Search

Atmospheric concentrations of ammonia (NH3) are not well characterized in the United States due to the sparse number of monitors, the relatively short lifetime of NH3 in the atmosphere, and the difficulty in measuring non-point source emissions such as fertilized agricultural land. In this study, we compare measured weekly concentrations of NH3 collected by two denuder systems with a bi-weekly passive NH3 sampler used by the National Atmospheric Deposition Program's (NADP) Ammonia Monitoring Network (AMoN). The purpose of the study was to verify the passive samplers used by AMoN and characterize any uncertainties introduced when using a bi-weekly versus weekly sampling time period. The study was conducted for 1 year at five remote Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) sites. Measured ambient NH3 concentrations ranged from 0.03 μg NH3 m(-3) to 4.64 μg NH3 m(-3) in upstate New York and northwest Texas, respectively, while dry deposition estimates ranged from 0.003 kg N ha(-1) wk(-1) to 0.47 kg N ha(-1) wk(-1). Results showed that the bi-weekly passive samplers performed well compared to annular denuder systems (ADS) deployed at each of the five CASTNET sites, while the MetOne Super SASS Mini-Parallel Plate Denuder System (MPPD) was biased low when compared to the ADS. The mean relative percent difference (MRPD) between the ADS and MPPD and the ADS and AMoN sampler was -38% and -9%, respectively. Precision of the ADS and MPPD was 5% and 13%, respectively, while the precision of the passive samplers was 5%. The results of this study demonstrate that the NH3 concentrations measured by AMoN are comparable to the ADS and may be used to supplement the high-time resolution measurements to gain information on spatial gradients of NH3, long-term trends and seasonal variations in NH3 concentrations.

We report on the observation of single-photon superradiance from an exciton in a semiconductor quantum dot. The confinement by the quantum dot is strong enough for it to mimic a two-level atom, yet sufficiently weak to ensure superradiance. The electrostatic interaction between the electron and the hole comprising the exciton gives rise to an anharmonic spectrum, which we exploit to prepare the superradiant quantum state deterministically with a laser pulse. We observe a five-fold enhancement of the oscillator strength compared to conventional quantum dots. The enhancement is limited by the base temperature of our cryostat and may lead to oscillator strengths above 1000 from a single quantum emitter at optical frequencies., Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures

This chapter gives an overview of sampling ambient air using passive (also termed diffusive) samplers. The use of this type of sampler in ambient air monitoring has become very popular due to the simplicity and convenience in terms of its deployment. Although the use of these samplers requires the back up of a good analytical laboratory for preparation and analysis, the site operational requirements are very basic. The popularity of passive sampling is strongly linked to the fact that it can be easily deployed at remote and/or high risk environments and is less susceptible to damage or theft. These samplers have added advantages in that they are small in size, light in weight, silent in operation, cost effective and do not require any electricity or field calibration. They can also easily be deployed by non-specialists which make the spatial and temporal collection of data over long time periods possible. The basic principles, sampler network design, methodology, quality assurance and a few case studies are discussed.

Polypropylene (PP) was reinforced with polystyrene-grafted nanosilica particles. A detailed study on the microstructure of untreated and treated nano-SiO2-particle–reinforced polypropylene composites has been made by using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The observations were correlated with the properties of the composites. Characterization of the microstructure of the nanocomposites led to a better understanding of the mechanisms of improvement in properties upon modified nanosilica reinforcement. Dispersion characteristics of the nanoparticles and the extent of agglomerate formation became clear from the AFM and TEM examinations. In order to analyze the nanomechanical properties of the composite, microscratching and nanoindentation studies were carried out using AFM. The effect of particle reinforcement on the crystallization behavior of the composites has been studied. Crystallization kinetics has been analyzed by Differential Scanning Calorimetric (DSC) measu...

A one-year time series of continuous atmospheric CO2 measurements from Bern, Switzerland is presented. O2/N2 and Ar/N2 ratios as well as stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of CO2 and δ29N2, δ34O2 and δ36Ar were measured periodically in a continuous way during a one year period. Additionally, the 222Rn activity was measured during three months in the winter 2004. Using the correlation from short term fluctuations of CO2 and 222Rn we estimated a mean CO2 flux density between February 2004 and April 2004 in the region of Bern of 95±39 tC km−2 month−1. The continuous observations of carbon dioxide and associated tracers shed light on diurnal and seasonal patterns of the carbon cycle in an urban atmosphere. There is considerable variance in nighttime δ13C and δ18O of source CO2 throughout the year, however, with generally lower values in winter compared to summertime. The O2:CO2 oxidation ratio during the nighttime build-up of CO2 varies between −0.96 and −1.69 mol O2/mol CO2. Furthermore, Ar/N2 measurements showed that artifacts like thermal fractionation at the air intake are relevant for high precision measurements of atmospheric O2.

