bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distributions of Hydrogen Bond Lifetimes in Instantaneous and Inherent Structures of Water
Authors: Naberukhin Yu. I. , Voloshin V. P
Published: September 2009

Various distribution functions of hydrogen bond lifetimes, used to describe the dynamics of breakage and formation of these bonds are calculated for a molecular dynamics model of water of 3456 molecules at 310 K. Quenched (inherent) structures are derived from instantaneous MD structures. Comparing the distribution functions from I and Q structures allows interpreting their characteristic features. The sharp peak at ~15 fs, which prevails in the most frequently used distributions, is ascribed to short-lived “false” H bonds which results from violations of hydrogen bonding criteria induced by dynamic intermolecular vibrations of molecules. A special type of distribution, proposed earlier [34], contains information not only on dynamics, but on true, or random, breaking of hydrogen bonds. The distributions reveal four different types of characteristic times which reflect different sides of H bond dynamics.
Correlation of Static and Dynamic Heterogeneities in Supercooled Water by Means of Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Holzmann J. , Appelhagen A. , Ludwig Ralf
Published: September 2009

The unusual increase of diffusivity of supercooled water upon compression seems to be related to the existence of at least two major distinct local structural forms: a "low-density" structure, exhibiting an almost perfect tetrahedral hydrogen bonding network, and a "high-density" structure, characterized by defects in this network. The structural changes can be measured by the "tetrahedricity parameter", describing the deviation from the ideal tetrahedron. In this paper we show that the anomalous diffusion behavior upon compression cannot only be related to the structural heterogeneities but also to dynamical heterogeneities occuring in supercooled liquid water. This is shown for translational heterogeneities which decrease with temperature and pressure. Both, static and dynamic heterogeneities can be correlated. They are substantial at low temperatures and moderate pressures and diminish with increasing temperature and pressure, respectively. Our results are based on molecular dynamics simulations of the TIP4P-Ew water model [1].
The Effects of Temperature and H/D Isotopic Dilution on the Transmission and Attenuated Total Reflection FTIR Spectra of Water
Authors: Riemenschneider Julian , Wulf Alexander , Ludwig Ralf
Published: September 2009

Using a set of IR spectroscopy methods the OH- and OD-stretch region of H2O, D2O and HDO were investigated. With a combination of attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) and transmission infrared Fourier Transform spectroscopy, temperature dependent experiments were carried out. HDO experiments were done with varying isotopic concentrations. We focused on contributions at higher wavenumbers within the OH/OD-stretch region to discuss coupling effects. We also compared results from ATR and transmission spectroscopy in order to check the comparability of these techniques. In addition we tried to investigate how the overtone of the bending vibration may be included into the analysis of the OH-stretch region of pure water.
"Reader, perhaps you were never in Belgium?": Negotiating British Identity in Charlotte Brontë's The Professor and Villette
Authors: Longmuir Anne
Published: September 2009

Critical investigations of the foreign settings of Charlotte Brontë's The Professor (1857) and Villette (1853) have tended to conceive Belgium (fictionalized as Labassecour in Villette) as simply "not England." In contrast, this essay considers the historic and geographic specificity of The Professor and Villette, arguing that Belgium represents a crucial middle-ground between British and French values in the mid nineteenth century. Not only was Belgium the location of the decisive British victory over the French at Waterloo, but British commentators also increasingly depicted Belgium as a "little Britain on the continent," or potentially Anglicized space, in the 1840s. Drawing on both Brontë's explicit references to the Napoleonic Wars in The Professor and Villette and contemporary Victorian conceptions of Belgium, this essay argues that Brontë's use of this particular foreign space is not just a result of her experiences in Brussels in the early 1840s. Instead, the overlooked middle—ground of Belgium epitomizes the conflict between British and French values in Brontë's fiction—and the possibility of their reconciliation. While Brontë ultimately rejects the idea that Belgium represents the site of a possible Anglo-Continental union, it is nonetheless a space in which Brontë's characters reformulate or consolidate their ideas of home, revealing Britishness to be both culturally produced and value-laden in Brontë's fiction.
Thomas Hardy and the Machine: The Mechanical Deformation of Narrative Realism in Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Authors: Meadowsong Zena
Published: September 2009

This essay argues that Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), long read as a novel concerned with the industrial demolition of agrarian England, internalizes the problem of mechanization at the level of both story and narrative form. The narrative "defects" of which critics typically complain—"mechanical" plot devices, "two-dimensional" characterization, and obtrusions of tone and style—are, this essay argues, intentional distortions of realism designed to draw attention to the consequences of industrialization. In a crucial scene, Tess Durbeyfield is enslaved to a monster machine, a diabolical steam thresher. Dramatizing the onset of mechanization, this scene aligns the fate of the novel's heroine with the fate of the preindustrial world she inhabits and, introducing a subtle distortion of realism in the mythic rendering of the monster, connects the narrative's apparent defects to a critique of the industrial order. The "mechanical" plot of the novel, linked to the operation of actual machines, draws attention to the inexorable brutality of the historical forces that drive it; the "two-dimensional" villain, a double for the diabolical machine, dramatizes—in the functional reduction of his humanity—the personal consequences of mechanization; and the narrative's tonal inconsistencies, apparently satirizing the calamities it itself engineers, demonstrate its implication in a mechanical system it cannot both escape and expose. Enacting the ravages of industrialization, the novel in a sense becomes the mechanical monster it represents; yet in doing so, it renders a powerful, formal indictment of mechanization.
Phylodynamics of Infectious Disease Epidemics
Authors: Volz Erik M , Kosakovsky Pond Sergei L , Ward Melissa J , Leigh Brown Andrew J , Frost Simon D W
Published: September 2009

