bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Baby as Virtual Object: Agency and Difference in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Brown Steven D , Middleton David
Published: October 2005

Neonatal intensive care work may be understood as a network in which doctors, babies, parents, technology, and medical care are associated together in a complex social topology. The boundaries of what counts as the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are always shifting. The regular appearance of new members, new patients, and new technologies means that much effort must be expended to hold the unit together as a functional entity. We examine how the baby (the neonate receiving care) acts the ‘object’ around which the unit is continuously ordered. The identity of the baby—what it is, what attributes are considered important, what effects it generates—is changeable. We present an argument, drawing variously on debates in the sociology of translation (that is, John Law, Bruno Latour, Kevin Hetherington and Nick Lee, Annamarie Mol, and Marilyn Strathern), the monism of Henri Bergson, and the ‘objectivity’ of Michel Serres, which identifies two ‘functionally blank’ actors in the NICU—a bilirubin machine and the baby itself. Both act to slow down and to stabilise networked relations. However, the ‘hybrid agency’ of the baby also acts as a resource that enables the network to turn back on itself or to be ‘cut’. We outline how this process appears to operate and the way in which it serves to resolve issues of accountability.
The Promise of Public Health: Vulnerable Policy and Lazy Citizens
Authors: Singleton Vicky
Published: October 2005

In this paper I explore the relationship between the UK New Public Health Policy and one of its enactments. I outline a crucial policy document, Saving Lives (Department of Health, 1999, HMSO, London), and consider the practices that constitute a localised initiative called The Heart of the Shire. This initiative aims to train all members of a rural community in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation in order to prevent deaths from cardiac arrest. I argue that Saving Lives promises a new approach to public health that transgresses traditional boundaries and collapses conventional dualisms. Yet, at the same time it privileges biomedical interventions and conventional modes of care. I argue that the policy is full of incompatibilities but that these incompatibilities are not destructive. Rather, they create a series of tensions that, in turn, expose the fluidity of boundaries and work against the stability of categories and in doing so afford the promise of the policy. I go on to describe the key practices of The Heart of the Shire, focusing on how the tensions of the policy are played out in practice. It seems that the promise of the New Public Health Policy does not survive its practices. The practices are creative and varied and are deeply embedded within the community in ways that make them ‘new’, yet they also enact ‘old’ boundaries and conventional dualisms. They smooth out the incompatibilities that characterise the policy and thereby solidify boundaries and stabilise categories. Hence, my argument is that it is the making of consistencies that leads to the (re)construction of conventional categories and boundaries. I conclude by suggesting that Saving Lives offers us a glimpse of the conditions of possibility for a promising approach to public health but that the practices that constitute The Heart of the Shire suggest the tremendous amount of work that would be required to enact it. Drawing upon Helen Verran's insight about ‘hardening of the categories’ I suggest that the practices of The Heart of the Shire are lazy in their refusal of the vulnerability (and the promise) of tensions and that consequently the approach to public health that is enacted is characterised by stabilised categories and impermeable boundaries.
A simulation-based approach to forecasting the next great San Francisco earthquake
Authors: Rundle J. B. , Rundle P. B. , Donnellan A. , Turcotte D. L. , Shcherbakov R. , Li P. , Malamud B. D. , Grant L. B. , Fox G. C. , McLeod D. , Yakovlev G. , Parker J. , Klein W. , Tiampo K. F.
Published: October 2005

In 1906 the great San Francisco earthquake and fire destroyed much of the city. As we approach the 100-year anniversary of that event, a critical concern is the hazard posed by another such earthquake. In this article, we examine the assumptions presently used to compute the probability of occurrence of these earthquakes. We also present the results of a numerical simulation of interacting faults on the San Andreas system. Called Virtual California, this simulation can be used to compute the times, locations, and magnitudes of simulated earthquakes on the San Andreas fault in the vicinity of San Francisco. Of particular importance are results for the statistical distribution of recurrence times between great earthquakes, results that are difficult or impossible to obtain from a purely field-based approach.
Social Economy, Third Sector and Solidarity Relations: A Conceptual Synthesis from History to Present
Authors: Moulaert Frank , Ailenei Oana
Published: October 2005

This paper attempts to provide a clear perspective on defining the social economy today. It addresses the question of the relevance of a unifying concept with its need to embrace the existing diversity of approaches and concepts. To this end, it surveys both historical and contemporary academic literature, as well as practice-rooted conceptualisations of the social economy. The first section outlines the analytical challenges to a reconstruction of the social economy concept. The second enhances the historical and space-bound diversity in theorising and institutionalising social economy practices. Section 3 focuses on contemporary reconceptualisations of the social economy in Francophone and Anglo-Saxon literature, while section 4 then suggests improvements to current 'social economy' concepts, by linking them to both the lessons of history and the views of social economy practitioners today.
Participatory Budgeting in Porto Alegre: Social Innovation and the Dialectical Relationship of State and Civil Society
Authors: Novy Andreas , Leubolt Bernhard
Published: October 2005