of knowledge, and that they have no zeal for virtues, but that they are only after pomp and wealth and business."' Thus does David Attias admonish the readers of his work La Guerta de Oro (The Garden of Gold), published in 1778, arguably the first secular book to be printed in Ladino, orJudeo-Spanish, the vernacular language of the SephardiJews in the eastern Mediterranean.2 Attias was born in Sarajevo, in Ottoman Bosnia, but he spent most of his life in Livorno, the Tuscan port city, where he arrived in 1769.3 He wrote his work, the content of which ranges from a seven-page introduction to the Italian language to a short treatise on physiognomy, "to please a friend of his in the East,"4 explicitly intending the book for aJewish reading audience in the land of his birth, the Ottoman Empire. Judeo-Spanish literature had only begun to flourish in the 1730s; it was by definition popular religious literature until the mid-nineteenth century. Its "classical age" in the eighteenth century was marked by works such as the Me-am loez-an encyclopedic commentary on the Bible begun byJacob Huli of Istanbul in 1730-and numerous translations and adaptations that presented the essentials of rabbinic learning in a popularized Ladino version.5 Only in the mid-nineteenth

An electrothermal-swing adsorption system was demonstrated on the bench scale for capture and recovery of organic vapors from air streams. Methyl propyl ketone (MPK), methyl ethyl ketone, \in-hexane, acetone, and methylene chloride were removed and recovered at 200–1,020 ppm\dv in a 40.0 slpm air stream while using activated carbon fiber cloth (ACFC) adsorbent. Removal efficiencies were greater than 99.9%. Liquid recovery fractions increased with increasing relative pressure, ranging from 0.11 for methylene chloride (\IP/P\Nsat = 2.1×10\U-3\N) to greater than 0.80 for MPK (\IP/P\Nsat = 2.2×10\U-2\N). The electrical energy consumed during regeneration per mol of liquid organic compound recovered decreased with increasing relative pressure of the inlet gas stream, ranging from 4,698 kJ/mol for methylene chloride to 327 kJ/mol for MPK. Equilibrium ACFC adsorption capacity, throughput ratio, and length of unused bed were also evaluated. These results are encouraging for the development of a new technology to capture and readily recover a wide range of organic vapors from air streams.

The morphology and chemistry of residual gold in the area around Dimako, Southeast Cameroon, are studied for the first time. The gold occurs in saprolite and nodular horizons of an extensive weathering blanket. The saprolite studied has 37 ′ 22 ppm Au. The gold grains are irregular and dendritic in the deeper horizons but get progressively oblong, rounded, blunt, smooth and pitted up the profile. Gold grains from all horizons show remarkable core-to-rim zonation. The cores are relatively silver rich (11-15 wt % Ag) while the rims are very poor in silver (0 to ∼4 wt% Ag) and quite commonly attain fineness of close to 1000. Significantly, zoning is exhibited by grains from all horizons. Chemically purified silver-free homogeneous gold particles are not restricted to the higher, more evolved horizons. The gold particles are mostly residual. Reprecipitation of supergene gold as submicron/micron-sized gold adsorbed on clay contributes up to 50%.

This essay explores rabbinic musar literature in Ladino from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries within the context of the emerging Ladino reading-culture in the Ottoman Empire. Rabbinic literature in the Judeo-Spanish vernacular opened the field of rabbinic knowledge for the first time to social groups hitherto excluded from the study of rabbinic literature: those who were ignorant of Hebrew, and women, to whom the rabbis now reached out explicitly in Ladino writings. Whereas the preferred forum for the reading and studying of vernacular rabbinic literature was the study group, or meldado, Ladino literature opened the opportunity of individual reading to an average Ottoman Jewish reading public, men and women alike. The rabbis clearly saw the dangers of individual reading and tried to contain its undesired consequences by encouraging reading with the mediating guidance by a talmid hakham. Nevertheless, ample evidence from at least the mid-nineteenth century demonstrates that individual readers challenged the rabbinical monopoly over the communication of traditional knowledge and its interpretation. It was this increasingly independent and critical reading public that would prove a most receptive audience for the secular genres of Ladino literature that developed at this time.

