bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Roughening of Solid Surfaces
Authors: Rys Franz S.
Published: July 2012

The interface roughening phenomenon is formulated in terms of a statistical model of thermally created atomic steps. The simple case of a length‐proportional energy is equivalent to known roughening models featuring an infinite‐order roughening phase transition with an exponentially diverging correlation length and interface thickness. If, in addition, a step bending energy is included which is different for up‐ and down‐steps, the sharp roughening transition is destroyed and the correlation length and the interface thickness remain finite Hence, in this case, a roughening or surface melting transition is absent. Some estimates on the observability of this result, which has consequence, e.g. for the structural behaviour of solid surfaces and on the crystal growth mechanism, are made.
N2 Adsorbate States on Fe Films between 77 K and 273 K
Authors: Wedler G. , Borgmann D. , Alter W. , Witan K.
Published: July 2012

The molecular adsorption of nitrogen on Fe films was studied between 77 K and 273 K. By means of a combined measurement of adsorption isotherms, changes in resistance, changes in work function and replacement processes using 14N2 and 15N2 it was possible to determine the regimes of the α‐, γ‐, and δ‐states. Films annealed at about 320 K exhibit an adsorption behaviour very similar to that of Fe(111) single crystal surfaces.
A 7 × 7 → 2 × 7 Phase Transition of Au Overlayers on Ni(110) Surface
Authors: Mcrae E. G. , Maiic R. A.
Published: July 2012

When a Ni‐0.8% Au alloy is annealed at temperatures above 400 °C, Au segregates at the Ni(110) surface to form an overlayer providing 1.0 ± 0.05 monolayer coverage [1]. Low energy electron diffraction (LEED) showed that the surface periodicity is 7 × 7 at room temperature and 2 × 7 at temperatures above 340 ± 10°C. The 7 × 7 → 2 × 7 transition was observed with a novel LEED system employing a position‐sensitive detector to make digital records of LEED patterns. The transition was found to be abrupt and to display marked hysteresis. The results have been interpreted as follows on the basis of structural models of the overlayer inferred from LEED and low energy ion scattering observations on the 7 × 7 surface [1]. Most os the Au atoms in the 7 × 7 overlayer form close‐packed zigzag chains along the [110] semi‐channels provided by the Ni(110) surface. Sets of three Au atoms from adjacent semi‐channels combine in hexagonal formations, each of which is capped by an extra Au atom. The mismatch stresses that would result from unlimited extension of this close‐packed Au‐atom arrangement are relieved by interruptions of the zig‐zag sequences to form antiphase boundaries parallel to [001]. The 2 × 7 periodicity results if the zig‐zag sequences are uninterrupted. The 7 × 7 → 2 × 7 transition involves the translation of alternate rows of Au atoms in the [001] and [001] directions by about half the Au‐Au neighbor distance. The geometry is such that the transition could be driven by a small lateral expansion of the Au overlayer relative to the Ni(110) surface.
Isomerizations of the Nitromethane Radical Cation in the Gas Phase
Authors: Egsgaard Helge , Carbea Lars , Elbel Susanne
Published: July 2012

The concurrent isomerizations of the nitromethane radical cation to aci‐nitromethane and methylnitrite isomers, respectively, has been established based on metastable ion studies and collision activation mass spectrometry. The energy diagram for the ionized nitromethane/aci‐nitromethane tautomeric system has been determined; the aci‐nitromethane tautomer was found to be the more stable species by ca. 0.95 eV. Attempts to generate the neutral gaseous aci‐nitromethane tautomer by low pressure pyrolysis are summarized.
Interfacial Phenomena of Polycrystalline Mg‐Doped p‐Type Iron(III) Oxide Photoelectrodes
Authors: Tinuemans A. H. A. , Koster T. P. M. , Mackor A. , Schoonman J.
Published: July 2012

The small‐signal a.c. response of photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells with Mg‐doped α‐Fe2O3 photocathodes has been studied in the range 10−2 to 104 Hz. A non‐linear least‐squares analysis of the complex admittance/impedance data leads to a detailed equivalent circuit for the cell. The capacitance data have been employed to construct Mott‐Schottky plots. For a p‐type Fe2O3: Mg (1 at.%) electrode the flat‐band potential Vfb in 0.1 M carbonate buffer (pH = 10) is +2.2 V vs. SCE.
Reflection Spectra of Fluid Sulphur in the Sub‐ and Supercritical Region
Authors: Tamura K. , Seyer H. P. , Hensel F.
Published: July 2012

The dielectric dispersion of fluid sulphur has been investigated, for the first time, by means of normal incident reflectivity measurements in the range 0.5–6.0 eV over the entire liquid vapor range at temperatures between 120°C and 1100°C and at pressures between 20 bar and 500 bar. The optical response functions ε1(ω) and ε2(ω) have been derived from the reflectivity spectra by means of a modified Kramers‐Kronig analysis. The reported measurements give useful information about the electronic structure of fluid sulphur. The polymerization transition (159°C) shifts the first optical absorption towards lower absorption energy by about 0.7 eV. In the supercritical fluid at low densities distinct bands can be observed for S3, S4 and S2. As the density is increased, these bands merge to form the optical edge of the dense fluid.
Thermodynamics and Reactivity in II—VI/III—VI‐Systems
Authors: Bredol Michael , Leute Volkmar
Published: July 2012

