Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Integral
Kinds of Integral Terms modified by Integral Selected AbstractsProbing the nature of IGR J16493,4348: spectral and temporal analysis of the 1,100 keV emissionMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 1 2008A. B. Hill ABSTRACT IGR J16493,4348 was one of the first new sources to be detected by the INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) ,-ray telescope in the 18,100 keV energy band. Based on spatial coincidence, the source was originally associated with the free radio pulsar PSR J1649,4349. Presented here are the results of 2.8 Ms of observations made by the INTEGRAL mission and a 5.6-ks observation with the Swift/X-ray Telescope (XRT). Spectral analysis indicates that the source is best modelled by an absorbed power law with a high energy cut-off at Ecut, 15 keV and a hydrogen absorbing column of NH= 5.4+1.3,1× 1022 cm,2. Analysis of the light curves indicates that the source is a weak, persistent ,-ray emitter showing indications of variability in the 2,9 and 22,100 keV bands. The average source flux is ,1.1 × 10,10 erg cm,2 s,1 in the 1,100 keV energy band. No coherent timing signal is identified at any time-scale in the INTEGRAL or Swift data. The refined source location and positional uncertainty of IGR J16493,4348 places PSR J1649,4349 outside the 90 per cent error circle. We conclude that IGR J16493,4348 is not associated with PSR J1649,4349. Combining the INTEGRAL observations with Swift/XRT data and information gathered by RXTE and Chandra, we suggest that IGR J16493,4348 is an X-ray binary, and that the source characteristics favour a high-mass X-ray binary although a low-mass X-ray binary nature cannot be ruled out. [source] XMM-Newton operations beyond the 10-year design lifetimeASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 2 2008A.N. Parmar Abstract In preparation for XMM-Newton operations beyond the 10-year design lifetime ESA instigated an independent review of all aspects of the mission. Unsurprisingly, the review found that the scientific interest in extending the mission is very high and likely to remain so in the foreseeable future. Most importantly, all the elements of the XMM-Newton mission were found to be stable and trouble free with sufficient consumables and life-limited items to allow operations of the mission until at least 2018. The review endorsed the proposal to combine elements of the Flight Control Team with those from INTEGRAL and remove real-time instrument monitoring from ESAC in order to reduce costs and improve efficiency. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Magnetic and Electrochemical Properties of a Heterobridged ,-Phenoxido,,1,1 -Azide Dinickel(II) Compound: A Unique Example Demonstrating the Bridge Distance Dependency of Exchange IntegralEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 33 2009Rajesh Koner Abstract The synthesis, structure, magnetic and electrochemical properties of the heterobridged ,-phenoxido,,1,1 -azide dinickel(II) compound [NiII2(HL1)3(,1,1 -N3)]·3H2O (1) derived from the tetradentate Schiff base ligand N -(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methoxysalicylaldimine (H2L1) are described. The title compound crystallizes in the triclinic system (space group P). Electrochemical analyses reveal that compound 1 exhibits two-step quasireversible couples in the reduction window with E1/2 values of ,1412 and ,1762 mV. The variable-temperature (2,300 K) magnetic susceptibilities at 1 T of the title compound were measured. The interaction between the metal centres is weak ferromagnetic (J = 5.0 cm,1, g = 2.23, D1 = 29.2 cm,1 and D2 = 10.7 cm,1). Comparison of the exchange integral of 1 with that of the only reported ,-phenoxido,,1,1 -azide dinickel(II) compound results in the emergence of a unique example of the dependence of strength of magnetic exchange interaction on the metal,ligand bridge distance. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009) [source] Domiciliary application of CryoCuff in severe haemophilia: qualitative questionnaire and clinical auditHAEMOPHILIA, Issue 4 2008A. I. D'YOUNG Abstract., The acute management of haemophilic bleeding episodesin the home setting is based on the concept of immediate factor replacement therapy and the PRICE regime , an acronym representing the concepts of Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation [1,2]. Integral to this regime is the application of cold therapy, and yet little is known regarding the safe periods of application, or the relative safety of cryotherapy devices such as the CryoCuffÔ when used in the home setting by patients suffering from severe haemophilia and related bleeding disorders. This study examines the subjective patient response to the application of the CryoCuffÔ device in the home setting in terms of the effect on pain, joint swelling and the return to ,pre-bleed status' of the knee, ankle or elbow in patients with severe haemophilia A/B or type III von Willebrand's disease (VWD) immediately following haemarthrosis, and any potential adverse effects related to the device or recommended duration of application as stated in the PRICE guideline (Fig. 1). Twelve patients, either with severe haemophilia A/B or with VWD were recruited and asked to use the CryoCuffÔ device as part of the PRICE regime immediately following the onset of knee-, ankle- or elbow bleeds for the next one year. Each subject was then sent a qualitative questionnaire to determine subjective responses to