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Very Effective (very + effective)
Terms modified by Very Effective Selected AbstractsSnap: A time critical decision-making framework for MOUT simulationsCOMPUTER ANIMATION AND VIRTUAL WORLDS (PREV: JNL OF VISUALISATION & COMPUTER ANIMATION), Issue 3-4 2008Shang-Ping Ting Abstract Deliberative reasoning based on the rational analysis of various alternatives often requires too much information and may be too slow in time critical situations. In these situations, humans rely mainly on their intuitions rather than some structured decision-making processes. An important and challenging problem in Military Operations on Urban Terrain (MOUT) simulations is how to generate realistic tactical behaviors for the non-player characters (also known as bots), as these bots often need to make quick decisions in time-critical and uncertain situations. In this paper, we describe our work on Snap, a time critical decision-making framework for the bots in MOUT simulations. The novel features of Snap include case-based reasoning (CBR) and thin slicing. CBR is used to make quick decisions by comparing the current situation with past experience cases. Thin slicing is used to model human's ability to quickly form up situation awareness under uncertain and complex situations using key cues from partial information. To assess the effectiveness of Snap, we have integrated it into Twilight City, a virtual environment for MOUT simulations. Experimental results show that Snap is very effective in generating quick decisions during time critical situations for MOUT simulations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Sub-Voxel Topology Control for Level-Set SurfacesCOMPUTER GRAPHICS FORUM, Issue 3 2003Stephan Bischoff Active contour models are an efficient, accurate, and robust tool for the segmentation of 2D and 3D image data. In particular, geometric deformable models (GDM) that represent an active contour as the level set of an implicitfunction have proven to be very effective. GDMs, however, do not provide any topology control, i.e. contours maymerge or split arbitrarily and hence change the genus of the reconstructed surface. This behavior is inadequate insettings like the segmentation of organic tissue or other objects whose genus is known beforehand. In this paperwe describe a novel method to overcome this limitation while still preserving the favorable properties of the GDMsetup. We achieve this by adding (sparse) topological information to the volume representation at locations whereit is necessary to locally resolve topological ambiguities. Since the sparse topology information is attached to theedges of the voxel grid, we can reconstruct the interfaces where the deformable surface touches itself at sub-voxelaccuracy. We also demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of our method. [source] Idiopathic Circumscripta Calcinosis Cutis of the KneeDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 12 2003FACS, Luigi Valdatta MD Background. Calcinosis cutis, a disease characterized by the presence of calcium deposits in the skin, is classified into four types according to etiology: dystrophic, metastatic, iatrogenic and idiopathic. The dystrophic form is the most common while the idiopathic one is the rarest, but specific incidence and frequency data are not available in scientific literature. Objective. Calcinosis cutis circumscripta is a very rare form of idiopathic calcinosis cutis arising in the second half of life. It typically involves the extremities and is associated with prior trauma and scleroderma. We dealt with a very rare form of calcinosis cutis circumscripta in a healthy patient, for whom surgical excision revealed to be an effective and successful treatment. Methods and materials. We present the case of a 46-year-old woman affected by idiopathic circumscripta calcinosis cutis of the left knee, successfully treated by surgical removal. Discussion. Medical and surgical treatment are options to cure calcinosis cutis. Medical therapy is not very effective. Surgical excision has shown to be beneficial, as it can provide a symptomatic relief. However, since calcinosis cutis limits are not always well defined a recurrence of the lesions may occur. [source] Use of Honey as an Adjunct in the Healing of Split-Thickness Skin Graft Donor SiteDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 2 2003Aykut Misirlioglu MD BACKGROUND Different techniques are being used in treatment of split-thickness skin graft donor sites; however, there is not a widely accepted method established for these partial-thickness wounds. It is well known that honey has been very effective in the treatment of various types of wounds, but there is not any information about the usage of honey as split-thickness skin graft donor site dressing in the literature. OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of honey-impregnated gauzes, hydrocolloid dressings, and as a conventional dressing, saline-soaked gauzes for skin graft donor sites. METHODS This is a nonrandomized, prospective, open-label (noncontrolled), side-by-side comparison trial of various options that are available for second-intention healing of donor site for split-thickness skin grafts. Eighty-eight patients who underwent skin grafting were observed using two different groups. In the first group, the donor site was divided into two equal halves, with each half being treated with honey-soaked gauzes and the other half with paraffin gauzes (group 1A), hydrocolloid dressings (group 1B), and saline-soaked gauzes (group 1C) alternatively. In the second group, two separate donor sites were formed, with one of them being treated with honey-impregnated gauzes (groups 2A,C) and the other one treated with either paraffin gauzes (group 2A), hydrocolloid dressings (group 2B), or saline-soaked gauzes (group 2C). The healing time, rate of infection, and sense of pain were evaluated. RESULTS In the treatment of split-thickness skin graft donor sites, honey-impregnated gauzes showed faster epithelization time and a low sense of pain than paraffin gauzes and saline-soaked gauzes. There was no significant difference between honey-impregnated gauzes and hydrocolloid dressings with regard to epithelization time and sense of pain. CONCLUSION The use of honey-impregnated gauzes is effective, safe, and practical. Honey can be an alternative material for the split-thickness skin graft donor site treatment. [source] Epidermal Grafting After Chemical Epilation in the Treatment of VitiligoDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 10 2001Chi-Yeon Kim MD Background. Vitiligo on hairy areas like the scalp and eyebrows is frequently associated with leukotrichia and repigmentation by photochemotherapy is usually difficult because of a deficient melanocyte reservoir. Although epidermal grafting to supply melanocytes is very effective for stable vitiligo, hair growth inhibits successful transfer of melanocytes from grafted epidermis in dense hair-bearing regions. Objective. To investigate the effectiveness of preoperative chemical epilation to improve the results of epidermal graft by suction blister on hairy areas. Methods. Two patients who had vitiligo with leukotrichia on the face and scalp were treated with epidermal grafting using suction blister after chemical epilation. Two weeks after the graft they were treated with topical psolaren plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy. Results. Epidermal grafting was performed successfully, and successful repigmentation of the skin with significant improvement of leukotrichia was observed in each of two patients. Conclusion. Chemical epilation followed by epidermal grafting is a safe, easy, and effective treatment for vitiligo affecting hairy regions. [source] Photodynamic Therapy of Cutaneous Lymphoma Using 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Topical ApplicationDERMATOLOGIC SURGERY, Issue 8 2000Arie Orenstein MD Background. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with topical application of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a new and effective modality for treatment of superficial basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Objective. We present the kinetics of ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX (PP) accumulation and the results of ALA PDT treatment on two patients with different stages (stage I and stage III) of mycosis fungoides (MF)-type cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Methods. ALA-Decoderm cream was applied to the lesions for 16 hours. Spectrofluorescence measurements of PP accumulation were carried out before, during, and 1 hour after photoirradiation (580,720 nm) using the VersaLight system. Results. Different patterns of PP fluorescence kinetics were observed in patients with early and advanced stages of the disease. During photoirradiation the intensity of fluorescence decreased depending on the lesion thickness. One hour after the photoirradiation procedure no PP fluorescence was observed in the stage I MF lesion, while in the thick stage III MF lesions, PP fluorescence reappeared; after an additional 10,15 minutes of irradiation PP fluorescence disappeared. Complete response with excellent cosmetic results was observed in the stage I lesion after a single irradiation with a light dose of 170 J/cm2; in five stage III lesions, complete response was achieved after fractionated irradiation with a total light dose of 380 J/cm2 (follow-up at 27 and 24 months, respectively). Conclusion. The results showed a high response of both stage I and stage III MF lesions to ALA PDT. This modality appears to be very effective and can be used successfully for MF treatment. [source] Treatment of head liceDERMATOLOGIC THERAPY, Issue 4 2009Stephanie A. Diamantis ABSTRACT Pediculosis capitis, or head lice, is a common infestation among children worldwide. Multiple therapies exist for the treatment of this condition, including topical pediculicides and oral medications. When used in combination with environmental decontamination, these drugs can be very effective in eradicating head lice infestation without significant adverse events. The present study discusses the use of available over-the-counter and prescription treatments, including pyrethroids and permethrin, lindane, malathion, ivermectin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, in the treatment of head lice. [source] Glucocorticoids in the treatment of bullous diseasesDERMATOLOGIC THERAPY, Issue 4 2002Danielle M. DeHoratius This article reviews recent advances in the treatment and management of bullous diseases with glucocorticoids. Since the 1950s, when oral cortisone acetate was introduced for the treatment of dermatologic disease, glucocorticoids have remained an important treatment modality. In particular, glucocorticoids are very effective for patients with autoimmune diseases because of their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. However, patients with these diseases are often treated with prolonged courses of glucocorticoids, and consequently are at risk for steroid-induced side effects. In