Recent investigations in the systems Ga2Te3/CdTe and Ga2Se3/CdSe have shown, that some quasibinary II—VI/III—VI‐systems may possess an ordered phase as well as a thermodynamical miscibility gap. Therefore in these systems the interaction coefficient for the calculation of the excess enthalpy must be strongly concentration‐dependent, since ordering and demixing are requiring interaction coefficients of opposite sign. The thermodynamical miscibility gap in the region of non‐ordered solid solutions of II—VI‐and III—VI‐chalcogenides can be described by a regular model, which leads to good agreement with experimental data. The free enthalpy of the ordered phase is approximated by a very simple model, that takes into account an additional enthalpy contribution by the ordering process. After the evaluation of the phase diagram by minimizing the free enthalpy the calculations are compared with experimental results.
Anorganische Pigmente: Disperse Festkörper mit technisch verwertbaren optischen und magnetischen Eigenschaften
Authors: Winter Gerhard
Published: July 2012

The great importance of inorganic pigments arises from the fields of information, safety technology, surface protection, and creation of a colourful environment, whereas the economic reach is underlined by a world production of approx. 4 million to per year.—For a controlled synthesis of technologically relevant pigmentary properties it is necessary, starting from solid matters selected by physico‐chemical criteria, to take preparative measures which interfere in the chemistry of solid matters and of the pigment/binder interface and allow—by controlling the particle size and particle size distribution—the desired optical and magnetic properties to be optimized. Such measures have to be supported by fixing an optimum degree of dispersion in the binder.—Among the numerous pigments presently being used, TiO2 has been chosen as a representative of scattering white pigments. Scattering and absorbing colour pigments are exemplified by cadmium sulpho‐selenides, oxide pigments and mixed oxide pigments. Moreover the paper gives an insight into the production and action of magnetic pigments as well as a survey of further pigment groups.
Reversible Reduktions‐ und Reoxidationsprozesse des Typs ABO3 ⇆ ABO3‐X an Perovskitischen Metalloxiden
Authors: Reller Armin
Published: July 2012

Structural reaction mechanisms as well as concomitant compositional and morphological changes of reversible reduction/reoxidation processes of perovscitic metal oxides are discussed. The results are based on studies by means of thermal analysis, light and electron microscopy as well as X‐ray diffraction.
Mass Transport in Aqueous Zinc Chloride‐Potassium Chloride Electrolytes
Authors: Leaist Derek G.
Published: July 2012

Conductimetric and diaphragm cell techniques have been used to measure ternary diffusion coefficients for aqueous zinc chloride‐potassium chloride solutions at 25°C. At low concentrations where Zn2+ is the major zinc‐transporting species, the diffusion‐induced electric field along zinc chloride concentration gradients drives large co‐current flows of potassium chloride. In concentrated solutions where a large proportion of zinc diffuses as anionic ZnCl−3 and ZnCl2‐4 complexes, flow of zinc chloride generates counterflow of potassium chloride. If a sharp zinc chloride gradient is formed in an otherwise uniform solution of potassium chloride, coupled diffusion can concentrate potassium ions within the diffusion boundary. Equations are developed to predict multicomponent transport coefficients for zinc chloride
in supporting electrolytes.
Ein Quecksilberporosimeter hoher Präzision zur Charakterisierung mineralischer Stoffe
Authors: Becker R. , Lentz H. , Hinze E. , Nover G. , Will G.
Published: July 2012

A discription is given of a mercury porosimeter which can be operated at pressures from 0.1 bar up to 2.3 kbars. The corresponding pore radii cover the values from 3.2 nm up to 7 · 104 nm. Using a sample volume of 25 cm3, the resolution is in the order of 6 mm3.—This porosimeter yields information for the characterization of mineralogical solids by porosity measurement and deduction of the pore radii distribution. The interpretation of these results shows the possibility of a quantitative description of the compaction of powder materials. For some selected rock samples it was possible to find a correlation between the pore radii distribution and the degree of hydrothermal alteration (Gneiss sample) and the extraction depth resp. (Granite sample). The results for a kaolinite sample demonstrate that a careful interpretation of these measurements yields information on the geometry of the pore structure. This could be proven independently by scanning electron microscopy pictures.
Reactions in Disordered Media, Modelled Through Hierarchical Structures
Authors: Blumen A. , Zumofen G. , Klafter J.
Published: July 2012

We use ultrametric spaces to model the energetic disorder found in amorphous systems such as glasses or mixed molecular crystals. Ultrametric spaces (UMS) have a particularly simple barrier structure which allows to monitor the diffusion of particles under temperature‐activated jumps, and to study their reaction behavior. We obtain forms which differ from the results of the simple kinetic scheme. As also found experimentally, the time development of pseudounimolecular (A + B → 0, A0 < B0) reactions on UMS often follows stretched exponential forms à la Kohlrausch‐Williams‐Watts, whereas strictly bimolecular (A + B < 0; A0 = B0) reactions display a wide variety of algebraic decays. Furthermore, the reaction patterns are temperature‐dependent, and at low temperatures reveal features of the underlying structure. These results contrast with the standard kinetic behavior which consists in either exponential time dependences (for unimolecular) or 1/t forms (for bimolecular reactions).
Enthalpic Behaviour of Sodium Deoxycholate in Pure Water and in Water‐Urea Solutions at 25°C
Authors: Sesta Bianca , Pandolfi Pietro
Published: July 2012

