bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Field and Growth Chamber Inoculations Demonstrate Persea indica as a Newly Recognized Host for the Laurel Wilt Pathogen, Raffaelea laurciola
Authors: Hughes Marc A. , Brar Gurpreet , Ploetz Randy C. , Smith Jason A.
Published: September 2013

In order to assess the susceptibility of the tree species P. indica to the laurel wilt fungus, Raffaelea lauricola, field and growth chamber experiments were conducted.

Accepted for publication 3 June 2013. Published 14 August 2013.
Effect of Snow Removal on Typhula Blight Development at High Elevation Golf Courses in Colorado
Authors: Blunt Tamla , Koski Tony , Tisserat Ned
Published: September 2013

Golf course superintendents at high elevations in Colorado apply fungicides in late October before permanent snow cover to suppress Typhula blight development. Many remove snow from putting greens in late winter or early spring assuming this practice helps suppress Typhula blight late into the snow season. They also remove snow to prevent ice formation and freeze damage to turfgrass during snowmelt. However, the benefits of spring snow removal in disease suppression and freeze avoidance have not been demonstrated in Colorado. We compared Typhula blight severity and turfgrass health in Kentucky bluegrass and annual bluegrass fairways where snow was removed weekly from late October through mid-November, from early- to mid-March until the end of the snow period, or not removed. Fall snow removal did not reduce Typhula blight severity compared to no snow removal, but it did result in freeze damage to annual, but not Kentucky bluegrass. Spring snow removal had no effect on Typhula blight severity or freeze damage. Thus the practice of snow removal was of no apparent benefit in our studies.

Accepted for publication 3 June 2013. Published 21 August 2013.
Quality care perceptions in private Syrian hospitals
Authors: Alasadi Rami , Al Sabbagh Hicham
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The paper aims to spotlight the level of patient satisfaction with quality of care in a private hospitals setting.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study was carried out at three private hospitals in Syria. The study used written survey (interview-type questionnaire) assessing patient's perception of the quality of the services offered by the hospitals. The total of 108 patients participated in the study making the response rate 60.3 percent.

Findings

– On the basis of this study, several interesting findings were found. There was a general patient satisfaction with most of the facilities and services provided by the hospitals. Although the focus of the study was not on the medical services, patients were satisfied with the medical treatment. The hotel aspects of the services were found to be evidently poor as indicated by patients.

Research limitations/implications

– The perception of management about the services provided was not studied in detail to find out if there was a perceptual gap between the two parties. The findings of this study can only be generalized to other private hospitals in Syria not public hospitals.

Originality/value

– This paper satisfies the needs of the managers of private hospitals in Damascus/Syria who lack knowledge about what affects the overall patient satisfaction especially with regard to the hotel aspects of services offered by private hospitals as patients generally want more than just a cure of ill health.
Investigating critical success factors of knowledge management in research organizations
Authors: Ramezani Abdollah , Fathain Mohammad , Tajdin Ali
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to examine the status of knowledge management (KM) in an Iranian Research Organisation in order to identify and classify the most relevant KM critical success factors.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on extensive review of KM literature, broad ranges of general KM critical success factors are identified. Then, through field studies and employing factor analysis techniques and Friedman test, the degree of the relevance of each particular KM critical success factors is determined. The research procedure finally led to the identification of KM critical success factors prevailing in the research organization.

Findings

– Eight distinct KM factors including 22 different elements are found to be relevant and critical in the course of KM implementation in the research organization. These factors are “The presence of appropriate organizational culture”, “The existing system for knowledge documentation, recording and registration”, “The presence of motivational system for workforces”, “Appropriate management and planning for KM realization”, “The existing hardware and software infrastructures and standard executive processes in KM field”, “The presence of specialized teams including expert and skillful personnel”, “The existing appropriate organizational architecture of KM and evaluation system for realization of KM” and “The existing systematic relationship with beneficiaries of the research organization”.

Originality/value

– The paper should be of value to researchers of KM in general, and to implementers of KM programs. It presents a range of issues critical to the adoption of KM initiatives.
Exploring quality of e-Government services in Oman
Authors: Kumar Sharma Sujeet , Al-Shihi Hafedh , Madhumohan Govindaluri Srikrishna
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to understand the customer perception of service quality with respect to the e-Government services in Oman and conduct an investigation in order to determine the key factors that affect the quality of e-Government services in Oman.

Design/methodology/approach

– Primary data relating to the variables affecting quality of e-Government services and demographic profile data are collected using a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was designed based on literature review and focus groups. Factor analysis method is employed to identify and rank the important factors affecting service quality.

Findings

– The study found that the four factors listed in the descending order of importance, reliability, responsiveness, efficiency, and security are primary determinants of the quality of e-Government services in Oman.

Practical implications

– This research enables government organizations to enhance their understanding of customer perception of e-Government services. The customer preference information can provide useful direction to the design, implementation, and management of e-Government services.