this article we present an in-depth discussion of the indications for glucocorticoid treatment in autoimmune blistering diseases. In addition, we discuss how to recognize, treat, and prevent side effects that result from the use of glucocorticoids. [source] In Situ Urbanization in Rural China: Case Studies from Fujian ProvinceDEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 2 2000Yu Zhu In most parts of the developing world, the urbanization process has been dominated by rural,urban migration and the growth of existing cities. However, case-studies in China's Fujian Province suggest that this process can also be achieved mainly by in situ transformation in rural areas. Such in situ transformation of rural areas has been driven mainly by two forces, the development of township and village enterprises (TVEs) and the inflow of foreign investment; and facilitated by the relevant policies adopted by the Chinese government since 1978. The former has been very effective in the transformation of rural employment structure, while the latter has brought many physical changes to the previously rural landscape. Being mutually complementary, these two ways of rural transformation have not only benefited and urbanized the rural areas, but kept many farmers in their hometowns, replacing the dominant role of rural,urban migration and the growth of existing cities in the urbanization process. [source] INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-I RECEPTOR AS A CANDIDATE FOR A NOVEL MOLECULAR TARGET IN GASTROINTESTINAL CANCERSDIGESTIVE ENDOSCOPY, Issue 4 2006Yasushi Adachi Abnormal activation of growth factor receptors and their signal pathways are required for neoplastic transformation and tumor progression. The concept of targeting specific tumorigenic receptors has been validated by successful clinical application of multiple new drugs, such as those acting against HER2/neu, epidermal growth factor receptor 1, and c-Kit. In this review, we focus on the next promising therapeutic molecular target of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I receptor (IGF-Ir). The IGF/IGF-Ir system is an important modifier of cancer cell proliferation, survival, growth, and treatment sensitivity in a number of neoplastic diseases, including human gastrointestinal carcinomas. Preclinical studies demonstrated that downregulation of IGF-Ir signals reversed the neoplastic phenotype and sensitized cells to antitumor treatments. We summarize a variety of ways to disrupt IGF-Ir function. Then, we introduce our strategy of adenoviruses expressing dominant negative of IGF-Ir (IGF-Ir/dn) against gastrointestinal cancers, including stomach, colon, and pancreas. IGF-Ir/dn suppresses tumorigenicity both in vitro and in vivo and increases stressor-induced apoptosis. IGF-Ir/dn expression upregulates chemotherapy-induced apoptosis and these combination therapies with chemotherapy are very effective against tumors in mice. Some drugs blocking IGF-Ir function are now entering clinical trial, thus IGF-Ir might be a candidate for a therapeutic target in several gastrointestinal malignancies. [source] Ultrastructural features of the process of wound healing after tail and limb amputation in lizardACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 3 2010L. Alibardi Abstract Alibardi, L. 2010. Ultrastructural features of the process of wound healing after tail and limb amputation in lizard.,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 306,318 Wound healing and re-epitelization after amputation of tail and limb in lizard have been studied by electron microscopy to understand the cytological base of immunity to infection in this species. After 2 days post-amputation in both limb and tail stumps, numerous granulocytes are accumulated over the stump, and participate to the formation of the scab. Bacteria remain confined to the scab or are engulfed by leukocytes and migrating keratinocytes located underneath the scab. Bacteria are degraded within lysosomes present in these cells and are not observed among mesenchymal cells or in blood vessels of the regenerative blastema. Granulocytes, migrating keratinocytes, and later macrophages form an effective barrier responsible for limiting microbe penetration. The innate immunity in lizard is very effective in natural (dirty) condition and impedes the spreading of infection to inner tissues. While the complete re-epitelization of the tail stump underneath the scab requires 4,7 days, the same process in the limb requires 8,18 or more days post-amputation, depending from the level of amputation and the persistence of a protruding humerus or femurs on the stump surface. This delay produces the permanence of inflammatory cells such as granulocytes and macrophages in the limb stump for a much longer period than in the tail stump, a process that stimulates scarring. [source] A simple LMS-based approach to the structural health monitoring benchmark problemEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 6 2005J. Geoffrey Chase Abstract A structure's health or level of damage can be monitored by identifying changes in structural or modal parameters. However, the fundamental modal frequencies can sometimes be less sensitive to (localized) damage in large civil structures, although there are developing algorithms that seek to reduce this difficulty. This research directly identifies changes in structural stiffness due to modeling error or damage using a structural health monitoring method based on adaptive least mean square (LMS) filtering theory. The focus is on computational simplicity to enable real-time implementation. Several adaptive LMS filtering based approaches are used to analyze the data from the IASC,ASCE Structural Health Monitoring Task Group Benchmark problem. Results are compared with those from the task group and other published results. The proposed methods are shown to be very effective, accurately identifying damage to within 1%, with convergence times of 0.4,13.0 s for the twelve different 4 and 12 degree of freedom benchmark problems. The resulting modal parameters match to within 1% those from the benchmark problem definition. Finally, the methods developed require 1.4,14.0 Mcycles of computation and therefore could easily be implemented in real time. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Strengthening of moment-resisting frame structures against near-fault ground motion effectsEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 6 2004Babak Alavi Abstract Near-fault ground motions with forward directivity are characterized by a large pulse. This pulse-like motion may cause a highly non-uniform distribution of story ductility demands for code-compliant frame structures, with maximum demands that may considerably exceed the level of code expectations. Strengthening techniques for multi-story frame structures are explored with the objective of reducing maximum drift demands. One option is to modify the code-based SRSS distribution of story shear strength over the height by strengthening of the lower stories of the frame. The modified distribution reduces the maximum story ductility demand, particularly for weak and flexible structures. However, this strengthening technique is less effective for stiff structures, and is almost ineffective in cases in which the maximum demand occurs in the upper stories, i.e. strong and flexible structures. As an alternative, the benefits of strengthening frames with elastic and inelastic walls are evaluated. The effects of adding walls that are either fixed or hinged at the base are investigated. It is demonstrated that strengthening with hinged walls is very effective in reducing drift demands for structures with a wide range of periods and at various performance levels. Wall inelastic behavior only slightly reduces the benefits of strengthening with hinged walls.Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Studies on seismic reduction of story-incresed buildings with friction layer and energy-dissipated devicesEARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 14 2003Hong-Nan Li Abstract A new type of energy-dissipated structural system for existing buildings with story-increased frames is presented and investigated in this paper. In this system the sliding-friction layer between the lowest increased floor of the outer frame structure and the roof of the original building is applied, and energy-dissipated dampers are used for the connections between the columns of the outer frame and each floor of the original building. A shaking table test is performed on the model of the system and the simplified structural model of this system is given. The theory of the non-classical damping approach is introduced to the calculation analyses and compared with test results. The results show that friction and energy-dissipated devices are very effective in reducing the seismic response and dissipating the input energy of the model structure. Finally, the design scheme and dynamic time-history analyses of an existing engineering project are investigated to illustrate the application and advantages of the given method. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Hybrid platform for vibration control of high-tech equipment in buildings subject to ground motion.EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS, Issue 8 2003Part 1: experiment Abstract This paper presents an experimental study, while a companion paper addresses an analytical study, to explore the possibility of using a hybrid platform to mitigate vibration of a batch of high-tech equipment installed in a building subject to nearby traffic-induced ground motion. A three-storey building model and a hybrid platform model are designed and manufactured. The hybrid platform is mounted on the building floor through passive mounts composed of leaf springs and oil dampers and controlled actively by an electromagnetic actuator with velocity feedback control strategy. The passive mounts are designed in such a way that the stiffness and damping ratio of the platform can be changed. A series of shaking table tests are then performed on the building model without the platform, with the passive platform of different parameters, and with the hybrid platform. The experimental results demonstrate that the hybrid platform is very effective in reducing the velocity response of a batch of high-tech equipment in the building subject to nearby traffic-induced ground motion if dynamic properties of the platform and control feedback gain are selected appropriately. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Light-emitting diode-compatible probes for indirect detection of anions in CEELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 19 2007Peter Balding Abstract A range of compounds were evaluated as probes for the indirect detection of inorganic ions using CE and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the light source. Emphasis was placed on examining probes likely to absorb strongly in the UV,Vis region near 350,430,nm as compounds, which absorb at longer wavelengths tend to be bulkier and adsorb onto the capillary wall. These probes should act as a replacement for the very effective but carcinogenic probe chromate. Two probes were identified and evaluated: p -nitrophenol and 4-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid. The former showed the most potential with low-mobility anions, while the later had a moderate electrophoretic mobility and was more suitable for a wider mobility range of analytes. However, neither could match the efficiencies and LOD of chromate for the separation of the fast inorganic ions such as chloride, nitrate and sulphate. Nevertheless, application of the 4-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid system to the determination of oxalate in Bayer liquors showed excellent sensitivity and selectivity. [source] Repellent efficacy of wood vinegar against Culex pipiens pallens and Aedes togoi (Diptera: Culicidae) under laboratory and semi-field conditionsENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2010Martha W. KIARIE-MAKARA Abstract The repellent efficacy of wood vinegar was assessed against mosquitoes under laboratory conditions at 1, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60 and 80% concentrations. The study evaluated whether wood vinegar is able to repel Culex pipiens pallens Coquillet and Aedes togoi (Theobald) from the human body and if so at what concentrations. The tests were conducted using the arm-in-cage method in 80 × 40 × 40 cm screened mosquito cages. The data were analyzed and compared with those of N,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) at 10.3% concentration. The results showed that wood vinegar provided mosquito repellence of varying degree depending on the concentration used. The observed repellence averaged from as low as 39.6% at 5.0% concentration to as high as 100% at 80% concentration against Ae. togoi. Repellence against Cx. pipiens pallens was high being 90.3% at 20% concentration, 92.2% at 40% concentration, 93.9% at 60% concentration and 100% at 80% concentration. The duration of protection time tests showed that the 40% and 60% concentrations of the wood vinegar give protection from landing of Ae. togoi for a period of up to 7 h, though the lower concentration gave lower protection after the first five hours. The results indicated that wood vinegar has mosquito repellent characteristics that tend to vary with the concentration used and the species of mosquitoes. Wood vinegar in this case was very effective in repelling Cx. pipiens pallens, even at lower concentrations while higher concentrations were required to repel Ae. togoi. [source] Effectiveness of very thin soil layers in chemical release from bed sedimentENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 2 2001Bryan Talbert The chemical containment effectiveness of both the natural recovery and the "particle broadcasting" processes for remediating contaminated bed-sediments depend upon very thin soil and/or sand layers millimeters in depth. Conventional capping for in situ chemical containment of bed-sediment or dredged material typically involves thick layers of 30 to 90 centimeters in depth. Few studies have been conducted with thin layers of candidate natural materials. A steady-state benzoic acid dissolution test apparatus and procedure, devised to realistically simulate bed-sediment chemo-dynamic conditions, was used to measure chemical flux through thin layers (1 to 8 mm) of soil, sand, and ideal porous media. The thin layers were found to be very effective. Flux reductions ranged from 81 to 96%, with fine sand being slightly better than top soil. Design algorithms developed for the thick layers used in conventional capping design will under predict the flux through very thin layers. Advective flow induced by surface roughness is proposed to explain the higher average measure d-to-predicted flux ratio of 1.67. [source] Improved treatment outcome in Chinese children and adolescents with Burkitt's lymphoma and large cell lymphoma by using the modified B-non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster-90 protocolEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2006Xiao-Fei Sun Abstract:,Objectives:,This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the modified B-Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)-Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster (BFM)-90-based protocol in Chinese children and adolescents with Burkitt's lymphoma and large cell lymphoma. Methods:,From September 1997 to August 2005, 55 untreated patients (age less than 20 yr) from a single institution were enrolled. The patients were stratified by risk factors (stage, LDH level and chemotherapy response). All patients were treated with a modified B-NHL-BFM 90 protocol. Results:,The median age of the patients was 8 yr (range 1.5,20 yr). Of these patients, 22 (40%) had Burkitt's lymphoma (BKL), 22 (40%) had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBL) and 11 (20%) had anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma (ALCL). Complete remission (CR) occurred in 45 patients (83%), partial remission (PR) in eight patients (14.5%), and progressive disease (PD) in one patient (1.8%). At a median follow up of 24 months, the event free survival (EFS) for all patients was 85% ± 5% with 100% for group R1, 84% ± 7% for group R2 and 72% ± 13% for group R3, and most notably, 80% ± 6% for stage III/IV at diagnosis. There was no statistically significant difference (P = 0.96) in EFS among BKL and DLBL and ALCL. The major toxicity complications were myelosuppression and mucositis, but these conditions were tolerated and manageable. Conclusions:,This