the device. All patients reported that the application protocol was easy to follow, they were able to apply the device as per the PRICE regime and they were able to tolerate it for the recommended period. Whereas, all the patients felt that the device had a significant impact on alleviation of pain and return to pre-bleed status, 78% of the patients felt that the device led to a significant reduction in swelling around the affected joint. There was no conclusive evidence that the device resulted in any reduction in the amount of factor used to treat the acute bleeding episode, however, no patients reported any perceived delay in achieving haemostasis or required extra factor replacement therapy consequent to the usage of the device. No other adverse effects were reported by participants in this study. Figure 1. ,The qualitative participant questionnaire, given following 1 year of unsupervised use in the home setting immediately following the onset of the symptoms of haemarthroses. [source] Listening to the views of people affected by cancer about cancer research: an example of participatory research in setting the cancer research agendaHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 1 2006David Wright PhD Abstract Aim, The study ,Listening to the Views of People Affected by Cancer About Cancer Research' is currently exploring the views people affected by cancer have about cancer research and identifying their research priorities. Integral to this is the broader aim of ensuring an effective, collaborative participation of patients and carers in the design and conduct of the study. On the basis of experiences with the study to date, the latter is explored in this paper. Design, The study adopts a ,participatory research' approach entailing the formation of a ,reference group' and a subsequent patient and carer co-researcher group. Patient and carer members of these groups were identified through the patient forums of UK cancer networks and by approaching ,hard to reach' representatives directly through community groups and participating study sites. Findings, Experiences from this study illustrate that a ,participatory research' approach is appropriate in engaging patients and carers in the research process. Establishing a group of people affected by cancer in the study was found to be particularly effective in enhancing the design and conduct of the research. Conclusions, ,Participatory research' offers an effective means of involving patients and carers throughout the research process, thus strengthening the relevance and appropriateness of research findings and methods. [source] Nursing research in Spain: bibliometrics of references of research papers in the decade 1985,1994JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2001Carmen Pardo Nursing research in Spain: bibliometrics of references of research papers in the decade 1985,1994 Background.,Spain is one of the few European countries to have recently totally incorporated the study of nursing into the university sector. Bibliometric studies may be of a great help for the consolidation of nursing research. Aim of the study.,The aim of this paper is to describe bibliographic references in Spanish nursing research papers and their evolution over a decade. Method.,The method consists of a retrospective bibliometric study of a sample (cluster sampling) of 622 research papers (original papers and review papers), which were contained in the Spanish nursing journals Enfermería Científica, Revista ROL de Enfermería, Enfermería Clínica and Enfermería Integral, and published from 1985 to 1994. The journal Nursing Research was selected for qualitative comparative purposes. A series of classic bibliometric indexes were used. Results.,The mean of references per paper is 10·64 ± 10·42; this increased over time (P < 0·001). Review papers have more references (P < 0·001). Price index (percentage of references published during the last 5 years) is 44% and the Insularity (percentage of references published in same country as the article) is 55%. References to journals predominate (58·6%), with a growing tendency for references to Spanish nursing journals, although they are still scarce (18·1% of the references to journals). Spanish is the language of most of the references (60·3%), the second language being English (36·1%). Conclusions.,Bibliographic references in Spanish nursing research papers are scarce and not very specific: this happens both in regard to Nursing Research and to publications in other national and international science areas. However, there is an increasing tendency of references (including references to nursing journals) in the period analysed. The age of the references places Spanish nursing in an intermediate position between the ,hard' sciences and the humanities; and, according to the type of documentation used, we find it halfway between experimental and natural sciences, and technologies and social sciences. There has been a slight increase in references in English in recent years. [source] Independent mental health nurse prescribingJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 6 2009A. JONES phd rn Independent prescribing (IP) is a new form of prescriptive authority for mental health services. Very little is known about where IP is being implemented and factors to support or constrain its adoption. An opportunistic sample of 119 respondents made up of nurses, doctors, support workers, occupational therapists and social workers completed an online survey. The sample worked in