Social implications

– Improved service quality of e-Government systems can enhance public participation in these systems that have been established with huge investments. The improved participation can result in increased levels of efficiency, convenience, public awareness, transparency, engagement, and information for decision-making.

Originality/value

– The paper addresses quality of e-Government services for the first time in Oman and in the gulf region using a carefully designed research study. The paper is of value to researchers in the area of service quality of e-Government, Government of Oman, and governments in the gulf region and other developing countries that are involved in designing and managing e-Government service systems.
Service user experiences of a motivational group
Authors: Charlotte Flinn Lucinda , Grey Danielle , G. Braham Louise
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The Forward Motion Motivational Group (FMMG) is a psychological group intervention facilitated in the Mental Health Directorate of a high-secure Hospital. Research has highlighted a limited amount of service user involvement within secure settings. The aims of the study were to explore participant's experiences of FMMG, to establish whether these reflected the aims of the programme, to provide participants with the opportunity to recommend changes to the current service provision and to explore whether the programme supported engagement in further psychological interventions.

Design/methodology/approach

– Ten programme completers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. The interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006) alongside Beutow (2010) Saliency Analysis Guidelines.

Findings

– Thematic analysis of the data resulted in five key themes: expectations, group experience, programme facilitators, learning and programme aims and programme development.

Practical implications

– Qualitative measures provide an insight into whether participant's experiences reflect the programme aims which is a valuable indicator of treatment effectiveness. Participants advocated the value of completing an introductory group to broaden their insight into the structure and delivery of psychological group interventions.

Originality/value

– Given the limited amount of research involving service users within secure settings, it is specifically the service user's experiences and suggestions for programme development that are considered within this paper. This highlights the value of service user involvement for those interested in conducting research within secure settings.
New Women and Modern Girls: consuming foreign goods in colonial Seoul
Authors: Jeong Min Hyun
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– During the 1920s and 1930s in the colonial city of Seoul, a group of women called the New Women and the Modern Girls expressed their modern identities by wearing different clothing, hairstyles and make-up; visiting cafés; viewing Western movies; and consuming other foreign merchandise. While these women were admired by many women as being pioneers of modernity, they were severely criticized by others under the pretext that they indulged their vanity without considering the economy of their families and their colonized nation. These criticisms continue in twenty-first century Korea. Based on the striking similarity between the two eras, an understanding of the consumption and the criticisms of the Modern Girls could provide a historical context for understanding women's experiences in the consumer culture of twenty-first century Korea. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– As secondary sources, literature published in both English and Korean was included. Primary data were obtained from articles in Korean newspapers, magazines and print advertisements from the 1920s and 1930s.

Findings

– The New Women and Modern Girls expressed their modern identities by consuming various fashion goods, including Western-style clothes, make-up and various accessories, adopting Western hairstyles and frequenting modern cafés, theaters and department stores. However, their behaviors escaped the boundaries of the “wise mother, good wife” ideology, and they were severely criticized by those adhering to the neo-Confucianism and Korean nationalist ideology that was deeply rooted in Korean society. Thus, the reputations of the Modern Girls were tainted and the individuals were stigmatized.

Originality/value

– This research illuminates the negative aspects of self-expressive consumption, showing how individualistic, identity-driven consumption can be stigmatized in the collectivistic culture of Korea that is rooted in neo-Confucian nationalism.
William R. Davidson, PhD: the right man for the times in retailing
Authors: J. Sweeney Daniel
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to review the historical development of William Davidson's Retailing Management book that spanned six editions and 35 years and to evaluate its impact on retailing practice and education during that time period.

Design/methodology/approach

– A participation-observation approach is used by the author whose personal involvement as a co-author of Davidson's book and as a professional colleague of Davidson provided him with unique insights into the development of retailing management and its impact on the profession of retailing. A critical review of Davidson's book is informed by personal reflections of the author.

Findings

– The 50 years during which Davidson was an active scholar, consultant and businessman were very dynamic in terms of the changes that took place in the environment of retailing, the practice of retailing and the study of retailing. Throughout this period, the academic discipline of retailing changed a great deal, moving through eight very significant intellectual transitions. Davidson was an important participant and contributor to the advancement of the study of retailing throughout this half-century and led the move through most of these great transitions. This contribution is evident in the evolution of retailing management over its 35-year history.

Originality/value

– No such prior review and critical evaluation has been published.
The role of department stores in the evolution of marketing
Authors: McArthur Ellen
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present historical research on marketing practices in department stores of the 1880-1930 period using primary source records from Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper draws from primary records including retail trade journals, mass circulation newspapers, and other contemporary sources, but mainly from the archives of The Master Retailers' Association (MRA). The MRA was the dominant industry employers' organisation in Australia, and possibly the first retail association of its kind in the Western world. Secondary sources have also been used to supplement the primary records, and to provide context, and cross-cultural comparisons.