The heats of dilution and apparent molal heat contents of sodium deoxycholate have been measured in water and in 2.5 molal urea aqueous solution at 25°C by microcalorimetry. The critical micellar region of the bile salt in water‐urea, has been identified by conductometric methods. The solute concentrations ranged from zero to about 0.4 mol · 1−1. A strict analogy has been found between the binary system, deoxycholate‐water, and the ternary system, deoxycholate‐urea‐water, except for a general shift of the critical phenomena toward the higher concentrations observed for the solutions containing urea.—Below the critical region, the enthalpic behaviour of deoxycholate conforms to the features expected for 1:1 organic electrolytes. Approaching the critical concentration, additional enthalpic effects, parallel to the dilution ones, influence the calorimetric trend of the investigated bile salt. These have been correlated with processes of molecular self‐association of the solute, similar to the micellization phenomena occurring for other surfactants.—Above the first critical concentration range, the concentration dependence of the relative molal heat content of deoxycholate, both in water and in water‐urea, is very peculiar and can be assumed as a confirmation of a multistage aggregation of the solute.
Semiconduction in the Liquid Tl—SbTlX3 System (X:Te, Se)
Authors: Uemura O. , Matsuda H. , Satow T.
Published: July 2012

The electrical conductivity, the magnetic susceptibility, and the thermoelectric power of the liquid Tl—SbTlTe3 and Tl—SbTlSe3 systems have been obtained as a function of temperature and composition from near the liquidus temperature up to about 1200 K. The telluride system exhibits a sharp minimum in electrical conductivity and a maximum in diamagnetic susceptibility around the composition of 80 mol% Tl. On the other hand, in the selenide system the conductivity changes little up to 66.7 mol%Tl(SbTl3Se3), and it rapidly increases with increasing Tl content above that stoichiometric composition. The thermoelectric power of both systems shows a change in sign around the respective compositions. The electronic properties of these liquid systems are discussed in the light of current transport theories employed in the amorphous and liquid semiconductors.
Kinetics of the Reaction of Atomic Fluorine with H2S and Elementary Reactions of the HS Radical
Authors: Schönle G. , Rahman M. M. , Schindler R. N.
Published: July 2012

The reaction of H2S with atomic fluorine (1) has been studied in a discharge‐flow system at 298 K to generate HS radicals for kinetic investigations. Mass spectrometric detection with single ion counting was employed. The rate constantk(1) was obtained from the rate of H2S consumption under the condition [H2S] << [F]0magnified image

It has been shown that the reaction (1) provides a clean source of HS radicals. From the disappearance of HS radicals upon addition of reactants and the formation of products rate constants for the following reactions have been determined:

magnified image

The reaction of HS with O2 was also studied but it is too slow at room temperature to be followed with the present set up.
Laser raman studies on the conformation and interactions of DNA in crystals an in solution
Authors: Peticolas W. L. , Patapoff T. W. , Wang Y. , Thomas G. A.
Published: July 2012

A laser microscope has been designed and constructed that permits the obtaining of polarized laser Raman spectra from microcrystals of deoxyoligodeoxynucleotides (short pieces of DNA). By comparing the Raman spectra obtained from single crystals where the DNA conformation is known from X‐ray diffractions experiments with crystals whose DNA conformation is unknown it is possible to obtain the secondary structure of a large number of oligonucleotides as a function of their base sequence. Furthermore, by comparing the Raman spectra of DNA in the crystal with that in solution one can see changes between the crystal and solution conformation. In this way important new information about the relation between base sequence and the environmentally induced polymorphism in DNA can be deduced. It is found that small but significant changes in the Raman spectra of the dodecamer, d(CGCGAATTCGCG) upon going from the crystal to solution or upon complexing with the restriction enzyme, Eco R1. These changes are interpreted in terms of differences in the conformation of the DNA in each of these environments.
Resonance CARS spectroscopy of bile pigments from photosynthetic antennas
Authors: Baumann F. , Schneider S. , Gege P. , Fischer R. , Siebzehnrübl S. , Scheer H.
Published: July 2012

Resonance‐enhanced CARS spectra of various biliproteins (PBS**), PC**) and its β‐subunit, APC**)) from the cyanobacterium Mastigocladus laminosus are presented. It is concluded that upon desaggregation of the whole antenna complex (PBS) into trimeric APC and PC and of PC into its subunits the microheterogeneity of the chromophores increases. APC spectra recorded with different pump wavelengths show that one chromophore in APC adopts an extended, the other one a non‐extended geometry.
Wave‐guide spectroscopy of biological material
Authors: Braun H. P.
Published: July 2012