This article focuses on the identification and role of social innovation in urban development. The aim is to further the understanding of the contradictory relationship between state and civil society, using a thorough analysis of the process of participatory budgeting in Porto Alegre, the capital city of Rio Grande do Sul—the most southern state of Brazil. The first section spells out four different concepts of the relationship between state and civil society and their implications for social innovation. In the second section, these popular movements are shown to be embedded in the historically rooted structure of patrimonialism and capitalism in Brazil. The third section provides an historical analysis of Brazilian popular movements which represent new key actors in civil society. The fourth section offers a detailed description of the process of the participatory budget. In the final section, conclusions are drawn about social innovation in local politics, focusing on the empowering experiments with new public and democratic forms of the local state accessible to civil society and its interests.
Governance Innovation and the Citizen: The Janus Face of Governance-beyond-the-State
Authors: Swyngedouw Erik
Published: October 2005

This paper focuses on the fifth dimension of social innovation-i.e. political governance. Although largely neglected in the mainstream 'innovation' literature, innovative governance arrangements are increasingly recognised as potentially significant terrains for fostering inclusive development processes. International organisations like the EU and the World Bank, as well as leading grass-roots movements, have pioneered new and more participatory governance arrangements as a pathway towards greater inclusiveness. Indeed, over the past two decades or so, a range of new and often innovative institutional arrangements has emerged, at a variety of geographical scales. These new institutional 'fixes' have begun to challenge traditional state-centred forms of policy-making and have generated new forms of governance-beyond-the-state. Drawing on Foucault's notion of governmentality, the paper argues that the emerging innovative horizontal and networked arrangements of governance-beyond-the-state are decidedly Janus-faced. While enabling new forms of participation and articulating the state-civil society relationships in potentially democratising ways, there is also a flip side to the process. To the extent that new governance arrangements rearticulate the state-civil society relationship, they also redefine and reposition the meaning of (political) citizenship and, consequently, the nature of democracy itself. The first part of the paper outlines the contours of governance-beyond-the-state. The second part addresses the thorny issues of the state-civil society relationship in the context of the emergence of the new governmentality associated with governance-beyond-the-state. The third part teases out the contradictory way in which new arrangements of governance have created new institutions and empowered new actors, while disempowering others. It is argued that this shift from 'government' to 'governance' is associated with the consolidation of new technologies of government, on the one hand, and with profound restructuring of the parameters of political democracy on the other, leading to a substantial democratic deficit. The paper concludes by suggesting that socially innovative arrangements of governance-beyond-the-state are fundamentally Janus-faced, particularly under conditions in which the democratic character of the political sphere is increasingly eroded by the encroaching imposition of market forces that set the 'rules of the game'.
Towards Alternative Model(s) of Local Innovation
Authors: Moulaert Frank , Martinelli Flavia , Swyngedouw Erik , Gonzalez Sara
Published: October 2005

This paper introduces a Special Topic on social innovation in the governance of urban communities. It also seeks to widen the debate on the meaning of social innovation both in social science theory and as a tool for empirical research on socioeconomic development and governance at the local level. This debate is organised around ALMOLIN-i.e. alternative models for local innovation as utilised in the SINGOCOM (social innovation in governance in (local) communities) research. The first section explains the role of social innovation in neighbourhood development and how it is best addressed from theoretical, historical and experience-oriented viewpoints. The second section provides a survey of the definitions of social innovation in a variety of social science fields, while the third section mobilises various strands of literature that will be of use for the analytical refinement of ALMOLIN. Section four illustrates how ALMOLIN is used as an analytical tool for empirical research. The final section shows some avenues for future research on social innovation.
Overlooked Implications of Ethnic Preferences for Residential Segregation in Agent-based Models
Authors: Fossett Mark , Waren Warren
Published: October 2005

We investigate the impact of preferences for co-ethnic contact on residential segregation and find support for the Schelling hypothesis that modest preferences can have significant consequences for segregation under certain conditions. Our findings temper and in some instances contradict Laurie and Jaggi's claim that expanding 'vision', the size of the immediate neighbourhood households consider when evaluating residential ethnic mix, makes stable integration a likely outcome in Schelling-like models with weak-to-moderate preferences. We note several reasons why our results differ from Laurie and Jaggi's. The most important of these is that Laurie and Jaggi underestimate the segregation-producing potential of weak-to-moderate preferences because they overlook a powerful interaction between preferences and ethnic demography and perform their simulations using the optimal ethnic mix for achieving integration. We show that the preferences Laurie and Jaggi describe as compatible with stable integration generate high levels of segregation in their model under settings for ethnic demography common in real cities.
Myths and perceptions of back pain in the Norwegian population, before and after the introduction of guidelines for acute back pain
Authors: Ihlebæk Camilla , Eriksen Hege R.
Published: October 2005

