bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reduction of Clostridium Difficile and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus contamination of environmental surfaces after an intervention to improve cleaning methods
Authors: Eckstein Brittany C , Adams Daniel A , Eckstein Elizabeth C , Rao Agam , Sethi Ajay K , Yadavalli Gopala K , Donskey Curtis J
Published: June 2007

Background

Contaminated environmental surfaces may play an important role in transmission of some healthcare-associated pathogens. In this study, we assessed the adequacy of cleaning practices in rooms of patients with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) colonization or infection and examined whether an intervention would result in improved decontamination of surfaces.

Methods

During a 6-week period, we cultured commonly touched surfaces (i.e. bedrails, telephones, call buttons, door knobs, toilet seats, and bedside tables) in rooms of patients with CDAD and VRE colonization or infection before and after housekeeping cleaning, and again after disinfection with 10% bleach performed by the research staff. After the housekeeping staff received education and feedback, additional cultures were collected before and after housekeeping cleaning during a 10-week follow-up period.

Results

Of the 17 rooms of patients with VRE colonization or infection, 16 (94%) had one or more positive environmental cultures before cleaning versus 12 (71%) after housekeeping cleaning (p = 0.125), whereas none had positive cultures after bleach disinfection by the research staff (p < 0.001). Of the 9 rooms of patients with CDAD, 100% had positive cultures prior to cleaning versus 7 (78%) after housekeeping cleaning (p = 0.50), whereas only 1 (11%) had positive cultures after bleach disinfection by research staff (p = 0.031). After an educational intervention, rates of environmental contamination after housekeeping cleaning were significantly reduced.

Conclusion

Our findings provide additional evidence that simple educational interventions directed at housekeeping staff can result in improved decontamination of environmental surfaces. Such interventions should include efforts to monitor cleaning and disinfection practices and provide feedback to the housekeeping staff.
Comparing primary prevention with secondary prevention to explain decreasing Coronary Heart Disease death rates in Ireland, 1985–2000
Authors: Kabir Zubair , Bennett Kathleen , Shelley Emer , Unal Belgin , Critchley Julia A , Capewell Simon
Published: June 2007

Background

To investigate whether primary prevention might be more favourable than secondary prevention (risk factor reduction in patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)).

Methods

The cell-based IMPACT CHD mortality model was used to integrate data for Ireland describing CHD patient numbers, uptake of specific treatments, trends in major cardiovascular risk factors, and the mortality benefits of these specific risk factor changes in CHD patients and in healthy people without recognised CHD.

Results

Between 1985 and 2000, approximately 2,530 fewer deaths were attributable to reductions in the three major risk factors in Ireland. Overall smoking prevalence declined by 14% between 1985 and 2000, resulting in about 685 fewer deaths (minimum estimate 330, maximum estimate 1,285) attributable to smoking cessation: about 275 in healthy people and 410 in known CHD patients. Population total cholesterol concentrations fell by 4.6%, resultingin approximately 1,300 (minimum estimate 1,115, maximum estimate 1,660) fewer deaths attributable to dietary changes(1,185 in healthy people and 115 in CHD patients) plus 305 fewer deaths attributable to statin treatment (45 in people without CHD and 260 in CHD patients). Mean population diastolic blood pressure fell by 7.2%, resulting in approximately 170 (minimum estimate 105, maximum estimate 300) fewer deaths attributable to secular falls in blood pressure (140 in healthy people and 30 in CHD patients), plus approximately 70 fewer deaths attributable to antihypertensive treatments in people without CHD.

Of all the deaths attributable to risk factor falls, some 1,715 (68%) occurred in people without recognized CHD and 815(32%) in CHD patients.

Conclusion

Compared with secondary prevention, primary prevention achieved a two-fold larger reduction in CHD deaths. Future national CHD policies should therefore prioritize nationwide interventions to promote healthy diets and reduce smoking.
A peripatetic pediatrician's journey into pediatric rheumatology: Part II
Authors: Brewer Earl J
Published: June 2007

Earl Brewer discusses his journey into pediatric rheumatology from 1958 to retirement in 1990 in three parts.
Horizontal transfer of a eukaryotic plastid-targeted protein gene to cyanobacteria
Authors: Rogers Matthew B , Patron Nicola J , Keeling Patrick J
Published: June 2007

Background

Horizontal or lateral transfer of genetic material between distantly related prokaryotes has been shown to play a major role in the evolution of bacterial and archaeal genomes, but exchange of genes between prokaryotes and eukaryotes is not as well understood. In particular, gene flow from eukaryotes to prokaryotes is rarely documented with strong support, which is unusual since prokaryotic genomes appear to readily accept foreign genes.