Findings

– The findings demonstrate the antecedents of a range of marketing practices that today we presume are modern, including sales promotion, trade promotion, direct mail, destination retailing, advertising, and consumer segmentation. This supports other scholars' research into marketing's long history.

Originality/value

– This paper contributes original knowledge to the neglected field of Australian marketing history and connects the pioneering practices of retailers to the broader field of marketing. While some outstanding retail histories exist for the USA, UK, and France, the Australian story has remained largely uncovered.
Job satisfaction of the modern information-system-using nurse in Lebanon
Authors: E. Maamari Bassem , C. Chaanine Johnny
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This paper aims to investigate the impact of healthcare information system usage on the job satisfaction of nurses in Lebanon. It incorporates the role of training and user participation as factors leading to higher satisfaction and to present a model that is successful in Lebanon, to be examined in the Chinese setting.

Design/methodology/approach

– An confirmatory survey is conducted and results presented.

Findings

– The study suggests that the job satisfaction of nurses is affected by the level of information system use at work. It highlights the roles of training and user participation in the decision-making process to implement the system as moderating factors. The study examines the current situation in Lebanon and raises the question about the potential imitation of the Lebanese model by China.

Practical implications

– The outcome of the study could have significant implications on managerial decision-making in the process of implementing novel technologies in healthcare facilities.

Originality/value

– The paper is based on a large sample collection from the services sector, nurses in healthcare facilities in Lebanon. The quantitative survey results highlight a number of correlations and test a suggested model. It puts forth a linear relationship between the different variables under consideration and suggests recommendations for practitioners.
Purposes, activities and beneficiaries
Authors: G. Morgan Gareth
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to outline a method developed for analysis of narrative reporting by charities concerning the carrying out of their aims for public benefit (as required by charity law). It seeks to assess the effectiveness of the method as a means of measuring performance of third sector organisations (TSOs).

Design/methodology/approach

– The method presented was used for qualitative reviewing and scoring of 1,400 sets of charity reports and accounts from England and Wales on 22 variables, with most variables involving an assessment of narratives on a five-point quality score. Various methods of standardising the scoring between different reviewers and different types of charities are considered.

Findings

– The method was found to be largely effective in discriminating between charities which had a clear focus on the public benefit requirement and those which did not. However, other factors, such as lack of awareness of the requirements and levels of concern regarding charitable status, appear to have had a substantial impact on reporting practice.

Research limitations/implications

– The limitations and uncertainties in converting a qualitative assessment of a narrative into a numerical score are discussed.

Practical implications

– The method is likely to be of value for other studies of narrative reporting in financial statements, especially in relation to fulfilment by TSOs of the purposes for which they were established.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes both to the understanding of narrative reporting by TSOs and to the development of methodological approaches for such analysis.
On the Distribution of Transcription Times
Authors: Roussel Marc R
Published: September 2013

A previously studied model of prokaryotic transcription [Roussel and Zhu, Bull. Math. Biol. 68 (2006) 1681--1713] is revisited. The first four moments of the distribution of transcription times are obtained analytically and analyzed. A Gaussian is found to be a poor approximation to this distribution for short transcription units at typical values of the rate constants, but a good approximation for long transcription units. An approximate form of the distribution is obtained in which the slow steps are treated exactly and the fast steps are lumped together into a single lag term. This approximate form might be particularly useful as a function to be fit to experimental transcription time distributions. Multi-polymerase effects are also studied by simulation. We find that the analytic model generally predicts the behavior of the multi-polymerase simulations, often quantitatively, provided termination is not rate-limiting.
An Analytical Symplecticity Method for Axial Compression Plastic Buckling of Cylindrical Shells
Authors: Xu Xinsheng , Sun Jiabin , Lim C. W.
Published: September 2013

This study is mainly concerned with the analytical solutions of plastic bifurcation buckling of cylindrical shells under compressive load. The analysis is based on the J2 deformation theory with a linear hardening and proportional loading is adopted in the calculation. A symplectic solution system is established and Hamilton's governing equations are derived from the Hamilton variational principle. The basic problem in plastic buckling is converted into solving for the symplectic eigenvalues and eigensolutions, respectively. The obtained results reveal that boundary conditions have a very limited influence on bucking loads but its influence on buckling modes and plastic borders cannot be neglected. Meanwhile, it is demonstrated that the shell material properties significantly affect the plastic buckling behavior. This proposed symplectic method is shown to be a rigorous approach. It also provides a uniform and systematic way to any other similar problems.
An Innovative Technology Development for Building Humidification and Energy Efficiency
Authors: Wang Dexin , Bao Ainan , Liss William
Published: September 2013

