Rotational excitation of methylidynium (CH+) by a helium atom at high temperature

We aim to obtain accurate rate coefficients for the collisional excitation of CH+ by He for high gas temperatures. The ab initio coupled-cluster [CCSD(T)] approximation was used to compute the interaction potential energy. Cross sections are then derived in the close coupling (CC) approach and rate coefficients inferred by averaging these cross sections over a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of kinetic energies. Cross sections are calculated up to 10'000 cm^-1 for J ranging from 0 to 10. Rate coefficients are obtained at high temperatures up to 2000 K.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, table with rate coefficients, accepted for publication by A&

Value of routine ultrasound examination at 35-37 weeks' gestation in diagnosis of fetal abnormalities

Objective: To investigate the potential value of routine ultrasound examination at 35-37 weeks’ gestation in the diagnosis of previously unknown fetal abnormalities. Methods: This was a prospective study in 52,401 singleton pregnancies attending for a routine ultrasound examination at 35+0 - 36+6 weeks’ gestation; all pregnancies had a previous scan at 18-24 weeks and 47,215 also had a scan at 11-13 weeks. We included pregnancies resulting in livebirth or stillbirth but excluded those with known chromosomal abnormalities. The abnormalities were classified according to affected major organ system and the type and incidence of new abnormalities was determined. Results: In the study population the incidence of fetal abnormalities was 2.2% (1,168 / 52,401), including 847 (72.5%) that had been previously diagnosed during the first and / or second trimester, 247 (21.2%) that were detected for the first time at 35-37 weeks and 74 (6.3%) that were detected for the first time postnatally. The most common abnormalities that were diagnosed during the first and / or second trimester, that were also observed at 35-37 weeks, included aberrant right subclavian artery, ventricular septal defect, talipes, unilateral renal agenesis and / or pelvic kidney, hydronephrosis, duplex kidney or unilateral multicystic kidney, cystic pulmonary airway malformation, ventriculomegaly, cleft lip and palate, polydactyly,abdominal cyst or gastroschisis. The most common abnormalities seen at 35-37 weeks were hydronephrosis, mild ventriculomegaly, ventricular septal defect, duplex kidney, ovarian cyst and arachnoid cyst. The incidence of abnormalities first seen at 35-37 weeks was 0.5% and the most common were ovarian cysts, microcephaly, achondroplasia, dacryocystocele and hematocolpos. The incidence of abnormalities first seen postnatally was 0.1% and the most common were isolated cleft palate, polydactyly or syndactyly and ambiguous genitalia or hypospadias; prenatal examination of the genitalia was not a compulsory part of the protocol. Conclusions: A high proportion of fetal abnormalities are detected for the first time during a routine ultrasound examination at 35-37 weeks’ gestation. Such diagnosis and subsequent management, including selection of time and place for delivery and postnatal investigations, could potentially improve postnatal outcome

Electrical, morphology and structural properties of biodegradable nanocomposite polyvinyl-acetate/ cellulose nanocrystals

In this work, the dielectric properties and the electrical conductivity of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) polymer doped with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), extracted from the date palm rachis, are reported. We investigate the filler effect on the molecular mobility of the PVAc polymer chains and the charge transport properties of this material. PVAc/CNC films structure was characterized by powder X-Ray diffraction (XRD), showing the crystalline behavior of the cellulose filler. The dielectric properties were investigated using impedance spectroscopy, in the frequency range of 102–106 Hz and temperatures from 200 to 350 K. A β relaxation, assigned to the motions of the -OCOCH3 side groups, and α relaxation, associated with the glass transition of the PVAc matrix, can be detected.publishe

West Nile virus meningoencephalitis during pregnancy: Case report with MR imaging findings

AbstractMR imaging findings of West Nile virus meningoencephalitis during pregnancy are unknown. We report the first case of serologically proved West Nile virus meningoencephalitis complicating pregnancy with MRI findings. MR imaging of the brain revealed abnormal hyperintensity in the periventricular white matter near the left frontal horn and insular left lobe on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T2-weighted images. Evolution was favorable, and no obvious fetal consequences of infection were noted after birth. Recognition of the MR imaging appearance of this entity is important because of the expanding epidemic

La tuberculose extra-ganglionnaire de la sphere O.R.L.

La tuberculose extra ganglionnaire est une pathologie rare en ORL. Elle pourrait poser des problèmes diagnostiques surtout avec la pathologie tumorale. Nous rapportons 10 cas de localisations extra-ganglionnaires, colligés au service ORL de l\'hôpital Tahar Sfar de Mahdia entre 1988 et 2004. Il s\'agissait de 7 femmes et 3 hommes, âgés entre 19 et 77 ans (moyenne : 39 ans). La maladie a touché le cavum dans 3 cas, les glandes salivaires dans 3 cas, les amygdales palatines dans 2 cas et le larynx chez 2 patients. Le diagnostic était dans tous les cas histo-pathologique. Tous nos patients ont reçu un traitement anti-tuberculeux. L\'évolution était favorable avec un recul moyen de 11 mois. Conclusion : La tuberculose extra-ganglionnaire en ORL pose surtout des problèmes diagnostiques. Son diagnostic est le plus souvent histo-pathologique. Son traitement repose sur la himiothérapie anti-tuberculeuse. Extra-nodal tuberculosis is a rare in ENT practice. We report 10 cases of extra-ganglionic localizations of tuberculosis, treated in ENT department of the Tahar Sfar hospital of Mahdia between 1988 and 2004. They were 7 women and 3 men, aged between 19 and 77 years (average: 39 years) . The disease has touched the nasopharynx in 3 cases, the salivary glands in 3 cases, the tonsils in 2 cases and the larynx in 2 cases. The diagnosis was in all cases histo-pathological. All our patients received an anti-tubercular treatment. The evolution was favorable with 11 months average outcome. Conclusion: Extra-nodal tuberculosis in ENT poses especially diagnostic problems. Its treatment is based on anti-tubercular chemotherapy. Journal Tunisien d\'ORL et de chirurgie cervico-faciale Vol. 16 2006: pp. 36-3

