bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Conceptual Framework for Evaluating Information Technologies and Decision Support Systems for Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response
Authors: Bravata Dena M. , McDonald Kathryn M. , Szeto Herbert , Smith Wendy M. , Rydzak Chara , Owens Douglas K.
Published: April 2004

Objectives. The authors sought to develop a conceptual framework for evaluating whether existing information technologies and decision support systems (IT/DSSs) would assist the key decisions faced by clinicians and public health officials preparing for and responding to bioterrorism. Methods. They reviewed reports of natural and bioterrorism related infectious outbreaks, bioterrorism preparedness exercises, and advice from experts to identify the key decisions, tasks, and information needs of clinicians and public health officials during a bioterrorism response. The authors used task decomposition to identify the subtasks and data requirements of IT/DSSs designed to facilitate a bioterrorism response. They used the results of the task decomposition to develop evaluation criteria for IT/DSSs for bioterrorism preparedness. They then applied these evaluation criteria to 341 reports of 217 existing IT/DSSs that could be used to support a bioterrorism response. Main Results. In response to bioterrorism, clinicians must make decisions in 4 critical domains (diagnosis, management, prevention, and reporting to public health), and public health officials must make decisions in 4 other domains (interpretation of bioterrorism surveillance data, outbreak investigation, outbreak control, and communication). The time horizons and utility functions for these decisions differ. From the task decomposition, the authors identified critical subtasks for each of the 8 decisions. For example, interpretation of diagnostic tests is an important subtask of diagnostic decision making that requires an understanding of the tests’ sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, an evaluation criterion applied to reports of diagnostic IT/DSSs for bioterrorism asked whether the reports described the systems’ sensitivity and specificity. Of the 217 existing IT/DSSs that could be used to respond to bioterrorism, 79 studies evaluated 58 systems for at least 1 performance metric. Conclusions. The authors identified 8 key decisions that clinicians and public health officials must make in response to bioterrorism. When applying the evaluation system to 217 currently available IT/DSSs that could potentially support the decisions of clinicians and public health officials, the authors found that the literature provides little information about the accuracy of these systems.
Use of Resident Satisfaction Surveys in New Jersey Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities
Authors: Castle Nicholas G. , Lowe Timothy J. , Lucas Judith A. , Robinson Joanne P. , Crystal Stephen
Published: April 2004

In this article, the authors present the results of a questionnaire inquiring into the use and usefulness of resident satisfaction surveys sent to all nursing homes (N = 363) and assisted living facilities (N = 152) in New Jersey in fall 2000. The authors found 86% of nursing homes and 88% of assisted living facilities to be using resident satisfaction surveys. Satisfaction information was reported as extremely useful or very useful in 72% of nursing homes and 83% of assisted living facilities. However, satisfaction instruments used by nursing homes and assisted living facilities are highly varied, and instruments appear to have been developed largely on an ad hoc basis, with little attention to testing of validity or psychometric properties. Standardization initiatives are clearly needed. In addition, the uses of satisfaction information were limited and primarily aimed at administrative goals rather than at improving quality of care. These factors may restrict the potential benefits of resident satisfaction information.
The University of Michigan Affirmative Action Cases and Public Personnel Decisions
Authors: Carcieri Martin D.
Published: April 2004

In Grutter v. Bollinger (2003), the United States Supreme Court held that the University ofMichigan Law School’s use of race preferences in admissions did not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Specifically, the Court ruled, the law school’s purported goal in using the preferences, namely the promotion of diversity, is a compelling state interest, and the means by which the law school used race are narrowly tailored to advance diversity. Since public personnelmanagers have long sought to use race preferences in employment decision-making, Grutter may appear to provide constitutional permission for such practices. Nonetheless, key differences between the public university admissions and public employment contexts counsel against this assumption.
The Good of the Many Outweighs the Good of the One
Authors: McCarthy Linda
Published: April 2004

Regional cooperation involves cooperative networks of local and regional public, private, and nonprofit bodies, working with higher levels of government, that focus their economic development efforts for the benefit of their region or group of regions as a whole. The assumption is that regional cooperation is “good” and may be able to address some of the shortcomings of competition for private investment among individual localities. This article seeks to evaluate that assumption by critically examining the opportunities and challenges for government involvement in regional cooperation through a comparative review of the urban economic development literature for the United States and Western Europe.
Practices of Vitamin D Recommendation in Las Vegas, Nevada
Authors: Shaikh Ulfat , Alpert Patricia T.
Published: April 2004