Aim: Deyo's seven ``myths'' about back pain are based on common misconceptions of causality and therapy of back pain. These myths were alive in the Norwegian population in 2001; this report investigates whether this is true two years later. Methods: A representative sample of the Norwegian population in 2003 (n=1,014) were asked to rate their agreement with the seven myths. Results: There is significantly less acceptance of all myths except ``Most back pain is caused by injuries or heavy lifting'' in 2003. Myths concerning the use and importance of X-ray were still common: 43% agreed that ``X-ray and newer imaging tests can always identify the cause of pain'' and 50% that ``Everyone with back pain should have a spine X-ray''. Low level of education is still associated with high acceptance of the myths, but the changes from 2001 are most pronounced for these groups. Conclusion: Perceptions in the general population in Norway are slowly changing to be more in accordance with existing knowledge on accurate behaviour and treatment of back pain. This may be related to introduction of new evidence-based guidelines. The difference between educational groups is reduced, but is still a challenge to health professionals and health authorities.
Dinosaur killer claws or climbing crampons?
Authors: Manning Phillip L , Payne David , Pennicott John , Barrett Paul M , Ennos Roland A
Published: October 2005

Dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaurs possess a strongly recurved, hypertrophied and hyperextensible ungual claw on pedal digit II. This feature is usually suggested to have functioned as a device for disembowelling herbivorous dinosaurs during predation. However, modelling of dromaeosaurid hindlimb function using a robotic model and comparison of pedal ungual morphology with extant analogue taxa both indicate that this distinctive claw did not function as a slashing weapon, but may have acted as an aid to prey capture.
Sex-specific effects of yolk testosterone on survival, begging and growth of zebra finches
Authors: von Engelhardt Nikolaus , Carere Claudio , Dijkstra Cor , G. G. Groothuis Ton
Published: October 2005

Yolk androgens affect offspring hatching, begging, growth and survival in many bird species. If these effects are sex-specific, yolk androgen deposition may constitute a mechanism for differential investment in male and female offspring. We tested this hypothesis in zebra finches. In this species, females increase yolk-testosterone levels and produce male-biased sex ratios when paired to more attractive males. We therefore predicted that especially sons benefit from elevated yolk androgens. Eggs were injected with testosterone or sesame oil (controls) after 2 days of incubation.

Testosterone had no clear effect on sex-specific embryonic mortality and changed the pattern of early nestling mortality independent of offspring sex. Testosterone-treated eggs took longer to hatch than control eggs. Control males begged significantly longer than females during the first days after hatching and grew significantly faster. These sex differences were reduced in offspring from testosterone-treated eggs due to prolonged begging durations of daughters, enhanced growth of daughters and reduced growth of sons. The results show that variation in maternal testosterone can play an important role in avian sex allocation due to its sex-specific effects on offspring begging and growth.
Pigment distribution in melanocytic lesion images: a digital parameter to be employed for computer‐aided diagnosis
Authors: Seidenari S. , Pellacani G. , Grana C.
Published: October 2005

Background/purpose: Since in early melanoma (MM) and especially in in situ MM differential structures, which are diagnostic for MM may be lacking, pigment distribution asymmetry represents an important diagnostic feature. Our aim was to automatically assess pigment distribution in images referring to MMs, atypical nevi (AN) and clearly benign nevi (BN), and to evaluate the diagnostic capability of numerical parameters describing a non homogeneous distribution of pigmentation.

Methods: An image analysis program enabling the numerical assessment of pigment distribution in melanocytic lesions (ML), based on evaluation and comparison of red, green, blue (RGB) colour components inside image colour blocks, was employed on 459 videomicroscopic digital images, referring to 95 MMs, 76 AN and 288 BN.

Results: Significant differences in pigment distribution parameters (mean RGB distance, variance and maximum distance) between the three ML populations were observed, permitting a good discrimination of MMs. On the test set comprising 230 lesion images, the area under the curve value of the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.933. For a D score equal to 0, corresponding to the best diagnostic accuracy (86.6%), a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 85.7% were obtained.

Conclusion: This original evaluation method for digital pigment distribution, based on mathematical description and comparison of colours in different image blocks, provides numerical parameters to be implemented in image analysis programs for computer‐aided MM diagnosis.
Objective evaluation for severity of atopic dermatitis by morphologic study of skin surface contours
Authors: Son Sang W. , Park Sang Y. , Ha Seung H. , Park Gyu M. , Kim Min G. , Moon Jong S. , Yoo Dong S. , Oh Chil H.
Published: October 2005

Background/aims: Wide variation in outcome methodology can make the interpretation of patient outcomes confusing and the comparison of the results of different studies almost impossible. It is important to objectively measure and record the severity of atopic dermatitis (AD) for routine clinical practice and research. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether morphologic study of skin surface contours might be helpful to objectively quantify the severity of AD.

Methods: Thirty atopic patients (12 females, 18 males) participated in this study. Moisturizer was applied twice daily for 2 weeks. Bioengineering methods such as D‐Squame®, corneometer, evaporimeter, and spectrophotometer were measured at the start of the study and after 1 week and 2 weeks. In addition, we assessed moisturizer effects after 3 h of moisturizer application.The stereoimage optical topometer (SOT) based on a new concept of stereoimage was applied for this study. We compared SOT, other bioengineering methods, and the severity scoring of atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index.

Results: After 3 h of application with moisturizer, the results measured by SOT, conventional optical profilometer (COP), D‐Squame®, and corneometer showed significant differences (P<0.05). After 1 and 2 weeks, there were significant changes in the results measured by SOT, COP, D‐Squame®, corneometer, spectrophotometer, and SCORAD index. We observed a significant correlation between bioengineering methods and the SCORAD index (P<0.05).