adult, old age and substance misuse services. Hospital wards and community mental health teams were identified as the highest ranked areas for implementation. A total of 68% of the sample identified pharmacology as the area for further training. And 40% of the sample felt that IP had been introduced to make services more effective. This opportunistic sample supported IP as a means to offer greater patient choice and as a method to broaden the boundaries of nursing practice. Integral to this development is the link between the psychiatrist and IP nurse in terms of work allocation and supervision. [source] Nurses Are Integral in the Care of Pregnant AdolescentsNURSING FOR WOMENS HEALTH, Issue 2 2009Rene L. Converse No abstract is available for this article. [source] Atrial Evoked Response Integral for Automatic Capture Verification in Atrial PacingPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1p2 2003GIUSEPPE BORIANI BORIANI, G.,et al.:Atrial Evoked Response Integral for Automatic Capture Verification in Atrial Pacing. Beat-by-beat Autocapture is currently limited to operation in the ventricle with bipolar leads. The authors investigated the integral of the negative-going portion of the atrial evoked response integral (AERI) as a potential resource for verification of atrial capture. Intracardiac electrogram signals were collected from 59 patients (ages 67.8 ± 15.1 years) with bipolar, low polarization atrial leads. The signals were collected over a mean period of 6.1 months (minimum 4 days) after lead implantation. St. Jude Medical Affinity pulse generators were used to perform automatic capture threshold tests while the electrogram signals were recorded by a Model 3510 programming device. These signals were transferred to a personal computer in digital form for later analysis. The AERI was calculated at each programmable pacing voltage until capture was lost. The difference between the polarization integral at loss of capture and evoked response integral with successful capture was sufficient to justify enabling the atrial Autocapture feature in 53 of 59 patients in whom bipolar pacing and unipolar sensing was performed. The authors developed a calibration routine to identify automatically those patients in whom atrial Autocapture could be programmed On, based on the polarization integral at loss of capture, the estimated maximum polarization integral, and the AERI. Preliminary analysis indicated that the AERI is a practical resource for beat-by-beat atrial capture detection when used with low polarization leads. (PACE 2003; 26[Pt. II]:248,252) [source] Semi-automatic tuning of PID gains for atomic force microscopesASIAN JOURNAL OF CONTROL, Issue 2 2009Daniel Y. Abramovitch Abstract The control of a typical commercial Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is through some variant on a Proportional, Integral, Derivative (PID) controller. Typically, the gains are hand tuned so as to keep the bandwidth of the system far below the first resonant frequency of the actuator. This paper shows a straightforward method of selecting PID gains from the actuator model so as to allow considerably higher bandwidths. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society [source] Spatial camera orientation control by rotation-minimizing directed framesCOMPUTER ANIMATION AND VIRTUAL WORLDS (PREV: JNL OF VISUALISATION & COMPUTER ANIMATION), Issue 4 2009Rida T. Farouki Abstract The use of rotation-minimizing directed frames (RMDFs) for defining smoothly varying camera orientations along given spatial paths, in real or virtual environments, is proposed. A directed frame on a space curve is a varying orthonormal basis for ,3 such that coincides with the unit polar vector from the origin to each curve point, and such a frame is rotation-minimizing if its angular velocity vector maintains a vanishing component along o. To facilitate computation of rotation-minimizing directed frames, it is shown that the basic theory is equivalent to the established theory for rotation-minimizing adapted frames,for which one frame vector coincides with the tangent at each curve point,if one replaces the given space curve by its anti-hodograph (i.e., indefinite integral). A family of polynomial curves on which RMDFs can be computed exactly by a rational function integration, the Pythagorean (P) curves, is also introduced, together with algorithms for their construction. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A real-time computer-controlled simulator: For control systemsCOMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 2 2008I. H. Altas Abstract A real-time simulator to accompany automatic control system courses is introduced. The design and realization methods and processes are discussed. The simulator is basically a computer-controlled system that implements the developed user friendly virtual interface software to control the speed of a small size DC motor. The virtual interface includes digital implementation models of classical proportional, integral, derivative, and all combinations of them as well as a fuzzy logic controller. The user is able to select and adjust the parameters of any desired controller that is defined and represented virtually. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 16: 115,126, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae.20130 [source] Applying fuzzy logic and genetic algorithms to enhance the efficacy of the PID controller in buffer overflow elimination for better channel response timeliness over the InternetCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 7 2006Wilfred W. K. Lin Abstract In this paper two novel intelligent buffer overflow controllers: the fuzzy logic controller (FLC) and the genetic algorithm controller (GAC) are proposed. In the FLC the extant algorithmic PID controller (PIDC) model, which combines the proportional (P), derivative (D) and integral (I) control elements, is augmented with fuzzy logic for higher control precision. The fuzzy logic divides the PIDC control domain into finer control regions. Every region is then defined either by a fuzzy rule or a ,don't care' state. The GAC combines the PIDC model with the genetic algorithm, which manipulates the parametric values of the PIDC as genes in a chromosome. The FLC and GAC operations are based on the objective function . The principle is that the controller should adaptively maintain the safety margin around the chosen reference point (represent by the ,0' of ) at runtime. The preliminary experimental results for the FLC and GAC prototypes indicate that they are both more effective and precise than the PIDC. After repeated timing analyses with the Intel's VTune Performer Analyzer, it was confirmed that the FLC can better support real-time computing than the GAC because of its shorter execution time and faster convergence without any buffer overflow. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Nationwide Assessment of the Biodiversity Value of Uganda's Important Bird Areas NetworkCONSERVATION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2006HERBERT TUSHABE AIAs; complementariedad; congruencia trans-taxón; selección de sitios de conservación Abstract:,BirdLife International's Important Bird Areas (IBA) program is the most developed global system for identifying sites of conservation priority. There have been few assessments, however, of the conservation value of IBAs for nonavian taxa. We combined past data with extensive new survey results for Uganda's IBAs in the most comprehensive assessment to date of the wider biodiversity value of a tropical country's IBA network. The combined data set included more than 35,000 site × species records for birds, butterflies, and woody plants at 86 Ugandan sites (23,400 km2), including 29 of the country's 30 IBAs, with data on additional taxa for many sites. Uganda's IBAs contained at least 70% of the country's butterfly and woody plant species, 86% of its dragonflies and 97% of its birds. They also included 21 of Uganda's 22 major vegetation types. For butterflies, dragonflies, and some families of plants assessed, species of high conservation concern were well represented (less so for the latter). The IBAs successfully represented wider biodiversity largely because many have distinctive avifaunas and, as shown by high cross-taxon congruence in complementarity, such sites tended to be distinctive for other groups too. Cross-taxon congruence in overall species richness was weaker and mainly associated with differences in site size. When compared with alternative sets of sites selected using complementarity-based, area-based, or random site-selection algorithms, the IBA network was efficient in terms of the number of sites required to represent species but inefficient in terms of total area. This was mainly because IBA selection considers factors other than area, however, which probably improves both the cost-effectiveness of the network and the persistence of represented species. Resumen:,El programa de Áreas de Importancia para las Aves (AIAs) de Birdlife International es el sistema global más desarrollado para la identificación de sitios de prioridad para la conservación. Sin embargo, ha habido pocas evaluaciones del valor de conservación de las AIAs para taxa no aviares. En la evaluación más integral, hasta la fecha, del valor de la biodiversidad en general de la red de AIAs de un país tropical, combinamos datos antiguos con los resultados de muestreos extensivos recientes de las AIAs de Uganda. El conjunto de datos combinados incluyó más de 35000 registros de sitios x especies de aves, mariposas y plantas leñosas en 86 sitios en Uganda (23400 km2), incluyendo 29 de las 30 AIAs del país, con datos sobre taxa adicionales en muchos sitios. Las AIAs de Uganda contenían por lo menos un 70% de las especies de mariposas y plantas leñosas del país, 86% de sus libélulas y 97% de sus aves. También incluyeron 21 de los 22 principales tipos de vegetación. En las mariposas, libélulas y algunas de las familias de plantas evaluadas, la representación de especies de alto interés para la conservación fue buena (menor en las plantas). Las Áreas de Importancia para las Aves representaron exitosamente a la biodiversidad en general principalmente porque muchas tienen avifaunas distintivas y, como muestra la alta congruencia trans-taxón en complementariedad, tales sitios tendieron a ser distintivos para otros grupos también. La congruencia trans-taxón en la riqueza de especies total fue más débil y se asoció principalmente con diferencias en el tamaño del sitio. Cuando se compara con conjuntos alternativos de sitios seleccionados mediante algoritmos basados en complementariedad, área o selección aleatoria de sitios, la red de AIAs fue eficiente en términos del número de sitios requeridos para representar especies, pero ineficiente en términos del área total. Sin embargo, esto se debió principalmente a que la selección de AIA considera factores distintos al área que probablemente mejoran tanto la efectividad de la red como la persistencia de las