We present a formalism for unifying the inference of population size from genetic sequences and mathematical models of infectious disease in populations. Virus phylogenies have been used in many recent studies to infer properties of epidemics. These approaches rely on coalescent models that may not be appropriate for infectious diseases. We account for phylogenetic patterns of viruses in susceptible–infected (SI), susceptible–infected–susceptible (SIS), and susceptible–infected–recovered (SIR) models of infectious disease, and our approach may be a viable alternative to demographic models used to reconstruct epidemic dynamics. The method allows epidemiological parameters, such as the reproductive number, to be estimated directly from viral sequence data. We also describe patterns of phylogenetic clustering that are often construed as arising from a short chain of transmissions. Our model reproduces the moments of the distribution of phylogenetic cluster sizes and may therefore serve as a null hypothesis for cluster sizes under simple epidemiological models. We examine a small cross-sectional sample of human immunodeficiency (HIV)-1 sequences collected in the United States and compare our results to standard estimates of effective population size. Estimated prevalence is consistent with estimates of effective population size and the known history of the HIV epidemic. While our model accurately estimates prevalence during exponential growth, we find that periods of decline are harder to identify.
A Molecular-Cytogenetic Method for Locating Genes to Pericentromeric Regions Facilitates a Genomewide Comparison of Synteny Between the Centromeric Regions of Wheat and Rice
Authors: Qi Lili , Friebe Bernd , Zhang Peng , Gill Bikram S
Published: September 2009

Centromeres, because of their repeat structure and lack of sequence conservation, are difficult to assemble and compare across organisms. It was recently discovered that rice centromeres often contain genes. This suggested a method for studying centromere homologies between wheat and rice chromosomes by mapping rice centromeric genes onto wheat aneuploid stocks. Three of the seven cDNA clones of centromeric genes from rice centromere 8 (Cen8), 6729.t09, 6729.t10, and 6730.t11 which lie in the Cen8 kinetochore region, and three wheat ESTs, BJ301191, BJ305475, and BJ280500, with similarity to sequences of rice centromeric genes, were mapped to the centromeric regions of the wheat group-7 (W7) chromosomes. A possible pericentric inversion in chromosome 7D was detected. Genomewide comparison of wheat ESTs that mapped to centromeric regions against rice genome sequences revealed high conservation and a one-to-one correspondence of centromeric regions between wheat and rice chromosome pairs W1-R5, W2-R7, W3-R1, W5-R12, W6-R2, and W7-R8. The W4 centromere may share homology with R3 only or with R3 + R11. Wheat ESTs that mapped to the pericentromeric region of the group-5 long arm anchored to the rice BACs located in the recently duplicated region at the distal ends of the short arms of rice chromosomes 11 and 12. A pericentric inversion specific to the rice lineage was detected. The depicted framework provides a working model for further studies on the structure and evolution of cereal chromosome centromeres.
Occupational Therapy Home Programs for Cerebral Palsy: Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Novak Iona , Cusick Anne , Lannin Natasha
Published: September 2009

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to assess the effectiveness of an occupational therapy home program (OTHP), compared with no OTHP, with respect to function and parent satisfaction with child function, participation, goal attainment, and quality of upper limb skill in school-aged children with cerebral palsy.

METHODS: Thirty-six children with cerebral palsy (mean age: 7.7 years; male: 69%; Gross Motor Function Classification System: level I, 47%; level II, 14%; level III, 16%; level IV, 7%; level V, 16%; spasticity, 85%; dyskinesia, 14%; ataxia, 3%) were randomly and equally assigned to OTHPs for 8 or 4 weeks or to no OTHP. The primary end point was Canadian Occupational Performance Measure scores 8 weeks after baseline. Secondary measures were recorded at 4 and 8 weeks.

RESULTS: Eight weeks of OTHP produced statistically significant differences in function and parent satisfaction with function, compared with no OTHP. Parents in the 4-week OTHP group did not discontinue use at 4 weeks, as instructed, and continued for 8 weeks; results demonstrated statistically significant differences, compared with no OTHP. There was no difference in primary or secondary end point measures between intervention groups.

CONCLUSION: Pediatricians can advise families that OTHPs developed with a collaborative, evidence-based approach and implemented by parents at home were clinically effective if implemented 17.5 times per month for an average of 16.5 minutes per session.
Mineralogical composition of iron-rich precipitates in a meadow soil (River Ipoly, NE Hungary)
Authors: Sipos Péter , Németh Tibor , May Zoltán
Published: September 2009

