Facile Fabrication of Ordered Crystalline‐Semiconductor Microstructures on Compliant Substrates

Buckling and wrinkling of thin films on a compliant material has proved to be a resource in several applications, such as flexible electronics, thin‐film metrology and fabrication of tunable optical components. A versatile approach for the fabrication of two‐dimensional and linear arrays of buckled structures is demonstrated here using a stiff material, in the form of a nanomembrane, on a compliant substrate. The novelty of the fabrication process is that the substrates are strained by isotropic volume expansion in solvents. This work illustrates in detail the potential of our technology to fabricate ordered arrays of 3D structures on large‐area compliant substrates, with important implications for a large number of fields. Furthermore, this paper discusses the interesting interface chemistry and mechanics leading to controllable and reproducible fabrication of our 3D structures.     

On Surface Losses in Direct Metal Laser Sintering Printed Millimeter and Submillimeter Waveguides

Different lengths of WR3 (220–330 GHz) and WR10 (75–110 GHz) waveguides are fabricated through direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). The losses in these waveguides are measured and modelled using the Huray surface roughness model. The losses in WR3 are around 0.3 dB/mm and in WR10 0.05 dB/mm. The Huray equation model is accounting relatively good for the attenuation in the WR10 waveguide but deviates more in the WR3 waveguide. The model is compared to finite element simulations of the losses assuming an approximate surface structure similar to the resulting one from the DMLS process.     

Evaluation of registration methods on thoracic CT: the EMPIRE10 challenge

EMPIRE10 (Evaluation of Methods for Pulmonary Image REgistration 2010) is a public platform for fair and meaningful comparison of registration algorithms which are applied to a database of intrapatient thoracic CT image pairs. Evaluation of nonrigid registration techniques is a nontrivial task. This is compounded by the fact that researchers typically test only on their own data, which varies widely. For this reason, reliable assessment and comparison of different registration algorithms has been virtually impossible in the past. In this work we present the results of the launch phase of EMPIRE10, which comprised the comprehensive evaluation and comparison of 20 individual algorithms from leading academic and industrial research groups. All algorithms are applied to the same set of 30 thoracic CT pairs. Algorithm settings and parameters are chosen by researchers expert in the configuration of their own method and the evaluation is independent, using the same criteria for all participants. All results are published on the EMPIRE10 website (http://empire10.isi.uu.nl). The challenge remains ongoing and open to new participants. Full results from 24 algorithms have been published at the time of writing. This paper details the organization of the challenge, the data and evaluation methods and the outcome of the initial launch with 20 algorithms. The gain in knowledge and future work are discussed.     

An algorithm used for ventricular fibrillation detection without interrupting chest compression

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the primary arrhythmic event in the majority of patients suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. Attention has been focused on this particular rhythm since it is recognized that prompt therapy, especially electrical defibrillation, may lead to a successful outcome. However, current versions of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) mandate repetitive interruptions of chest compression for rhythm analyses since artifacts produced by chest compression during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) preclude reliable electrocardiographic (ECG) rhythm analysis. Yet, repetitive interruptions in chest compression are detrimental to the success of defibrillation. The capability for rhythm analysis without requiring "hands-off" intervals will allow for more effective resuscitation. In this paper, a novel continuous-wavelet-transformation-based morphology consistency evaluation algorithm was developed for the detection of disorganized VF from organized sinus rhythm (SR) without interrupting the ongoing chest compression. The performance of this method was evaluated on both uncorrupted and corrupted ECG signals recorded from AEDs obtained from out-of-hospital victims of cardiac arrest. A total of 232 patients and 31,092 episodes of either VF or SR were accessed, in which 8195 episodes were corrupted by artifacts produced by chest compressions. We also compared the performance of this method with three other established algorithms, including VF filter, spectrum analysis, and complexity measurement. Even though there was a modest decrease in specificity and accuracy when chest compression artifact was present, the performance of this method was still superior to other reported methods for VF detection during uninterrupted CPR.     

Functional genomics studies shed light on the nutrition and gene expression of non-typhoidal Salmonella and enterovirulent E. coli in produce

Despite the fact that plants are not traditionally considered as hosts for human enteric pathogens, recent evidence suggests that non-typhoidal Salmonella and enterovirulent Escherichia coli recognize plants and rely on a specific set of genes to multiply in plant-associated environments, eventually causing dramatic outbreaks of illness. The advent of sensitive functional genomics tools, including differential fluorescence induction and in vivo expression technology, set the stage for the characterization of the genes and behaviors used by enterics to colonize, persist and proliferate within plants and the associated microbial communities. Meta-analysis of published data suggests that Salmonella and enterovirulent E. coli persist in plants using strategies that differ from those in phytobacteria. Virulence genes were upregulated in E. coli O157:H7 in the presence of lettuce leaf exudates, however Salmonella SPI-1 genes associated with gastroenteritis were dispensable during plant growth. Microarray and mutant studies of plant responses to human pathogens reveal that plants generally do not recognize Salmonella and enterovirulent E. coli as phytopathogens or beneficial symbionts, although the full spectrum of plant responses to enterics remains to be elucidated. Defining plant responses to human enteric pathogens becomes increasingly important as the feasibility of breeding for resistance to these organisms is being evaluated.     