especies representadas. [source] Equation of State of Strongly Coupled Quark,Gluon Plasma , Path Integral Monte Carlo ResultsCONTRIBUTIONS TO PLASMA PHYSICS, Issue 7-8 2009V.S. Filinov Abstract A strongly coupled plasma of quark and gluon quasiparticles at temperatures from 1.1Tc to 3Tc is studied by path integral Monte Carlo simulations. This method extends previous classical nonrelativistic simulations based on a color Coulomb interaction to the quantum regime. We present the equation of state and find good agreement with lattice results. Further, pair distribution functions and color correlation functions are computed indicating strong correlations and liquid-like behavior (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Thermodynamics of Hydrogen and Hydrogen-Helium Plasmas: Path Integral Monte Carlo Calculations and Chemical PictureCONTRIBUTIONS TO PLASMA PHYSICS, Issue 3-4 2005V. S. Filinov Abstract In this paper we study thermodynamic properties of hydrogen and hydrogen-helium mixtures with the help of the direct path integral Monte Carlo simulations. The results are compared with available theoretical and experimental methods based, in particular, on chemical picture. We investigate the effects of temperature ionization in low-density hydrogen plasma. We also present a number of calculated isotherms for hydrogenhelium mixture with the mass concentration of helium Y = 0.234 in the range from 104 K to 2 · 105 K. In the density region where a sharp conductivity rise have been observed experimentally the simulations give indications for one or two plasma phase transitions, in accordance with earlier theoretical predictions. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Thermodynamic Properties and Plasma Phase Transition in dense HydrogenCONTRIBUTIONS TO PLASMA PHYSICS, Issue 5-6 2004V. S. Filinov Abstract The internal energy and equation of state of dense hydrogen are investigated by direct path integral Monte Carlo method simulations which are further improved in comparison to our previous results. Data for four isotherms , T = 10, 000K, 30, 000K, 50, 000K, and 100, 000K , are presented. For T = 10, 000K it is shown that the internal energy is lowered due to droplet formation for densities of the order 1023cm,3 giving direct support for the existence of a plasma phase transition in megabar hydrogen. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] CHANGES IN FRIENDSHIP RELATIONS OVER THE LIFE COURSE: IMPLICATIONS FOR DESISTANCE FROM CRIME,CRIMINOLOGY, Issue 2 2003PEGGY C. GIORDANO We analyze life history narratives and structured data derived from a study of serious female and male offenders interviewed when incarcerated as adolescents and followed up thirteen years later. We highlight shifts in the influence of friends and in the nature of friendship choices, and suggest how these changes can facilitate desistance processes. While key events (e.g., marriage) are important to an understanding of such changes, shifts in the actor's perspective and identity are also integral to the process of making successful network realignments. Similarities and differences by gender in the effects of adult social influence processes are also examined. [source] FATHERS, SONS, AND THE STATE: Discipline and Punishment in a Wolof HinterlandCULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 1 2009DONNA L. PERRY ABSTRACT This essay builds on fieldwork in rural Senegal to examine three cases in which elder household heads called on gendarmes to physically discipline rebellious youths. These cases, which revolved around harsh acts of corporal punishment, invite inquiry into common assumptions about African families and states. The first assumption is the common dichotomy drawn between African youths, portrayed as modern and menacing, and African elders, portrayed as "traditional" and hence benign. The second assumption is the dichotomy drawn between the African family, conceived as solidary and nurturing, and the African state, conceived as alien and predatory. In examining these cases of discipline and punishment, this essay reveals the ever-shifting power relations that link Wolof household heads, dependent junior males, and state agents, and simultaneously introduces new questions about the morality of farmer,state relations and generational conflict. My analysis reveals the spatial geography of Senegal's youth crisis, which takes different forms in rural and urban locales. The anxiety of rural patriarchs is fed by a fear-mongering media obsessed with youthful anarchy in the cities, and a long-standing political rhetoric about the threat of rural out-migration. Elder men in the countryside, who experience diminishing household authority under neoliberalism, make proactive efforts to keep the urban youth crisis at bay. They seek to augment their domestic power by reestablishing links with a state that has long bolstered patriarchy but whose power is currently in decline. By lending patriarchs their coercive force, gendarmes attempt to accomplish through private, indirect means, what the postcolonial state is unable to do: maintain social order by reining in disruptive youths. The harsh disciplinary measures that gendarmes employ are not alien to Wolof culture, but integral to Wolof conceptions of child rearing. [source] Lithium and KB-R7943 effects on mechanics and energetics of rat heart muscleACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 1 2002P. Bonazzola ABSTRACT The role of calcium influx on energy expenditure during cardiac contraction