Conclusion: These data indicate that morphologic study of skin surface contours are useful in evaluating of AD severity. If we would combine methods to evaluate the physiologic changes and those such as SOT to measure the morphological changes of skin surface, we could evaluate more objectively and quantitatively the severity of AD.
Non‐invasive and microinvasive electrical impedance spectra of skin cancer – a comparison between two techniques
Authors: Åberg Peter , Geladi Paul , Nicander Ingrid , Hansson Johan , Holmgren Ulf , Ollmar Stig
Published: October 2005

Background/purpose:Bio‐electrical impedance spectra of skin cancer and other lesions can be assessed using both regular non‐invasive probes and a novel type of microinvasive electrode system with a surface furnished with tiny spikes that penetrate stratum corneum. The aim of the study was to compare the accuracy of detection for various types of skin cancer using impedance spectra measured with these two different electrode systems in an objective way without optimising the power of discrimination.

Methods:Impedance spectra of 99 benign nevi, 28 basal cell carcinomas (BCC), and 13 malignant melanomas (MM) were measured using the two electrode systems. Classification of the lesions was made using Fisher's linear discriminant, and the sensitivities and specificities of the techniques were estimated using cross‐validation.

Results:The best separation between nevi and BCC was achieved using the regular non‐invasive probe (96% sensitivity and 86% specificity), whereas the best separation between nevi and MM was achieved using the microinvasive electrodes (92% sensitivity and 80% specificity).

Conclusions:Our results indicate that the choice of electrode system is application dependent.
Point Defects in Optical Ceramics: High‐Temperature Absorption Processes in Lanthana‐Strengthened Yttria
Authors: Brecher Charles , Wei George C. , Rhodes William H.
Published: October 2005

The optical transmission of transparent polycrystaliine La2O3 strengthened Y2O3 was measured in both the near‐ultraviolet and infrared regions at temperatures between 20° and 1400°C. The absorption remains low until about 900°C, but rises almost exponentially thereafter. The magnitude of this increase is a function of the oxygen partial pressure (Po2) in the ambient atmosphere. The temperature‐dependent absorption is lowest when the Po2 is between 10−11 and 10−8 atm (1 atm = 105 Pa), representing the range in which the concentration of free carriers (conduction band electrons and valence band holes), generated by stoichiometty‐related point defects (oxygen interstitiais and vacancies), is minimized. The temperature dependence is significantly greater in the uitraviolet than in the infrared, but the optimal Po2 range is the same. The absorption behavior can be described in terms of a simple phenomenological model involving carriers thermally liberated from defect states within the band gap of the material. Various aspects of the model and their experimental implications are discussed.
Modeling of an improved Chemical Vapor infiltration Process for Ceramic Composites Fabrication
Authors: Tai Nyan‐Hwa , Chou Tsu‐Wei
Published: October 2005

A quasi‐steady‐state approach is applied to model the pressure‐driven, temperature‐gradient chemical vapor infiltration (improved CVI process) for ceramic matrix composites fabrication. The deposited matrix in this study is SiC which is converted from the thermal decomposition of methyltrichlorosilane gas under excess hydrogen. A three‐dimensional unit cell is adopted to simulate the spatial arrangements of reinforcements in discontinuous fiber mats and three‐dimensionally woven fabrics. The objectives of this paper are to predict (1) the temperature and density distributions in a fibrous preform during processing, (2) the advancement of the solidified front, (3) the total fabrication period, and (4) the vapor inlet pressure variation for maintaining a constant flow rate. Furthermore, the effect of boundary temperature and inlet pressure variations on the total proassing period is also studied. The fabrication temperature examined in this paper is in the range between 873 and 1473 K, and the pressure is from 1.0001 to 2.0000 atm (1.0134 × 105 to 2.0265 × 105 Pa). Based upon this analysis, the influence of the reactor condition on the density of the final product in a CVI process can be quantified.
Surface Microstructure Changes on Laser lteatment of MgO‐Partially‐Stabilized Zirconia
Authors: Chaim Rachman , Heuer Arthur H. , Aronov V.
Published: October 2005

The microstructure of surfaces of MgO‐partially‐stabilized zirconia (Mp‐PSZ) subjected to laser irradiation was characterized. Partial surface melting and reprecipitation of tetragonal ZrO2 occurred under irrediation and subsequent cooling. The laser treatment also caused surface microcracking, which increased in extent with increasing laser power. The wear resistance of laser‐treated Mg‐PSZ's was related to the overall microstructural changes occurring at the surface.
Kinetics and Mechanism of the Reduction of Nickel Oxide in Aligned Nickel Oxide‐Zirconia and Nickel Oxide‐Yttria Eutectic Structures
Authors: Dhalenne Guy , Bonvalot Beatrice , Revcolevschi Alexandre , Millot Francis
Published: October 2005