modified NHL-BFM-90 protocol is very effective for Chinese children and adolescents with BKL and large cell lymphomas, and represented an increase in the cure rates in childhood NHL in China. [source] Comparison of fatty acid profiles and mid-infrared spectral data for classification of olive oilsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Gozde Gurdeniz Abstract The composition of olive oils may vary depending on environmental and technological factors. Fatty acid profiles and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy data in combination with chemometric methods were used to classify extra-virgin olive oils according to geographical origin and harvest year. Oils were obtained from 30,different areas of northern and southern parts of the Aegean Region of Turkey for two consecutive harvest years. Fatty acid composition data analyzed with principal component analysis was more successful in distinguishing northern olive oil samples from southern samples compared to spectral data. Both methods have the ability to differentiate olive oil samples with respect to harvest year. Partial least squares (PLS) analysis was also applied to detect a correlation between fatty acid profile and spectral data. Correlation coefficients (R2) of a calibration set for stearic, oleic, linoleic, arachidic and linolenic acids were determined as 0.83, 0.97, 0.97, 0.83 and 0.69, respectively. Fatty acid profiles were very effective in classification of oils with respect to geographic origin and harvest year. On the other hand, FT-IR spectra in combination with PLS could be a useful and rapid tool for the determination of some of the fatty acids of olive oils. [source] Stabilization of phytosterols in rapeseed oil by natural antioxidants during heatingEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF LIPID SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 11 2009Dominik Kmiecik Abstract Antioxidants are substances that can reduce negative changes in fat. Many antioxidants are very effective during storage, but during heating they lose their properties. It is very important to find antioxidants that will be stable at high temperatures and protect fat throughout the entire frying process. The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of natural and synthetic antioxidants on changes in phytosterols of rapeseed oil during heating. Oil with antioxidants was heated at 180,°C for 4,h in a Rancimat® and in an Oxidograph®. Ethanol extract of rosemary, ethanol extract of green tea, and BHT were used in the study. The contents of phytosterols (sitosterol, campesterol, avenasterol, brassicasterol, stigmasterol) and oxyphytosterols (7,- and 7,-hydroxysterol, 5,,6,- and 5,,6,-epoxysterol, 7-ketosterol and triols) were estimated by gas chromatography. In all samples with antioxidants, a lower decrease of phytosterols and a lower increase of total oxyphytosterols were observed in comparison with the control sample (without antioxidant). The antioxidant effect depends on the type of the antioxidant and the heating conditions. The best results were observed in samples with natural antioxidants. BHT was a substance that protected phytosterols as well, but not as effectively as the other antioxidants. [source] Differential effects of NT-4, NGF and BDNF on development of neurochemical architecture and cell size regulation in rat visual cortex during the critical periodEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 2 2007Maren Engelhardt Abstract Development of inhibition is a crucial determinant of the time course of visual cortical plasticity. BDNF strongly affects interneuron development and the onset and closure of the critical period for ocular dominance plasticity. Less is known on the effects of NT-4 despite a clear involvement in ocular dominance plasticity. We have investigated the effects of NT-4 on interneuron development by supplying NT-4 with osmotic minipumps during two time windows overlapping the onset (P12,20) and the peak (P20,28) of the critical period. We assessed the expression of interneuronal markers and soma size maturation either after the end of the infusion periods or at the end of the critical period (P45). We found that NT-4 was very effective in regulating interneuron development. NPY, SOM and PARV neuron somata grew faster during both infusion periods whereas CR neurons only responded during the early infusion period. The effects of soma size elicited during the earlier infusion period were still present at P45. In PARV neurons, NT-4 caused a long-lasting stabilization of CB and NPY expression. Furthermore, NT-4 accelerated the expression of GAD-65 mRNA in a subset of non-PARV neurons of layer V, which normally up-regulate GAD-65 towards the end of the critical period. Most of these effects were shared by NT-4 and BDNF. Some were unexpectedly also shared by NGF, which promoted growth of layer V PARV neurons, stabilized the CB expression and accelerated the GAD-65 expression. The results suggest that neurotrophins act on critical period plasticity by strengthening inhibition. [source] The functional properties of the human ether-ą-go-go -like (HELK2) K+ channelEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2002Andrea Becchetti Abstract The voltage-dependent K+ channels belonging to the ether-ą-go-go family (eag, erg, elk) are widely expressed in the mammalian CNS. Their neuronal function, however, is poorly understood. Among the elk clones, elk2 is the most abundantly expressed in the brain. We have characterized the human ELK2 channel (HELK2) expressed in mammalian cell