bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Error Analysis and Measurement Uncertainty for a Fiber Grating Strain-Temperature Sensor
Authors: Tang Jaw-Luen , Wang Jian-Neng
Published: July 2010

A fiber grating sensor capable of distinguishing between temperature and strain, using a reference and a dual-wavelength fiber Bragg grating, is presented. Error analysis and measurement uncertainty for this sensor are studied theoretically and experimentally. The measured root mean squared errors for temperature T and strain ε were estimated to be 0.13 °C and 6 με, respectively. The maximum errors for temperature and strain were calculated as 0.00155 T + 2.90 × 10−6 ε and 3.59 × 10−5 ε + 0.01887 T, respectively. Using the estimation of expanded uncertainty at 95% confidence level with a coverage factor of k = 2.205, temperature and strain measurement uncertainties were evaluated as 2.60 °C and 32.05 με, respectively. For the first time, to our knowledge, we have demonstrated the feasibility of estimating the measurement uncertainty for simultaneous strain-temperature sensing with such a fiber grating sensor.
An Efficient and Compact Difference-Frequency-Generation Spectrometer and Its Application to 12CH3D/12CH4 Isotope Ratio Measurements
Authors: Tsuji Kiyoshi , Teshima Hiroaki , Sasada Hiroyuki , Yoshida Naohiro
Published: July 2010

We have developed an efficient and compact 3.4 μm difference-frequency-generation spectrometer using a 1.55 μm distributed feedback (DFB) laser diode, a 1.06 μm DFB laser diode, and a ridge-waveguide periodically poled lithium niobate. It is continuously tunable in the 30 cm–1 span and is applied to 12CH3D/12CH4 isotope ratio measurements. The suitable pair of 12CH3D n4 pP(7,6) and 12CH4 ν2+ν4 R(6) F1(1) lines enabled us to determine their isotope ratio with a precision repeatability of 0.8‰ using a sample and a working standard of pure methane with an effective signal averaging time of 100 ms.
Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks: Current Trends and Future Directions
Authors: Almalkawi Islam T. , Guerrero Zapata Manel , Al-Karaki Jamal N. , Morillo-Pozo Julian
Published: July 2010

Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs) have emerged and shifted the focus from the typical scalar wireless sensor networks to networks with multimedia devices that are capable to retrieve video, audio, images, as well as scalar sensor data. WMSNs are able to deliver multimedia content due to the availability of inexpensive CMOS cameras and microphones coupled with the significant progress in distributed signal processing and multimedia source coding techniques. In this paper, we outline the design challenges of WMSNs, give a comprehensive discussion of the proposed architectures, algorithms and protocols for the different layers of the communication protocol stack for WMSNs, and evaluate the existing WMSN hardware and testbeds. The paper will give the reader a clear view of the state of the art at all aspects of this research area, and shed the light on its main current challenges and future trends. We also hope it will foster discussions and new research ideas among its researchers.
Developing an Ecosystem Services Online Decision Support Tool to Assess the Impacts of Climate Change and Urban Growth in the Santa Cruz Watershed; Where We Live, Work, and Play
Authors: Norman Laura , Tallent-Halsell Nita , Labiosa William , Weber Matt , McCoy Amy , Hirschboeck Katie , Callegary James , Van Riper Charles , Gray Floyd
Published: July 2010

Using respective strengths of the biological, physical, and social sciences, we are developing an online decision support tool, the Santa Cruz Watershed Ecosystem Portfolio Model (SCWEPM), to help promote the use of information relevant to water allocation and land management in a binational watershed along the U.S.-Mexico border. The SCWEPM will include an ES valuation system within a suite of linked regional driver-response models and will use a multicriteria scenario-evaluation framework that builds on GIS analysis and spatially-explicit models that characterize important ecological, economic, and societal endpoints and consequences that are sensitive to climate patterns, regional water budgets, and regional LULC change in the SCW.
Influence of Handling Practices on Material Recovery from Residential Solid Waste
Authors: Marmolejo Luis F. , Diaz Luis F. , Torres Patricia , García Mariela , Burbano Mary H. , Blanco Carolina , Erazo Katherine , Pereira Jairo F.
Published: July 2010

Material recovery from municipal solid waste (MSW) is becoming widely adopted in several developing countries. Residential solid waste is one of the most important components of MSW and the handling practices of the MSW by the generators have a major impact on the quality and quantity of the materials for recovery. This article analyzes the generation and composition of residential solid waste and the handling practices by users in three municipalities in Colombia that have a solid waste management plant (SWMP). The findings show that, although there are significant amounts of useful materials, their handling of the materials as “garbage”, the low recognition of recovery work, and the inadequate storage and source management practices, affect material recovery and the operation of SWMPs. These results may be taken as a reference for this type of municipality, because the solid waste management system and the type of operation of the SWMPs analyzed is similar to all of the SWMPs in the country as well as in other countries in the region.
Identification of Small Molecule Inhibitors of Clostridium perfringens ε-Toxin Cytotoxicity Using a Cell-Based High-Throughput Screen
Authors: Lewis Michelle , Weaver Charles David , McClain Mark S.
Published: July 2010

