bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial and temporal variations of extreme precipitation and temperature events for the Southwest China in 1960–2009
Authors: Qin Nianxiu , Wang Junneng , Yang Guishan , Chen Xi , Liang Haoyuan , Zhang Jianbin
Published: February 2015

Background

Extreme climate events leading to tremendous life and property losses, environmental degradation, have recently received increased attention. It is applied to a data set consisting of 116 weather station records (1960–2009) covering the Southwest China, and measured the spatial and temporal characteristics of precipitation and temperature extreme and their long-term trend have been analyzed, the possible reason for the recent 2009 SWC severe drought is briefly discussed too.

Results

The most remarkable result is, compared with the base year, significant decreasing trend has been measured for the precipitation amount and the rainy days while regardless the mean temperature, maximum temperature or minimum temperature is clear warming in 2009 over SWC, particularly in the 9-12 month, less precipitation combined with unreasonable high temperature may be the major contributor to the mega-drought crippling into SWC in 2009-2010. Although no significant trend has been indentified for annual precipitation, great sub-seasonality and regional difference has been detected over SWC. Statistical significant decreasing trend has been examined for rainy days over SWC and the downward prevail in the second half of a year, especially in the autumn month while the first half of a year is characterized by positive trend of maximum precipitation, rainy day intensity and annual precipitation. Maximum temperature and minimum temperature showed significant warming trend in every month, in particular the upward trend of the minimum temperature is stronger than that of the maximum temperature.

Conclusions

It is somewhat resulting easily in the increase of frequency of extreme events, that is, increase the frequency of flooding and drought in the Southwest China.
Comparison performance between PID and PD controllers for three and four cable-based robots
Authors: Inel Fouad , Khochmane Lakhdar
Published: February 2015

Cable-based Robots are new type of parallel robots that use cables instead of metallic cylinders. They have good properties that can be used for various applications. The main objective of this work is: the first is to use the direct and inverse geometric model to study and simulate the end effector position of the robot with three and four cables. A graphical user interface has been implemented in order to visualizing the position of the robot. Secondly, we present the determination of static and dynamic tensions and lengths of cables required to flow different trajectories. At the end, we study the response of our systems in closed loop with a Proportional-Integrated-Derivative (PID) and Proportional-Integrated (PD) controllers then this last are compared the results for the same examples using MATLAB/Simulink.; we found that the PID method gives the better performance, such as rapidly speed response, settling time, compared to PD controller.
Non - linear concentration waves of pollutants in fluid - saturated porous rocks: constitutive equations approach and some examples of numerical solutions in the phase plane
Authors: Caligiuri Luigi , Lamonaca Francesco , Nastro Alfonso , Giordano Domenica
Published: February 2015

The dynamics of fluid - saturated porous rock is a particularly interesting problem in geophysics and hydrology, nevertheless it is very important in environmental protection as well since it is able to describe, in a lot of situations, the propagation of pollutant substances dissolved in porous environmental matrices. It has been show that, for these systems, the nonlinear effects can be very important to consider. In this paper we'll discuss two novel approaches to the study of the above dynamics: one based on constitutive and conservation equations, the other considering the mass - balance equations for the solute flow and for adsorption rate of solute on the poroelastic matrix. We have shown the first model correctly describes the nonlinear behavior of the fluid pore pressure and pollutants concentration while the second gives the nonlinear term describing advection of which some numerical solutions has been calculated.
Comparative experimental evaluation of drilling fluid contamination on shear bond strength at wellbore cement interfaces
Authors: Radonjic Mileva , Oyibo Arome
Published: February 2015

Wellbore cement has been used to provide well integrity through zonal isolation in oil and gas wells as well as geothermal wells. Failures of wellbore cement result from either or both: inadequate cleaning of the wellbore and inappropriate cement slurry design for a given field/operational application. Inadequate cementing can result in creation of fractures and microannuli, through which produced fluids can migrate to the surface, leading to environmental and economic issues such as sustained casing pressure, contamination of fresh water aquifers and, in some cases, well blowout. To achieve proper cementing, the drilling fluid should be completely displaced by the cement slurry, providing clean interfaces for effective bond. This is, however, hard to achieve in practice, which results in contaminated cement mixture and poor bonds at interfaces. This paper reports findings from the experimental investigation of the impact of drilling fluid contamination on the shear bond strength at the cement-formation and the cement-casing interfaces by testing different levels of contamination as well as contaminations of different nature (physical vs. chemical). Shear bond test and material characterization techniques were used to quantify the effect of drilling fluid contamination on the shear bond strength. The results show that drilling fluid contamination is detrimental to both cement-formation and cement-casing shear bond strength.
Spatio-temporal patterns and source identification of surface water pollution in Bohai Bay, China from 1995 to 2005
Authors: Zhao Haiping , Li Qingxue , Tao Jianhua
Published: February 2015

