bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcus epidermidis recovered from indwelling catheters exhibit enhanced biofilm dispersal and “self-renewal” through downregulation of agr
Authors: Dai Lu , Yang Liang , Parsons Chris , Findlay Victoria J , Molin Søren , Qin Zhiqiang
Published: June 2012

Background

In recent years, Staphylococcus epidermidis ( Se) has become a major nosocomial pathogen and the most common cause of infections of implanted prostheses and other indwelling devices. This is due in part to avid biofilm formation by Se on device surfaces. However, it still remains unknown that how the process of Se biofilm development is associated with relapsed infection in such patients.

Results

We have identified clinical Se isolates displaying enhanced biofilm dispersal and self-renewal relative to reference strain. These isolates also exhibit enhanced initial cell attachment, extracellular DNA release, cell autolysis and thicker microcolonies during biofilm development relative to reference strain. Our genetic analyses suggest that these clinical isolates exhibit significant downregulation of RNAIII, the effector molecule of the agr quorum sensing system, and upregulation of the autolysin gene atlE. Isogenic deletion of the agr system in Se 1457 confirmed that agr negatively regulating atlE resulted in enhanced initial cell attachment, extracellular DNA release, cell autolysis and biofilm formation abilities. In contrast, double deletion of agr and atlE significantly abolished these features.

Conclusions

Collectively, these data reveal the role of agr system in long-term biofilm development and pathogenesis during Se caused indwelling devices-related relapsed infection.
Activity in GEriatric acute CARe (AGECAR): rationale, design and methods
Authors: Fleck Steven J , Bustamante-Ara Natalia , Ortiz Javier , Vidán María-Teresa , Lucia Alejandro , Serra-Rexach José A
Published: June 2012

Background

The Activity in GEriatric acute CARe (AGECAR) is a randomised control trial to assess the effectiveness of an intrahospital strength and walk program during short hospital stays for improving functional capacity of patients aged 75 years or older.

Methods/Design

Patients aged 75 years or older admitted for a short hospital stay (≤14 days) will be randomly assigned to either a usual care (control) group or an intervention (training) group. Participants allocated in the usual care group will receive normal hospital care and participants allocated in the intervention group will perform multiple sessions per day of lower limb strength training (standing from a seated position) and walking (10 min bouts) while hospitalized. The primary outcome to be assessed pre and post of the hospital stay will be functional capacity, using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and time to walk 10 meters. Besides length of hospitalization, the secondary outcomes that will also be assessed at hospital admission and discharge will be pulmonary ventilation (forced expiratory volume in one second, FEV1) and peripheral oxygen saturation. The secondary outcomes that will be assessed by telephone interview three months after discharge will be mortality, number of falls since discharge, and ability to cope with activities of daily living (ADLs, using the Katz ADL score and Barthel ADL index).

Discussion

Results will help to better understand the potential of regular physical activity during a short hospital stay for improving functional capacity in old patients. The increase in life expectancy has resulted in a large segment of the population being over 75 years of age and an increase in hospitalization of this same age group. This calls attention to health care systems and public health policymakers to focus on promoting methods to improve the functional capacity of this population.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT01374893.
Reliability of movement workspace measurements in a passive arm orthosis used in spinal cord injury rehabilitation
Authors: Rudhe Claudia , Albisser Urs , Starkey Michelle L , Curt Armin , Bolliger Marc
Published: June 2012

Background

Robotic and non-robotic training devices are increasingly being used in the rehabilitation of upper limb function in subjects with neurological disorders. As well as being used for training such devices can also provide ongoing assessments during the training sessions. Therefore, it is mandatory to understand the reliability and validity of such measurements when used in a clinical setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of movement measures as assessed in the Armeo Spring system for the eventual application to the rehabilitation of patients suffering from cervical spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods

Reliability (intra- and inter-rater reliability) of the movement workspace (representing multiple ranges of movement) and the influence of varying seating conditions (5 different chair conditions) was assessed in twenty control subjects. In eight patients with cervical SCI the test-retest reliability (tested twice on the same day by the same rater) was assessed as well as a correlation of the movement workspace to retrieve self-care items as scored by the spinal cord independence measure (SCIM 3).

Results

Analysis of workspace measures in control subjects revealed intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) ranging from 0.747 to 0.837 for the intra-rater reliability and from 0.661 to 0.855 for the inter-rater reliability. Test-retest analysis in SCI patients showed a similar high reliability with ICC = 0.858. Also the reliability of the movement workspace between different seating conditions was good with ICCs ranging from 0.844 to 0.915. The movement workspace correlated significantly with the SCIM3 self-care items (p < 0.05, rho = 0.72).