Unidirectional solidification experiments were carried out at the eutectic composition of the systems NiO‐ZrO2 and NiO‐Y2O3, yielding materials made of regularly aligned lamellar structures. Eutectic samples were submitted to a chemical reduction treatment at 1075°C under CO/CO2 mix tures corresponding to Po2 values for which only NiO should be reduced to the metal. The rapid formation of nickel be tween the zirconia or yttria platelets and the morphology of the nickel layer resulting from reduction establish that the reduction kinetics were controlled predominantly by the dif fusion of CO to the Ni/NiO interface through the porous Ni product. Experimental data of the variation of reduction depth of NiO as a function of time are qualitatively inter preted using a simple model of interdiffusion of CO in N2/ CO/CO2 mixtures. This model also explains the observation of an influence of the dilution of CO on the reduction depth.
Effect of the c/a Ratio on the Domain Structure in (Pb1‐x,Cax)TiO3
Authors: King Grace , Goo Edward K.
Published: October 2005

The strain‐induced ferroelectric domain structure in tetragonal (Pb1‐x,Cax)TiO3 is absent when x≥ 0.39, because the c/a ratio approaches unity with increasing x. For compositions where the c/a ratio is close to unity, the lack of strain allows a domain structure different from the strain‐induced domains. These domains, referred to here as random domains, have domain walls that do not lie on a particular crystallographic plane and are nonplanar. A simple model is presented to predict the conditions under which the ferroelectric strain‐induced domain structure is absent.
Solid‐State Phase Equilibria in the ZnS‐Ga2S3 System
Authors: Zhang Jimin , Chen William W. , Ardell Alan J. , Dunn Bruce
Published: October 2005

The ZnS‐Ga2S3 equilibrium phase diagram has been determined to 50 mol% over the temperature range 700° to 900°C. Samples of various compositions were prepared via solid‐state diffusion starting from powders of the pure components. The identification of the phases was determined by X‐ray diffraction methods. The principal feature of the phase equilibria is the eutectoid transformation at 818 ± 5°C of hexagonal wurtzite containing 16 ± 1 mol% Ga2S3 to cubic ZnS and tetragonal ZnGa2S4. ZnGa2S4 is the equilibrium compound at 50 mol% GazS3, but it exists over a considerable range of stoichiometry. The solubility of Ga2S3 in ZnS increases with increasing temperature to a maximum of 9 ± 1 mol% at the eutectoid temperature.
Microstructural Study of the Brazed Joint between Alumina and Ti‐6AI‐4V Alloy
Authors: Barbier Francoise , Peytour Claude , Revcolevschi Alexandre
Published: October 2005

Alumina was joined to Ti‐6AI‐4V alloy by active brazing. High reactivity between the Cu‐40Ag‐5Ti braze alloy and these materials led to the formation of interfacial reaction products. These products were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and electron microprobe analysis. A continuous layer, identified as Cu2(Ti, Al)4O, was formed at the braze/Al2O3 interface. In addition, a series of Cu‐Ti intermetallic phases ((Ti,Al)3Cu, Ti2Cu, TiCu, Ti3Cu4, and β‐Ti(Cu, Al)4), starting from the Ti‐6Al‐4V base metal was observed.
Residual Stresses in a Wo‐Phase Microcracking Ceramic
Authors: Maglev David J. , Winholtz R. A. , Fabe K.T.
Published: October 2005

Residual stresses in a SiC‐TiB2 particulate composite before and after stressing have been measured using X‐ray diffraction. Tensile residual stresses in the TiB2 drop by 60% after bending stresses of 250 MPa are applied. Likewise, the compressive residual stresses in the Sic phase decrease accordingly. Such behavior is consistent with stress‐induced microcracking.
dc Electrical Degradation of Perovskite‐Type Titanates: I, Ceramics
Authors: Waser Rainer , Baiatu Tudor , Härdtl Karl‐Heinz
Published: October 2005

The rate of the resistance degradation of doped SrTiO3 ceramics is investigated as a function of various external and material parameters. The effects of the mutually interrelated parameters dc voltage, dc electric field, and thickness of the dielectric are described by power laws. Electron microscopic potential contrast studies show a Maxwell‐Wagner polarization leading to a concentration of the electric field at the grain boundaries during the degradation. Based on this finding, the voltage step per grain boundary, ΔΘgb, is introduced as a rate‐determining parameter which allows an explanation of the influence of the grain size on the degradation rate as well as the difference in the power laws for ceramic and single‐crystal samples.
dc Electrical Degradation of Perovskite‐Type Titanates: II, Single Crystals
Authors: Waser Rainer , Baiatu Tudor , Härdtl Karl‐Heinz
Published: October 2005

The resistance degradation of Al‐doped, Ni‐doped, and Fedoped SrTiO3 single crystals is studied as a function of the temperature and the applied dc voltage. The individual influence of the acceptor dopants is discussed. Data of the mobility of oxygen vacancies are obtained from the determination of the time evolution of the electric field distribution between the electrodes, from electrocoloration studies, and from an examination of the thermal annealing after degradation. In a numerical calculation based on the defect chemistry and transport properties of titanates, the electrocoloration process is simulated and a qualitative explanation of the degradation process is presented.
Effect of Interfaces on the Properties of Fiber‐Reinforced Ceramics
Authors: Cao H.C. , Bischoff E. , Sbaizero O. , Rühle Manfred , Evans Anthony G. , Marshall David B. , Brennan J. J.
Published: October 2005