Reports of vitamin D deficiency rickets, although rare in the United States, have increased over the past few years, including in children living in climates with abundant sunshine. The purpose of this study was to describe vitamin D recommendation practices among pediatric health care providers in Las Vegas, Nevada. Of the 155 providers surveyed, 52.3% did not recommend vitamin D for exclusively breastfed babies. Providers who were more likely to recommend supplementation were doctors of medicine, were female, specialized in pediatrics, were of Hispanic ethnicity, had previously practiced and trained in states less sunny than Nevada, had graduated from training 21 or more years previously, had taken histories of infants’ sun exposure, and had clinical experience with cases of rickets. Providers demonstrated a knowledge deficit for questions that dealt with preventive measures. J Hum Lact. 20(1):56-61.
Flow and Heat Transfer Analysis during Tape Layup Process of APC-2 Prepregs
Authors: Kim H. J. , Kim Sun K. , Lee W. I.
Published: April 2004

An investigation of tape layup process of a thermoplastic composite (APC-2) using a nitrogen torch is conducted. The distribution of heat transfer coefficient along the surfaces of the composite is estimated via a three-dimensional flow analysis, and the surface temperature of the composite is obtained through a two-dimensional heat conduction analysis using the finite element method (FEM). The heat transfer coefficient and the surface temperature are so interrelated that it poses a conjugate heat transfer problem. Thus, the heat transfer coefficient and the surface temperature of the composite are sought simultaneously in an iterative fashion. The computational results are presented for a specific case.
What Role do Fluoroquinolone Antimicrobial Agents Play in Cardiac Dysfunction and Altered Glycemic Control?
Authors: Smith Karen M. , Lomaestro Ben M.
Published: April 2004

This article focuses on the development of 2 major adverse drug events associated with some fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agents, specifically cardiac and glycemic effects. Cardiac dysfunction, including corrected QT (QTc) interval prolongation and torsades de pointes, has been linked to the administration of fluoroquinolones. The first indication of QTc prolongation was reportedwith sparfloxacin, and since that time, it has been associated with a number of other fluoroquinolones, leading to the assumption that this is a general class effect. Fluoroquinolone-associated effects on cardiac conduction appear more likely to occur in patients with underlying cardiac diseases, those with electrolyte abnormalities, and those coadministered antiarrhythmics and other QTc-prolonging drugs. Some fluoroquinolone agents have also been associated with alterations in glycemic control. Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia have been reported with many of the currently available agents. Risk factors for aberrations in glucose homeostasis include noninsulindependent diabetes mellitus, increased age, impaired renal function, and the concomitant use of oral hypoglycemic agents. The widespread use of fluoroquinolones highlights the need for clinicians to consider predisposed populations and use caution when selecting antimicrobial therapies.
The Future of Imaging in Drug Discovery
Authors: Schmidt Mark E.
Published: April 2004

The number of new chemical entities being registered by drug companies each year is declining, while at the same time, the number of new compounds, and thereby potential therapeutics, is increasing at an exponential rate. The need to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, and the “value” of these new compounds to a sophisticated pharmaceutical market, driven in turn by the forces of healthcare economics, make drug development difficult, resulting in a very lengthy and complex series of steps in the development of a drug. Many aspects of clinical pharmacology are more art than science, and detecting pharmacological effects at the level of living integrated systems is difficult. These challenges are most evident when developing new therapeutics for neuropsychiatric illnesses. We may at last be entering a postmonoamine era, exemplified by compounds such as NK-1 antagonists and metatropic glutamate receptor agonists. Such developments hold significant promise for the treatment of severe mental illness, while at the same time being confronted with completely unknown clinical pharmacologies. Functional imaging may not only be useful for the development of new CNS compounds, but it may in fact be essential for helping to define their clinical pharmacology. Several examples will be addressed that highlight the utility of functional imaging in the development of potentially new CNS drugs.
Democracy, Civic Participation, and the University: A Comparative Study of Civic Engagement on Five Campuses
Authors: Ostrander Susan A.
Published: April 2004

This research is a comparative study of civic engagement on five campuses. Based on site visits, interviews on campuses and in host communities, document analysis, and literature reviews, four key findings emerged: (a) shifting and varying emphases in main components of engagement; (b) local factors that facilitate and present barriers to engagement; (c) intellectual rationales and projects to drive new knowledge, involve faculty, and institutionalize and sustain engagement; and (d) new organizational structures to link the campus and community and share power and resources. The argument is made for a dynamic and developmental framework that acknowledges multiplicity and flow. The article concludes with an initial mapping of changing relationships between local factors and civic-engagement program emphases and an articulation of three main current theories of engagement that a developmental framework would take into account.
Articulating the Speed(s) of the Internet
Authors: Holtgrewe Ursula
Published: April 2004

The Internet is widely considered as a key factor of speeding up social and cultural change. It represents the merging of information and communication technologies and enables flows of information and capital, and communication and cooperation regardless of space and, possibly, time. This article explores the example of Open Source/Free Softwaredevelopment, i.e. software development in self-organized projects based on a considerable share of voluntary work. Here, we find complex articulations of speeding up and slowing down technological development. Open Source/Free Softwareprojects complement the logic of speeding up technological progress and of obsolescence with a reflexive logic of optionality, variety and sustainability which addresses the accessibility of technology and knowledge as a precondition for future creativity beyond markets and organizations.
Tuning into the Music of Groups: A Metaphor for Team-Based Learning in Management Education
Authors: Fairfield Kent D. , London Michael B.
Published: April 2004

