologics increased significantly, but the proportion of RA patients eventually given biologics stabilised below 30%. A significant shorter time between RA diagnosis and DMARD or biological agent initiation in recent years suggests improvements in quality of care. There were disproportionately lower use of biologics in certain age and ethnic groups, and further studies will be needed to elucidate these observations.
Acute electrocardiographic changes during smoking: an observational study
Authors: Ramakrishnan Sivasubramanian , Bhatt Kinjal , Dubey Akhilesh K , Roy Ambuj , Singh Sandeep , Naik Nitish , Seth Sandeep , Bhargava Balram
Published: April 2013

Objective

To study the temporal relationship of smoking with electrophysiological changes.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Setting

Tertiary cardiac center.

Participants

Male smokers with atypical chest pain were screened with a treadmill exercise test (TMT). A total of 31 such patients aged 49.8±10.5 years, in whom TMT was either negative or mildly positive were included. Heart rate variability (HRV) parameters of smokers were compared to those of 15 healthy non-smoking participants.

Interventions

All patients underwent a 24 h Holter monitoring to assess ECG changes during smoking periods.

Results

Heart rate increased acutely during smoking. Mean heart rate increased from 83.8±13.7 bpm 10 min before smoking, to 90.5±16.4 bpm during smoking, (p<0.0001) and returned to baseline after 30 min. Smoking was also associated with increased ectopic beats (mean of 5.3/h prior to smoking to 9.8/h during smoking to 11.3/h during the hour after smoking; p<0.001). Three patients (9.7%) had significant ST–T changes after smoking. HRV index significantly decreased in smokers (15.2±5.3) as compared to non-smoking controls participants (19.4±3.6; p=0.02), but the other spectral HRV parameters were comparable.

Conclusions

Heart rate and ectopic beats increase acutely following smoking. Ischaemic ST–T changes were also detected during smoking. Spectral parameters of HRV analysis of smokers remained in normal limits, but more importantly geometrical parameter—HRV index—showed significant abnormality.
Identifying intensive care unit discharge planning tools: protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Stelfox Henry T , Perrier Laure , Straus Sharon E , Ghali William A , Zygun David , Boiteau Paul , Zuege Danny J
Published: April 2013

Background

Transitions of care between providers are vulnerable periods in healthcare delivery that expose patients to preventable errors and adverse events. Patient discharge from the intensive care unit (ICU) to a medical or surgical hospital ward is one of the most challenging and high risk transitions of care. Approximately 1 in 12 patients discharged will be readmitted to ICU or die before leaving the hospital. Many more patients are exposed to unnecessary healthcare, adverse events and/or are disappointed with the quality of their care. Our objective is to conduct a scoping review by systematically searching the literature to identify ICU discharge planning tools and their supporting evidence-base including barriers and facilitators to their use.

Methods and analysis

Systematic searching of the published health literature will be conducted to identify the existing ICU discharge planning tools and supporting evidence. Literature (research and non-research) reporting on the tools used to facilitate decision making and/or communication at ICU discharge with patients of any age will be included. Outcomes will include adverse events and provider and patient/family-reported outcomes. Two investigators will independently review the abstracts (screen 1) to identify those meeting the inclusion criteria and then independently assess the full text articles (screen 2) to determine if they meet the inclusion criteria. Data collection will include information on citations and identified tools. A quality assessment will be performed on original research studies. A descriptive summary will be developed for each tool.

Ethics and dissemination

Our scoping review will synthesise the literature for ICU discharge planning tools and identify the opportunities for knowledge to action and gaps in evidence where primary evidence is necessary. This will serve as the foundational element in a multistep research programme to standardise and improve the quality of care provided to patients during ICU discharge. Ethics approval is not required for this study.
Case report: catecholamine-induced arrhythmia in children
Authors: Lowe David , Hendry Scott , McLeod Karen
Published: April 2013

The authors report a case of a 10-year-old boy who presented to the emergency department following an episode of syncope. While on telemetry, the child was found to have runs biventricular tachycardia. Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia was diagnosed, and the case report discusses this rare but important diagnosis that should be considered in children presenting with syncope.
The comparison of modified early warning score with rapid emergency medicine score: a prospective multicentre observational cohort study on medical and surgical patients presenting to emergency department
Authors: Bulut Mehtap , Cebicci Huseyin , Sigirli Deniz , Sak Ahmet , Durmus Oya , Top Ahmet Ali , Kaya Sinan , Uz Kamil
Published: April 2013

Objective

There are a few scoring systems in emergency departments (ED) to establish critically ill patients quickly and properly and to predict hospitalisation. We aim to compare the efficacy of Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) and Rapid Emergency Medicine Score (REMS) on in-hospital mortality, and as predictor of hospitalisation in general medical and surgical patients admitted to ED.