Light propagation along an optical wave‐guide is subject to the condition of transverse resonance, i.e. a relationship for the optical phases the light experiences when propagating along the light guiding structure. The guided light wave monitors any deviation from the resonance as a change in the transmitted light intensity. Ultra‐thin wave‐guides exhibit a high sensitivity for changes in the refractive indexes because the phase deviation from resonance is compared to the already minute optical phase of the film. This method applies to absorption spectroscopy with thin films; to the study of transport phenomena in ultra‐thin membranes and to optical signal transduction in chemical and biochemical sensors.
Elementary reactions of fluorine atoms with benzene, toluene, p‐xylene and etylbenzene
Authors: Ebrecht J. , Hack W. , Wagner H. Gg.
Published: July 2012

The rate constants of the reactions of fluorine atoms with benzene, toluene, p‐xylene and ethylbenzene were studied in a discharge flow reactor at room temperature and low pressure. — The aromatic compounds R were followed under pseudo first order conditions ([R]0 ≪ [F]) by mass spectrometry (MS). The rate constants.

    F + C6H6 k1 (296 K) = (3.0 ± 0.7). 1013 cm3/mol·s    (1).

    F + C6H5CH3 k2 (296 K) = (4.0 ± 0.8). 1013 cm3/mol·s    (2).

    F + C6H4(CH3)2 k3 (296 K) = (4.2 ± 0.6). 1013 cm3/mol·s    (3).

    F + C6H5C2H5 k4 (296 K) = (4.5 ± 0.6). 1013 cm3/mol·s    (4).

were obtained. — The products of reaction (1) were C6H5F (80%) and HF (< 8%) and those of reaction (2) were C‐H‐F (50%), C6H5F (20%) and HF (20%). For reaction (3) the exchange mechanism is dominant, C7H7F, C8H9F (65%), and the abstraction contributes 35% (HF). In reaction (4) the abstraction is dominant (HF (50%)) with an exchange pathway of 50% C6H5F and C8H9F.
Driving torque control method for electric vehicle with in‐wheel motors
Authors: Yoshimura Masataka , Fujimoto Hiroshi
Published: July 2012

Antislip control or slip ratio control can help improve the stability of EVs on a low‐μ road. However, these control methods cannot control the driving torque. In this paper we propose a driving torque control method for EVs with in‐wheel motors. By using this method we can control the driving torque directly. Simulations and experiments are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 181(3): 49‐58, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.21286
Measurement of voltage‐dependent capacitance using a TDR system
Authors: Ariga Zen‐Nosuke , Wada Keiji , Shimizu Toshihisa
Published: July 2012

The measurement of circuit parameters and the evaluation of equivalent circuit models are necessary for noise analysis or high‐speed operation circuit design for power electronics circuits. Recently, time domain reflectometry (TDR) has emerged as a technique for measuring circuit parameters. This paper proposes a TDR method for measuring the voltage‐dependent capacitance of a power MOSFET. This method can be used to measure the output capacitance Coss of a MOSFET for any DC bias voltage. The Coss of a MOSFET with VDS = 350 V was measured in an experiment, while the datasheet gives values of Coss only for VDS values in the range of 35 to 100 V. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 181(3): 31‐38, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.21289
Relationship between dye–iodine binding and cell voltage in dye‐sensitized solar cells: A quantum‐mechanical look
Authors: Asaduzzaman Abu Md. , Chappellaz Guy A. G. , Schreckenbach Georg
Published: July 2012

It has been proposed that iodine binding to dyes may actually decrease the cell efficiency of a dye‐sensitized solar cell. A previous experimental study showed that a two‐atom change from oxygen to sulfur increased recombination of iodine with injected electrons by a factor of approximately 2. Here, it is shown that iodine binding is a plausible explanation for this effect. The steric and conjugation effects are quantified separately using a set of model compounds. Quantum‐chemical calculations show that elongation of the hydrocarbon chain has only an insignificant effect on the iodine and bromine binding to the chalcogen atoms (O, S, Se). The conjugation, however, significantly disfavors the iodine and bromine interaction. Iodine and bromine binding to the dye and model compounds containing sulfur is significantly more favorable than to their oxygen containing counterparts. Bromine binding to dyes is shown to be stronger than that of iodine. Accordingly, bromine binding to dyes may contribute significantly to the observed lower efficiencies in cells using Br/Br− as the redox couple. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Protein profiling of epidermal bladder cells from the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Authors: Barkla Bronwyn J. , Vera‐Estrella Rosario , Pantoja Omar
Published: July 2012

Plant epidermal trichomes are as varied in morphology as they are in function. In the halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, specialized trichomes called epidermal bladder cells (EBC) line the surface of leaves and stems, and increase dramatically in size and volume upon plant salt‐treatment. These cells have been proposed to have roles in plant defense and UV protection, but primarily in sodium sequestration and as water reservoirs. To gain further understanding into the roles of EBC, a cell‐type‐specific proteomics approach was taken in which precision single‐cell sampling of cell sap from individual EBC was combined with shotgun peptide sequencing (LC‐MS/MS). Identified proteins showed diverse biological functions and cellular locations, with a high representation of proteins involved in H+‐transport, carbohydrate metabolism, and photosynthesis. The proteome of EBC provides insight into the roles of these cells in ion and water homeostasis and raises the possibility that they are photosynthetically active and functioning in Crassulacean acid metabolism.
Characterization of the high‐pressure superconductivity in the Pnma phase of calcium
Authors: Szczęśniak R. , Szczęśniak D.
Published: July 2012

