Proceedings of the ECCS 2005 satellite workshop: embracing complexity in design - Paris 17 November 2005

Embracing complexity in design is one of the critical issues and challenges of the 21st century. As the realization grows that design activities and artefacts display properties associated with complex adaptive systems, so grows the need to use complexity concepts and methods to understand these properties and inform the design of better artifacts. It is a great challenge because complexity science represents an epistemological and methodological swift that promises a holistic approach in the understanding and operational support of design. But design is also a major contributor in complexity research. Design science is concerned with problems that are fundamental in the sciences in general and complexity sciences in particular. For instance, design has been perceived and studied as a ubiquitous activity inherent in every human activity, as the art of generating hypotheses, as a type of experiment, or as a creative co-evolutionary process. Design science and its established approaches and practices can be a great source for advancement and innovation in complexity science. These proceedings are the result of a workshop organized as part of the activities of a UK government AHRB/EPSRC funded research cluster called Embracing Complexity in Design (www.complexityanddesign.net) and the European Conference in Complex Systems (complexsystems.lri.fr). Embracing complexity in design is one of the critical issues and challenges of the 21st century. As the realization grows that design activities and artefacts display properties associated with complex adaptive systems, so grows the need to use complexity concepts and methods to understand these properties and inform the design of better artifacts. It is a great challenge because complexity science represents an epistemological and methodological swift that promises a holistic approach in the understanding and operational support of design. But design is also a major contributor in complexity research. Design science is concerned with problems that are fundamental in the sciences in general and complexity sciences in particular. For instance, design has been perceived and studied as a ubiquitous activity inherent in every human activity, as the art of generating hypotheses, as a type of experiment, or as a creative co-evolutionary process. Design science and its established approaches and practices can be a great source for advancement and innovation in complexity science. These proceedings are the result of a workshop organized as part of the activities of a UK government AHRB/EPSRC funded research cluster called Embracing Complexity in Design (www.complexityanddesign.net) and the European Conference in Complex Systems (complexsystems.lri.fr)

Plasma neurofilament light chain protein is not increased in forensic psychiatric populations: a pilot study

Introduction: Neurofilament light chain protein (NfL) is a fluid biomarker of neural injury measurable in cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Patients with different neurodegenerative disorders and mild traumatic brain injury display elevated levels of NfL. However, so far, elevated levels of NfL have not been demonstrated in persons with psychiatric disorders. To our knowledge, the occurrence of NfL in the blood has not previously been studied in persons undergoing forensic psychiatric assessment or persons treated in forensic mental health services. Supposedly, these persons suffer from experiences and conditions with a higher risk of neural injury than other psychiatric patients. Methods: In this pilot study, we investigated plasma levels of NfL in 20 persons undergoing forensic psychiatric assessment and 20 patients at a forensic psychiatric hospital. NfL values were compared with control groups of healthy individuals matched for age and sex. Results: The prevalence of increased NfL in both forensic groups was low and did not differ compared with the controls. However, some persons undergoing forensic psychiatric assessment showed slightly elevated values. Discussion: The slightly elevated values were observed in the group investigated closer in time to the index crime, when elevated NfL levels could be expected to be more prevalent due to acute conditions from the time of the offense. This gives reason to look further into this group

The magnetofection method: Using magnetic force to enhance gene delivery

In order to enhance and target gene delivery we have previously established a novel method, termed magnetofection, which uses magnetic force acting on gene vectors that are associated with magnetic particles. Here we review the benefits, the mechanism and the potential of the method with regard to overcoming physical limitations to gene delivery. Magnetic particle chemistry and physics are discussed, followed by a detailed presentation of vector formulation and optimization work. While magnetofection does not necessarily improve the overall performance of any given standard gene transfer method in vitro, its major potential lies in the extraordinarily rapid and efficient transfection at low vector doses and the possibility of remotely controlled vector targeting in vivo

Development of Gas Turbine Performance Models Using a Generic Simulation Tool”,

ABSTRACT An approach for gas turbine engine modelling using a general purpose object-oriented simulation tool is described. A commercially available such tool that can be adapted to different fields, through the creation of reusable modelling component libraries representing parts or equipment of a physical system, is employed. Libraries are developed using an object-oriented language. The possibility for quick implementation of new models and rapid analysis of results, through the use of a graphical user interface is demonstrated. A turbofan model, developed for both steady state and transient performance simulation, is used to illustrate the advantages offered by this approach. Results are presented and compared to those produced by an industry-accepted model. The flexibility of incorporating particular features into a model is demonstrated by presenting the implementation of adaptive features and a study of engine frequency response

