Chalcogenide glass microlenses by inkjet printing

We demonstrate micrometer scale mid-IR lenses for integrated optics, using solution-based inkjet printing techniques and subsequent processing. Arsenic sulfide spherical microlenses with diameters of 10-350 μm and focal lengths of 10-700 μm have been fabricated. The baking conditions can be used to tune the precise focal length.     

Housing- and management-specific effects on the health of swine]

Important diseases with regard to inadequate housing and management conditions in pig production are given. Typical examples like claw lesions, cannibalism and infectious factorial diseases are described. Beside negative factors of pig housing and management which are of particular pathogenic importance some aspects of disease control and herd health are listed finally.     

Equipment for the distribution of cold liquefied gases

This article reviews equipment developed specially for the storage, transportation, and revaporization of cryogenic liquefied gases.     

Entwicklung von hybriden Wärmedämmsteinen aus LAC

Die aktuell oftmals diskutierte Notwendigkeit der nachhaltigen Reduktion des Verbrauchs an Heizenergie bzw. der Reduktion des CO2‐Austoßes und die damit immer stärker werdende Forderung nach einem baulichen Wärmeschutz führten an der Universität Luxembourg dazu, ein Projekt auf den Weg zu bringen, welches das Ziel verfolgt, mittels hybrider Mauersteinkonstruktionen die Transmissionswärmeverluste durch die Außenwand weiter zu begrenzen. Mit der Energieeinsparverordnung (EnEV) in Deutschland und dem “règlement grand‐ducal Performance Energétique des b?timents d?habitation” [1] in Luxemburg bestehen neben der Anforderungsgröße des Jahresprimärenergiebedarfs auch über maximal festgesetzte Wärmedurchgangskoeffizienten U Anforderungen an die Transmissionswärmeverluste durch die Gebäudehülle. In Luxemburg beträgt der aktuelle Grenzwert zur Erfüllung des Mindestwärmeschutzes für Außenwände zur Zeit 0,32 W/m2K. Um den aktuellen Stand der Technik auf dem freien Markt festzuhalten, wurde zu Beginn des Projektes mit einer Marktstudie an 12 unterschiedlichen Wärmedämmsteinen aus verschiedenen europäischen Ländern begonnen. Dabei fiel das große Optimierungspotential der klassischen Wärmedämmblöcke aus haufwerksporigem Leichtbeton (LAC) in thermischer und statischer Hinsicht auf. Wie die Marktstudie zeigt, können mit klassischen monolithischen Wärmedämmblöcken (Vbl SW, Hbl) die deklarierten bzw. angestrebten Grenzwerte der Wärmeleitfähigkeit bei gleichzeitiger Einhaltung der Rohdichteklasse und Druckfestigkeit nicht immer gezielt erreicht werden. Es ist daher ratsam, eine Funktionstrennung der statisch und thermisch wirksamen Schichten im Steinquerschnitt vorzunehmen. Ein Weg zur Entwicklung von Mauersteinen mit Funktionstrennung der Trag‐ und Dämmschichten wird in diesem Beitrag aufgezeigt. Development of new heat‐insulating masonry blocks made of LAC. The actual discussion of the necessity of sustainable reduction of primary energy for heating of housing structures and of the reduction of CO2‐emissions led the University of Luxembourg to issue a project aimed to develop hybrid lightweight concrete blocks with high heat‐insulating properties. The progressing Energy Saving Regulation (EnEV) in Germany and the grand‐ducal Regulation in Luxembourg [1] are limiting the annual primary energy consumption for housing structures and office buildings. Supplementary, these regulations are also limiting the heat transfer coefficient U for the transmission of the heat flow through the outer walls. In Luxembourg e.g. the actual U‐value is limited to maximal 0,32 W/m2K. Based on the measured values, the static and thermal properties of the materials themselves (e.g. lightweight concrete with open structure) as well as the whole masonry bricks and blocks, taken from the European free market, were tested and simulated by the finite element method to study their weak spot and to use this experience for the construction of new prototypes. It was revealed that it is suggestive to separate the load bearing from a thermal construction part in the masonry block. The market study showed, that is only possible to reach certainly the declared limit values of the thermal and mechanical properties of the masonry block by separating the load‐bearing from the thermal function of the block.     

Function and morphology of the larynx of the domestic guinea pig. An animal model for laryngologic and phoniatric research?

The present study was undertaken to collect data on fundamental functional and morphological features of the guinea pig larynx using frequency analysis of animal vocalizations and light and scanning electron microscopy. Vocalizations of healthy animals were recorded in an anechoic chamber and were analyzed with short-time fourier transformation (color spectrograms). From the multitude of vocalization patterns produced by the guinea pig, distress squeals were selected as a typical, reproducible, voiced sound. These were stereotyped, upward-frequency modulated, multiharmonic signals with a formant-like structure. The fundamental frequency of this sound rose by about 1.5 octaves and reached up to 6 kHz near the end of the call. The different regions of the endolaryngeal epithelia showed morphological properties that corresponded to proposed functional significance. Keratinized squamous epithelium covered the supraglottic region. The marginal rim of the vocal cord was covered by a very thin epithelium with very flat cells covered with short microvilli. The subepithelial space was filled with loose connective tissue. The subglottic region was covered by respiratory epithelia. Based on these findings, we propose that the larynx of the guinea pig can be used as a model in phoniatric and laryngological research.     

Therapy with monoclonal antibodies. II. The contribution of Fc gamma receptor binding and the influence of C(H)1 and C(H)3 domains on in vivo effector function

An in vivo model is used to define Fc motifs engaged by mAbs to deplete target cells. Human IgG1 and human IgG4 were very potent, and mutations within a motif critical for Fc gammaR binding (glutamate 233 to proline, leucine/phenylalanine 234 to valine, and leucine 235 to alanine) completely prevented depletion. Mouse IgG2b was also potent, and mutations to prevent complement activation did not impair depletion with this isotype, as previously shown for human IgG1. In contrast, a mutation that impaired binding to mouse Fc gammaRII (glutamate 318 to alanine) eliminated effector function of mouse IgG2b and also reduced the potency of human IgG4. To reveal potential contributions of domains other than C(H)2, domain switch mutants were created between human IgG1 and rat IgG2a. Two hybrid mAbs were generated with potencies exceeding anything previously seen in this model. While their mechanism of depletion was not defined, their activity appeared dependent upon interdomain interactions in the Fc region.     

Causal models and the acquisition of category structure.

This article proposes that learning of categories based on cause-effect relations is guided by causal models. In addition to incorporating domain-specific knowledge, causal models can be based on knowledge of such general structural properties as the direction of the causal arrow and the variability of causal variables. Five experiments tested the influence of common-cause models and common-effect models on the ease of learning linearly separable and nonlinearly separable categories. The results show that causal models guide the interpretation of otherwise identical learning inputs, and that learning difficulty is determined by the fit between the structural implications of the causal models and the structure of the learning domain. These influences of the general properties of causal models were obtained across several different content domains, including domains for which subjects lacked prior knowledge. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)