Conclusion

The upper limb movement workspace measures assessed in the Armeo Spring device revealed fair to good clinical reliability. These findings suggest that measures retrieved from such a training device can be used to monitor changes in upper limb function over time. The correlation between the workspace measures and SCIM3 self-care items indicates that such measures might also be valuable to document the progress of clinical rehabilitation, however further detailed studies are required.
Influence of macrolide maintenance therapy and bacterial colonisation on exacerbation frequency and progression of COPD (COLUMBUS): Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Uzun Sevim , Djamin Remco S , Kluytmans JanAJW , Van’t Veer Nils E , Ermens Anton A M , Pelle Aline J , Mulder Paul , van der Eerden Menno M , Aerts JoachimGJV
Published: June 2012

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by progressive development of airflow limitation that is poorly reversible. Because of a poor understanding of COPD pathogenesis, treatment is mostly symptomatic and new therapeutic strategies are limited. There is a direct relationship between the severity of the disease and the intensity of the inflammatory response. Besides smoking, one of the hypotheses for the persistent airway inflammation is the presence of recurrent infections. Macrolide antibiotics have bacteriostatic as well as anti-inflammatory properties in patients with cystic fibrosis and other inflammatory pulmonary diseases. There is consistent evidence that macrolide therapy reduces infectious exacerbations, decreases the requirement for additional antibiotics and improves nutritional measures. Because of these positive effects we hypothesised that maintenance macrolide therapy may also have beneficial effects in patients with COPD who have recurrent exacerbations. The effects on development of bacterial resistance to macrolides due to this long-term treatment are unknown. Until now, studies investigating macrolide therapy in COPD are limited. The objective of this study is to assess whether maintenance treatment with macrolide antibiotics in COPD patients with three or more exacerbations in the previous year decreases the exacerbation rate in the year of treatment and to establish microbial resistance due to the long-term treatment.

Methods/design

The study is set up as a prospective randomised double-blind placebo-controlled single-centre trial. A total of 92 patients with COPD who have had at least three exacerbations of COPD in the previous year will be included. Subjects will be randomised to receive either azithromycin 500 mg three times a week or placebo. Our primary endpoint is the reduction in the number of exacerbations of COPD in the year of treatment.

Discussion

We investigate whether long-term therapy with macrolide antibiotics can prevent exacerbations in patients with COPD. Additionally, our study aims to assess the effect of long-term use of macrolide on the development of antimicrobial resistance and on inflammatory parameters related to COPD. We believe this study will provide more data on the effects of macrolide treatment in patients in COPD and will add more knowledge on its working mechanisms.

Trial registration

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00985244
Endotracheal tube cuff pressure assessment maneuver induces drop of expired tidal volume in the postoperative of coronary artery bypass grafting
Authors: Bolzan Douglas W , Guizilini Solange , Faresin Sonia M , Carvalho Antonio CC , De Paola Angelo AV , Gomes Walter J
Published: June 2012

Background

Previous investigations reported that the cuff pressure (CP) can decrease secondary to the CP evaluation itself. However is not established in literature if this loss of CP is able to generate alterations on expired tidal volume (ETV). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential consequences of the endotracheal CP assessment maneuver on CP levels and ETV in the early postoperative of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods

A total of 488 patients were analyzed. After the operation, the lungs were ventilated in pressure-assist-control mode and the same ventilatory settings were adjusted for all patients. After intensive care unit arrival, the cuff was fully deflated and then progressively inflated by air injection, to promote a minimal volume to occlude the trachea. To assist the cuff inflation and the air leakage identification, the graphical monitoring of the volume-time curve was adopted. After 20 minutes a first cuff pressure evaluation was performed (P1) and a second measurement (P2) was taken after 20 minutes with an analog manometer. ETV was obtained always pre and post P1 measurement.

Results

The CP assessment maneuver promoted a significant drop of P2 in relation to P1 when the manometer was attached to the pilot balloon (p < 0.0001). When compared the moments, pre-P1 versus post-P1, a significant drop of the ETV was also observed (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The CP assessment maneuver promoted a significant decrease in CP values and occurrence of air leakage with reduction of ETV in the early postoperative of CABG.
Referring physicians underestimate the extent of abnormalities in final reports from myocardial perfusion imaging
Authors: Trägårdh Elin , Höglund Peter , Ohlsson Mattias , Wieloch Mattias , Edenbrandt Lars
Published: June 2012

Background

It is important that referring physicians and other treating clinicians properly understand the final reports from diagnostic tests. The aim of the study was to investigate whether referring physicians interpret a final report for a myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) test in the same way that the reading nuclear medicine physician intended.

Methods

After viewing final reports containing only typical clinical verbiage and images, physicians in nuclear medicine and referring physicians (physicians in cardiology, internal medicine, and general practitioners) independently classified 60 MPS tests for the presence versus absence of ischemia/infarction according to objective grades of 1–5 (1 = No ischemia/infarction, 2 = Probably no ischemia/infarction 3 = Equivocal, 4 = Probable ischemia/infarction, and 5 = Certain ischemia/infarction). When ischemia and/or infarction were thought to be present in the left ventricle, all physicians were also asked to mark the involved segments based on the 17-segment model.