Results

Here, we show that abundant marine cyanobacteria in the related genera Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus acquired a key Calvin cycle/glycolytic enzyme from a eukaryote. Two non-homologous forms of fructose bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) are characteristic of eukaryotes and prokaryotes respectively. However, a eukaryotic gene has been inserted immediately upstream of the ancestral prokaryotic gene in several strains (ecotypes) of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus. In one lineage this new gene has replaced the ancestral gene altogether. The eukaryotic gene is most closely related to the plastid-targeted FBA from red algae. This eukaryotic-type FBA once replaced the plastid/cyanobacterial type in photosynthetic eukaryotes, hinting at a possible functional advantage in Calvin cycle reactions. The strains that now possess this eukaryotic FBA are scattered across the tree of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, perhaps because the gene has been transferred multiple times among cyanobacteria, or more likely because it has been selectively retained only in certain lineages.

Conclusion

A gene for plastid-targeted FBA has been transferred from red algae to cyanobacteria, where it has inserted itself beside its non-homologous, functional analogue. Its current distribution in Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus is punctate, suggesting a complex history since its introduction to this group.
Hemodynamic goals in randomized clinical trials in patients with sepsis: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Sevransky Jonathan E , Nour Seema , Susla Gregory M , Needham Dale M , Hollenberg Steven , Pronovost Peter
Published: June 2007

Introduction

Patients with sepsis suffer high morbidity and mortality. We sought to conduct a systematic review of the literature to evaluate the association between hemodynamic goals of therapy and patient outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive search of the literature to systematically review hemodynamic goals used in clinical trials in patients with sepsis. We searched the literature using the Pubmed (1965–June 2006), Embase (1974–June 2006), CINAHL (1982–June 2006), pre-CINAHL, and Cochrane Library (2006, issue 3) electronic databases on 1 August 2006 for the following terms: sepsis, septic shock, severe sepsis, human clinical trials. We also hand-searched references and our personal files. Studies were selected if they met all of the following criteria: randomized, controlled trial study design; enrollment of adult patients with sepsis; presence of a hemodynamic goal for patient management; > 24-hour follow-up; and survival included as an outcome. Studies were independently selected and reviewed by two investigators.

Results

A total of 6,006 citations were retrieved, and 13 eligible articles were reviewed. Mean arterial pressure was a treatment goal in nine studies, and systolic blood pressure was a treatment goal in three studies. A goal for pulmonary artery occlusion pressure, central venous pressure, and cardiac index was given in four, three, and five studies, respectively. The range of hemodynamic goals used in the trials were: mean arterial pressure 60–100 mmHg, central venous pressure 6–13 mmHg, pulmonary artery occlusion pressure 13–17 mmHg, and cardiac index 3–6 l/min/m2. All trials that used a systolic blood pressure goal used 90 mmHg as the aim.

Conclusion

For those trials that specify hemodynamic goals, the wide range of treatment targets suggest a lack of agreement on blood pressure and filling pressure goals for management of patients with sepsis. There was also inconsistency between trials in which measures were targeted. Further research is necessary to determine whether this lack of consistency in hemodynamic goals may contribute to heterogeneity in treatment effects for clinical trials of novel sepsis therapies.
Investigation of manipulator dynamics with a viscous damping model
Authors: Herman P
Published: June 2007

In this article, some remarks concerning dynamics investigation of a manipulator described using first-order equations of motion with a viscous damping model is conducted. The viscous damping model arises from the Rayleigh dissipation potential and decomposition of the manipulator mass matrix. As a result, it takes into account both kinematic and mechanical parameters of the system. Moreover, the use of first-order equations of motion leads to obtaining some interesting insight into the manipulator dynamics. The proposed approach was tested on a three-degrees-of-freedom, three-dimensional Yasukawa-like robot.
An experimental study on magnetic belt drive
Authors: Luo S , Wu Y , Zhang D , Yu Y , Zhu S
Published: June 2007

This paper focuses on an experimental investigation of a novel friction drive, a magnetic belt drive (MBD), in which an additional frictional force between the belt and pulleys is provided by the usage of magnetic belt and magnets. The effective tension, elastic creep rate, and transmission efficiency of a prototype of the MBD were measured by experiments against a few running parameters, such as initial tension, input torque, and magnetic flux density. The results demonstrate that the MBD has better contact conditions and transmission performances than conventional belt drives in terms of the above measures.
Rapid calculation of the pressures and clearances in rough, rolling-sliding elastohydrodynamically lubricated contacts. Part 1: Low-amplitude, sinusoidal roughness
Authors: Hooke C J , Li K Y , Morales-Espejel G
Published: June 2007

Surface roughness in elastohydrodynamically lubricated (EHL) contacts may have a significant effect on component life and there is a need to be able to assess its effects quickly. This article describes a rapid calculation method, which provides accurate results where the amplitude of the roughness is relatively low and which gives good indications of the likely behaviour for higher amplitudes. In the first part, the effect of low-amplitude, sinusoidal roughness is examined, and it is shown that the behaviour can, for any wavelength and roughness orientation, be characterized by three complex quantities. Calculation of two of these is straightforward; the third requires curve fitting to the results obtained using a perturbation analysis. Details of the process are given. The second part of the article discusses how these results can be used to predict the behaviour of any rough surface under rolling-sliding EHL conditions.
Effects of shape factors on flow and heat transfer in corrugated-undulated channels with sinusoidal waves
Authors: Yin J , Li G , Feng Z
Published: June 2007