Several multivariate statistical methods were comprehensively used to interpret the temporal, spatial patterns and source identification of surface water pollution in Bohai Bay with the large and complex data. Twelve variables water quality indices were surveyed at 12 sites three times a year (May, August, and October) from 1995 to 2005. Cluster analysis (CA) grouped the eleven years into two clusters, Cluster A (1995 to 2001 except 1998) and cluster B (2002 to 2005 and 1998), and spatial CA divided the entire area into three groups. The results of discriminant analysis showed that the temporal CA and spatial CA were effective with 90% and 83.3% correct assignments, respectively. In cluster A, the pollution sources mainly were nutrient factor from non-point source and Hg pollution, oil and organic pollutions were relatively light. In Cluster B, the organic pollution became the mainly pollution source, and the nutrient pollution was still serious problem. In the results of spatial analysis, the group 1 was mainly affected by anthropogenic pollution, the group 3 was seriously affected by oil spill pollution and nutrients pollution, and the group 2 reflected relatively strong water self-purification ability.
Measurement method based on thermal analysis for the characterization of frozen and banked human bones
Authors: Lamonaca Francesco , Vasile Monica , Caligiuri Luigi , Nastro Alfonso
Published: February 2015

The study reported in this paper is devoted to the characterization, by thermal analysis, of human bones stored at different temperatures. Two types of bone were used, the first healthy and the second one osteoarthritis. The results reported are referred to analysis of the DSC patterns and TG, DTG values of the specimens of femoral-head banked at -30 °C and -80 °C immediately after the surgical removal or washed with acetone and then stored. These treatments must be performed immediately after the surgery in order to prevent the degradation of the collagen protein, i.e. collagenases. The thermodynamic differences between the healthy and the pathological bones add to biological contraindication as to why the osteoarthritis bone cannot be utilized for allograft.
Discrimination of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer′s Disease Using Transfer Entropy Measures of Scalp EEG
Authors: McBride Joseph , Zhao Xiaopeng , Munro Nancy , Jicha Gregory , Smith Charles , Jiang Yang
Published: February 2015

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a neurological condition related to early stages of dementia including Alzheimer′s disease (AD). This study investigates the potential of measures of transfer entropy in scalp EEG for effectively discriminating between normal aging, MCI, and AD participants. Resting EEG records from 48 age‐matched participants (mean age 75.7 years)—15 normal controls, 16 MCI, and 17 early AD—are examined. The mean temporal delays corresponding to peaks in inter‐regional transfer entropy are computed and used as features to discriminate between the three groups of participants. Three‐way classification schemes based on binary support vector machine models demonstrate overall discrimination accuracies of 91.7— 93.8%, depending on the protocol condition. These results demonstrate the potential for EEG transfer entropy measures as biomarkers in identifying early MCI and AD. Moreover, the analyses based on short data segments (two minutes) render the method practical for a primary care setting.
Review of Information and Communication Technology Devices for Monitoring Functional and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer′s Disease Clinical Trials
Authors: Pillai Jagan A. , Bonner-Jackson Aaron
Published: February 2015

Detecting and monitoring early cognitive impairment in Alzheimer′s disease (AD) is a significant need in the field of AD therapeutics. Successful AD clinical trial designs have to overcome challenges related to the subtle nature of early cognitive changes. Continuous unobtrusive assessments using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) devices to capture markers of intra‐individual change over time to assess cognitive and functional disability therefore offers significant benefits. We review the literature and provide an overview on randomized clinical trials in AD that use intelligent systems to monitor functional decline, as well as strengths, weaknesses, and future directions for the use of ICTs in a new generation of AD clinical trials.
Case Report: Gollop-Wolfgang Complex in a 5 month old baby
Authors: Qureshi Ihtesham A. , Gudepu Rohit Kumar , Chava Ravikanth , Emmani Sravya , Asghar Syed Husain , Qureshi Mohtashim A. , Arlappa Nimmathota
Published: February 2015

Skeletal dysplasias are disorders associated with a generalized abnormality in the skeleton. The Gollop-Wolfgang complex (GWC) is a limb deficiency disorder and an unusual limb malformation with highly variable manifestations. Here we report an interesting case of a 5-month old male baby from India with Gollop-Wolfgang Complex showing bifurcation of the right femur, ectrodactyly of both feet, ectrodactyly of left hand, syndactyly of right hand and unusual presentation of bilateral fibular agenesis and caudal (Sacrococcygeal) agenesis. The etiology of GWC in this 5 month old male baby could possibly be attributed to spontaneous gene mutation. The clinical, radiographic findings and the unusual presentation are presented in detail.
Adherence to Artemisinin Combination Therapy for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Siddiqui M. Ruby , Willis Andrew , Bil Karla , Singh Jatinder , Mukomena Sompwe Eric , Ariti Cono
Published: February 2015

Between 2011 and 2013 the number of recorded malaria cases had more than doubled, and between 2009 and 2013 had increased almost 4-fold in MSF-OCA (Médecins sans Frontières – Operational Centre Amsterdam) programmes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The reasons for this rise are unclear. Incorrect intake of Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) could result in failure to treat the infection and potential recurrence. An adherence study was carried out to assess whether patients were completing the full course of ACT.

One hundred and eight malaria patients in Shamwana, Katanga province, DRC were visited in their households the day after ACT was supposed to be completed. They were asked a series of questions about ACT administration and the blister pack was observed (if available).

Sixty seven (62.0%) patients were considered probably adherent. This did not take into account the patients that vomited or spat their pills or took them at the incorrect time of day, in which case adherence dropped to 46 (42.6%). The most common reason that patients gave for incomplete/incorrect intake was that they were vomiting or felt unwell (10 patients (24.4%), although the reasons were not recorded for 22 (53.7%) patients). This indicates that there may be poor understanding of the importance of completing the treatment or that the side effects of ACT were significant enough to over-ride the pharmacy instructions.