Methods

This is a prospective, multicentre and observational cohort study. The study included general medical and surgical patients admitted to the EDs of three education and research hospitals during a period of 6 months. The primary outcome of the study is the admission of the patient to a ward/an intensive care unit (ICU)/high dependency unit (HDU) and in-hospital mortality. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate and compare the performances of two scores.

Results

Total patients were 2000 (51.95% male, 48.05% female). The mean age was 61.41±18.92. Median MEWS and REMS values of the patients admitted to the ICU/HDU from ED were 1 and 6, respectively; and there was a significant difference in terms of REMS values, compared with patients discharged from ED. REMS (area under the curve (AUC): 0.642) was found to have a better predictive strength than MEWS (AUC: 0.568) in discriminating in-patients and discharged patients. Additionally, REMS (0.707) was superior to MEWS (AUC 0.630) in terms of predicting in-hospital mortality of patients presenting to ED.

Conclusions

The efficiency of REMS was found to be superior to MEWS as a predictor of in-hospital mortality and hospitalisation in medical and surgical patients admitted to ED.
Prevalence of poor outcomes soon after injury and their association with the severity of the injury
Authors: Wilson Suzanne J , Derrett Sarah , Cameron Ian D , Samaranayaka Ari , Davie Gabrielle , Langley John
Published: April 2013

Little is known of injury outcomes among non-hospitalised injured populations. This study examined the occurrence of poor outcomes 3 months after injury among the 2856 participants in the Prospective Outcomes of Injury Study, most of whom had sustained injuries considered of minor severity (by injury severity scoring) and had not received treatment at a hospital facility. The prevalence of poor outcomes was high across all health, physical functioning and social functioning domains and expectation characteristics examined, including for those participants with the ‘least severe’ injuries. Approximately half of the cohort reported experiencing moderate to high pain or psychological distress and reduced social participation, and three-quarters did not consider themselves recovered. Our findings demonstrate that, to obtain an accurate understanding of injury burden, injury outcome research should not focus only on those injured persons who are hospitalised.
Clinical relevance of the new IASLC/ERS/ATS adenocarcinoma classification
Authors: Kerr Keith M
Published: April 2013

In 2011, recommendations for a multidisciplinary classification of lung adenocarcinoma were published under the auspices of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society. The review was considered necessary due to emerging data on the radiological features, genetics and therapeutic approaches to lung adenocarcinoma, all underpinned by expanding the knowledge of the pathology of this common tumour. The existing WHO classification of 2004 was not really fit for this multidisciplinary focus on the disease.

This review describes the recommendations made on the reporting of surgically resected lung cancers according to their predominant pattern, and argues the case for replacing the term bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (WHO 1999 and 2004 definition) with adenocarcinoma in situ and for the introduction of minimally invasive adenocarcinoma. There is also a discussion of diagnosis of non-small-cell lung carcinomas in the small biopsy or cytology setting, a practice that was inadequately addressed in WHO 2004, yet this is much more relevant to most pathologists’ daily practice because 85% or so of adenocarcinomas are never resected. Predictive immunohistochemistry, used correctly, can reduce non-specific diagnosis to less than 10% of the cases. Finally, there is an overview of the emerging data on therapeutically relevant lung adenocarcinoma genetics, considering targetable mutations that are now the focus of much activity. The clinical relevance of these changes is discussed.
Ultrasound guided V3 segment vertebral artery direct percutaneous puncture for basilar artery mechanical thrombectomy in acute stroke: a technical report
Authors: Desai Jamsheed A , Almekhlafi Mohammed A , Hill Michael D , Goyal Mayank , Eesa Muneer
Published: April 2013