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of flow and heat transfer in crosscorrugated-undulated channels with sinusoidal waves under laminar flow conditions are reported. This simulation adopts the multi-channel computational domain. The main aim of this study is to investigate the effects of shape factors of the undulated plate and Reynolds number ( Re) on flow and heat transfer. Data for Nusselt number ( Nu) and friction factor ( f) are presented for air flowrates in the range 100 ≤ Re ≤ 1500. Performance evaluation and analysis of entry effects are made. The results confirm that the effects of both undulation height and Re are significant but that the effect of undulation pitch is much less marked. As the height of the undulated plate increases, f decreases; the effect of the undulation pitch on f has similar characteristics. Minimum f is obtained in the largest height (CP-UH0) and the largest pitch (CP-UP0) channels, respectively. For the heat transfer, the results indicate that the average Nu with increasing height first decreases and then increases at the same Re, and the maximum average Nu is achieved on the CP-UH0 geometry; the average Nu, however, is nearly independent of the pitch. The maximum local Nu ( Nu C or Nu U) is located in the upstream region of the crest of the conjugate channel and near the downstream end of the trailing edge. The minimum local Nu is situated around the four corners where the top plate touches the bottom one. Performance evaluation shows that the channels having the largest undulation height or largest pitch are optimal. The average Nu having the largest undulation height (CP-UH0) geometry is about ten times higher and the concomitant f is 18.52 times higher, when compared with a straight channel having a square cross-section. With the same reference channel, the average Nu having the largest undulation pitch (CP-UP0) geometry is 9.11 times higher at the cost of a 22.12 times higher f.
Structure of reaction zone of normal temperature air flameless combustion in a 2 ton/h coal-fired boiler furnace
Authors: Xing X , Wang B , Lin Q
Published: June 2007

By injecting normal temperature air into a coal-fired boiler furnace at an evaporation capacity of 2 ton/h, flameless combustion with little noise is achieved. Numerical simulations and experimental research shows that the combustion takes place in a wide and broad area, almost the whole furnace, resulting in a voluminal reaction. For this normal temperature air flameless combustion (NTAFC), when the excess air coefficient approaches 1, the fuel combusts fully. The concentrations of NO x and CO in flue gas are relatively low and are hardly affected by either an excess air coefficient or thermal load. In front of the jet is a low-temperature gas-mixing zone whose diameter is equivalent to that of the jet, and the temperature of this zone increases with the distance from the jet tip. A mild stable combustion reaction without a visible flame takes place in the part of the furnace where the temperature value is higher and the amplitude of variation is not large. In addition to the advantages shared with high-temperature air combustion (e.g. uniform temperature distribution, low NO x and CO emission, high combustion efficiency, and so on), NTAFC does not require a high-temperature air-preheating system and is easier to actualize.
Effect of volute geometry on the steady and unsteady performance of mixed-flow turbines
Authors: Hakeem I , Su C-C , Costall A , Martinez-Botas R. F.
Published: June 2007

The steady and unsteady performance of two mixed-flow turbocharger turbine rotors has been investigated. These rotors differ mainly in their inlet blade angle geometry; one has a constant blade angle (rotor A) and the other a notionally constant incidence angle (rotor B). The results indicate that the constant blade inlet angle design offers improved efficiency characteristics over the constant incidence one with total-to-static efficiency at the design point ranging between 0.7 and 0.76. A detailed assessment of the influence of volute geometry on the turbine performance has been carried out, which confirmed that the geometry of volute plays a critical role in the overall performance of a turbine. The unsteady performance tests have indicated a substantial deviation from the performance and flow characteristics of equivalent steady-state tests, which is quantified and discussed.
Soot formation and oxidation in normal and inverse diffusion flames
Authors: Kamal M. M.
Published: June 2007

A numerical study has been carried out to address the sooting characteristics of normal and inverse diffusion flames. The simulation was performed on the basis of single-step kinetics with a laminar flow assumption and non-unity Lewis number. Five different coaxial normal and inverse flame combinations with different momentum ratios have been investigated and compared. The results were experimentally validated using an identical burner with concentric cylindrical ports, where flame temperature measurements were employed for flame length comparison while a paper filter was utilized for soot concentration measurement. It was revealed that the momentum diffusion between the parallel streams governs the flame length and size. The results also showed that the single-step kinetics is able to predict the maximum soot formation in the normal flame annular region, provided that the Lewis number is less than unity. In inverse diffusion flames, the region of the soot surface growth is too small and the flow residence time is too short to allow significant soot production. For all combined inverse/normal diffusion flames, the soot emitted by the inner inverse flame had almost no influence on the total soot production. The thermal radiation by soot increased with the increase in both inner and outer flame lengths. The inner flame contributed to a 13 per cent increase in the total thermal radiation with keeping the same exhaust soot concentration level.
Experimental studies on the effect of impeller width on centrifugal compressor stage performance with low solidity vaned diffusers
Authors: Reddy Siva T. Ch. , Murty Ramana G. V. , Prasad M. V. S. S. S. M. , Reddy D. N.
Published: June 2007

