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Large Improvement (large + improvement)
Selected AbstractsEstimation of erosion and deposition volumes in a large, gravel-bed, braided river using synoptic remote sensingEARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS, Issue 3 2003Stuart N. Lane Abstract System-scale detection of erosion and deposition is crucial in order to assess the transferability of findings from scaled laboratory and small field studies to larger spatial scales. Increasingly, synoptic remote sensing has the potential to provide the necessary data. In this paper, we develop a methodology for channel change detection, coupled to the use of synoptic remote sensing, for erosion and deposition estimation, and apply it to a wide, braided, gravel-bed river. This is based upon construction of digital elevation models (DEMs) using digital photogrammetry, laser altimetry and image processing. DEMs of difference were constructed by subtracting DEM pairs, and a method for propagating error into the DEMs of difference was used under the assumption that each elevation in each surface contains error that is random, independent and Gaussian. Data were acquired for the braided Waimakariri River, South Island, New Zealand. The DEMs had a 1·0 m pixel resolution and covered an area of riverbed that is more than 1 km wide and 3·3 km long. Application of the method showed the need to use survey-specific estimates of point precision, as project design and manufacturer estimates of precision overestimate a priori point quality. This finding aside, the analysis showed that even after propagation of error it was possible to obtain high quality DEMs of difference for process estimation, over a spatial scale that has not previously been achieved. In particular, there was no difference in the ability to detect erosion and deposition. The estimates of volumes of change, despite being downgraded as compared with traditional cross-section survey in terms of point precision, produced more reliable erosion and deposition estimates as a result of the large improvement in spatial density that synoptic methods provide. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] In Situ Growth of Mesoporous SnO2 on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: A Novel Composite with Porous-Tube Structure as Anode for Lithium Batteries,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 15 2007Z. Wen Abstract A novel mesoporous-nanotube hybrid composite, namely mesoporous tin dioxide (SnO2) overlaying on the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), was prepared by a simple method that included in situ growth of mesoporous SnO2 on the surface of MWCNTs through hydrothermal method utilizing Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as structure-directing agents. Nitrogen adsorption,desorption, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis techniques were used to characterize the samples. It was observed that a thin layer tetragonal SnO2 with a disordered porous was embedded on the surface of MWCNTs, which resulted in the formation of a novel mesoporous-nanotube hybrid composite. On the base of TEM analysis of products from controlled experiment, a possible mechanism was proposed to explain the formation of the mesoporous-nanotube structure. The electrochemical properties of the samples as anode materials for lithium batteries were studied by cyclic voltammograms and Galvanostatic method. Results showed that the mesoporous-tube hybrid composites displayed higher capacity and better cycle performance in comparison with the mesoporous tin dioxide. It was concluded that such a large improvement of electrochemical performance within the hybrid composites may in general be related to mesoporous-tube structure that possess properties such as one-dimensional hollow structure, high-strength with flexibility, excellent electric conductivity and large surface area. [source] Simultaneous assessment of DNA ploidy and biomarker expression in paraffin-embedded tissue sectionsHISTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Stijn J H M Fleskens Fleskens S J H M, Takes R P, Otte-Höller I, van Doesburg L, Smeets A, Speel E-J M, Slootweg P J & van der Laak J A W M (2010) Histopathology,57, 14,26 Simultaneous assessment of DNA ploidy and biomarker expression in paraffin-embedded tissue sections Aims:, Aneuploidy is a potential biomarker for predicting progression of premalignancies. Ploidy assessment is mostly performed on nuclei isolated from tissue sections. Ploidy assessment in situ in tissue sections may be a large improvement, enabling selective sampling of nuclei, thus allowing the correlation between ploidy and histology. Existing ploidy analysis methods in sections suffer from limited sensitivity. The aim was to reliably assess ploidy in sections, combined with simultaneous assessment of other markers at the individual cell level. Methods and results:, Ploidy was measured in 22 paraffin-embedded oral premalignancies. The DNA stoichiometric Feulgen procedure was used on isolated nuclei, as well as fluoresence in situ hybridization analysis. In tissue