Are there any morphological parameters in pigment epithelial detachment (PED) in eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which could identify the development of tears (RIP) in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) before initiation of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy?Retrospectively, the spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), FLA and near infrared (NIR) images of 98 eyes with PED in exudative AMD before treatment (ranibizumab or bevacizumab) were analyzed. Eyes in which a tear in the RPE (RIP group) could be observed during treatment were compared to eyes without the development of RIP (PED group) in the following morphological parameters of PED: height, number of peaks, presence of hyporeflective fissures at the base of the PED, structure of the RPE, presence of floating structures in the PED with maximum hyperreflectivity, amount and localization of hyperreflectivity in the PED and hyperreflectivity in the NIR images.In the 80 eyes of the PED group the mean PED height was 373.7± 197 µm and in the 18 eyes of the RIP group the mean PED height was higher (694.2± 284.3 µm, p 0.0001). A difference was also seen in the number of peaks per PED (PED group 43%, RIP group 72%, p = 0.039) and in the hyperreflectivity in NIR images (PED group 68%, RIP group 94%, p = 0.033). There were no significant differences in the other morphological parameters. A classification into four types of PED was found by the parameters height and number of peaks. The PED type with a height 350 µm and one peak (RIP 43%) developed tears more often (p = 0.001) than the PED type 350 µm with one peak (RIP 0%, p = 0.001). A trend in the visual acuity over 156 weeks was seen: in PED types with heights 350 µm there was a lower increase in the visual acuity than in PED types 350 µm (rm ANOVA p = 0.18; ɛ HH = 0.88). Furthermore, in PED types 350 µm with multiple peaks the total number of injections necessary was higher than in the other PED types (p = 0.032).Morphological parameters, such as PED height, number of peaks per PED in OCT images and hyperreflectivity in NIR images are prognostic factors for RPE tears in exudative AMD. The PED height and number of peaks per PED are useful for classification of PED in the daily routine.

After the hospital discharge of older patients with multiple morbidities, GPs are often faced with the task of prioritising the patients' drug regimens so as to reduce the risk of overmedication.How do GPs prioritise such medications in multimorbid elderly patients at the transition between inpatient and home care? The experience by the GPs is documented in typical case vignettes.44 GPs in Sachsen-Anhalt were recruited--they were engaged in focus group discussions and interviewed using semi-standardised questionnaires. Typical case vignettes were developed, relevant to the everyday care that elderly patients would typically receive from their GPs with respect to their drug optimisation.According to the results of the focus groups, the following issues affect GPs' decisions: drug and patient safety, their own competence in the health system, patient health literacy, evidence base, communication between secondary and primary care (and their respective influences on each other). When considering individual cases, patient safety, patient wishes, and quality of life were central. This is demonstrated by the drug dispositions of one exemplary case vignette.GPs do prioritise drug regimens with rational criteria. Initial problem delineation, process documentation and the design of a transferable product are interlinking steps in the development of case vignettes. Care issues of drug therapy in elderly patients with multiple morbidities should be investigated further with larger representative samples in order to clarify whether the criteria used here are applied contextually or consistently. Embedding case vignettes into further education concepts is also likely to be useful.

Measuring wet deposition of organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC) is crucial for the complete understanding of the global circulation, lifetime, and radiative forcing of these aerosols. There is currently no accepted standard analytical method for measuring OC and BC concentration in precipitation. Different analytical methods have been employed for this purpose, but their feasibility has yet to be assessed. This manuscript evaluates the use of thermal-optical analysis (TOA), single-particle soot photometry (SP2), and ultraviolet–visible (UV/VIS) spectrophotometry for measuring BC in precipitation. In addition, total organic carbon (TOC) analysis was evaluated for the measurement of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in precipitation. Potential interferences and sources of bias were assessed for each method. Precipitation samples and reference materials containing carbon particles generated from wood combustion and a natural gas diffusion flame were used in this study. The UV/VIS spectrophotometer, despite showing linearity with BC concentration, had inadequate sensitivity (±18 μg/L) to measure the low concentrations expected in precipitation. The SP2 analysis was adequate to measure refractory BC in precipitation in terms of precision and detection limit; however, systematic loss was estimated to be 34% (±3%). Sample filtration followed by TOA was inefficient for measuring particulate carbon in rainwater, as the quartz fiber filter captured less than 38% of the BC mass. Filtration was improved by adding salts and acids into the water samples, and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate, (NH4)H2PO4, was determined to be the best additive by increasing the collection efficiency of quartz fiber filters up to 95% (±5%). The TOC analyzer proved to be precise in the expected concentration range (200–5000 μg-C/L) for measuring DOC and total carbon (TC), including particulate OC and 94% (±2%) of the refractory BC in solution. Copyright 2014 American Association for Aerosol Research

Lithological, structural and rock mechanical information has been derived from geophysical methods. Classification and characterisation of rock structures have been defined by a combined interpretation of core images and acoustic images of borehole wall. Geophysical well logs also provide an efficient tool for determination of lithology by a combined evaluation of the log responses. Seismic velocities and reflectivity measured in (full wave sonic) and between (seismic tomography) boreholes are very important for the derivation of rock strength and the determination of weakness zones in solid formations. Several examples show the benefits of the combined use of geophysical methods in geotechnical studies.

