bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disabled Characters in Literature : An Exploration
Authors: Khanam Roxana
Published: January 2024

Literature has very often been enriched with disabled characters having multidimensional forms and fashions. Literature picks various characters; some possess superhuman qualities with mythical stature, some are normally able people and some are disabled persons. From time immemorial, literature, both oral and written has been invested with disabled characters, their physical pains, sufferings, their mental agonies as well. Besides, literature has also canvassed how these disabled characters have been maltreated in different levels and how they overcome the unfriendly social, religious and cultural prejudices and other issues. They are differently able people. Through the supreme creative brilliance of the writer, some of the disabled characters become an inspiring model for the real life people. Along with normal characters the fictional characters try to create spaces of their own in stories, try to overcome the hurdles and obstacles imposed on them. Some have overcome their problems and proved their worth as they are especially able in another field. Some fictional characters have been seen to crush out for their struggle for existence and accepted their sorrowing destiny. But, the fictional space or position accorded to such characters has never been the same as that of other normal characters projected in literature or in real life situation. In many times, they are presented antithetically or as derivatives to the normal characters surviving at the periphery of the world of the normal beings. This paper tries to search out how these physically challenged characters have been projected in literature in different times in different countries along with the societal attitudes towards persons with disability. This paper also focuses on how various factors like gender, education, religion, occupation, income, nationality have a significant impact on the life of the disabled characters in literature.
Mental Health Status in Relation to Happiness and Depression
Authors: Md Azizul Islam Abu Syed
Published: January 2024

The purposes of the present study are twofold : (i) Investigating the relationship between happiness and mental health; (ii) and finding the relationship between depression and mental health. The data was collected from 120 students who were purposively selected from different universities. The instruments used in this study were personal information questionnaire, Bangla version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) of Goldberg (1972), Bangla version of Happiness questionnaire (Hills & Argle, 2002), Bangla version of Depression Scale (Uddin & Rahman, 2005). The result showed that there is a significant positive correlation between happiness and mental health, and negative correlation between depression and mental health.
Synthesis of Fibrin Clot from Fibrinogen Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) for Scaffold Applications
Authors: Rahman Siti Fauziyah
Published: January 2024

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which contains fibrinogen, is activated by the addition of thrombin and calcium chloride to create fibrin clots. Fibrin is a natural biopolymer that can be applied for medical applications. This study aims to synthesize fibrin clots from fibrinogen platelet-rich plasma for scaffold applications. The optimum amount of fibrin clot can be obtained by varying the ratio of PRP to a mixture of CaCl2 with the variation of 9:1, 10:1, and 11:1. The highest fibrin clot produced was 5.925 ml with 5.5% CaCl2.
Performance Evaluation of QUIC Protocol in Message Replication Overhead in PBFT Consensus using NS-3
Authors: Habibi Thio Lutfi , Sari Riri Fitri
Published: January 2024

The development of protocols in the ICT world to increase reliability and speed in data traffic gave an inspiration to a new protocol called the QUIC protocol. The QUIC protocol is expected to improve the performance of Transport Control Protocol (TCP). In addition, developments also occur in blockchain technology where the protocol used in this technology still uses the existing TCP protocol. In this paper, we aimed to research whether the QUIC protocol implementation in blockchain infrastructure could improve the performance of the blockchain infrastructure itself, in terms of the time required for transactions. We focus on conducting research to measure the overhead time reduction of Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) consensus by implementing the QUIC protocol, the consensus propagation process is a crucial phase in Blockchain. For simulation we used NS-3 discrete simulation environment to conduct scenario and our simulation result showed that the QUIC Protocol have potential significant performance compared to TCP Protocol in large datasets, on the other hand QUIC protocols have more room for improvement by implementing appropriate congestion algorithms.
Android Security: Malware Detection with Convolutional Neural Network and Feature Analysis
Authors: Sharipuddin  , Putra Rafi Septiandi , Aulia M. Farhan , Maulana Sayid Achmad , Jusia Pareza Alam
Published: January 2024

Android is a mobile operating system based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open-source tools. Due to its system efficiency and the multitude of features it offers to users, the Android operating system has taken a leading position in the technology market and often attracts the attention of cybercriminals. As malware continues to evolve, traditional methods for detecting Android malware, such as signature-based approaches, may not be sufficient to detect the latest malware threats. Therefore, this research proposes a deep learning algorithm, specifically Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Component Analysis (PCA), for feature extraction to enhance the accuracy of Android malware detection. The dataset used in this study is the CICAndMal2017 dataset. Testing results are evaluated using three parameters: accuracy, precision, and recall. Experimental results indicate that our deep learning approach outperforms many other methods with an accuracy of 91%.
Analysis Of User Satisfaction On Edmodo And E-Learning In Higher Education Student Using Kano Method
Authors: Pranata Erika , Sutoyo Mochammad Arief Hermawan , Veronica Sheila , Natalie Sherly , Wijaya Tiara Vinsky , Mahendra Vimaladevie
Published: January 2024

