Quick Response (quick + response)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Mobile Construction Supply Chain Management Using PDA and Bar Codes

COMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2005
H. Ping Tserng
However, extending the construction project control system to job sites is not considered efficient because using notebooks in a harsh environment like a construction site is not particularly a conventional practice. Meanwhile, paper-based documents of the site processes are ineffective and cannot get the quick response from the office and project control center. Integrating promising information technologies such as personal digital assistants (PDA), bar code scanning, and data entry mechanisms, can be extremely useful in improving the effectiveness and convenience of information flow in construction supply chain control systems. Bar code scanning is appropriate for several construction applications, providing cost savings through increased speed and accuracy of data entry. This article demonstrates the effectiveness of a bar-code-enabled PDA application, called the mobile construction supply chain management (M-ConSCM) System, that responds efficiently and enhances the information flow between offices and sites in a construction supply chain environment. The advantage of the M-ConSCM system lies not only in improving the efficiency of work for on-site engineers, but also providing the Kanban-like visual control system for project participants to control the whole project. Moreover, this article presents a generic system architecture and its implementation. [source]


Electrocatalytic Reduction of Nitrite Ion on a Toluidine Blue Sol-Gel Thin Film Electrode Derived from 3-Aminopropyl Trimethoxy Silane

ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 22 2007
K. Thenmozhi
Abstract An organically modified sol-gel electrode using 3-aminopropyltrimethoxy silane for covalent immobilization of a redox mediator namely toluidine blue has been reported. Cyclic voltammetric characterization of the modified electrode in the potential range of 0.2,V to ,0.6,V exhibited stable voltammetric behavior in aqueous supporting electrolyte with a formal potential of ,0.265,V vs. SCE, corresponding to immobilized toluidine blue. The electrocatalytic activity of the modified electrode when tested towards nitrite ion exhibited a favorable response with the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrite occurring at a reduced potential of ,0.34,V. A good linear working range from 2.94×10,6,M to 2.11×10,3,M with a detection limit of 1.76×10,6,M and quantification limit of 5.87×10,6,M was obtained for nitrite determination. The stable and quick response (4,s) of the modified electrode towards nitrite under hydrodynamic conditions shows the feasibility of using the present sensor in flow systems. Significant improvements in the operational stability by overcoming the leachability problem and repeatability with a relative standard deviation of 1.8% of the TB thin film sensor have been obtained by the strategy of immobilization of the mediator in the sol-gel matrix. [source]


Asymmetrical Schiff Bases as Carriers in PVC Membrane Electrodes for Cadmium (II) Ions

ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 8 2005
Hossein Mashhadizadeh, Mohammad
Abstract 5-[((4-Methyl phenyl) azo)- N -(6-amino-2-pyridin) salicylaldimine] (S1), and 5-[((4-methyl phenyl) azo)- N -(2-diamino-2-cyano-1-ethyl cyanide) salicylaldehyde] (S2) with N and O donor atoms are effective ionophores to make Cd2+ -selective membrane electrodes. The electrodes based on S1 and S2 exhibits a Nernstian or near-Nernstian response for cadmium ion over a wide concentration range 1.5×10,1,7.5×10,7 with a slope of 28 and 2.0×10,1,4.0×10,7 with a slope of 22, respectively. They have quick response and can be used for three or four months without any divergence in potential. The proposed sensors show fairly good selectivity over some alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The electrodes based on S1 and S2 can be used in the pH range 3.5,9. These electrodes were used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of cadmium ion with EDTA and in the direct determination of cadmium ion in aqueous solutions. [source]


Microcystin extracts induce ultrastructural damage and biochemical disturbance in male rabbit testis

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
Ying Liu
Abstract In the present research, the changes of ultrastructures and biochemical index in rabbit testis were examined after i.p. injection with 12.5 ,g/kg microcystin (MC) extracts. Ultrastructural observation showed widened intercellular junction, distention of mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus. All these changes appeared at 1, 3, and 12 h, but recovered finally. In biochemical analyses, the levels of lipid peroxidation (MDA) and H2O2 increased significantly at 1 h, indicating MC-caused oxidative stress. Finally, H2O2 decreased to the normal levels, while MDA remained at high levels. The antioxidative enzymes (CAT, SOD, GPx, GST) and antioxidants (GSH) also increased rapidly at 1 h, demonstrating a quick response of the defense systems to the oxidative stress. Finally, the activity of CAT, SOD, and GPX recovered to the normal level, while the activity of GST and the concentration of GSH remained at a high level. This suggests that the importance of MCs detoxification by GST via GSH, and the testis of rabbit contained abundant GSH. The final recovery of ultrastructure and some biochemical indexes indicates that the defense systems finally succeeded in protecting the testis against oxidative damage. In conclusion, these results indicate that the MCs are toxic to the male rabbit reproductive system and the mechanism underlying this toxicity might to be the oxidative stress caused by MCs. Although the negative effects of MCs can be overcome by the antioxidant system of testis in this study, the potential reproductive risks of MCs should not be neglected because of their wide occurrence. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 2010. [source]


Highly Conductive Sheets from Millimeter-Long Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Ionic Liquids: Application to Fast-Moving, Low-Voltage Electromechanical Actuators Operable in Air

ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 16 2009
Ken Mukai
Ionic liquids allow millimeter-long single-walled carbon nanotubes to associate tightly, forming a free-standing sheet with superb mechanical and electrical properties. An actuator strip, fabricated by sandwiching an ionic-liquid-gel electrolyte layer with the nanotubes sheets obtained exhibits a large deformation in quick response (4,mm per 0.05 s) to low applied voltages, and a high durability upon 10 000 times continuous operations. [source]


Benzodiazepines in catatonia associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 6 2006
HUNG-YU WANG md
Abstract, Neuropsychiatric disturbances are found in 50,70% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. However, there are rare cases of catatonia being described in SLE. Some studies have shown the effectiveness of high-dose steroid, plasma exchange and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in lupus catatonia. Herein are described two SLE patients with catatonia who had good response to i.v. diazepam (i.e. relief of catatonia symptoms). Patient 1, with mild cortical atrophy, had great improvement in catatonia symptoms on i.v. diazepam 150 mg during a period of 5 days. Patient 2, without cortical atrophy, had quick response to i.v. diazepam 10,20 mg. Both patients had no recurrence during 6-month follow up. In conclusion, benzodiazepines may play an important role in the treatment of catatonia associated with SLE if patients refuse ECT treatment. [source]


Structural colored gels for tunable soft photonic crystals

THE CHEMICAL RECORD, Issue 2 2009
Mohammad Harun-ur-Rashid
Abstract A periodically ordered interconnecting porous structure can be embodied in chemical gels by using closest-packed colloidal crystals as templates. The interconnecting porosity not only provides a quick response but also endows the porous gels with structural color arising from coherent Bragg optical diffraction. The structural colors revealed by porous gels can be regulated by several techniques, and thus, it is feasible to obtain desirable, smart, soft materials. A well-known thermosensitive monomer, N -isopropylacrylamide (NIPA), and other minor monomers were used to fabricate various structural colored gels. The selection of minor monomers depended on the targeted properties. This review focuses on the synthesis of templates, structural colored porous gels, and the applications of structural colored gel as smart soft materials for tunable photonic crystals. © 2009 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 9: 87,105; 2009: Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20169 [source]