In an effort to improve the performance of centrifugal compressors, detailed studies were carried out on three different impeller-diffuser configurations covering a wide range of design flow coefficients. These were two-dimensional impellers chosen from a multi-stage compressor series with identical blade geometry. The impeller exit widths covered were 24.5, 18.5, and 11.5 mm, respectively. Extensive experimental studies have been carried out on the chosen stage configurations with parallel walled vaneless diffusers (VLDs) as well as low solidity vaned diffuser (LSD). For all the tested configurations, the aerofoil shape of the diffuser vanes remained same while the diffuser width, setting angle, and solidity were chosen as variables. The performance for each of the stages with LSDs was compared with that of the corresponding VLD. Significant improvement in performance in terms of polytropic efficiency, head coefficient, and static pressure recovery coefficient was observed with LSD vanes as compared with the VLD. Significant improvement in performance was noticed from low flow till design point for all the tested cases. The study revealed that among the tested configurations, there is an optimum width at impeller exit and diffuser for which the performance of the stage was the best. Performance in terms of static pressure recovery coefficient was also evaluated for all the tested configurations and compared. All the studies were conducted for solidity ratio of 0.81. The effect of setting angle on wall static pressure coefficient was also studied at 24° and 28° for the flow coefficients corresponding to 80, 100, and 120 per cent of design flow. Flow surveys at impeller exit for the three cases covering impellers/parallel walled diffusers of different widths have also been carried out to know the flow behaviour in the passage between the impeller and the diffuser.
Comparison between loss coefficients of smooth, smooth-thickened, and rough-thickened axial turbine blades
Authors: Samsher
Published: June 2007

Experiments have been performed in a six-blade-cascade with smooth, smooth-thickened, and rough-thickened blades. After performing experiments with smooth blades, plastic sheet for smooth-thickened and 50-grade emery paper for rough thickened (both of same thickness) are pasted on suction, pressure surface separately and over both surfaces together to study the effects of roughness caused by erosion and deposition over the turbine blades. Static and total pressures at cascade inlet, static pressure over the suction and pressure surfaces of the blades forming middle channel, total and static pressures and outlet flow angle at 15 per cent of chord downstream are measured at midspan height. Difference in loss coefficients with smooth-thickened and rough-thickened represents the effect of roughness without thickening, similar to the roughness generated by erosion. The results of rough-thickened blade can be used to simulate the effect of roughness generated by deposition. For the same roughness level, roughness caused by deposition is more detrimental than that by erosion. It is also observed that the performance deterioration and non-uniformity of flow at cascade exit is more for rough-thickened blades.
Effects of passing wakes on a separating boundary layer along a low-pressure turbine blade through large-eddy simulation
Authors: Sarkar S
Published: June 2007

The interactions of a migrating wake and a separating boundary layer on the suction surface of a low-pressure turbine blade are described. Large-eddy simulations (LES) of the wake passing over the T106 profile for a Reynolds number Re = 7.8 × 104 (based on the axial chord and inlet velocity) are performed. The wake data extracted from precursor LES of flow past a cylinder are used to replace a moving bar that generates wakes in front of a cascade. The three-dimensional, time-dependent, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in fully covariant form are solved using a symmetry-preserving finite difference scheme of second-order spatial and temporal accuracy. The present LES are compared with experiments and direct numerical simulation. There are differences in the state of the resolved boundary layer; however, in a qualitative sense, the LES results illustrate a separation-induced transition on the suction surface. Prior to the arrival of a wake, the boundary layer on the rear half of the suction surface is inflexional. The excitation of the separated shear layer by convective wakes leads to the formation of coherent vortices by the rollup of the shear layer via the Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability. The transition during the wake-induced path is governed by a mechanism that involves the formation and convection of these vortices followed by the production of turbulent kinetic energy inside the K-H rolls.
Combined effects of surface roughness and couple stresses on squeeze film lubrication between porous circular stepped plates
Authors: Naduvinamani N. B. , Siddangouda A
Published: June 2007