Es ist hinreichend bekannt, dass im Fisch grosere Mengen Arsen (As) vorhanden sind (Mittelwerte bezogen auf Feuchtgewicht [mg × kg-1], Ballin 1: 41; Falconer et al. 2: 14; Staveland et al. 3: 5,2), vornehmlich in Form von organischen Verbindungen wie Arsenobetain. Viele Untersuchungen belegen, dass Arsenobetain nach Fischgenuss schnell wieder uber den Urin ausgeschieden wird und daher nicht toxisch fur den Menschen ist. Es ist bisher jedoch noch nicht die Kinetik des Arsenobetains im Blut ermittelt worden. In der vorliegenden Arbeit sollte deshalb die Kinetik des durch Fischgenuss aufgenommenen Arsens im menschlichen Blut ermittelt werden. Zu diesem Zweck wurde ein Probandenversuch durchgefuhrt, bei dem 14 Frauen zwischen 24 und 32 Jahren 179 bis 292 g gedunstetes Schollenfilet asen, das 44 mg (Minimum) bis 276 mg (Maximum) As × kg-1 Trockengewicht enthielt. Dabei nahmen sie 2,5 (Minimum) bis 20 (Maximum) mg As pro Person auf, das entsprach 0,04 bis 0,35 mg As × kg-1 Korpergewicht. Die Bestimmung des Gesamtarsens in den einzelnen Matrizes erfolgte mit Hilfe der Atomabsorptionsspektrometrie mit der Graphitrohrofentechnik, mit der auch das As im stabilen Arsenobetain sicher gemessen werden konnte. Es zeigte sich, dass der Arsengehalt im Blut vor der Fischmahlzeit bei allen Probandinnen unterhalb der Nachweisgrenze lag. Nach Fischgenuss kam es zu einem schnellen und deutlichen Anstieg der Blutarsenkonzentration. Zwei Stunden nach der Mahlzeit wurde mit 55 ± 5,8 μg As × L-1 (Median) der hochste Wert gemessen, danach fiel die Konzentration wieder ab. Auf der Basis der Arsenelimination in Abhangigkeit von der Zeit wurden mit Hilfe einer Regressionsanalyse die Halbwertszeiten fur As im Blut abgeschatzt. Es zeigte sich, dass zunachst (2 bis 10 Stunden nach dem Fischgenuss) eine schnelle Arsenausscheidung erfolgte mit einer Halbwertszeit von 7,1 h. Zwischen 10 und 48 Stunden nach der Fischmahlzeit lies sich eine langsamere Ausscheidung mit einer Halbwertszeit von 63 h erkennen. Dieses Ergebnis fand sich auch in den Urinarsenkonzentrationen wieder. Es muss daher davon ausgegangen werden, dass das Arsenobetain langer im Korper verweilt als bisher angenommen. Solange nicht grundlich untersucht ist, was in dieser Zeit mit dem Arsenobetain im Korper geschieht, sollte man mit Aussagen uber die Ungefahrlichkeit dieser Verbindung vorsichtig sein. It is well known that fish contains high amounts of arsenic (As) compounds (mean values per wet weight [mg × kg-1] Ballin 1: 41; Falconer et al. 2: 14; Staveland et al. 3: 5.2), which are mainly represented by organic As compounds, especially by arsenobetaine. It is generally assumed that arsenobetaine is rapidly eliminated via the urine and therefore seems to be non-toxic for humans. However, the kinetics of arsenobetaine in human blood are unknown to date. Therefore, the following experiments were performed: 14 women of 24 to 32 years of age voluntarily ingested 179 to 292 g of cooked plaice fillet containing 44 (minimum) to 276 (maximum) mg As × kg-1 dry weight. Hence, the volunteers ingested 2.5 (minimum) to 20 (maximum) mg As per person, equivalent to 0.04 to 0.35 mg As × kg-1 body weight. The element As was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry using the graphite furnace technique in order to detect the total amount of As including that of the stable arsenobetaine. In the blood, the highest As values of 55 ± 5.8 μg × L-1 (median) were found 2 hours after fish ingestion. Subsequently the As concentrations declined reaching 16 ± 0.69 μg × L-1 (median) 48 hours after fish ingestion. In respect of the As values in blood recorded between 2 and 10 hours after fish ingestion, rapid elimination could be observed leading to a half-life of 7.1 hours (first value) recorded by linear regression analysis. With regard to the As values in blood between 10 and 48 hours after fish ingestion, a lower elimination rate was estimated with a longer half-life of 63 hours (second value). The reason for this delayed elimination of As is not known. The results indicate that As mainly absorbed as arsenonetaine due to ingestion of fish is not eliminated as fast as had been expected on the basis of published data. As long as it is not known what happens to arsenobetaine remaining for longer periods in the blood with a half-life of 63 hours, caution is advised regarding the general opinion that arsenobetaine is rapidly eliminated and non-toxic for human consumption.