The Edmodo application and E-learning are learning facilities at University Y in Jambi to anticipate face-to-face learning that has the potential to increase the spread of the virus through direct/face-to-face interactions between lecturer and student. The purpose is to present the value from user satisfaction, determine the effect of application quality and provide suggestions regarding the Edmodo application and university Y E-learning to increase user satisfaction. The method used by the author is the Kano method. Kano's method is a method that identifies user needs and expectations through preference classification techniques. The purpose of the Kano method is to classify the attributes of a product or service by looking at the level of satisfaction and fulfillment of customer needs for the product or services offered. The data was taken by distributing questionnaires made with google forms which have been distributed online and got 58 respondents who are users of the Edmodo application and university Y E-learning. The results of calculations between these two e-learning applications are in the Indifferent phase which means these customers are indifferent to the feature, and do not care about the presence of the feature so that it does not make a significant difference in product satisfaction reaction. In the Edmodo application, students were most satisfied in the easy-to-learn application category and most dissatisfied in the satisfactory display category. As for the university Y E-learning, students were most satisfied in the trustworthy privacy category and the least satisfied in the recommended category.
Giant cerebellar cavernous malformation in children: A case report and literature review
Authors: Akramov Olim Zaribovich , Nazarova Lilia Aleksandrovna , Kurbanov Fuat Mukadasavoch , Tashmatov Sukhrob Abdurashibovich , Rakhimov Ikrom Ismatovich , Usmankhanov Odilkhon Ayubxanovich , Chaurasia Bipin
Published: January 2024

Giant cerebellar cavernomas in children are rare and must be differentiated from hemorrhagic cerebellar tumors. The diagnosis and treatment of giant cerebellar cavernomas is challenging, but complete surgical resection can lead to favorable outcomes and complete neurological recovery in most cases. We present a case of eight months old baby who was diagnosed with a giant cavernoma resulting in secondary obstructive hydrocephalus with neuropsychiatric presentations. The patient underwent a paramedian craniotomy surgery with a suboccipital approach and complete surgical resection of the cavernoma was done. Over nine months of observation, the child showed improvement in their ability to walk and fully recovered from a neurological perspective. We also conducted a literature review to identify eleven cases of giant cerebellar cavernomas in children, including our case. The data were analyzed to determine the clinical features, treatment, and outcomes of giant cerebellar cavernomas in children.
A preclinical model of THC edibles that produces high-dose cannabimimetic responses
Authors: English Anthony , Uittenbogaard Fleur , Torrens Alexa , Sarroza Dennis , Slaven Anna Veronica Elizabeth , Piomelli Daniele , Bruchas Michael R , Stella Nephi , Land Benjamin Bruce
Published: January 2024

No preclinical experimental approach enables the study of voluntary oral consumption of high-concentration Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its intoxicating effects, mainly owing to the aversive response of rodents to THC that limits intake. Here, we developed a palatable THC formulation and an optimized access paradigm in mice to drive voluntary consumption. THC was formulated in chocolate gelatin (THC-E-gel). Adult male and female mice were allowed ad libitum access for 1 and 2 hr. Cannabimimetic responses (hypolocomotion, analgesia, and hypothermia) were measured following access. Levels of THC and its metabolites were measured in blood and brain tissue. Acute acoustic startle responses were measured to investigate THC-induced psychotomimetic behavior. When allowed access for 2 hr to THC-E-gel on the second day of a 3-day exposure paradigm, adult mice consumed up to ≈30 mg/kg over 2 hr, which resulted in robust cannabimimetic behavioral responses (hypolocomotion, analgesia, and hypothermia). Consumption of the same gelatin decreased on the following third day of exposure. Pharmacokinetic analysis shows that THC-E-gel consumption led to parallel accumulation of THC and its psychoactive metabolite, 11-OH-THC, in the brain, a profile that contrasts with the known rapid decline in brain 11-OH-THC levels following THC intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections. THC-E-gel consumption increased the acoustic startle response in males but not in females, demonstrating a sex-dependent effect of consumption. Thus, while voluntary consumption of THC-E-gel triggered equivalent cannabimimetic responses in male and female mice, it potentiated acoustic startle responses preferentially in males. We built a dose-prediction model that included cannabimimetic behavioral responses elicited by i.p. versus THC-E-gel to test the accuracy and generalizability of this experimental approach and found that it closely predicted the measured acoustic startle results in males and females. In summary, THC-E-gel offers a robust preclinical experimental approach to study cannabimimetic responses triggered by voluntary consumption in mice, including sex-dependent psychotomimetic responses.
Multi-strategy synthetized equilibrium optimizer and application
Authors: Sun Quandang , Zhang Xinyu , Jin Ruixia , Zhang Xinming , Ma Yuanyuan
Published: January 2024

Background

Improvement on the updating equation of an algorithm is among the most improving techniques. Due to the lack of search ability, high computational complexity and poor operability of equilibrium optimizer (EO) in solving complex optimization problems, an improved EO is proposed in this article, namely the multi-strategy on updating synthetized EO (MS-EO).

Method

Firstly, a simplified updating strategy is adopted in EO to improve operability and reduce computational complexity. Secondly, an information sharing strategy updates the concentrations in the early iterative stage using a dynamic tuning strategy in the simplified EO to form a simplified sharing EO (SS-EO) and enhance the exploration ability. Thirdly, a migration strategy and a golden section strategy are used for a golden particle updating to construct a Golden SS-EO (GS-EO) and improve the search ability. Finally, an elite learning strategy is implemented for the worst particle updating in the late stage to form MS-EO and strengthen the exploitation ability. The strategies are embedded into EO to balance between exploration and exploitation by giving full play to their respective advantages.