sections, Feulgen was combined with immunohistochemistry for Ki67 proliferation marker, enabling distinction between cycling euploid and aneuploid cells. Aneuploidy was reliably detected in tissue sections (sensitivity 100%, specificity 92%). One section in which aneuploidy was detected was misclassified in isolated nuclei analysis. Sections were also successfully analysed using our model combined with DNA double strand break marker ,-H2AX in fluorescence microscopy, underlining the power of biomarker evaluation on single cells in tissue sections. Conclusions:, The analysis model proposed in this study enables the combined analysis of histology, genotypic and phenotypic information. [source] Snow density variations: consequences for ground-penetrating radarHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 7 2006A. Lundberg Abstract Reliable hydrological forecasts of snowmelt runoff are of major importance for many areas. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) measurements are used to assess snowpack water equivalent for planning of hydropower production in northern Sweden. The travel time of the radar pulse through the snow cover is recorded and converted to snow water equivalent (SWE) using a constant snowpack mean density from the drainage basin studied. In this paper we improve the method to estimate SWE by introducing a depth-dependent snowpack density. We used 6 years measurements of peak snow depth and snowpack mean density at 11 locations in the Swedish mountains. The original method systematically overestimates the SWE at shallow depths (+25% for 0·5 m) and underestimates the SWE at large depths (,35% for 2·0 m). A large improvement was obtained by introducing a depth,density relation based on average conditions for several years, whereas refining this by using separate relations for individual years yielded a smaller improvement. The SWE estimates were substantially improved for thick snow covers, reducing the average error from 162 ± 23 mm to 53 ± 10 mm for depth range 1·2,2·0 m. Consequently, the introduction of a depth-dependent snow density yields substantial improvements of the accuracy in SWE values calculated from GPR data. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Absorber intercooling in CO2 absorption by piperazine-promoted potassium carbonateAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 4 2010Jorge M. Plaza Abstract Intercooling was evaluated as a process option in CO2 absorption by piperazine (PZ) promoted potassium carbonate. The system performance with 4.5 m K+/4.5 m PZ was simulated by a model in Aspen Plus® RateSepÔ. The absorber was evaluated for use with a double matrix stripper by optimizing the position of the semilean feed and intercooling stages to maximize CO2 removal. Additionally, a simple absorber system was modeled to observe the effect of intercooling on systems with variable CO2 lean loading. Intercooling increases CO2 removal by as much as 10% with the double matrix configuration. With a simple absorber, the effectiveness of intercooling depends on solvent rate. Near a critical liquid/gas ratio (L/G) there is a large improvement with intercooling. This is related to the position of the temperature bulge. An approximation is proposed to estimate the critical L/G where intercooling may maximize removal. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010 [source] Effectiveness of LPG® treatment in morpheaJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 5 2004W-I Worret ABSTRACT Background, The LPG® technique, also known as Endermology® treatment, is a noninvasive technique consisting of a tissue mobilization process in which a skin fold is created between two rollers, stretching the underlying tissue and mobilizing the fold. The LPG® technique is very effective in treating scars. Because the lesions of morphea or circumscribed scleroderma are similar to atrophic scars, it seemed reasonable to treat them with a method proven helpful for scars. Materials and methods, We treated 17 lesions of 10 patients (four males and six females) with the diagnosis of morphea ranging in age from 17 to 78 years (mean age 55 years) and investigated and documented the evolution of their lesions and changes in their quality of life. Results, In all patients there was a large improvement in the clinical appearance of the lesions, the induration and the pain. Elasticity was particularly increased, not only based on clinical findings but also as documented with objective assessment. The acceptability of the treatment was good and the patients reported an improved quality of life. Conclusion, The LPG® technique (Endermology®) is an adjunctive treatment for morphea. It cannot eliminate the disease but can relieve the pain, soften the skin and improve the quality of life for these patients. [source] Functionalization of LDPE by Melt Grafting with Glycidyl Methacrylate and Reactive Blending with Polyamide-6MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS, Issue 8 2003Qian Wei Abstract Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) was functionalized by melt radical grafting with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and employed for reactive blending with polyamide-6 (PA6). The effect of the reaction procedure on the grafting degree of LDPE- g -GMA samples (0.5,12.5 wt.