A middle aged patient presented with acute ischemic stroke due to basilar artery occlusion. The patient clinically deteriorated despite intravenous thrombolysis and was referred for mechanical thrombectomy. The right vertebral artery was occluded and could not be accessed despite attempting various shaped catheters, even when a radial artery access was used. The left vertebral artery ended in the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Eventually, ultrasound guided V3 segment vertebral artery direct puncture was successfully done and the procedure was completed. No access related complications were encountered. Direct cervical arterial puncture can be safely used by experienced operators as a last resort in acute stroke cases with difficult access.
Impact of SAMMPRIS on the future of intracranial atherosclerotic disease management: polling results from the ICAD symposium at the International Stroke Conference
Authors: Zaidat Osama O , Castonguay Alicia C , Nguyen Thanh N , Becker Kyra J , Derdeyn Colin P , Nelson Peter K , Amarenco Pierre , Brott Thomas G
Published: April 2013

Objective

There are few data regarding the effect of the Stenting and Aggressive Medical Management for Preventing Recurrent Stroke in Intracranial Stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial results on the management of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD). We sought to understand the impact of the SAMMPRIS trial on current ICAD clinical practices and future trial design.

Methods

During the ICAD symposium at the 2012 International Stroke Conference, electronic data were collected regarding attendees’ clinical management of ICAD and opinions on the feasibility of future trials post-SAMMPRIS.

Results

217 attendees from different specialties, including neurologists (57%), neurointerventionalists (9%) and neurosurgeons (5%), participated in the session. The majority of respondents (77%) indicated that the results of SAMMPRIS have impacted their consideration for intracranial stenting. Post-SAMMPRIS, 84% selected ‘SAMMPRIS-style’ medical management for the treatment of ICAD. For patients with ICAD who failed aggressive medical therapy, 82% would consider an alternative approach to continuing medical therapy (30% considered clinical trial enrollment, 28% suggested angioplasty and stenting and 24% angioplasty). The majority of participants (85%) were willing to randomize patients with symptomatic ICAD in future trials. For the next ICAD trial, 29% indicated that angioplasty alone should be compared with aggressive medical therapy.

Conclusions

Our polling results suggest that the SAMMPRIS trial has had an impact on the current treatment of ICAD. Treatment of patients who failed medical therapy varied widely from aggressive medical therapy to balloon angioplasty, stenting or enrollment in future clinical trials. The willingness to continue clinical trials and randomize patients supports the need for future ICAD studies.
Sea change under climate change: case studies in rare plant conservation from the dynamic San Francisco Estuary
Authors: Grewell Brenda J. , Espeland Erin K. , Fiedler Peggy L.
Published: April 2013

We present case studies supporting management of two rare plant species in tidal wetlands of the San Francisco Estuary. We used empirical demographic analyses to identify factors to enhance population establishment and survival of Chloropyron molle subsp. molle (Orobancaceae), an annual hemiparasite, and to compare reintroduced with natural populations. Twelve years after outplanting, the reintroduced population persists but is in decline; impediments to success include the lack of adaptive management response to weed invasions and muted variance in hydrology. Transplantation of Lilaeopsis masonii (Apiaceae), a rhizomatous perennial herb, failed to meet success criteria for mitigation at local project scale, but dispersal and establishment of metapopulation patches indicated persistence at the landscape scale. This species has been found to be genetically indistinct from a widespread congener, and has few threats to persistence so long as suitable habitat is present. These two examples demonstrate the need for integrated conservation management strategies that prioritize habitat connectivity and maintain physical processes to support dispersal in response to sea level rise. For the hemiparasite, assisted colonization may sustain populations threatened by sea level rise, but only if a strong commitment to effective stewardship is realized.
Interparticle potentials in a scalar quantum field theory with a Higgs-like mediating field
Authors: Chigodaev Alexander , Darewych Jurij W.
Published: April 2013