Result and Finding

Experimental results on the complex functions from CEC2013 and CEC2017 test sets demonstrate that MS-EO outperforms EO and quite a few state-of-the-art algorithms in search ability, running speed and operability. The experimental results of feature selection on several datasets show that MS-EO also provides more advantages.
EL MODELO TRANSTEÓRICO Y LA TEORÍA DEL AUTOMANEJO INDIVIDUAL Y FAMILIAR COMO PARADIGMA PARA COMPRENDER EL CAMBIO DE COMPORTAMIENTO Y EL AUTOMANEJO EN PERSONAS CON ENFERMEDADES CRÓNICAS
Authors: Durán Vera Daniela , Lagos Garrido María Elena , Bustamante Troncoso Claudia
Published: January 2024

INTRODUCCIÓN: El automanejo y el cambio de conducta siguen siendo retos para quienes padecen enfermedades crónicas. Para su abordaje existen modelos y estrategias que orientan a alcanzar mejores resultados en salud. OBJETIVO: Analizar la Teoría del Automanejo Individual y Familiar junto con el Modelo Transteórico como paradigmas para comprender los desafíos e identificar factores involucrados en el cambio conductual y el automanejo de personas con enfermedades crónicas. DESARROLLO: El Modelo Transteórico comprende cinco etapas que explican el proceso cíclico de cambio. Por otro lado, la Teoría del Automanejo Individual y Familiar se distingue por tres dimensiones: contexto, proceso y resultados. Al interrelacionar ambos modelos, se observa que el contexto dado por la Teoría del Automanejo Individual y Familiar puede determinar la etapa del cambio. Los procesos, como la autoeficacia, la facilitación social o la autorregulación, son implementados de formas distintas según la etapa del cambio en la que la persona se encuentre. CONCLUSIÓN: La integración de ambos modelos potencia la comprensión acerca del cambio de conducta en personas con enfermedades crónicas. Esta articulación favorece enfoques más personalizados, lo que permitiría que los profesionales de enfermería reconocer la etapa de cambio en la que se encuentra la persona y, con base en la Teoría del Automanejo, atender las necesidades del individuo y familia, propiciando un cuidado integral.
Correlation of Antibodies against Nuclear Antigen using Immunofluorescence Pattern and Line Immunoassay Profile in Autoimmune Diseases at a Tertiary Care Hospital, Uttarakhand, India
Authors: Pandey Kxitiza , Nautiyal Sulekha , Pandey Arun , Rana Geetika , Pandey Himansha , Kataria Vijay Kumar
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Autoimmunity is a condition characterised by a specific humoral or cell-mediated immune response against constituents of the body’s own tissues. The diagnosis of autoimmune diseases (AD) is based on clinical presentation, laboratory diagnosis, and radiological diagnosis. Laboratory diagnosis involves the detection of antibodies directed against nuclear and cytoplasmic components of the cell. The gold standard test to detect antibodies against nuclear antigens is the Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA), which detects the presence of Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) in the serum. Other tests that can be used for ANA detection are Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), anti-Extractable Nuclear Antigen (anti-ENA), Line Immunoassay (LIA), etc. Aim: To correlate the results of antibodies against nuclear antigens based on various immunofluorescence patterns and LIA profiles in autoimmune disorders. Materials and Methods: The present study was a time- bound explorative and comparative cross-sectional study conducted at a teritary care hospital over a period of one year (December 2018 November 2019) in the Department of Medicine in collaboration with the Department of Microbiology, SGRR IM and HS, Dehradun, Uttrakhand, India. The study was carried out on a convenient sample. Out of a total of 178 subjects, 118 suspected cases were included in the study group, and 60 healthy individuals were included in the control group. ANA was detected by IFA using HEp-20-10/liver cell. All the samples that were positive or negative by IFA were further evaluated by LIA. The data obtained were statistically analysed for significance using Stastistical Packages of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Results: The majority of cases in both groups belonged to the 30-50 year age group (69/118 in the study group and 37/60 in the control group). IFA was positive in 49.15% of the samples in the study group and 21.6% in the control group. The most common pattern observed in IFA was nuclear homogeneous. LIA was positive in 45.7% of the cases, with the maximum antibodies detected against dsDNA antigen (double-stranded DNA). In the study group, out of the 49% IFA-positive samples, 40.6% were also positive for antibodies by LIA, and an additional 5% of cases that were negative by IFA were found to be positive by LIA. The statistical strength of correlation between patterns in IFA and bands in LIA is established. Conclusion: A combination of IFA and LIA can serve as a better tool for early and accurate diagnosis of AD. In the control group, 25% were observed to be positive for ANA using both IFA and/ or LIA. Thus, there remains a possibility of such individuals developing ADs in the future.
Comparison of Special Stains for Analysing the Morphology of Sperm: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Murali Preethi , Muddha Sai Sudha , Gali Vinutha
Published: January 2024