This article explores the metaphor of music in the analysis of teaching team-based courses. The metaphorical lens suggests creative ways of sensing the character and flow of learning by guiding inquiry into such musical attributes as melody, harmony, dynamics, tempo, and rhythm. Viewing teachers and students as “players in the band” and “naming that tune” enhances the instructor’s awareness and crystallizes the broader meaning of the situation. This novel way of analyzing these data can lead to interventions that may not occur to the teacher using more literal analysis.
The Hegemonic Discourse of Management Texts
Authors: Mir Ali
Published: April 2004

Mainstream management texts seek to legitimize a social order in which certain power relationships are naturalized and seen as the logical end of a historical development. Also, the ideological basis of managerialism determines the nature of the managerial discourse in which some interests are privileged whereas others are marginalized. Because they promote a managerial ideology in which sectional interests are passed off as universal, management texts can be seen, at least partly, as instruments of propaganda.
Coupling Effects of Hardening and Damage on Necking and Bursting Conditions in Sheet Metal Forming
Authors: Thibaud S. , Boudeau N. , Gelin J. C.
Published: April 2004

New materials are appearing for sheet metal components. Their use in automotive industry require careful analysis of the influence of initial and induced properties on the formability and risks of failure during the process. The proposed approach is based on experimental investigations, mechanical modelling and FE simulations to analyse the effects of hardening and damage on the development of necking, bursting and fracture in sheet metal forming.

First, the proposed study focuses on stainless steel sheet metal parts obtained by rolling at different reduction ratios. A new method has been developed to identify the initial elastic modulus from vibration tests on plates and beams. Next conventional tensile tests are used to characterise the initial hardening effect on hardening laws.

Then, plastic deformations directly related to stamping conditions are imposed to the specimens. The elastic properties are measured again after unloading from vibrations tests to notice the effect of induced hardening related to processing conditions.

From these experimental results, a constitutive model has been developed that takes into consideration both the initial hardening and the current one. It is based on hardening model coupled with a damage one which takes into account both the effects of initial and induced hardening. The damage model affects the elastic properties as well as the plastic ones. After that, the identification of material parameters is realised using the inverse finite elements method based on the procedure developed by the authors. The proposed material models have been implemented into a fully coupled finite element dedicated specifically to the simulation of sheet metal forming process.

The limits of formability are estimated through an extension of the linear stability analysis recently developed by the authors.

The numerical results have been compared with experiments and the spatial positions of the critical zones at fracture as well as the values of the limiting deformations are well-predicted.
Numerical Prediction of Ductile Damage in Metal Forming Processes Including Thermal Effects
Authors: Lestriez P. , Saanouni K. , Mariage J. F. , Cherouat A.
Published: April 2004

The paper is dedicated to the study of the multiphysical coupling in metal forming. Attention is paid to the coupling between thermal exchange, small strain elasticity, finite plasticity with nonlinear hardening, ductile damage, and contact with friction. The standard framework of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes with state variables is used to derive fully coupled thermo-elastoplastic constitutive equations accounting for mixed nonlinear hardening and ductile damage. The related numerical aspects concerning both the local integration scheme of the constitutive equations, as well as the global resolution strategies of the associated Initial and Boundary Value Problem (IBVP) are shortly discussed. For the local integration, an asymptotic iterative scheme is used together with a reduction in the number of the integrated constitutive equations. This model is implemented into ABAQUS/Std using the Umat and Umatht user subroutines. A special care is given to the exact calculation of the consistent stiffness matrix required by the Newton-Raphson implicit resolution strategy of the coupled mechanical and thermal IBVPs. Applications are made to simple examples and the interactions between hardening plasticity, ductile damage, and thermal fields are carefully analyzed.
Credit Claiming from the U.S. House
Authors: Dolan Julie , Kropf Jonathan S.
Published: April 2004

Drawing from David Mayhew’s concept of legislative credit claiming, the authors examine the ways in which male and female members of Congress engage in creditclaiming activities. Through content analysis of 116 newsletters sent out by male and female members of the 107th Congress, the authors focus on the frequency of credit claiming, the types of policy issues for which men and women most commonly take credit, and whether members of Congress share credit with other individuals or take sole credit for their accomplishments. They find that women take credit more often than do men but are more balanced in the types of issues they emphasize in their newsletters. In addition, women are less likely than men to share credit with others. These findings suggest that women are cognizant of voter stereotypes and behave in ways that counter any negative implications.
Evaluation of Bending Rigidity of CFRP Skin-Foamed Core Sandwich Beams
Authors: Fukuda Hiroshi , Itohiya Go , Kataoka Atsushi , Tashiro Susumu
Published: April 2004