We have calculated the leading order amplitude of hard diffractive electroproduction of two pions in lepton nucleon scattering. At the leading twist level a pion pair can be produced only in an isospin one or zero state. We have shown that isoscalar states are produced dominantly for x_{Bj}>0.3 and with an invariant mass of the two pions close to the threshold (S-wave) and in the f_2 resonance region (D-wave). These isoscalar pion pairs are dominantly produced by two collinear gluons. Comparing the production of charged and neutral pion pairs as a function of x_{Bj} and m_pipi one can get information about the gluonic component of two-pion distribution amplitudes.

The presence of both 1alpha-hydroxylase activity and 25-hydroxylase activity is a biochemical prerequisite for the enzymatic generation of 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 from vitamin D3 in keratinocytes. In contrast to 1alpha-hydroxylase, however, activity of a 25-hydroxylase in keratinocytes has not previously been demonstrated. In this study, using RT-PCR we detected vitamin D3 25-hydroxylase mRNA in human keratinocytes. The expression of vitamin D3 25-hydroxylase mRNA in keratinocytes was identical to that of CYP27 expressed in mitochondria of human hepatoma HepG2 cells. CYP27 mRNA in keratinocytes is not constitutively expressed but is inducible both by vitamin D3 (780 nM) and by UVB radiation (300 nm, 30 mJ/cm2).

Four pairs of raccoons were treated orally with the following doses of lead acetate (mg/kg; 5 days/week, for 8 weeks): 0 (control), 1, 2 and 4. In the six experimental animals, this treatment produced dose-dependent increases in blood lead, without clinical signs or changes in haematological parameters. After 8 weeks, the liver and kidney of all lead-treated animals and the calvarium and radius of those receiving doses of 2 and 4 mg/kg contained elevated concentrations of lead. Acid-fast inclusions were observed by light and electron microscopy in the kidneys of all raccoons receiving the two highest doses and in one animal receiving the lowest dose. Hepatic acid-fast inclusions were seen in only one animal (dose 4 mg/kg). No inclusions were seen in osteoclasts of the radius. It is suggested that the findings, which support earlier observations that raccoons are fairly resistant to lead, may be of value in studying interactions between lead exposure and oral vaccination of wildlife against rabies.

There is a potential for using waste tire rubber to make activated-carbon adsorbents for air-quality control applications. Such an approach provides a recycling path for waste tires and the production of new adsorbents from a low-cost waste material. Tire-derived activated carbons (TDACs) were prepared from waste tires. The resulting products are generally mesoporous, with N2−BET specific surface areas ranging from 239 to 1031 m2/g. TDACs were tested for their ability to store natural gas and remove organic compounds and mercury species from gas streams. TDACs are able to achieve 36% of the recommended adsorbed natural gas (methane) storage capacity for natural-gas-fueled vehicles. Equilibrium adsorption capacities for CH4 achieved by TDACs are comparable to Calgon BPL, a commercially available activated-carbon adsorbent. The acetone adsorption capacity for a TDAC is 67% of the adsorption capacity achieved by BPL at 1 vol % acetone. Adsorption capacities of mercury in simulated flue-gas streams are, in ge...

The aims of the present study were to assess radiographically the effects of scaling/root planing combined with antibiotic therapy using tetracycline fibers (TCF): (II) on alveolar bone density and linear discriptors and (II) on supracrestal soft tissue density, 19 subjects with generalized adult periodontitis (with at least 20 teeth present, at least 4 teeth with pockets >4 mm and bleeding upon controlled force probing) and high cultural counts of Porphyromonas gingivalis were recruited from a pool of 57 patients. The full mouth treatment group (FT) consisted of 10 patients, who underwent a full mouth supra-gingival scaling and prophylaxis treatment and were instructed to rinse 2× daily with a 0.1% chlorhexidine solution. 1 week later, tetracycline-hydrochloride-containing fibers (Actisite® periodontal fiber) were applied around all teeth. After 7–12 days, the fibers were removed and all teeth were scaled and root planed under local anaesthesia. The chlorhexidine rinsing continued for another 2 months. In 9 subjects (local treatment group LT), 2 teeth with periodontal lesions with pocket probing pepth (PPD) ≥5 mm were treated by placement of tetracycline fibers, which remained in place for 7 to 12 days. Upon removal of the fibers, scaling and root planing was performed on these 2 teeth, while the rest of the dentition renamed untreated, and no chlorhexidine rinse was applied, 2 of the untreated teeth revealing similar periodontal lesions were chosen to represent sites affected by untreated periodontitis (NT). In this group, a limited local treatment was performed (2 teeth) with the inherent potential for recolonization from the untreated pocket sites. Standardized periapical radiographs were obtained from the 4 monitored sites within each patient at baseline (before treatment) and 2 and 6 months thereafter. One radiograph was exposed in a standard way for bone assessment. The second radiograph was underexposed, at about a 1/5 of the original exposure time to allow the evaluation of soft tissue. Mean changes in the near parameters and changes in density (CADIA) observed at multiple sites within each patient and treatment group were used as the best estimate of treatment outcome. Over the observation period of 6 months, a significant difference in bone height changes was found between the untreated sites (median loss –0.29 mm) and the sites from full-mouth treated patients (median gain 0.24 mm p=0.008). When comparing the baseline to the 6 months radiographs, a loss in bone density was observed for the untreated group (median=–2.13 CADIA), Both treatment groups revealed a gain in density (median= 1.58 and 2.43 CADIA for the locally and the full–mouth treated groups, respectively). Differences in density were significant, both between the nontreated and locally treated sites (p= 0.026) and between the nontreated sites and the sites from the full mouth treated patients (p=0.002). The analysis of the soft tissues showed a similar pattern of changes in density to those seen in the bone defect. At 2 months, there was a tendency for loss in density for the nontreated group (median=–0.17 CADIA) that continued over the 6 month period (median =–0.31 CADIA), A significant increase in density was observed for the full–mouth treated sites (median = 1.57 and 0.64 CADIA for the 2 and 6 months radiographs, respectively), A significant increase was also observed for the locally treated group when compared to the untreated sites (median=0.13 and 0.10 CADIA for the 2 and 6 months radiographs, respectively). Comparing untreated sites with full–mouth treated sites, a significant difference was observed for CADIA measurements (p