The thermodynamic parameters of the superconducting state in calcium under the pressure of 161 GPa have been calculated within the framework of the Eliashberg approach. It has been shown that the value of the Coulomb pseudopotential is high ($\mu _{{\rm C}}^{*} = 0.24$) and the critical temperature (TC = 25 K) should be determined from the modified Allen–Dynes formula. In addition, it has been found that the basic dimensionless ratios of the thermodynamic parameters significantly diverge from the BCS predictions, and take the following values: (i) The zero‐temperature energy gap to the critical temperature ($R_{1} \equiv 2\Delta (0)/k_{{\rm B}} T_{{\rm C}} $) is equal to 4.01. (ii) The ratio $R_{2} \equiv {\left( {C^{{\rm S}} (T_{{\rm C}} )- C^{{\rm N}} (T_{{\rm C}} )} \right)}/C^{{\rm N}} (T_{{\rm C}} )$ equals 2.17, where CS and CN denote the specific heats for the superconducting and normal states, respectively. (iii) The quantity $R_{3} \equiv T_{{\rm C}} C^{{\rm N}} (T_{{\rm C}} )/H_{{\rm C}}^{2} (0) = 0.158$, where HC indicates the thermodynamic critical field. Finally, it has been proven that the electron effective mass is large and takes the maximum of 2.32me at TC.
A reporter system that discriminates EF‐hand‐sensor motifs from signal‐modulators at the single‐motif level
Authors: Osuna Joel , Flores Humberto , Gaytán Paul
Published: July 2012

The T‐protein is a single‐polypeptide bi‐functional enzyme composed of a chorismate mutase domain fused to a prephenate dehydrogenase domain (TyrA). We replaced the chorismate mutase domain with canonical or pseudo‐Ca2+‐binding motifs (EF‐hand). Canonical‐EF‐hand‐motifs differentiate from pseudo‐EF‐hand‐motifs by experimenting a Ca2+‐dependent conformational change. The Ca2+‐free EF‐hand‐TyrA fusion‐proteins showed TyrA activity at the T‐protein level. Canonical‐EF‐hand‐TyrA fusions showed a Ca2+‐dependent loss of TyrA activity, but a pseudo‐EF‐hand‐TyrA fusion showed high TyrA activity level in excess‐Ca2+ conditions. Because TyrA activity exhibits robust changes in response to Ca2+‐dependent‐EF‐hand conformational alterations, TyrA could be a good Ca2+‐reporter enzyme. A chimeric canonical/pseudo‐EF‐hand strategy is proposed to confer pseudo‐EF‐hand motifs with a Ca2+‐dependent conformational change.
GANDAH-YIR: THE HOUSE OF THE BRAVE. THE BIOGRAPHY OF A NORTHERN GHANAIAN CHIEF (ca. 1872−1950)
Authors: Gandah S. W. D. K. (Kumbonoh) ,   (excerpts, edited and subtitled by Carola Lentz)
Published: July 2012

I did not set out purposely to write a history text book on my father but to put on paper what he himself narrated orally to his audience when the family gathered to have some pots of pito [sorghum beer, C. L.] to drink. But having started to put on paper his own narration about his life history, I felt it would be very useful to the family, both for those members […] who have grown up to know him personally and those who have not had the opportunity to know him well or at all before he passed away. For it would be selfish of me and of any of my literate brothers who knew him so well and had the opportunity to hear all his oral history not to pass this down in written form so that his children and grandchildren and future generations would be able to read and remember him with great adoration as I do today.
Did Late-Nineteenth-Century U.S. Tariffs Promote Infant Industries? Evidence from the Tinplate Industry
Authors: Irwin Douglas A.
Published: July 2012

Did late-nineteenth-century U.S. tariffs promote infant industries? After earlier failures, the tinplate industry became established and flourished after receiving protection with the 1890 McKinley tariff. Treating producers' entry and exit decisions as endogenous, a probability model is estimated to determine the conditions under which domestic tinplate production will occur. Counterfactual simulations indicate that, without the McKinley duties, domestic tinplate production would have arisen about a decade later as U.S. iron and steel input prices converged with those in Britain. Although the traiff accelerated the industry's development, welfare calculations suggest that protection does not pass a cost-benefit test.
The Standardization of Track Gauge on North American Railways, 1830–1890
Authors: Puffert Douglas J.
Published: July 2012

Early North American railways chose different track gauges partly on the basis of differing engineering traditions and partly for mutual compatibility. The resulting dynamic process produced nine district common-guage regions by the 1860s. Growing demand for interregional traffic and increasing among railways yielded incentives to resolve this diversity, and the specific regional pattern of gauges led to selection pf 4'8.5” as the continental standard. The case offers support for aspects of differing views on the role of path dependence in determining features of the economy.
Standardization or restandardization: The case for “Standard” Spoken Tamil
Authors: Schiffman Harold F.
Published: July 2012