Adherence to ACT was poor in this setting. Health education messages emphasising the need to complete ACT even if patients vomit doses, feel unwell or their health conditions improve should be promoted.
THE SOFTWARE OF SAPR FOR DESIGN OF A LAN
Authors: Саражинский  , Sarazhinskiy A.
Published: February 2015

In article the software used for SAPR is in detail analysed. Creation of the software for SAPR at the enterprise is proved. The technology of ensuring quality of service of networks is considered.
TYPOLOGY LF SIGNAL ON ADAPTATION CONTROL SIGNALS FOR INTELLECTUAL SIMULATORS
Authors: Табаков  , Tabakov Yu. , Лавлинский  , Lavlinskiy V.
Published: February 2015

The article considers the variety and amplitude-frequency characteristics of low-frequency signals. Considered experimental removal of the low-frequency signals from the cerebral cortex of a few healthy people to identify the control signals.
METHODOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF LINGVOCONCEPTOLOGY
Authors: Чубур  , Chubur T.
Published: February 2015

The article deals with the problem of further development of methods and procedures for comparative study of semantics of linguistic signs within lingvoconceptology. That reveals differences in the semantic space of different languages, as well as conceptosphere of peoples who speak these languages.
Embodied subjectivity: The impact of reflexive engagement with personal narrative upon the values of trainee primary art teachers
Authors: Hames Hannah
Published: February 2015

This research explores the relationship between reflexive engagement with personal narrative, and the refinement and development of value systems amongst trainee primary art teachers. Work generated during a critical studies module was gathered and analysed chronologically to isolate and interpret any moments of reflexivity associated with the use of personal narrative. This was compared with the conclusions drawn by students in their final essays to identify whether such reflexive activity had supported the articulation of subject specific values. The study revealed that reflexive activity can significantly broaden students’ understanding of the value of art and design, however, most students are unable to connect their newly refined values with any proposed actions for change. The report concludes by highlighting the difficulties associated with the swift ‘interpellation’ of student teachers in primary settings, recommending that values-led practice in art and design is supported in a practical, skills-based way by training providers.
The educational role of performing and visual arts in Asante traditional politics
Authors: Arthur Nana Ama Pokuaa , Asante Eric Appau , Opoku-Asare Nana Afia
Published: February 2015

Although various forms of art are prominent in the Asante culture, the performing and visual arts make a particularly vibrant and far-reaching contribution. This study has used a qualitative research approach, relying mainly on observations and interviews, to focus on the role of the performing and visual arts in Asante traditional politics. The results show that the arts offer more than just entertainment and communication – they also play a motivational and educational role that encourages the Asante culture to continue to evolve. It is important that traditional rulers in Asante should help preserve and promote their visual and performing art forms to ensure that the arts continue to play instrumental roles in their traditional leadership.
Culdesac Island workshops: Creative capacities in a virtual learning environment
Authors: Navarro David Serra , Villanueva Joan Vallès
Published: February 2015

This work encompasses some reflections developed in the Culdesac Island project: a virtual lab put together through intergenerational creative workshops. The use of Second Life has allowed multiple pathways, the interaction of simulations and the creation of a social space where knowledge flows and is shared, plus the possibility of generating collaborative work. These simulation environments allow ‘real’ learning and spaces to share and develop artistic experiences. The aim is to show the educational potential of the virtual environment from the transference of real experience conveyed by the figure of the ‘avatar-performer’, thus establishing a relational framework between the ‘body-object’ and cooperative processes in an intangible space. In this social lab, real cultural actions are reproduced and/or revised in a mimetic way as the interactive principle between participants of different ages and profiles. Furthermore, it adds new values to network production based on real and virtual experience.

Este trabajo recoge algunas reflexiones desarrolladas en el proyecto Culdesac Island, un laboratorio virtual articulado a través de talleres creativos intergeneracionales. La utilización de SecondLife ha permitido múltiples recorridos, interacción de simulaciones y la creación de un espacio social donde fluye y también se comparte conocimiento y la posibilidad de generar acciones de trabajo colaborativo. Entornos de simulación que permiten aprendizajes “reales” y espacios para compartir y desarrollar experiencias artísticas. El objetivo es mostrar el potencial pedagógico del entorno virtual desde la transferencia de experiencia real vehiculada en la figura del “avatar-performer”, un marco relacional entre el “cuerpo-objeto” y nuevos procesos colaborativos en el espacio intangible. Un laboratorio social en el que se reproduce y/o revisa en clave mimética las acciones culturales reales como principio interactivo entre participantes de diferentes edades y perfil, añadiendo nuevos valores sobre la producción en red basados en la experiencia, real y virtual.
Older adult responses to art curriculum and self-directed learning
Authors: La Porte Angela M.
Published: February 2015