The mechanical properties of a series of six fiber‐reinforced ceramics and glasses have been evaluated with the objective of critically assessing present understanding. A major parallel theme has been the characterization of the interface and an assessment of the thermomechanical properties of the interfaces as they relate to composite behavior. The results establish that the available mechanical property models correlate well with experiments, provided that independent measurements are made of the residual stress, the interface sliding stress, and the in situ strength properties of the fibers. In addition, trends in the sliding stress are found to be qualitatively consistent with those expected for sliding along debonded surfaces.
Nonstoichiometry and Mixed Conduction in α‐Ta2O5
Authors: Choi Gyeong M. , Tuller Harry L.
Published: October 2005

Electrical conductivity of single‐crystal and polycrystalline Ta2O5 was measured as a function of composition, temperature, and oxygen partial pressure (PO2) by both dc and ac complex impedance methods. A defect model based on the assumption of predominant disorder on the oxygen sublattice is proposed to explain the observed nonstoichiometry of α‐Ta2O5. The defect model is consistent with the observed PO2‐independent ionic conductivity and the P−1/4O2‐dependent electronic conductivity. Blocking of the ionic component was observed at low PO2. Both the electronic and ionic components of conductivity were found to decrease with time. This aging phenomena is related to destabilization of the a phase.
Formation of Alkoxy‐Derived lead Niobates in the PbO‐Rich Region
Authors: Yamaguchi Osamu , Mukaida Yasumichi
Published: October 2005

The formation of lead niobates in the PbO‐rich region is studied using powders prepared by the simultaneous hydrolysis of lead and niobium alkoxides. Cubic 3PbO·2Nb2PO5 solid solutions crystallize at low temperatures from amorphous materials having concentrations of 58 to 75 mol% PbO. The lattice parameter a increases linearly from 1.0544 to 1.0708 nm with increasing PbO. At higher temperatures the solid solutions made with 66.67 and 71.43 mol% PbO transform into 2PbO·Nb2O5 (monoclinic) and 5PbO·2Nb2Os (monoclinic), respectively. Monoclinic 5PbO·2Nb2O5 transforms into a new modification at = 3850° to = 3900°C. It has a rhombohedral unit cell with a= 0.7461 nm and c= 4.8092 nm (a= 1.6599 nm, a= 25.97°). In the presence of excess lead, monoclinic 5PbO·2Nb2O5 transforms into tetragonal 3PbO·Nb2O5.
Foreign Object Damage Resistance of Silicon Nitride and Silicon Carbide
Authors: Tsuruta Hideyoshi , Masuda Masaaki , Soma Takao , Matsui Minoru
Published: October 2005

To clarify the foreign object damage (FOD) resistance of ceramics, chipping fracture mode and flexural fracture mode were investigated using several types of Si3N4 and Sic. The critical velocity which is the threshold impact velocity of the projectile for chipping fracture and flexural fracture was determined. The critical velocity of the chipping fracture mode is explained as a function of K5/2ICa–5/4, and depends on the hardness and the shape of the projectile. The critical velocity of the flexural fracture mode is explained as a function of σ5/6Ct5/3. The mechanisms of impact damage are discussed.
Time‐Dependent Solution to the Tai‐Chou Chemical Vapor Infiltration Model
Authors: Currier Robert P. , Valone Steven M.
Published: October 2005

A recently proposed steady‐state isothermal model for chemical vapor infiltration in parallel cylindrical pores has been extended to include transient behavior. Availability of a time‐dependent solution should prove useful in comparison with experimental data and validation of the assumed boundary conditions. Attention is also drawn to analogous problems in the heat transfer literature which may prove useful in development of enhanced vapor infiltration models of this class.
Reactivity of Ceramic Superconductors with Palladium Alloys
Authors: Porter Jennifer L. , Vethanayagam Thirukumar K. , Snyder Robert L. , Taylor Jenifer A. T.
Published: October 2005

Palladium alloy compositions were investigated for suitability as a nonreactive material for the processing of ceramic superconductors. Barium‐based superconductors were tested on Pd‐Au and Pd‐Ag alloys for reactivity. Bismuth‐based superconductors were tested on a Pd‐Ag alloy. The least reactive was found to be 70% Pd‐30% Ag for barium‐based high‐temperature superconductors (HTSC), whereas 30% Pd‐70% Ag was found to be least reactive for bismuth‐based HTSC.
Improving Probability of Flaw Detection in Ceramics by X‐ray Imaging Energy level Optimization
Authors: Cotter Daniel J. , Koenigsberg William D.
Published: October 2005

Roy E. Wysnewski and George Hamilton Fuji Film, Inc., Stamford, Connecticut 06907 Results are presented from a study to optimize X‐ray imaging energy for maximum probability of detection (POD) of defects in different thicknesses of silicon nitride ceramics. Selection curves for X‐ray accelerating potential were developed based on equilibrium half‐value layers over the range of 40 to 120 kV for silicon nitride. Optimum energy values were corroborated by determining the probability of detecting voids in varying thicknesses of silicon nitride with microfocus projection radiography at selected X‐ray accelerating potentials. At a 1.1% thickness sensitivity (nominally, a 100‐μm void in a 10‐mm block), POD was improved from 14% to 91% when the optimum accelerating potential was used for imaging.
New Ternary Phases in Some Alkaline‐Earth Rare‐Earth Sulfide Systems
Authors: Provenzano Paul L. , White William B.
Published: October 2005