The Clostridium perfringens epsilon toxin, a select agent, is responsible for a severe, often fatal enterotoxemia characterized by edema in the heart, lungs, kidney, and brain. The toxin is believed to be an oligomeric pore-forming toxin. Currently, there is no effective therapy for countering the cytotoxic activity of the toxin in exposed individuals. Using a robust cell-based high-throughput screening (HTS) assay, we screened a 151,616-compound library for the ability to inhibit e-toxin-induced cytotoxicity. Survival of MDCK cells exposed to the toxin was assessed by addition of resazurin to detect metabolic activity in surviving cells. The hit rate for this screen was 0.6%. Following a secondary screen of each hit in triplicate and assays to eliminate false positives, we focused on three structurally-distinct compounds: an N-cycloalkylbenzamide, a furo[2,3-b]quinoline, and a 6H-anthra[1,9-cd]isoxazol. None of the three compounds appeared to inhibit toxin binding to cells or the ability of the toxin to form oligomeric complexes. Additional assays demonstrated that two of the inhibitory compounds inhibited ε-toxin-induced permeabilization of MDCK cells to propidium iodide. Furthermore, the two compounds exhibited inhibitory effects on cells pre-treated with toxin. Structural analogs of one of the inhibitors identified through the high-throughput screen were analyzed and provided initial structure-activity data. These compounds should serve as the basis for further structure-activity refinement that may lead to the development of effective anti-ε-toxin therapeutics.
siRNA for Influenza Therapy
Authors: Barik Sailen
Published: July 2010

Influenza virus is one of the most prevalent and ancient infections in humans. About a fifth of world's population is infected by influenza virus annually, leading to high morbidity and mortality, particularly in infants, the elderly and the immunocompromised. In the US alone, influenza outbreaks lead to roughly 30,000 deaths each year. Current vaccines and anti-influenza drugs are of limited use due to high mutation rate of the virus and side effects. In recent years, RNA interference, triggered by synthetic short interfering RNA (siRNA), has rapidly evolved as a potent antiviral regimen. Properly designed siRNAs have been shown to function as potent inhibitors of influenza virus replication. The siRNAs outperform traditional small molecule antivirals in a number of areas, such as ease of design, modest cost, and fast turnaround. Although specificity and tissue delivery remain major bottlenecks in the clinical applications of RNAi in general, intranasal application of siRNA against respiratory viruses including, but not limited to influenza virus, has experienced significant success and optimism, which is reviewed here.
X-ray and Neutron Diffraction in the Study of Organic Crystalline Hydrates
Authors: Fucke Katharina , Steed Jonathan W.
Published: July 2010

A review. Diffraction methods are a powerful tool to investigate the crystal structure of organic compounds in general and their hydrates in particular. The laboratory standard technique of single crystal X-ray diffraction gives information about the molecular conformation, packing and hydrogen bonding in the crystal structure, while powder X-ray diffraction on bulk material can trace hydration/dehydration processes and phase transitions under non-ambient conditions. Neutron diffraction is a valuable complementary technique to X-ray diffraction and gives highly accurate hydrogen atom positions due to the interaction of the radiation with the atomic nuclei. Although not yet often applied to organic hydrates, neutron single crystal and neutron powder diffraction give precise structural data on hydrogen bonding networks which will help explain why hydrates form in the first place.
PET surveillance of patients with Ewing sarcomas of the trunk
Authors: Dirksen U. , Weßling J. , Wenning C. , Stegger L. , Franzius C. , Juergens H. , Schober O. , Weckesser M. , Vrachimis A.
Published: July 2010

Aim: FDG-PET(/CT) is frequently used in surveillance of Ewing sarcoma (ES) patients. Since ES and PNET (primitive neuroectodermal tumours) may cause peripheral metastases some centers routinely recommend whole body PET acquisition from head to toe what may necessitate repositioning of the patient and thus extending examination time. It is not clear yet whether inclusion of lower leg adds to the diagnostic accuracy of PET scanning, especially in primary tumors of the trunk. Patients, method: 40 patients with ES and PNET of the trunk who were referred for surveillance after primary therapy with complete remission, were evaluated retrospectively: 27 men, 13 women; mean age at diagnosis 16.3 (3–35) years. At the time of diagnosis 28 patients had localized and 12 metastatic disease. Almost all of the patients had undergone a combined chemotherapy with surgery or/and radiotherapy. 156 follow-up PET scans of the legs of these patients were evaluated retrospectively. Results: Only in three (1.9%) of 156 scans a pathologic FDG accumulation was attributed to metastatic disease of the lower extremities. In these cases the observation of metastatic disease in the legs did not alter therapy, since in all three cases a multifocal disease progression was observed. Conclusion: Scanning of the lower legs may be omitted during follow-up in patients in whom the primary tumor was located in the trunk and in whom no clinical signs pointing to metastases in the lower legs are present. This provides a sufficient diagnostic power and a shorter examination time, thus increasing patient comfort and scanner availability.
Addition of lithiated enol ethers to nitrones and subsequent Lewis acid induced cyclizations to enantiopure 3,6-dihydro-2H-pyrans – an approach to carbohydrate mimetics
Authors: Pfrengle Fabian , Reissig Hans-Ulrich
Published: July 2010