A vas- és mangán-oxidok fontos szerepet töltenek be a kémiai elemek talajbeli migrációjában, és amennyiben nem reliktum sajátságok, jellemezőik jól tükrözik a befogadó talaj képződésének körülményeit. Jelen tanulmányban egy Ipoly-menti rétitalaj-szelvényben található vaskiválásokat jellemeztük mikroszkópos szöveti, szelektív kémiai kioldásos, valamint röntgen-pordiffrakciós ásványtani vizsgálatokkal. A 20 és 180 cm-es mélységközben megjelenő különféle vaskiválások a legfelső rétegekben elsősorban vörösbarna bevonatokat és laza aggregátumokat alkotnak. 60 és 90 cm között azonban már a geodaszerű borsók és a konkréciók uralkodnak, továbbá itt jelennek meg az amfibol utáni pszeudomorfózák is. A kiválások mérete és gyakorisága is itt a legnagyobb, jelezve a hidromorf hatás maximumát. A különféle vaskiválások 120 cm alatt zömmel gravitációs mozgással vagy bemosódással vannak jelen. Mind a ditionitos, mind pedig az oxalátos kioldással a legfelső rétegből mobilizálódott a legtöbb vas (1,56% Fed és 1,70% Feo) és ezek mennyisége a mélységgel csökken. Az oxalátos és ditionitos Fe- és Mn-tartalom aránya 1 körül van minden vizsgált mintában. Ez az amorf vasfázisok (és mangánfázisok) uralkodó arányára és a jelentős hidromorf hatásra utal a vaskiválásokban. A szelektív kioldásokkal kinyerhető Fe- és Mn-tartalom nem követi a teljes Fe- és Mn-tartalom változásait. A legfelső vizsgált rétegben a teljes vastartalom kb. 30%-a, míg a mangán 90%-a oldható ki minkét módszerrel, és ez az arány a mélységgel csökken. A nedves szitálással szeparált vaskiválások röntgendiffrakciós vizsgálata szerint kristályos vas- és mangánfázisokra jellemző csúcs nem jelenik meg a felvételeken. A felvételek mintázata vas és amorf anyag jelenlétére utal. A vizsgált vasborsókban megjelenő további ásványok megegyeznek a talajt alkotó fázisokkal. Szembetűnő azonban, hogy a jobban fejlett vaskiválások kevesebb és rendezetlenebb szerkezetű agyagásványt tartalmaznak, mint a laza aggregátumok. A vasborsókkal ellentétben az amfibol utáni pszeudomorfózákban egyértelműen kimutatható a goethit, mint vasfázis. Jellemző azonban, hogy ez a fázis is rendezetlen szerkezetű, amely utalhat arra, hogy ferrihidritből képződött. Vizsgálataink alapján a vasas kiválásokat felépítő fázisok röntgenamorf szerkezetűek, rövid távon rendezett ferrihidrit (valamint vernadit) ásványok lehetnek. A kiválások legfejlettebb formája az izometrikus alakú, koncentrikus szerkezetű konkréció. Ennek képződése együtt jár a benne található agyagásványok degradálódásával (és esetleg a kalcit eltűnésével is) szoros összefüggésben a nedvesedési–kiszáradási ciklusokkal. A vaskiválások anyagát szolgáltató fázis a teljesen átalakult amfibol lehetett, amely a legjobban fejlett kiválásokkal egyazon mélységben jelenik meg. A vasforrás közelsége is hozzájárulhatott a kiválások szöveti-morfológiai fejlettségéhez.
Monolayer Film of Gold Nanoparticles on a 3 inch or Larger Silicon Wafer
Authors: Martin Matthew N. , Eah Sang-Kee
Published: September 2009

We chemically synthesized charged gold nanoparticles coated with hydrophobic organic molecules, which are stable in hexane but unstable in toluene. If a hexane droplet with charged gold nanoparticles is mixed with a larger toluene droplet, they immediately float to the airtoluene interface forming a monolayer of close-packed gold nanoparticles. The monolayer can be deposited to any substrate simply by the solvent molecules' evaporation with no limit in size and without using any sophisticated instrument. As a demonstration, we fabricated a very large monolayer of close-packed gold nanoparticles covering the whole surface of a 3 inch silicon wafer. We further showed that excess organic ligand molecules do not affect the charged gold nanoparticles' property of floating to and forming a monolayer at the air-toluene interface. However, these very slowly evaporating molecules remain on a substrate, affect the two-dimensional ordering, and significantly reduce the contrast in scanning electron microscopy.
Fabrication of PLZT Film-on-Foil Dielectric Sheets for Embedded Passives
Authors: Ma Beihai , Narayanan Manoj , Balachandran U.
Published: September 2009

Ferroelectric film-on-foil capacitors hold special promise to replace discrete passive components in the development of electronic devices that require greater performance and smaller size. We have deposited Pb0.92La0.08Zr0.52Ti0.48O3(PLZT) films on base metal foils to form film-on-foil capacitor sheets that can be embedded into printed circuit boards. The rootmean-square surface roughness was determined to be ≍3 nm for 1.15-μm-thick PLZT films on LaNiO3-buffered Ni foils. The following dielectric properties were measured: relative permittivity of ≍1300 and dielectric loss (tan δ) of ≍0.05, leakage current density of 6.6 × 10−9A/cm2at 25°C and 1.4 × 10−8A/cm2at 150°C, and mean breakdown strength >2.5 MV/cm. A remnant polarization (Pr) of ≍33 μC/cm2and coercive field strength (Ec) of ≍50 kV/cm were observed with a maximum voltage of 300 V applied during the P-E loop measurement. The energy storage capability of the dielectric film is ≍45 J/cm3.
Novel Hf and La Formamidinates for ALD Application
Authors: Li Huazhi , Shenai Deo V
Published: September 2009