Results

There was good diagnostic agreement between physicians in nuclear medicine and referring physicians when assessing the general presence versus absence of both ischemia and infarction (median squared kappa coefficient of 0.92 for both). However, when using the 17-segment model, compared to the physicians in nuclear medicine, 12 of 23 referring physicians underestimated the extent of ischemic area while 6 underestimated and 1 overestimated the extent of infarcted area.

Conclusions

Whereas referring physicians gain a good understanding of the general presence versus absence of ischemia and infarction from MPS test reports, they often underestimate the extent of any ischemic or infarcted areas. This may have adverse clinical consequences and thus the language in final reports from MPS tests might be further improved and standardized.
Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III Trial of Decitabine Versus Patient Choice, With Physician Advice, of Either Supportive Care or Low-Dose Cytarabine for the Treatment of Older Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Kantarjian Hagop M. , Thomas Xavier G. , Dmoszynska Anna , Wierzbowska Agnieszka , Mazur Grzegorz , Mayer Jiri , Gau Jyh-Pyng , Chou Wen-Chien , Buckstein Rena , Cermak Jaroslav , Kuo Ching-Yuan , Oriol Albert , Ravandi Farhad , Faderl Stefan , Delaunay Jacques , Lysák Daniel , Minden Mark , Arthur Christopher
Published: June 2012

Purpose

This multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III trial compared the efficacy and safety of decitabine with treatment choice (TC) in older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and poor- or intermediate-risk cytogenetics.

Patients and Methods

Patients (N = 485) age ≥ 65 years were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive decitabine 20 mg/m2 per day as a 1-hour intravenous infusion for five consecutive days every 4 weeks or TC (supportive care or cytarabine 20 mg/m2 per day as a subcutaneous injection for 10 consecutive days every 4 weeks). The primary end point was overall survival (OS); the secondary end point was the complete remission (CR) rate plus the CR rate without platelet recovery (CRp). Adverse events (AEs) were recorded.

Results

The primary analysis with 396 deaths (81.6%) showed a nonsignificant increase in median OS with decitabine (7.7 months; 95% CI, 6.2 to 9.2) versus TC (5.0 months; 95% CI, 4.3 to 6.3; P = .108; hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.04). An unplanned analysis with 446 deaths (92%) indicated the same median OS (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.99; nominal P = .037). The CR rate plus CRp was 17.8% with decitabine versus 7.8% with TC (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4 to 4.8; P = .001). AEs were similar for decitabine and cytarabine, although patients received a median of four cycles of decitabine versus two cycles of TC. The most common drug-related AEs with decitabine were thrombocytopenia (27%) and neutropenia (24%).

Conclusion

In older patients with AML, decitabine improved response rates compared with standard therapies without major differences in safety. An unplanned survival analysis showed a benefit for decitabine, which was not observed at the time of the primary analysis.
The role of Fcγreceptors in atherosclerosis
Authors: Wang Xinhong , Liu Xiaojun , Kishimoto Chiharu , Yuan Zuyi
Published: June 2012

Atherosclerosis is widely considered to be an immune-mediated process. Fc γ receptors (Fc γ Rs) contribute to the regulation of a multitude of immune and inflammatory responses and are implicated in human atherosclerotic lesions. Major cell types involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis express Fc γ Rs and their proatherogenic ligands such as immune complexes and C-reactive protein, which act to activate Fc γ R signaling pathways. This review summarizes recent significant progress addressing the multifaceted roles of Fc γ Rs in atherogenesis which comes from the studies of Fc γ R-deficient animal models, clinical investigations and in vitro molecular and cellular studies. These new findings help us appreciate the emerging role of Fc γ Rs in atherosclerosis, and suggest Fc γ Rs as a potential therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.
From blood bonds to brand loyalties: Poppy Z. Brite’s Lost Souls and Alan Ball’s True Blood
Authors: Chaplin Sue
Published: June 2012

This article reads two contemporary vampire narratives, Poppy Z. Brite’s Lost Souls and Alan Ball’s TV series True Blood (2009–2011), in terms of René Girard’s theory of mimetic violence and sacrificial crisis. Through complex representations of violence,
bloodletting and, in the case of True Blood, the commoditization of blood and blood consumption, these works depict communities on the verge of sacrificial crisis, while also gesturing towards alternative economies of blood through nuanced ‘queerings’ of the vampire community.
British Muslim Converts Performing 'Authentic Muslimness'
Authors: Moosavi Leon
Published: June 2012