-% GMA) was analyzed as a function of the concentration of GMA monomer, radical initiator (BTP), and addition of styrene as co-monomer. Optimized grafting conditions were obtained when the amount of the monomer is below 10 wt.-% and that of peroxide in the range 0.2,0.4 wt.-%. Binary blends of PA6 with LDPE- g -GMA (3.5 wt.-% GMA) and with LDPE at various compositions (80/20, 67/33, 50/50 wt.-%) were prepared in an internal mixer and their properties were evaluated by torque, SEM and DSC analyses. Morphological examination by SEM showed a large improvement of phase dispersion and interfacial adhesion in PA6/LDPE- g -GMA blends as compared with PA6/LDPE blends. The average diameter of dispersed polyolefin particles was about 0.4 ,m for LDPE- g -GMA contents <,50 wt.-%. A marked increase of melt viscosity was observed for the compatibilized blends depending on the concentration of grafted polyolefin, and it was accounted for by the reaction between the epoxy groups of GMA and the carboxyl/amine end-groups of PA6. The variation of torque was thus related to the molar ratio of reactive group concentration. The analysis of crystallization and melting behavior pointed out marked differences in the phase structure of the blends due to the presence of the functionalized polyolefin. Finally, the in situ formation of a graft copolymer between LDPE- g -GMA and PA6 was investigated by means of a selective dissolution method (Molau test) and by FT-IR and DSC analyses. SEM micrograph of fracture surface of PA6/LDPE- g -GMA 50/50 blend. [source] Evaluation of a multidisciplinary outpatient pain management programme based at a community hospitalMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 2 2009Mei Wong DClinPsy Objective:,To evaluate a multidisciplinary cognitive behavioural therapy pain management programme (PMP) based at a small community hospital. Methods:,Patients attending the PMP were assessed at three intervals (pre-training, and 18 and 44 weeks post-training) using a set of seven questionnaires. Information about their general practitioner (GP) and consultant visits was recorded at pre-training and final follow-up visits. Questionnaires were completed and additional personal information recorded before patients attended their appointments. Results:,Between 1997 and 2006, 163 patients completed at least six sessions out of the eight-week programme. Of these, 70 who had completed at least one questionnaire outcome measure at the three assessment intervals, and 83 who had provided information on their GP and consultant visits at pre-training and final follow-up, were included in the analyses. The results showed that patients reported being more confident in coping with their pain (pain self-efficacy questionnaire) at 18 weeks post-training and their improvement was sustained at the final follow-up. They were significantly less depressed (hospital and anxiety depression scale [HADS]) and reported a large improvement in their quality of life (modified patient generated index) at the final follow-up. They also reported a significant reduction in pain-related GP and consultant visits at their final follow-up. Although there were improvements in the Tampa scale of kinesiophobia, anxiety (HADS-Anx) and sickness impact profile scores, these were not statistically significant. Conclusion:,The result of the evaluation indicated that this PMP, delivered in a community hospital setting, made some significant differences to patients with intractable chronic pain conditions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] High stability of CdZnSSe active layers in ZnSe-based laser diodes by introducing strain-compensating barrier layersPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (B) BASIC SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 3 2004Arne Gust Abstract A series of four similar laser structures with an emission wavelength of 520 nm was grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The difference was the alternating implementation of an additional 5 nm thick ZnSSe layer with a high sulfur composition of 25% neighboring the quantum well on the n-, p- or n-& p-side. A high stability of the CdZnSSe active layer was observed by introducing such a kind of strain compensating barrier layers. In lifetime measurements a large improvement was noticed by the p- and n- & p-side barrier layers. With respect to the strain compensating effect of only one barrier layer, the p-side layer is more effective than the n-side one. It is assumed that the p-side barrier layer acts not only as strain-compensating layer, but also as blocking layer against the Cd diffusion into the p-doped layers. A lifetime extension of one order of magnitude could be achieved. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Small revisions to predicted distances around metal sites in proteinsACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 6 2006Marjorie M. Harding A new analysis has been made of distances around metal sites in protein structures in the Protein Data Bank determined with resolution ,1.25,Å and equivalent distances have been extracted from the Cambridge Structural Database. They are for the metals Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn and the donor atoms O of water, O of Asp and Glu, O of the main-chain carbonyl group, N of His and S of Cys. Some revisions are recommended to the tables of `target distances' previously given [Harding (2001), Acta Cryst. D57, 401,411; Harding (2002), Acta Cryst. D58, 872,874]. As well as small changes in many distances and a large improvement for Mg,Ocarboxylate, the table includes an indication of how reliable each prediction may be. Special attention was given to carboxylate interactions. When the carboxylate group is monodentate, the M,Ocarboxylate distance is well defined, but for bidentate carboxylate groups a wide range of distances is allowable; when the metal is Co, Cu or Zn the M,O1 and M,O2 distances are clearly inversely correlated; for the more purely electrostatic interactions involving Na, K and Ca there is a wider scatter of distances and little correlation. [source] A micromolar O-sulfated thiohydroximate inhibitor bound to plant myrosinaseACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2010Arthur Besle The 1.6,Å resolution structure of the micromolar competitive inhibitor S -(N,N -dimethylaminoethyl) phenylacetothiohydroximate- O -sulfate bound to Sinapis alba myrosinase, a plant thioglucosidase, is reported. Myrosinase and its substrates, the glucosinolates, are part of the plant's defence system. The sulfate group and the phenyl group of the inhibitor bind to the aglycon-binding site of the enzyme, whereas the N,N -dimethyl group binds to the glucose-binding site and explains the large improvement in binding affinity compared with previous compounds. The structure suggests ways to increase the potency and specificity of the compound by improving the interactions with the hydrophobic pocket of the aglycon-binding site. [source] The national comparative audit of surgery for nasal polyposis and chronic rhinosinusitisCLINICAL OTOLARYNGOLOGY, Issue 5 2006C. Hopkins Objectives: This study summarises the results of a National Audit of sino-nasal surgery carried out in England and Wales. It describes patient and operative characteristics as well as patient outcomes up to 36 months after surgery. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: NHS hospitals in England and Wales. Participants: Consecutive patients undergoing surgery for nasal polyposis and/or chronic rhinosinusitis. Main outcome measure: The total score derived from a 22-item version of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22). Lower scores represent better health-related quality of life. Results: A total of 3128 consecutive patients at 87 NHS hospitals were enrolled. There is a large improvement in SNOT-22 scores from the pre-operative period (mean = 42.0) to 3 months after surgery (mean = 25.5). The scores for patients undergoing nasal polypectomy improved from 41.0 before surgery to 23.1 at 3 months after surgery, while the scores for patients undergoing surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis alone improved from 44.2 to 31.2. The SNOT-22 scores reported at 12 and 36 months after surgery were similar to those reported at 3 months. Excessive bleeding occurred in 5% of patients during the operation and in 1% of patients after the operation. Intra-orbital complications were reported in 0.2%. Of those patients undergoing primary surgery for bilateral grade I or II polyposis, 18% had not received a pre-operative course of steroid treatment. At the 36-month follow-up, 11.4% of patients had undergone revision surgery. Conclusions: The audit confirms that sino-nasal surgery is generally safe and effective. There is some evidence that patient selection for surgery could be improved. [source] Expenditure Reform in Industrialised Countries: A Case-Study Approach,FISCAL STUDIES, Issue 3 2007Sebastian Hauptmeier This study examines reforms of public expenditure in industrialised countries over the past two decades. We distinguish ambitious and timid reformers and analyse in detail reform experiences in eight case studies of ambitious reform episodes. We find that ambitious reform countries reduce spending on transfers, subsidies and public consumption. Such expenditure retrenchment is also typically part of a comprehensive reform package that includes improvements in fiscal institutions as well as structural and other macroeconomic reforms. The study finds that ambitious expenditure retrenchment and reform coincides with large improvements in fiscal and economic growth indicators. [source] Determinants of health status and the influence of primary health care services in Latin America, 1990,98INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2003David Moore Abstract Primary health care (PHC) services have been advocated as a means by which less developed countries may improve the health of their populations even in the face of poverty, low levels of literacy, poor nutrition and other factors that