HfO2 is a promising dielectric for alternative high-k gate dielectrics and DRAM capacitor applications because of its high dielectric constant, excellent thermal stability and compatibility with Si processing. Particularly atomic layer deposition (ALD) is suitable as a deposition tool for gate dielectrics as well as capacitor dielectrics due to its excellent conformity and precise thickness control. In order to achieve ideal ALD performance, it is critical to have appropriate precursors. In order to achieve ideal ALD performance, it is critical to use appropriate enabling precursors. So far, Tetrakisethylmethylamidohafnium (TEMAHf) has been considered as one of the most promising precursors due to its good physical properties. However, this precursor has relatively low thermal stability, which has often become a drawback to ALD process for HfO2. To circumvent the decomposition issues of TEMAHf during ALD deposition, often low process temperatures have been used that lead to less dense films and high level of carbon contamination. In order to overcome these challenges, the novel hafnium formamidinate (Hf-FAMD) precursor is developed as an alternate Hf source at Dow Electronic Materials. Following our success with formamidinate platform in previously reported novel lanthanum formamidinate (La-FAMD) source, this new precursor also exhibits high thermal stability and high reactivity towards water and ozone. In this work, we report, for the first time, comparative studies with TEMAHf and novel Hf-FAMD source, e.g. Hf-FAMD exhibits acceptable vapor pressure (> 0.1 Torr at 100 °C) similar to that of TEMAHf, and higher thermal stability than TEMAHf, thus leading to high quality ALD films. We also present the crystal structure of La-FAMD, elucidated by X-Ray Crystallography, and physical properties of novel Hf-FAMD relevant to ALD.
Thermal Stability of GdScO3 Dielectric Films Grown on Si and InAlN/GaN Substrates
Authors: Fröhlich Karol , Vincze Andrej , Dobročka Edmund , Hušeková Kristina , Čičo Karol , Uherek Frantisek , Lupták Roman , Ťapajna Milan , Machajdík Daniel
Published: September 2009

We present analysis of thermal stability of thin GdScO3 films grown on silicon and InAlN/GaN substrates. The GdScO3 films were prepared by liquid injection metal organic chemical vapor deposition at 600 °C. The films were processed after deposition by rapid thermal annealing in nitrogen ambient at 900, 1000 and 1100 °C during 10 s. In addition, annealing of the GdScO3 films on InAlN/GaN substrate at 700 °C during 3 hours was performed. The samples were analyzed by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF SIMS). GIXRD confirmed that the as-deposited GdScO3 films were amorphous. Recrystallization of the films on both substrates occurred at 1100 °C. ToF SIMS depth profile of the films annealed at 1000 °C indicated strong reaction of the GdScO3 film with the Si substrate. For the InAlN/GaN substrate rapid thermal annealing at 900 °C induced diffusion of the In and Al atoms into the top GdScO3 layer. Thermal treatment at 700 °C for 3 hours presents upper limit of the acceptable thermal budget for the GdScO3/InAlN interface.
Ligand Structure Effect on A Divalent Ruthenium Precursor for MOCVD
Authors: Kawano Kazuhisa , Kosuge Hiroaki , Oshima Noriaki , Arii Tadashi , Sawada Yutaka , Funakubo Hiroshi
Published: September 2009

Thermal properties of five divalent ruthenium precursors with three types of structures were examined by thermal analyses. Their volatilities and the relationships between their structure and thermal stability were compared by TG analysis. Precursor volatility was found to be inversely proportional to molecular weight. The DSC result showed that substituting a linear pentadienyl ligand for a cyclopentadienyl ligand decreased the thermal stability of a precursor and precursors could be liquefied by attaching an alkyl group longer than methyl group to a Cp ligand. As a result of TG-MS analyses for Ru(DMPD)(EtCp) and Ru(EtCp)2, 2,4-dimethyl-1,3-pentadiene was found to be a thermolysis product of Ru(DMPD)(EtCp) though no thermolysis products of Ru(EtCp)2were observed. These results show that the volatility and decomposition temperature of a divalent ruthenium precursor can be designed by adjusting the precursor's structure.
Investigating the Interfacial Properties of Hf-based/Si and SiO2/Si Gate Stacks
Authors: Tan Shiang Yu
Published: September 2009

As complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) devices are scaled down into nano-region, SiO2 dielectric is approaching its physical and electrical limits. Hafnium based oxides are the most promising materials as a replacement for conventional gate dielectrics, due to its much higher dielectric constant (high-k) and stability. The aims of work were to investigate the interface-related issues associating with Hf-based/Si and SiO2/Si gate stacks. The interfacial properties of dielectric oxide/Si were studied by stacking a different dielectric layer (SiO2, HfSiO, and HfO2) on Si substrate. We studied the electrical behavior of dielectric oxide/Si interface by leakage current density-voltage (J-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurement techniques. The effects of the post-deposition annealing (PDA) treatment on the interface charges of dielectric oxides were presented. We found that the PDA can effectively reduce trapping density and the leakage current, and eliminate hysteresis in the C–V curves. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was applied for studying the surface chemical bonding energy at different gate stack structures. The XPS analysis provides a better interpretation of the electrical property. As results, HfSiO films have exhibited a superior performance in terms of thermal stability and electrical characteristics.
FTIR study of copper agglomeration during atomic layer deposition of copper
Authors: Dai Min , Kwon Jinhee , Chabal Yves J. , Halls Mathew D. , Gordon Roy G.
Published: September 2009

