Laser spectroscopy with laser diodes can now also be performed in the violet/blue spectral region. a 5 mW commercially available CW laser diode operating at 404 nm was used to perform spectroscopy on potassium atoms with signal detection in absorption as well as fluorescence when operating on a potassium vapor cell and with optogalvanic detection on a potassium hollow cathode lamp. The 4s(2)S(1/2)

We present a technology for the fabrication of cantilever arrays aimed to develop an integrated biosensor microsystem. The fabrication process is based on spin coating of the photosensitive polymer and near-ultraviolet exposure. Arrays of up to 33 microcantilevers are fabricated in the novel polymer material SU-8. The low Young's modulus of the polymer, 40 times lower than that of silicon, enables

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There are rising concerns about the frequency of infection after arthroplasty surgery. Prophylactic antibiotics are an important part of the preventive measures. As their effect is related to the timing of administration, it is important to follow how the routines with preoperative prophylactic antibiotics are working. METHODS: In 114 consecutive cases treated at our own un

Popular Abstract in English The concern about pollutant emissions from combustion devices has stimulated the development of modern combustion devices. As one of the major power generation machines, modern gas turbine engine has been designed to run at fuel-lean and premixed mode of combustion in which the combustion temperature is moderate so that NOx emission is low. Combustion in premixed mode rThis thesis deals with the physics of turbulent swirling flows. Large eddy simulation (LES) method is used to investigate the vortex breakdown process, the precessing vortex core (PVC), and the effect of swirl number and flow field configuration on swirling flows. The study is based on an open source CFD code, \textit{OpenFoam}. Turbulent swirling flows are widely used in combustion devices such a

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors predicting response to first TNF blocking treatment course in patients with established RA with a special focus on gender differences. METHODS: Patients with active RA initiating their first treatment course of TNF-blocking therapy were enrolled. The study period was March 1999 through September 2006. The prospective protocol included information on demographics, cli

When the maximum load at a three-point bend test on a notched beam is known, Gc can be estimated from a well-known method of linear elastic fracture mechanics. The method, in this case called the indirect method, has proved to be unsuitable for use in Gc-determinations of concrete-like materials. The method is too dependent on the specimen size. Another method of directly determining Gc is also d

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Endoscopic diagnosis of biliary disease is challenging due to difficulties in access, visualization, and sampling. Recent advances in endoscopic technology, ancillary diagnostic methods, and our understanding of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) and IgG4-related cholangitis (IRC) have led to improvements in the endoscopic diagnosis of pancreaticobiliary disease. RECENT FINDINGS: S

We consider a two-level inventory system with one central warehouse and N retailers. All installations apply different continuous review installation stock (R, Q) policies. The retailers face independent compound Poisson demand processes. Transportation times are constant. We present a method for exact evaluation of control policies that provides the complete probability distributions of the retai

With more advanced manufacturing technologies, small and medium sized enterprises can compete with low-wage labor by providing customized and high quality products. For small production series, robotic systems can provide a cost-effective solution. However, for robots to be able to perform on par with human workers in manufacturing industries, they have to become flexible and autonomous in their t

Single-fraction radiation therapy with 5 or 15 Gy (60)Co gamma radiation was combined with intraperitoneal injections of syngeneic interferon gamma (IFN-gamma)-transfected cells in rats with intracerebral N29 or N32 glioma tumors at days 7, 21 and 35 after inoculation. For intracerebral N29 tumors, single-fraction radiation therapy with 5 or 15 Gy had no significant effect on the survival time. Im

This paper is a critique of analytical sociology as presented in Peter Hedström’s book Dissecting the Social. Our critique has two main targets. First, we believe that too little attention is being paid to the macro-to-micro link, and we argue for the importance of macro-level entities such as culture, social categories, and groups – all of which have so far been largely omitted from analytical so

Results of epidemiological studies have suggested that consumption of green tea could lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Intervention studies show that green tea may decrease blood glucose levels, and also increase satiety. This study was conducted to examine the postprandial effects of green tea on glucose levels, glycemic index, insulin levels and satiety in healthy individuals after the consump