was studied. For this purpose, the described ability of lithium and KB-R 7943 (KBR) to diminish Ca entry through Na,Ca exchanger (Ponce-Hornos & Langer, J Mol Cell Cardiol 1980, 12, 1367, Satoh et al., Circulation 2000, 101, 1441) were used. In isolated contractions (contractions elicited after at least 5 min of rest) LiCl 45 mmol L,1 decreased pressure developed and pressure,time integral from 42.3 ± 2.7 and 14.5 ± 1.2 to 32.1 ± 3.4 mN mm,2 and 8.3 ± 0.9 mN mm,2 s, respectively. A similar effect was observed in regular contractions (at 0.16 Hz stimulation). The presence of KBR (5 ,mol L,1) in the perfusate induced a slight but not significant decrease in pressure developed and pressure,time integral in steady-state contractions. As it was previously described, the heat involved in a heart muscle contraction can be decomposed into several components (H1, H2, H3 and H4), but only one (H3) was associated with force generation. While H3 decreased with lithium in both types of contractions, H3/PtI ratio remained unaltered, indicating that the economy for pressure maintenance was unaffected. To further investigate the role of Ca entry on force development, a condition in which the contraction is mainly dependent on extracellular calcium was studied. An ,extra' stimulus applied 200 ms after the regular one in a muscle stimulated at 0.16 Hz induces a contraction with this characteristic (Marengo et al., Am J Physiol 1999, 276, H309). Lithium induced a strong decrease in pressure,time integral and H3 associated with this contraction (43 and 45%, respectively) with no change in H3/PtI ratio. Lithium also reduced (53%) an energy component (H2) associated with Ca cycling. The use of KBR showed qualitatively similar results [i.e. a 33% reduction in pressure,time integral associated with the extrasystole (ES) with no changes in H3/PtI ratio and a 30% reduction in the H2 component]. Li and KBR effects appear to be additive and in the presence of 45 mmol L,1 Li and 5 ,mol L,1 KBR the extrasystole was abolished in 77%. Lithium and KBR effects particularly for the extrasystole can be explained through the inhibition of Ca entry via Na,Ca exchange giving support to the participation of the Na,Ca exchanger in the Ca influx from the extracellular space. In addition, the results also suggest the possibility of an effect of Li on an additional Ca sensitive locus (different than the Na,Ca exchanger). In this connection, in isolated contractions lithium decreased the energy release fraction related to mitochondrial processes (H4) increasing the economy of the overall cardiac contraction. [source] Novel Pretrichial Browlift Technique and Review of Methods and ComplicationsDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 9 2009COURTNEY S. McGUIRE BS BACKGROUND The upper third of the face is integral to our perception of youth and beauty. While the eyelids anchor this facial cosmetic unit, the eyebrows and forehead are intrinsically linked to the upper eyelids, and their position and texture play an important role in creating pleasing eyes as well as conveying mood and youth. The most common browlifts are performed with endoscopic visualization. Yet, this technique requires special equipment and a prolonged learning curve. OBJECTIVE To demonstrate a novel pretrichial technique and to review different browlift methods and their potential adverse effects. METHODS Case series and review of the literature. RESULTS The pretrichial browlift results in a mild to moderate browlift with secondary smoothing of the forehead topography. Aside from bruising and swelling, it results in minimal adverse effects. Other techniques are also effective but may create a larger scar such as a direct browlift, may be more difficult in terms of approach such as the browpexy, or require endoscopes. CONCLUSION Browlifts are an important procedure in rejuvenating the upper third of the face and improving the overall facial aesthetic appearance. The pretrichial browlift is a less invasive open technique that is safe and effective for the appropriate patient. [source] Understanding clinical trial outcomes: design, analysis, and interpretationDERMATOLOGIC THERAPY, Issue 2 2007Heidi T. Jacobe ABSTRACT:, Outcomes (a variable intended for comparison between groups) are integral to the design, conduct, and data analysis of a clinical trial. They are broadly divided into four categories: physician based, patient reported, economic based, and technology based. Each is used in dermatology to some degree, but no consensus exists as to what type of outcome or degree of validation should be employed. This is problematical because poor quality outcomes or their incorrect use may invalidate the results of a clinical trial. Despite their importance, outcome measures in dermatology receive little attention. The present authors aim to provide an overview of important considerations for outcome measures and a practical approach to their analysis. [source] Wise counsel: A trinity of perspectives on the business value of designDESIGN MANAGEMENT REVIEW, Issue 1 2002Martin Gierke Martin Gierke, James G. Hansen, and Raymond Turner are voices of experience, with distinctive backgrounds and insights. On the other hand, three similar themes can be found in the message each offers: design is a thoughtful, rational process; design should be integral to an organization's business strategy; and, in shaping positive perceptions and building customer loyalty, design contributes to the bottom line. [source] BUDDHISM AND NEUROETHICS: THE