We study the interparticle potentials for few-particle systems in a scalar theory with a nonlinear mediating field of the Higgs type. We use the variational method, in a reformulated Hamiltonian formalism of quantum field theory, to derive relativistic three- and four-particle wave equations for stationary states of these systems. We show that the cubic and quartic nonlinear terms modify the attractive Yukawa potentials but do not change the attractive nature of the interaction if the mediating fields are massive.
Structural variation and dynamics of the nuclear ribosomal intergenic spacer region in key members of theGibberella fujikuroispecies complex
Authors: Mirete Salvador , Patiño Belén , Jurado Miguel , Vázquez Covadonga , González-Jaén María Teresa
Published: April 2013

The intergenic spacer (IGS) region of the ribosomal DNA was cloned and sequenced in eight species within the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex with anamorphs in the genus Fusarium, a group that includes the most relevant toxigenic species. DNA sequence analyses revealed two categories of repeated elements: long repeats and short repeats of 125 and 8 bp, respectively. Long repeats were present in two copies and were conserved in all the species analyzed, whereas different numbers of short repeat elements were observed, leading to species-specific IGS sequences with different length. In Fusarium subglutinans and Fusarium nygamai, these differences seemed to be the result of duplication and deletion events. Here, we propose a model based on unequal crossing over that can explain these processes. The partial IGS sequence of 22 Fusarium proliferatum isolates was also obtained to study variation at the intraspecific level. The results revealed no differences in terms of number or pattern of repeated elements and detected frequent gene conversion events. These results suggest that the homogenization observed at the intraspecific level might not be achieved primarily by unequal crossing-over events but rather by processes associated with recombination such as gene conversion events.
QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION WITH LIMITED CLASSICAL BOB
Authors: SUN ZHI-WEI , DU RUI-GANG , LONG DONG-YANG
Published: April 2013

Recently, quantum key distribution (QKD) with classical Bob has been suggested and proven completely robust by Boyer et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett.99 (2007) 140501] in which quantum Alice has a fully-fledged quantum power, while classical Bob is restricted to preparing and measuring a particle in the computational basis, reflecting or reordering the particles. In this paper, we describe two related but simpler semi-quantum key distribution protocol that exempts classical Bob from measurement (hereafter called limited classical Bob for convenience) and, prove them completely robust. As limited classical Bob can deterministically prepare the qubits, we exploit this feature to construct a semi-quantum secure direct communication protocol, which is the direct communication of secret messages without first producing a shared secret key.
Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Coatings by Electrodeposition of Silver/TiO2 Nano-Composites
Authors: Magagnin Luca , Bernasconi Roberto , Ieffa Simona , Diamanti Maria Vittoria , Pezzoli Daniele , Candiani Gabriele , Pedeferri Maria Pia
Published: April 2013

Titanium dioxide is a promising photo-catalyst for decontamination and purification of air and wastewater, as proved by several researches carried out worldwide since 1970s. In this work, the optimization of Ag/TiO2 composite surfaces, produced by means of electrochemical techniques is presented and discussed. The presence of silver is beneficial to increase the bioactivity of the film in disinfection processes, but it is important to verify that its presence shows beneficial, or in the worst case nil, effects on photo-catalytic decomposition of non-biological contaminants. An organic dye (rhodamine B) was first considered as model reactant; the antibacterial effect was also studied on the most promising films, through the evaluation of total bacterial counts in the presence of TiO2 films.
Tuning the Biodegradability of Silicon Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery
Authors: Hon Nick K. , Shaposhnik Zory , Diebold Eric D. , Tamanoi Fuyuhiko , Jalali Bahram
Published: April 2013

Porous silicon nanoparticles (PSiNPs) are attractive carriers for in vivo drug delivery, the biodegradation property of PSiNPs provides a pathway for their safe clearance from the body. Particles sizes of 80 - 120 nm are of particular interest because these nanoparticles can take advantage of the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect to deliver drug preferentially to tumors with leaky vasculature, yet large enough to avoid renal clearance. However, the biodegradability rate of such particles is often too fast, which limits the in vivo delivery efficiency. In this work, we study the effect of both thermal oxidation and silica coating on the stability of PSiNPs in phosphate buffered saline solution (a close mimic of a basic biological fluid). Using thermal oxidation, the half-life of PSiNPs can be varied from 10 minutes up to 3 hours. Using silica coating, the half-life can be extended further to 8 hours.
Electropolishing of Passive Materials in HF-Free Low Viscosity Aqueous Electrolytes
Authors: Taylor E. J. , Inman Maria E. , Hall Timothy D. , Kagajwala Burhanuddin
Published: April 2013