New ternary alkaline‐earth rare‐earth sulfide phases of composition MLn2S7 where M = Ca or Sr and Ln = La, Nd, or Gd have been formed by open‐system reactions in flowing H2S. The phases have been characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction and electron microprobe analysis. These compounds form as low‐melting (Tm approximately 1100°C) products when refractory compounds along the MS‐Ln2S3 join are oxidized at high sulfur fugacities.
Dielectric Constant Characteristics of a New Composite Dielectric Material
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroshi , Hosokawa Yasuhiko
Published: October 2005

Dielectric characteristics of a new composite dielectric material composed of a ceramic and a plastic resin were investigated. The composite material has two requirements: it must display stable characteristics and be adaptable to mass production. The first requirement can be met by using a ceramic material, such as the TiO2‐rich part of the BaO‐PbO‐Nd2O3TiO2 system. The second requirement can be fulfilled by using a polyoxymethylene resin. The new composite dielectric, composed of a ceramic (40 vol%) and a polyoxymethylene resin (60 vol%) and produced by injection molding, exhibits a dielectric constant of 12.1. It also displays extremely low temperature dependence in a range of −20° to 140°C as well as low frequency dependence over a range from 1 kHz to 10 MHz.
Crystallization Exotherms of Zirconia‐Hafnia Mixtures
Authors: Srinivasan Ram , Davis Burtron H.
Published: October 2005

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to study the crystallization behavior of ZrO2‐HfO2 mixtures. The materials prepared by admixing Zr(NO3)4 and Hf(NO3)4 exhibited a peak at 40 wt% Hf composition in the exothermic‐heat‐versus‐mixed‐oxide composition curve. In contrast, the materials prepared by precipitation from a solution prepared from anhydrous HfCl4 and ZrC14 exhibited a gradual decrease in exothermic behavior with increasing Hf content. The temperature for the exotherm increased with increasing Hf content. The data indicate that the exotherm is due to the formation of a crystalline material and not due to a phase transformation.
Microstructure of Alumina Brazed with a Silver‐Copper‐Titanium Alloy
Authors: Santella Michael L. , Horton Joseph A. , Pak Jong Jin
Published: October 2005

Joints of high‐purity Al2O3 were made with a 56Ag‐36Cu‐6Sn‐2Ti (wt%) experimental alloy by vacuum brazing at 900°C for 20 min. The microstructure at the ceramic‐metal interfaces was examined in cross‐sectional specimens of the joints, and phases formed by reaction between the braze filler metal and the Al2O3 were analyzed for composition and crystal structure in a transmission electron microscope. A 0.1‐ to 0.2‐μm‐thick layer formed directly on the Al2O3 surface. This layer was Ti‐rich, had the face‐centered‐cubic crystal structure with a lattice parameter of 0.423 nm, and was identified as oxygen‐deficient γ‐TiO. The second reaction layer was ∼3 μm thick, and it separated the TiO layer from the metallic phases of the braze filler metal. The structure of this layer, as determined by electron diffraction, was diamond cubic of the space group Fd3m, with a lattice parameter of 1.137 nm. The combination of microanalysis and diffraction data confirmed that this phase was Ti3(Cu0.76Al0.18Sn0.06)3O and indicated that it can be classified as an n phase.
Shock Processing of Bi‐Sr‐Ca‐Cu‐O and Tl‐Ba‐Ca‐Cu‐O Superconductors
Authors: Yoshimoto Mamoru , Koinuma Hideomi , Yamamoto Hiroshi , Sawaoka Akira B.
Published: October 2005

T
onset

c
of a sintered Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox superconductor increased from 85 to 93 K after a shock‐compaction treatment. The shock synthesis of high‐Tc superconductors from a mixture of metal oxides was also attempted. A small amount of superconducting phase was successfully formed by shock synthesis for a Tl‐Ba‐Ca‐Cu‐O system. The Tonsetc of this material was about 75 K.
Diffusion in Solids via Nuclear Track Analysis
Authors: Cope‐Anderson Rachel , Thornson William J. , Filby Royston
Published: October 2005

Nuclear track analysis has been used to follow the diffusion of melted lithium hydroxide in pellets of aluminum oxide as a function of temperature and time. α particle tracks, created by thermal neutrons on an allyl diglycol carbonate monomer film, are visible under a high‐power optical microscope after chemical etching in a sodium hydroxide solution. The number of tracks present at various depths within each pellet is proportional to the concentration of lithium hydroxide. Using a one‐dimensional diffusion model with appropriate boundary conditions, values of the lithium hydroxide diffusion coefficient in the porous pellet have been determined. The diffusion coefficients, as well as their temperature dependency, are consistent with expectations for this type of system and it is concluded that nuclear track analysis is a viable technique for solid‐state diffusion studies in appropriate materials.
Functional Independence Score in Haemophilia: a new performance‐based instrument to measure disability
Authors: Poonnoose P. M. , Manigandan C. , Thomas R. , Shyamkumar N. K. , Kavitha M. L. , Bhattacharji S. , Srivastava A.
Published: October 2005