A stereodivergent synthesis of enantiopure 3,6-dihydro-2H-pyrans is presented. The addition of lithiated enol ethers to carbohydrate-derived nitrones afforded syn- or anti-configured hydroxylamine derivatives 4a–d that were cyclized under Lewis acidic conditions to yield functionalized dihydropyrans cis- or trans-5a–d containing an enol ether moiety. This functional group was employed for a variety of subsequent reactions such as dihydroxylation or bromination. Bicyclic enol ether 19 was oxidatively cleaved to provide the highly functionalized ten-membered ring lactone 20. The synthesized enantiopure aminopyrans 24, 26, 28 and 30 can be regarded as carbohydrate mimetics. Trimeric versions of 24 and 28 were constructed via their attachment to a tricarboxylic acid core.
La deuda judía del nacional-catolicismo español y del nativismo vasco
Authors: Aranzadi Juan
Published: July 2010

Tras apuntar a los orígenes sociales y políticos del nacionalismo vasco en sus libros El milenarismo vasco (1981) y El escudo de Arquíloco (2001), el autor plantea aquí que la raíz histórica e ideológica última de la definición castiza, “religioso-racial”, de la identidad española (la que alcanza su expresión más extrema y acabada con el franquismo) es la misma que la de la etnicidad vizcaína a partir del siglo XVI. Esta raíz ha de buscarse en el pensamiento rabínico acerca de la identidad judía, surgido en el exilio babilónico tras la destrucción del reino de Judá en el siglo VI a. C., como revela una parte significativa del Antiguo Testamento.
La dialéctica Estado nacional vs. revitalización indianista en Bolivia
Authors: Villarías-Robles Juan J. R.
Published: July 2010

Desde comienzos de 2006, la república de Bolivia cuenta con el primer presidente indígena de su historia: el aymara Evo Morales, dirigente sindical y cabeza de lista del llamado “Movimiento al Socialismo” (MAS). Su ascensión política, victoria electoral y programa de gobierno han llamado mucho la atención de los medios informativos internacionales y han sido objeto de valiosos análisis políticos y sociológicos. Desde la perspectiva de una antropología comparada, el proceso se ajusta bien, en el contexto cultural andino, a lo que Anthony Wallace llamara un “movimiento de revitalización”, desencadenado por la convergencia, en un periodo de crisis iniciado en 1997, de varias condiciones estructurales de duración histórica variable en Bolivia como proyecto nacional.
Castilla y León, un territorio cuestionado: Retóricas del espacio y del tiempo en la construcción de identidades
Authors: Díaz Viana Luis
Published: July 2010