A pulse reverse electrochemical surface finishing process for electropolishing passive materials is described. Unlike conventional electrochemical surface finishing processes, the pulse reverse process does not require low conductivity/high viscosity electrolytes and does not require the addition of chemical species to remove the passive film associated with electropolishing of passive and strongly passive materials. This paper focuses on pulse/pulse reverse electropolishing of niobium and Nitinol.
Comparison of Physico-Chemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Surface Treated Textile Materials with Silver, Copper and Bismuth Compounds
Authors: Djokić Stojan , Djokić Nada , Thundat Thomas
Published: April 2013

Physico-chemical and antimicrobial properties of composite materials comprising a gauze coated with silver, Ag7O8NO3 (silver oxysalt), copper, or bismuth oxides were investigated. For this purpose, nylon substrates were coated with metallic silver or metallic copper using the electroless deposition procedures. Coating of nylon gauze with BiOCl was performed using BiCl3 as a source of bismuth ions. Additionally, silver or copper coated nylon substrates were treated with complexed K[BiI4] solutions. Simple bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of produced composite materials were also investigated. All samples containing oxidized silver or copper species in a combination with bismuth exhibited both bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities. BiOCl coated nylon substrates exhibited some bactericidal activity against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, but notably, the results of the present showed that the presence of bismuth only was not sufficient for an acceptable antimicrobial activity.
Nanostructured Gold for Immobilization of Thioaniline Functionalized Glucose Oxidase and Au Nanoparticles by Electropolymerization
Authors: Spadoni Andreani Eugenio , Secundo Francesco , Raygani Anahit , Magagnin Luca
Published: April 2013

Sensors are devices composed of an active sensing material with a signal transducer. Electrochemical sensors have more advantages over the others because the electrodes can sense the analyte that is present in the host without doing any damage to the host system. The immobilization of a protein on a metallic transducer can be a crucial step in the development of bionanodevices that find applications in the field of biomaterials, biocoatings, biofuel cells, etc. In the present study, we show the immobilization by electropolymerization of thioaniline functionalized glucose oxidase and Au nanoparticles on nanostructured gold films prepared by electrodeposition and compared to sputtered gold. This enzyme is employed in the preparation of biosensors of biomedical interest. The goodness of the Au film for enzyme binding is evaluated by comparison of the enzyme activity and of the interval of linearity for the determination of glucose concentration.
On the Process of Niobium Anodic Oxidation in Potassium Nitrate Melt
Authors: Skatkov Leonid , Gomozov Valeriy
Published: April 2013

Anodic oxide films (AOF) of niobium generated in potassium nitrate melt appear to be «sandwich» of Nb2O5 , NbO2 and NbO phases.At AOF formation it occurs its saturation with anionic and cationic electrolyte components: penetration of anions is vital at initial stages of oxide layer growth, while potassium saturation takes place at final stages of anodic oxidation
Uranium Electrodeposition for Irradiation Targets
Authors: Saliba-Silva Adonis Marcelo , Garcia Rafael Henrique Lazzari , Bertin Eduardo , Urano de Carvalho Elita Fontenelle , Durazzo Michelangelo
Published: April 2013

Direct irradiation on targets inside nuclear research or multiple purpose reactors is a common route to produce 99Mo-99mTc radioisotopes. The electroplating of low enriched uranium over nickel substrate might be a potential alternative to produce targets of 235U. This work makes use of pulse electroplating either to create a nickel substrate and also to electrodeposit UO2(NO3)2 solution diluted in isopropyl alcohol with final concentration of 10 mol/L [U]. The pulse electroplating employed 1 to 3 repetitions of 15 kilocycles, with duty cycle of 80% at 17 Hz at room temperature. The deposit presented an amorphous consistency. The amount of deposited uranium, measured by means of α-counting, was equivalent to around 2000 μg/cm2 after 2700s of pulse electrodeposition. MEV/EDS technique and alpha-spectroscopy revealed that U-deposited material was natural uranium grade substance entrapped inside nickel substrate.
Oxidation of Cr3+-Ions at the Composite ТіОх/РtОу Electrode
Authors: Kasian Olga , Luk'yanenko Tatiana , Velichenko Alexander
Published: April 2013