Introduction: In India, male infertility constitutes 40% of infertility cases in males, which has become a serious problem in developing countries. Numerous studies and advanced techniques have been identified in assessing sperm morphology. The detection of sperm morphology is a simple and widely accepted method for determining sperm viability. It assists in selecting appropriate treatments for male infertility in assisted reproductive techniques. Infertility issues can arise in healthy males due to altered sperm morphology. Aim: To analyse the morphology of sperm using basic histopathology stains such as Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), Giemsa (G), Eosin-Nigrosin (EN), and Papanicolaou (Pap) stains. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to June 2022 at the Department of Clinical Pathology, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Thirty semen samples were collected from healthy males and stained with H&E, Giemsa, Eosin-Nigrosin, and Papanicolaou stains. The results were observed and tabulated based on sperm shape, size, and motility using Kruger’s strict morphology method. A comparison was made to identify the fastest and most cost-effective method among the four stains. Descriptive statistics were used for the comparison. Results: Among the 30 semen samples, H&E and Papanicolaou stain methods were found to be rapid and cost-effective for analysing sperm morphology compared to the other stains (p-value <0.001). The findings included cases of Normozoospermia (18), Oligozoospermia (9), Necrozoospermia (1), and Teratozoospermia (2). In the Papanicolaou stained samples, the mean sperm head length (μm) was 8.92a±0.5, head width (μm) was 4.48a±0.33, head perimeter (μm) was 27.69a±1.85, head area (μm²) was 33.96a±3.74, tail length (μm) was 44.31a±2.02, sperm length (μm) was 53.24a±2.18, with no cytoplasmic droplets greater than half the size of the head and two vacuoles observed. Papanicolaou stain was the least expensive stain (9.50rs) compared to the other stains used for assessing sperm morphology. Conclusion: Papanicolaou stain is a simple and cost-effective method for analysing sperm morphology compared to other special stains. However, EN Stain is used to detect the morphology of live sperm. Sperm morphology assessment is necessary to monitor the causes of male infertility and determine appropriate treatment modalities.
Norm-Attainable Operators in Hilbert Spaces: Properties and Applications
Authors: Evans Mogoi N. , Apima Samuel B.
Published: January 2024

This research paper explores various properties and implications of norm-attainable operators on Hilbert spaces. We establish lemmas, propositions, and theorems that shed light on the characteristics of these operators and their relationship with the geometry and structure of the underlying Hilbert space. These results have applications in functional analysis, linear algebra, and operator theory.
Evaluation of the Degree of Pollution in Trace Metal Elements (TME) of the Dam in the Rural Commune of Korsimoro, Burkina Faso
Authors: Derra Moumouni , Bambara Luc Telado , Tougma Kiswendsida Alain , Kaboré Karim , Sawadogo Yalgado Zakaria , Cissé Ousmane , Zougmoré François
Published: January 2024

The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of pollution in trace metal elements from the dam in the rural commune of Korsimoro. Thus, nine (9) water samples were taken at different points of the dam and analyzed at the laboratory of the Bureau of Mines and Geology of Burkina (BU.MI.GE.B). A total of eight (8) metallic trace elements including As, Cr, Mo, Mn, Hg, Pb, Se and Ni were characterized and quantified using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP/OES). The results reveal that if the contents of certain elements are low in certain samples, others on the other hand have sometimes very high contents of Hg and Se. For Hg, concentrations range from an average of 25.74 µg/kg to a maximum of 148.91 µg/kg against a threshold of 1 µg/kg recommended for water intended for irrigation. As for Se, its concentration ranges from an average of 14.67 µg/kg to a maximum of 37.01 µg/kg against a standard of 20 µg/kg for irrigation. Thus, the high concentrations of Hg and Se in the waters of the Korsimoro dam constitute a public health problem since they strongly contribute to the contamination of market garden products via the soil. Also, the animals which drink there as well as the resources fish (fish, shellfish, etc.) could be contaminated. And, by bioaccumulation and/or by biomagnification, humans at the end of the food chain can in turn be severely contaminated. Thus, it is imperative to find a solution, especially on the Hg pollution of the dam when we know that it constitutes a real public health problem with its excessively high content.
Chemical Control Against Aggressive Broad Leaves Weed Ipomea sp. in Drill Seeded-rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Abd El-Naby, S. S. M.  , El-Ghandor A. M. A.
Published: January 2024

