Technology combats disabilities

The author focusses on advances in equipment that offset physically functional limitations. He discusses how disabled and elderly people are using aids that enhance mobility (walking a certain distance, lifting a weight, or climbing stairs) as well as sensory faculties (seeing print, hearing conversation, and speaking intelligibly)     

Effects of surfactant/silica and silica/cerium ratios on the characteristics of mesoporous Ce-MCM-41

Using the surfactant CTMABr (cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide) and cerium(IV) sulfate, mesoporous Ce-MCM-41 molecular sieves were produced under a hydrothermal condition with various surfactant/silica (surfactant/Si) and silica/cerium (Si/Ce) ratios. Changes to the structural traits caused by changing the molar ratios of both surfactant/Si and Si/Ce were investigated. XRD (X-ray diffraction), FT-IR (fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), and SEM (scanning electro microscopy) were used for the characterization of prepared mesoporous samples. Among the tested molar ratios, surfactant/Si ratio of 0.5 and 0.2 showed highest values of d_1 0 0 and intensity, respectively, for the Si-MCM-41. XRD analysis also identified a quintessential hexagonal structure of Ce-MCM-41 for the Si/Ce molar ratio higher than 40 (maintaining the surfactant/Si ratio at 0.2). When cerium content was increased to have the Si/Ce molar ratio of 20, the hexagonal structure of Ce-MCM-41 was collapsed due to the structural stress of substituted cerium. FT-IR results confirmed calcination of Ce-MCM-41 and the incorporation of Ce⁴⁺ ions of cerium sulfate into the silica surface with proper removal of the surfactant. Rod-like shape with rounded edges of the prepared Ce-MCM-41 samples was identified by SEM. These results suggest surfactant/Si ratio of 0.2 and Si/Ce ratio of 40 for the production of Ce-MCM-41 with the highest level of crystallinity.     

Accuracy of teacher judgments in predicting oral reading fluency.

The relationship between teachers' judgments versus actual performance on curriculum-based measures in reading was examined. A total of 30 regular education teachers were asked to predict the oral reading fluency score of students along with a rating scale of reading subskills. Correlations between teacher judgment measures and student performance found that teachers were accurate reporters of student performance levels in reading. However, some questions were raised whether teachers were accurate at predicting the actual level of student oral reading fluency when effect sizes were used to compare teacher judgment and actual student performance. Recommendations for continued research in understanding the parameters of the accuracy of teacher judgment are made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Flux Jumps and H-T Diagram of Instability for MgB2

We present a study of magneto-thermal instabilities in polycrystalline MgB₂ superconductor, by magnetic hysteresis loop measurements and by investigations of magnetic flux dynamics with a miniature Hall probe. Temperature and magnetic field ranges where the flux jumps may be observed have been determined. On the basis of measurements of the magnetic flux dynamics, an average magnetic diffusivity describing the process of the flux jump is estimated. This parameter is compared with the thermal and magnetic diffusivities calculated on the basis of available data for thermal conductivity, heat capacity and resistivity. It is shown that the estimated value of the field of the first flux jump is influenced significantly by the field dependence of specific heat. In order to explain the observed phenomenon, the temperature reached by the sample during the flux jump at different magnetic fields is calculated.     

A neural network model for the wire bonding process

A crucial step in manufacturing microcircuits is the wire bonding process in which a very thin gold wire must be formed to connect two surfaces in the microcircuit. The quality of the wire bond can be measured by visual inspection and a pull test—both of which are high-reliability, high-cost approaches to statistical process control. Westinghouse wanted to develop a high-reliability, low-cost quality assurance system. In this paper, we report on a year-long study to construct a neural network model that is capable of predicting the quality of wire bonds. The results of our modeling efforts reveal that neural networks are useful tools for statistical process control problems.     

Fast and Compact 16 by 16 Cellular Neural Network Implementation

The paper presents a Cellular Neural Network implementation based on a high gain sigmoid operation. The required simplifications to the original theory are described that allow the use of high gain. With this design black and white images can be processed. The basic building blocks in a cell are described. A 16×16 cells network has been designed and processed with 1.2 micron CMOS technology. Measurement results which show the operation of the network are presented.     

MRT of experimental liver abscesses: a comparison of a new blood pool contrast medium with gadolinium-DTPA in animal experiments

PURPOSE: In an experimental pyogenic liver abscess model, the signal intensities were compared intraindividually and interindividually after the application of a new blood pool contrast agent, 24-gadolinium-DTPA (diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid) cascade polymer, and after the application of gadopentetate dimeglumine. METHODS: In 20 rabbits with experimentally induced liver abscesses, the relative signal intensities of the liver, abscess centre, abscess wall and portal vein were assessed before and between 30 seconds and 60 minutes after injection of a 25 mumol/kg dose of gadolinium polymer and of 100 mumol/kg of gadolinium-DTPA, respectively. Measurements were performed at 1.5 Tesla, using a head coil and a Flash-2-D sequence. RESULTS: The interindividual comparison (unpaired T-test, p < 0.05) yielded significant differences of the relative signal intensities of the abscess centre (at any time point after contrast-media application), abscess wall (between 15 and 60 minutes after contrast media application), and portal vein (between 30 seconds and 7.5 minutes after contrast media application). The interindividual comparison showed a significantly higher abscess centre-liver contrast (between 30 seconds and 12.5 minutes after contrast media application) and a significantly higher abscess wall-centre contrast (between two and 7.5 minutes after contrast media application) after the application of gadolinium polymer compared with gadopentetate dimeglumine. CONCLUSION: In this animal model, the higher abscess centre-liver contrast after the application of gadolinium polymer was the basis for a better and prolonged visibility of the abscesses, as compared with images acquired after injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine.     

Preparation of monodisperse poly(vinyl alcohol) microspheres by heterogeneous surface saponification and iodine complex formation

Monodisperse poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) microspheres with high molecular weight obtained by suspension polymerization of vinyl acetate were saponified in alkaline aqueous solution to keep their spherical structure. The saponification was restricted on the surface of the PVAc microspheres and obtained particles had skin/core structure. Various poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microspheres with different diameters and degrees of saponification (DSs) were obtained. The conversion of PVAc to PVA during the heterogeneous surface saponification time were examined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and after 72 h hydrogel type PVA microspheres completely saponified were obtained. The crystal melting temperatures of the microspheres obtained by the saponification were measured a constant value of 238°C irrespective of varying DS, and the peaks became enlarged as reaction time. Iodine complexes were formed in saponified microspheres with DS of 41% and 99% by immersing them in I₂/KI aqueous solution and decomposed by the reduction of I₂ in the complexes to 2I^? using sodium sulfite to confirm whether the skin formed through the saponification was composed of PVA with high VA content. Obviously, characteristic blue color developments owing to I₅^?‐PVA complexes were observed in both saponified regions and a red in the PVAc core. Consequently, it was concluded that the PVA skins formed by heterogeneous surface saponification had high DSs. Such complexes endowed polymeric microspheres a good radiopacity which would be useful in clinical treatment of vascular diseases and were examined by X‐ray irradiation image. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008