Currently, the most widely used residential humidification technologies are forced air furnace mounted bypass wetted media, spray mist, and steam humidifiers. They all use city water as a water source and require furnace heat or electricity to evaporate the water. Mineral deposition, white dust, and microbial growth problems are associated with these humidifiers. For commercial building humidification, demineralized water is typically used for humidification equipment like steam heat exchangers, fogging system, electric, and ultrasonic humidifiers. Therefore, in addition to the energy consumption for water evaporation, energy is also needed to produce the high quality demineralized water. An innovative technology called transport membrane humidifier (TMH) has been developed by the authors to humidify home air without external water and energy consumption, while simultaneously recovering waste heat from the home furnace flue gas to enhance furnace efficiency. The TMH technology is based on our previous extensive study on nanoporous membrane water vapor separation from combustion flue gas, and a design for residential home humidification application was first developed. It has been proved by both laboratory prototype testing for long term performance and by two occupied single family home demonstrations for two heating seasons. The technology can provide whole house humidification without any external water consumption, and at the same time, boost the furnace efficiency. Compared with conventional furnace mounted humidifiers, the TMH does not need additional furnace fuel for the water evaporation, does not introduce white dust to a home, and poses no microbial growth concerns since there is no standing water involved. This innovative technology can provide several benefits simultaneously, which include energy saving, water saving, and healthy building humidification.
The Effects of Orientation on Energy Consumption in Buildings in Kazakhstan
Authors: Tokbolat Serik , Tokpatayeva Raikhan , Al-Zubaidy Sarim Naji
Published: September 2013

Buildings account for nearly 40% of the end-use energy consumption and carbon emissions globally. These buildings, once built, are bound to be utilized for several decades if not longer. The building sector, therefore, holds a significant responsibility for implementing strategies to increase energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions and thus contribute to global efforts directed toward mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. This paper presents an overview of the effect of building orientation on energy consumption in buildings for the extreme cold weather conditions in Astana (capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan), with temperature ranging between −35 and +40 °C. Passive design features coupled with integration of renewable energy technologies have been identified for the next generation of buildings in Astana. The specific nature of the work is intentional; it is a continuing attempt to generate relevant know how that has direct relevancy to Astana's system approach to energy conservation to meet its extreme winters. Simulations allowed assessing how changing certain input variables can impact the overall energy consumption of the considered object. The simulation results have shown that orientation of a building can significantly affect the energy usage rate. In fact, the building rotation has justified the initial assumptions that building orientation affects its energy consumption. The South and North facing directions are found to be the most energy efficient (initial orientation is 35 degrees toward the North-East). These findings have been confirmed by the separate calculations based on the local and international standards and codes. Keywords: energy, low energy design, passive solar heating and cooling, extreme weather conditions and energy consumption.
Impact of Flow Dynamics on the Heat Transfer of Bubbly Flow in a Microchannel
Authors: Houshmand Farzad , Peles Yoav
Published: September 2013

During nucleate flow boiling, the bubble dynamics affect the liquid flow field and the corresponding heat transfer process through several distinct mechanisms. At the microscale, this effect is different than at the macro scale partly because the bubble dimensions are comparable to the characteristic length scale of the channel. Since the process involves several mechanisms, an attempt to isolate and study them independently from one another is desired in order to extend knowledge. To remove the evaporation effect from the heat transfer process, noncondensable gas bubbles were introduced upstream of a 1 mm × 1 mm heater into a 220 μm deep and a 1.5 mm wide microchannel and the heat transfer coefficient was measured and compared to single-phase liquid flow. High speed imaging and micro particle image velocimetry (μ-PIV) measurements were used to elucidate the bubble dynamics and the liquid velocity field. This, in turn, revealed mechanisms controlling the heat transfer process. Acceleration and deceleration of the liquid flow due to the presence of bubbles were found to be the main parameters controlling the heat transfer process.
Acoustic Field in Ducts With Sinusoidal Area Variation
Authors: Vikramaditya N. S. , Kaligatla R. B.
Published: September 2013

The purpose of this article is to provide an analytical solution for the acoustic field in a duct with sinusoidal area variation along the length. The equation describing the acoustic field in a variable area duct is a second-order partial differential equation. It is converted into a second-order ordinary linear differential equation, whose solution is dependent on the choice of area variation. The solution for the differential equation is obtained in terms of the area and is obtained neglecting the mean flow. Therefore, it is applicable in the absence of mean flow or in cases where the effects of mean flow are insignificant.
Degenerate “Star” Bifurcations in a Twinkling Oscillator
Authors: Panigrahi Smruti R. , Feeny Brian F. , Diaz Alejandro R.
Published: September 2013