The growth of of metallic copper by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using copper(I) di-sec-butylacetamidinate ([Cu(sBu-amd)]2) and molecular hydrogen (H2) on SiO2/Si surfaces has been studied. The mechanisms for the initial surface reaction and chemical bonding evolutions with each ALD cycle are inferred from in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data. Spectroscopic evidence for Cu agglomeration on SiO2 is presented involving the intensity variations of the SiO2 LO/TO phonon modes after chemical reaction with the Cu precursor and after the H2 precursor cycle. These intensity variations are observed over the first 20 ALD cycles at 185°C.
Integrated Capacitors with Nb2O5 Dielectric for Decoupling Applications
Authors: Jacob Susan , Schaper Leonard W. , Benamara Mourad
Published: September 2009

As electronic systems are scaling down further and further, there is the constant need to utilize all the board area with maximum efficiency. Since passive components occupy most of the space on boards, it is very important to scale them down. New techniques allow for “integrated” passives as opposed to their discrete counterparts. Integrated capacitors can be embedded within the substrate, leaving room for other components on the board surface. In order to improve the area efficiency of these integrated capacitors, researchers have formed multilayered capacitors in the past. This increases the capacitance density, but is time consuming and expensive due to too many process steps. With increased circuit density, a currently demonstrated dielectric, Ta2O5, could be replaced with a potential high-k dielectric that can store more charge in a smaller area than a capacitor with Ta2O5. Niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) with k∼41 is an emerging dielectric for high-k capacitor applications. This paper investigates niobium pentoxide as a next generation high-k planar capacitor dielectric. Niobium pentoxide dielectric was formed by reactive sputtering and anodization. Dielectric characterization was done using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Thin film planar capacitor structures were fabricated using Nb2O5 dielectric and electrically characterized. The results presented include dielectric material characterization, design, capacitance, and breakdown voltage measurements.
THz Pulse Spectroscopy of Dynamic Plasmas: A New Diagnostic Tool
Authors: Kolner Brian H.
Published: September 2009

Rapidly evolving plasmas represent a challenging environment for both study and control. Density, collision frequency and temperature fluctuations can change over orders of magnitude on time scales of one ns with spatial features less than one cm and thus are not amenable to conventional continuous-wave diagnostic techniques such as microwave or mm-wave interferometry. We have developed a new technique for studying plasmas undergoing rapid nonequilibrium changes that uses THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) in conjunction with optical fluorescence imaging. The advantages of using THz pulses lie in the fact that the broad bandwidth of a THz pulse contains frequency components both above and below the plasma frequency allowing a single ps-duration pulse to carry away information about the complex path-integrated susceptibility. Transverse fluorescence gives us a model of the longitudinal plasma distribution and using a novel rms error-minimization technique we can recover the real and imaginary parts of the susceptibility with <5 mm spatial and, potentially, ps time resolution (we are currently limited by S/N considerations to averaging over several THz pulses and thus obtain 40 ns resolution). From this we obtain the electron density and collision frequency, spatially and temporally resolved, with dynamic range >103. The principle of this new technique will be discussed along with results on a pulsed DC-discharge plasma. We will also present some new ideas such as concurrent molecular spectroscopy and computed tomography.
Green Innovation in Energy: Product, Process and Business Innovation Gains for Competitive Advantage
Authors: Hullavarad Shiva S , HULLAVARAD NILIMA V , LAN PING
Published: September 2009

The paper addresses the �green innovation� in the non-fossil fuel energy industry. The objective of the study is to identify the changes in trends of non-fossil fuel energy industry demand, growth and opportunities. The study uses the databases such as patents, news events, income/financial statements to assess the company status and the track record of the industry. The research adopts the methodology of Innovation Radar (Sawhney, MIT Sloan Management Research, 2001) to assess the positioning of the dominant company and design in photovoltaic, geothermal and wind renewable energy industry. The study also summarizes the sustainable competitive advantages of some of the successful companies in the energy sector. This study correlates the gains in innovation tripartite (product, process, business) to the corporate competitive advantage. The companies selected in this study are based on the innovations brought to improve the product, process and business aspects and are evaluated in terms of market adaptability.
Ability to Control the Glass Transition Temperature of Amorphous Shape-Memory Polyesterurethane Networks by Varying Prepolymers in Molecular Mass as well as in Type and Content of Incorporated Comonomers
Authors: Zotzmann Joerg , Kelch Steffen , Alteheld Armin , Behl Marc , Lendlein Andreas
Published: September 2009

The need of intelligent implant materials for applications in the area of minimally invasive surgery leads to tremendous attention for polymers which combine degradability and shape-memory capability. Application of heat, and thereby exceeding a certain switching temperature Tsw, causes the device to changes its shape. The precise control of Tsw is particularly challenging. It was investigated in how far Tg, that can be used as Tsw, of amorphous polymer networks from star-shaped polyester macrotetrols crosslinked with a low-weight linker can be controlled systematically by incorporation of different comonomers into poly(rac-lactide) prepolymers. The molecular mass of the prepolymers as well as type and content of the comonomers was varied. The Tg could be adjusted by selection of comonomer type and ratio without affecting the advantageous elastic properties of the polymer networks.
PPAR control: it's SIRTainly as easy as PGC
Authors: Sugden Mary C , Caton Paul W , Holness Mark J
Published: September 2009

