Experimental and analytical evaluation of packaged 4×4InGaAsP/InP semiconductor optical amplifier gate switch matrices foroptical networks

Packaged 4×4 semiconductor optical amplifier gate switch arrays have been studied experimentally and analytically. Experimentally, a dynamic range of the input power to the switch of more than 20 dB was obtained at 622 Mb/s with less than 2 dB power penalty. Wavelength division multiplexing transmission with four channels at 622 Mb/s each through the same path was successfully demonstrated. The switch was also evaluated in an installed fiber network, where a 2.5 Gb/s signal was transmitted through three cascaded switch routes and 160 km fiber. A numerical time-domain model incorporating an electrical filter in the receiver confirmed the experimental results. It furthermore indicated that residual reflections between the different waveguide sections within the switch and at the chip facets may degrade the performance of the switch     

Building energy-efficiency standards in a life cycle primary energy perspective

In this study we analyze the life cycle primary energy use of a wood-frame apartment building designed to meet the current Swedish building code, the Swedish building code of 1994 or the passive house standard, and heated with district heat or electric resistance heating. The analysis includes the primary energy use during the production, operation and end-of-life phases. We find that an electric heated building built to the current building code has greater life cycle primary energy use relative to a district heated building, although the standard for electric heating is more stringent. Also, the primary energy use for an electric heated building constructed to meet the passive house standard is substantially higher than for a district heated building built to the Swedish building code of 1994. The primary energy for material production constitutes 5% of the primary energy for production and space heating and ventilation of an electric heated building built to meet the 1994 code. The share of production energy increases as the energy-efficiency standard of the building improves and when efficient energy supply is used, and reaches 30% for a district heated passive house. This study shows the significance of a life cycle primary energy perspective and the choice of heating system in reducing energy use in the built environment.     

The mechanism of failure in bending of paperboard

The behaviour of paperboard beams subjected to pure bending is analysed and related to tensile and compression stress-strain behaviour. Since the compression strength is lower than the tensile strength, beam failure occurs in compression. However, beam failure does not occur when the ultimate strain in pure compression is reached in the surface fibres. A plastic yielding in compression, which gives good agreement between experimentally-determined and theoretically-calculated bending moments up to failure is therefore suggested. At failure, the elastic energy stored in the sample causes propagation of an interlaminar crack at the compression side, which is observed in scanning electron micrographs.     

Open, randomized, multicenter trial of raltitrexed versus fluorouracil plus high-dose leucovorin in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Tomudex Colorectal Cancer Study Group

PURPOSE: To compare raltitrexed (Tomudex; Zeneca Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Macclesfield, United Kingdom) a direct, specific thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor with fluorouracil (5-FU) plus high-dose leucovorin (LV) as first-line treatment for advanced colorectal cancer (ACC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 495 patients were randomized to raltitrexed (3 mg/m2) once every 3 weeks or 5-FU (400 mg/m2) plus LV (200 mg/m2) daily for 5 days every 4 weeks. RESULTS: The randomized groups were well balanced demographically. With a minimum 17-month follow-up, median survival was comparable between groups (10.9 months raltitrexed v 12.3 months 5-FU/LV; hazards ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93 to 1.42; P=.197), although time to progression was statistically significantly shorter in the raltitrexed group. Overall objective responses were comparable (19% raltitrexed v 18% 5-FU/LV), with more than 50% of patients in each group having stable disease. Significantly less World Health Organization (WHO) grade 3 and 4 stomatitis (2% v 16%, P < .001) and a reduced incidence of leukopenia (6% v 13%) and diarrhea (10% v 19%) occurred in the raltitrexed group (particularly at cycle 1 ). This resulted in fewer dose reductions at cycle 2 (4% raltitrexed v 28% 5-FU/LV) and early quality-of-life (QoL) benefits for raltitrexed patients. Reversible, clinically insignificant increases in transaminases were reported in 13% of raltitrexed patients. Palliative benefits of weight gain, improved performance status, and reduced disease-related symptoms were evident in both groups. CONCLUSION: Raltitrexed is confirmed as an effective option in the first-line palliative management of ACC, with comparable efficacy to and tolerability advantages (in terms of reduced incidence of stomatitis, diarrhea, and leukopenia) over 5-FU/LV. Raltitrexed has the added convenience of an every 3 weeks dosing schedule.     

