Increased socioeconomic differences in mortality in eight Spanish provinces

In Spain, the study of socioeconomic differences in mortality has been limited by the fact that death certificates often do not include complete information on occupation. In this study, we chose those geographic areas with the highest quality information on occupation of the deceased in order to study socioeconomic differences in mortality from various causes of death. We used information from the death certificates of males who died between 30 and 64 years of age in eight Spanish provinces to compare mortality from the leading causes of death in professionals and managers (group I) and in manual laborers (group II) in 1980-82 and 1988-90. In each period the standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were higher in group II, except for ischaemic heart disease during the first period, and cancer of the colon and rectum in both, although in the latter case the differences were not statistically significant. The ratio between the SMR from all causes in group II and group I was 1.27 in 1980-82, and 1.72 in 1988-90; for cancer of the colon and rectum the ratio went from 0.98 to 0.84, and for ischaemic heart disease, from 0.80 to 1.31. Except for cancer of the colon and rectum, which resulted in higher mortality in occupational group I, the excess mortality in occupational group II increased between the first and second period. The relation between socioeconomic level and mortality for ischaemic heart disease was reversed, a phenomenon similar to that which took place in the 1960s and 1970s in the developed countries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Instantaneous fringe-order identification using dual broadband sources with widely spaced wavelengths

A new fringe-order identification technique for interferometric optical fibre sensors is described using dual broadband optical sources coupled with white-light interferometry. Compared with previous work, this technique enables the central (zero-order) fringe to be directly identified through its dominant amplitude, and does not require digitisation and its associated computing power. Therefore, it is suitable for coherence multiplexed quasidistributed sensors and for monitoring quickly varying measurands.<>     

Miniature heart cell force transducer system implemented in MEMS technology

A fully submersible force transducer system for use with isolated heart cells has been implemented using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. By using integrated circuit fabrication techniques to make mechanical as well as electrical components, the entire low-mass transducer is only a few cubic millimeters in size and is of higher fidelity (approximately 100 nN and 13.3 kHz in solution) than previously available. When chemically activated, demembranated single cells attached to the device contract and slightly deform a strain gauge whose signal is converted to an amplified electrical output. When integrated with a video microscope, the system is capable of optical determination of contractile protein striation periodicity and simultaneous measurement of heart cell forces in the 100-nN to 50-microN range. The average measured maximal force was Fmax = 5.77 +/- 2.38 microN. Normalizing for the cell's cross-sectional area, Fmax/area was 14.7 +/- 7.7 mN/mm2. Oscillatory stiffness data at frequencies up to 1 kHz has also been recorded from relaxed and contracted cells. This novel MEMS force transducer system permits higher fidelity measurements from cardiac myocytes than available from standard macro-sized transducers.     

Imide-aryl ether benzoxazole random copolymers

Novel imide-aryl ether benzoxazole copolymers were prepared and their morphology and mechanical properties investigated. A key feature of these copolymers is the incorporation of a benzoxazole moiety by the use of 2,2′-bis[4-(3-aminophenoxy)phenyl]-6,6′-bibenzoxazole or 2,2′-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)-phenyl]-6,6′-bibenzoxazole as co-diamines in polyimide syntheses. The preparation of these diamines involved the nucleophilic aromatic substitution of 2,2′-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-6,6′-bibenzoxazole with either 3- or 4-aminophenol in the presence of K₂CO₃. The diamines were co-reacted with various compositions of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA) to synthesize the desired poly(amic acids). Films were cast and cured (350°C) to effect the imide formation, affording films with elongations between 40 and 110% and moduli in the 2000–2750 MPa range. The copolymers exhibited good dimensional (T_g in excess of 300°C) and thermal stability. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurements on the copolymers showed that the ordered morphology characteristic of PMDA/ODA polyimide was retained. Improvements in the auto-adhesion were observed, particularly in those copolymers which displayed a T_g.     

HOMOGENEITY OF THE FRIABLE FLOUR OF MALTING BARLEY

A detailed comparison was made of the properties of the friable flours and non-friable residues of two samples of malted barley of different nitrogen contents. The friable flours were sieved and fractionated to give a range of particle sizes, and the intact malt, whole friable flour, non-friable residues and fractionated friable flours were subjected to a range of analyses. Endosperm fractionation studies showed that the pattern of enzymic degradation of proteins in the modified friable flour of low nitrogen malt was more uniform than the corresponding pattern of protein breakdown in the friable flour of high nitrogen malt. Examination of the non friable residues showed that cell wall breakdown in the high nitrogen malt was less extensive than the low nitrogen malt. It is proposed that the high protein levels in the endosperm caused starch/protein compacting which limited endosperm hydration and enzymic modification during malting. The friability scores of high nitrogen malts may given an over estimate of endosperm modification.     

Numerical Optimization of an Active Voltage Controller for High-Power IGBT Converters

Feedback control of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) in the active region can be used to regulate the device switching trajectory. This facilitates series connection of devices without the use of external snubber networks. Control must be achieved across the full active region of the IGBT and must balance a number of conflicting system goals including diode recovery. To date, the choice of control parameters has been a largely empirical process. This paper uses accurate device models and formalized optimization procedures to evaluate IGBT active voltage controllers. A detailed optimization for the control of IGBT turn-on is presented in this paper     

Surface current mapping performance of bistatic and monostaticΔk-radars

A theoretical analysis of the surface ocean current mapping performance of land-based bistatic and monostatic Δk-radars is presented. Contour maps of the calculated surface current resolution achievable with both configurations are presented and compared. For the assumed surface conditions, both configurations are seen to be capable of resolving 5 cm/s currents with 100 m spatial resolution out to ranges of several kilometers using reasonable dwell times     

The Extractable and Bound Condensed Tannin Content of Leaves from Tropical Tree,Shrub and Forage Legumes

The extractable, protein-bound and fibre-bound condensed tannin (CT) concentrations in the leaves of tropical legumes grown in both Colombia and Northern Australia were determined by the butanol–HCl method, whilst extractable CT was also determined by the vanillin–HCl method. With the exception of Senna siamea all species contained CT. The very high CT concentration found in many plants growing in Colombia may have been partly due to soil fertility being much lower at the Colombian than the Northern Australian site. Acacia boliviana , Arachis pintoi , Centrosema latidens , Senna velutina and Gliricidia sepium contained <55 g total CT kg⁻¹ DM, which suggests that they could comprise a reasonable proportion of ruminant diets. All other species grown in South America contained 100–240 g CT kg⁻¹ DM, which suggests that they should only be fed in small amounts as supplements to dilute the CT concentration. Leucaena species and Calliandra calothyrsus grown in Northern Australia contained intermediate concentrations of total CT (60–90 g kg⁻¹ DM). Most species contained 70–95% of total CT as extractable CT, with the exception of Flemingia macrophylla , where 60% was extractable and 40% bound, and Gliricidia sepium , where almost all the CT was bound to protein. Values for Flemingia macrophylla differed between accessions. Extractable CT determined with vanillin–HCl was generally higher than extractable CT determined with butanol–HCl. Three accessions showed negligible (<1 g kg⁻¹ DM) extractable CT with butanol–HCl but 10–12 g extractable CT kg⁻¹ DM with vanillin–HCl. Two accessions showed undetectable levels of extractable CT but substantial levels of protein-bound CT, illustrating the importance of using a bound CT method for identifying forages containing CT. Relative to freeze drying, oven drying of Leucaena species reduced the concentration of extractable CT and increased concentrations of bound CT. The significance of the results for the nutrition of ruminant livestock are discussed, including the possible roles of protein-bound and fibre-bound CT.