Bending tests of a commercially available sandwich plate with CFRP-fabric skin and acrylic foam core were conducted primarily by means of a three-point bending. The effects of the span and the radius of the tip of the loading device on the bending modulus and strength were examined systematically. Test data on bending rigidity did not coincide with those calculated from a modified beam theory where the effect of the shearing rigidity of the core was incorporated, although the tendency that the bending modulus increased, the span was the same for both experiment and theory. Based on these results, this paper proposes a desirable data reduction scheme by which the correlation between theory and experiment could be made clear. The applicability of a so-called compression bending test was also demonstrated. This paper is the summary of the original work [Itohiya, G. (1999). Mechanical Property Test Method for CFRP/Hard Foam Core Sandwich Plates, MS Thesis, Science University of Tokyo, in Japanese].
Analytical Solutions to Predict Flexural Behavior of Curved Sandwich Beams
Authors: Wang W. , Shenoi R. A.
Published: April 2004

This paper is concerned with the analysis of curved sandwich beams with a focus on debonding and buckling/wrinkling of the faces. An elasticity-theory-based approach is used for studying through-thickness tension in curved sandwich beam in the first section. The approach ensures an accurate description of the through-thickness stresses in curved sandwich beam. In the second section, the critical load for instability of a curved beam on an elastic foundation which is correspondent to the skin of sandwich beam, is considered and compared with the result for a flat beam on an elastic foundation. The flexural strength of sandwich beam is then studied with a view to identify debonding and local instability characteristics. The effects of various parameters, such as geometrical configuration, stiffness of the skin and core, on through-thickness tension stress and local instability respectively are also studied.
Multilevel Selection and the Structure of Highly Alienated Groups
Authors: Wilson David Sloan
Published: April 2004

This commentary relates the kind of coercive social structure described by Hundeide (2003) to multilevel selection theory, a general evolutionary framework for thinking about social organizations.
Jung, Spirits and Madness: Lessons for Cultural Psychiatry
Authors: Koss-Chioino Joan D.
Published: April 2004

An understanding of the nature and meaning of ‘dissociative,’ ‘altered’ or unusual states ultimately turns on the meaning and definition of consciousness. The view of consciousness from the discipline of psychiatry is largely based on a biomedically endorsed, culturally specific perspective of ‘normal’ consciousness as an integrated pattern of quotidian relationships with the ‘observable’ physical world. This perspective underlies the nosology for mental disorders, particularly psychoses, suggesting irreconcilable difference in cognition and affect of persons with these diagnostic labels. This article reviews some theories of Carl Gustav Jung regarding the structure and content of human consciousness and their relationship to aspects of ‘dementia praecox’ or ‘schizophrenia.’ It traces the origin and development of these ideas in part to Jung’s early contact with, and intense interest in spiritualists and spirits, to later influences comprised of his own altered states (dreams and fantasies) and his involvement with patients diagnosed as schizophrenic. Data on current Spiritist beliefs and healing practices focused on ‘madness’ (i.e. most often diagnosed as schizophrenia in mental health settings), are described to explore parallels with Jung’s ideas on the structure and dynamics of the psyche. These parallels are of special interest because the experience of spirits is ubiquitous, not well explained and often rejected as meaningful by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. Jung, however, offers a cogent explanation of spirit phenomena as manifestations of the unconscious. A concluding section suggests contributions to cultural psychiatry by Jung.
The Safety Net: Academic Nurse-Managed Centers’ Role
Authors: Pohl Joanne M. , Vonderheid Susan C. , Barkauskas Violet H. , Nagelkerk Jean
Published: April 2004

This article reports on a study conducted in 2001 that examined the role of four schools of nursing (SONs) in Michigan and their challenges in serving the safety net population through primary care nurse-managed centers (NMCs). The NMCs are described and compared to community health centers (CHCs) in terms of patient mix, funding sources, and contributions SONs make as a substitute resource for federal funding to the NMCs. NMCs are frequently invisible providers in the health system, yet they serve high-need populations. Similarities and differences between NMCs and CHCs are discussed as well as the unique challenges faced by NMCs and their SONs as the result of policies that sometimes limit NMCs ability to serve safety net populations.
Globalization, Nation, and Television in Asia
Authors: Sinclair John , Harrison Mark
Published: April 2004

In the context of the globalization of television, India and China represent immensely attractive markets to the major corporations that provide television program content and services across borders and regions. However, globalizing pressures on both countries have achieved quite different kinds of liberalization. In the same process, local resistance and adaptation have opened up greater pluralism of cultural choices, as well as new forms of modernization to pursue. Apart from the massive size of their populations and the considerable degree to which they define the centers of two of the major cultures of Asia, India and China are important as the sources of two of the world’s greatest diasporas, so each has substantial although dispersed overseas markets to cultivate in pursuit of its own globalization. This article backgrounds the current industry structure of television in each of these nations and outlines the apparent impact of globalization on them.
Use of Carbon Fibre Textile to Control Premature Failure of Reinforced Concrete Beams Strengthened with Bonded CFRP Plates
Authors: Buyle-Bodin Francüois , David Emmanuelle
Published: April 2004