We have studied a nonlinear spring-mass chain loaded by a quasistatic pull. The spring forces are assumed to be cubic with intervals of negative stiffness. Depending on the parameters, the system has multiple equilibria. The normal form and the bifurcation behaviors for the single- and two-degree-of-freedom systems are studied in detail. A new type of bifurcation, which we refer to as a star bifurcation, has been observed for the symmetric two-degree-of-freedom system. This bifurcation is of codimension-four for the undamped case and codimension-three or two for the damped case, depending on the form of the damping.
Frequency Tuning of a Nonlinear Electromagnetic Energy Harvester
Authors: Xie Longhan , Du Ruxu
Published: September 2013

This paper investigates a frequency-tunable nonlinear electromagnetic energy harvester. The electromagnetic harvester mainly consists of permanent magnets supported on the base to provide a magnetic field, and electrical coils suspended by four even-distributed elastic strings to be an oscillating object. When the base provides external excitation, the electrical coils oscillate in the magnetic field to produce electricity. The stretch length of the elastic strings can be tuned to change their stretch ratio by tuning adjustable screws, which can result in a shift of natural frequency of the harvester system. The transverse force of the elastic strings has nonlinear behavior, which broadens the system's frequency response to improve the performance of the energy harvester. Both simulation and experiment show that the above-discussed electromagnetic energy harvester has nonlinear behavior and frequency-tunable ability, which can be used to improve the effectiveness of energy harvesting.
Numerical Analysis of Fretting-Wear With a Hybrid Elastoplastic Friction Model
Authors: Azizian Reza , Mureithi Njuki
Published: September 2013

Fretting-wear is a common problem in different industries, especially when it comes to interactions between metallic components. Flow-induced excitation forces in heat exchangers for instance cause tube-support interactions. The long-term interaction is an important phenomenon, which may cause fretting-wear of the tubes. Experimental tests of the interaction show the occurrence of stick–slip intermittent behavior in the tube response. To precisely simulate the intermittent stick–slip behavior, it is crucial to refine the conceptual model of the coefficient of friction for the entire motion from absolute zero velocity to gross slip phase. The incorporated friction model plays an important role in the determination of the level of fretting-wear in the system. The friction model should satisfy two important criteria. The first important aspect is the strategy of the friction model to detect the cessation of sticking, the beginning of partial-slipping, and establishment of the sliding region. The second important aspect is defining a friction coefficient function for the entire system response to precisely represent the transient stick–slip regions. In the present work, the velocity-limited friction model was compared with the LuGre model, which is a rate-dependent friction model. The effect of varying the break-away force and Stribeck effect on the stick–slip region were also investigated. Furthermore, the criteria to demarcate the stick–slip region in the LuGre model are discussed, and a different method to incorporate the Stribeck effect and presliding damping in the Dahl friction model is proposed. Using the tangential stress distribution in the contact area, a new hybrid spring-damper friction model is developed. The model is able to estimate the elastic, plastic, and partial-slipping distances during the relative motion. The ability of the model to reproduce experimental tests is investigated in the present work.
Wave Propagation in Tapered Vessels: New Analytic Solutions That Account for Vessel Distensibility and Fluid Compressibility
Authors: Papadakis George
Published: September 2013

The central aim of this paper is to contribute to the theoretical analysis and understanding of the effect of vessel tapering on the propagation of pressure and velocity wave forms. To this end, it presents new analytic expressions for the temporal and spatial variation of these two variables that account for weak fluid compressibility. It extends previous work in which only the effect of wall deformation (i.e., vessel distensibility) was taken into account. The solutions are derived in the frequency domain and can account for the steady solution component (d.c. component) obtained by taking the asymptotic limit for very low frequencies. It is shown that the effect of compressibility makes the equations more complex but it is still possible to derive closed form analytic solutions in terms of Bessel functions of orders 1/3 and 4/3. The analytical solutions are compared with full 3D fluid structure interaction (FSI) simulations for the case of propagation of a step pressure variation at the inlet of a tapered vessel. Good agreement is observed between the 1D analytical and 3D numerical solutions.
Cable-Driven Finger Exercise Device With Extension Return Springs for Recreating Standard Therapy Exercises
Authors: Yeow C.-H. , Baisch A. T. , Talbot S. G. , Walsh C. J.
Published: September 2013