In this paper, combined effects of surface roughness and couple stresses on squeeze film lubrication between porous circular stepped plates is analysed. In the context of Christensen stochastic theory for the study of surface roughness two types of one-dimensional surface roughness pattern, viz., azimuthal roughness pattern and radial roughness pattern are considered. The stochastic modified Reynolds equation for these two types of roughness patterns is derived for the couple-stress fluid. The Beavers-Joseph slip boundary condition on the fluid-porous interface is utilized. Closed form expressions for the mean load carrying capacity and squeeze film time are obtained. It is found that the squeeze film characteristics are improved for the azimuthal surface roughness pattern. However, the performance of the squeeze film bearing suffers due to the presence of radial roughness pattern.
Abrasive wear studies on maleic anhydride modified polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate blends
Authors: Chand N , Naik A
Published: June 2007

Polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate (PP/PET) blends have been developed, with and without maleic anhydride (MAH), by using a melt and mixing method. Abrasive wear loss in PP/PET blends having 5, 10, 20, and 50 wt% of PET, with and without MAH, has been determined. Addition of MAH reduced the density and impact strength and increased the tensile strength of blends. It has been found that at 3 N load the wear rate of PP/PET/MAH blends decrease. This reduction in wear rate at 3N load is due to the increased cross-linking created by the addition of small-size MAH. At 5 N load, abrasive wear rate reduced for PP/PET 95/5 and 90/10 blends on adding MAH. At 7 N load, wear rate of PP/PET(95/5) having MAH shows a reduction in wear rate compared to pure PP/PET blend. MAH addition on the wear rate of PP/PET blend at 7 N load shows that wear rate of PP/PET(95/5) blend for 6.4m sliding distance reduced from 3.85 × 10−10 to 3.38 × 10−10 m3/m. Wear rate, at 7 N load, for PP/PET(90/10) blend increased on adding MAH. Similarly, at 7 N load the PP/PET(80/20) and PP/PET(50/50) blends showed an increase in wear rate on adding MAH. Reversal of the wear rate trend from decrease to increase on adding MAH has been observed for more than 10 wt% blend at 7 N load. This can be explained based on the following two reasons: (a) at higher PET content, effective bonding between components of blends reduced and (b) higher loads would have increased the ploughing and cutting of the surface, which would have resulted in increased wear rate after 10 wt% PET loading. In the case of 50 PET loading, poor bonding of PP and PET was observed in worn surfaces. The majority of PET is present as second phase in the blend. In the case of PP/PET(50/50) blend, high wear rate is dominated by PET phase.
Magnetic fluid-based squeeze film between rough porous truncated conical plates
Authors: Deheri G. M. , Patel H. C. , Patel R. M.
Published: June 2007

Efforts have been made to analyse the performance of a magnetic fluid-based squeeze film between rough porous truncated conical plates. The lubricant used here is a magnetic fluid and the external magnetic field is oblique to the lower plate. The bearing surfaces are assumed to be transversely rough. The roughness of the bearing surfaces is modelled by a stochastic random variable with non-zero mean, variance, and skewness. An attempt has been made to average the associated Reynolds equation with respect to the random roughness parameter. The concerned non-dimensional equation is solved with appropriate boundary condition in dimensionless form to get the pressure distribution, which is then used to obtain the expression for load carrying capacity, paving the way for the calculation of response time. The results are presented graphically as well as in tabular form. This investigation reveals that the bearing system admits an improved performance as compared to that of a bearing system working with a conventional lubricant. The results suggest that the pressure, load carrying capacity, and response time increase with increasing magnetization parameter. It is observed that although the bearing suffers owing to transverse roughness in general, there is scope for obtaining better performance in the case of negatively skewed roughness. This performance further enhances especially when negative variance is involved.
Thermohydrodynamic analysis of cavitating journal bearings using three different cavitation models
Authors: Nassab Gandjalikhan S. A. , Maneshian B
Published: June 2007

In this paper, a thermohydrodynamic (THD) analysis of vapour cavitation in steady loaded and finite length journal bearing has been developed using three different cavitation models. It involves the simultaneous solution of the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes and energy equations by CFD technique. An orthogonal grid is generated using analytic transformation functions and the governing equations are transformed for use in the computational plane. These equations are made discrete by means of control volume method and the well-known SIMPLE algorithm is used for the pressure-velocity calculation. In the cavitated part of the lubricant flow with a mixture of vapour and liquid, three different cavitation models are used to obtain the thermal behaviour of lubricant flow in this region. In all of the three cavitation models, an attempt is made to replace a single phase fluid with equivalent properties instead of the mixture of liquid and vapour. The calculated results are compared with the theoretical results of other investigators and also with experiment, and the abilities of the proposed cavitation models to predict THD characteristics of journal bearings are examined. The numerical results show that the third model in which the liquid fraction is calculated based on continuity requirement for three-dimensional cavitated flow, predicts well the lubricant pressure and temperature fields in journal bearings.
Characterizing the effect of viscosity on friction in the piston assembly of internal combustion engines
Authors: Leong D. K. W. , Shayler P. J. , Pegg I. G. , Murphy M
Published: June 2007