Summary.  Morbidity in haemophilia has been described predominantly in terms of musculoskeletal dysfunction and assessed by the clinical and radiological joint scores. These scores document changes in a particular joint, but do not reflect the impact of these changes on the individual in terms of his overall musculoskeletal function. Several self‐assessment instruments have been used to measure musculoskeletal function but none have been specifically validated for use in haemophilia. In order to objectively assess musculoskeletal function of patients with haemophilia, we developed Functional Independence Score in Hemophilia (FISH), a performance‐based instrument. FISH measures the patient's independence in performing seven activities under three categories: self‐care (grooming and eating, bathing and dressing), transfers (chair and floor) and mobility (walking and step climbing). Each function is graded from 1 to 4 depending on the amount of assistance needed in performing the function. We evaluated 35 patients who were over 10 years old and had had at least three major bleeds per year. All subjects were scored for clinical (World Federation of Hemophilia, WFH score) and radiological changes (Pettersson's score). Functional independence of the patient was assessed using the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the FISH. Correlation of the FISH score was modest with both the WFH clinical score (r = −0.68) and the radiological score (r = −0.44). While there was good correlation between FISH and HAQ (r = −0.90), FISH had better internal consistency than HAQ (Cronbach's α 0.83 vs. 0.66). FISH appears to be a promising disease‐specific instrument for assessing overall musculoskeletal function in haemophilia. It requires evaluation in different patient populations.
Use of pharmacokinetics in the coagulation factor treatment of patients with haemophilia
Authors: Shapiro A. D. , Korth‐Bradley J. , Poon M.‐C.
Published: October 2005

Summary.  Dosing decisions for replacement coagulation factors in patients with haemophilia should be made on an individual patient basis, with the required dose dependent on factors including the clinical situation, the severity of the factor deficiency, and the location and extent of bleeding. Moreover, there is considerable variability in the pharmacokinetics of coagulation products that needs to be considered; in particular, with both factor (F) IX and FVIII products, there is considerable inter‐patient variability in in vivo recovery and terminal half‐life values. In the present report, we provide a practical guide to calculating and applying pharmacokinetic parameters relevant to the optimal dosing of coagulation products. We discuss the conduct of a pharmacokinetic study in an individual patient, how to calculate pharmacokinetic values from raw data and clinical situations where an individual pharmacokinetic study is helpful. We highlight the importance of considering an individual pharmacokinetic study in all patients starting a new coagulation product.
Differences between patients’, physicians’ and pharmacists’ preferences for treatment products in haemophilia: a discrete choice experiment
Authors: Mantovani L. G. , Monzini M. S. , Mannucci P. M. , Scalone L. , Villa M. , Gringeri A. ,   The Conan Study Group
Published: October 2005

Summary.  The provision of health care to patients with haemophilia through replacement of the deficient coagulation factor is the result of a complex interaction between patients, physicians and policy makers, each carrying their individual sets of preferences. Preferences of patients, physicians and pharmacists towards perceived viral safety, risk of inhibitor development, infusion frequency during prophylaxis, pharmaceutical dosage form, distribution modes and price were evaluated by conjoint analysis, using a discrete choice experiment. Overall 178 patients’, 69 physicians and 58 pharmacists completed the study. Patients, physicians and pharmacists displayed preferences: (i) similar in direction and strength for risk of inhibitors and frequency of prophylaxis, (ii) similar in direction, but not in strength for perceived viral safety and price, with patients showing lower strength compared with physicians and pharmacists, and (iii) dissimilar in direction and/or strength for: (i) dosage form, which tested important only for pharmacists and (ii) distribution mode, which tested important for patients and physicians only. Our study provides evidence of the differences between different stakeholders in the preferences towards haemophilia replacement therapy, indicating that different opinions should be taken into account when planning optimal care.
Pollen flow in the wildservice tree, Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz. II. Pollen dispersal and heterogeneity in mating success inferred from parent–offspring analysis
Authors: ODDOU‐MURATORIO SYLVIE , KLEIN ETIENNE K. , AUSTERLITZ FRÉDÉRIC
Published: October 2005

Knowing the extent of gene movements from parents to offspring is essential to understand the potential of a species to adapt rapidly to a changing environment, and to design appropriate conservation strategies. In this study, we develop a nonlinear statistical model to jointly estimate the pollen dispersal kernel and the heterogeneity in fecundity among phenotypically or environmentally defined groups of males. This model uses genotype data from a sample of fruiting plants, a sample of seeds harvested on each of these plants, and all males within a circumscribed area. We apply this model to a scattered, entomophilous woody species, Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz, within a natural population covering more than 470 ha. We estimate a high heterogeneity in male fecundity among ecological groups, both due to phenotype (size of the trees and flowering intensity) and landscape factors (stand density within the neighbourhood). We also show that fat‐tailed kernels are the most appropriate to depict the important abilities of long‐distance pollen dispersal for this species. Finally, our results reveal that the spatial position of a male with respect to females affects as much its mating success as ecological determinants of male fecundity. Our study thus stresses the interest to account for the dispersal kernel when estimating heterogeneity in male fecundity, and reciprocally.