The present study examines the performance of rectangular simply supported reinforced concrete (RC) beams with externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) made of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates. The load-carrying capacity of these CFRP EBR beams can be influenced by the strengthening of their ends, which controls the premature end failure occurring when the anchorage length of the plates or the shear span/depth ratio are low. Different basic techniques are proposed to prevent this brittle failure: use of clamps at the ends of the beam, bonding of lateral perpendicular or inclined strips and U-wrapping of shear spans with carbon fibre textile. The debonding mode of failure has systematically taken the place of the concrete cover separation mode. Lateral bonding of CFRP strips and U-wrapping using carbon fibre textile are particularly efficient for the control of debonding cracks and delay the premature end failure of the beams. The load-carrying capacity is enhanced, and the ductility is increased.
Behavioral Activation as an Intervention for Coexistent Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms
Authors: Hopko Derek R. , Lejuez C. W. , Hopko Sandra D.
Published: April 2004

In recent years, behavioral activation approaches have been used to treat individuals with clinical depression. Extension of these strategies toward individuals presenting with coexistent depressive and anxiety symptoms may represent a parsimonious, practical, and time-and cost-effective treatment method. The present study outlines a case in which coexistent anxiety and depressive symptoms predominate, a clinical presentation made somewhat more complex given an Axis III diagnosis of colitis. A brief behavioral activation treatment for depression (BATD) is used to simultaneously incorporate activation and exposure strategies to ameliorate affective symptoms. Following a 10-session treatment protocol, the patient demonstrated notable decreases in self-reported anxiety and depressive symptoms and increased quality of life. Although these data are preliminary, they suggest some efficacy for BATD as a viable treatment alternative for individuals with a mixed anxiety-depressive disorder presentation.
The Role of Habitus and Cultural Capital in Choosing a College, Transitioning From High School to Higher Education, and Persisting in College Among Minority and Nonminority Students
Authors: Nora Amaury
Published: April 2004

The concept of fitting in at a particular college has been linked to student persistence. Studies have identified habitus and cultural capital, psychosocial factors associated with a student’s fit at a particular institution. This study examined the dimensions of precollege psychosocial factors, determined the extent to which those factors were reflected in students’ college choices, and established the effects those factors exert on measures of student satisfaction. Overall, students choose colleges where they experience comfort, acceptance, and fit.
Improving Functionality of Polyolefin Films through the Use of Additives
Authors: Landuzzi Andrea , Ghosh Jay
Published: April 2004

Polyolefin films are the workhorses of the packaging and agricultural industries. Their omnipresence is driven by their good mechanical and durability properties as well as their excellent cost/performance ratio. However, polyolefin chemistry has some intrinsic properties, e.g., lack of optical transparency, hydrophobicity, static generation leading to dust attraction and inadequate barrier properties, which need to be significantly altered so that films made from these resins are suitable for some specific markets and applications. This paper shows how additives can play a significant role to overcome some of these shortcomings and create differentiated film products with added value.
Anomalies in Fetal Dating
Authors: Dudley NJ , Kirwin SL , Dack FJ , Bown C , Rose DH
Published: April 2004

Gestational age (GA), which is important in the management of pregnancy, is determined from the date of onset of the last menstrual period (LMP) and may be estimated from ultrasound measurements. The LMP is not always reliable. A number of ultrasound measurements are used in the estimation of GA, and there is evidence that a biparietal diameter (BPD) measurement between 12 and 18 weeks is a more accurate predictor of delivery date than LMP. We perform a dating scan in the late first or early second trimester and an anomaly scan at 20-22 weeks GA, and have anecdotal evidence of inconsistencies in GA estimates from the two scans. The objectives of this study were to assess the fit of our measurements to the recommended BPD and femur length charts and to assess the relative uncertainty associated with GA predicted by the two scans.

A total of 283 BPDs and 246 FLs were plotted on recommended charts and a visual assessment of fit made. GA estimates from dating and anomaly scans were compared (77 patients) using the available measurements (BPD, FL, crown-rump-length). BPD measurements fitted the recommended chart. FL measurements fitted the recommended chart at the dating scan, but were longer than expected at the anomaly scan. GA estimates at the two scans agreed where both were based on BPD (mean difference: -0.3 days; 95% CI: 8.8 days), but for other variables there were larger mean differences or a broader spread of differences. The anecdotal finding that our measurements are not consistent with recommended FL charts was confirmed. A commonly applied rule—if GA by LMP and GA by ultrasound agree to within 7 days, use the former, otherwise the latter—used at the dating scan, added to the uncertainty when compared with GA by BPD at the anomaly scan (mean difference: -0.2 days; 95% CI: 12 days).