The friction mean effective pressure (fmep) contribution of piston assemblies running under motored engine conditions in cylinders with plateau or laser honed bores has been investigated. Results have been obtained for engine speeds in the range 400-2000 r/min and temperatures from -20 to around 60°C. The fmep of the piston assembly is observed to depend most directly on oil viscosity evaluated at the temperature of the cylinder wall at mid-stroke position. The variation of fmep with viscosity provides a basis for comparing the effects of surface finish or piston design modifications. Using liners with fine honed bores reduced piston assembly friction by between 3 and 20 per cent relative to results for pistons running in plateau honed bores. Piston assembly friction was reduced by between 5 and 38 per cent through design changes to the pistons.
Combined effects of non-Newtonian rheology and fluid inertia forces on the non-linear transient behaviour in circular squeeze films
Authors: Lin J-R , Hung C-R
Published: June 2007

On the basis of the momentum integral method and the microcontinuum theory, the combined effects of total fluid inertia forces and non-Newtonian couple stresses on the non-linear squeeze film characteristics between parallel circular discs are presented. The squeeze-film lubrication equation is derived from the Stokes couple-stress motion equation retaining total fluid inertia terms to take into account the effects of non-Newtonian couple stresses resulting from the base oil blended with various types of additives, and the effects of local fluid inertia and convective fluid inertia. The non-linear motion equation for the squeezing disc is then numerically solved by using fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. Comparing with the Newtonian-lubricant inertialess case, the combined effects of fluid inertia forces and non-Newtonian couple stresses provide a significant increment in the response time of the squeeze film. The operating life of squeeze film discs are therefore lengthened, especially for larger couple stress parameters, Reynolds numbers and body inertia parameters. A design example is provided to facilitate the engineers assessing the extent to design the non-linear squeezing film discs considering the combined effects of total fluid inertia forces and non-Newtonian couple stresses.
Why (only some) Compensation for Oocyte Donation for Research Makes Ethical Sense
Authors: Capps Benjamin , Campbell Alastair V
Published: June 2007

In 2006, investigations into alleged scientific fraud by the South Korean stem cell scientist, Woo Suk Hwang, revealed that there were, among other concerns, contentious circumstances surrounding procurement of oocytes for research. Specifically, in the attempt to be the first to successfully clone a human embryo, Hwang had obtained oocytes from paid donors and junior members of his own research team, and he had lied about the conditions under which the oocytes had been obtained. This controversy emphasised the ethical concerns surrounding the degree to which incentives may be a part in the procurement of oocytes. While this apparently isolated incident was alleged by some to be a result of economic and political influences upon scientific independence and integrity, the case for inducements or incentives for consensual donation of cells, tissues and organs from healthy ‘donors’ remains a challenging ethical problem, and is exemplified by two opposing arguments. On the one hand, the donation, gifting or selling of body parts is seen as an expression of personal autonomy, reflecting
Policy and Attitudes towards Collection of Personal DNA in genetic databases in Japan
Authors: Suda Eiko , Macer Darryl
Published: June 2007

This paper presents the results of public opinion research conducted in Japan on the willingness of persons to contribute their DNA to a genetic database, and the reasons behind their choices. The results are discussed in light of the Act Concerning Protection of Personal Information issued in 2003, and with reference to genetic database projects that have been conducted in Japan. There appears to be increasing concerns about privacy in Japan, despite a high level of support for science and technology. While 44% said they would agree to blood donation for a DNA bank, 28% were negative to donate, and another 28% answered they “don't know”. The reasons behind these choices and the concepts of storage of genetic databases are partially reflected in the guidelines applied to collection of genetic databases, but greater and more independent community engagement will be important to increase public involvement in large scale genetics projects in Japan.
Biotechnology in China
Authors: Festel Gunter
Published: June 2007

China's biotech growth began in the 1980's with the establishment of the National Center for Biotechnology Development, later to be called the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the initiation of the 863 programme to provide funding to sciences including biotechnology.
Moral issues of surgical emergencies
Authors: Michel Luc
Published: June 2007