This article seeks to demonstrate that conversion to Islam is not only of theological significance, but is a social process whereby those who convert to Islam are deeply troubled by the idea that other Muslims may not consider them as 'authentic Muslims'. While the hostility that Muslim
converts can experience from non-Muslims after converting to Islam has frequently been noted, much less has been written about the challenges that stem from fellow Muslims. This article explores the great lengths that Muslim converts go to in order to avoid being doubted as 'authentic Muslims'
by drawing upon Goffman's ideas about performance and Bourdieu's ideas about 'habitus'. It is argued that the converts respond to having their 'authenticity' as Muslims questioned by 'performing' their 'Muslimness' in a similar way to which Goffman spoke about 'actors' taking up 'roles' in
'character' for the sake of 'audiences'. The perspective of Bourdieu is also important in exposing several barriers that Muslim converts face in seeking to 'pass' as 'authentic Muslims'. For example, the notion of 'habitus' suggests that identities are deeply engrained on an individual and
are not easy to be resocialized into suggesting bleak prospects for Muslim converts in ever attaining the status of an 'authentic Muslim' in the eyes of some lifelong Muslims.
Yassavi zikr in twenty-first century Central Asia: sound, place and authenticity
Authors: Sultanova Razia
Published: June 2012

This article examines Sufi music, particularly Yassavi zikr (or dhikr) forms, in contemporary Central Asian cities (such as Andijan and Turkestan). The first part of this essay investigates Sufi performance, also exploring the rarely researched practices of local women. The analysis
is based on field work undertaken in the Uzbek area of Ferghana Valley, where the flow of local indigenous mystical knowledge is found in female performances. These musical rituals survived despite the interdictions of the Soviet regime. The article combines methods of identifying musical
features found in the mystical chanting and ceremonies with the use of the new computer program Audiosculpt. The second part of this work discusses the revival of male Sufism in the Kazakh city Turkestan, exploring how after the collapse of the Soviet Union, music became an identifying principle
of zikr within the male community too.
Interview with Raja (Radio DJ), Walsall, Birmingham (18 April 2010)
Authors: Hodgson Thomas
Published: June 2012

In the face of racial and religious prejudice, young British Kashmiris on the streets of Walsall use music as a means to articulate the struggles they face. Territories are fiercely defended from rival gangs through a mixture of violence, intimidation and rap music. This interview,
with a local Kashmiri radio DJ, focuses on the experiences of Kashmiri Muslims who live in Walsall, an industrial town in the West Midlands, England. Other British Asians, the media, politicians and academics have described Kashmiris as 'backward', of a low social status and of having little
interest in music. In addition to this, young Kashmiri boys have low educational achievement rates and disproportionate numbers are found in the country's prisons. This interview identifies some of the reasons why these issues are particular to Kashmiris, and attempts to shine a spotlight
on some of the creative ways in which young Kashmiris articulate and challenge the everyday problems they face.
Performing dhikr above a nightclub: the interplay of commerce and spirituality at the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture
Authors: Laan Nina Ter
Published: June 2012

This review examines the fourth year of the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture (17–24 April 2010). Through a description of the festival, the impact of commercial interests on attitudes toward Sufi spirituality among different actors of this festival will be explored. Also, perceptions
of the coexistence of these seemingly incompatible values will be addressed. The review further explores the transformation of religious ceremonies from local contexts into staged festival performances, and how the recent emphasis of Sufism by the Moroccan state has contributed to the re-emergence
of Sufism in the Moroccan public sphere.
The politics of performance and the creation of South Asian music in Britain: Identities, transnational cosmopolitanism and the public sphere
Authors: Um Hae-kyung
Published: June 2012

The identities of the various South Asian communities are shaped and recognized not only by their place of origin and their specific contexts of migratory history, but also by very diverse post-migratory adaptive strategies and practices taken up by these South Asians. The complexities
and debates that surround the roles and positions of music in British South Asian communities and their specific contexts are indicative of these adaptations and re-appropriation of South Asian transnational cultures in the British context. Using the Liverpool-based South Asian arts promoter
Milapfest as a case study, this article critically examines the significances and implications of the development of new forms of South Asian music in Britain and how they relate to the broader issues of production and reproduction of South Asian cultures and identities in transnational and
global contexts. It also argues that their musical practice and the associated politics of participation is necessarily located in the dialogic nexus between religious and secular, public and private, homeland and diasporas.
Sacred pleasure, pain and transformation in African Indian Sidi Sufi ritual and performance
Authors: Catlin-Jairazbhoy Amy
Published: June 2012

This research explores the importance of linguistic materials in Sidi Sufi ritual and globalized performance, in which the objective is to transform pain and affliction into pleasure and well-being. It examines the notion that by performing such texts within new linguistic contexts
during local and global mendicancy as peripatetic faqirs outside the sacred spaces of Sufi shrines, the texts are deverbalized from the perspective of the audience. Sidi performers, however, experience no such distinction between their expressions of devotional texts within their own linguistic
environments and in international settings. This article describes, transcribes, translates and interprets Sidi devotional texts as they are performed in Sufi shrines, in homes, palaces and public venues by invitation, and in the streets of villages and towns where they wander uninvited as
mendicant faqirs. All such events are considered acts of devotion by the performers, and their linguistic content is preserved faithfully even in international settings. Their vocal genres include the azan, the Muslim call to prayer sanctioned by Islamic orthodoxy, as well as heterodox Sufi
devotional verses such as qasidas, qawwalis and zikrs, some addressed to Sidi saints. Performances of these devotional texts often develop into ecstatic dancing called goma or damal, and help to create affective solidarities among Sidis and their followers and audiences. Thus, an invented
vernacular communitas, generated locally among Sidis in Gujarat, now links Muslims and non-Muslims globally, affirming the values of sacred pleasure, transformative joy and Sufi Muslim devotion.
The natural unnaturalness of real-time narrative: The complex case of the sporting radio broadcast
Authors: Watson Cate
Published: June 2012