Ultrasound GA should always be used. A difference in dating estimates of up to 9-12 days between two scans must be accepted.
Micro-Raman Densimeter for CO2 Inclusions in Mantle-Derived Minerals
Authors: Kawakami Yoko , Yamamoto Junji , Kagi Hiroyuki
Published: April 2004

We investigated the applicability of Raman microprobe spectroscopy for determining the density of CO2 in fluid inclusions in minerals of mantle-derived xenolith samples. A separation (Δ) between two Raman bands of CO2 due to Fermi resonance can be a reliable densimeter for CO2 fluid. The relationship between the density of CO2 (g/cm3) and Δ(cm−1) can be expressed as: d = −0.03238697Δ3 + 10.08428Δ2 – 1046.189Δ + 36163.67. This equation was obtained from the Raman data on CO2 fluid with densities from 0.1 to 1.21 g/cm3, including super critical fluids at 58–59 °C. The Δ value was constant with increasing temperature from room temperature to 200 °C. This indicates that the Raman densimeter is not affected by a possible rise in temperature, an artifact induced by the high flux of the incident laser. The minimum size of measurable inclusions is 1 μm, and the precision in the determination of Δ is 0.1 cm−1, corresponding to 0.02 g/cm3 for inclusions of 1 μm in size. The precision can be better for larger inclusions. The micro-Raman densimeter can determine the density of CO2 fluid inclusions over a wide range. In particular, densities of gas and mixtures of gas and liquid phases, which cannot be measured by microthermometry, can be determined.
Time-Resolved Luminescence Imaging of Hydrogen Peroxide Using Sensor Membranes in a Microwell Format
Authors: Schäferling Michael , Wu Meng , Enderlein Jörg , Bauer Henrik , Wolfbeis Otto S.
Published: April 2004

We demonstrate an optical imaging scheme for hydrogen peroxide in a microwell-based format using the europium(III) tetracycline complex as the fluorescent probe, which is incorporated into a polyacrylonitrile-co-polyacrylamide polymer matrix. The resulting sensor membranes are integrated into a 96-microwell plate. Hydrogen peroxide can be visualized by means of time-resolved luminescence lifetime imaging. The imaging system consists of a fast, gated charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and a pulsed array of 96 light emitting diodes (LEDs). Fluorescence lifetime images are acquired in different modes (rapid lifetime determination, RLD, and phase delay rationing, PDR) and compared with conventional intensity-based methods with respect to sensitivity and the dynamic range of the sensor. The lowest limits of detection can be achieved by the RLD method. The response time of the sensor is comparatively high, typically in the range of 10 to 20 minutes, but the response is reversible. The largest signal changes are observed at pH values between 6.5 and 7.5.
Determination of Acid Number and Base Number in Lubricants by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Van De Voort F. R. , Sedman J. , Yaylayan V. , Laurent C. Saint
Published: April 2004

This paper describes the development of practical Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) methods for the determination of acid number (AN) and base number (BN) in lubricants through the combined use of signal transduction via stoichiometric reactions and differential spectroscopy to circumvent matrix effects. Trifluoroacetic acid and potassium phthalimide were used as stoichiometric reactants to provide infrared (IR) signals proportional to the basic and acidic constituents present in oils. Samples were initially diluted with 1-propanol, then split, with one half treated with the stoichiometric reactant and the other half with a blank reagent, their spectra collected, and a differential spectrum obtained to ratio out the invariant spectral contributions from the sample. Quantitation for AN and BN was based on measurement of the peak height of the v(C=O) or v(COO−) absorptions, respectively, of the products of the corresponding stoichiometric reactions, yielding a standard error of calibration of <0.1 mg KOH/g oil. The AN/BN FT-IR methods were validated by the analysis of a wide range of new and used oils supplied by third parties, which had been analyzed by ASTM methods. Good correlations were obtained between the chemical and FT-IR methods, indicating that the measures are on the whole comparable. From a practical perspective, these new FT-IR methods have significant advantages over ASTM titrimetric methods in terms of environmental considerations, sample size, and speed of analysis, as well as the variety of oil types that can be handled. FT-IR analysis combining stoichiometric signal transduction with differential spectroscopy may be of wider utility as an alternative to titration in the determination of acid or basic constituents in complex nonaqueous systems.
Trace Analysis of Rubidium Hyperfine Structure in a Flame Atomizer Using Sub-Doppler Laser Wave-Mixing Spectroscopy
Authors: Weed Kenneth M. , Tong William G.
Published: April 2004

Nonlinear laser wave mixing is a versatile spectroscopic method for trace elemental analysis at high spectral resolution. Sub-Doppler spectral resolution allows isotope and hyperfine structure measurements of some of the elements even when using a room-pressure analytical flame (i.e., sub-Doppler but Lorentzian broadened spectra). A non-planar wave-mixing optical setup offers some advantages as compared to the conventional planar wave-mixing setup including better signal collection efficiency and easier optical alignment. Using our absorption-based wave mixing, a detection limit of 0.05 ng/mL (i.e., 50 parts-per-trillion) is reported for Rb in an air/acetylene flame, while still maintaining sub-Doppler spectral resolution for the infrared 780.0-nm Rb transition line.
Limitations of Using Raman Microscopy for the Analysis of High-Content-Carbon-Filled Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Rubber
Authors: Ghanbari-Siahkali Afshin , Almdal Kristoffer , Kingshott Peter
Published: April 2004