Electrochemical properties of composite ТіОх/РtОу electrodes havebeen studied. The temperature of preparation was shown to affectthe catalytic activity through the surface morphology and thechemical composition. Composite ТіОх/РtОу-electrodes werefound to be n-type semiconductors. Increase in treatmenttemperature leads to thermal diffusion of Pt into substrate bulk andresults in shift of flatband potential to positive values and increasein donor concentrations. Peak of reduction of Pt phase oxides onthe cathodic branch of voltammograms characterizes quantity ofelectrochemically active platinum on electrode surface and couldbe correlated with electrocatalytic activity of thermally treated ТіОх/РtОу-electrodes.
Preparation and Characterization of Electrosynthesized ZnSeTe Thin Films
Authors: Mahalingam T. , Dhanasekaran Vickraman , Devadason Suganthi , Chu J. P
Published: April 2013

The zinc seleno telluride (ZnSeTe) thin films were deposited on conducting glass substrates by electroplating. Cyclic voltammetry curves were recorded to analyze the electrochemical kinetics for the grown of ZnSeTe alloys. X-ray diffraction patterns were revealed that the polycrystalline wurtzite structure of ZnSeTe thin films. The morphological studies depicted that the ellipsoidal shaped grains were distributed evenly over the entire surface of the film. The average grain size is estimated about 150 nm. The optical transmission and reflection spectrum of the deposited films were recorded in the wave length range 200 to 1200 nm. The band gap value estimated using conventional method and found to be 1.98 eV at optimized deposition parameter.
A New Energy-Efficient and Environmentally-Friendly Process to Produce Aluminum
Authors: Beck Theodore Richard
Published: April 2013

The Hall-Heroult process to produce aluminum is more than 125 years old. Larger more-efficient cells have been developed and process control has improved but the process is basically unchanged. A new process has been under development since 1990 which promises 20 % lower capital cost and 20% lower operating cost and no CO2 or fluorocarbon emissions. A new cell design, new anode and cathode materials, new electrolyte, and new operating conditions are based on experience over the past six decades. The evolution of this technology is described here.
Experimental Investigation of Two-Phase Electrolysis Processes
Authors: Zine Derhoumi , Philippe Mandin , Roustan Hervé
Published: April 2013

During two-phase electrolysis for the production of oxygen and hydrogen, it is generally observed production of bubbles at one or two electrodes which indicates a change in electrical and hydrodynamic properties of the electrolyser. In the presence of gravity, the production of bubbles at the electrodes induces a macro-convection in the electrolyser. This leads to a variable distribution of the bubbles void fraction and of the current density j at the electrodes. The absence of gravity eliminates the natural convection and by the same frictional forces. The electrolysis is performed using a potentiostat. The formation of gas bubbles at the anode is observed by two cameras. The aim of this study is to predict the evolution laws of the electrochemical cell voltage and of the bubble diameter during a two-phase electrolysis depending on the two presently explored inputs: current density and gravity.
Gas Transport in Two-Layer Proton Exchange Membranes
Authors: Jayakumar Jai Vishnuvarman , Staser John , Kim Chang-Hee , Stone Simon G. , Weidner John W.
Published: April 2013

A gas-phase sulfur dioxide (SO2) depolarized electrolyzer has been investigated for large scale hydrogen production. One issue that negatively affects electrolyzer operation is the diffusion of SO2 from the anode to cathode. A viable method to reduce crossover is to use a thin, low-permeability anode prelayer (LPAP) film with significant resistance to SO2 transport supported on a high proton conductivity membrane. However, it is difficult to measure the LPAP film's properties as this layer is not free standing. Hence, we developed a model that allows us to obtain the gas transport properties (i.e., diffusion coefficient and gas solubility) of a prelayer knowing the gas transport properties of the supporting membrane using the electrochemical monitoring technique (EMT). We experimentally verified our two-layer model via EMT experiments. We then applied our model to an MEA consisting of an LPAP film on a N115 membrane to obtain the LPAP film's SO2 transport properties.
Cellular Automation for the Self-Organization Processes at the Annealing of Silicon Rich Oxide Layer
Authors: Orlov Oleg Mikhaylovich , Matyushkin Igor V. , Korobov Sergey V. , Krasnikov Gennadyi Ya.
Published: April 2013