En la construcción de identidades en el presente se suele traer a colación el tiempo —lo que se fue en el pasado— a la vez que se reclama un espacio —lo que se debería ser hoy en términos de territorialidad—. Sin ser ésta una característica exclusiva de las identidades que se reivindican dentro de España, parece claro que sí se trata de una estrategia empleada con particular intensidad aquí, una vez se produjo la transición política tras el franquismo. Pero, dentro de este panorama, se esgrimirían dos retóricas distintas y hasta opuestas de reconquista del ayer: una histórica y otra mítica. Según la primera, habría que volver a ser y tener lo que se fue y tuvo en algún momento del pasado. Según la segunda, se reivindicaría volver a ser lo que —supuestamente— siempre se fue como pueblo, aunque nunca esa aspiración de identidad hubiera llegado a tener traducción territorial clara ni comprobación documental. ¿Cuál es el caso en la Comunidad Autónoma de Castilla y León? Los estereotipos que a menudo ofrecen de Castilla (el componente clave en la Comunidad) políticos, analistas y escritores hablan de un territorio cuestionado y de un pueblo que parece desentendido o ignorante de sí mismo. El autor aborda y, en cierto modo, deconstruye estos estereotipos (mitad cultos y mitad populares), intentando desentrañar —además— otras claves para mejor comprender esa aparente “falta de identidad” o “de consciencia regional” que se achaca a lo castellano y los castellanos.
Technical Note: Vapor pressure estimation methods applied to secondary organic aerosol constituents from α-pinene oxidation: an intercomparison study
Authors: Compernolle S. , Ceulemans K. , Müller J.-F.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. We applied and compared seven vapor pressure estimation methods to the condensable compounds generated in the oxidation of α-pinene, as described by the state-of-the-art mechanism of the BOREAM model Capouet et al., 2008. Several of these methods had to be extended in order to treat functional groups such as hydroperoxides and peroxy acyl nitrates. Large differences in the estimated vapor pressures are reported, which will inevitably lead to large differences in aerosol formation simulations. Cautioning remarks are given for some vapor pressure estimation methods.
The effect of metal salts on quantification of elemental and organic carbon in diesel exhaust particles using thermal-optical evolved gas analysis
Authors: Wang Y. , Chung A. , Paulson S. E.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. Thermal-optical evolved gas analysis (TOEGA) is a conventional method for classifying carbonaceous aerosols as organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC). Its main source of uncertainty arises from accounting for pyrolyzed OC (char), which has similar behavior to the EC originally present on the filter. Sample composition can also cause error, at least partly by complicating the charred carbon correction. In this study, lab generated metal salt particles, including alkali (NaCl, KCl, Na2SO4), alkaline-earth (MgCl2, CaCl2) and transition metal salts (CuCl2, FeCl2, FeCl3, CuCl, ZnCl2, MnCl2, CuSO4, Fe2(SO4)3), were deposited on a layer of diesel particles to investigate their effect on EC and OC quantification with TOEGA. Measurements show that metals reduce the oxidation temperature of EC and enhance the charring of OC. The split point used to determine classification of EC vs. OC is more dependent on changes in EC oxidation temperature than it was on charring. The resulting EC/OC ratio is reduced by 0–80% in the presence of most of the salts, although some metal salts increased reported EC/OC at low metal to carbon ratios. In general, transition metals are more active than alkali and alkaline-earth metals; copper is the most active. Copper and iron chlorides are more active than sulfates. The melting point of metal salts is strongly correlated with the increase of OC charring, but not with the reduction of EC oxidation temperature. Other chemistry, such as redox reactions, may affect the EC oxidation. A brief discussion of possible catalytic mechanisms for the metals is provided.
Suppression of warm rain by aerosols in rain-shadow areas of India
Authors: Konwar M. , Maheskumar R. S. , Kulkarni J. R. , Freud E. , Goswami B. N. , Rosenfeld D.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. Aircraft observations of clouds and aerosols were conducted during the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) executed by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology over the Indian subcontinent during the period of May–September 2009. Existence of aerosol layer with large concentrations of cloud drop condensation nuclei extended up to heights of 4 to 5 km was observed over the rain shadow areas to the east of the Western Ghats over central India. The thick aerosol layers were observed to suppress the formation of warm rain in convective clouds up to heights of about 7 km, where mixed phase precipitation formed. This prevented clouds that did not exceed this height from precipitating significantly. This might invigorate the very deep clouds on expense of the smaller clouds. The aerosol radiative effects are suspected to decrease the surface heating and hence the available energy for propelling the convection. The net effect of the aerosols on the rainfall amounts is unknown due to the complexity of the effect, but it is suspected to be detrimental in an area where the rainfall is critical to the livelihood of the inhabitants. This requires continuation of this research.
Synergy between CALIOP and MODIS instruments for aerosol monitoring: application to the Po Valley
Authors: Royer P. , Raut J.-C. , Ajello G. , Berthier S. , Chazette P.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. In this study aerosol optical properties are studied over the Po Valley from June 2006 to February 2009 using Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations/Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIPSO/CALIOP) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard Aqua and Terra. The choice of the Po valley has been driven by the numerous occurrences of pollutant events leading to a mean MODIS-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) of 0.27 (±0.17) at 550 nm over a large area of ~120 000 km2. AOD derived from MODIS, AERONET and CALIOP have been compared. The comparison with AERONET sun-photometers has highlighted an overestimation of AOD from MODIS radiometers of 0.047 for Aqua and 0.088 for Terra. A systematic underestimation of AOD derived from CALIOP Level-2 products has been observed in comparison to Aqua (0.060) and Terra (0.075) MODIS values. Considering those discrepancies a synergistic approach combining CALIOP level-1 data and MODIS AOD has been developed for the first time over land to retrieve the equivalent extinction-to-backscatter ratio at 532 nm (LR). MODIS-derived AOD were indeed used to constrain CALIOP profiles inversion. A significant number of CALIOP level-1 vertical profiles have been averaged (~200 individual laser shots) in the Po Valley, leading to a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) higher than 10 in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), which is sufficient to invert the mean lidar profiles. The mean LR (together with the associated variabilities) over the Po Valley retrieved from the coupling between CALIOP/MODIS-Aqua and CALIOP/MODIS-Terra are ~78±22 sr and ~86±27 sr, respectively. The total uncertainty on LR retrieval has been assessed to be ~12 sr using a Monte Carlo approach. The mean LR determined from a look-up table through a selection algorithm in CALIOP level 2 operational products (~63±8 sr) show a good agreement for daytime inversion (70±11 sr for Aqua and 74±14 sr for Terra). These values appear close to what is expected for pollution aerosols in an urban area. Contrarily large differences are observed when considering nighttime CALIOP profiles inverted with daytime AOD from MODIS (63±7 sr for CALIOP level-2 compared with 89±28 sr for CALIOP/Aqua and 103±32 sr for CALIOP/Terra synergies). They can be explained by a significant evolution of AOD between lidar and radiometer passing times. In most of cases, the mean aerosol extinction coefficient in the PBL significantly differs between the level-2 operational products and the result CALIPSO/MODIS synergy results. Mean differences of 0.10 km−1 (~50%) and 0.13 km−1 (~60%) have indeed been calculated using MODIS-Aqua/CALIOP and MODIS-Terra/CALIOP coupling studies, respectively. Such differences may be due to the identification of the aerosol model by the operational algorithm and thus to the choice of the LR.
Simulation of the snowmelt runoff contributing area in a small alpine basin
Authors: DeBeer C. M. , Pomeroy J. W.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. Simulation of areal snowmelt and snowcover depletion over time can be carried out by applying point-scale melt rate computations to distributions of snow water equivalent (SWE). In alpine basins, this can be done by considering these processes separately on individual slope units. However, differences in melt timing and rates arise at smaller spatial scales due to the variability in SWE and snowpack cold content, which affects the timing of melt initiation, depletion of the snowcover and spatial extent of the snowmelt runoff contributing area (SRCA). This study examined the effects of variability in SWE, internal energy and applied melt energy on melt rates and timing, and snowcover depletion in a small cold regions alpine basin over various scales ranging from point to basin. Melt rate computations were performed using a physically based energy balance snowmelt routine (Snobal) in the Cold Regions Hydrological Model (CRHM) and compared with measurements at 3 meteorological stations over a ridge within the basin. At the point scale, a negative association between daily melt rates and SWE was observed in the early melt period, with deeper snow requiring greater energy inputs to initiate melt. SWE distributions over the basin (stratified by slope) were measured using snow surveys and repeat LiDAR depth estimates, and used together with computed melt rates to simulate the areal snowcover depletion. Comparison with observations from georeferenced oblique photographs showed an improvement in simulated areal snowcover depletion curves when accounting for the variability in melt rate with depth of SWE in the early melt period. Finally, the SRCA was characterized as the product of the snowcovered area and the fraction of the SWE distribution undergoing active melt and producing an appreciable runoff quantity on each slope unit. Results for each slope were then aggregated to give the basin scale SRCA. The SRCA is controlled by the variability of melt amongst slope units and over individual SWE distributions, the variability of SWE, and the resulting snowcover depletion patterns over the basin.
Stochastic rainfall analysis for storm tank performance evaluation
Authors: Andrés-Doménech I. , Montanari A. , Marco J. B.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. Stormwater detention tanks are widely used for mitigating impacts of combined sewer overflows (CSO) from urban catchments into receiving water bodies. The optimal size of detention tanks depends on climate and sewer system behaviours and can be estimated by using derived distribution approaches. They are based on using a stochastic model to fit the statistical pattern of observed rainfall records and a urban hydrology model to transform rainfall in sewer discharge. A key issue is the identification of the optimal structure of the stochastic rainfall model. Point processes are frequently applied, where rainfall events are schematised through the occurrence of rectangular pulses, which are governed by rainfall descriptors. In the presented model these latter descriptors are the interevent time (duration of the dry period between consecutive storms), event rainfall depth and event rainfall duration. This paper focuses on the analytical derivation of the probability distribution of the number and volume of overflows from the storm tank to the receiving water body for different and non-standard shapes of the probability distribution for above mentioned descriptors. The proposed approach is applied to 2 different sites in Spain: Valencia and Santander, located on the Mediterranean and northern Atlantic coastline, respectively. For both cases, it turned out that Pareto and Gamma-2 probability distributions for rainfall depth and duration provided a better fit than the exponential model, widely used in previous studies. A comparison between the two climatic zones, humid and semiarid, respectively, proves the key role played by climatic conditions for storm detention tanks sizing.
Stability and forcing of the Iceland-Faroe inflow of water, heat, and salt to the Arctic
Authors: Hansen B. , Hátún H. , Kristiansen R. , Olsen S. M. , Østerhus S.
Published: July 2010