The objective of this participant observation was to better understand how older adults respond to diverse art education curricula and self-directed learning. The study involved teaching a weekly two-hour art class of eight to ten adults at a low-income residential facility over a four-month period. Findings suggested that curricula should encompass the broad range of student backgrounds, levels of art expertise, and life experiences. Older adult participants were largely self-directed to varying degrees, depending on their art knowledge, media expertise, and confidence in the subject area. The instructor best served the older adult learner as a facilitator or resource for learning. It was important to build on what students wanted to learn and to introduce artists and styles that broadened their perspectives and inspired art-making. Not all students responded to planned curriculum, but themes with an enduring idea such as healing or ritual evoked stories and inspired meaningful art.
A critical analysis on five Korean art educators’ perceptions of pedagogic values of ‘Traditional’ painting
Authors: Jeong Ok-Hee
Published: February 2015

This article critically analyses the views of five Korean art educators on traditional art practice that assume the enduring value of a particular style of Korean ‘traditional’ painting. The outcome of the data analysis shows how a particular style of Korean painting is recognized by them as ‘traditional’, while other styles such as folk painting are rejected as non-valuable from a complex historical legacy of art practice. This shows the cultural reproduction of the educational discourses and practices of tradition that are retained through an idealized memory historically rooted as part of structurally generated class ‘cultures’, as central to the constitution of social solidarity and to the creation of a collective identity, and have constantly reproduced a particular culture.

이 글은 초중등학교와 대학에서 전통회화를 가르치고 있거나 미술교육 연구 분야에서 일하고 있는 다섯 명의 한국 미술교육자들의 전통미술에 대한 관점을 비판적으로 분석한다. 이들과의 인터뷰 자료 분석을 통해 한국회화에서 수묵화와 같은 특정 스타일은 ‘전통적’으로 간주되어왔던 반면, 민화와 같은 다른 스타일들은 전통적으로 간주되지 않았던 시대적 역사적 맥락을 들여다봄으로써, 특정 스타일의 한국 회화에 ‘전통’이라는 변치 않은 가치를 두고 이루어지는 교육적인 담론과 실천에 대한 반성적 고찰을 제공한다. 한 사회의 특정 계층의 ‘문화’로 구조화된 전통에 대한 인식은 그들이 속한 사회의 연대감 구성과 집합적 정체성을 중시하고자 그 집단의 과거에 대해 이상화된 기억들을 통해 구성된 것일 수도 있으며, 이런 전통회화 대한 인식들로 이루어지는 교육적 담론과 실천들은 지속적으로 특정 문화를 재생산하는 역할을 할 수 있음을 비판한다.
Crafting the collective sense: A descriptive case study on recreational textile craft-making in Finnish
adult education
Authors: Kouhia Anna
Published: February 2015

The purpose of this article is to elaborate on the collective aspects of craft-making in the field of adult education, and to discuss the collaborative elements behind the increasing popularity of leisure time craft-making. Exploring this emerging affinity further, this descriptive case study uses auto-ethnographic methods to examine the process of co-producing the collective sense in a group of hobby craft ­practitioners. Data consist of a researcher’s reflective field diary and in-depth interviews of nine course participants, which in the analysis unfold the experiences of becoming a member of a community of hobbyist craft-makers. There were four themes that emerged in the study: mutual agency, social interaction, active participation and shared responsibility. As the list suggests, a collective sense does not simply grow through increasing participation, but is also fuelled by many pedagogical and social factors. Therefore, craft-making is seen as a much broader phenomenon than a mere material transformation.

Artikkelin tarkoituksena on tutkia käsityön yhteisöllisyyttä vapaan sivitystyön kentällä ja keskustella yhteisöllisyyden rakentumisesta käsityön harrastamisen kasvavan suosion näkökulmasta. Artikkelissa kehittyvän yhteenkuuluvuuden tunteen tarkastelussa hyödynnetään kuvailevan tapaustutkimuksen sekä autoetnografisen tutkimuksen metodeja. Artikkelissa keskitytään tutkimaan yhteisöllisyyden kokemuksen rakentumista käsityön harrastajaryhmässä. Tutkimusaineisto koostuu tutkijan reflektiivisestä päiväkirja-aineistosta sekä yhdeksän käsityöryhmään osallistuneen henkilön haastatteluista. Analyysi valottaa kokemuksia käsityön harrastajayhteisön jäseneksi kasvamisesta. Tutkimuksen neljä keskeistä teemaa ovat vastavuoroinen toimijuus, sosiaalinen vuorovaikutus, aktiivinen osallistuminen sekä jaettu vastuu. Nämä teemat osoittavat, että yhteisöllisyyden kokemus käsityössä ei rakennu pelkästään osallisuuden lujittumisen kautta, vaan siihen vaikuttavat myös monet pedagogiset ja sosiaaliset tekijät. Tästä syystä myös käsitöiden tekeminen näyttäytyy paljon laajempana ilmiönä kuin pelkkänä materiaalin muokkaamisena.
Threshold concepts in art education: Negotiating the ambiguity in pre-service teacher identity formation
Authors: Blair Lorrie , Fitch Sebastien
Published: February 2015

The dual nature of being simultaneously an artist and a teacher has long been recognized as a source of stress for novice and mid-career art educators. The article describes findings from a qualitative study into first-year art education students’ experiences of studio-based art courses. Data comprising interviews with six instructors and focus-group interviews with a total of twelve students revealed the extent to which the above problem takes root early on before prospective teachers have entered the classroom, and indicates a pressing need for pre-service art teacher training to address this issue. We suggest the inherent dichotomy at the heart of art education can be understood as a problematic liminal space, which students experience both on a personal as well as an institutional level, and we explore how Threshold Concept theory might serve as a key to help students fuse their conflicting identities into a coherent sense of self.
The Dead Man Drifted Along in the Breeze
Authors: Butler David
Published: February 2015