The Tamil language has had its current standard written form since the 13th century; but because of increasing diglossia, spoken Tamil dialects have now diverged so radically from earlier norms, including the written standard (LT, or Literary Tamil) that no spoken dialect, regional or social, can function as the koiné or lingua franca. Because LT is never used for authentic informal oral communication between live speakers, there has always been a need for some sort of spoken “standard” koiné for inter-dialect communication. Aside from interpersonal communication, one hears this inter-dialect koiné most clearly in the so-called “social”film, which arose out of its antecedent, the popular or “social” drama. Conversational portions of novels and short stories also exhibit spoken forms, though not always as clearly “phonetic” as a phonetician might expect. The goal of this paper is to examine the concept of “language standardization” as it has been applied to other languages, focusing on the role of literacy and writing in this process; then to present evidence for, as well as the sources of, koinæization of "Standard Spoken Tamil"; and then to determine whether SST is in fact an emergent standard, given the challenges of literacy and writing. (Standardization, Tamil, diglossia, linguae francae, koinés)
Lepidoptera in the Inner Hebrides
Authors: Wormell Peter
Published: July 2012

Synopsis

A checklist of 576 species of lepidoptera has been produced for the islands of Rhum, Canna, Coll and Colonsay. Within these islands the status and habitat requirements of selected species, including some Scottish rarities, are discussed. Brief mention is made of some species which occur in other islands but which have not been recorded in the four sample islands. The status of Zygaenidae is discussed. This family is of outstanding interest in that five of the seven species recorded in Scotland occur in the Inner Hebrides. One is restricted to Skye, whilst another now appears to be confined in Britain to the Isles of Mull and Ulva.
Nature conservation in the Inner Hebrides
Authors: Kerr A. J. , Boyd John Morton
Published: July 2012

Synopsis

The methods of nature conservation applied within the Inner Hebrides are those which are now standard throughout Britain and are governed by legislation. The procedures for habitat or site protection and species protection are illustrated in the descriptions of the reserves, the Sites of Special Scientific Interest and the protected species within the archipelago. The reserves and sites cover interests in the geology, geomorphology, zoology, botany and ecology of the islands and the surrounding seabed. National Scenic Areas are also mentioned. Relationships between nature conservation and the uses of land and sea are discussed. With the exceptions of the commercial exploitation of the island pastures in sheep husbandry, with much uncontrolled burning, and the exploitation of fin fish and shell fish and consequent widespread depletion of stocks, the Inner Hebrides are comparatively undisturbed by modern industrial development.
Spin trimers in Ca3Cu2Ni(PO4)4
Authors: Ghosh M. , Ghoshray K.
Published: July 2012

The nature of spin trimer and 3d spin dynamics in Ca3Cu2Ni(PO4)4 is studied using 31P NMR measurements. The data are obtained by replacing one of the Cu ions by a Ni ion in the one dimensional spin trimer compound Ca3Cu3(PO4)4. The NMR spectrum suggests the presence of two types of magnetically inequivalent phosphorous atoms, as in the parent compound. This reveals the presence of only one type of trimer, Cu2-Ni-Cu2, rather than of three types, Cu2-Cu1-Cu2, Cu2-Cu1-Ni and Ni-Cu1-Ni, as indicated by neutron scattering. Hence, the ground state of Ca3Cu2Ni(PO4)4 appears to be a quintet. These results also explain the magnetic susceptibility behavior, which indicates no reduction in the net spin of the trimer in Ca3Cu2Ni(PO4)4, as expected for JNi-Cu = −0.85 meV compared to the value JCu-Cu = −4.74 meV derived from neutron scattering. The spin lattice relaxation rate suggests that the three magnon mediated scattering process dominant in Ca3Cu3(PO4)4 is reduced in Ca3Cu2Ni(PO4)4.
Ordering in a narrow-band magnetic metal with exchange interactions
Authors: Orel E. S.
Published: July 2012

The magnetic ordering temperature ΘC of systems with double exchange is calculated using a model of interacting spin systems. This is compared with calculations based on the molecular field model and the spin-wave model. A maximum of the magnetic transition temperature ΘC is obtained for an electron concentration x = 0.35, which is in better agreement with experiment (x = 0.33) than molecular field and spin-wave model calculations of ΘC.
Nuclear motion effects on the density matrix of crystals: An ab initio Monte Carlo harmonic approach
Authors: Pisani Cesare , Erba Alessandro , Ferrabone Matteo , Dovesi Roberto
Published: July 2012

In the frame of the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, nuclear motions in crystals can be simulated rather accurately using a harmonic model. In turn, the electronic first-order density matrix (DM) can be expressed as the statistically weighted average over all its determinations each resulting from an instantaneous nuclear configuration. This model has been implemented in a computational scheme which adopts an ab initio one-electron (Hartree-Fock or Kohn-Sham) Hamiltonian in the CRYSTAL program. After selecting a supercell of reasonable size and solving the corresponding vibrational problem in the harmonic approximation, a Metropolis algorithm is adopted for generating a sample of nuclear configurations which reflects their probability distribution at a given temperature. For each configuration in the sample the “instantaneous” DM is calculated, and its contribution to the observables of interest is extracted. Translational and point symmetry of the crystal as reflected in its average DM are fully exploited. The influence of zero-point and thermal motion of nuclei on such important first-order observables as x-ray structure factors and Compton profiles can thus be estimated.
Pain: an integrative approach
Authors: Kuttner Leora
Published: July 2012