In this article I draw on the contested concepts of naturalness and unnaturalness in narrative, in order to analyse the sporting radio broadcast. I take as my case the ball-by-ball broadcasting of cricket on the BBC radio programme Test Match Special, examining its complexity in narrative
terms and uncovering its 'unnatural' elements. The aim of this analysis is to reveal the complexity of the sporting radio broadcast, exposing it as a fictional narrative, and furthermore a most unnatural one at that. In doing this I draw on work by Jan Alber and colleagues (2010), who present
an analysis of 'unnatural narratives' defined in terms of logical and/or physical impossibilities in three interconnected areas: unnatural storyworlds; unnatural minds; and unnatural acts of narration. The purpose of this is to exploit the uncertainty inherent in the unstable natural/unnatural
dichotomy in order to produce a different reading, thereby enabling new insights to be generated.
Simulation of the internal temperature in the Passol Laboratory, University of Debrecen
Authors: Csáky I. , Kalmár F.
Published: June 2012

Nowadays the facades of newly built buildings have significant glazed surfaces. The solar gains in these buildings can produce discomfort caused by direct solar radiation on the one hand and by the higher indoor air temperature on the other hand. The amplitude of the indoor air temperature variation depends on the glazed area, orientation of the facade and heat storage capacity of the building. This paper presents the results of a simulation, which were made in the Passol Laboratory of University of Debrecen in order to define the internal temperature variation. The simulation proved that the highest amplitudes of the internal temperature are obtained for East orientation of the facade. The upper acceptable limit of the internal air temperature is exceeded for each analyzed orientation: North, South, East, West. Comparing different building structures, according to the obtained results, in case of the heavy structure more cooling hours are obtained, but the energy consumption for cooling is lower.
Design of a semi-automatic pneumatic opening and closing equipment for gluing and a robotic cell
Authors: Gyurika I. G. , May D.
Published: June 2012

One of the most important manufacturing steps for efficient modules is the encapsulation of the control circuit and the design of the echelon height and convexity value between the casing and the circuit. The paper presents the current manufacturing technology and the development of tools and technology driven by the customers’ requirements. For this reason, a new gluing tool has been developed in the report including a pneumatic open-close machine and special use of plasma technology designed for decreasing the setting time of the glue. The development includes the design of the workplace, working requirements and the optimisation of the expenses. In the paper the results are reported with specific industrial experiences.
Correlation between Controllability of Reset Current and Electrostatic Energy Released from the Self Capacitance of Conducting Bridge Random Access Memory
Authors: Kinoshita Kentaro , Tsuruta Shigeyuki , Hasegawa Sho , Fukuhara Takahiro , Kishida Satoru
Published: June 2012

Physical properties of filaments in Cu/HfO2/Pt conducting-bridge memory (CB-RAM) were investigated basing on direct observation by conducting atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), R-T characteristics until liquid nitrogen temperature, and I-V characteristics both in air and in vacuum. As a result, physical picture of filaments in Cu/HfO2/Pt structures was revealed. Filaments consist of Cu containing large residual resistance and the cross-sectional area of the filament, Sfila, was roughly proportional to set voltage, Vset, even when current compliance was kept constant. Interestingly, resistivities of filaments are same among all the filaments in different samples and are invariant even after repetitive switching that changes resistance of the filaments. Cu/HfO2/Pt obeyed the universal relation that reset current, Ireset, is proportional to the inverse of resistance in a low resistance state, 1/RLRS, which is known to be applicable to oxygen-migration-based resistive switching memories such as Pt/NiO/Pt. Considering the invariance of resistivity of the filament, this suggests the fact that Ireset is decided dominantly by Sfila. In addition, it was suggested that moisture is necessary for dissolution and migration of Cu to form filaments.
Failure of a trial embankment on peat in Booneschans, the Netherlands
Authors: ZWANENBURG C. , DEN HAAN E.J. , KRUSE G.A.M. , KOELEWIJN A.R.
Published: June 2012