This review describes recent advances in our knowledge of the regulatory interactions influencing the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-regulated genes. We address recent advances highlighting the role of PPARγ (PPARG) coactivator-1 (PGC-1) and lipin-1 in co-ordinating the expression of genes controlling nutrient handling. We evaluate the possibility that SIRT1 lies at the heart of a regulatory loop involving PPARα, PGC-1α (PPARA, PPARGC1A as given in the HUGO Database), and lipin-1 (LPIN1 as listed in the HUGO Database) that ultimately controls the metabolic response to varying nutrient and physiological signals via a common mechanism mediated by post-translation modifications (deacetylation) of both PPARα and PGC-1s. Finally, we comment on the potential of pharmaceutical manipulation of these targets as well as the possible problems associated with this strategy.
Foam formation on an Austrian–Hungarian lowland river: reasons, methods and solutions
Authors: Ruzicka K. , Gabriel O. , Wegricht U. , Winkler S. , Zessner M.
Published: September 2009

The occurrence of foam in a lowland river in Austria and shortly after the border with Hungary and the consequent protests from Hungarian inhabitants led to investigations concerning the reasons for foam formation. The aims of the study were (i) to specify objectively the scale of appearing of foam, (ii) to evaluate reasons for foam formation, and (iii) to develop abatement measures.
Acquiring reproducible fluorescence spectra of dissolved organic matter at very low concentrations
Authors: Peiris B. R. H. , Budman H. , Moresoli C. , Legge R. L.
Published: September 2009

A method that would allow for fast and reliable measurements of dissolved organic matter (DOM), both at low and high concentration levels would be a valuable tool for online monitoring of DOM. This could have applications in a variety of areas including membrane treatment systems for drinking water applications which is of interest to our group. In this study, the feasibility of using fluorescence spectroscopy for monitoring DOM at very low concentration levels was demonstrated with an emphasis on optimizing the instrument parameters necessary to obtain reproducible fluorescence signals. Signals were acquired using a cuvette or a fibre optic probe assembly, the latter which may have applications for on-line or in-line monitoring. The instrument parameters such as photomultiplier tube (PMT) voltage, scanning rate and slit width were studied in detail to find the optimum parameter settings required. The results showed that larger excitation and emission slit widths were preferred, over larger PMT voltage or lower scanning rates, to obtain reproducible and rapid measurements when measuring very low concentration levels of DOM. However, this approach should be implemented with caution to avoid any reduction of the signal resolution.
Disintegration of sewage sludge with bifrequency ultrasonic treatment
Authors: Jiang Jianguo , Yang Shihui , Chen Maozhe , Zhang Qunfang
Published: September 2009

A bifrequency ultrasonic generating trough was used to improve disintegration of sewage sludge from thickener tanks. Ultrasonic operating parameters such as frequency, power, and time were optimized. Ultrasonic treatment successfully disintegrated the floc structure of sewage sludge and promoted the release of organic matter and metal ions such as Ca2 +  and Mg2 + . After ultrasonic treatment, soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) in the sludge solution increased 11.28–49.06%, while the concentrations of Ca2 +  and Mg2 +  rose 5.5–25.0% and 2.7–19.0%, respectively. The ultrasonic frequency of 25 kHz was most effective in disintegrating sludge, and high energy densities and longer treatment time increased SCOD and metal ion release. The optimal parameters that promoted the increase SCOD were 25 kHz, 75 W/L and 60 s. Under these conditions, double-frequency ultrasonication was more effective than single-frequency ultrasonication.
Arsenic removal by iron oxide coated sponge: treatment and waste management
Authors: Nguyen Tien Vinh , Rahman Abdur , Vigneswaran Saravanamuthu , Ngo Huu Hao , Kandasamy Jaya , Nguyen Duc Tho , Do Tuan Anh , Nguyen Trung Kien
Published: September 2009

One of the problems in drinking water that raises concern over the world is that millions of people still have to use arsenic-contaminated water. There is a worldwide need to develop appropriate technologies to remove arsenic from water for household and community water supply systems. In this study, a new material namely iron oxide coated sponge (IOCSp) was developed and used to remove arsenic (As) from contaminated groundwater in Vietnam. The results indicated that IOCSp has a high capacity in removing both As (V) and As (III). The adsorption capacity of IOCSp was up to 4.6 mg As/g IOCSp, showing better than many other materials. It was observed from a pilot study that a small quantity of IOCSp (180 g) could reduce As concentration of 480 μg/L in 1.5 m3 of contaminated natural water to below 40 μg/L. In addition, an exhausted IOCSp, containing a large amount of arsenic (up to 0.42 wt %) could safely be disposed through the solidification/stabilization with cement. Addition of fly ash also reduced the amount of arsenic in the leachate.
Removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals from aqueous phase using spherical microporous carbon prepared from waste polymeric exchanger
Authors: Long Chao , Lu Jundong , Li Aimin , Zhang Quanxing
Published: September 2009