lines. Moreover, we have detected helk2 mRNA and ELK2-like currents in freshly dissociated human astrocytoma cells. HELK2 was inhibited by Cs+ in a voltage-dependent way (Kd was 0.7 mm, at ,120 mV). It was not affected by Way 123398 (5 µm), dofetilide (10 µm), quinidine (10 µm), verapamil (20 µm), haloperidol (2 µm), astemizole (1 µm), terfenadine (1 µm) and hydroxyzine (30 µm), compounds known to inhibit the biophysically related HERG channel. The crossover of the activation and inactivation curves produced a steady state ,window' current with a peak around ,20 mV and considerably broader than it usually is in voltage-dependent channels, including HERG. Similar features were observed in the ELK2 clone from rat, in the same experimental conditions. Thus, ELK2 channels are active within a wide range of membrane potentials, both sub- and suprathreshold. Moreover, the kinetics of channel deactivation and removal of inactivation was about one order of magnitude quicker in HELK2, compared to HERG. Overall, these properties suggest that ELK2 channels are very effective at dampening the neuronal excitability, but less so at producing adaptation of action potential firing frequency. In addition, we suggest experimental ways to recognize HELK2 currents in vivo and raise the issue of the possible function of these channels in astrocytoma. [source] A Soft Molding Process for Fabrication of Micromachine Parts from Stainless Steel Powder,ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 3 2009Mohamed Imbaby This work introduces a valid approach to fabricate high quality micromachine parts from stainless steel powder using soft molding and powder metallurgy techniques. In soft molding, SU-8 and negative replicas micromolds are produced. A mixture of Duramax B-10007 and B-1000 is successfully used as a binder in the preparation of stainless steel slurry. Sintering in forming gas atmosphere is very effective of preventing the oxidation of the stainless. [source] Application of a self-tuning to automatic generation control in power system including smes unitsEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL POWER, Issue 2 2002A. Demirören In this study, a self-tuning control scheme is proposed and applied to automatic generation control (AGC) in power system with superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES). The system is assumed consisting of two areas. The proposed self-tuning control scheme is used to implement the automatic generation control adding to conventional control configuration. The performance of the system for load changes in the areas in the interconnected power system is studied. A comprehensive performance evaluation of the system is presented. The computer simulation of the interconnected power system with two areas shows that the proposed self-tuning control scheme is very effective in damp out of oscillations caused by load disturbances. [source] Experiments on space diversity effect in MIMO channel transmission with maximum data rate of 1,Gbps in downlink OFDM radio accessEUROPEAN TRANSACTIONS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, Issue 6 2006Hidekazu Taoka This paper presents experimental results on the space diversity effect in MIMO multiplexing/diversity with the target data rate up to 1,Gbps using OFDM radio access based on laboratory and field experiments including realistic impairments using the implemented MIMO transceivers with the maximum of four transmitter/receiver branches. The experimental results using multipath fading simulators show that at the frequency efficiency of less than approximately 2,bits/second/Hz, MIMO diversity using the space-time block code (STBC) increases the measured throughput compared to MIMO multiplexing owing to the high transmission space diversity effect. At a higher frequency efficiency than approximately 2--3,bits/second/Hz, however, MIMO multiplexing exhibits performance superior to that of MIMO diversity since the impairments using higher data modulation and a higher channel coding rate in MIMO diversity overcomes the space diversity effect. The results also show that the receiver space diversity effect is very effective in MIMO multiplexing for maximum likelihood detection employing QR-decomposition and the M-algorithm (QRM-MLD) signal detection. Finally, we show that the real-time throughput of 500,Mbps and 1,Gbps in a 100-MHz transmission bandwidth is achieved at the average received Eb/N0 per receiver antenna of approximately 8.0 and 14.0,dB using 16QAM modulation and Turbo coding with the coding rate of 1/2 and 8/9 respectively in 4-by-4 MIMO multiplexing in a real propagation environment. Copyright © 2006 AEIT. [source] EVOLUTION ON A LOCAL SCALE: DEVELOPMENTAL, FUNCTIONAL, AND GENETIC BASES OF DIVERGENCE IN BILL FORM AND ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN SONG STRUCTURE BETWEEN ADJACENT HABITATSEVOLUTION, Issue 8 2008Alexander V. Badyaev Divergent selection on traits involved in both local adaptation and the production of mating signals can strongly facilitate population differentiation. Because of its links to foraging morphologies and cultural inheritance song of birds can contribute particularly strongly to maintenance of local adaptations. In two adjacent habitats,native Sonoran desert and urban areas,house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) forage on seeds that are highly distinct in size and shell hardness and require different bite forces and bill morphologies. Here, we first document strong and habitat-specific natural selection on bill traits linked to bite force and