The Dead Man Drifted Along in the Breeze presents stills from a video document capturing a computer screen as I navigated Google Streetview, in an attempt to retrace Robert Smithson's walk as described in his 1967 Artforum article 'The monuments of Passaic'. The contemporary video stills are accompanied by quotations from the original Smithson article. It is as if Smithson was writing about a future landscape as documented by the Google cameras; a fragile world of unstable pictures and shifting ground.
Beacon
Authors: Jurakic Ivan , Lukasik-Foss Tor
Published: February 2015

Beacon is a photo-essay documenting members of the TH&B collective taking a billboard of the Great Lakes for a walk in the woods along a trail to the Bow River. The project was developed during the BRiC residency The Retreat at the Banff Centre for the Arts in August 2012 (All photos by Carol Sawyer).
Walter Benjamin: Retreat/Attack
Authors: Balfour Ian
Published: February 2015

Column on Walter Benjamin and the notion of the retreat.
A figure of ambivalent retreat: The case of Gisela Elsner
Authors: Smith-Prei Carrie
Published: February 2015

Retreat communicates power through refusal. By turning away or separating from, the subject in retreat engages in an act of negativity that demands a break with dominant modes of thinking and a redirecting of energies towards the messy, diffuse, or unpopular. In the post-1945 German context, such associations carry specific historical and cultural weight, as negation always also denotes a retreat from the legacies of fascism. This article examines the German author Gisela Elsner (1937-1992) as a case study of just such a retreat. As a figure, she enacted retreat through costuming, make-up, and her fierce commitment to the DKP, the German Communist Party, despite her location in West Germany. Her writing also retreats - from representation, from pleasure, from emotion and from interpretation. The article explores Elsner as a figure of retreat that complicates the positive coding of the term's identity-political possibilities.
Ankyloglossia (n. Tongue-tie) ',Insect, multiple, trunk, word, form tongue-tie, worm, maggot, repeat, negate, monstrous, branch, causation, compress, shape, shift, site, sense, will, agency, society, adapt, cellular, function, fear, pile, sort, cold, cold, reconfigure, joint, test, abstract, formulate, reconfigure, dysfunction, perspective, darkness, convergence, interconnected, relation, articulate, mechanism, define, categorize, topple, no matter, twig, repeat, stone, sand, whistle, wind, drop, dribble, pour, maker, bridge, instruct, set, upon, inside, diagram, gesticulate, perspective, forgotten, certainty, undoing'.
Authors: Howes Emma Waltraud
Published: February 2015

Ankyloglossia manifests as multiple systems of categorization. A series of films, 'Systems for: Base, curl, foot, free, out, pile, shake, stack', focus solely on a thigh, calve, an arm and three fingers. These fractions are piled and sorted, at times functioning as distinct and separate characters, and in others emphasized as a whole. They fold into one another to allude to the Exquisite Corpses of the Surrealists, or Donna Haraway's 'Many-Headed Monsters'. A series of text collages are arranged by the order in which the physiological, philosophical and psychological words were removed from the original source, The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus (1956). The texts are arranged in entomological boxes, each word separated by an individual entomology pin. A series of photographs are adorned with digitally printed limbs, and presented alongside Raku-fired limbs in Petri-dishes, a collection of parts arranged on tabletops as evidence of an absurd research.
Doors Open, Doors Closed
Authors: von Stenglin Franziska
Published: February 2015

The elevator doors opened. Three security guards stood on the other side of the spacious hall awaiting them. She followed the young man, the three guards in turn followed her. They went through various small conference rooms, named after opera's: Aida, Lohengrin, Don Giovanni. She wondered whether there was one called Cosi fan Tutte/Thus do they all.
Potential applications of curcumin and curcumin nanoparticles: from traditional therapeutics to modern nanomedicine
Authors: Rai Mahendra , Pandit Raksha , Gaikwad Swapnil , Yadav Alka , Gade Aniket
Published: February 2015

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is one of the potent, non-toxic and major bioactive components present in turmeric. Major drawbacks of curcumin are low absorption and poor bioavailability. The present review highlights on methods for the fabrication of curcumin nanoparticles and their applications in treatment of cancer and wound infections. Curcumin nanoparticles possess remarkable antibacterial, antiviral and anti-protozoan activity. Hence, curcumin nanoparticles loaded nano-gel, microemulsion and nano-cream can be used for drug delivery.
A mixture-of-modelers approach to forecasting NCAA tournament outcomes
Authors: Yuan Lo-Hua , Liu Anthony , Yeh Alec , Kaufman Aaron , Reece Andrew , Bull Peter , Franks Alex , Wang Sherrie , Illushin Dmitri , Bornn Luke
Published: February 2015