negatively influence health status. Using aggregated data from the World Bank and UNICEF this study examined which factors, both within the health care system and outside of it, are associated with under-5 mortality rates in 22 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean during the 1990s. In a multivariate analysis using generalized estimating equations for repeated measures, five factors were found to be independent predictors of lower under-5 mortality rates (U5MRs). These were vaccination levels, female literacy, the use of oral rehydration therapy, access to safe water and GNP per capita. When the magnitude of these associations were assessed, higher levels of GNP per capita was found to be very weakly associated with lower U5MRs, compared with female literacy and vaccination rates. These findings suggest that government policies which focus only on promoting economic growth, while not making important investments in PHC services, female education and access to safe water are unlikely to see large improvements in health status. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Explaining Corporate Environmental Performance: How Does Regulation Matter?LAW & SOCIETY REVIEW, Issue 1 2003Robert A. Kagan How and to what extent does regulation matter in shaping corporate behavior? How important is it compared to other incentives and mechanisms of social control, and how does it interact with those mechanisms? How might we explain variation in corporate responses to law and other external pressures? This article addresses these questions through an study of environmental performance in 14 pulp and paper manufacturing mills in Australia, New Zealand, British Columbia, and the states of Washington and Georgia in the United States. Over the last three decades, we find tightening regulatory requirements and intensifying political pressures have brought about large improvements and considerable convergence in environmental performance by pulp manufacturers, most of which have gone "beyond compliance" in several ways. But regulation does not account for remaining differences in environmental performance across facilities. Rather, "social license" pressures (particularly from local communities and environmental activists) and corporate environmental management style prod some firms toward better performance compliance than others. At the same time, economic pressures impose limits on "beyond performance" investments. In producing large gains in environmental performance, however, regulation still matters greatly, but less as a system of hierarchically imposed, uniformly enforced rules than as a coordinative mechanism, routinely interacting with market pressures, local and national environmental activists, and the culture of corporate management in generating environmental improvement while narrowing the spread between corporate leaders and laggards. [source] Three-antenna MIMO system for WLAN operation in a PDA phoneMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 7 2006Kin-Lu Wong Abstract A multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system using three EMC (electromagnetic compatible) chip antennas in a personal digital assistant (PDA) phone is demonstrated. The three EMC chip antennas are mounted at three corners of the system ground plane of the PDA phone and all generate a wide bandwidth covering the wireless local area network (WLAN) operation in the 2.4-GHz band (2400,2484 MHz). By adding a T-shaped shorted strip in the proposed MIMO antenna system, large improvements in the isolation (S12, S13, and S23 all less than ,20 dB) between any two antennas of the MIMO system are achieved. Detailed effects of the T-shaped shorted strip on the isolation improvement in the proposed MIMO antenna system are analyzed. Radiation characteristics of the three antennas are also studied. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1238,1242, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21665 [source] A Multidimensional Meta-Analysis of Psychotherapy for Bulimia NervosaCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: SCIENCE AND PRACTICE, Issue 3 2003Heather Thompson-Brenner We report a multidimensional meta-analysis of psychotherapy trials for bulimia nervosa published between 1980 and 2000, including multiple variables in addition to effect size such as inclusion and exclusion, recovery, and sustained recovery rates. The data point to four conclusions. First, psychotherapy leads to large improvements from baseline. Approximately 40% of patients who complete treatment recover completely, although 60% maintain clinically significant posttreatment symptoms. Second, individual therapy shows substantially better effects than group therapy for the therapies tested. Third, additional approaches or treatment parameters (e.g., number of sessions) need to be tested for the substantial number of patients who enter treatment and do not recover. Finally, the utility of meta-analyses can be augmented by including a wider range of outcome metrics, such as recovery rates and posttreatment symptom levels. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||