Abstract. The flow of Atlantic water across the Greenland-Scotland Ridge (Atlantic inflow) is critical for conditions in the Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean by importing heat and salt. Here, we present a decade-long series of measurements from the Iceland-Faroe inflow branch (IF-inflow), which carries almost half the total Atlantic inflow. The observations show no significant trend in volume transport of Atlantic water, but temperature and salinity increased during the observational period. On shorter time scales, the observations show considerable variations but no statistically significant seasonal variation is observed and even weekly averaged transport values were consistently uni-directional from the Atlantic into the Nordic Seas. Combining transport time-series with sea level height from satellite altimetry and wind stress reveals that the force driving the IF-inflow across the topographic barrier of the Ridge is mainly generated by a pressure gradient that is due to a continuously maintained low sea level in the Southern Nordic Seas. This links the IF-inflow to the estuarine and thermohaline processes that generate outflow from the Nordic Seas and lower its sea level. The IF-inflow is an important component of the system coupling the Arctic region to the North Atlantic through the thermohaline circulation, which has been predicted to weaken in the 21st century. Our observations show no indication of weakening, as yet.
Outcomes in recent‐onset inflammatory polyarthritis differ according to initial titers, persistence over time, and specificity of the autoantibodies
Authors: Guzian Marie‐Caroline , Carrier Nathalie , Cossette Pierre , de Brum‐Fernandes Artur J. , Liang Patrick , Ménard Henri‐A. , Boire Gilles
Published: July 2010

Objective

To prospectively evaluate the predictive value of initial titers and subsequent variations of 3 rheumatoid arthritis–associated antibodies for outcomes at 30 months in patients with recent‐onset polyarthritis.

Methods

IgM rheumatoid factor (RF), anti‐Sa (citrullinated vimentin) antibodies, anti–cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 (anti–CCP‐2) antibodies, modified Health Assessment Questionnaire score, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, and Sharp/van der Heijde radiologic scores were determined at baseline and at 18 and 30 months in a cohort of consecutive HLA–DR‐typed treated patients with recent‐onset polyarthritis aiming at remission.