ETHICS OF PHARMACEUTICAL COGNITIVE ENHANCEMENTDEVELOPING WORLD BIOETHICS, Issue 2 2009ANDREW FENTON ABSTRACT This paper integrates some Buddhist moral values, attitudes and self-cultivation techniques into a discussion of the ethics of cognitive enhancement technologies , in particular, pharmaceutical enhancements. Many Buddhists utilize meditation techniques that are both integral to their practice and are believed to enhance the cognitive and affective states of experienced practitioners. Additionally, Mah,y,na Buddhism's teaching on skillful means permits a liberal use of methods or techniques in Buddhist practice that yield insight into our selfnature or aid in alleviating or eliminating dukha (i.e. dissatisfaction). These features of many, if not most, Buddhist traditions will inform much of the Buddhist assessment of pharmaceutical enhancements offered in this paper. Some Buddhist concerns about the effects and context of the use of pharmaceutical enhancements will be canvassed in the discussion. Also, the author will consider Buddhist views of the possible harms that may befall human and nonhuman research subjects, interference with a recipient's karma, the artificiality of pharmaceutical enhancements, and the possible motivations or intentions of healthy individuals pursuing pharmacological enhancement. Perhaps surprisingly, none of these concerns will adequately ground a reflective Buddhist opposition to the further development and continued use of pharmaceutical enhancements, either in principle or in practice. The author argues that Buddhists, from at least certain traditions , particularly Mah,y,na Buddhist traditions , should advocate the development or use of pharmaceutical enhancements if a consequence of their use is further insight into our self-nature or the reduction or alleviation of dukha. [source] Risky Business: Economic Uncertainty, Market Reforms and Female Livelihoods in Northeast GhanaDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 5 2000Brenda Chalfin This article examines the implications of economic uncertainty for rural markets and the livelihoods of female traders. It does so through a case study of a community in northern Ghana caught in the throes of a structural adjustment-driven privatization initiative. In order to fully comprehend the nature of the economic uncertainties in which rural economic actors are enmeshed and the manner in which they resist, engage or engender these conditions, two theoretical lenses are interposed. One, focusing on structural dissolution and an overall process of rural, and especially female, disempowerment, is drawn from recent approaches to African political economy. The other, gleaned from the field of economic anthropology, attends to the agency and knowledge of rural entrepreneurs in the face of unstable and imperfect market conditions. By bringing together these different analytic traditions, the critical significance of uncertainty within the complex process of rural economic transformation and reproduction becomes evident. Rather than functioning as a diagnostic of economic crisis and insecurity, uncertainty can be a strategic resource integral to the constitution of markets, livelihoods and economic coalitions. Such a perspective, privileging the institutional potentials of local social practice, makes apparent the forceful role played by female traders in the structuring of rural marketing systems even in the face of externally-induced and sometimes dramatic shifts in material conditions. [source] The Economic Partnership Agreements: Rationale, Misperceptions and Non-trade AspectsDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 5 2008Louise Curran The European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries entered a new era in 2008. The Cotonou trade regime and the WTO waiver legitimising it have expired, and the long anticipated, and much debated, move to Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) has begun. This article explains the background and analyses the ,alternatives' to EPAs, in order to tackle common misperceptions. Moving on from what has been the focus of debates, namely, the reciprocal liberalisation required under WTO rules, it sheds some light on the non-goods trade aspects of EPAs which, while integral to economic policy, are inherently hard to quantify and often skimmed over in existing studies or addressed in ideological terms. [source] Reelin is essential for neuronal migration but not for radial glial elongation in neonatal ferret cortex,DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Alisa Schaefer Abstract Numerous functions related to neuronal migration are linked to the glycoprotein reelin. Reelin also elongates radial glia, which are disrupted in mutant reeler mice. Our lab developed a model of cortical dysplasia in ferrets that shares features with the reeler mouse, including impaired migration of neurons into the cerebral cortex and disrupted radial glia. Explants of normal ferret cortex in coculture with dysplastic ferret cortex restore the deficits in this model. To determine if reelin is integral to the repair, we used explants of P0 mouse cortex either of the wild type (WT) or heterozygous (het) for the reelin gene, as well as P0 reeler cortex (not containing reelin), in coculture with organotypic cultures of dysplastic ferret cortex. This arrangement revealed that all types of mouse cortical explants (WT, het, reeler) elongated radial glia in ferret cortical dysplasia, indicating that reelin is not required for proper radial glial morphology. Migration of cells into ferret neocortex, however, did not improve with explants of reeler cortex, but was almost normal after pairing with WT or het explants. We also placed an exogenous source of reelin in ferret cultures at the pial surface to reveal that migrating cells move toward the reelin source in dysplastic cortex; radial glia in these cultures were also improved toward normal. Our results demonstrate that the normotopic position of reelin is important for proper neuronal positioning, and that reelin is capable of elongating radial glial cells but is not the only radialization factor. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2008. [source] Sensori-motor experience leads to changes in visual processing in the developing brainDEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2010Karin Harman James Since Broca's studies on language processing, cortical functional specialization has been considered to be integral to efficient neural processing. A fundamental question in cognitive neuroscience concerns the type of learning that is required for functional specialization to develop. To address this issue with respect to the development of neural specialization for letters, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare brain activation patterns in pre-school children before and after different letter-learning conditions: a sensori-motor group practised printing letters during the learning phase, while the control group practised visual recognition. Results demonstrated an overall left-hemisphere bias for processing letters in these pre-literate participants, but, more interestingly, showed enhanced blood oxygen-level-dependent activation in the visual association cortex during letter perception only after sensori-motor (printing) learning. It is concluded that sensori-motor experience augments processing in the visual system of pre-school children. The change of activation in these neural circuits provides important evidence that ,learning-by-doing' can lay the foundation for, and potentially strengthen, the neural systems used for visual letter recognition. [source] Continuous glucose monitoring and closed-loop systemsDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 1 2006R. Hovorka Abstract Background The last two decades have witnessed unprecedented technological progress in the development of continuous glucose sensors, resulting in the first generation of commercial glucose monitors. This has fuelled the development of prototypes of a closed-loop system based on the combination of a continuous monitor, a control algorithm, and an insulin pump. Method A review of electromechanical closed-loop approaches is presented. This is followed by a review of existing prototypes and associated glucose sensors. A literature review was undertaken from 1960 to 2004. Results Two main approaches exist. The extracorporeal s.c.,s.c. approach employs subcutaneous glucose monitoring and subcutaneous insulin delivery. The implantable i.v.,i.p. approach adopts intravenous sampling and intraperitoneal insulin delivery. Feasibility of both solutions has been demonstrated in small-scale laboratory studies using either the classical proportional,integral,derivative controller or a model predictive controller. Performance in the home setting has yet to be demonstrated. Conclusions The glucose monitor remains the main limiting factor in the development of a commercially viable closed-loop system, as presently available monitors fail to demonstrate satisfactory characteristics in terms of reliability and/or accuracy. Regulatory issues are the second limiting factor. Closed-loop systems are likely to be used first by health-care professionals in controlled environments such as intensive care units. [source] Morphometric indices as indicators of tectonic, fluvial and karst processes in calcareous drainage basins, South Menorca Island, SpainEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 13 2007Francesca S. Segura Abstract This study proposes using morphometric indices to discriminate the processes that shape calcareous drainage basins. To illustrate this, a DEM of the southern part of Menorca Island (Migjorn) was created and basin slope, drainage density, hypsometric curve and integral, and the area occupied by open and closed dolines were extracted from it. These indices show an important dependence on tectonics, which govern the morphology of these drainage basins and encourage the predominance of karst and/or fluvial processes in the different sectors. The morphometric indices are clearly influenced by the geological Migjorn structure, a carbonate Upper Miocene reef platform gently folded as an asymmetrical anticline. The hypsometric integral and curve discriminate the influence of tectonics and structure whilst the drainage density and the proportion of open dolines are associated with basins with more pronounced fluvial processes. A cluster analysis based on these indices discriminated three sectors where different forms and processes are found. In the western and eastern sectors, rounded basins without major fractures predominate. The basins slope at less than 5°, and karst processes outweigh fluvial processes. The central sector, however, has steeper slopes, a clearly defined drainage system, and a predominance of fluvial over karst processes. Greater uplift in this sector has facilitated the formation of elongated basins that follow the main fracture lines. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||