Predicting the outcome of a single sporting event is difficult; predicting all of the outcomes for an entire tournament is a monumental challenge. Despite the difficulties, millions of people compete each year to forecast the outcome of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, which spans 63 games over 3 weeks. Statistical prediction of game outcomes involves a multitude of possible covariates and information sources, large performance variations from game to game, and a scarcity of detailed historical data. In this paper, we present the results of a team of modelers working together to forecast the 2014 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. We present not only the methods and data used, but also several novel ideas for post-processing statistical forecasts and decontaminating data sources. In particular, we highlight the difficulties in using publicly available data and suggest techniques for improving their relevance.
Crystal growth, characterization and dielectric studies of silica gel-grown polydistrontiumdimalate pentahydrate: a 2D porous metal-organic framework
Authors: Nair Remya M. , Siji Vijayamohanadas L. , Dhanya Velappan Nair S. , Roy Sunalya M. , Sudarsanakumar Maliyeckal R. , Suma Subhadra , Ng Seik Weng , Kurup Maliyeckal R. Prathapachandra
Published: February 2015

Good-quality single crystals of polydistrontiumdimalatepentahydrate, a two-dimensional porous metal-organic framework, were successively grown by gel diffusion technique. Sodium metasilicate was used for gel preparation. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses showed that the compound crystallizes in triclinic space group P-1. The functional groups present in the crystals were identified by Fourier transform-infrared analysis. Elemental, powder X-ray diffraction and UV-visible spectral analyses of the compound were also performed. Thermal stability of the grown crystals was analyzed by thermogravimetry. Dielectric analyses of the title compound were conducted at room temperature in the frequency range of 400 Hz–4 MHz.
Dynamical Diffraction Theory for Distorted Crystals
Authors: Kato N.
Published: February 2015

A set of linear equations for the Fourier components of the field vectors D0 (p) (direct waves) and Dg (p) (Bragg-reflected waves) is formulated by the Fourier transform of the Maxwell equations. Starting from these equations, the scattering matrix theory and the equation equivalent to the Takagi-Taupin equation are derived systematically. The equivalence of these formulations is concluded. The formal similarity of the Takagi-Taupin equation to the Dirac equation for a relativistic charged particle is pointed out.
Röntgen-Topographische Untersuchungen am Lithiumformiat-Monohydrat
Authors: Klapper H.
Published: February 2015

The defect structures of large single crystals of lithium formate monohydrate. HCOOLi · H2O (space group Pbn21), have been examined by X-ray topography. Two types of planar defects occur: a) Twin boundaries and twin lamellae parallel to (100). The twinning is produced by a rotation of 180° around the axis [100]. b) Defect planes parallel to (010), which could not fully be characterized.

The crystals contain grown-in dislocation lines with Burgers vectors parallel to [100], [010], [001], 〈110〉, and probably also parallel to 〈011〉 and 〈012〉. Many of these lines have moved after crystal growth. Bundles of essentially straight dislocation lines with distinct but not always sharply defined preferred directions occur. These directions are in reasonable agreement with directions calculated by minimizing the elastic dislocation energy per unit growth length. Furthermore, dislocation half loops with a Burgers vector [001] produced by plastic deformation have been observed. Some relations between the relative growth velocities of two neighbouring growth faces and the geometry of the corresponding growth-sector boundary are discussed.
The Effect of the Anomalous Absorption on the Diffraction Contrast on 90° Bloch Walls
Authors: Polcarová M.
Published: February 2015

The diffraction contrast produced by 90° ferromagnetic domain walls in X-ray transmission topographs is calculated. Two cases are considered: very low and very high normal absorption. The results indicate that the difference in contrast on walls having opposite signs of lattice tilt is due to the anomalous absorption and depends on the magnitude of normal absorption. These theoretical results are in agreement with the contrast observations in X-ray transmission topographs taken from Fe-3 wt%Si single crystal samples using different plate thickness and different radiations.
Surface Plasma Oscillations in Copper Films
Authors: Takigawa Tadahiro , Komaki Ken-ichiro , Fujimoto Fuminori
Published: February 2015

An energy loss peak at 2 eV in the energy spectrum of electrons transmitted through thin copper films is observed and the variations of the energy value and of the intensity of the peak with film thickness are studied. The cross section for the surface plasmon excitation is calculated from optical data. The observed variations of the energy value and of the intensity of the peak show quantitative and qualitative agreements, respectively, with calculated values. It is concluded that the peak is mainly due to the surface plasmon which does not emit plasma radiation.
Spherical Wave Theory of Moiré Fringes Produced under Conditions of Borrmann Transmission by Two Crystals Separated by a Gap
Authors: Tanemura S. , Lang A. R.
Published: February 2015

The spherical wave theory of Kato is applied to calculate the intensity field in the moire fringe pattern produced by two perfectly aligned simultaneously reflecting crystals separated by a gap when only anomalously transmitted waves need be taken into account. Under practical experimental conditions the incident wavefront curvature adds significantly to the phase difference between interfering waves. This contribution, together with a previously omitted term involving the ratio of gap width to sum of the crystal thicknesses, should be added to the argument of the trigonometric interference term used by previous workers in deriving structure factors from gap-fringe spacings. Expressed directly in terms of a change in the 220 structure factor, use of our revised interference term would reduce Hart and Milne's measured value for silicon by ½% and Baker, Hart and Helliar's measured value for germanium by 1.3%.
X-ray Excitation of Thermal Spikes
Authors: Weiss R. J.
Published: February 2015