The effects of laser irradiation on changes to the surface chemistry and structure of a commercially available ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber sample after Raman microscopy analysis was investigated. The Raman measurements were carried out with different levels of laser power on the sample, ranging from 4.55 mW to 0.09 mW. The surface of the EPDM was analyzed before and after laser exposure using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The techniques have surface probe depths of approximately ≤10 nm and 1 μm, respectively. Both sets of analysis show that ingredients of the blended EPDM rubber “bloom” to the surface as a result of local heating that takes place due to the absorption of laser by carbon black during the Raman analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis was also performed on the Raman analyzed areas to visually illustrate the effects created due to laser light exposure (i.e., burning marks). The change in surface chemistry also occurs in regions a few millimeters from the exposed sites, indicating that the effect is quite long range. However, this phenomenon has no major influence, as far as XPS or ATR-FTIR results disclose, on the backbone structure of the rubber sample. The results indicate that precautions should be taken when analyzing complex blended polymer samples using Raman spectroscopy.
Revealing System Dynamics through Decomposition of the Perturbation Domain in Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy
Authors: Jirasek A. , Schulze G. , Blades M. W. , Turner R. F. B.
Published: April 2004

A technique is presented to simply and effectively decompose the perturbation domain in two-dimensional (2D) correlation maps calculated on a given set of vibrational spectra. Decomposition of the perturbation domain exposes a wealth of kinetic information complementary to the information extracted from conventional 2D correlation spectroscopy. It is shown that the technique produces “perturbation profile maps” that can be utilized in both the interpretation of the conventional 2D correlation maps and the independent kinetic analysis of the given system. Discrimination between spectral features exhibiting similar, but not identical, dynamics is facilitated by the decomposition, and spectral features exhibiting identical dynamics over the perturbation interval are quickly identified. Spectral features exhibiting similar dynamics over only a sub-range of the full perturbation are also identifiable. Interpretation of phase information illuminated in synchronous and asynchronous maps is simplified. Comparison between similar spectral features present in different samples is facilitated with the technique. The simplicity and ease of implementation of the technique make decomposition of the perturbation domain a valuable addition to the tools available in 2D correlation analysis.
Identification and Interpretation of Generalized Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy Features through Decomposition of the Perturbation Domain
Authors: Schulze G. , Jirasek A. , Blades M. W. , Turner R. F. B.
Published: April 2004

Generalized two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy offers great scope for revealing the behavior of relationships between components of a system under empirical study. We have developed methods that aid in the interpretation of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy. These methods include reference patterns for two-dimensional correlation and correlation coefficient maps, their superposition and joint interpretation, and the use of delta functions to decompose them in the perturbation domain. We show how their joint use permits discrimination between similar two-dimensional correlation map features on the basis of different correlation coefficients. We also show how the decomposition of maps into the perturbation domain reflects the dynamic behavior of spectral features over the course of the perturbation and permits discrimination between otherwise highly similar two-dimensional correlation cross-peaks. These approaches simplify the interpretation of two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy maps and facilitate access to their rich information content.
Studies of Poly(Styrene-co-Allyl Alcohol)/Polyester Blends Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Imaging
Authors: Oh Sung Joon , Do Jong Soo , Ok Jong Hoa
Published: April 2004

The interaction of poly(styrene-co-allyl alcohol) and aliphatic polyester was studied using FT-IR spectroscopy. The hydrogen bonding between two polymers was investigated by monitoring C=O and OH stretching modes with the variation of concentration and temperature. The phase-separated morphology was also observed using FT-IR imaging, where the spectroscopic analysis of each phase is available.
Dynamics of a Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal with a Naphthalene Ring during Electric-Field-Induced Switching Studied by Time-Resolved Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhao Jinggang , Jiang Jianhui , Yoshihara Toshiaki , Siesler Heinz W. , Ozaki Yukihiro
Published: April 2004

The dynamics of a ferroelectric liquid crystal with a naphthalene ring (FLC-3) during the electric-field-induced switching between two surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal states were investigated by time-resolved infrared (IR) spectroscopy combined with two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy. Time-resolved IR spectra of FLC-3 in a planar-aligned cell were measured as a function of the polarization angle range from 0° to 180° under a rectangular electric field of ±40 V with a 5 kHz frequency in the smectic- C* (Sm- C*) phase at 137 °C. From these spectra we explore details about the reorientation process of the alkyl chains, the core, and the large C=O dipole moments of FLC-3 at all the delay times. The 2D correlation spectroscopy was applied to the polarization-angle-dependent spectra for different delay times and to the time-resolved spectra at certain polarization angles to reveal the relative orientation of the C=O groups and the core moiety during the electric-field-induced switching. It was found from the present study that the relative orientation of the C=O groups and the core remains unchanged during the initial period of the reorientation, while it is reversed at a certain moment and then kept unchanged again. Moreover, the alkyl chains, C=O groups, and core moieties posses different dynamics during the fast course of electric-field-induced switching by analyzing time-resolved spectra.
Hemoglobin Correction for Near-Infrared pH Determination in Lysed Blood Solutions
Authors: Alam M. Kathleen , Franke James E. , Rohrscheib Mark R. , Nunez David , Abate Vincent , Maynard John D. , Kemeny Gabor J.
Published: April 2004