A spherical microporous carbon adsorbent (CR-1), which was developed by carbonization and activation of the waste polysulfonated cation-exchanger, was used to remove Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and 2, 4-dichlorophenol (2, 4-DCP) as the model compounds of EDCs from the aqueous solution. Four adsorption isotherm models, Langmuir, Freundlich, Toth and Polanyi–Dubinin–Manes equations were tested to correlate the experimental data, Toth and Polanyi–Dubinin–Manes isotherms models provided the best correlation. The Henry's law constants calculated from Toth equation were found to be 705.957 and 6,724.713 L g−1 for 2, 4-DCP and DMP at 298 K, respectively, and the larger exponents n of the Freundlich model were 9.011 and 9.93 for 2, 4-DCP and DMP at 298 K, respectively. The values of Henry's law constants and exponent n of the Freundlich suggested that CR-1 was an effective adsorbent for removal of low concentrations of DMP and 2, 4-DCP from aqueous solution. Moreover, the adsorption kinetics results showed that adsorption of 2, 4-DCP and DMP on CR-1 was a pseudo-second-order process controlled by intra-particle diffusion and that adsorption uptake reached quickly half of equilibrium capacities within 20 min.
Visible light assisted photocatalytic degradation of acid red 88 using Au–ZnO nanophotocatalysts
Authors: Kumar Panneer Selvam Sathish , Raj Michael Ruby , Anandan Sambandam , Zhou Meifang , Ashokkumar Muthupandian
Published: September 2009

Photocatalytic degradation of acid red 88 (AR88) in aqueous suspensions of Au–ZnO nanoparticles under visible light illumination was studied in order to evaluate various effects of the Au deposition on the ZnO photocatalytic activity. Au–ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by deposition precipitation method and characterized by different analytical techniques. In Au–ZnO system, all gold nanoparticles were tethered on the surface of zinc oxide particles. This enhanced the AR88 adsorption on the Au–ZnO surface and acted as electron traps which is the main reason for significant enhancement in the AR88 photodegradation under visible light illumination compared to ZnO alone. Further in the presence of electron acceptors complete decolorization of the dye was observed, which might be due to immediate trapping of the photogenerated electrons by electron acceptors.
Vulnerability of water services in Pacific Island countries: combining methodologies and judgment
Authors: Moglia Magnus , Burn Stewart , Tjandraatmadja Grace
Published: September 2009

Water services in Pacific Island Countries are particularly vulnerable due to a range of circumstances such as the scale of operation, remoteness of location, financial constraints, cultural complexity and the ability to access technical and other capacity by their administrations. Additionally, the authors argue that comparative assessment of water needs for differing locations is fraught with difficulty because of the combination of systemic complexity, diversity of situations and lack of suitable, consistent and objective data. In these challenging situations, a method for assessment of the vulnerability of water services has been developed on the basis of knowledge and experiences of water professionals, elicited using a structured group interaction known as a Delphi survey. The Delphi survey has been undertaken with a range of stakeholders including panels of experts, funding agencies and local decision makers. Through the Delphi process, key factors contributing to vulnerability have been identified and the output has been used to develop an index methodology. Such an index methodology, similar to the Climate Vulnerability Index, has a number of dimensions, variables and appropriate weights expressed within a set of equations. Given quantification of variables, this method can be used to assess the relative vulnerability of water services in Pacific Island Countries. The method used to develop this index could also be applied to other contexts where appropriate.
Nitrogen removal via nitrite in domestic wastewater treatment using combined salt inhibition and on-line process control
Authors: Ye Liu , Tang Bing , Zhao Kai-feng , Pijuan Maite , Peng Yong-zhen
Published: September 2009

Nitrogen removal through the nitrite pathway has been successfully achieved using on-line aeration length control. However, it takes a long time period to get steady performance when using on-line control as the sole strategy. On the other hand, salt inhibition has also been used to achieve the nitrite pathway, with potentially adverse effects on the overall microbial community at high salt concentrations. The objective of this study is to develop a control strategy based on the combination of low salt inhibition levels and on-line control to accelerate the achievement of nitrite pathway in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) treating domestic wastewater. Salt concentrations and on-line control parameters were chosen in batch tests. The recovery of the nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) activity was examined after stopping on-line control and salt dosing. The findings clearly show that combining salt inhibition at low salinity (5 g/L) with on-line pH control is an efficient strategy to achieve nitrogen removal via nitrite quickly and steadily.
Effects of Fluctuating Iron Dosage on Nitrification in Integrated Fixed Film and Conventional Activated Sludge Processes
Authors: Stricker Anne‐Emmanuelle , Lishman Lori , Barrie Ashley
Published: September 2009

An integrated fixed‐film activated sludge (IFFAS) process with four media cells is operating in parallel with a conventional activated sludge (CAS) train at Lakeview Wastewater Treatment Plant (Ontario, Canada). During winter 2007, an intensive sampling campaign was conducted to monitor the temporal and spatial variations of the nitrification capacity within the two plug‐flow reactors. At the beginning of the six‐week study, the CAS train was partially nitrifying, whereas the IFFAS train was nitrifying completely using the first two IFFAS cells only. Within one week, the CAS train lost nitrification because of a drop in solids retention time and pH caused by the onset of iron overdosing. When the IFFAS train received an iron spike, the carriers at the injection point (first cell) became iron‐coated and lost 80% of their nitrification capacity. However, this train maintained its total nitrification capacity using the reserve capacity in the three remaining cells.
Enhancement of Sludge Settling with Chemical Additives
Authors: Al‐Jasser A.O.
Published: September 2009