Activated carbons for natural gas storage were produced from Illinois bituminous coals (IBC-102 and IBC-106) and scrap tires by physical activation with steam or CO2 and by chemical activation with KOH, H3PO4, or ZnCl2. The products were characterized for N2-BET area, micropore volume, bulk density, pore size distribution, and volumetric methane storage capacity (Vm/Vs). Vm/Vs values for Illinois coal-derived carbons ranged from 54 to 83 cm3/cm3, which are 35−55% of a target value of 150 cm3/cm3. Both granular and pelletized carbons made with preoxidized Illinois coal gave higher micropore volumes and larger Vm/Vs values than those made without preoxidation. This confirmed that preoxidation is a desirable step in the production of carbons from caking materials. Pelletization of preoxidized IBC-106 coal, followed by steam activation, resulted in the highest Vm/Vs value. With roughly the same micropore volume, pelletization alone increased Vm/Vs of coal carbon by 10%. Tire-derived carbons had Vm/Vs values r...

The prediction of cohesive sediment transport requires numerical models which include the dominant physico-chemical processes of fine sediments. Mainly in terms of simulating small scale processes, flocculation of fine particles plays an important role since aggregation processes affect the transport and settling of fine-grained particles. Flocculation algorithms used in numerical models are based on and calibrated using experimental data. A good agreement between the results of the simulation and the measurements is a prerequisite for further applications of the transport functions. In this work, the sediment transport model (SSIIM) was extended by implementing a physics-based aggregation process model based on McAnally (1999). SSIIM solves the Navier-Stokes-Equations in a three-dimensional, non-orthogonal grid using the k-ε turbulence model. The program calculates the suspended load with the convection-diffusion equation for the sediment concentration. Experimental data from studies in annular flumes (Hillebrand, 2008; Klassen, 2009) is used to test the flocculation algorithm. Annular flumes are commonly used as a test rig for laboratory studies on cohesive sediments since the flocculation processes are not interfered with by pumps etc. We use the experiments to model measured floc sizes, affected by aggregation processes, as well as the sediment concentration of the experiment. Within the simulation of the settling behavior, we use different formulas for calculating the settling velocity (Stokes, 1850 vs. Winterwerp, 1998) and include the fractal dimension to take into account the structure of flocs. The aim of the numerical calculations is to evaluate the flocculation algorithm by comparison with the experimental data. The results from these studies have shown, that the flocculation process and the settling behaviour are very sensitive to variations in the fractal dimension. We get the best agreement with measured data by adopting a characteristic fractal dimension nfc to 1.4. Insufficient results were obtained when neglecting flocculation processes and using Stokes settling velocity equation, as it is often done in numerical models which do not include a flocculation algorithm. These numerical studies will be used for further applications of the transport functions to the SSIIM model of reservoirs of the Upper Rhine River, Germany.

The swarm-based P2P networks research area evolved to a mature state due to studies related to algorithms for efficient data exchange. However, comparatively less attention has been given to the overlay network topological characteristics, which result from connections between peers. In swarm-based networks, there are three known connection management strategies: inactive, preemptive and pro-active. So far, there has been no previous work comparing these three strategies under the same scenarios. This paper presents a model based on evolving graphs to describe the resulting system topology according to network configuration and connection management strategies. Base on this model, we analyze the robustness and performance potential of topologies under different peer arrival patterns and network reachability ratios in two distinct moments: at the end of the arrival period and in the steady-state period. Our findings show that, in all scenarios, the preemptive and pro-active strategies generate topologies with higher robustness, because they distribute more uniformly connections among all peers, and better performance due to greater centralization of the content source in the overlay topology.