For x-ray scattering from amorphous media at large sin θ/λ (> 1.00 Å-1) momentum and energy is either imparted to a single electron (Compton effect) or to a single atom (Thermal Spike effect). In both cases the impulse approximation provides a convenient method for treating the scattering. Measurements of the ratio of Thermal Spike scattering to Compton scattering were made on paraffin.
Elastic Scattering of Bloch Waves in Absorbing Crystals Containing Lattice Defects
Authors: Wilkens M. , Katerbau K.-H. , Rühle M.
Published: February 2015

The differential equations of Bloch wave type which are used in transmission electron microscopy for the calculation of the diffraction contrast from lattice defects are discussed with special reference to crystals with anomalous absorption (i. e. with a complex crystal potential). anomalous absorption is included, the eigenvalue equation by which the Bloch waves are defined in the perfect reference lattice, becomes non-Hermitian. It is shown that for some particular contrast effects not only the eigenvalues but also the eigenvectors must be corrected for the imaginary part of the crystal potential. As a consequence the orthogonality of the Bloch waves is violated. The correction of the eigenvectors may result in long-range contrast tails of the images of lattice defects (intraband scattering). If, however, only the peak positions of the contrast profiles are considered, it suffices in practical cases to correct only the eigenvalues as is usually assumed for the diffraction in perfect crystals.
Coherent States and the Magnetic Operators
Authors: Jannussis A. D. , Papaloucas L.
Published: February 2015

In the present paper a method of calculation of the density matrix in the Schrödinger picture is given, in terms of the known creation and annihiliation operators a+ and a. New magnetic operators are given with the help of the coherent states, which depend on two free parameters μ and ν. For the case μ=ν= (e H )/ (2 ħ c), these operators lead to the well-known magnetic operators, as they are given in the current litterature.
Quenching of CO(B1Σ+,υ=0)by He,Ne,Ar,H2and D2
Authors: Comes F. J. , Fink E. H.
Published: February 2015

Excitation of CO molecules into the lowest vibrational level of the B1Σ+ electronic state by absorption of the (B 1Σ+υ′=0 →X 1Σ+ ,υ′′=0) resonance band at 1150 Å has been studied under various experimental conditions by observing the steady state fluorescence of the (B 1Σ+→A1Π) Angstrom bands. Stern-Volmer plots of the fluorescence intensities at the addition of various foreign gases yielded straight lines whose slopes k̃q
м = kq
м · τeff were strongly dependent on the CO sample pressure. This effect was found to be due to changes of the effective radiative lifetime of the B 1Σ+υ′=0 because of resonance trapping of the (0,0) band of the (B → X) fluorescence. The CO(B 1Σ+υ′=0) molecules are found to be quenched by He, Ne, Ar, H2 and D2 with effective collision cross sections of 0.23, 0.48, 22.4, 10.7, and 11.4 Å2, respectively, at 298 °K. In addition, an approximate value for the ratio ABA/ (ABA+ABX)of the radiative transition probabilities of the (B → A) and (B → X) transitions could be derived from the measurements.
Frequencies and Temperature-Effects in the Vibrational Spectra of the Metal-Hydrate Complexes in NiSnCl6 · 6 aqu and in NiSO4 · 6 aqu
Authors: Jäger J. , Schaack G.
Published: February 2015

We have investigated the internal vibrations of metal hydrate complexes in ionic single crystals and their interactions with the phonon system of the lattice, by observing the Raman spectra and infrared reflection spectra with polarized light at different temperatures T(2 K ≦ T ≦ 300 K). As special systems the octahedral nickel hydrate complexes in NiSnCl6 · 6 H2O, NiSnCl6·6 D2O and in NiSO4 · 6H2O. NiSO4 · 6D2O have been chosen. For NiSnCl6·6 aqu a complete interpretation of the spectra is given, starting from the assumption of isolated metal hydrate complexes and SnCl6
-- -ions as structural units. The discussion of the spectra of the sulfate crystal is based on the corresponding assumption. However, here an unambiguous assignment of all lines observed was not possible.

The most prominent feature of all spectra is the strong temperature dependence of the line widths which is much more pronounced than in anhydrous crystals in the same temperature interval. This effect is qualitatively explained in terms of the anharmonicity of the potential by which the water molecules are bound in the crystal lattice. Simple models for this potential are discussed.
Theoretische Behandlung flüssiger Mischungen mit Hilfe von Gleichgewichtsmodellen/
Authors: Becker F. , Kiefer M. , Koukol H. , Rhensius P. , Schäfer H. D.
Published: February 2015

This paper contains further applications on symmetrical liquid mixtures of the molecular thermodynamic theory which has been developped in part I of this series. The essential feature of this theory is the superposition of "chemical" and “random” exchange equilibria between “complexes” formed by a given molecule and its z nearest neighbours, thus allowing a unified treatment of the thermodynamic phenomena in binary liquid mixtures using the equilibrium constant K of the ideal law of mass action and the energy w of pair interactions as parameters.