Finger therapy exercises, which include table top, proximal-interphalangeal blocking, straight fist, distal-interphalangeal blocking, hook-fist, and fist exercises, are important for maintaining hand mobility and preventing development of tendon adhesions in postoperative hand-injury patients. Continuous passive motion devices act as an adjunct to the therapist in performing therapy exercises on patients; however, current devices are unable to recreate these exercises well. The current study aimed to design and evaluate a finger exercise device that reproduces the therapy exercises by adopting a cable-actuated flexion and spring-return extension mechanism. The device comprises of phalanx interface attachments, connected by palmar-side cables to spooling actuators and linked by dorsal-side extension springs to provide passive return. Two designs were tested whereby the springs had similar (design 1) or different stiffnesses (design 2). The device was donned onto a model hand and actuated into the desired therapy postures. Our findings indicated that design 1 was able to recreate table top, straight fist, and fist exercises while design 2 was capable of further replicating distal-interphalangeal blocking, proximal-interphalangeal blocking, and hook-fist exercises. This work demonstrated the possibility of replicating finger therapy exercises using a cable-actuated flexion and spring-return extension design, which lays the groundwork for prospective finger exercise devices that can be donned on patients to assess the efficacy in postoperative joint rehabilitation.
Wireless Robotic Capsule for Releasing Bioadhesive Patches in the Gastrointestinal Tract
Authors: Quaglia Claudio , Tognarelli Selene , Sinibaldi Edoardo , Funaro Nicodemo , Dario Paolo , Menciassi Arianna
Published: September 2013

A novel, miniature wireless robotic capsule for releasing bioadhesive patches in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract was designed, fabricated, and preliminarily tested. In particular, the assembled prototype was successfully navigated in a GI phantom, up to a target site where the release mechanism was verified. Then, deployment of a bioadhesive patch onto ex vivo porcine tissue was accomplished, and patch adhesion strength was verified. The main application of the present system is the deployment of anchoring patches for miniature robotic modules to be operated in the targeted anatomical domain. Such an innovative application stems from the wise blend of robotics and bioadhesion. Obtained results, which are consistent with previous investigations by the group, confirm the viability of the adopted bioadhesives for the envisaged anchoring tasks. The present feasibility study complies with the spirit of minimally invasive, wireless diagnosis, and therapy, and provides a preliminary contribution for their advancement.
Automated Portal Placement for Arthroscopic Hip Surgery
Authors: Geist Emily
Published: September 2013

Placing portal incisions during arthroscopic hip surgery presents challenges for surgeons in terms of anatomic accessibility and patient safety. Based on key anatomic landmarks and portal placement information from recent literature, suggested portal incisions were determined. Guidance in the placement of the three most common portal incision locations (anterior, anterolateral, and posterolateral) for arthroscopic surgery; in addition to visual feedback on tool trajectory to the hip joint is provided in real time by a computer aided system for hip arthroscopy. By simplifying the portal placement process, one of the most challenging aspects of arthroscopic hip surgery, an increased use of this minimally invasive technique could be possible. In addition to portal information, improvements to an existing computer aided system for arthroscopic hip surgery, including a new hip model and redesigned mechanical tracking linkage, were completed.
Highly thermally stable in situ SiNX passivation AlGaN/GaN enhancement-mode high electron mobility transistors using TiW refractory gate structure
Authors: Chiu Hsien-Chin , Chen Chao-Hung , Yang Chih-Wei , Kao Hsuan-Ling , Huang Fan-Hsiu , Peng Sheng-Wen , Lin Heng-Kuang
Published: September 2013

This study examines the properties of in situ SiNx surface-passivated enhancement-mode (E-mode) AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors that are made with refractory titanium tungsten (TiW) and traditional nickel gate metals. Traditional Ni/AlGaN Schottky interfaces form intermixing states under a thermal stress of 400 °C. The maximum transconductance (gm) of TiW-gate devices is reduced by 10% as the temperature of the device increases from 300 to 400 K, whereas that of traditional Ni-gate devices is reduced by 24%. The Ni/AlGaN intermixing states increase the trap activation energy (123 meV) of the Ni-gate device. The refractory TiW metal thus has great potential for use in E-mode GaN power electronics.
Low dose interpolated average CT for thoracic PET/CT attenuation correction using an active breathing controller
Authors: Sun Tao , Wu Tung‐Hsin , Wang Shyh‐Jen , Yang Bang‐Hung , Wu Nien‐Yun , Mok Greta S. P.
Published: September 2013

Purpose:

The temporal mismatch between PET and standard helical CT (HCT) causes substantial respiratory artifacts in PET reconstructed images when using HCT as the attenuation map. Previously we developed an interpolated average CT (IACT) method for attenuation correction (AC) and demonstrated its merits in simulations. In this study we aim to apply IACT in patients with thoracic lesions using an active breathing controller (ABC).

Methods:

Under local ethics approval, we recruited 15 patients with a total of 18 lesions in different thoracic regions: left upper lobe (2), right upper lobe (4), right hilum (3), right lower lobe (3), left hilum (2), and esophagus (4). All patients underwent whole body PET scans 1 h after 300–480 MBq18F‐FDG injection, depending on the patients’ weight. The PET sinograms were reconstructed with AC using: (i) standard HCT [120 kV, smart mA (30–150 mA), 0.984:1 pitch] and (ii) IACT obtained from end‐inspiration and end‐expiration breath‐hold HCTs (120 kV, 10 mA, 0.984:1 pitch) aided by ABC. IACT was obtained by averaging the intensity of two extreme phases and the interpolated phases between them, where the nonlinear interpolation was obtained by B‐spline registration and with an empirical sinusoidal function. The SUVmax, SUVmean, and the differences of centroid‐of‐lesion (d) between PET and different CT schemes were measured for each lesion.