Results

At inclusion, 113 (44.7%), 58 (22.9%), and 97 (38.3%) of 253 recent‐onset polyarthritis patients were positive for RF, anti‐Sa, and anti–CCP‐2, respectively; at 30 months, 85 (33.6%), 31 (12.4%), and 100 (39.5%) patients were similarly positive. A low titer of any particular antibody was associated with higher risks for seroreversion. Similar to their persistent absence, reversion of RF and anti–CCP‐2 was associated with low risks for severity. Patients who acquired RF or anti–CCP‐2 after inclusion trended toward a poor prognosis. Relative to RF and anti–CCP‐2 antibodies, only the presence of anti‐Sa at inclusion, especially at higher titers and even when it subsequently disappeared, significantly predicted more rapid radiographic damage and lower remission rates at 30 months.

Conclusion

In treated recent‐onset polyarthritis, anti–CCP‐2 prevalence is stable or increases slightly, whereas anti‐Sa and RF frequently disappear. Subsequent reversion and conversion of RF and anti–CCP‐2 blur the prognostic significance of initial RF and anti–CCP‐2 positivity. Of the 3 antibodies, only anti‐Sa, even if it disappears afterward, independently predicts severe outcomes.
On Design Engineering
Authors: Kara Hanif
Published: July 2010

London‐based Adams Kara Taylor (AKT) is one of the most innovative design‐led structural and civil engineering practices in the UK. Seeking out creative collaborations with leading architectural firms and schools of architecture and design internationally, it has, as Hanif Kara, Co‐Founder and Director at AKT, explains, developed a holistic approach in which architecture and engineering converge. Here Kara defines the emerging methods of ‘design engineering’, emphasising the importance of early input at the conceptualisation stage and research over even the contribution of digital technologies. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Heinz Isler's Infinite Spectrum: Form‐Finding in Design
Authors: Chilton John
Published: July 2010

Heinz Isler (1926‐2009), the Swiss designer renowned for his shell structures, was extraordinary for his innovative and exacting work. He directly produced physical models by hand in order to not only create design prototypes, but also to generate scaled‐up measurements for construction. John Chilton describes how Isler successfully applied the principle of the inverted catenary arch, which was first pioneered by Robert Hooke in Sir Christopher Wren's St Paul's Cathedral in the 17th century, to thin membrane structures in three dimensions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Return of the Future: A Second Go at Robotic Construction
Authors: Bechthold Martin
Published: July 2010

The last few years have witnessed a robotic revival with a reinvigoration of interest in what the robot can offer the construction industry. Martin Bechthold looks back at the first robotic boom during the 1980s and 1990s when millions of Japanese yen were invested in developing robots that could address the shortage of construction labour. Bechthold further explores the similarities and dissimilarities of the current and previous periods of activity, as supported by his research at Harvard's Graduate School of Design (GSD). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation and Memory Performance of a Nanoaggregated Dispersed Red 1‐Functionalized Poly (N‐vinylcarbazole) Film via Solution‐Phase Self‐Assembly
Authors: Zhuang Xiao‐Dong , Chen Yu , Liu Gang , Zhang Bin , Neoh Koon‐Gee , Kang En‐Tang , Zhu Chun‐Xiang , Li Yong‐Xi , Niu Li‐Juan
Published: July 2010

A nanoaggregated dispersed red 1‐grafted poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) (abbreviated PVDR) is self‐assembled via π–π stacking interactions of the carbazole groups in the polymer system after adding a solution of PVDR in N,N‐dimethylformamide to dichloromethane. Upon self‐assembly, the nanoaggregated PVDR film displays helical columnar stacks with large grain sizes, whereas a non‐aggregated PVDR film exhibits an amorphous morphology with smaller grain size. A write‐once read‐many‐times (WORM) memory device is shown whereby a pre‐assembled solution of PVDR is spin‐coated as the active layer and is sandwiched between an aluminum electrode and an indium‐tin‐oxide (ITO) electrode. This device shows very good memory performance, with an ON/OFF current ratio of more than 105 and a low misreading rate through the precise control of the ON and OFF states. The stability of the nanoaggregated PVDR device is much higher than that of the non‐nanoaggregated PVDR device. This difference in device stability under constant voltage stress can be mainly attributed to the difference in the film crystallinity and surface morphology. No degradation in current density was observed for the ON‐ and OFF‐states after more than one hundred million (108) continuous read cycles indicating that both states were insensitive to the read cycles. These results render the nanoaggregated PVDR polymer as promising components for high‐performance polymer memory devices.
Numerical simulation of cavity roughness effects on melt filling in microinjection molding
Authors: Ong N. S. , Zhang H. L. , Lam Y. C.
Published: July 2010