Process of phase separation at the annealing (~10000C) of nonstoichiometric SiOm (m<2) layer is simulated by means of a synchronous cellular automate. The suggested model is opened for introduction of ab initio data concerning SixOy-clusters. Simulation shows migration small Si-nanoclusters inside of this layer.
Materials for Mediator-Free Electron Transfer in the Enzymatic Electrodes of Biobatteries and Biofuel Cells
Authors: Żelechowska Kamila , Stolarczyk Krzysztof , Łyp Dominika , Biernat Jan F. , Rogalski Jerzy , Bilewicz Renata
Published: April 2013

We present functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and their application in the enzymatic fuel cells construction. SWCNTs were covalently modified with different types of aromatic moieties. Free radical reaction was employed to create direct carbon-carbon bond between moiety and SWCNTs. In second approach functionalization takes place through amide bonding. Functionalized SWCNTs were characterized by spectroscopy and by thermogravimetric analysis. Experimental measurements confirmed usability of the new materials for construction of bioelectrodes for enzymatic fuel cells.
Catalytic Activity of Tyrosinase for Potential Biofuel Cell Application
Authors: Umasankar Yogeswaran , Ramasamy Ramaraja P
Published: April 2013

The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was studied using tyrosinase as bio-electrocatalyst. Tyrosinase, a di-copper enzyme was either physisorbed or cross linked onto the electrode. The cross linking of tyrosinase to the electrode was enabled using dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate). The tyrosinase modified electrode exhibited noticeable direct electron transfer (DET) through its type-3 Cu atoms at E0 = 0.55 V in pH 6.0. Tyrosinase modified electrode also showed significantly better oxygen reduction activity than unmodified electrodes. The ORR by tyrosinase was further studied in detail in presence of catechol/quinone as a redox mediator, for potential application in bio-fuel cell cathodes.
ElectroConcentration and ElectroFlotation for Dewatering/Water Purification
Authors: Inman Maria E. , Taylor E. J. , McCrabb Heather , Skinn Brian , Kell Joseph , Stuart Ben
Published: April 2013

Faraday Technology is developing a novel process that enables dewatering of bioalgae containing solutions, and has applicability to water purification through removal of particulate species. The technology is being developed through a project that is investigating concentration of microalgae prior to the extraction of lipids for oil production. Initial results show that the FARADAYICSM ElectroConcentration Process is capable of concentrating algae from ~ 7 g/L to ~82 g/L while depleting the treated area to ~ 2 g/L. In addition, the electrochemical algae separation technique results in floating "mats" of algae that can be readily skimmed off of the surface of the treated solution. This technology may be applicable to dewatering of algae in saltwater environments, as well as freshwater. Future results will explore the effects of pulsed fields and cell design on the separation energy efficiency of the process in preparation for scaling up to continuous processing.
Optical and Fluidic Co-Design of a UV-LED Water Disinfection Chamber
Authors: Harris Theodore Robert , Pagan Jennifer Godwin , Batoni Paolo
Published: April 2013

Deep ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) show promise for advancing the state of the art in provision of drinkable water by disinfection. Development of such a system requires an integration of hydrodynamics, optics, and thermal management, which all interact to yield a successful rate of pathogen inactivation. With this paper, Dot Metrics Technologies, Inc. (Dot Metrics) presents the multi-physics co-design of such a system.
Electrochemical Oxidation of Organic Compounds using Boron-Doped Diamond Electrodes
Authors: Natishan Paul M. , O'Grady Willam E. , Martin Farrel J. , Hagans Patrick L. , Martin H. , Stoner B. R.
Published: April 2013

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes prepared by chemical vapor deposition were used to determine if phenol could be oxidized to CO2 and if biofilms could be oxidized and "cleaned" from a surface. Cyclic voltammetry showed that phenol and biofilms were electrolyzed by the BDD electrodes and that the oxidation products did not foul the electrodes. Experiments were also run with a flow cell in which a liter of 10 mM phenol in 0.1M H2SO4 was circulated through the cell and the total organic carbon (TOC) was monitored as a function of time and cell current. The total carbon in solution was reduced from ~1% to <0.1% with no observable decrease in decomposition rate. This low, total organic carbon content supports that the reacted phenol was converted completely to CO2.
Power Plant Wastewater Cleanup through Capacitive Deionization
Authors: Landon James , Neathery James K. , Liu Kunlei
Published: April 2013

