Investigations on nucleophilic layers made with a novel plasma jet technique

In this work a novel plasma jet technique is used for the deposition of nucleophilic films based on (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane at atmospheric pressure. Film deposition was varied with regard to duty cycles and working distance. Spectral ellipsometry and chemical derivatization with 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzaldehyde using ATR- FTIR spectroscopy measurements were used to characterize the films. It was found that the layer thickness and the film composition are mainly influenced by the duty cycle

Acute nontraumatic torticollis in a patient with right lower quadrant pain: case report

Right lower quadrant pain is one of the most common symptoms of the emergency patients. For accurate diagnosis and treatment; the patients must be questioned and examined very well. Also accompanying conditions due to right lower quadrant pain may be noticed. In this case presantation, we discussed a patient who was presented with right lower quadrant pain and cervical dystonia. By limiting the usage of metoclopramide the patient was followed seamlessly. In this case presentation we want to accentuate that a patient who with abdominal pain may be presented with rare symptoms such of dystonia. In such conditions a detailed anamnesis and physical  examination are the first steps of the evaluation to prevent potential hazardous outcomes. Inparticular, a surgeon must be always carefully while taking history and examining the patient

Planform selection in two-layer Benard-Marangoni convection

Benard-Marangoni convection in a system of two superimposed liquids is investigated theoretically. Extending previous studies the complete hydrodynamics of both layers is treated and buoyancy is consistently taken into account. The planform selection problem between rolls, squares and hexagons is investigated by explicitly calculating the coefficients of an appropriate amplitude equation from the parameters of the fluids. The results are compared with recent experiments on two-layer systems in which squares at onset have been reported.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures, oscillatory instability included, typos corrected, references adde

Stable ℋ∞controller design for systems with time delays

One of the difficult problems of robust control theory is to find strongly stabilizing controllers (i.e. stable controllers leading to stable feedback system) which satisfy a certain ℋ∞ performance objective. In this work we discuss stable ℋ∞controller design methods for various classes of systems with time delays. We consider sensitivity minimization problem in this setting for SISO plants. We also discuss a suboptimal design method for stable ℋ∞controllers for MIMO plants. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Rail-freight crew scheduling with a genetic algorithm

peer reviewedThis article presents a novel genetic algorithm designed for the solution of the Crew Scheduling Problem (CSP) in the rail-freight industry. CSP is the task of assigning drivers to a sequence of train trips while ensuring that no driver’s schedule exceeds the permitted working hours, that each driver starts and finishes their day’s work at the same location, and that no train routes are left without a driver. Real-life CSPs are extremely complex due to the large number of trips, opportunities to use other means of transportation, and numerous government regulations and trade union agreements. CSP is usually modelled as a set-covering problem and solved with linear programming methods. However, the sheer volume of data makes the application of conventional techniques computationally expensive, while existing genetic algorithms often struggle to handle the large number of constraints. A genetic algorithm is presented that overcomes these challenges by using an indirect chromosome representation and decoding procedure. Experiments using real schedules on the UK national rail network show that the algorithm provides an effective solution within a faster timeframe than alternative approaches

The natural history and management of hamstring injuries

Hamstring injuries in sport can be debilitating. The anatomical complexity of this muscle makes uniform assessment of injury epidemiology difficult and insures that post-injury management strategies must be individually focused. This article reviews the anatomy of the hamstring, its role in athletic movement, common mechanisms of injury, and management guidelines with the goal of return into sporting activity in mind

The B7 family member B7-H6 is a tumor cell ligand for the activating natural killer cell receptor NKp30 in humans

Cancer development is often associated with the lack of specific and efficient recognition of tumor cells by the immune system. Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune system that participate in the elimination of tumors. We report the identification of a tumor cell surface molecule that binds NKp30, a human receptor which triggers antitumor NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion. This previously unannotated gene belongs to the B7 family and, hence, was designated B7-H6. B7-H6 triggers NKp30-mediated activation of human NK cells. B7-H6 was not detected in normal human tissues but was expressed on human tumor cells, emphasizing that the expression of stress-induced self-molecules associated with cell transformation serves as a mode of cell recognition in innate immunity