Two field experiments were carried out at the Experimental Farm of Rice Department, Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt throughout 2020 and 2021 summer seasons to identify an efficient chemical control program against Ipomea sp. as perennial Convolvulaceae weed in drill seeded-rice. The experimental design was split-plot with three replications. Three times of herbicidal application at 20, 30 and 40 days after sowing (DAS) were allocated randomly in main plots, while in sub-plots, six weed control treatments were randomly distributed included three single herbicides application (bentazone at rate of 1.714 kg ai ha-1, fluroxypyr at rate of 0.0952 kg ai ha-1 and bensulfuron-methyl at rate of 0.0714 kg ai ha-1) in addition to two herbicide mixtures were bentazone + fluroxypyr (1.344 kg ai ha-1 + 0.0952 kg ai ha-1) and bensulfuron + fluroxypyr (0.0714 kg ai ha-1 + 0.0952 kg ai ha-1) as compared to un-treated (weedy check) plots. Chemical control at early stage (20 DAS) achieved the best Ipomea control and recorded the lowest values of tillers number m-2, fresh and dry weights during 2020 and 2021, consequently recorded the highest rice dry matter, panicles number m-2, panicle weight and grain yield during both seasons. The results also showed that herbicide mixtures exceeded single application of herbicide in controlling Ipomea as broad leaf weed, bentazon + fluroxypyr ranked first in weed control efficiency percentage and recorded the lowest weed density m-2, fresh and dry weights of Ipomea during the two seasons of study as well as achieved the best values in rice dry matter, panicles per square meter, panicle weight and grain yield during 2020 and 2021 seasons, while the mixture of bensulfuron + fluroxypyr ranked second in this respect. The combination of bentazone + fluroxypyr sprayed at 20 DAS recorded the best Ipomea chemical control efficiency (95.4 %) and recorded the best rice grain yield (9.322 t ha-1) as an average for Giza 178 cv under drill seeded-rice conditions.
Gel‐Extrusion: A New Continuous Forming Technique
Authors: Millán A.J. , Santacruz I. , Sánchez‐Herencia A.J. , Nieto M.I. , Moreno R.
Published: December 2002

In recent years a variety of direct shaping methods has been developed for the near‐net shaping of ceramic powders. The main aim in developing these methods is to provide a simple route for manufacturing bulk complex‐shaped bodies with increased green resistance in order to reduce or avoid final machining, which is the most expensive step in the fabrication process. This communication reports a novel processing route for the continuous manufacture of ceramic and/or metal hollow or solid bodies based on the extrusion of aqueous suspensions that contain a small amount (< 1 wt.‐%) of a gelling additive that gelates on passing through a refrigerated die.
In‐Flight Reactions of Metallic Particles during Thermal Spraying
Authors: Zhao L. , Herbst‐Dederichs C. , Lugscheider E.
Published: December 2002

During thermal spraying of metal materials reactions between the spray materials and the gaseous species from plasma gas, atomization gas or surrounding atmosphere occur. Some reactions like nitriding during reactive spraying are designed to improve coating properties, while other reactions like oxidation during atmospheric plasma spraying of stainless steels impair the coating properties. In this study, the reaction of titanium particles in‐flight during reactive plasma spraying and the reaction of the 316 L stainless steel in‐flight during HVOF spraying were investigated. It was found that the melting degree of the powders was essentially important for the reactions in‐flight. The convection movement within a molten particle significantly accelerated the reactions.
Reaction Bonded Composite Foams
Authors: Luyten J. , Cooymans J. , De Wilde A.
Published: December 2002

Conventional ceramic foams suffer from weak thermo‐mechanical properties. Therefore, the authors developed reaction bonded composite foams. These materials are characterized by high mechanical strength due to their fine grained microstructure. By a right choice of the composition, high thermal shock properties can also be obtained. Firstly mullite with additions of ZrO2 is considered. Depending on the structural requirements of the application, a certain processing route can be chosen: the polyurethane sponge technique, gel casting or the hollow sphere method. In this contribution, the current state of this study, indicating that this Reaction Bonded manufacturing route is a feasible method for manufacturing composite ceramic foams is discussed.
Stiffness and Thermal Expansion of Short Fiber Composites with Fully Aligned Fibers
Authors: Gusev A. , Lusti H.R. , Hine P.J.
Published: December 2002

Predicting the overall, effective properties of short fiber composites with fully aligned fibers from the properties of the individual phases and the composite’s morphology has attracted a great deal of attention during the last decades. In this work, the authors focus on the overall elastic constants and use the finite‐element‐based numerical procedure developed by them to assess the adequacy of two of the most widely used micromechanics‐based models.
Actuator Classification and Selection—The Development of a Database
Authors: Zupan M. , Ashby M.F. , Fleck N.A.
Published: December 2002

Actuators are controllable work‐producing devices. A strategy for selecting actuators to meet specified design requirements is described here. A number of considerations enter: the type and characteristics of the actuator, the nature of the power‐source (the “fuel”) that is required to drive it, and the possible need of an interface between the two to convert the energy into a form that the actuator can accept. The strategy is demonstrated by software that includes a database for some 220 actuators drawn from 18 families, and an advanced selection engine. Case studies are used to illustrate its use.
A distinct neurocognitive phenotype in female fragile‐X premutation carriers assessed with visual attention tasks
Authors: Steyaert Jean , Legius Eric , Borghgraef Martine , Fryns Jean‐Pierre
Published: December 2002