This chapter is divided into two major sections. The first section, on comprehensive pain management, covers definitions, assessment, child and parental involvement, and the meaning of the pain, with some case examples. The second section, on integrative methods, covers the use of hypnosis, imagery, breathing, music, and massage, and is illustrated with case examples. These techniques are based on naturally occurring experiences that children and parents can use comfortably. Although there is much evidence for the benefit of TENS, acupuncture, and biofeedback in relieving children’s pain, this will not be covered here. The emphasis in this chapter is on methods that parents and healthcare providers find relatively easy to use at home, in a hospice, or in hospital to control pain, to reduce distressing symptoms such as fear or fatigue, and to increase the feeling of well-being and peace at the end of life.
Allergy
Authors: Volcheck Gerald W.
Published: July 2012

Standard allergy testing relies on identifying the IgE antibody specific for the allergen in question. Two classic methods of doing this are the immediate wheal-and-flare skin prick tests (a small amount of antigen is introduced into the skin and evaluated at 15 minutes for the presence of an immediate wheal-and-flare reaction) and in vitro testing. Allergy testing that does not have a clear scientific basis includes cytotoxic testing, provocation-neutralization testing or treatment, and "yeast allergy" testing. Allergy-related conditions such as asthma, chronic rhinitis, urticaria and angioedema, anaphylaxis, food allergy, stinging insect allergy, and drug allergy are reviewed.
Evaluation and Treatment of Arrhythmias
Authors: Brady Peter A.
Published: July 2012

Abnormal cardiac arrhythmias may be due to reentry, abnormal automaticity, or triggered activity. Reentrant rhythms may be microreentrant or macroreentrant. Ambulatory (Holter) monitoring is useful for the evaluation of both symptomatic and asymptomatic rhythm disturbances and their relationship to daily activity. Treadmill exercise testing is very useful in the evaluation of patients who present with bradycardia and symptoms of palpitations because it allows both documentation of the adequacy of heart rate response to exercise and the recording of the cardiac rhythm during exercise in a controlled setting with ECG monitoring. An electrophysiologic study is useful for assessing sinus node function and the cardiac conduction system and for attempting to induce atrial or ventricular arrhythmias that could explain the clinical presentation. Electrophysiologic study requires placement of electrode catheters in the heart to record and to stimulate heart rhythm. Several therapeutic options are available for heart rhythm disorders, including drug therapy, radiofrequency ablation, and device therapy.
Gastroenterology
Authors: Sedlack Robert E. , Loftus Conor G. , Oxentenko Amy S. , Viggiano Thomas R.
Published: July 2012

Part 1 reviews the major portions of the gastrointestinal system (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and pancreas), their function (motility, acid production, enzymatic function, and absorption), and various disorders associated with them (dysmotility, ulceration, malabsorption, inflammation, and dysplasia). Symptoms, diagnostic testing, and treatment of common gastrointestinal conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease, diarrhea, constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, and pancreatitis, are reviewed.
General Internal Medicine
Authors: Litin Scott C. , Mauck Karen F. , Duncan Alan K.
Published: July 2012

The goal of this chapter is to discuss the following important topics in internal medicine that are not covered thoroughly in other chapters: the interpretation of diagnostic tests, preoperative risk assessment, anticoagulation issues, tobacco abuse, acute low back pain, otorhinolaryngology for the internist, and common eye disorders. Diagnostic tests are tools that either increase or decrease the likelihood of disease. When a diagnostic test is applied to a population at risk of a particular disease, patients in the studied population can be assigned to 1 of 4 groups on the basis of disease status and the test result: true positive, true negative, false positive, false negative. Common problems encountered in a general internal medicine practice, such as tobacco abuse, acute low back pain, vision issues, and ear, nose, and throat complaints, are also reviewed.
Hypertension
Authors: Schwartz Gary L.
Published: July 2012

Because blood pressure is a continuously distributed trait in the population and the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with the level of pressure increases progressively as it exceeds 115 mm Hg systolic or 75 mm Hg diastolic, the definition of hypertension is somewhat arbitrary. Currently for adults, it is defined as systolic pressure 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic pressure 90 mm Hg or higher. Systolic pressures between 120 and 139 mm Hg or diastolic pressures between 80 and 89 mm Hg are classified as prehypertension. Persons who have prehypertension are at increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease and progression to hypertension over time compared with persons who have normal pressure. Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertension are also reviewed.
Clinical Syndromes in Infectious Diseases
Authors: Orenstein Robert
Published: July 2012

This chapter approaches the field of infectious diseases from 3 perspectives. This second part covers clinical syndromes associated with various infections, such as infective endocarditis, meningitis, sexually transmitted infections, urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal infections, and soft-tissue infections. Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of these conditions are reviewed.
Medical Ethics
Authors: Hook C.Christopher , Mueller Paul S.
Published: July 2012