Results:

From visual inspection, the respiratory artifacts and blurring generally reduced in the thoracic region for PETIACT. Matching between CT and PET improved for PETIACT, with an average decrease of d for 1.34 ± 1.79 mm as compared to PETHCT. The SUVmax and SUVmean were consistently higher for PETIACT versus PETHCT for all lesions, with (30.95 ± 18.63)% and (22.39 ± 15.91)% average increase, respectively.

Conclusions:

IACT‐ABC reduces respiratory artifacts, PET/CT misregistration and enhances lesion quantitation. This technique is a robust and low dose AC protocol for clinical oncology application especially in the thoracic region.
Capsule endoscopy: a dangerous but diagnostic tool
Authors: Srai Rhatica , Tullie Lucinda , Wadoodi Ashar , Saunders Michael
Published: September 2013

Current guidelines advocate the use of capsule endoscopy (CE) when gastroscopy and colonoscopy have failed to demonstrate the origin of occult gastrointestinal bleeding. CE has been used successfully in the diagnosis of a variety of conditions such as coeliac disease, polyposis syndromes and small bowel tumours, when routine investigations have failed to yield a diagnosis. In conditions where the diameter of the bowel lumen may be compromised, such as Crohn's disease, CE is contraindicated because of the risk of retention and/or small bowel obstruction. Here we present an unusual case where CE resulted in small bowel obstruction and perforation in a segment of small bowel which had become inflamed secondary to a carcinoid tumour.
A stepwise approach to ‘groin pain’: a common symptom, an uncommon cause
Authors: de Bruijn Kirstin Marie Jeanne , Franssen Gaston , van Ginhoven Tessa Malaika
Published: September 2013

A 70-year-old man was admitted with stinging pain in his right groin radiating towards his inner thigh. In a few days, the pain increased in intensity, he experienced diminished strength in his right leg and got dependent on morphine. Conventional investigations did not show any pathology. A CT-scan revealed a mass in the obturator foramen, indicative of a possible obturator hernia or neuroma of the obturator nerve. However, an additional MRI showed a well-circumscribed cystic mass in the obturator foramen, indicative of a ganglion cyst. This cyst was percutaneously punctured under the CT-guidance and the viscous material was aspirated, after which corticosteroids were injected. After the puncture all symptoms of the patient had completely resolved and the patient was discharged from the hospital without any painkillers.
Analysis of ketoprofen enantiomers in human and rat plasma by hollow-fiber-based liquid-phase microextraction and chiral mobile-phase additive HPLC
Authors: Hatami Mehdi , Farhadi Khalil
Published: September 2013

A simple, inexpensive, and efficient preconcentration and cleanup three-phase hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction method (HF-LPME) was developed for the extraction of the anti-inflammatory ketoprofen (KTP) from human and rat plasma and HPLC enantioseparation of its enantiomers using vancomycin as a chiral mobile-phase additive with an achiral C8 column. The effects of different parameters influencing the efficiency of extraction were optimized for aqueous samples. Under optimized conditions, KTP enantiomers were extracted from 0.5 mL of plasma diluted to 5 mL with salinated and acidified deionized water (pH = 2) with 25 μL of alkalinized acceptor phase (pH = 11) during 30 min at room temperature. The mean recoveries of (−)-(R)- and (+)-(S)-KTP were 72.8% and 70.9%, respectively. The quantification limit was 20 ng/mL with linear response over the 20–2000 ng/mL concentration range for both enantiomers. Assay precision was studied within-day and between-day using 100 ng/mL KTP solutions. For both KTP enantiomers, relative standard deviations were lower than 12%. The proposed microextraction method was applied for the extraction of KTP enantiomers from human and rat plasma samples after oral administration of pure (±)-KTP in 4 mg/kg dosage for rats and 50 mg dosage for humans to assess the enantiospecific bioavailability of KTP enantiomers in their plasma. In vivo inversion studies revealed that the bioavailability of S-KTP is higher than that of the R enantiomers in rat, but they are similar in human plasma. The developed method showed that HF-LPME is a promising technique for sample preparation for the analyses of chiral drugs in biological samples.
Line shape study of the carbon dioxide laser band Ι
Authors: Hashemi Robab , Rozario Hoimonti , Ibrahim Amr , Predoi-Cross Adriana
Published: September 2013