Premature ovarian failure (POF) and underlying hormonal changes are recognized as a distinct phenotype in female fragile‐X premutation carriers. Neurocognitive deficits, in particular mental retardation, are associated with the full mutation in males and females. In female full mutation carriers this neurocognitive phenotype is expressed more mildly than in males. Research on whether the fragile‐X premutation is associated with a particular neurocognitive phenotype or not has been equivocal. By means of the Sonneville Visual Attentions Tasks (SVAT) computer‐based battery of neurocognitive tasks, we assessed reaction time on different tasks in three groups of subjects: female premutation carriers, female full mutation carriers, and female control subjects. The results show that a fraction of the female premutation carriers perform poorly on several selective attention tasks, but not on other tasks. Their neurocognitive profile is different from that of control subjects and of the majority of female premutation carriers. It may also be different from the phenotype of female full mutation carriers, though in that respect this study remains inconclusive. These findings support earlier findings that the fragile‐X premutation may affect neurocognitive functioning, in particular aspects of attention. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Two sibs with brachyolmia type Hobaek: Five year follow‐up through puberty
Authors: Hoo Joe J. , Oliphant Michael
Published: December 2002

A brother and a sister affected with brachyolmia (short trunk) are reported. Their radiological findings are compatible with brachyolmia, Hobaek type, which is characterized by platyspondyly, horizontal acetabular roof, short femoral neck, and vertical “mixed lucent and dense” striation pattern in the metaphyses of large long bones. Despite normal birth weight and length, the platyspondyly is present at infancy, but clinically the condition may not be noticeable until late childhood or early puberty, when stunted growth becomes apparent. Beyond puberty, the patients are short in stature, mainly due to a short trunk with decrease upper and lower body segment ratio. Brachyolmia type Hobaek is a relatively benign condition. It may cause a mild and nonspecific backache that usually is not debilitating. The inheritance mode is apparently autosomal recessive. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Wie wichtig ist Paritätsverletzung für die molekulare und biomolekulare Chiralität?
Authors: Quack Martin
Published: December 2002

Paritätsverletzung führt zu Energiedifferenzen ΔpvH$\rm{_{0}^{\ominus }}$=NAΔpvE zwischen Enantiomeren im Bereich von Femtojoule bis Picojoule pro Mol. Neue Methoden der elektroschwachen Quantenchemie sagen voraus, dass diese Energiedifferenzen um ein bis zwei Größenordnungen größer sind als bisher angenommen – aber immer noch sehr klein. Wie können wir derartig kleine Energien messen und was sind die Konsequenzen für unser Verständnis der molekularen Chiralität, der biomolekularen Homochiralität und vielleicht der Grundlagen der Physik? Der Beitrag gibt einige vorläufige Antworten auf diese Fragen. Es werden der aktuelle Stand der Theorie und einige der gegenwärtig verfolgten experimentellen Ansätze diskutiert.
Effect of starch predrying on the mechanical properties of starch/poly(ε‐caprolactone) composites
Authors: Odusanya O. S. , Manan D. M. A. , Ishiaku U. S. , Azemi B. M. N.
Published: December 2002

This study describes the effect of predrying sago starch, a tropical starch, on the resultant mechanical properties of starch/poly(ε‐caprolactone) composite materials. Sago starch was dried to less than a 1% moisture level in a vacuum oven and dispersed into a polycaprolactone matrix with an internal mixer at 90°C. The mechanical properties of the composite were studied according to methods of the Association for Standards, Testing, and Measurement, whereas the morphology was monitored with scanning electron microscopy. The properties were compared with a composite obtained with native starch containing 12% moisture. The results indicated that predrying the starch led to a lower property drop rate in the composite as the starch content increased. The elastic modulus, tensile strength, and elongation at break were higher than those obtained when starch was used without predrying. The morphology observed during scanning electron microscopy studies was used to explain the observed trends in the mechanical properties. In this way, a relatively simple and cost‐effective method was devised to increase the starch loading in the polycaprolactone matrix to obtain properties within the useful range of mechanical properties. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 877–884, 2003
Synthesis and performance of phenolic polybutadiene‐bound stabilizers
Authors: Podešva Jiří , Kovářová Jana
Published: December 2002

An antioxidant derivative, 6‐sulfanylhexyl 3‐(3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)propanoate, was synthesized and examined. With a radical initiator, the addition of this compound to pending vinyls of OH‐telechelic, low molecular weight liquid polybutadiene (LBH) was performed to various degrees of conversion to form polymeric antioxidants (PAOs) in which the phenolic moiety was separated from the main chain by a spacer [CH2CH2S (CH2)6OCO]. Pure, unstabilized LBH was mixed in several ratios with PAOs, Irganox 1520, and Irganox 1076, and the oxidation stabilities of these mixtures, determined by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, were compared. Probably because of their good compatibility with LBH, PAOs exhibited equal or better effectiveness than commercial antioxidants of the Irganox type. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 885–889, 2003
Phenolic resol resin from phenolated corn bran and its characteristics
Authors: Lee Seung‐Hwan
Published: December 2002

To prepare phenolic resol resin, corn bran (CB) was liquefied in the presence of phenol and the liquefied CB was condensed with formaldehyde under alkaline condition. From NMR spectra of phenolated CB and phenolated CB–based resol resin, it was found that phenol was reacted with depolymerized CB components and the phenolated CB was methylolated by condensation with formaldehyde. Molecular weight distribution was divided into a high molecular weight zone, attributed mainly to phenolated CB, and a low molecular weight zone, which was attributed to the condensation reactants of formaldehyde and the unreacted phenol of liquefied CB. When reaction conditions became severe, a high molecular weight zone was increased. Formaldehyde/unreacted phenol of liquefied CB molar ratio most affected the change of a low molecular weight zone. To reduce the viscosity of the phenolated CB–based resol resin, a milder condensation condition was required compared with that for preparing the conventional resol resin. Properties of the resol resin were comparable to those of conventional resol resin for plywood manufacture. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1365–1370, 2003
Blends of polypropylene resins with a liquid crystalline polymer. I. Isothermal crystallization
Authors: Marinelli A. L. , Bretas R. E. S.
Published: December 2002