Stark Broadening of the B III 2s-2p Lines

We present a quantum-mechanical calculation of Stark line widths from electron-ion collisions for the $2s_{1/2}-2p_{1/2,3/2}$, lambda = 2066 and 2067 A, resonance transitions in B III. The results confirm the previous quantum-mechanical R-matrix calculations but contradict recent measurements and semi-classical and some semi-empirical calculations. The differences between the calculations can be attributed to the dominance of small L partial waves in the electron-atom scattering, while the large Stark widths inferred from the measurements would be substantially reduced if allowance is made for hydrodynamic turbulence from high Reynolds number flows and the associated Doppler broadening.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures; to be published in Phys. Rev.

MiRonTop: mining microRNAs targets across large scale gene expression studies

Summary: Current challenges in microRNA (miRNA) research are to improve the identification of in vivo mRNA targets and clarify the complex interplay existing between a specific miRNA and multiple biological networks. MiRonTop is an online java web tool that integrates DNA microarrays or high-throughput sequencing data to identify the potential implication of miRNAs on a specific biological system. It allows a rapid characterization of the most pertinent mRNA targets according to several existing miRNA target prediction approaches. It also provides useful representations of the enrichment scores according to the position of the target site along the 3′-UTR, where the contribution of the sites located in the vicinity of the stop codon and of the polyA tail can be clearly highlighted. It provides different graphs of miRNA enrichment associated with up- or down-regulated transcripts and different summary tables about selections of mRNA targets and their functional annotations by Gene Ontology

Patients' Perception of Quality of Pre-Operative Informed Consent in Athens, Greece: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: We sought to perform a study to record and evaluate patients' views of the way surgeons communicate informed consent (IC) in Greece. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A prospective pilot study was carried out in Athens from 9/2007 to 4/2008. The study sample was extracted from patients, operated by eight different surgeons, who volunteered to fill in a post-surgery self-report questionnaire on IC. A composite delivered information index and a patient-physician relationship index were constructed for the purposes of the analysis. In total, 77 patients (42 males) volunteered to respond to the questionnaire. The delivered information index scores ranged from 3 to 10, the mean score was 8, and the standard deviation (SD) was 1.9. All patients were aware of their underlying diagnosis and reason for surgery. However, a considerable proportion of the respondents (14.3%) achieved a score below or equal to 5. The patient-physician relationship scores ranged from 0 to 20, the mean score was 16 and the standard deviation (SD) was 4.3. The better the patient-physician relationship, the more information was finally delivered to the patient from the physician (Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient was 0.4 and p<0.001). Delivered information index was significantly higher among participants who comprehended the right to informed consent, compared to participants who did not (p<0.001), and among participants who were given information regarding other possible therapeutic options (p = 0.001). 43% of the respondents answered that less than 10 minutes were spent on the consent process, 58.4% of patients stated that they had not been informed about other possible therapeutic choices and 28.6% did not really comprehend their legal rights to IC. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the inherent limitations and the small sample size that do not permit to draw any firm conclusions, results indicate that a successful IC process may be associated with specific elements such as the patient-physician relationship, the time spent by the physician to inform the patient, a participant's comprehension of the right to IC and the provision of information regarding other possible therapeutic options

Electrocatalytic Oxidation Of Methanol By The [ru3o(oac) 6(py)2(ch3oh)]3+ Cluster: Improving The Metal-ligand Electron Transfer By Accessing The Higher Oxidation States Of A Multicentered System