In microinjection molding, when dimensions of molded parts, and thus the cavity are small, cavity roughness may become significant for the filling of polymer melt. In this paper, cavity roughness effects on filling polymer melt flow into a thin circular cavity were investigated numerically with the aid of a newly developed inlet‐velocity iterative procedure. The roughness effects for different mold and melt temperatures, cavity thicknesses, and injection rates were investigated. The trends predicted by the numerical simulation are in good agreement with those obtained from the experiment. When the surface roughness approaches a significant portion (e.g., 10%) of the cavity thickness, the effect of surface roughness becomes extremely pronounced especially at lower mold temperatures and injection velocities. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 27:89–97, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20118
Cohesive‐driven particle circulation in the solids conveying zone of a single‐screw extruder
Authors: Thompson Michael R. , Al Otaibi Abdullah S. , Sun Junfeng
Published: July 2010

Aspects of heat transfer within the solids conveying zone of a single‐screw extruder were studied by using a specially constructed drum testing apparatus. Experiments were conducted with linear low‐density polyethylene, polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP) samples by examining their transient temperature profile while the heated drum was stationary or moving. In accordance with classic solids conveying theory, the granular beds of PP and PS remained as plugs while the drum rotated. In such cases, the dominant modes of heat transfer for these systems are conduction through the contact area of a particle and conduction through the interstitial gas. An exception to this behavior was found with PE, in which the bed temperature increased more rapidly while the drum rotated. Visual observations of the bed showed that the particles circulated in the presence of shear and that this complex flow pattern increased in velocity as the drum temperature approached the onset temperature for melting the PE material. With strong correlation between the rate of circulation and the temperature rise in the bed, the movement of particles was assumed to act in a convective heat transfer mode bringing about more uniform heating of the polymer. The circulation phenomenon was attributed to dominant adhesive forces at the particle–drum interface overcoming the cohesive strength of the bulk. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 27:74–88, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20121
Kinetics of the direct sulfation of limestone at the initial stage of crystal growth of the solid product
Authors: Hu Guilin , Dam‐Johansen Kim , Wedel Stig
Published: July 2010

The direct sulfation of limestone was studied in a quartz bench scale fixed‐bed reactor with the technique of data deconvolution. The obtained results show that the direct sulfation of limestone has a two‐period kinetic behavior: a short initial sulfation period with high but fast decreasing reaction rate and a subsequent period with product crystal growth with low‐conversion rate. The transition from the first period to the second period is sharp and indicates clearly the start point of the period with product crystal growth. The transition point was determined by the concentrations of gases such as SO2, O2, and CO2 and the temperature. The sulfation process in the initial stage of the period with product crystal growth can be described by the combination of the sulfation reaction at the gas–solid interface, diffusion of the product ions toward the product crystal grains, diffusion of carbonate ions toward the gas–solid interface to react, and the gradual shielding of calcite surface area by the product crystal grains. A simple and semi‐empirical mathematical model derived on basis of this theory gives a satisfactory description of the experimental results up to a calcite conversion of about 0.5%. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: Recovery after splenectomy associated with persistence of abnormally large von willebrand factor multimers
Authors: Rowe Jacob M. , Francis Charles W. , Cyran Elizabeth M. , Marder Victor J.
Published: July 2010

A patient with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) responded transiently to four courses of plasma exchange therapy, then subsequently had a sustained completed remission following splenectomy. The von Willebrand factor multimeric pattern during remission following each plasma exchange and during the entire postsplenectomy period showed abnormally large forms that were not present on presentation and with each clinical relapse. These findings support prior observations regarding the presence of abnormal von Willebrand factor multimers in relapsing TTP and suggest that the multimers contribute to platelet aggregation and the thrombotic lesions. The association of sustained remission and persistence of the abnormally large plasma multimers after splenectomy suggests that this response was not coincidental. This supports the concept that a subgroup of patients with TTP may exist in which the pathophysiology of disease is significantly modulated by the spleen and in which splenectomy may induce long‐lasting remission.
Obelionic cranial deformation in the Puebloan Southwest
Authors: Nelson Greg C. , Madimenos Felicia C.
Published: July 2010

As a form of cranial deformation, obelionic flattening is rare. Originally named and described by Stewart (J Wash Acad Sci 29 (1939) 460–465), based on a small sample from Florida, it has been little noted since. Previously [Nelson and Madimenos, Paper presented at the Paleopathology Association annual meeting (2007)], we reported the discovery of two individuals from the Pueblo III Gallina site of Cañada Simon I who exhibit flattening of this type. Although technically undescribed in the Southwest before now, there are tantalizing clues in the literature that it occurred in low frequencies throughout the Ancestral Pueblo world. To determine whether the obelionic flattening found at Cañada Simon I was isolated or an indication of a more widespread phenomenon, we undertook a survey of crania from other Gallina sites, Chaco Canyon, and the literature (type of deformation can be determined on lateral photographs of crania properly positioned along the Frankfort Horizontal). We examined 146 crania (78 firsthand) of which seven exhibit obelionic flattening. Our results indicate that obelionic flattening should be added to the suite of cranial deformations that occur in the Southwest. Here, we propose parameters by which obelionic flattening can be described and differentiated from the more common lambdoidal and occipital forms and suggest that the three types of flattening form a continuum of cradleboard induced deformation, although the exact mechanism for obelionic flattening remains elusive. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Brief communication: Facial fluctuating asymmetry as a marker of sex differences of the response to phenotypic stresses
Authors: Özener Barış
Published: July 2010