Medicine is first and foremost a relationship. It is the coming together of one individual, the patient, who is ill or has specific needs and a second individual, the physician, whose goal is to help the patient and who possesses a unique set of knowledge and skills to pursue that goal. Because medicine is fundamentally a relationship, it is at heart an ethical endeavor. Indeed, the physician-patient relationship is a fiduciary relationship; physicians have knowledge, skills, and powers that patients do not have. In turn, patients-who are often sick and vulnerable-must trust that physicians act in their patients' best interests. As a result, physicians have a long and rich history of creating oaths and codes that provide ethical norms and frameworks to support and protect physician-patient relationships. Medical ethics consists of a set of principles and systematic methods that attempt to guide physicians on how they ought to act in their relationships with patients and others and how to resolve moral problems that arise in the care of patients.
Preventive Medicine
Authors: Millman Martha P. , Varkey Prathibha
Published: July 2012

Preventive medicine is the practice of medicine that detects and alters or ameliorates host susceptibility in a premorbid state (eg, immunization), risk factors for disease in a predisease state (eg, increased cholesterol level), and disease in the presymptomatic state (eg, in situ cervical cancer). Not all disease is preventable because not all risk factors (or all individuals at risk) are known, the cost of screening everyone is not feasible, barriers to medical access exist, interval disease occurs, characteristics of the target disease vary, and screening tests and treatments are imperfect.
Dimensions of Indian expatriate adjustment in the USA: an exploratory study
Authors: Srivastava Deepak K. , Panday Monika
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an instrument to measure the dimensionality of Indian expatriate adjustment.

Design/methodology/approach

In an effort to measure the dimensionality of Indian expatriate adjustment in the USA, Black's instrument was used in this paper.

Findings

The factor analysis gave a different factor structure from that proposed by Black. Expatriate scores did not merge into three dimensions of expatriates' adjustment; rather they merged into two dimensions. Unlike Black's study, interaction with host nationals was not found to be a separate dimension. A possible explanation is that linguistic skills and the presence of Indian diaspora support Indian expatriates during their interactions with Americans.

Research limitations/implications

The exploratory character of this study with its small convenience sample of Indian expatriates makes the findings tentative.

Practical implications

The paper is a useful source of information for students planning to make a career in international business and practitioners already engaged in international business activities.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified information need and offers help in expatriate adjustment.
The likelihood of subcontractor payment
Authors: Tran Hanh , Carmichael David G.
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Subcontractor payments typically come through the contractor, though there can be exceptions to this, and their timing and quantum can be affected by the upstream payment practices of the owner to the contractor, as well as the payment practices of the contractor. The purpose of this paper is to study the linked effect of late and incomplete payments of both the owner and contractor on what the subcontractor receives.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper's analysis develops on an existing Markov chain formulation of owner payments. The probability of getting payment from an owner or contractor is represented as a function of time since claim submission. Such functions are established through goodness of fit tests using actual project data. The downstream progression of payment from owner to contractor to subcontractor is treated as a collection of series and parallel systems, for which the likelihood of payment is assessed.

Findings

A model that enables subcontractors to calculate the likelihood of getting their claims paid, based on owner and contractor historical payment practices, is developed. Subcontractors are able to calculate the conditional and unconditional probabilities of their claims being paid at any time after claim submission. The model may be used with historical payment records, or with identified typical owner and contractor payment types.

Practical implications

The paper presents a practical method by which a subcontractor is able to calculate age‐dependent probabilities of outstanding claim amounts being paid. Such information feeds into the subcontractor's tendering practices before entering a new project, and in the subcontractor's contract administration practices in terms of pursuing claims.

Originality/value

The modelling of the owner‐contractor‐subcontractor payment linkage is original. No similar modelling exists in the literature.
Capturing maturity of ICT applications in construction processes
Authors: Eadie Robert , Perera Srinath , Heaney George
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Two main types of models are used worldwide in consideration of the impact of Information Communication Technology (ICT) processes in construction: capability maturity models (CMM) and e‐readiness models. The purpose of this paper is to review the structure behind the different models, their applicability to construction and indicate how organisations move between the levels in a CMM.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigates the literature behind eight e‐readiness models and 53 CMMs.

Findings

The findings indicate 88 per cent of maturity‐based CMM models linked to five maturity levels, with the remainder using four. CMMs have common features: the process/application is described by maturity levels; Key Process Areas (KPA) provide the features to allow movement; and the levels are arranged and attained systematically, lowest to highest. Publication dates and trends indicate the rate of CMM publication is increasing (most in 2009), conversely, e‐readiness models are not (most published in 2004).

Practical implications

It is expected that the number of CMMs will increase; conversely, e‐readiness models may not. E‐readiness models have not been adopted by other industries and applications. However, CMMs, although initiated in software engineering, have progressed to incorporate construction models which cover processes as diverse as financial management and documentation. This suggests that a CMM is more applicable for applications such as e‐business in construction.

Originality/value

The paper significantly expands that of Man in 2007 who listed 22 CMM models. This paper categorises a further 31 models and indicates construction applicability, combined with a review of e‐readiness models for the first time.