First, there is the profound trust that
Inland Empire
Authors: Nochimson Martha P.
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT This review argues that David Lynch's digitally filmed Inland Empire defies the conventions of the generic behind-the-scenes Hollywood about an actress's struggle for success. Rather than demonizing or trivializing female creativity, Lynch celebrates a woman artist's use of a banal industry for transcendent purposes.
Flags of Our Fathers / Letters from Iwo Jima
Authors: Braudy Leo
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT This comparative review of Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima sees the two films as a diptych exploring issues of military masculinity, heroism, and myths of American and Japanese national character as they are focused by the battle for Iwo Jima in World War II.
Reel Paradise / Sisters in Law
Authors: Malkowski Jennifer
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT Steve James's Reel Paradise and Kim Longinotto and Florence Ayisi's Sisters in Law exemplify divergent paths in the field of ethnographic documentary since 1922's formative Nanook of the North. The observational style of Sisters in Law bests the self-indulgence of Reel Paradise, though both films present ethical challenges.
Haneke: The Coercing of Vision
Authors: Grossvogel D. I.
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT Michael Haneke's career began with harsh, alienating, and self-referential works concerned with violence and social hypocrisy. His later work, especially Hidden (2005), which explores racism in France, is both less disconcerting and more hopeful. This article shows how Haneke's formal strategies, which exasperated some U.S. critics, illuminate his themes.
Pan's Labyrinth (El laberinto del fauno)
Authors: Smith Paul Julian
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth reimagines the bloodshed and tyranny of the period immediately after the Spanish Civil War in terms of a fairy tale, which may be a girl's fantasy. This review argues that the film's achievement is to reinforce not reduce historical horrors.
Another Meditation on Death: An Interview with Oliver Stone
Authors: Gentry Ric
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT Oliver Stone discusses his film World Trade Center with Ric Gentry, discussing the political context and emphasizing the influence of Robert Bresson on the film's spiritual concerns and its depiction of heroism; he also the details of the cinematography, editing, and sound edit.
The Battle of Algiers (La battaglia di Algeri)
Authors: Parker Mark
Published: June 2007

ABSTRACT A consideration of the Criterion Collection DVD release of Gillo Pontecorvo's The Battle of Algiers (1966), discussing how the edition's accompanying documentaries help in the interpretation and contextualization of the film.
Ecological Values amid Local Interests: Natural Resource Conservation, Social Differentiation, and Human Survival in Honduras*
Authors: Gareau Brian J.
Published: July 2007

Abstract  Local peoples living in protected areas often have a different understanding about their natural space than do non‐local groups that promote and declare such areas “protected.” By designing protected areas without local involvement, or understandings of local social differentiation and power, natural resources management schemes will likely be unsuccessful. Protected area Cerro guanacaure in southern Honduras has been subject to many development projects, most of which have failed, and the local inhabitants observe that degradation of natural resources continues. However, this case study shows that this does not mean locals view natural resources simply in an individualistic, utilitarian way. They also see their surroundings in an ecological way, and a sociocultural way. This assessment is based upon in‐depth interviews with local leaders and 208 fixed format interviews of park inhabitants in Cerro Guanacaure.
Impacts of Water Quality and Hand-Picking of Dead Eggs on the Survival of Brown Trout and Atlantic Salmon Eggs
Authors: Sutela Tapio , Pasanen Pentti , Louhi Pauliina , Mäki-Petäys Aki
Published: June 2007

The effect of water source and removal of dead eggs by hand on egg survival of brown trout Salmo trutta and Atlantic salmon S. salar was studied experimentally in a hatchery trial, which started from fertilization in October and lasted until egg eye-up in early March; no antifungal chemical treatments were used. The experimental treatments were water source (surface water, filtered surface water, or groundwater), species, and hand-picking of dead eggs (used, not used); we used four replicates per treatment, resulting in 48 batches. Incubation of eggs in groundwater yielded higher egg survival to eye-up than incubation in surface water or filtered surface water. Hand-picking of dead eggs enhanced survival of eggs incubated in surface water but not those incubated in groundwater. The best combination for egg survival in both species was the use of groundwater incubation without hand-picking of dead eggs.
Fatigue and Recovery of Blue and Channel Catfish Fingerlings under Flow and No-flow Conditions
Authors: Beecham Rachel Venn , Minchew C Douglas , Parsons Glenn R
Published: June 2007

We compared the ability of fingerling farm-raised channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus and blue catfish I. furcatus to recover from fatigue in flowing and still water by measuring the time course response of plasma lactate, glucose, and cortisol, and muscle lactate concentrations after exhaustive swimming. A prolonged swimming protocol measuring time to fatigue (TTF) was used to compare the recovery ability of fingerling blue catfish (mean ± SE = 27.7 ± 0.3 cm total length [TL]) and channel catfish (27.6 ± 0.2 cm TL). Tested fingerlings were forced to swim at 60 cm/s in a swim tunnel until exhausted and then were allowed to recover either in still water or flowing water. No significant difference was found between flowing and still water recovery for either species. Plasma lactate, glucose, and cortisol, and muscle lactate levels did not differ between fingerling blue and channel catfish at 0 min (immediately after fatigue) or at 30–240 min after fatigue. Although blue catfish fingerlings fatigued more quickly than channel catfish fingerlings (mean TTF = 7.2 ± 0.8 versus 27.6 ± 2.8 min), both species recovered from fatigue in 2–4 h; thus, the time course recovery of plasma cortisol, glucose, and lactate, and muscle lactate metabolites after exhaustive swimming was not significantly different between the two species.
Community design with children in Montreal and Guadalajara
Authors: Torres J. , Lessard M.
Published: June 2007