The temperature and pressure dependences of K and the evaluation of experimental excess enthalpy and excess volume data are treated. Formulas and examples for the calculation of K and w from isothermal and non-isothermal vapour-liquid equilibrium data are given. The conditions for azeotropy with minimum or maximum vapour pressure, resp., are derived. Melting curves for a symmetric eutectic system with superposed miscibility gap are discussed. Further models for partially miscible liquids with competing self-association and complex-formation are treated showing the phenomenon of two separated miscibility gaps.
Notizen: MOA Calculations of CH Stretching Frequencies and Dissociation Energies in Hydrocarbons
Authors: Maksić Z. B. , Kovačević K.
Published: February 2015

A relation between CH stretching frequencies and s characters of the corresponding bonds is obtained, using the data of CH, CHD and CHD2, groups in hydrocarbons and the maximum overlap approximation [MOA] method. A relationship between dissociation energies and overlap integrals of CH bonds is also found. A new formula for calculating bond energies in hydrocarbons is proposed.
On the Behaviour of Rarefied Polyatomic Gases in a Static Magnetic Field
Authors: Vestner H.
Published: February 2015

The behaviour of rarefied polyatomic gases is described by transport relaxation equations obtained from the Waldmann-Snider equation and by an appropriate set of boundary conditions which are derived from the interfacial entropy production. The influence of the magnetic field on the transport properties of the gas is due to the coupling of the tensor polarization and the tensor polarization flux with the frictional pressure tensor and the heat fluxes respectively. As an application the flow and the heat conduction of a gas between parallel plates in the presence of a magnetic field are treated, and from this two major results are obtained:

(a) Knudsen corrections for the Senftleben-Beenakker effect of viscosity,

(b) a theory of the thermomagnetic pressure difference.

A comparison with experimental data of Hulsman e. a. and Hermans e. a. yields boundary coefficients which describe both phenomena rather well for the gases HD, CH4 , CO and N2.
Field of a Uniformly Moving Charge in an Anisotropic Dispersive Medium
Authors: Majumdar S. Datta , Sastry G. P.
Published: February 2015

The electromagnetic field of a point charge moving uniformly in a uniaxial dispersive medium is studied in the rest frame of the charge. It is shown that the Fourier integral for the scalar potential breaks up into three integrals, two of which are formally identical to the isotropic integral and yield the ordinary and extraordinary cones. Using the convolution theorem of the Fourier transform, the third integral is reduced to an integral over the isotropic field. Dispersion is explicitly introduced into the problem and the isotropic field is evaluated on the basis of a simplified dispersion formula. The effect of dispersion on the field cone is studied as a function of the cut-off frequency.
Relative Frequenzstabilitätsmessungen an Einmoden-Lasern
Authors: Wellegehausen Bernd , Güttner Arnold
Published: February 2015

The relative frequency stabilities and the modulation spectra of differently stabilized lasers are compared. The measurements were made by a Michelson interferometer with an internal optical de­lay line. For 6328 Å He - Ne-lasers stabilized by means of a Zeeman-absorption-cell and by the Lamb-dip-method frequency-standard-deviations of 1.3 × 105 and 9.0 × 105 Hz for observation times between 1 s and 20 s were measured. The frequency modulation spectra are composed of a low frequency noise part and many discrete frequencies, which can be related to the stabilization mechanism.
Wirkung von Phononen, die durch Alpha- Strahlen erzeugt werden, auf schwach gebundene Ladungsträger / Release of trapped charge carriers by phonons generated by alpha-particles
Authors: Riehl N. , Müller A. , Wengert R.
Published: February 2015

It was shown in previous papers that trapped charge carriers can be used at low temperatures for detection and free path determination of single phonons. Using this method it is shown now that because of the high phonon density of a phonon pulse generated by one alpha-particle the action of such phonons on trapped charge carriers is mostly a multiphonon action so that the carriers can be released from trap depths which are much greater than the energy of a single phonon. Because of the great free paths of phonons at low temperatures this action can take place in distances up to 1 mm from the path of the alpha-particle itself.
Low Frequency Lattice Absorption in RbAg4I5 Solid Electrolyte
Authors: Eckold G. , Funke K.
Published: February 2015

Far infrared transmission and reflexion measurements were performed on polycrystalline samples of α-RbAg4I5 solid electrolyte. As in α-AgI, an anomalous broad low frequency ab­sorption band centred at 5 · 1011 Hz is found in addition to the lattice absorption at ca. 3 · 1012 Hz. Since it is rather tempera­ture insensitive, the low frequency band indicates the exis­tence of very slow high amplitude lattice vibrations in this material.
Doppelte Helixinversion in einem binären System cholesteriseher Komponenten mit Reehtshelix / Twojolcl Helical Inversion in a Binary System of Cholesterics with Right-handed Helix
Authors: Finkelmann H. , Stegemeyer H.
Published: February 2015

In a binary system of cholesteric liquid crystals with righthanded sense of helix a twofold helical inversion at two different molar fractions ϰn,1 and ϰn, 2 has been observed by measurements of circular dichroism and optical rotatory power. In the region of composition between ϰn,1 and ϰn, 2 all mixtures exhibit a left-handed cholesteric structure.
Abschätzung der Lebensdauer des 667,0 keV-Zustandes in 131Xe / Lifetime-Estimation of the 667.0 keV-Level in 131Xe
Authors: Engel H. , Gerst E. , Schneider H.
Published: February 2015

Delayed β - γ -coincidence measurements of the 667.0 keV- level in 131Xe populated by the decay of 131I were carried out with a Plastic-Ge (Li)-detector-combination and resulted in the following value:

T½ of 667.0 keV-level in 131Xe < 0.5 ns.