Photolithographic patterning of conducting polyaniline films via flash welding

In this work, two significant advances in photolithographic patterning of polyaniline (PANI) films are reported. Firstly, flash welding was enhanced through the use of polymeric substrates, enabling complete penetration of the welding of PANI films with thicknesses ranging from 5 to over 14 mu m, significantly thicker than reported previously. Masking of parts of the PANI films during flash welding enabled the formation of adjacent conducting and insulating regions as the welding changes the electrical properties of the film. Raman spectroscopy was used to determine the sharpness of these edges, and indicated that the interface between the flash welded and masked regions of the PANI films was typically less than 15 mu m wide. Secondly, using longpass filters, light with a wavelength less than 570 nm was found not to contribute to the welding process. This was confirmed by the use of a 635 nm laser diode for welding the PANI films. This novel approach enabled patterning of PANI films using a direct writing technique with a narrow wavelength light source

Initial microbial spectrum in severe secondary peritonitis and relevance for treatment

This study aims to determine whether abdominal microbial profiles in early severe secondary peritonitis are associated with ongoing infection or death. The study is performed within a randomized study comparing two surgical treatment strategies in patients with severe secondary peritonitis (n = 229). The microbial profiles of cultures retrieved from initial emergency laparotomy were tested with logistic regression analysis for association with ‘ongoing infection needing relaparotomy’ and in-hospital death. No microbial profile or the presence of yeast or Pseudomonas spp. was related to the risk of ongoing infection needing relaparotomy. Resistance to empiric therapy for gram positive cocci and coliforms was moderately associated with ongoing abdominal infection (OR 3.43 95%CI 0.95–12.38 and OR 7.61, 95%CI 0.75–76.94). Presence of only gram positive cocci, predominantly Enterococcus spp, was borderline independently associated with in-hospital death (OR 3.69, 95%CI 0.99–13.80). In secondary peritonitis microbial profiles do not predict ongoing abdominal infection after initial emergency laparotomy. However, the moderate association of ongoing infection with resistance to the empiric therapy compels to more attention for resistance when selecting empiric antibiotic coverage

Health related quality of life six months following surgical treatment for secondary peritonitis - Using the EQ-5D questionnaire

Background: To compare health related quality of life (HR-QoL) in patients surgically treated for secondary peritonitis to that of a healthy population. And to prospectively identify factors associated with poorer (lower) HR-QoL. Design: A prospective cohort of secondary peritonitis patients was mailed the EQ-5D and EQ-VAS 6-months following initial laparotomy. Setting: Multicenter study in two academic and seven regional teaching hospitals. Patients: 130 of the 155 eligible patients (84%) responded to the HR-QoL questionnaires. Results: HR-QoL was significantly worse on all dimensions in peritonitis patients than in a healthy reference population. Peritonitis characteristics at initial presentation were not associated with HR-QoL at six months. A more complicated course of the disease leading to longer hospitalization times and patients with an enterostomy had a negative impact on the mobility (p = 0.02), self-care (p &lt; 0.001) and daily activities: (p = 0.01). In a multivariate analysis for the EQ-VAS every doubling of hospital stay decreases the EQ-VAS by 3.8 points (p = 0.015). Morbidity during the six-month follow-up was not found to be predictive for the EQ-5D or EQ-VAS. Conclusion: Six months following initial surgery, patients with secondary peritonitis report more problems in HR-QoL than a healthy reference population. Unfavorable disease characteristics at initial presentation were not predictive for poorer HR-QoL, but a more complicated course of the disease was most predictive of HR-QoL at 6 months.</p

Factors associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms in a prospective cohort of patients after abdominal sepsis:A nomogram

Objective: To determine to what extent patients who have survived abdominal sepsis suffer from symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, and to identify potential risk factors for PTSD symptoms. Design and setting: PTSD and depression symptoms were measured using the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Post-Traumatic Symptom Scale 10 (PTSS-10) and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Patients and participants: A total of 135 peritonitis patients were eligible for this study, of whom 107 (80%) patients completed the questionnaire. The median APACHE-II score was 14 (range 12-16), and 89% were admitted to the ICU.Measurements and results: The proportion of patients with "moderate" PTSD symptom scores was 28% (95% CI 20-37), whilst 10% (95% CI 6-17) of patients had "high" PTSD symptom scores. Only 5% (95% CI 2-12) of the patients expressed severe depression symptoms. Factors associated with increased PTSD symptoms in a multivariate ordinal regression model were younger age (0.74 per 10 years older, p = 0.082), length of ICU stay (OR = 1.4 per doubling of duration, p = 0.003) and having some (OR = 4.9, p = 0.06) or many (OR = 55.5, p &lt; 0.001) traumatic memories of the ICU or hospital stay. Conclusion: As many as 38% of patients after abdominal sepsis report elevated levels of PTSD symptoms on at least one of the questionnaires. Our nomogram may assist in identifying patients at increased risk for developing symptoms of PTSD.</p

Improved cost models for optimizing CO2 pipeline configuration for point-to-point pipelines and simple networks

