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Scale Applications (scale + application)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Life Sciences	40%

Selected Abstracts

Separation of proteins in a multicompartment electrolyzer with chambers defined by a bed of gel beads

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 4 2003
Marina Cretich
Abstract Multicompartment electrolyzers (MEs) with isoelectric membranes were introduced in 1989 for purifying proteins in an electric field. At the basis of ME technology there are membranes consisting of cross-linked copolymers of acrylamide and acrylamido monomers bearing protolytic groups. The technology employed for casting the membranes is an extension of the isoelectric focusing in immobilized pH gradient technique for which specific acrylamido monomers, known with the trade name of Immobiline, have been developed. However, the use of continuous membranes presents several disadvantages. Due to the mechanical characteristics of polyacrylamide, the gel must physically adhere onto a rigid support, which prevents it from collapsing. The support must have a highly porous structure in order to be permeable to proteins. The mechanical fragility of the membranes is one of the main problems that hinders the industrial scale application of ME separators. In order to overcome this problem, we propose to substitute the continuous membranes with a bed of gel beads of identical comonomer composition, obtained by an inverse emulsion polymerization process. [source]

Risk adjusted resource utilization for AMI patients treated in Japanese hospitals

HEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2007
Edward Evans
Abstract Though risk adjustment is necessary in order to make equitable comparisons of resource utilization in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction patients, there is little in the literature that can be practically applied without access to clinical records or specialized registries. The aim of this study is to show that effective models of resource utilization can be developed based on administrative data, and to demonstrate a practical application of the same models by comparing the risk-adjusted performance of the hospitals in our dataset. The study sample included 1748 AMI cases discharged from 10 large, private teaching hospitals in Japan, between 10 April 2001 and 30 June 2004. Explanatory variables included procedures (CABG and PCI), length of stay, outcome, patient demographics, diagnosis and comorbidity status. Multiple linear regression models constructed for the study were able to account for 66.5, 27.7, and 58.4% of observed variation in total charges, length of stay and charges per day, respectively. The performance of models constructed for this study was comparable to or better than performance reported by other studies that made use of explanatory variables extracted from clinical data. The use of administrative data in risk adjustment makes broad scale application of risk adjustment feasible. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Diatomaceous earths as alternatives to chemical insecticides in stored grain

INSECT SCIENCE, Issue 6 2006
AMIN NIKPAY
Abstract Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural inert dust used to control insect pests in stored grain as an alternative to synthetic residual insecticides. Various DE formulations are now registered as a grain protectant or for structural treatment in many different countries throughout the world. The mode of action of DE is through the absorption of cuticular waxes in the insect cuticle, and insect death occurs from desiccation. The main advantages of using DE are its low mammalian toxicity and its stability. The main limitations to widespread commercial use of DE are reduction of the bulk density and flowability of grain, irritant hazards during application and reduction in efficacy at high moisture contents. This paper is an updated review of published results of researches related to the use of DEs and discusses their potential use in large-scale, commercial storage and in small scale applications. [source]

A universal alternating immersion simulator for accelerated cyclic corrosion tests,

MATERIALS AND CORROSION/WERKSTOFFE UND KORROSION, Issue 2 2008
A. W. Hassel
A new device for performing accelerated cyclic immersion tests is described. The main achievement is to realise a high cycling rate without a proportional increase in the test duration. The device is also capable of performing tests according to EU ISO 11130 specification. A minimal invasive drying system is used that neither heats air nor sample and the flow rate is still low as to prevent a mechanical delamination of paints or loose corrosion products. A multiple sample set-up is realised that provides individual reference electrodes. The random access through a multiplexer allows individual investigation of the samples even by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy under immersion conditions. The device and its test principle are applicable in both industrial and laboratorial scale applications. Two application examples are given to demonstrate the versatility of the alternating immersion tester. One addresses the corrosion protection performance of different zinc-coated steel sheets; the other quantifies the patina formation kinetics of low-alloyed steels with weathering properties. [source]

Magnetoimpedance (MI) in amorphous wires: new materials and applications

PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 4 2009
Larissa V. Panina
Abstract The discovery of the magnetoimpedance (MI) effect in 1994 had a strong impact on the development of magnetic sensors. Along with traditional areas of sensing applications (data storage, bio-medical electronics, robotics and security), the MI elements have a high potential for applications in smart sensory systems (self-sensing composites) operating at microwave frequencies owing to still very large MI ratios of 50,100% in Co-rich amorphous wires at GHz frequencies. Here we introduce two types of MI wire composites: 2D-arrays and mixtures of wire pieces. In such materials the effective permittivity has strong dispersion in a frequency band determined by a plasma frequency or a dipole resonance, respectively. If MI wires are used as constituent elements, this dispersion may be very sensitive to the magnetic properties of wires since the wire impedance determines the relaxation parameter of the effective permittivity. For example, increasing the wire impedance by establishing the magnetisation along the axis with an external magnetic field broadens the resonance band, decreases the reflection amplitude and may open a bandpass. Depending on the magnetic anisotropy in wires, tuning can be realized with both magnetic field and stress. It is foreseen that MI-wire composite materials could be suitable for large scale applications, in particular, for free space filters in secure wireless systems and for microwave nondestructive testing and control in civil engineering. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]