The near-infrared (NIR) measurement of blood pH relies on the spectral signature of histidine residing on the hemoglobin molecule. If the amount of hemoglobin in solution varies, the size of the histidine signal can vary depending on changes in either the pH or hemoglobin concentration. Multivariate calibration models developed using the NIR spectra collected from blood at a single hemoglobin concentration are shown to predict data from different hemoglobin levels with a bias and slope. A simple, scalar path length correction of the spectral data does not correct this problem. However, global partial least-square (PLS) models built with data encompassing a range of hemoglobin concentration have a cross-validated standard error of prediction (CVSEP) similar to the CVSEP of data obtained from a single hemoglobin level. It will be shown that the prediction of pH of an unknown sample using a global PLS model requires that the unknown have a hemoglobin concentration falling within the range encompassed by the global model. An alternative method for correcting the predicted pH for hemoglobin levels is also presented. The alternative method updates the single-hemoglobin-level models with slope and intercept estimates from the pH predictions of data collected at alternate hemoglobin levels. The slope and intercept correction method gave SEP values averaging to 0.034 pH units. Since both methods require some knowledge of the hemoglobin concentration in order for a pH prediction to be made, a model for hemoglobin concentration is developed using spectral data and is used for pH correction.
Detection of Anions by Normal Raman Spectroscopy and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Cationic-Coated Substrates
Authors: Mosier-Boss P. A. , Lieberman S. H.
Published: April 2004

The use of normal Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of cationic-coated silver and gold substrates to detect polyatomic anions in aqueous environments is examined. For normal Raman spectroscopy, using near-infrared excitation, linear concentration responses were observed. Detection limits varied from 84 ppm for perchlorate to 2600 ppm for phosphate. In general, detection limits in the ppb to ppm concentration range for the polyatomic anions were achieved using cationic-coated SERS substrates. Adsorption of the polyatomic anions on the cationic-coated SERS substrates was described by a Frumkin isotherm. The SERS technique could not be used to detect dichromate, as this anion reacted with the coatings to form thiol esters. A competitive complexation method was used to evaluate the interaction of chloride ion with the cationic coatings. Hydrogen bonding and π – π interactions play significant roles in the selectivity of the cationic coatings.
Use of Fluorescently Labeled Phage in the Detection and Identification of Bacterial Species
Authors: Mosier-Boss P. A. , Lieberman S. H. , Andrews J. M. , Rohwer F. L. , Wegley L. E. , Breitbart M.
Published: April 2004

Phages are viruses whose hosts are bacterial cells. They identify their hosts by specific receptor molecules on the outside of the host cell. Once the phages find their specific receptors, they bind to the bacterial cell and inject their nucleic acid inside the cell. The binding between phage and host can be so specific that only certain strains of a single species can be infected. In this communication, the specificity of phage P22 for Salmonella typhimurium LT2 is exploited to allow the detection of Salmonella in the presence of other bacterial species. In particular, the dsDNA of P22 is bound to SYBR gold, a highly sensitive, fluorescent nucleic acid stain. When multiple phages infect the same cell, the fluorescence emissions of the phage DNA inside the cell allow it to be imaged using an epifluorescence microscope. The advantages of using phages as the bacterial recognition element in a sensor over antibodies are discussed.
Speciation Studies on DTPA Using the Complementary Nature of Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Time-Resolved Laser-Induced Fluorescence
Authors: Moulin Christophe , Amekraz Badia , Steiner Valerie , Plancque Gabriel , Ansoborlo Eric
Published: April 2004

Decorporation of radionuclides is of continuous interest in order to reduce doses in case of occupational or accidental human exposure. In the present study, insights into the non-covalent interactions that hold the well-known chelating agent DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) with inorganic elements of interest, such as europium and strontium, and their ability to form stable complexes, are investigated with two spectroscopic techniques, i.e., electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence (TRLIF). First investigations are on DTPA and europium alone and end with a complete study of the Eu–DTPA system. The pH variation allows one to readily investigate whether different species (protonated, hydrolyzed, etc.) exist in the pH range 2–9 and evaluate the stoichiometry and conditional stability constant for the Eu–DTPA complex. Additional experiments by ESI-MS are reported for Sr(II) in interaction with DTPA and EDTA.