Power plant wastewater is a complex mix of dissolved ionic content resulting from various impurities present in the coal as well as corrosion products from steel equipment. Multifaceted water treatment processes are currently used to lower contaminant concentrations, but stricter regulations will further decrease the allowable discharge limits. To address this issue, the use of a capacitive deionization (CDI) process is shown which can effectively deionize various power plant wastewater and solvent streams. Carbon xerogel electrodes synthesized with a range of pore sizes and a conductive, flexible carbon support enables the capture of both monovalent and divalent species from waste streams. Electrosorption capacities of 2-4 mg NaCl/g of xerogel have been shown with carbon surface areas between 140-240 m2/g.
Water Desalination by Capacitive Deionization - Advantages Limitations and Modification
Authors: Cohen Izaak , Avraham Eran , Soffer Abraham , Aurbach Doron
Published: April 2013

The worldwide demands for potable water are continuously increasing due to population growth, global warming, and contamination of fresh-water sources. When dealing with Brackish Water, (BW) Capacitive Deionization (CDI) is a water treatment process that holds the promise of obtaining potable water by high energy efficiency and low expenses. The technology is based on polarizing high surface area electrodes under saline water (electrolyte) by a constant potential; in which an electrical double layer forms and adsorption of the solution ions is obtained. This paper reviews CDI challenges that have been found, analyzed and dealt with by using electrochemical techniques in order to analyze new CDI advantages and enhance the charge efficiency of the regular CDI cell.
Thin Film Co-MnO2 by Combined Electroless-Electrolytic Techniques for Ultracapacitor and Li-Air Battery Applications
Authors: Gomez Jamie R , Kalu Egwu Eric , Nelson Ruben , Weatherspoon Mark H. , Zheng Jim P.
Published: April 2013

Feasibility of a two-step approach amenable to continuous synthesis of binderless electrode was demonstrated using Co-Mn composite oxide. The combined electroless-electrolytic technique produced Co-Mn oxide whose performance as catalyst for Li-Air battery yielded high initial capacity up to 2000 mA h g-1 at 5.25 A g-1 and good capacity retention during cycling. The synthesized composite oxide exhibited specific capacitance value of 460 F g-1 at 20 mVs-1 with excellent capacitance retention as supercapacitor electrode material.
Quaternary Alloy of Ni-Zn-Cu-P from Hypophosphite Based Electroless Deposition Method
Authors: Zaimi Muhammad , Noda Kazuhiko
Published: April 2013

Hypophosphite based electroless quaternary Ni-Zn-Cu-P on pure iron substrates by using copper and zinc salts as additive in plating bath solutions at various plating bath pH. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), the crystallinity, surface morphology and composition of Ni alloys were observed and also determined. The corrosion behavior of Ni alloys was studied using electrochemical polarization curve measurements in 3.5% NaCl solutions and compared with ternary alloy of Ni-Cu-P and Ni-Zn-P respectively. It was revealed that the increase of pH decreased phosphorous, zinc and copper in the Ni alloy. From polarization curve measurements, it is believed that the inclusion of Zn in the alloy has a significant effect on corrosion performance of Ni alloys.
Corrosion Performance of Zinc-Rich Paints(ZRP) on Mild Steel in NaCl Solution
Authors: Sofian Azizul Helmi , Tanaka Atsumu , Noda Kazuhiko
Published: April 2013

Zinc rich paints (ZRP) are one of the most effective coatings used to protect steel from corrosion and they have been studied under severe environment like sea water, marine and industrial environments. Classic solvent based paint contributes to the increasing of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOC) to the environment have been a major problem. Here we focus on the corrosion behavior of an epoxy based ZRP with less organic solvent so they keep on with environment standards was studied. In this work, metal substrate was coated with 1, 3 and 5 coatings of ZRP and the cross section of the coating was observed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical behaviors were compared, using potential corrosion measurement system.