Solids in aeration tank effluents contribute to the total organic content and suspended solids concentration, and violates disposal and reuse standards. Therefore, improving the settling properties of sludge helps produce an effluent with a quality that conforms to effluent standards, assuming all other conditions for good settling in the sedimentation tank are favorable. In this paper, seven chemicals that are all cationic polyelectrolytes were tested individually as additives to improve the settling properties of aeration tank effluent from a full‐scale wastewater treatment plant. Pilot settling columns designed and constructed at a local wastewater treatment plant were used in this project. Batch settling tests were performed on fresh activated sludge samples that were collected before the secondary sedimentation tank and mixed with different concentrations of the additives without cumulative additions. Each additive was accessed based on its particular sludge settling properties, that is, the shape of the settling curves, the values of the hindered zone settling rate or zone settling velocity, and the stirred sludge volume index. Each additive result was compared with the corresponding properties of a plain sludge sample collected on the same day and used as a control. Substantial and dissimilar improvements were obtained and are presented in the form of graphs and values using 92 settling runs. Shorter lag‐times, quicker descending speed of sludge‐water interface, higher descending distance, and lower stirred sludge volume indices values were attained with the use of these additives.
Changes in Antibiotic Resistance Patterns ofEscherichia coliduring Domestic Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Lefkowitz Jamie R. , Duran Metin
Published: September 2009

Changes in antibiotic resistance ofEscherichia coliin the different stages of conventional domestic wastewater treatment were investigated. Over two years, more than 3500E. coliisolates from four stages of the wastewater treatment process were tested for resistance to six different antibiotics. The percent resistance of bacteria from any of the stages was highly variable in different samples. Because of this variability, no statistically significant difference was found in the overall percent resistance ofE. colifrom influent to effluent. When comparing different stages within samples, however, there seemed to be an increase in resistance to ampicillin and amoxicillin between the raw influent and primary effluent. In addition, the percent of isolates with multiple antibiotic resistance, resistant to more than one and less than five antibiotics, and highly multiple antibiotic resistance, resistant to at least five antibiotics, increased through the treatment process.
Protective Role of Pterocarpus marsupium in Diabetes-Induced Hyperlipidemic Condition
Authors: Gupta Rajnish , Gupta R. S.
Published: September 2009

Pterocarpus marsupium (Family: Leguminoceae) is widely used in 'Ayurveda' as 'Rasayana' for management of various metabolic disorders including hyperlipidemia. Treatment of diabetic rats with methanol extracts of P. marsupium aerial part (PMMtE) for 14 days resulted significant alterations towards normalcy in serum glucose, lipid profile and tissue parameters (cholesterol and glycogen both in liver and heart). In conclusion, our present results suggest hypolipidemic effect of P. marsupium in hyperglycemic condition.
Evaluation of Strata NSC and Codman Hakim adjustable cerebrospinal fluid shunts and their corresponding antisiphon devices
Authors: Arnell Kai , Koskinen Lars-Owe D. , Malm Jan , Eklund Anders
Published: September 2009

Object

The authors investigated and compared the in vitro characteristics of 2 CSF shunts, the Strata NSC and the Codman Hakim, and their corresponding antisiphon devices (ASDs).

Methods

Six new CSF shunts and the corresponding ASDs for each model were tested in an automated, computerized experimental setup based on pressure regulation. Opening pressure accuracy, resistance, sensitivity to abdominal pressure, antisiphon effect, and the influence of different ASD positions were determined.

Results

In general the shunts performed according to the manufacturers' specifications. However, at the lowest setting, the opening pressure of the Strata NSC was close to 0, and in the Codman Hakim shunt, it was higher than specified. The resistance in the Codman Hakim shunt (5.4 mm Hg/ml/min) was much higher than that in the Strata NSC (3.6 mm Hg/ml/min). Abdominal pressure affected opening pressure in both valves. Positioning the Strata ASD above or below the ventricular catheter tip resulted in higher and lower opening pressures, respectively, than when it was placed in line with the catheter. The positioning of the Codman Hakim ASD did not influence the opening pressure.

Conclusions

Both CSF shunts work properly, but at the lowest setting the opening pressure of the Strata NSC was near 0 and in the Codman Hakim it was twice the manufacturer's specifications. The resistance in the Strata NSC was below the normal physiological range, and in the Codman Hakim device it was in the lower range of normal. The ASD did not change the shunt characteristics in the lying position and therefore might not do so in children. If this is the case, then a shunt system with an integrated ASD could be implanted at the first shunt insertion, thus avoiding a second operation and the possibility of infection.
Thoracic intramedullary arachnoid cyst in an infant
Authors: Medved Fabian , Seiz Marcel , Baur Marc-Oliver , Neumaier-Probst Eva , Tuettenberg Jochen
Published: September 2009

Symptomatic intramedullary arachnoid cysts are rare, especially in children; these lesions are rarely described as a cause of spinal cord compression in this age group. The authors report on an 18-month-old boy who experienced a sudden loss of his ability to stand and walk due to a paraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine exhibited a cystic intramedullary lesion at the level of T5–6. A hemilaminectomy was performed, and after myelotomy the cystic lesion was decompressed by fenestration to the subarachnoid space. The histopathological examination verified the diagnosis of an arachnoid cyst. In the postoperative course the boy experienced complete resolution of the initial paraparesis.