This paper examines two community design projects that were carried out in 2004–2006 in Montreal, Canada and Guadalajara, Mexico as part of UNESCO's Growing Up in Cities programme. In both cases, children aged 8 to 16, in collaboration with students in architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning, evaluated their neighbourhoods and proposed physical transformations to improve outdoor spaces. The collaborative process made it possible to understand how children perceive and use their neighbourhoods, to increase children's environmental knowledge and skills, and to introduce students to participatory design. This paper discusses this participatory process, describes the characteristics of places that children perceive to be meaningful and determines what lessons in neighbourhood planning can be drawn from these experiences.
The Child Friendly Cities Initiative
Authors: Schulze S. , Moneti F.
Published: June 2007

Over the last 15 years, numerous local, regional and national initiatives to make cities more child friendly have been launched worldwide. Experience has shown that the implementation of children's rights at local level goes hand in hand with improved living conditions for all age groups within society. This applies not only to developing countries but to industrialised nations as well. This paper describes the development and background of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI). In support of the initiative, the International Secretariat of the CFCI at the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre in Florence, Italy, produced documentation and tools that are being used worldwide by individuals, institutions and organisations committed to promoting children's rights and realising child friendly environments at local level. The paper outlines the key elements of a child friendly city, as determined by the Secretariat in consultation with a wide range of partners. This article also describes the efforts of the Swiss Committee for UNICEF in implementing the initiative in Switzerland. The main aspects of the Swiss programme are the self-assessment of communities with the help of a questionnaire, the implementation of workshops with children and young people, and the elaboration of a work plan.
Where do the children play? How policies can influence practice
Authors: Woolley H.
Published: June 2007

Children's play is important for individual children and for society as a whole. The current paper discusses some of the issues concerning the spaces in which children might play in the external urban environment. First the paper seeks briefly to remind the reader about the importance of play, both for individual children and society as a whole. Second it discusses the types of space—playgrounds—that English society currently usually provides for children to play in, in the outdoor environment. Some of the places that children like to play in are then addressed, drawing upon evidence from research. This is followed by a discussion of some policies that can provide opportunities for children to experience different spaces for playing and experiencing the external environment. Finally there is a short reflection as to whether society will be able to use the opportunities these policies currently provide and thus provide spaces for play with a different character than has been provided for the last 50 years.
Transient Fluid and Heat Flow Modeling in Coupled Wellbore/Reservoir Systems
Authors: Izgec B. , Kabir C. S. , Zhu D. , Hasan A. R.
Published: June 2007

This paper presents a transient wellbore simulator coupled with a semianalytic temperature model for computing wellbore-fluid-temperature profiles in flowing and shut-in wells. Either an analytic or a numeric reservoir model can be combined with the transient wellbore model for rapid computations of pressure, temperature, and velocity. We verified the simulator with transient data from gas and oil wells, where both surface and downhole data were available. The accuracy of the heat-transfer calculations improved with a variable-earth-temperature model and a newly developed numerical-differentiation scheme. This approach improved the calculated wellbore fluid-temperature profile, which, in turn, increased the accuracy of pressure calculations at both bottomhole and wellhead.

The proposed simulator accurately mimics afterflow during surface shut-in by computing the velocity profile at each timestep and its consequent impact on temperature and density profiles in the wellbore. Surrounding formation temperature is updated in every timestep to account for changes in heat-transfer rate between the hotter wellbore fluid and the cooler formation. The optional hybrid numerical-differentiation routine removes the limitations imposed by the constant relaxation-parameter assumption used in previous analytic-temperature models.

Both forward and reverse simulations are feasible. Forward simulations entail computing pressure, temperature, and velocity profiles at each wellbore node to allow matching field data gathered at any point in the wellbore. In contrast, reverse simulation allows translating pressures from one point to another in the wellbore, such as wellhead to bottomhole condition.
Managing Sand Production—The Key to Improved Gas-Well Deliverability and Extended Field Life
Authors: Enzendorfer C. K.
Published: June 2007

This paper deals with a case study of a high-rate sour-gas field in Pakistan. The paradigm shift from sand control to sand management boosted production rates by more than 100%. At the same time, higher wellhead pressures and less drawdown will extend field life and ultimate recovery. Major investments such as wellhead or field front-end compression could be delayed and, thereby, appreciable cost savings could be generated.

After initial well test results, it was concluded that all wells in the Miano gas field will need gravel-pack installations to protect completion and surface equipment. Only after 2 years of production at high rates in excess of 50 MMscf/D was it found that the installed gravel packs reduce flow rates severely. The paper will demonstrate how, through reinterpretation of data that formed the basis for the previous decision to gravel pack the wells and a thorough evaluation of sand-production potential and risks, a successful sand-management strategy was deployed. Existing gravel packs were perforated, and later production wells have been completed without gravel packs beforehand. Rigorous monitoring of surface equipment by means of erosion probes, ultrasonic wallthickness measurements, and choke-performance charts has been introduced to ensure safe production operations.