Doppler-derived pulmonary arterial systolic pressure in patients with known systemic arterial pressures

In the present study, we evaluated Doppler-derived systolic pulmonary artery pressure in 476 hypertensive patients. Clinical interpretation of systolic pulmonary arterial pressure should take into account age, body size, and systolic blood pressure values.     

Characterization of a shielded transition to a dielectric waveguide

A shielded sub-mm/THz monolithic transition between a layered dielectric waveguide and a strip-ridge line is characterized using two different approaches: the integral equation-mode matching (IEMM) method and the finite difference time domain (FDTD) technique. While higher order modes are considered, a simple method for determining the transition's circuit model (i.e., two-port scattering matrix) from the IEMM results is implemented and the electrical performance is studied as frequency and conductor width are varied. The FDTD analysis gives further insight into the behavior of the transition in a very wide frequency range (0-540 GHz). The transition is found to be very efficient over a wide frequency band and a broad range of conductor widths     

Linear quadratic regulators with eigenvalue placement in a vertical strip

A computational method is presented for finding the linear quadratic regulator such that the optimal closed-loop system has eigenvalues lying within a vertical strip in the complex plane. The proposed method is suitable for the two-stage optimal design of two-time scale systems.     

Synthesis and characterization of crosslinked chitosan immobilized on bentonite and its grafted products with polyaniline

Chitosan immobilized bentonite (CIB) namely chitosan‐coated bentonite (5% chitosan content) was synthesized in 2% acetic acid solution, followed by crosslinking, using epichlorohydrien (ECH). The so‐obtained crosslinked chitosan immobilized on bentonite (CIB‐ECH) and CIB composites were grafted with polyaniline (PANI) through oxidative‐radical copolymerization using ammonium peroxydisulfate in acidic medium to produce PANI‐grafted crosslinked chitosan immobilized on bentonite (PANI‐g‐CIB‐ECH) and PANI‐grafted‐chitosan immobilized on bentonite (PANI‐g‐CIB) composites, respectively. The resultant composites were characterized by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermo gravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and electrical conductivity. XRD and FTIR analyses indicate that chitosan was not intercalated into the silicate layer. Also the electrical conductivity elucidates that the grafted composites fall in the range required for the application as electrostatic dissipation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 41078.