A 62-year-old woman presented with severe, isolated thrombocytopenia. Due to the positive family history and normal thrombocyte morphology ANKRD26-associated thrombocytopenia 2 (THC2) was suspected. The diagnosis was confirmed by DNA sequencing. Although this is the first case report on THC2 in Germany, we anticipate that THC2 might be a frequent cause of hereditary thrombocytopenia. A specific therapy was not necessary, but would consist of platelet supplementation.

The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution of black-pigmenting Gram-negative bacteria in the dentition of 10 adult periodontitis patients before and after treatment by local delivery of tetracycline. The subjects were selected based on a screening for high counts of Porphyromonas gingivalis and multiple deep pockets. Subgingival microbial samples were taken from the mesial and distal aspect of every tooth (44 to 56 sites per patient) before treatment, and after one and two months. Therapy included full mouth scaling and root planing, chlorhexidine mouth rinsing and placement of tetracycline HCl fibers (Actisite) on all teeth. 63.4% of 524 baseline samples yielded total anaerobic viable counts > or = 10(6) CFU/ml; P. gingivalis was found in 59.2% and Prevotella intermedia in 56.9%. One month after treatment, the % of samples with > or = 10(6) CFU/ml was reduced to 9.4%, 5.3% were P. gingivalis- and 5.1% P. intermedia- positive. After 2 months, 9.6% samples yielded > or = 10(6) CFU/ml, 5.2% were P. gingivalis- and 9.4% P. intermedia- positive. 20 of the 39 sites with a persistence of P. gingivalis were located on second molars. Logistic regression models were utilized to explain the persistence of P. gingivalis, using site location and other clinical parameters as independent variables. These analyses indicated a strong association of site location, pocket depth and bleeding on sampling with persistence of P. gingivalis. The study shows that local delivery of tetracycline is highly effective in reducing the prevalence and proportions of black-pigmenting anaerobes within a dentition. Bleeding deep pockets of second molars have an increased risk for persistence of these anaerobes.

In conclusion, although coronary artery disease is the number one cause of mortality in women, those with new-onset chest pain who present with similar symptoms as men are approached, diagnosed, and treated less aggressively than men.

The reaction zone in the hostile combustion environment of a 100 kW oil-burning furnace has been imaged by laser-induced fluorescence using a broad-band XeCl-excimer laser. Upon excitation, the averaged images obtained by using an interference filter around 320 nm (FWHM of 10 nm) show three distinct areas along the direction of the gas flow. An intense emission spreads around the spray axis and is attributed to the fluorescence of large hydrocarbons in the unburned fuel. Approximately 12 cm downstream of the nozzle, a narrow dark region is displayed suggesting the preheat zone of the combustion process where large hydrocarbons are considerably degraded. The third distinct region is characterized by a strong onset of the fluorescence intensity localized downstream of the dark region. This feature is strongly suppressed by replacing the interference filter by a broad-band transmission filter passing light from 350 to 500 nm. Since OH strongly absorbs at the laser wavelength and its fluorescence is significantly lower above 345 nm, the findings imply that the major contribution to the observed intensity in this region originates from the OH radical. This molecule reaches its maximum concentration immediately downstream of the flame front. However, a contribution from other flame species fluorescing around 320 nm cannot be ruled out. Nevertheless, the combined spatial and spectral information obtained imply that the reaction zone of the combustion process can be localized accurately. The results are compared with simultaneously performed numerical simulations of the burner and are in reasonable agreement.

In a prospective study, 50 consecutive women with fractured hips were compared for body mass, skeletal size, handgrip strength and the 12-point information/orientation CAPE score with 50 age-matched women who had never broke their hips. Women were excluded from both groups if they lived in institutions or were severely disoriented. Although weight and skeletal size were significantly lower in the patients than in the controls, weights when corrected for skeletal size were not significantly different. Handgrip was significantly lower in the cases than in the controls. Both handgrip strength and CAPE score were significant correlates of hip fracture in multiple regression analysis. After exclusion of heavily dependent patients, hip fracture may be associated with reduced muscle strength rather than reduced body mass or fat.

The present study attempted to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with evening primrose seed oil (EPO) enriched with γ-linolenic acid (GLA, 18:3n-6) on the synthesis of proinflammatory 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) metabolites of arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6) by human peripheral neutrophils in adults with atopic dermatitis (AD). After incubation of neutrophils with calcium ionophore A-23187 (10 μM) the 5-LOX products were separated and quantified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The results demonstrated that neutrophils of AD patients without therapy generated significantly less LTB4 (P 0.01) and 5-HETE (P < 0.05) was revealed in AD patients after 12 weeks of daily ingestion of 6 g EPO, equivalent to 0.48 g GLA per day, compared with untreated patients (LTB4 609 ± 173 pmol/107 cells vs 390 ± 84 pmol/107 cells and 5-HETE 1463 ± 418 pmol/107 cells vs 9...