The [Ru3O(Ac)6(py)2(CH3OH)] + cluster provides an effective electrocatalytic species for the oxidation of methanol under mild conditions. This complex exhibits characteristic electrochemical waves at -1.02, 0.15 and 1.18 V, associated with the Ru3 III,II,II/Ru3 III,III,II/ Ru3 III,III,III/Ru3 IV,III,III successive redox couples, respectively. Above 1.7 V, formation of two Ru IV centers enhances the 2-electron oxidation of the methanol ligand yielding formaldehyde, in agreement with the theoretical evolution of the HOMO levels as a function of the oxidation states. This work illustrates an important strategy to improve the efficiency of the oxidation catalysis, by using a multicentered redox catalyst and accessing its multiple higher oxidation states.331020462050Viertler, H., Gruber, J., Pardini, V.L., (2001) Organic Electrochemistry, p. 621. , Lund, H.Hammerich, O., eds.Marcel Dekker: New York, chap. 17Araki, K., Toma, H.E., (2006) N-4 Macrocyclic Metal Complexes, p. 255. , Zagal, J. H.Bedioui, F.Dodelet, J.-P.Springer: New York, chap. 6Araki, K., Dovidauskas, S., Winnischofer, H., Alexiou, A.D.P., Toma, H.E., (2001) J. Electroanal. Chem., 498, p. 152Dovidauskas, S., Toma, H.E., Araki, K., Sacco, H.C., Iamamoto, Y., (2000) Inorg. Chim. Acta, 305, p. 208Toma, H.E., Araki, K., (2009) Progr. Inorg. Chem., 56, p. 379Kuwabara, I.H., Comninos, F.C.M., Pardini, V.L., Viertler, H., Toma, H.E., (1994) Electrochim. Acta, 39, p. 2401Nunes, G.S., Alexiou, A.D.P., Araki, K., Formiga, A.L.B., Rocha, R.C., Toma, H.E., (2006) Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., p. 1487Nunes, G.S., Alexiou, A.D.P., Toma, H.E., (2008) J. Catal., 260, p. 188Alexiou, A.D.P., Dovidauskas, S., Toma, H.E., (2000) Quim. Nova, 23, p. 785Toma, H.E., Araki, K., Alexiou, A.D.P., Nikolaou, S., Dovidauskas, S., (2001) Coord. Chem. Rev., 219-221, p. 187Davis, S., Drago, R.S., (1988) Inorg. Chem., 27, p. 4759Bilgrien, C., Davis, S., Drago, R.S., (1987) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 109, p. 3786Sieben, J.M., Duarte, M.M.E., Mayer, C.E., (2010) Chem Cat. Chem, 2, p. 182Raoof, J.B., Golikan, A.N., Baghayeri, M., (2010) J. Solid State Electrochem., 14, p. 817Raoof, J.B., Karimi, M.A., Hosseini, S.R., Mangelizadeh, S., (2010) J. Electroanal. Chem., 638, p. 33El-Deab, M.S., (2009) Int. J. Electrochem. Sci., 4, p. 1329Zheng, L., Song, J.F., (2010) J. Solid State Electrochem., 14, p. 43Wu, B.H., Hu, D., Kuang, Y.J., Liu, B., Zhang, X.H., Chen, J.H., (2009) Angew. Chem., Int. Ed., 48, p. 4751Suffredini, H.B., Salazar-Banda, G.R., Avaca, L.A., (2009) J. Sol-Gel Sci. Technol., 49, p. 131Balasubramanian, A., Karthikeyan, N., Giridhar, V.V., (2008) J. Power Sources, 185, p. 670Zhao, H.B., Li, L., Yang, J., Zhang, Y.M., (2008) Electrochem. Commun., 10, p. 1527Zhang, D., Ding, Y., Gao, W., Chen, H.Y., Xia, X.H., (2008) J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol., 8, p. 979Sawyer, D.T., Roberts, J.L., (1974) Experimental Electrochemistry for Chemists, , Wiley: New YorkBaumann, J.A., Salmon, D.J., Wilson, S.T., Meyer, T.J., Hatfield, W.E., (1978) Inorg. Chem., 17, p. 3342Allinger, N.L., (1977) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 99, p. 8127Zerner, M.C., Loew, G.H., Kirchner, R.F., Mueller-Westerhoff, U.T., (1980) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 102, p. 589Formiga, A.L.B., Nogueira, A.F., Araki, K., Toma, H.E., (2008) New J. Chem., 32, p. 1167Longuet-Higgins, H., Pople, J.A., (1955) Proc. Phys. Soc., 68, p. 591Latimer, W.M., (1952) The Oxidation States of the Elements and Their Potentials in Aqueous Solutions, , Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, 2nd edNicholson, R.S., Shain, I., (1964) Anal. Chem., 36, p. 706Sundholm, G., (1971) Acta Chem. Scand., 25, p. 3188Sundholm, G., (1971) J. Electroanal. Chem., 31, p. 265Nash, T., (1953) Biochemistry, 55, p. 41