A numerical Hartree-Fock program for diatomic molecules

This paper describes an algorithm and a computer program which solves numerically (virtually exactly) equations of the restricted open-shell Hartree-Fock and Hartree-Fock-Slater model for diatomic molecules     

Lead-acid battery capacity in solar home systems—Field tests and experiences in Lundazi, Zambia

Batteries in solar home systems can cause problems and costs for the users and/or operators of the systems. In Zambia the Lundazi Energy Service Company (LESCO) operates 150 solar home systems on a fee for service basis. The aim of the study was to investigate how the capacity of lead-acid flat plate batteries had changed after one year of operation under real conditions. The results indicate that the batteries capacity has been significantly reduced in comparison to new unused batteries of the same type. Changes in battery management and maintenance, along with additional education of customers on correct use of SHS is advised in order to improve the life span of batteries in practical use.     

The Karolinska Psychodynamic Profile (KAPP): Studies of character and well-being.

The Karolinska Psychodynamic Profile (KAPP) is a rating instrument that consists of 18 subscales for assessing different aspects of character from clinical interviews. The psychometric properties of the instrument, including reliability, stability, and some earlier validity studies, are reviewed. The present validity study of the KAPP examines aspect of affect control and its relation to other state and trait measures as well as to psychopathology in 65 ulcerative colitis patients. Cluster analysis was used to classify individuals according to aspects of affect control. Our results suggest that patients with excessive impulse control also have problems coping with aggressive affects, that this co-occurring difficulty is a stable mode of mental functioning in the individual, and that these patients manage quite well emotionally. Our findings also suggest that frustration tolerance is an important factor in psychopathology, as poor frustration tolerance is associated with more problems on most measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Analysis of polarization independent optical amplifiers and filtersbased on polarization rotation in periodically asymmetricwaveguides

Polarization rotation in periodically asymmetric passive and active waveguides is described theoretically. The analysis is based on the vector wave equation and analysis of the coupled mode equations. It is shown that these periodically asymmetric active waveguides can be employed as polarization-independent optical amplifiers, and that strictly polarization-independent amplifiers require a rotation of an integer multiplier of π radians. An illustrative example of such an amplifier with a buried waveguide structure suitable for monolithic integration is analyzed. Polarization-insensitive passive Bragg filters employing, in addition to the ordinary grating, a periodically asymmetric perturbation are also considered, and polarization rotation in a distributed feedback laser filter is discussed     

13C-urea breath test for diagnosis of experimental Helicobacter pylori infection in barrier born pigs

Previous studies with Helicobacter pylori infected barrier born pigs indicate that the infection has a patchy distribution, resulting in false negative culture results on endoscopic biopsy specimens. This study aimed to adapt the 13C-urea breath test as used in humans to diagnose H pylori infection in barrier born pigs. The breath test was also performed after bismuth as a single treatment and after triple therapy (bismuth, ampicillin, metronidazole). In control pigs the median excess of 13CO2 in expired air was 2.2 (range 0-12 n = 22) ppm. The infected pigs (n = 4) showed consistently high values (median 23 range 14-43) when examined on four occasions (n = 16) four to 10 weeks after inoculation. Biopsy specimens for culture had lower sensitivity than the breath test. No reduction in excess 13CO2 was seen after three days' single bismuth treatment, but after two weeks' triple therapy the breath test results had returned to normal. This suppression was temporary only, however, as the breath test was positive again four weeks after stopping treatment. In conclusion, the 13C-urea breath test is a simple and reliable test for determining H pylori infection and monitoring treatment effects in barrier born pigs. Because the test can be performed in awake pigs anaesthesia and gastroscopy are unnecessary.