Wireless Technologies in Home and Building Automation

Abstract — The use of wireless technologies in automation systems offers attractive benefits, but introduces a number of new technological challenges. The paper discusses these aspects for home and building automation applications. Relevant standards are surveyed. A wireless extension to KNX/EIB based on tunnelling over IEEE 802.15.4 is presented. The design emulates the properties of the KNX/EIB wired medium via wireless communication, allowing a seamless extension. Furthermore, it is geared towards zero-configuration and supports the easy integration of protocol security. I

Sensors / Evaluation of Aerosol Electrospray Analysis of Metal-on-Metal Wear Particles from Simulated Total Joint Replacement

Wear is a common cause for aseptic loosening in artificial joints. The purpose of this study was to develop an automated diagnostical method for identification of the number and size distribution of wear debris. For this purpose, metal debris samples were extracted from a hip simulator and then analyzed by the electrospray method combined with a differential mobility analyzer, allowing particle detection ranging from several nanometers up to 1 m. Wear particles were identified with a characteristic peak at 15 nm. The electrospray setup was successfully used and validated for the first time to characterize wear debris from simulated total joint replacement. The advantages of this diagnostic method are its time- and financial efficiency and its suitability for testing of different materials.(VLID)491881

High-molecular-weight, water-soluble polyammonium compounds

High-mol. wt., water-sol. compds., useful for nonsticky coatings on elec. conductive paper are manufd. by polymn. of 0.01-5 mol.% Z(CO2CH2CR:CR'R2)2 (Z = (CH2)n, (CH:CH)m, O(CH2CH2)p O, arylene, cycloalkylene, n = 0-20; m = 1-4, p = 0-5, R, R1, R2 = H, C1-6 alkyl, C5-6 cycloalkyl), e.g. diallyl maleinate, and a dialkenyldialkylammonium compd., e.g. diallyldimethylammonium chloride, in H2O in an inert atm. at 50-100 Deg. [on SciFinder (R)

Simultaneous Quantification of Eleven Thiopurine Nucleotides by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The prodrugs azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine, which are well-established anticancer and immunosuppressive agents, are extensively metabolized by activating and inactivating enzymes. Whereas the 6-thioguanine nucleotides (TGN) are currently being considered as major active metabolites, methylthioinosine nucleotides seem to contribute to the cytotoxic effect as well. Thiopurine-related adverse drug reactions and thiopurine failure are frequent. Thus, therapeutic monitoring of TGN and methylthioinosine derivatives has been suggested to improve thiopurine therapy, however with limited success. To elucidate systematically underlying molecular mechanisms as potential explanation for interindividual variability of thiopurine response, we developed a novel highly specific and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous quantitation of eleven mono-, di-, and triphosphates of thioguanosine, methylthioinosine, methylthioguanosine, and thioinosine. Using stable isotope-labeled analogues as internal standards obtained by chemical synthesis, an intra- and interassay variability below 8% and an accuracy of 92% to 107% were achieved in spiked quality control samples with known standards. All eleven metabolites could be determined in red blood cells from patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and long-term azathioprine therapy. Thus, our novel method opens a new avenue for the understanding of the thiopurine metabolism by quantitation of all important thiopurine nucleotide metabolites in one run

Simultaneous Quantification of Eleven Thiopurine Nucleotides by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The prodrugs azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine, which are well-established anticancer and immunosuppressive agents, are extensively metabolized by activating and inactivating enzymes. Whereas the 6-thioguanine nucleotides (TGN) are currently being considered as major active metabolites, methylthioinosine nucleotides seem to contribute to the cytotoxic effect as well. Thiopurine-related adverse drug reactions and thiopurine failure are frequent. Thus, therapeutic monitoring of TGN and methylthioinosine derivatives has been suggested to improve thiopurine therapy, however with limited success. To elucidate systematically underlying molecular mechanisms as potential explanation for interindividual variability of thiopurine response, we developed a novel highly specific and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for simultaneous quantitation of eleven mono-, di-, and triphosphates of thioguanosine, methylthioinosine, methylthioguanosine, and thioinosine. Using stable isotope-labeled analogues as internal standards obtained by chemical synthesis, an intra- and interassay variability below 8% and an accuracy of 92% to 107% were achieved in spiked quality control samples with known standards. All eleven metabolites could be determined in red blood cells from patients with inflammatory bowel diseases and long-term azathioprine therapy. Thus, our novel method opens a new avenue for the understanding of the thiopurine metabolism by quantitation of all important thiopurine nucleotide metabolites in one run