An Output Ripple-Free Fast Charger for Electric Vehicles Based on Grid-Tied Modular Three-Phase Interleaved Converters

An off-board dc fast battery charger for electric vehicles (EVs) with an original control strategy aimed to provide ripple-free output current in the typical EV batteries voltage range is presented in this article. The proposed configuration is based on modular three-phase interleaved converters and supplied by the low-voltage ac grid. The ac/dc interleaved three-phase active rectifier is composed of three standard two-level three-phase converter modules with a possibility to slightly adjust the dc-link voltage level in order to null the output current ripple. A modular interleaved dc/dc converter, formed by the same three-phase converter modules connected in parallel, is used as an interface between the dc link and the battery. The use of low-cost, standard and industry-recognized three-phase power modules for high-power fast EV charging stations enables the reduction of capital and maintenance costs of the charging facilities. The effect of coupling on the individual input/output inductors and total input/output current ripples has been investigated as well, considering both possible coupling implementations, i.e., inverse and direct coupling. Numerical simulations are reported to confirm the feasibility and the effectiveness of the whole EV fast charging configuration, including the proposed control strategy aimed to null the ripple of the output current. Experimental results are provided by a reduced scale prototype of the output stage to verify the ripple-free output current operation capability

Dietary olive oil effect on antioxidant status and fatty acid profile in the erythrocyte of 2,4-D- exposed rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Oxidative stress produced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been linked to the development of several diseases such as cardiovascular, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. This study investigates the possible protective effect of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), lipophilic fraction (OOLF) and hydrophilic fraction (OOHF) on oxidative stress and fatty acid profile of erythrocytes in 2,4-D treated rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Male Wistar rats were divided randomly into eight groups: control (C), (2,4-D) at a dose of 5 mg/kg b.w., (2,4-D/EVOO) was given 2,4-D plus EVOO, (2,4-D/OOHF) that received 2,4-D plus hydrophilic fraction, (2,4-D/OOLF) treated with 2,4-D plus lipophilic fraction, (EVOO) that received only EVOO, (OOHF) was given hydrophilic fraction and (OOLF) treated with lipophilic fraction. These components were daily administered by gavages for 4 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>2,4-D treatment lead to decrease of antioxidant enzyme activities, namely, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) associated with a higher amount of MDA level. Erythrocyte membranes' fatty acid composition was also significantly modified with 2,4-D exposure. EVOO and hydrophilic fraction supplemented to rats with or not 2,4-D treatment enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced the MDA level. However, lipophilic fraction did not show any improvement in oxidative damage induced by 2,4-D in spite its richness in MUFA and vitamins.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>EVOO administered to 2,4-D-treated rats protected erythrocyte membranes against oxidative damage by means of preventing excessive lipid peroxidation to increase the MUFA composition and increase maintaining antioxidants enzymes at normal concentrations.</p

On Stability and Stabilization of Perturbed Time Scale Systems with Gronwall Inequalities

In the paper, new nonlinear time scale integral inequalities are given. By means of the explicit integral bounds, we derive suffcient conditions for the uniform asymptotic stability of perturbed systems on time scales. In the sequel, basing on Lyapunov's direct method, we develop the required type of stability.В статье представлены новые нелинейные интегральные неравенства на временной шкале. С помощью явных интегральных оценок получены достаточные условия для равномерной асимптотической устойчивости возмущенных систем на временных шкалах. Далее, основываясь на прямом методе Ляпунова, разработан нужный тип стабильности

Low-temperature rate constants for rotational excitation and de-excitation of C3 (X 1∑g +) by collisions with He (1S)

The low-temperature rotational (de-) excitation of C3 (X 1∑g 1) by collisions with He (1S) is studied using an ab initio potential energy surface (PES). This PES has been calculated using the single- and double-excitation coupled-cluster approach with noniterative perturbational treatment of triple excitations [CCSD(T)] and the augmented correlation-consistent triple-ζ basis set (aug-cc-pVTZ) with bond functions. This PES is then incorporated in full close-coupling quantum scattering calculations for collision energies between 0.1 and 50 cm -1 in order to deduce the rate constants for rotational levels of C3 up to j = 10, covering the temperature range 5-15 K. © 2008. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.The Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (project A/8083/07, CSIC-Université Tunis El Manar) and the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (project AYA 2005-00702) are thanked for financial supportPeer Reviewe

Heat and Mass Transfer Enhancement in Absorption of Vapor in Laminar Liquid Film by Adding Nano-Particles

In this paper, a numerical study was performed. The effect of nanoparticles on the absorption of vapor into a liquid film of lithium bromide aqueous solution flowing down over a cooled vertical channel is examined. The present model uses the numerical finite volume method to solve the parabolic governing equations for two-dimensional and laminar flow. In this model, the cooling water flows countercurrent to a solution of concentrated lithium bromide mixed with the nanoparticles. The water vapor is then absorbed at the interface of the absorbent film and diffused into the binary nanofluid (water-LiBr+nanoparticles). The numerical results indicate that the mass and heat transfer in binary nanofluids are enhanced more than that in base fluid and the highest absorption mass flux is observed by adding argent (Ag) nanoparticles. The results of the effects of operating conditions show that the effectiveness of the nanofluid becomes higher than that with the base fluid when the Reynolds number and inlet concentration are lower and when the inlet temperature solution and inlet pressure are higher