A trial embankment 6 m high was built on peat in the Netherlands, and brought to failure. The aim was to test whether innovative sensor technology could detect incipient failure in time. However, the data generated also made it possible to conduct a geotechnical assessment of stability. The paper discusses the relation between the parameters derived from laboratory tests, field measurements and behaviour observed in the field. Problems encountered in the standard triaxial testing of peat samples are discussed, as the samples tend to fail in tension. A trial pit through the failed embankment showed that there were wide tension cracks in the peat layer, indicating that the peat layer failed in tension, at least locally. However, horizontal movement dominates the overall failure mechanism. As an alternative to triaxial testing, direct simple shear (DSS) testing for the assessment of peat parameters is considered. The results of the DSS tests correspond well with field measurements and the back-analysis of the failure.
Properties of plasma sprayed ScSZ electrolyte coating
Authors: Aruna Singanahally T. , ShriPrakash Badi , Balaji Narayanaswamy , Grips Vatia K. W.
Published: June 2012

The cost-effective preparation of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolyte layer is an important issue for its practical application to SOFCs. Among many processes used for preparing electrolyte in SOFCs, atmospheric plasma spraying is of advantage because of rapid deposition with flexibility possibly leading to cost-effective manufacturing of SOFCs. In the present study, plasma-sprayable scandia-stabilized zirconia (ScSz) powder is prepared by co-precipitation route without any agglomeration step and the powders are characterized for phase, morphology, flowability and particle size using powder X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Hall flow meter, and particle size analyzer. The powder exhibited cubic phase, good flowability, and blocky angular shape. Free-form of plasma sprayed ScSZ is characterized for conductivity. The overall conductivity of ScSZ plasma sprayed coating at 773 K (∼7.19 × 10−4 S/cm) is much higher than the reported value at the same temperature for plasma sprayed ScSZ. This may be due to the better melting of the particles in the present study. The as plasma sprayed coating is also characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy to determine the adhesion of the coating to the substrate.
Fluorescent transient and photoconductivity measurements in Ce3+‐doped thiogallate crystals
Authors: Evans D. R. , Dennis W. M. , Basun S. , Kane J. , Yocum P. Niel
Published: June 2012

Abstract— Results on fluorescent transient and photoconductivity measurements in Ce3+‐doped thiogallate materials are presented. Lifetime measurements were performed using a combination of time‐resolved photon counting and laser techniques on both cold‐pressed powder and melt‐grown crystal materials. The photoconductivity measurements were performed on the melt‐grown crystal at both room and liquid‐nitrogen temperatures.
Luminescence properties of SrS:Ce3+, Cl thin films
Authors: Hüttl B. , Velthaus K. O. , Troppenz U. , Mauch R. H.
Published: June 2012

Abstract— Excitation spectroscopy and photoluminescence investigations have been carried out to evaluate the luminescence properties of SrS:Ce‐based thin films. The results are compared with those obtained on efficient powders. The application of a model developed for cathodoluminescence leads to the assumption that the defect density in the thin films is much higher than in powders. These defects act as killers leading to a reduced photoluminescence yield. The nature of the defects is not clearly identified; however, Ce doping‐induced Sr vacancies are proposed as possible candidates. As a consequence, Mn co‐doping has been applied, leading to a significantly improved PL and EL performance of the luminescent layers. An EL efficacy of 1.8 lm/W at 1‐μC/cm2 transferred charge and 60‐Hz driving frequency has been obtained.
Electrical properties of SrS:Ce EL devices
Authors: Troppenz U. , Plant T. K. , Hüttl B. , Velthaus K. O. , Mauch R. H.
Published: June 2012

Abstract— Luminance, transferred charge, photo‐induced transferred charge, and efficiency are analyzed for SrS:Ce, Cl EL devices with different phosphor layer thicknesses. At a constant Ce doping concentration of 0.05 at.%, the width of the phosphor layer is varied from 380 to 890 nm. It is found that the increase of luminance with higher phosphor thickness is mainly attributed to an increasing emission at the leading edge of the voltage pulse, whereas the trailing‐edge response is comparable in all samples. The decrease of the EL efficiency at higher peak voltage is due to a strong space‐charge formation in the phosphor layer. Highest EL efficiency is obtained at a phosphor thickness of around 700 nm. The photo‐induced charge (PQ) response due to the direct excitation (γexc = 430 nm) of Ce3+ in high electric fields is investigated as a function of peak voltage. As a result, the PQ response behaves like a sense parameter for the mean electric field of the phosphor layer.
MBE growth and characterization of SrGa2S4: Ce blue phosphor for thin‐film electroluminescence
Authors: Yang T. , Chaichimansour M. , Park W. , Wagner B. K. , Schaus C. , Sun S.‐S. , Thomas E. , Wang Z. L. , Summers C. J.
Published: June 2012

Abstract— In this paper, we report further investigations of the MBE growth and characterization of cerium‐doped strontium thiogallate (SrGa2S4: Ce). Using Sr, Ga2S3, and CeCl3 as source materials the optimum growth conditions for single‐phase polycrystalline SrGa2S4 film were found to be substrate temperatures of 550–560°C and Ga2S3/Sr beam equivalent pressure (BEP) ratios of 50–60. CeCl3/Sr flux (molecules cm−2 s−1) ratios of 0.01–0.1 were studied, and the optimum Ce doping concentration has been found to be about 3 at.%. Characterization of the structural, electrical, and optical properties by XRD, TEM, EDS, SIMS, and PL will be presented.
Saturation of phosphors under low‐voltage excitation
Authors: Stoffers Christian , Yang Sen , Jacobsen Stuart M. , Summers Christopher J.
Published: June 2012