find adaptive modifications of bite force and bill morphology and associated divergence in courtship song between the two habitats. Second, we investigate the developmental basis of this divergence and find that early ontogenetic tissue transformation in bill, but not skeletal traits, is accelerated in the urban population and that the mandibular primordia of the large-beaked urban finches express bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) earlier and at higher level than those of the desert finches. Further, we show that despite being geographically adjacent, urban and desert populations are nevertheless genetically distinct corroborating findings of early developmental divergence between them. Taken together, these results suggest that divergent selection on function and development of traits involved in production of mating signals, in combination with localized learning of such signals, can be very effective at maintaining local adaptations, even at small spatial scales and in highly mobile animals. [source] Strategic Trade Policy in the Presence of Network EffectsGERMAN ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 2 2002Harald Wiese The paper analyzes strategic trade policy for national and international network effect goods. While tariffs are very effective in securing the domestic producer's sales in case of network effects, our results suggest that strategic trade policy does not pay from a welfare perspective. Another interesting result is the possibility of negative tariffs in equilibrium. [source] Orders-of-Magnitude Reduction of the Contact Resistance in Short-Channel Hot Embossed Organic Thin Film Transistors by Oxidative Treatment of Au-Electrodes,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 15 2007B. Stadlober Abstract In this study we report on the optimization of the contact resistance by surface treatment in short-channel bottom-contact OTFTs based on pentacene as semiconductor and SiO2 as gate dielectric. The devices have been fabricated by means of nanoimprint lithography with channel lengths in the range of 0.3,,m,<,L,<,3.0,,m. In order to reduce the contact resistance the Au source- and drain-contacts were subjected to a special UV/ozone treatment, which induced the formation of a thin AuOx layer. It turned out, that the treatment is very effective (i),in decreasing the hole-injection barrier between Au and pentacene and (ii),in improving the morphology of pentacene on top of the Au contacts and thus reducing the access resistance of carriers to the channel. Contact resistance values as low as 80,,,cm were achieved for gate voltages well above the threshold. In devices with untreated contacts, the charge carrier mobility shows a power-law dependence on the channel length, which is closely related to the contact resistance and to the grain-size of the pentacene crystallites. Devices with UV/ozone treated contacts of very low resistance, however, exhibit a charge carrier mobility in the range of 0.3,cm2,V,1,s,1,<,,,<,0.4,cm2,V,1,s,1 independent of the channel length. [source] Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the neck from an unknown primary: Management options and patterns of relapse,HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 3 2002Shahrokh Iganej MD Abstract Purpose Management of squamous cell carcinoma of undetermined primary tumors in the head and neck region is controversial. Here we report the Southern California Kaiser Permanente experience with these patients. Methods and Materials From January 1969 through December 1994, 106 patients were eligible for this retrospective analysis. Distribution of nodal staging was as follows: 14 N1, 27 N2A, 39 N2B, 2 N2C, and 24 N3. Initial treatment included excisional biopsy alone in 12, radical neck dissection alone in 29, radiotherapy alone in 24, excisional biopsy followed by radiotherapy in 15, and radical neck dissection plus postoperative radiation in 26 patients. Results Except for two patients, all patients have had a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Overall, 57 patients (54%) have had recurrences. Only two patients (3%) who had received radiotherapy as part of their initial treatment had an appearance of a potential primary site inside the irradiated field vs 13 patients (32%) who had not received radiotherapy (p = .006). Combined modality therapy resulted in fewer neck relapses, particularly in patients with advanced neck disease. Including salvage, surgery alone as the initial treatment resulted in 81% ultimate tumor control above the clavicle for patients with N1 and N2a disease without extracapsular extension. The 5-year survival for the entire population was 53%. Radiotherapy alone resulted in poor survival in patients with advanced/unresectable neck disease. No significant difference in survival based on the initial treatment was found. The statistically significant adverse factors in determining survival included advanced nodal stage and the presence of extracapsular extension. Conclusions Radiotherapy is very effective in reducing the rate of appearance of a potential primary site. However, in the absence of advanced neck disease (N1 and N2A without extracapsular extension), radiotherapy can be reserved for salvage. Radiotherapy alone results in poor outcomes in patients with advanced/unresectable neck disease, and incorporation of concurrent chemotherapy and cytoprotective agents should be investigated. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 24: 236,246, 2002; DOI 10.1002/hed.10017 [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||