The spectral line parameters of carbon dioxide have been measured in the laser band I (00011 ← 10001) centred at 10.4 μm. The spectra were recorded at room temperature using the spectroscopic instrumentation at the far-infrared beamline, Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon, Sask. The spectral line intensities, air- and self- broadened Lorentz half widths, and pressure-induced shift coefficients were retrieved for 48 spectral lines using a multispectrum fit technique (Benner et al. J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 53, 705 (1995)). Line parameters were retrieved using the Voigt and speed-dependent Voigt models. The deviations between our results and other results reported in the literature and in the HITRAN08 (Rothman et al. J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 110, 533 (2009)) database were examined and discussed. The effect of errors in fitting channel spectra parameters was examined and found to be mitigated by the inclusion of channels in the multispectral fit.
Effect of rotation on micropolar generalized thermoelasticity with two temperatures using a dual-phase lag model
Authors: Othman Mohamed I.A. , Hasona W.M. , Abd-Elaziz Elsayed M.
Published: September 2013

In the present paper, we introduce the dual-phase lag theory to study the effect of the rotation on a two-dimensional problem of micropolar thermoelastic isotropic medium with two temperatures. A normal mode method is proposed to analyze the problem and obtain numerical solutions for the displacement, the conductive temperature, the thermodynamic temperature, the microrotation, and the stresses. The results of the physical quantities have been obtained numerically and illustrated graphically. The results show the effect of phase lag of the heat flux τq, a phase lag of temperature gradient τθ and two-temperature parameter on all the physical quantities.
STRUCTURAL, ELECTRONIC, THERMODYNAMIC AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF ZINC-BLENDE InP, InAs AND THEIR InAsx P1-x TERNARY ALLOYS VIA FIRST PRINCIPLES CALCULATIONS
Authors: NEMIRI O. , GHEMID S. , CHOUAHDA Z. , MERADJI H. , EL HAJ HASSAN F.
Published: September 2013

First-principles calculations are performed to study the structural, electronic, thermodynamic and thermal properties of the InP and InAs bulk materials and InAs x P 1-x ternary alloys using the full potential-linearized augmented plane wave method (FP-LAPW) within the density functional theory (DFT). The dependence of the lattice constant, bulk modulus, band gap, Debye temperature, heat capacity and mixing entropy on the composition x was analyzed. The lattice constant for InAs x P 1-x alloys exhibits a marginal deviation from the Vegard's law. A large deviation of the bulk modulus from linear concentration dependence (LCD) was observed for our alloys. We found that the composition dependence of the energy band gap is almost linear by using the mBJ and EV-GGA approximations. The microscopic origins of the gap bowing were explained and detailed by using the approach of Zunger and co-workers. Furthermore, the calculated phase diagram shows a miscibility gap for these alloys with a high critical temperature. Thermal effects on some macroscopic properties of InAs x P 1-x alloys are predicted using the quasi-harmonic Debye model, in which the phononic effects are considered. This is the first quantitative theoretical prediction of the thermal properties of the InAs x P 1-x alloys, and we still expect the confirmation of experimental studies.
TUNABLE RESONANT FREQUENCY OF FeCo/PZT/FeCo CYLINDERS
Authors: SHEN H. Q. , WANG Y. G.
Published: September 2013

FeCo / PZT / FeCo cylindrical heterostructures were prepared by electroless deposition. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the magnetostrictive FeCo layers are in contact with piezoelectric PZT directly. To control the resonant frequency at which the magnetoelectric coupling shows an obvious improvement, the height of cylinder needs to be taken into consideration. In the present work, three hollow cylinders with different height were polarized along the radial direction. It was shown that with the increase of cylinder height the magnetoelectric coefficient increased. Both experimental and calculated results show that the resonant frequency of FeCo / PZT / FeCo cylindrical layered composites decreases with increasing the cylinder height. Proper resonant frequency and strong ME effect could be obtained by optimizing the configuration.
SIGNATURES IN THE CONDUCTANCE FOR PHASE TRANSITIONS IN EXCITONIC SYSTEMS
Authors: SOLLER H. , BREYEL D.
Published: September 2013

In this paper, we analyze two phase transitions in exciton bilayer systems: a topological phase transition to a phase which hosts Majorana fermions and a phase transition to a Wigner crystal. Using generic simple models for different phases, we discuss the conductance properties of the latter when contacted to metallic leads and demonstrate the possibility to observe the different phase transitions by simple conductance measurements.
QUANTUM PARTICLES PASSING THROUGH A MATTER-WAVE APERTURE
Authors: PENG JIAN-PING
Published: September 2013

In this paper, we investigate theoretically a dilute stream of free quantum particles passing through a macroscopic circular aperture of matter-waves and then moving in a space at a finite temperature, taking into account the dissipative coupling with the environment. The portion of particles captured by the detection screen is studied by varying the distance between the aperture and the screen. Depending on the wavelength, the temperature, and the dimension of the aperture, an unusual local valley-peak structure is found in increasing the distance, in contrast to traditional thinking that it decreases monotonically. The underlying mechanism is the nonlocality in the process of decoherence for an individual particle.