The significance of BitTorrent motivated various studies focused on modeling and evaluating the protocol characteristics and its current implementations in the Internet. So far, however, no work has investigated Optimistic Disconnect (OD), an ad hoc connection management mechanism widely employed in BitTorrent agents. OD allows a peer to search for “better” neighbors in the swarm by disconnecting peers from the current neighborhood and connecting to others. This paper presents an extensive experimental evaluation to study and quantify potential benefits of OD, such as average download time and topology robustness. We evaluate different scenarios and the impact of factors such as average peer reachability and arrival pattern. We found that OD generally improves the overall performance of the swarm (in up to 30% in the evaluated scenarios), while improving the robustness of its topology.

Summary PRINCIPLES: In Switzerland, more and more patients go directly to the emergency department, bypassing general practitioners. However, a mixture of non-urgent walk-in patients and acute emergencies in the same emergency department can inevitably make it more difficult to provide genuine emergencies with rapid treatment, leading to deterioration in the quality of emergency services, and tending to increase on-floor mortality and morbidity, together with higher overall costs. METHODS: A series of 200 consecutive walk-in patients were interviewed during general practitioners’ office hours. To avoid selection bias, we performed the survey on 31 randomly chosen days, between 11 July 2011 and 31 August 2011, excepting weekends and Thursday afternoons, when GP offices in Bern are closed. The patients were interviewed using a paper based, self-administered questionnaire, which was distributed by a medical student not involved in the medical treatment. RESULTS: 200 patients were interviewed during the study period. The majority of walk-in patients interviewed (82%; n = 165) were registered with a GP. When asked about the circumstances of admission and subjective drivers to visit our emergency department, 39% (n = 61) patients reported greater confidence in the hospital emergency department. When asked if they saw a visit to a GP as appropriate, a majority stated that they preferred the hospital to their GP in any kind of emergency and the majority defined an emergency as either a condition requiring rapid attention or a life threatening situation (53%; n = 63). DISCUSSION: Our study is another small piece of the puzzle to help us to understand why people in “minor” medical emergencies prefer to consult a hospital than their own GP. Our study supported the evidence in current literature that there is a demand for hospital-based ambulatory emergency medicine. Only a future large study on the drivers and barriers to emergency care in Switzerland can provide additional answers.

The principle of guided tissue regeneration has been successfully applied for the regeneration of bone in various jaw defects in human. The purpose of this study was to assess the bone volume regenerated using nonresorbable membrane barriers. Nineteen patients with jaw bone defects of various sizes and configurations were included in the study. Combined split-thickness/full-thickness mucosal flaps were elevated in the area of missing bone. The size of the defects was assessed by measuring the distance from a reference line between 2 adjacent teeth (cementoenamel junctions) to the alveolar crest (a) every 2 or 3 mm. In addition, the crestal width was measured. Consequently, the surface of the triangle formed by a and the width of the crest as well as the volume between all triangles were calculated geometrically. Following the placement of Gore-Tex® augmentation material as a barrier, the distance (b) to the top of the membrane from the reference line was assessed, and the maximum possible volume for bone regeneration based on (a-b) and the width of the crest was calculated. At the time of membrane removal (3–8 months later). the same measurements were performed and the percentages of regenerated bone in relation to the possible volume for regeneration determined. In 6 patients in whom the membranes had to be removed early due to an increased risk for infection between 3 and 5 months, bone regeneration varied between 0 and 60%. In 13 patients in whom membranes were left for 6–8 months, regenerated bone filled 90–100% of the possible volume. It was concluded that successful bone regeneration consistently occurred with an undisturbed healing period of at least 6 months.

Recent analysis of the latest peer-to-peer trends worldwide indicates that BitTorrent is the most popular file sharing protocol, taking more than half of the P2P traffic in some geographical locations. Despite several studies about the dynamics of the “BitTorrent universe”, there exists no methodology to systematically observe it. This is mainly due to the challenges that need to be faced in order to observe the BitTorrent universe, the specificity of existing studies, and the ad hoc nature of the monitoring methods employed so far. In this paper, we propose a novel monitoring architecture (called TorrentU) that allows the systematic observation of large numbers of BitTorrent networks. Complementary monitoring strategies are flexibly combined to allow varying degrees of network/geographic coverage, information accuracy and richness of detail. To show the concept and technical feasibility of TorrentU, we implemented a prototype with the key parts of the architecture, and evaluated it through a case study with a rich set of monitoring campaigns running on PlanetLab nodes.