The isothermal crystallization kinetics of blends of different polypropylene (PP) resins and a liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) after two different melting conditions (200 and 290°C) were studied by DSC and polarized light optical microscopy. The resins were a homopolymer (hPP), a random copolymer with ethylene (cPP), and a maleic anhydride grafted PP (gPP). The LCP was Vectra A950, a random copolymer made of 75 mol % of 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid and 25 mol % of 2‐hydroxy,6‐naphthoic acid. It was observed that the overall crystallization rates of all the blends after melting at 200°C were higher than those after melting at 290°C. The LCP acted as a nucleating agent for all the PP resins; however, its nucleating effect was stronger for the hPP than for the cPP and gPP resins. After both melting conditions, an increase was observed in the overall crystallization rate of the hPP and gPP resins with the increase in the amount of LCP, but not in the cPP crystallization rate. The fold surface free energy σe of hPP and cPP in the blends decreased, but increased in the gPP blends. Finally, all the PP resins formed transcrystallites on the LCP domain surfaces. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 916–930, 2003
Experimental and theoretical investigation of solubility and diffusion of ethylene in semicrystalline PE at elevated pressures and temperatures
Authors: Kiparissides C. , Dimos V. , Boultouka T. , Anastasiadis A. , Chasiotis A.
Published: December 2002

The solubility and diffusivity of ethylene in semicrystalline polyethylene were experimentally measured using a magnetic suspension microbalance. The sorption measurements were carried out at temperatures up to 80°C and pressures up to 66 atm. The experimentally measured solubilities were found to decrease with increasing temperature and increased with ethylene pressure in good agreement with the predictions of the Sanchez–Lacombe lattice‐fluid model. The diffusivity of ethylene in semicrystalline polyethylene films was estimated from the reduced sorption curves using the half‐time method. The experimentally determined diffusivities were compared with theoretical values predicted by a new molecular hybrid model, which combines the characteristic features of the Pace–Datyner diffusion model with those of the Kulkarni–Stern free‐volume model. The ethylene diffusion coefficient was found to increase with temperature and/or the ethylene‐sorbed concentration. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 953–966, 2003
Polymeric gadolinium chelate–containing magnetic resonance signal‐enhancing coating materials: Synthesis, characterization, and properties
Authors: Guo Jian , Jiang Xiqun , Yang Chang‐Zheng
Published: December 2002

The present investigation deals with studies on novel magnetic resonance signal‐enhancing coating materials. The polyaminocarboxylate complexes of Gd3+ as side chains were prepared by the conjugation of N‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA) with poly(styrene‐maleic acid) copolymer (SMA). The complexation of the Gd3+ ion to the conjugates was carried out by adding GdCl3 to the solution of the polymer ligands. The resulting Gd3+‐containing polymer complexes were characterized by GPC, FTIR, NMR, and inductively coupled plasma–Auger electron spectroscopy, which confirmed that HEDTA was covalently attached to SMA and Gd3+‐containing polymer complexes were formed. The PP catheters were coated with the Gd3+‐containing polymer complexes and characterized by XPS. The result confirms that the Gd3+ complexes were coated on the surface of PP catheters. In the relaxation test, the relaxation rates of the water proton in the vicinity of the coated PP catheter surface increase significantly, suggesting that Gd3+‐containing polymer complex coating materials show great MR enhancement of water proton, and potentialities in making catheters used for endovascular interventions or therapy, visible by MRI. The influence of protein on the relaxation rates of coated PP catheter shows that the protein adsorption on the catheter surface influences the enhancement of the MR signal for the coating materials of Gd3+‐containing polymer complex. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1358–1364, 2003
Nonisothermal fusion bonding in semicrystalline thermoplastics
Authors: Plummer Christopher J. G. , Bourban Pierre‐Etienne , Zanetto Jean‐Emile , Smith Gregory D. , Månson Jan‐Anders E.
Published: December 2002

The development of the interfacial bond strength as a function of bonding conditions has been investigated in two representative semicrystalline thermoplastics, isotactic polypropylene and polyamide 12. If one side of the interface is well above the melting point immediately before contact, more rapid effective bonding is obtained for a given estimated interface temperature than under isothermal conditions. This is discussed in terms of a simple two‐parameter model for the critical strain energy release rate associated with crack propagation along the interface, which incorporates the rate of establishment of intimate contact at the interface. The model provides a self‐consistent phenomenological description of the time and temperature dependence of the bonding kinetics in polyamide 12 joints, although questions remain regarding the detailed mechanisms of bonding. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1267–1276, 2003
Assessing Equivalence Tests with Respect to their Expected p‐Value
Authors: Pflüger Rafael , Hothorn Torsten
Published: December 2002

Monte‐Carlo simulation methods are commonly used for assessing the performance of statistical tests under finite sample scenarios. They help us ascertain the nominal level for tests with approximate level, e.g. asymptotic tests. Additionally, a simulation can assess the quality of a test on the alternative. The latter can be used to compare new tests and established tests under certain assumptions in order to determinate a preferable test given characteristics of the data.