In this study, a new cost model is developed for CO2 pipeline transport, which starts with the physical properties of CO2 transport and includes different kinds of steel grades and up-to-date material and construction costs. This pipeline cost model is used for a new developed tool to determine the configuration leading to the lowest levelized costs for CO2 transport, for point-to-point pipelines as well as for simple networks on different types of terrain and for different time frames. The model optimizes inlet pressure, diameter, steel grade and number of pumping stations. Results show that gaseous CO2 transport can give lower levelized costs than liquid CO2 transport for point-to-point pipelines and for simple networks, if the CO2 is stored in a reservoir with a low required injection pressure, like depleted natural gas fields. However, for storage fields with a required injection pressure of 8 MPa or higher (like aquifers), CO2 can be better transported in a liquid form. For onshore pipelines transporting liquid CO2, the optimal inlet pressure is 9-13 MPa and pumping stations are installed roughly every 50-100 km. For offshore pipelines, pumping stations are not an option and the inlet pressure is determined by the length of the pipeline. The maximum inlet pressure is about 25 MPa and for even longer pipelines, a larger diameter is selected. The levelized costs (excluding initial compression) for transporting 100 kg/s (about 3 Mt/y) over 100 km are between 1.8 and 33 (sic)/t for liquid and 4.0-6.4 (sic)/t for gaseous CO2 transport. For larger mass flows the costs are decreasing, for instance transporting 200 kg/s (about 6 Mt/y) over 100 km are 1.2-1.8 (sic)/t for liquid and 3.0-3.8 (sic)/t for gaseous CO2 transport. Furthermore, results show that higher steel grades lead to lower investment costs for onshore pipelines transporting liquid CO2. Using X120 in the long term reduces the pipeline costs up to 17%. For gaseous CO2 transport, lower steel grades (like X42 and X52) are the best option. Also offshore pipelines do not benefit from the development of higher steel grades over time because the thickness should be at least 2.5% of the outer diameter. The results indicate that oversizing the pipeline, to transport CO2 from an additional source that is coming available later, is not always cost-attractive. This strongly depends on the time span of which further CO2 sources are available and on the mass flows. Oversizing appears earlier cost-attractive compared to two point-to-point pipelines if the source with the largest mass flow becomes available first. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Fixed Channel Road link

A fixed road link between Dover and Calais can be realized by a tunnel, a bridge or The tunnel can be bored which are submerged into a combination of bridge and tunnel or constructed of concrete elements place.Offshore technologyHydraulic EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience

Test-retest reliability of heart rate variability and respiration rate at rest and during light physical activity in normal subjects

BACKGROUND: A variable that remains stable over repeated measurements (in stable conditions) is ideal for tracking modifications of the clinical state. The aim of the present study is to examine test-retest reliability of time-domain heart rate variability and respiration rate measurements using a portable device on normal subjects during rest and light physical activity. METHODS: Twenty-six normal subjects [18 females and 8 males aged 28 +/- 6 years and 34 +/- 12 years (mean +/- SD), respectively] underwent two measurements for time-domain heart rate variability (SDNN and RMSSD) and respiration rate, with 7 days in between. Measurements took place under three conditions: lying down in a laboratory, cycling in a laboratory and sleeping in an ambulatory surrounding. Reliability was assessed statistically by calculating intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: Reliability was found to be good to excellent for both time-domain heart rate variability (SDNN: ICC values between 0.74 and 0.85, RMSSD: ICC values between 0.75 and 0.98) and for respiration rate (ICC values between 0.77 and 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: Both time-domain heart rate variability and respiration rate can be reliably assessed. However, we advise reliability research in a clinical setting before using the device for tracking modifications in a clinical stat

Ion transport in broad bean leaf mesophyll under saline conditions

Main conclusion Salt stress reduces the ability of mesophyll tissue to respond to light. Potassium outward rectifying channels are responsible for 84 % of Na⁺ induced potassium efflux from mesophyll cells. Modulation in ion transport of broad bean (Vicia faba L.) mesophyll to light under increased apoplastic salinity stress was investigated using vibrating ion-selective microelectrodes (the MIFE technique). Increased apoplastic Na⁺ significantly affected mesophyll cells ability to respond to light by modulating ion transport across their membranes. Elevated apoplastic Na⁺ also induced a significant K⁺ efflux from mesophyll tissue. This efflux was mediated predominately by potassium outward rectifying channels (84 %) and the remainder of the efflux was through nonselective cation channels. NaCl treatment resulted in a reduction in photosystem II efficiency in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In particular, reductions in Fv‘/Fm‘ were linked to K⁺ homeostasis in the mesophyll tissue. Increased apoplastic Na⁺ concentrations induced vanadate-sensitive net H⁺ efflux, presumably mediated by the plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase. It is concluded that the observed pump’s activation is essential for the maintenance of membrane potential and ion homeostasis in the cytoplasm of mesophyll under salt stress.William J. Percey, Lana Shabala, Michael C. Breadmore, Rosanne M. Guijt, Jayakumar Bose, Sergey Shabal