A Composite Index of Compliance for Chronic In‐Center Hemodialysis Patients

We developed a composite compliance index as the sum of the compliance scores for interdialytic weight gain (IDWG), pre‐dialysis serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations (each scored from zero to 3, with 3 indicating the poorest compliance), and skipping hemodialysis sessions (scored from zero to 9, with 9 indicating the poorest compliance). We used this composite score to prospectively evaluate compliance in 25 prevalent hemodialysis patients over a period of 1 year. We then followed these patients for another 3.5 years. The patients studied were divided into two groups: group A (poor compliance) consisted of 9 subjects with composite score ≥ 9 (13.2 ± 3.2); group B (better compliance) consisted of 16 subjects with composite score < 9 (4.7 ± 1.8). Age, duration of hemodialysis, and frequency of diabetes mellitus did not differ between the groups. Group A contained higher fractions of subjects with history of alcoholism (66.7% vs 12.5%, p = 0.010), other substance addiction (44.4% vs 0%, p = 0.010), and severe psychosocial problems (88.9% vs 18.8%, p = 0.002). Mean survival from the beginning of observation, estimated by actuarial life‐table survival analysis, was 1.19 years in group A and 2.60 years in group B (p = 0.0265). A composite compliance index incorporating domains indicating adherence to diet, medications, and dialysis schedule identified other behavioral problems in poorly compliant patients. Hemodialysis patients characterized by this composite index as poorly compliant had shortened survival.     

Robustness analysis of responses of vibration control structures with uncertain parameters using interval algorithm

Variations in system parameters due to uncertainties may result in system performance deterioration. Uncertainties in modeling of structures are often considered to ensure that control system is robust with respect to response errors. Hence, the uncertain concept plays an important role in vibration control of the engineering structures. The paper discusses the robustness of responses of vibration control systems with the uncertain parameters. The vibration control problem of an uncertain system is approximated by a deterministic one. The uncertain parameters are described by interval variables. The uncertain state matrix is constructed directly using system physical parameters and avoided to use bounds in Euclidean norm. The feedback gain matrix is determined based on the deterministic systems, and then it is applied to the actual uncertain systems. A method to calculate the upper and lower bounds of responses of the closed-loop system with uncertain parameters is presented. The upper bounds of responses can be used to estimate the robustness of responses of the controlled system with uncertain parameters. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate the applications of the present approach.     

An accurate and practical buffer allocation model for the buffer cache based on marginal gains

A new dynamic buffer allocation strategy based on the notion of marginal gains is presented for the buffer cache that is used by the operating system to store frequently accessed disk blocks in main memory, and the performance of the proposed strategy is compared with those of previous allocation strategies. In the proposed strategy, marginal gain values are predicted by exploiting functions that approximate the expected number of buffer hits per unit time. Experimental results from both trace-driven simulation and an actual implementation in the FreeBSD operating system show that the proposed strategy accurately predicts the marginal gain values for various workloads resulting in significantly improved buffer hit ratios.     

Development and evaluation of antimicrobial natamycin‐incorporated film in gorgonzola cheese conservation

Conservation of food products depends on product quality and packaging suitability. The objective of this work was to develop and evaluate the antimicrobial efficiency of natamycin‐incorporated film in the production process of Gorgonzola cheese. It aims to optimize the production process and increase shelf‐life and food safety for the consumer. Films with different concentrations of natamycin were produced and tested in Gorgonzola cheeses to evaluate its efficiency against Penicillium roqueforti on the cheese surface. Films with 2 and 4% natamycin presented satisfactory results for fungus inhibition and the amount of natamycin released to the cheese was below that allowed by the legislation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一种基于TDA16846的新型有源功率校正电路设计

介绍一种由集成电路芯片TDA16846完成的利用电荷泵(Charge Pump)实现的有源功率因数校正(APFC)技术。这种APFC电路的突出优点就是结构简单,通过对常规缓冲电路进行合理调整,可以很容易变成具有PFC功能的高性能开关电源。分析了APFC的工作原理,应用专用芯片TDA16846设计了电路图,并阐述了主要元件的功能。经实验证明,推荐电路设计合理,应用前景广阔。     

国际检验方法对促进产品质量提高的启示

对氨基二苯胺是性能优异的对苯二胺类防老剂的中间体。其质量好坏直接关系到防老剂4020、4010NA、688等品种的质量。对氨基二苯胺质量检验方法的提出则有助于我们开拓思路，更新质量观念，地症下药，分析原因，采取措施，全面提高其内在质量。     

L-带掺铒光纤放大器的研究与进展

通过理论计算，比较了C－带掺铒光纤放大器和L－带掺铒光纤放大器的增益特性，并较为全面地阐述了近几年来国内外对L－带掺铒光纤放大器的研究情况。通过对L－带掺铒光纤放大器工作原理的分析，总结出新的设计思路与方案，提出了一些新的研究点。     

开放的ladder型无反转激光系统的稳定性分析

利用开放的ladder型无反转激光系统的密度矩阵运动方程组的定态解和激光场运动方程分析了系统的稳定性。结果表明：如果增益大于激光腔损耗，则零解是不稳定的；如果增益小于激光腔损耗，则零解是稳定的；如果增益大于激光腔损耗，则非零解是稳定的。     

主动约束层阻尼板结构动力学建模研究

将有限元法和GHM法相结合，给出了建立主动约束层阻尼（ACLD）板结构动力学模型的新方法。建模时，考虑到粘弹材料（VEM）的纵向位移影响，采用GHM方法描述VEM的本构关系，解决了VEM的力学特性随温度和频率变化的难点，避免因VEM的复杂本构关系而产生的微分积分方程。算例表明本文给出的建模方法是准确的，ACLD结构能够有效控制结构振动。     

纤维素酶分子的计算机辅助序列分析

利用生物大分子数据库（EMBL、SWALL和PDB）及软件技术（DNASIS和AntheProt）对嗜热子囊菌（Thermoascus aurantiacus)的产生的一种纤维素酶分子进行了序列分析及结构预测；通过多种来源的纤维素酶的比较研究，分析了其催化区、活性位点及局部保守序列。