Abstract— Two potential green FED phosphors, Gd2O2S:Tb and SrGa2S4: Eu, are examined in detail for performance at 1000‐V excitation energy. Strong saturation effects are observed in Gd2O2S:Tb and this is explained in terms of ground‐state depletion resulting from the relatively small volume of activators available. A simple two‐level model is used to show that ground‐state depletion can be observed by analyzing the rise time of the luminescence during the “pulse on” excitation time. A comparison is made between the efficiencies of both phosphors as a function of current density, and the article concludes by demonstrating that fast‐decay‐time phosphors such as SrGa2S4: Eu (1/e = 500 ns) may be essential to enable 100‐cd/m2 displays at low voltage.
Cathodoluminescent properties of Zn1−xCdxS:Ag, Cl phosphors including In2O3 excited by low‐energy electrons
Authors: Nakanishi Y. , Kominami H. , Hatanaka Y.
Published: June 2012

Abstract— Low‐voltage cathodoluminescent properties of Zn1−xCdxS:Ag, Cl solid‐solution phosphors mixed with In2O3 conductive powder with a ratio of 10 wt.% have been investigated in view of the development of field‐emission displays (FEDs). Luminance of the mixed phosphor was higher than that of the phosphor without In2O3 at excitation voltages lower than 350 V. It was shown that the red luminance of Y2O2S:Eu phosphor with In2O3 is observed to be about four times that of Zn0.28Cd0.72S:Ag, Cl phosphor, which emits red, with In2O3 at 50–500 V.
Setbacks to shoot growth are common in woody plants, so how are shoots of some species safer than others?
Authors: Butler Don W. , Gleason Sean M. , Westoby Mark
Published: June 2012

Tissue turnover is a critical facet of plant life history variation. This study quantifies losses from setbacks to growth of terminal woody shoots 1.2 m long, across 83 species and seven sites in eastern Australia. Setbacks, where the leading meristem had been removed or died and a new leader had emerged, were common (median three per shoot). Shoots had lost an average of 0.25 m of lead‐stem length for 1.2 m net shoot‐length gain. Insects like girdlers and borers were prominent causes of large setbacks. The sites spanned tropical to temperate and humid to semiarid climates, but variation in stem loss was much greater across species than across sites. We measured 17 plant functional traits related to growth form, mechanics, hydraulics, and economics. Only four traits were correlated with variation across species in stem losses: stem diameter, stem nitrogen content, bark thickness, and maximum photosynthetic rate. The correlations were weak. Stem specific gravity (wood density) showed no correlation with risk. Our results suggest a pattern similar to the growth–risk trade‐off known for herbaceous plants, where traits associated with fast growth increase tissue turnover and herbivory, but the weak correlations leave ample scope for other influences that remain to be identified.
Cover and density of semi‐desert grassland plants in permanent quadrats mapped from 1915 to 1947
Authors: Anderson Jed , McClaran Mitchel P. , Adler Peter B.
Published: June 2012

This historical data set consists of 178 permanent 1‐m2 quadrats located on semi‐desert grasslands at the Santa Rita Experimental Range, Arizona, USA. Individual plants in these quadrats were identified and mapped annually (in most cases) from 1915 to 1933 and again in 1947. Quadrats were located in ungrazed exclosures and in pastures grazed at various intensities by livestock. These data provide unique opportunities to test the interactive effects of grazing and climate variables on demographic rates, plant–plant interactions, and population and community dynamics. We provide the following data and data formats: (1) the digitized maps in shapefile format; (2) a tabular representation of centroid or point location (x, y coordinates), basal or canopy cover (m2) for plants mapped as polygons, perimeter length (m), and seedling and clone status for each individual plant record; (3) quadrat information including elevation, livestock grazing history, and proximity to closest long‐term rainfall gauge; (4) monthly precipitation values for those gauges; (5) a species list including synonymy of names and plant growth forms; (6) an inventory of the years each quadrat was sampled; and (7) summary information on unmapped plants in each quadrat.
A Reemerging Political Space for Linking Person and Community Through Primary Health Care
Authors: Sweeney Sarah A. , Bazemore Andrew , Phillips Robert L. , Etz Rebecca S. , Stange Kurt C.
Published: June 2012

Objectives. We sought to understand how national policy key informants perceive the value and changing role of primary care in the context of emerging political opportunities.

Methods. We conducted 13 semistructured interviews in May 2011 with leaders of federal agencies, think tanks, nonprofits, and quality standard–defining organizations with influence over health care reform policies and implementation. We recorded the interviews and used an editing and immersion–crystallization analysis approach to identify themes.

