Real-time X-ray diffraction study at different scan rates of phase transitions for dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine in KSCN

A questionnaire survey was carried out to examine the attitudes and practices of Australian and New Zealand intensivists with regard to brain death and organ donation. A return rate of 82.5% was achieved. Fifty-eight per cent had written evidence of their own wishes to donate organs and 94% would agree to donation from a dependent. At least one intensivist is involved in certifying brain death on 95% of occasions. Intensivists are involved in the request for organ donation over 90% of the time although one-third do not believe that it is their role to request organ donation. Although two-thirds believe that the family should always be approached for organ donation, another 52 out of 254 indicated that it was their (the intensivist's) role to decide if families should be asked for organ donation. Possible reasons for not requesting are language or other communication problems, perceptions of cultural differences and degrees of family distress. Twenty per cent of respondents do not provide haemodynamic support before brain death confirmation. Australian and New Zealand intensivists overwhelmingly support the concept of brain death, current methods of confirmation of brain death, organ donation and transplantation. Possible reasons behind loss of potential donors include decisions not to resuscitate both before and after brain death is confirmed. Perceptions of family grief and cultural differences clearly inhibit requests for organ donation. A very few units have an effective policy on approaching families about organ donation. Intensivists have almost exclusive control over requests for organ donation and thus bear a full professional responsibility for this element of hospital practice.     

Synthesis and properties of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-(1-phenethyloxy)piperidine,an initiator for living free radical styrene polymerization

Summary An initiator for living free radical polymerization may be prepared by trapping the benzylic ethylbenzene radical with the stable 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxy (TEMPO) radical. The adduct, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-(1-phenethyloxy)piperidine (TMPEP), smoothly undergoes thermal fragmentation at temperatures approaching 140° C to afford an active carbon radical capable of initiating polymerization and a passive mediating nitroxyl radical to reversibly cap and preserve the propagating polymer chain.     

Effect of the degree of crosslinking on penetrant transport in polystyrene

The effect of the degree of crosslinking of glassy polymers on the transport mechanism of penetrants was investigated using a series of divinyl benzene (DVB)-crosslinked polystyrenes of nominal crosslinking ratio X from 0.001 38 to 0.060 mol DVB/mol styrene. The number average molecular weight between crosslinks, $\text{M}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>c</mtext>}}$, was determined from equilibrium swelling experiments in cyclohexane. Dynamic swelling experiments with cyclohexane at 30°C showed that the mechanism of penetrant transport was anomalous. An overshoot in the penetrant uptake was observed, characteristic of macromolecular relaxations and of changing solubility of the cyclohexane in the continuously swelling polystyrene. Photographs of various samples during the swelling process showed that solvent crazing occurred predominantly in loosely crosslinked samples.     

The concept of an endurance limit for adhesive joints

The effect of cyclic stressing on the strength of single lap adhesive joints has been studied and a considerable reduction in strength observed when the maximum stress exceeds about 40% of the ultimate tensile strength, but whether or not a true endurance limit exists is not proven. Fallacies are shown in some of the techniques which have been proposed for studying the fatigue behaviour of adhesive joints.     

The use of Schottky barrier diodes for the detection of surface contamination and damage in the fabrication of GaAs MESFETS

The gates of GaAs MESFETS rely on the formation of a Schottky diode between the semiconductor surface and a deposited metal and so are extremely sensitive to the nature of this interface. For this reason an investigation of surface damage and contamination by the various processing stages involved in IC fabrication has been undertaken. This paper outlines the results obtained from processes involved in activation of ion implantation through annealing with a dielectric encapsulant, wet chemical etching, and metallization. Methods for removing or minimizing the effects of processing damage or contamination are also investigated.     

Perceived risk for influenza in veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders.

Objective: Guided by the extended parallel process model (EPPM), the objective was to assess control processes dominant in influenza behavior decisions. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Results: Response rate was 31% (n=968). Regarding influenza risk, 59% were in danger control. Those in fear control were more likely to report influenza infection (p=.000). In the nonvaccinated, those in fear control were more likely to indicate not knowing where to get the vaccine (p=.016) and that it was unavailable (p=.027), and those in danger control believed they did not need it (p=.023). Zero critical values were more likely to indicate that no health provider recommended the shot (p=.002). Conclusions: Most perceived efficacy to be stronger than threat related to influenza; according to the EPPM, they are aware of their risk but recognize their ability to avert it. For those in danger control, messages should focus on increasing perceptions of severity and susceptibility to positively affect behavior change. For those in fear control, messages should focus on efficacy only. With a critical value of zero, no threat is induced, and a high-threat/high-efficacy approach should be taken. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Organochlorine Contaminants of Wintering Ducks Foraging on Detroit River Sediments

Organochlorine analysis was performed on carcasses of 13 diving ducks from a 1981 wintering population that foraged on contaminated sediments in the lower Detroit River. Mean total PCB concentrations were 10 mg/kg for seven lesser scaups (Aythya affinis), 11 mg/kg for three greater scaups (A. marila), and 7.6 mg/kg for three goldeneyes (Bucephala clangula). Highest mean levels of other residues were measured for hexachlorobenzene (1.7 mg/kg) in goldeneyes, and transnonachlor (0.33 mg/kg) and 4,4’-DDE (1.3 mg/kg) in greater scaup. Quantitative analysis of 72 PCB congeners also was applied to water, seston, sediment, benthie oligochaetes, and carp from the same site. Principal congeners in most of the samples included some of the more toxic and persistent PCBs. Results of a multivariate analysis indicated that ratios of more conservative to less conservative PCBs did not vary significantly among ducks (α = .05), but differed from those in carp, oligochaetes, and sediment. For the February through March period of fat mobilization, concentrations of total PCB in lipid were inversely correlated with percent lipid (r = 0.76) in ducks. The percentage of conservative PCBs increased slightly. The distribution and partitioning of organochlorines, including toxic PCB congeners, varied considerably within this water column-sediment-fauna ecosystem. Estimates of toxic exposure based on total PCB values may be unreliable.