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) is thought to increase as a result of environmental perturbations during development. A number of studies involving measures of health and developmental stability other than FA have discussed the presumed increased buffering in females relative to males. But, there is little evidence in the literature on FA to support this hypothesis. This research was conducted to determine the level of difference in terms of facial FA between sexes under different environmental conditions. Group 1 included final year students from three high schools in Yenimahalle, a slum district of Ankara (males:N= 163, mean age = 17.55, sd = 0.50; females:N= 141, mean age = 17.48, sd = 0.38). Group 2 included students with higher socioeconomic background and was composed of final year students from three different private schools located in Cankaya (N= 171, mean age = 17.44, sd = 0.26; females:N= 152, mean age = 17.38, sd = 0.31). Digital images were used to assess the degree of facial asymmetry as measured from eight paired traits and calculated as a composite score. The study shows that the male students had higher facial asymmetry than the female students. However, the present difference reaches a significant level in the low‐socioeconomic status group. As a result, it could be inferred that differences in developmental stability between sexes might emerge under stressful conditions. Am J Phys Anthropol 143:321–324, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synthesis of di‐nitrogen Schiff base complexes of methyltrioxorhenium(VII) and their application in epoxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide as oxidant
Authors: Gao Yu , Zhang Yuecheng , Qiu Chuanjiang , Zhao Jiquan
Published: July 2010

Several di‐nitrogen Schiff bases were synthesized through the condensation of 2‐pyridinecarboxaldehyde with primary amines. The Schiff bases as ligands coordinated with methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) smoothly to afford the correspondent complexes which were characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS and elemental analysis. One of the complexes was analyzed by X‐ray crystallography as well. The results revealed that the complexes display distorted octahedral geometry in the solid state with a trans‐position of Schiff base. Catalytic results indicated that the complexes as catalysts increased the selectivity of epoxides remarkably compared with MTO in the epoxidation of alkenes with 30% hydrogen peroxide as oxidant and the increasing rate depended on the structure of the Schiff base ligands of the complexes. The results indicated that the stronger the donating ability of the ligand, the higher selectivity of epoxides the complex gave in the epoxidation of alkenes with 30% hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enriching chromium(III) from dilute aqueous stream via liquid emulsion membrane process
Authors: Mehta Rilesh M. , Mahajani Vijaykumar V.
Published: July 2010

Wastewaters from many industrial processes often contain chromium(III) and chromium(VI) from metallurgical operations is highly toxic. The liquid emulsion membrane (LEM) process performs extraction and stripping simultaneously (eliminating the stripper entirely); this process intensification provides a significant increase in interfacial area for mass transfer. LEM process has been used for the enrichment of Cr(VI), but there is very little published information for the enrichment of Cr(III). In this study, the extraction and enrichment of chromium(III), using di‐2‐ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) in dodecane was carried out via the LEM process with aqueous methane sulfonic acid (MSA) as the strip phase. The complexation stoichiometric coefficient and equilibrium constant were measured by conventional liquid–liquid extraction studies. Emulsion preparation parameters, such as carrier concentration, surfactant concentration, and internal strip phase (MSA) concentration, were determined in order to obtain the maximum extraction and enrichment. The influence of operating process parameters on the performance of the LEM process, i.e. residence time, speed of agitation and treat ratio (TR), were studied. It was found that 83% extraction and nearly nine times enrichment of chromium(III) was obtained within 6 min of residence time at 400 rpm and 1:10 TR. A simple, but practical, model was developed in order to assist process design studies. Copyright © 2010 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electric fatigue of ceramic–polymer composite film under cyclic electric field
Authors: Fang F. , Yang W. , Zhang M. Z. , Wang Z.
Published: July 2010

Electric fatigue under cyclic electric loading was characterized for 0–3 composite film with particles of barium titanate dispersed in poly(vinylidene fluoride‐trifluoroethylene) copolymer matrix. The data reveal that both remanant polarization and coercive field decrease as the cycle number increases. Scanning electron microscope observation and X‐ray diffraction analysis were carried out to examine the morphology and microstructure change during the electric field cycling. On cyclic electric field, large quantities of flaw‐like defects occur and the crystallites grow in size, leading to reduction of interfacial layers between the crystalline and amorphous regions. The relationship between the microstructure evolution and the polarization behavior is discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Mechanochemical preparation of a novel polymeric photostabilizer for poly(vinyl chloride)
Authors: Zhang Xiaofei , Zhao Tianbao , Pi Hong , Guo Shaoyun
Published: July 2010

The preparation of a novel polymeric photostabilizer was carried out via the vibromilling of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) powder, a reactive light stabilizer (r‐LS), and a peroxide initiator in ball‐containing jars with a planetary ball mill for a certain time. The effects of the initiator content, milling time, and temperature on the grafting ratio were studied with gravimetric analysis and intrinsic viscosity measurements. Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet–visible spectra were used to investigate the structural development of the mixture of the r‐LS and PVC during vibromilling. The results showed that the r‐LS was grafted onto PVC chains successfully, and the aforementioned factors had a significant effect on the grafting ratio. The optimum preparation conditions were 0.5 wt % initiator, 8 h, and 20°C. A grafting mechanism is proposed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010