The Swiss Federal Dairy Research Station

The Federal Dairy Research Station (FAM) was established at the beginning of the last century. It is one of six agricultural research stations of the Swiss Department of Agriculture and the leading national research institute in dairy technology and consulting. It is part of the Swiss Centre of Competence for Animal Production and Foods of Animal Origin. Its mission is to improve the competitive position of the Swiss milk producers and dairy industry. The institute is organized into three functional areas corresponding to its well-established core competencies: (1) production of raw milk cheese and microorganisms for fermentation, (2) knowledge transfer and consultation for the dairy industry and beekeeping, and (3) testing of, and providing expertise on dairy and bee products. Research work is carried out using a multidisciplinary approach in a matrix organization. Two product- and customer-orientated technology units and one unit for consulting, contractual work and other services for the dairy industry are supported in their projects by three scientific and technical units (microbiology; chemistry, physics and sensory analysis; engineering and production) as well as by a unit offering central services. The 4-year research programmes are based on the strategic goals of the agricultural policy as well as on the current needs of the dairy industry. An advisory board oversees the preparation and execution of the projects. FAM is connected to an international network for both scientific work and supervisory tasks. Work is carried out within the background of the political strategy of a sustainable development including economic, ecological and social aspects. A primary research focus is therefore the avoidance of excessive processing of milk and dairy products, and keeping products natural and free of residues by applying only minimal, unavoidable treatments and additives.     

Effect of short-term storage on phenolic content,o-diphenolase and peroxidase activities of cut yam tubers (Dioscorea sp)

The effect of short-term storage on the protein, phosphorus and phenolic content as well as peroxidase and o-diphenolase activities of cut, harvested Jamaican yam (Dioscorea sp) tubers (D rotundata. D alata and D cayenensis) was studied. There was an initial increase in the total phenolic content up to the third week of storage followed by a gradual decrease to the sixth week. Phenolic content was found to be highest in D cayenensis followed by D rotundata and D alata. The activities of peroxidase (EC 1. 11. 1. 7) and o-diphenolase (EC 1. 10.3.1) increased steadily up to the third week of storage and thereafter decreased to the fifth week. The intensity and rapidity of browning in tubers when cut, correlated very closely with the tuber o-diphenolase and phenolic content levels while the onset of rotting correlated with the peroxidase activity levels in the species studied.     

Effect of instructions and modeling on trainees low in interpersonal-communication skills.

Examined the effects of instructions and modeling in the reflection-of-feeling training of individuals low in interpersonal-communication skills. Participants with low scores on R. Carkhuff's Communication Index (25 males and 25 females) were randomly assigned by sex to 1 of the 5 training groups so that there were 5 males and 5 females in each group. After viewing videotaped training material, each participant conducted a 15-min interview with a volunteer "client" and completed the Communication Index a second time. Interviews were scored for frequency of reflection-of-feeling responses and level of empathic communication displayed. Analysis of the reflection-of-feeling data indicated that instructions and instructions-plus-modeling were facilitative procedures. Ratings of written and verbal empathy demonstrated the effectiveness of the 2 combined conditions: instructions-plus-modeling and modeling-plus-instructions. Calculation of correlations among scores on criterion measures revealed a positive correlation between reflection-of-feeling scores and ratings of empathic communication. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Indications for the applicability of element signature analysis for the determination of the geographic origin of dried beef and poultry meat

In order to determine the geographic origin of poultry and dried beef, concentrations of a total of 72 different elements (occasionally represented with several isotopes) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma high resolution mass spectrometry (ICP-HRMS). Additionally, gross chemical composition (GCC) was analyzed. The 25 poultry breast filets samples originated from Switzerland, France, Germany, Hungary, Brazil, and Thailand, and the 23 dried beef samples, made from M. biceps femoris and M. semitendinosus, were produced in Switzerland, Austria, Australia, United States, and Canada out of raw meat originating either from these or from other countries. A total of 66 and 46 of the elements and isotopes followed were detected in beef and poultry, respectively. For statistical analyses, only the most abundant isotopes per element were used. For both poultry meat and dried beef, a differentiation of the origins was possible using those elements, which were significantly different across countries (As, Na, Rb, and Tl in poultry; B, Ca, Cd, Cu, Dy, Eu, Ga, Li, Ni, Pd, Rb, Sr, Te, Tl, Tm, V, Yb, and Zn in beef). No sufficient differentiation between origins was possible with GCC. Further studies have to confirm the suitability of this approach for meat authentication with more samples.