The key problem for such investigations is the choice of a goodness criterion. We expand the expected p‐value as considered by Sackrowitz and Samuel‐Cahn (1999) to the context of univariate equivalence tests. This presents an effective tool to evaluate new purposes for equivalence testing because of its independence of the distribution of the test statistic under null‐hypothesis. It helps to avoid the often tedious search for the distribution under null‐hypothesis for test statistics which have no considerable advantage over yet available methods. To demonstrate the usefulness in biometry a comparison of established equivalence tests with a nonparametric approach is conducted in a simulation study for three distributional assumptions.
Sample Size Requirements for Evaluation of Bridging Evidence
Authors: Liu Jen‐Pei , Hsueh Hueymiin , Chen James J.
Published: December 2002

This paper addresses issues concerning methodologies on the sample size required for statistical evaluation of bridging evidence for a registration of pharmaceutical products in a new region. The bridging data can be either in the Complete Clinical Data Package (CCDP) generated during clinical drug development for submission to the original region or from a bridging study conducted in the new region after the pharmaceutical product was approved in the original region. When the data are in the CCDP, the randomized parallel dose‐response design stratified to the ethnic factors and region will generate internally valid data for evaluating similarity concurrently between the regions for assessment of the ability of extrapolation to the new region. Formula for sample size under this design is derived. The required sample size for evaluation of similarity between the regions can be at least four times as large as that needed for evaluation of treatment effects only. For a bridging study conducted in the new region in which the data of the foreign and new regions are not generated concurrently, a hierarchical model approach to incorporating the foreign bridging information into the data generated by the bridging study is suggested. The sample size required is evaluated. In general, the required sample size for the bridging trials in the new region is inversely proportional to equivalence limits, variability of primary endpoints, and the number of patients of the trials conducted in the original region.
Descending spinal projections from the rostral gigantocellular reticular nuclei complex
Authors: Hermann Gerlinda E. , Holmes Gregory M. , Rogers Richard C. , Beattie Michael S. , Bresnahan Jacqueline C.
Published: December 2002

Electrophysiological and physiological studies have suggested that the ventral medullary gigantocellular reticular nuclei (composed of the gigantocellular ventralis and pars alpha nuclei as well as the adjacent lateral paragigantocellular nucleus; abbreviated Gi‐LPGi complex) provide descending control of pelvic floor organs (Mackel [1979] J. Physiol. (Lond.) 294:105–122; Hubscher and Johnson [1996] J. Neurophysiol. 76:2474–2482; Hubscher and Johnson [1999] J. Neurophysiol. 82:1381–1389; Johnson and Hubscher [1998] Neuroreport 9:341–345). Specifically, this complex of paramedian reticular nuclei has been implicated in the inhibition of sexual reflexes. In the present study, an anterograde fluorescent tracer was used to investigate direct descending projections from the Gi‐LPGi complex to retrogradely labeled pudendal motoneurons (MN) in the male rat. Our results demonstrated that, although a high density of arborizations from Gi‐LPGi fibers appears to be in close apposition to pudendal MNs, this relationship also applies to other MNs throughout the entire spinal cord. The Gi‐LPGi also projects to spinal autonomic regions, i.e., both the intermediolateral cell column and the sacral parasympathetic nucleus, as well as to regions of the intermediate gray, which contain interneurons involved in the organization of pelvic floor reflexes. Lastly, throughout the length of the spinal cord, numerous neurons located primarily in laminae VII–X, were retrogradely labeled with Fluoro‐Ruby after injections into the Gi‐LPGi. The diffuse descending projections and arborizations of this pathway throughout the spinal cord suggest that this brainstem area is involved in the direct, descending control of a variety of spinal activities. These results are in contrast with our observations of the discrete projections of the caudal nucleus raphe obscurus, which target the autonomic and somatic MNs involved specifically in sexual and eliminative functions (Hermann et al. [1998] J. Comp. Neurol. 397:458–474). J. Comp. Neurol. 455:210–221, 2003. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A novel method of temperature control for a crystal growth puller
Authors: He Y.Z. , Zhao Y.G. , Zhu M.H. , Zhang X.P. , Cao B.S.
Published: December 2002

A facile method to control the contracting rate of the thermal expansible bars for pulling crystal is first suggested. The thermal expansible bars, set in a modified Dewar flask whose vacuum degree is controlled, are heated to designed temperature and then switch off the power to let it cool down at a desired rate, which depends largely on the changeable vacuum degree. This new approach is expected to completely eliminate the effects, which possibly reduces the smooth extent of thermal expansion, caused by the minor temperature fluctuations during crystal growth process and to realize the utmost smooth and slow pulling rate. It is expected to install this apparatus in optical floating zone furnace, instead of traditional motor, to grow peritectic crystal, such as crystal Bi‐2223, since for the peritectic reaction, in principle, the extremely slow growing rate is considerably essential.