Results. We identified 4 themes: (1) affirmation of primary care as the foundation of a more effective health care system, (2) the patient-centered medical home as a transitional step to foster practice innovation and payment reform, (3) the urgent need for an increased focus on community and population health in primary care, and (4) the ongoing need for advocacy and research efforts to keep primary care on public and policy agendas.

Conclusions. Current efforts to reform primary care are only intermediate steps toward a system with a greater focus on community and population health. Transformed and policy-enabled primary care is an essential link between personalized care and population health.
Public Health Detailing of Primary Care Providers: New York City’s Experience, 2003–2010
Authors: Dresser Michelle G. , Short Leslie , Wedemeyer Laura , Bredow Victoria Lowerson , Sacks Rachel , Larson Kelly , Levy Joslyn , Silver Lynn D.
Published: June 2012

Objectives. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Public Health Detailing Program in helping primary care providers and their staff to improve patient care on public health challenges.

Methods. We analyzed reported changes in clinical practice or behavior by examining providers’ retention and implementation of recommendations for campaigns.

Results. During each campaign, 170 to 443 providers and 136 to 221 sites were reached. Among assessed providers who indicated changes in their practice behavior, the following statistically significant increases occurred from baseline to follow-up. Reported screening for clinical preventive services increased, including routinely screening for intimate partner violence (14%–42%). Clinical management increased, such as prescribing longer-lasting supplies of medicine (29%–42%). Lifestyle modification and behavior change, such as recommending increased physical activity to patients with high cholesterol levels, rose from 52% to 73%. Self-management goal setting with patients increased, such as using a clinical checkbook to track hemoglobin A1c goals (28% to 43%).

Conclusions. Data suggest that public health detailing can be effective for linking public health agencies and their recommendations to providers and influencing reported changes in clinical practice behavior.
Primary Care and Public Health Activities in Select US Health Centers: Documenting Successes, Barriers, and Lessons Learned
Authors: Lebrun Lydie A. , Shi Leiyu , Chowdhury Joya , Sripipatana Alek , Zhu Jinsheng , Sharma Ravi , Hayashi A. Seiji , Daly Charles A. , Tomoyasu Naomi , Nair Suma , Ngo-Metzger Quyen
Published: June 2012

Objectives. We examined primary care and public health activities among federally funded health centers, to better understand their successes, the barriers encountered, and the lessons learned.

Methods. We used qualitative and quantitative methods to collect data from 9 health centers, stratified by administrative division, urban–rural location, and race/ethnicity of patients served. Descriptive data on patient and institutional characteristics came from the Uniform Data System, which collects data from all health centers annually. We administered questionnaires and conducted phone interviews with key informants.

Results. Health centers performed well on primary care coordination and community orientation scales and reported conducting many essential public health activities. We identified specific needs for integrating primary care and public health: (1) more funding for collaborations and for addressing the social determinants of health, (2) strong leadership to champion collaborations, (3) trust building among partners, with shared missions and clear expectations of responsibilities, and (4) alignment and standardization of data collection, analysis, and exchange.

Conclusions. Lessons learned from health centers should inform strategies to better integrate public health with primary care.
Comparing the Performance and Recovery Mechanisms for Steam Flooding in Heavy and Light Oil Reservoirs
Authors: Haghighi Mehdi Bagheripour , Ayatollahi Shahab , Shabaninejad Mehdi
Published: June 2012

The concern over fossil energy shortage for the next decade leads to the extensive research activities in the area of enhanced oil recovery. Steam injection as one of well known EOR process has been used for about five decades to improve the oil production rate and recovery efficiency. Steam flooding is applied to heavy and extra-heavy oil reservoirs; however it could be used in light oil reservoirs in which water injection do not work effectively. Regardless of different performances, this method is an efficient EOR process for both heavy and light oil reservoirs.

In this work, two separate numerical models were prepared to investigate steam flooding performance for the recovery of light and heavy oil. The heavy oil model is a Cartesian hypothesis model with properties of Cold Lake heavy oil reservoir in Canada and light oil model is a sector of an Iranian fractured light oil reservoir.

For this purpose, steam flooding was implemented in these two models separately. Then according to software options, all possible recovery mechanisms (viscosity reduction, steam distillation, thermal oil expansion and others) were simulated individually to measure the effectiveness of each recovery mechanism in total recovery of heavy and light oil during steam flooding. Also, operational parameters such as steam quality, steam flow rate and well perforation were optimized for both reservoirs.

Results show that steam flooding performances in heavy and light oil reservoirs are different. Heavy oil reservoirs do not response fast to steam compared to the light oil reservoirs. Furthermore, viscosity reduction is a main recovery mechanism in recovery of heavy oil and contribute to 80% of total recovery, while in recovery of light oil all three main recovery mechanisms have the same contribution to total recovery. It was also found that the optimized operational parameters are different for each reservoir.